J. Cleland

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I second the remarks of the distinguished Senator from North Dakota. I thank him for his insight into the economy and for his desire to get this legislative body moving. I will quote from a distinguished author, Charles Dickens, who said: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness. It was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity. It was the season of light, it was the season of darkness. It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. That introduction to ``A Tale of Two Cities'' written by Dickens is apropos of the time we have at hand. Dickens' words speak to us today as we try to make sense of the events of September 11 because, though the darkness and despair were all too readily apparent, I believe we can actually see wisdom and light and hope as this great Nation moves forward in unity and resolve. It is a sad but nonetheless true fact that our country is no more vulnerable to terrorist assault now than it was on September 10. It just feels that way. With the heightened attention to this threat, I would contend that the vulnerability is less now than it was actually before, but that is certainly no guarantee against future attacks. While the September 11 acts of terror demonstrate all too vividly the depth of inhumanity that some human beings are capable of, the response in the United States and around the world has conclusively proved that for most people, it is, in Lincoln's words, ``the better angels of our nature'' which ultimately prevail. When in our lifetimes have we seen the selfless men and women who serve as police and firefighters extolled above athletes and rock stars? When have we seen cynicism and apathy largely vanish from our public airwaves? When have we seen such sustained bipartisanship at home and unity of purpose in the international community? Not in my lifetime, Mr. President. The current challenge facing our country and the entire civilized world is indeed a crisis, but I contend that it is a crisis in the way the Chinese understand the word--one word, one phrase, one character, meaning danger; but the other character meaning opportunity. The Chinese write the word ``crisis'' in two characters, Mr. President, not one: danger and opportunity. We have before us both. For some time, I have been planning to come to the Senate floor to mark the first anniversary of the completion of an effort I undertook last year with my distinguished friend and colleague, the distinguished Senator from Kansas, Pat Roberts. Over the course of last year-- completed on October 3--Senator Roberts and I conducted a series of bipartisan dialogs on the global role of the United States in the post- cold-war era. That sounds somewhat esoteric in light of the attacks on our country on September 11, but our purpose then was to draw attention to this important topic and to help begin the process of building a bipartisan consensus on national security, which both of us felt was needed and indispensable to protecting our national interests. Over the course of our discussions last year, we came to mutual agreement on a set of general principles which we felt should undergird America's security policy in the 21st century. These included that we, as a nation, need to engage in a national dialog to define our national interests, differentiate the level of interest involved, and spell out what we should be prepared to do in defense of those interests and build a bipartisan consensus in support of the resulting interests and policies. The President and the Congress need to, among other things, find more and better ways to increase communications with the American people on the realities of our international interests and the costs of securing them. We need to find more and better ways to increase the exchange of experiences and ideas between the Government and the military to avoid the broadening lack of military experience among the political elite and find more and better ways of ensuring that both the executive and legislative branches fulfill their constitutional responsibilities in national security policy, especially concerning military operations other than declared wars. We are in such a situation now. We have a war on terrorism. It is actually undeclared legally, but it has been declared publicly. The President and the Congress need to urgently address the mismatch between our foreign policy ends and means, and between commitments and our forces, by determining the most appropriate instrument--diplomatic, military, et cetera--for securing policy objectives; reviewing carefully current American commitments--especially those involving troop deployment to ensure clarity of objectives, and the presence of an exit strategy. That is something we ought to keep in mind in this war, too. Increasing the relatively small amount of resources devoted to the key instruments for securing national interests, including our Armed Forces, which need to be reformed to meet the requirements of the 21st century, diplomatic forces, foreign assistance, United Nations peacekeeping operations, which also need to be reformed to become much more effective, and key regional organizations. We are the only global superpower, and in order to avoid stimulating the creation of a hostile coalition of other nations against us, the United States should and can afford to forego unilateralist actions, except where our vital interests are involved. One of the things I am encouraged about now, is our unilateralist tendencies have been swept up in an agreement among civilized nations to support us in our war on terrorism. That is a very comforting thought. One of the things that helps us along these lines is that the United States should pay its international debts, and we agreed to do so. We also must continue to respect and honor our international commitments and not abdicate our global leadership role. Finally, the United States must avoid unilateral economic and trade sanctions. I think in the wake of the attack on our country, we have lifted some of these sanctions, especially against India and Pakistan. With respect to multilateral organizations, the United States should more carefully consider NATO's new Strategic Concept and the future direction of this, our most important international commitment. We need to press for reform of the peacekeeping operations and decisionmaking processes of the U.N. and Security Council. We need to fully strengthen the capabilities of regional organizations, such as the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the OAS, the Organization for African Unity, and the Organization of Southeast Asian Nations, and so on, to deal with threats to regional security. We need to promote a thorough debate at the U.N. and elsewhere on proposed standards for interventions within sovereign states. In the post-cold-war world, the United States should adopt a policy of realistic restraint with respect to the use of U.S. military forces in situations other than those involving the defense of vital national interests. We crossed that threshold on September 11. Responding to the terrorist attack is in our vital national interests, and we ought to use military force to do that. As a matter of fact, this Congress authorized the President to use all necessary force to go after those who came after us on September 11. In all other situations, we must insist on well-defined political objectives. As a matter of fact, it is not a bad idea in this particular war either. We must determine whether nonmilitary means will be effective and, if so, try them prior to any recourse to military force. I think we are doing that in so many ways in tightening the noose around the terrorists' necks. We should ascertain whether military means can achieve the political objectives. Sometimes military means cannot attain a political objective. We ought to be aware of that. We need to determine whether the benefits outweigh the costs--in other words, whether the cost of military engagement is worth the cost. We need to determine the ``last step'' we are prepared to take before we get involved militarily. That was the advice of Clausewitz, the great German theoretician, on war two centuries ago. We must insist that we have a clear, concise exit strategy when we involve ourselves in military affairs around the world, and we must insist on congressional approval of all deployments other than those involving responses to emergency situations. The United States can and must continue to exercise international leadership, while following a policy of realistic restraint in the use of military force. We must pursue policies that promote a strong and growing economy, which is actually, as we now see, the essential underpinning of any nation's strength. We must maintain superior, ready, and mobile Armed Forces capable of rapidly responding to threats to our national interest. My goodness, do we ever see the need for that since September 11. We must strengthen the nonmilitary tools as well. We must make a long-term commitment to promoting democracy abroad via a comprehensive, sustained program which makes a realistic assessment of the capabilities of such a program. Obviously, much has changed since Senator Roberts and I submitted our list last year, but I think the fundamentals remain the same. If anything, the events of September 11 have underscored several of the points we were trying to make. First, foreign policy matters. American leadership and engagement in the world make a real difference to our security here at home. I remember having lunch with Tom Friedman, the great author of ``The Lexus and The Olive Tree,'' a best selling book. He said, ``Without America on duty, there would be no America on line.'' We forget that our first line of defense in so many ways is America on duty. So foreign policy matters. Secretary of State Powell has done an awesome job, along with the President, and Secretary Rumsfeld, in arraying the international community against terrorism, including the key countries bordering Afghanistan, in the effort to bring the terrorists and collaborators to justice. It is very clear now, if it was doubted before, that these efforts could not succeed without this multinational cooperation. One of the things that has also been reinforced is that when we move to protect our national interests, we need to make use of the whole range of instruments available to us. The instruments we have available are not only and not necessarily primarily our military forces, but our diplomatic, economic, intelligence, and law enforcement assets as well, all of which are engaged today, even as I speak, in the fight against the forces of terrorism. Third, Senator Roberts and I were anxious to have our country take a good hard look at its multitudinous overseas military engagements and commitments, with an eye toward focusing on the vital and essential deployments while deemphasizing other engagements which can divert both resources and attention from our most crucial national interests, of which homeland defense must be at the top of the list. In so many ways, as someone who has traveled to the Balkans, Kosovo, and South Korea, it is a strange feeling to know that our country in our defensive effort guards Kosovo and protects South Korea almost better than it does New York City and Washington. In short, I believe we can and must be prepared to commit all available American resources, including military forces, in defense of truly vital national interests, the most important of which is our homeland defense. In other cases, I believe we must impose a much higher bar before we put American service men and women in harm's way. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Henry Shelton put it very well in an address to the Kennedy School at Harvard University. He said: The military is the hammer in America's foreign policy toolbox . . . and it is a very powerful hammer. But not every problem we face is a nail. We may find that sorting out the good guys from the bad guys is not as easy as it seems. We also may find that getting in is much easier than getting out. It reminds me of a good line by Napoleon that wars are easy to get into but hard to get out of. General Shelton went on to conclude: These are the issues we need to confront when we make the decision to commit our military forces-- Even as we commit them today. And that is as it should be because, when we use our military forces, we lay our prestige, our word, our leadership, and--most importantly--the lives of our young Americans on the line. Let me be very clear that the events of September 11 did, indeed, touch upon our vital interests, and we can and will use our military ``hammer'' to capture or kill those responsible. This body voted unanimously to confer that authority on President Bush and to stand firmly behind our service men and women who, as the President said so well, are ready to ``make us proud'' once again. Certainly this Senator does. I stand behind our forces, our troops, and our President in this resolve to accomplish this goal. Finally, as I said before, Senator Roberts and I began our process over a year ago, convinced of the need to bring greater attention to national security and foreign policy, as well as to forge a durable bipartisan consensus on the major elements of such a policy. Frankly, we saw little evidence that either greater attention or more bipartisanship was likely anytime soon. This is where the opportunity I spoke of earlier comes in. At least for now, we have an attentive Congress and public and a bipartisan foreign policy. We have come a long way. The challenge is to sustain that in the months and years ahead. Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Madam President, I am pleased to join the Chairman and our colleagues from the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Collins, and Senator Hutchinson, in a colloquy on the forest products industry and the release of materials from the Defense National Stockpile that poses a potential threat to this industry. The forest products industry is an important industry for our Nation, and for my own State of Georgia as well. It is important in the sense that it provides materials critical to our way of life, and also because it employs a large number of our fellow citizens. It is an industry that reaches into a large number of States. Any process undertaken by a branch of our Federal Government that would harm the forest products industry would, therefore, be likely to draw the attention and the immediate response of this Congress. I certainly would seek to participate in such a response, and to engender the greatest possible support among my colleagues. We have been faced in recent weeks with the prospect that the sale or other release of sebacic acid, a lubricant and plasticizer made by the forest product industry, by the Defense National Stockpile might result in the harmful depression of the sebacic acid market and thereby harm the forest products industry. I have been following this matter closely. My staff coordinated a meeting between the officials responsible for the Defense National Stockpile and representatives of the industry, in the hopes that such a meeting and negotiation would resolve any potential problems associated with the authority for Federal sebacic acid release. The officials responsible for the stockpile assured me that the current authorization for release of sebacic acid was not excessive and that the release would be gauged so as not to have a negative impact on the price of sebacic acid. These assurances were made while acknowledging the release of an additional 400,000 pounds of acid, which I understand was needed this year in order to make up for the mismanagement of the contracting process for last year's stockpile release. The forest products industry in Georgia and, indeed, across the country is highly concerned with this year's proposed release, and has requested that Congress restrict the authorization to release material from the stockpile. Having received assurances from the officials managing the stockpile release, along with their request that we avoid legislation affecting the annual authorization to release sebacic acid, I am here today to serve notice that I will closely follow the scope and effect of any sebacic acid release over the next year. If the release has a negative effect on the market for sebacic acid, I will vigorously pursue legislation in the next authorization bill to curtail future releases of sebacic acid.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Madam President, I rise today to introduce legislation that will award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., posthumously, and his widow Coretta Scott King in recognition of their contributions to the Nation on behalf of the civil rights movement. It is time to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his widow Coretta Scott King, the first family of the civil rights movement, for their distinguished records of public service to the American people and the international community. As one of the premier champions of basic human rights, Dr. King worked unselfishly to combat segregation, discrimination, and racial injustice. In 1963, Dr. King led the March on Washington, D.C., that was followed by his famous address, the ``I Have a Dream'' speech. Through his work and reliance on nonviolent protest, Dr. King was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Despite efforts to derail his mission, Dr. King acted on his dream of America and succeeded in making the United States a better place. Mrs. Coretta Scott King, working alongside her husband, played an important role as a leading participant in the American civil rights movement. Dr. and Mrs. King worked together to achieve nonviolent social change and full civil rights for African Americans. After the assassination of her husband, Mrs. King devoted her time and energy to developing and building the Atlanta-based Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change as an enduring memorial to her husband's life and his dream of full civil rights for all Americans. Mrs. King also led the massive campaign to establish Dr. King's birthday as a national holiday which is now celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world. In recognition of the contributions made by Dr. and Mrs. King to the civil rights movement and this Nation, Congress should honor these two outstanding individuals by enacting legislation that would authorize the President to award a gold medal on their behalf. Now is the time to honor two of this Nation's greatest public figures, the late Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his widow, Coretta Scott King. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Madam President, I rise today to introduce legislation that will award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., posthumously, and his widow Coretta Scott King in recognition of their contributions to the Nation on behalf of the civil rights movement. It is time to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his widow Coretta Scott King, the first family of the civil rights movement, for their distinguished records of public service to the American people and the international community. As one of the premier champions of basic human rights, Dr. King worked unselfishly to combat segregation, discrimination, and racial injustice. In 1963, Dr. King led the March on Washington, D.C., that was followed by his famous address, the ``I Have a Dream'' speech. Through his work and reliance on nonviolent protest, Dr. King was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Despite efforts to derail his mission, Dr. King acted on his dream of America and succeeded in making the United States a better place. Mrs. Coretta Scott King, working alongside her husband, played an important role as a leading participant in the American civil rights movement. Dr. and Mrs. King worked together to achieve nonviolent social change and full civil rights for African Americans. After the assassination of her husband, Mrs. King devoted her time and energy to developing and building the Atlanta-based Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change as an enduring memorial to her husband's life and his dream of full civil rights for all Americans. Mrs. King also led the massive campaign to establish Dr. King's birthday as a national holiday which is now celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world. In recognition of the contributions made by Dr. and Mrs. King to the civil rights movement and this Nation, Congress should honor these two outstanding individuals by enacting legislation that would authorize the President to award a gold medal on their behalf. Now is the time to honor two of this Nation's greatest public figures, the late Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his widow, Coretta Scott King. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, as Chair of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, I am very pleased to have joined with Senator Tim Hutchinson to introduce an important change to the current method for hiring Department of Defense physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and other health care professionals. Like the private sector, the Department of Defense has been beginning to experience difficulties in recruiting certain health care professionals. At both the June 14, 2001, Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing on the looming nursing shortage and the June 27, 2001, Governmental Affairs Subcommittee hearing on the Federal Government's role in retaining nurses for delivery of federally funded health care services, I emphasized an alarming statistic that the Federal health sector, employing approximately 45,000 nurses, may be the hardest hit in the near future with an estimated 47 percent of its nursing workforce eligible for retirement by the year 2004. The need for military health care workers will be further intensified with the increased need for action by our national security forces in light of last week's terrorist attacks on America. Currently, the Office of Personnel Management, OPM, must process all applications and the response times range from 115 to 161 days. This protracted processing time contributes to the shortage of needed staff and sometimes losing a qualified applicant. The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, already has this authority and has reported an advantage over other Federal agencies and a more equal playing field with the highly competitive private sector in recruiting needed health care staff. I urge my colleagues to support our amendment to the Defense Authorization bill to give the DoD this needed change in their regulations for hiring the health care staff needed to care for our servicemen, women and families. Now, more than ever we need to give them all the tools they need to fulfill their vital mission.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, The Beach Boys' sunny vocal harmonies are one of the signature sounds of the modern era. Over four decades, the California quintet has become one of the most successful American bands in the history of rock and roll and their songs remain an important part of America's cultural landscape. The Beach Boys were largely a family affair that came together in the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne, CA, in 1961. The three brothers, Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson, formed the group with their cousin, Mike Love, and a friend, Alan Jardine They were joined by another of their friends, Bruce Johnston, in 1965. Brian Wilson and Mike Love cowrote the majority of the band's many hit singles which were known for their harmonic invention and complex vocal and instrumental arrangements. The lyrics are celebrated today for their deft use of technical lingo balanced with youthful naivete. The Beach Boys have ridden a wave of success for almost 40 years. They have recorded number one singles, garnered a huge fan base, and, by creating a sound that was uniquely their own, secured their position in Americana. They have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and have been honored with the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences Lifetime Achievement award which they received at this year's Grammy awards. As we approach the 40th Anniversary of both the release of their first single and their first tour, I would like to recognize the contribution that these men have made, not only to the landscape of American music, but to the lives of their fans and fellow Americans. I have always been a fan of The Beach Boys' music, but I came to recognize their devotion to other causes when I met Mike Love through our mutual work with veterans. He told me that the group as a whole and the members individually have supported important causes throughout their years together. I learned about the Carl Wilson Foundation, which raises millions of dollars each year for cancer patients and research, and I discovered that the group has always been involved in fund- raising performances that benefit a variety of groups. Bruce Johnston is dedicated to environmental causes and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Surfrider Foundation since it inception in the mid- 1980's. Mike Love has been a longtime supporter of environmental causes and was among speakers at the Earth Summit in Rio DeJaniero in 1992 and Earth Day 2000 on the Mall in Washington, DC. Mike created the Love Foundation, which supports national environmental and educational initiatives. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Incline Academy in Incline Village, Nevada, and has been responsible for raising over $1 million to benefit the school. While the Beach Boys are known and loved for their musical accomplishments, the men and women whose lives the group has touched are perhaps The Beach Boys' greatest legacy. As Winston Churchill said, ``What is the use of living if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will have it after we are gone?'' I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the accomplishments of The Beach Boys and wishing them continued success in their future musical and personal journeys.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that privileges of the floor be granted to my staff, Steve Tryon, during the discussion of this Defense authorization bill.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I am glad to work with the distinguished Senator from Texas, and I yield the floor.

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, it has been an incredible 10 days. I was reading in the New York Times today a marvelous quote of John Kennedy that I think is appropriate for where this country stands as we face our future. Only in winter can you tell which trees are truly green. Only when the winds of adversity blow can you tell whether an individual or a country has steadfastness. In so many ways over the last week and a half, it has been my honor and personal privilege to be a part of this great body, to see its steadfastness in the face of adversity, and to see the wonderful staff people come back to work even though they knew they were at least for a moment in time a target of the terrorists. It has been encouraging to see the steadfastness of my own people in my own home State of Georgia as they rally for the cause. It has been a marvelous thing to experience, watching television and seeing the experience of New Yorkers who rose to the occasion to honor their firefighters, and to honor their policemen, and who did what it was difficult to do in dealing with that terrifying situation which still goes on this day. But one element of steadfastness we are showing is that this legislative process continues. The Senate Armed Services Committee was busy buttressing the defense of America before the attack. We are busy today buttressing the defense of America after the attack. I would like to discuss today this pending legislation--the Defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2002. Just 2 short weeks ago, the Senate Armed Services Committee completed its markup of this authorization bill, which I heavily support. After the tragic events of last week, in a very timely fashion, we bring this measure to the floor to begin the process of providing our military men and women with the resources they will need to respond in this crisis. As all of us are aware, last week people and property of the United States were attacked in a vicious, deliberate, cowardly, and inhumane fashion. The full cost of this attack is only now becoming clearer. In the days that followed the attack, I was often asked what I thought was the historical meaning of this moment. I have often quoted Admiral Yamamoto who planned and executed the attack against Pearl Harbor. Afterwards, he was quoted as saying he feared he had only ``awakened a sleeping giant.'' In so many ways I think that is exactly what has happened to our country. We have become awakened. This sleeping giant called America is now awakened. What is also clear to the perpetrators of this crime, while being unified against our country, is that we are now unified against them. The President spoke eloquently and with great strength last night in that regard. But I will say that the U.S. military will not be alone in this fight. Indeed, I have spent some time this morning listening to testimony before the Governmental Affairs Committee regarding how we ought best to support the President's establishment of a National Office for Homeland Security. In that hearing, it was the unanimous consent of the witnesses that the current effort of the myriad agencies involved in the fight against terrorism, including the Department of Defense, must be better coordinated. The Government Accounting Office report recently released--actually released yesterday--sums up the issue succinctly. ``Current Federal efforts,'' the GAO says, ``to combat terrorism are inherently difficult to lead and manage because the policies, strategies, programs, budgets, and activities are spread across more than 40 different Federal agencies.'' Since the problem appears to be one of coordination--and the GAO has fingered that--I believe the President's Office of Homeland Security is an excellent solution. It promises to adapt our Government to accomplish more effective counterterrorism coordination and assign responsibility for measurable results. It is simple enough to be rapidly implemented--and that is important--without disrupting the operations of the agencies which are affected. I join the distinguished chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Lieberman, in his desire to move quickly to support the President's action with appropriate legislation. Notwithstanding the fact that our response to terrorism will involve many agencies, it will be our military that will be on the cutting edge--the tip of the spear, so to speak. It will be our military, our young men and women, that will wage one of the most visible and dangerous attacks that we have seen in many, many years. They are on the cutting edge of this war on terrorism. For many around the world, the performance of our military will characterize our success or failure in the war on terrorism. As the military carries out its critical part in the war, we must also continue to provide for our military men and women in terms of their security as they protect our national security. This bill does that. Prior to the recent terrorist attacks, the Senate Armed Services Committee increased the original budget request for combating terrorism by well over $200 million. This increase includes over $100 million to support research and development aimed at detecting, defending against, and responding to the use of weapons of mass destruction. The other half of this increase--over $100 million--would increase the ability of U.S. forces to deter and U.S. installations to defend against a terrorist attack. Within this latter total, the committee determined that the Army had an unfunded mandate for installation security, and we provided an additional $778 million to address this need. The committee also added funding of almost $14 million for U.S. special operations for the special operations command. Though we expect additional requests and will identify future needs, the measure pending before the Senate continues this committee's bipartisan efforts to provide a solid foundation for combating terrorism. Just one anecdote: On the last day of consideration of this massive bill, authorizing over $300 billion to be spent for our defense, one of the questions I asked my fellow committee members was: Defense against what? What is the threat? This was 2 weeks ago. Senator Pat Roberts, the distinguished Senator from Kansas, for the last couple years has been the chairman of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats. Senator Mary Landrieu from Louisiana is now the chairman of that subcommittee. I asked both of them in their research, in their hearings, in their study of the real threat against America: What is it? What are we defending against? Both agreed the most likely threat to the country was a terrorist attack, a stealthy attack, with no known address, no return to sender address, especially biological or chemical attack. That was the threat No. 1. Threat No. 2 was cyber-warfare against our Internet, against our computers to, in effect, shut us down in terms of our communications and our data processing. I thought about that last Tuesday when we had the terrifying attack on this country. We were zeroing in on the fact that the real honest to goodness threat against this Nation was going to be a terrorist attack. Today I had the pleasure of visiting with two former Members, Senator Warren Rudman and Senator Gary Hart, part of the Hart-Rudman commission, who months ago identified the chilling fact that it wasn't a question of whether this country was going to get hit by a terrorist attack but when. Lord knows, we have learned that lesson. As we proceed in the days and weeks and months ahead to consider additional counterterrorist efforts, I cite an editorial that appeared in Monday's Atlanta Journal Constitution. In that editorial, former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, in whose seat I now sit, whose position I now have in the Senate and position I have on the Senate Armed Services Committee, coauthor of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Act, who currently serves as cochairman of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, clearly summarized the threat we face and outlined some key elements that should be included in our response. Senator Nunn points out that the terrorists' murderous deeds are limited only by the weapons they are able to employ--limited only by the weapons they are able to employ. He notes that the disintegration of the former Soviet Union left many thousands of tons of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, along with the scientists who worked with those weapons, adrift in an eroding infrastructure of inadequate controls and depressed economies. We must prevent terrorist groups from exploiting this situation to obtain weapons of mass destruction, weapons materials and know-how. As we have only narrowly averted some attempts by terrorists to purchase these materials in recent years, I call on my colleagues to act on the recommendation of the bipartisan task force that called for a fourfold increase in the funding of programs aimed at reducing the threat of inadequately safeguarding weapons, materials, and know-how in Russia. As Senator Nunn correctly states: We must develop a comprehensive defense against the full range of threats based on relative risk and supported by strong alliances around the world so that the pain of today will not be known by the children of tomorrow. In the trials to come, we must remember our military might springs from the willingness of our people to serve. I have always thought, since I was a young serviceman in Vietnam, 35 years ago, the key to our defense is our defenders. They are the military and civilian personnel who make up the Department of Defense. They are our defenders. As chairman of the Personnel Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee, I am pleased to inform the Senate that this authorization measure is a good bill and the provisions that address the needs of our military men and women and their families enjoy the full and bipartisan support of all members of our committee. Some of the personnel provisions in this legislation include: total funding for personnel-related items at a level of $106 billion, about $7 million over the original budget request; and support for the recommended active duty end strength requested by the administration. This includes an increase of over 3,000 personnel in the Navy and almost an increase of 2,000 in the Air Force. This bill provides an increase in the full-time manning end strength by almost 2,000 personnel. This is the first installment of an 11-year plan to increase full-time manning, which is one of the top readiness priorities for the Reserves. As we now know, some 50,000 reservists have already been called up. All of our State adjutant generals have said to us that they need help with the shortage in full-time support that they receive from the active duty force. This bill also provides a significant pay raise--well above the rate of inflation--for all military personnel. Mr. President, again, for our troops in the field, military personnel, there is a significant pay raise in this bill, well above the rate of inflation. We recommend a targeted pay raise that ranges from 5 percent to 10 percent, beginning in January of 2002. It is between 5 and 10 percent. Enlisted personnel and junior officers will receive a pay raise of at least 6 percent or more. We also extend the special pays and bonuses that are so important for recruiting and retention. As someone who has served on the Personnel Subcommittee over the last 5, 5\1/2\ years, and now chairs that subcommittee, as you know, we have been struggling with recruitment and retention. I am pleased to report the military services have seen a burst of recruitment around the country. That is another sign that the steadfastness of this country is sound, particularly when we are threatened. Acceleration by 2 years of the existing plan to gradually increase the basic allowance for quarters to eliminate average out-of-pocket expenditures for off-post housing by 2005--accelerate that by 2 years-- the BAH will cover median housing costs by 2003. We have capped the average out-of-pocket expenditures for 2002 at 7.5 years. The bill authorizes a significant increase in funding for the defense health program, which includes full funding for TRICARE for Life. That is for the military retirees over 65. This is the retiree benefit that this committee initiated. The bill includes an authorization of an expanded benefit for disabled dependents of active duty personnel. This benefit includes comprehensive health care, home health care, and case management services for the disabled family member and respite care for the primary caregiver to the disabled family member. We recognize that providing for the special needs of disabled family members increases the capability of service members to perform their military mission. The bill also includes two new initiatives to help retain service members with critical skills. As a matter of fact, I was surprised to actually learn that part of the report recommended a focus on terrorist attacks and an emphasis on homeland defense. This report by Senator Rudman and Senator Hart also included recommendations to dramatically upgrade the Montgomery GI bill. Some of those recommendations were already in this authorization bill. These initiatives include my own initiative, which I worked on for 3 years with my staff, to allow service members to transfer up to 18 months of unused Montgomery GI bill benefits to family members and Senator Hutchinson's education savings bond initiative. Both of these help the educational package now available to service men and women. The bill also authorizes retired service members with a service- connected disability to receive both military retired pay and veterans disability compensation, contingent upon the President proposing and Congress authorizing an offset. The bill also authorizes pilot programs with the VA for a joint program of graduate medical education, and for the VA to conduct separation and retirement physicals. Finally, the bill authorizes $35 million for impact aid and $5 million for impact aid for children with severe disabilities. Not only is this bill good for our service members, but this year's Defense authorization bill provides critical resources to sustain and improve the strength of America's Armed Forces, from funding initial production of the world's most advanced fighters, such as the F-22, to addressing infrastructure concerns, to adding to our airlift capabilities, and providing extra C-130s--shortfalls that DOD identified, and it guarantees that we as a nation are continuing the strong tradition of supporting our military, as well as preparing for the threats of the future. In conclusion, I thank Chairman Levin for his leadership and hard work on this bill and the ranking Republican, Senator Warner--he and his staff. They have made a strong contribution to this year's authorization bill. I think we should all commend these two gentlemen for their tremendous dedication to our Nation's military and their continued example of true bipartisan cooperation and accomplishment. Mr. President, I will conclude with a line that I came across when I was going through Reserve Officer Training Corps school as a young cadet, written by one of Wellington's troops after the Battle of Waterloo, after the glory of the battle had long since faded. He wrote once that: In time of war and not before, God and the soldier men adore, But in time of peace, with all things righted, God is forgotten and the soldier slighted. Mr. President, over the last 10 days, this country has in many ways rediscovered our God and certainly has rediscovered our soldiers, our service men and women. This bill is in their interest. I urge my colleagues to adopt it. I yield the floor.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Madam President, I rise today to direct my colleagues' attention to the needs the workers who play a vital role in our nation's aviation system--tens of thousands of men and women who are often overlooked by those who travel by air. From the ticket agents to the sky caps to the mechanics, these workers support the American airline industry and promote its viability. These same workers were uniquely impacted by the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Their place of work--a place that should be safe-- was violated when terrorists turned the four commercial planes into missiles. On that fateful day, the air travel system in this country ground to a halt. The order to ground our aircraft was an unprecedented and correct action by the Department of Transportation. For the next four days there was virtually no air travel in this country, and the airlines suffered huge financial losses. In the wake of this tragedy and as the airline industry is returning to the skies, the Administration and Congress are working to stabilize this industry. Unfortunately, the aid Congress is providing will not be enough to retain the entire current workforce of the major airlines. I have heard that lay-offs in the airline industry could top 100,000 by next week! That is one hundred thousand people who will be faced with losing their health insurance and their source of income. One hundred thousand people who will be faced with reviewing their retirement plans. One hundred thousand people who will be faced with making difficult decisions. These people cannot be forgotten. While I will be supporting the economic aid package for the airlines without a provision for employee assistance, I will be redoubling my efforts to ensure these dedicated employees, who are casualties of the first war of the 21st century, will not be overlooked. I am cosponsoring a bill introduced by Senator Carnahan to provide benefits to the dislocated employees of our aviation industry. This package of relief would provide funding for unemployment insurance and health insurance, and it will contain provisions to aid in the retraining of these workers. These are basic measures we can and must take to help stabilize these employees. No one expected September 11 to develop as it did, and we are reeling from this tragedy. Congress is appropriately acting today to support the airlines--an industry critical to our national security and economy. And I fully support and will work to enact a package of assistance to those workers who are suffering as a result of this attack.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I was sickened by the actions that were taken against our country yesterday. I felt very much like I was back in the Vietnam war in the Tet Offensive of 1968 of which I was lucky to survive. When I looked out my window and saw the smoke coming from the Pentagon, I literally felt, for the first time, that I was under attack in my own country. That is a terrible feeling. I think many Americans shared that feeling. My staff is still trying to recover. They still have traces of tears in their eyes and on their faces from the suffering that we have seen on television by our fellow Americans. For the first time, I guess certainly in a long, long time, American blood has been shed on American soil by a foreign enemy. That gives us all pause to get the most out of this historic moment. That is what I am trying to do in my own mind as I rise to pay tribute to those wonderful rescue workers who have come to the aid of our fellow Americans in New York and in this great city of Washington, DC. But I think of the families as well who have suffered forever the loss of a loved one. Many children will go without fathers tonight. Many families will go without loved ones. And that grieves me greatly. But what are we to do? What are we to make of this? As a member of the Armed Services Committee for the last 5 years, I have been growing impatient, and in many ways frustratingly concerned, about the growth of terrorism and its impact on this country. In fact, Senator Warner, a couple years ago, created the Emerging Threats Subcommittee, which the distinguished Senator from Kansas, Mr. Roberts, chaired for a couple years. And now Senator Mary Landrieu from Louisiana chairs that subcommittee. Without speaking for them, I can say that over the last couple years we have had increasing evidence in testimony before our committee that the real threat, the emerging threat to America was going to come through some terrorist act, maybe biological, maybe chemical, maybe no more than just an explosive in a backpack, some terrorist act below the radar screen, someone or something that had no return address. This has indeed happened. What are we to make of it? As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I feel this challenge very personally, to make something of this worthwhile for our Nation and for our country, to come to terms with what we ought to do about it. In the wake of Pearl Harbor, I know there was a board of inquiry set up to find out what happened. Admiral Kimmel there in Hawaii got blamed for the attack, probably wrongfully so. Those of us on the Armed Services Committee, those of us in this great body, do have some responsibility, maybe through the regular committee structure, to find out what happened, find out what the recommendations from our best professionals are, and then go about the business of making sure this never happens to our country again. My heart is sickened at the loss of life. I would be even more sickened by the loss of this incredible opportunity, this spur for action, this spur for greater knowledge about where we are in our intelligence community. Do we not have the resources? Do we not have the human intelligence? Do we not have the people? Have we not been mindful of the real threats to this country as evidence upon evidence, testimony upon testimony continues to grow, as we hear increasing evidence in background briefings from our intelligence community that these are the kinds of threats we can expect not only now but in the future? Are we underfunding some aspect of our homeland defense? Are we overmatched and undercoordinated in our ability to respond? Are we forever to live from crisis to crisis under threat of terrorist attack? I don't think that is the way Americans are supposed to live or were born to live. My mind recalls the great words of F.D.R. that launched the greatest generation on its great crusade, World War II, the four freedoms, Roosevelt's famous speech. What are the four freedoms that Americans have an inherent right to enjoy? First, freedom of expression, the ability to talk in this great Chamber and express our opinion and the ability of any American to express the same; second, freedom of religion, which unquestionably is part of our national Bill of Rights; third, freedom from want; all of us feel this country is, as Lincoln said, the last best hope of Earth; finally, as F.D.R. put it in 1941, freedom from fear. Many Americans are fearful today. They are fearful for the future of their homeland, their communities, their families. We do not deserve to live in fear. I dedicate myself, as a Member of this body, as an American, as someone who has seen combat and who has lived in fear, to make sure that I rededicate myself to the task remaining before us: That we will work out, with the President of the United States and this administration, every aspect of a plan to rid ourselves of international terrorism and to work with other nations, other civilized nations, other nations committed to democracy and opportunity that believe in the four freedoms as we do, to work out with them, in coordination with them, an assault on terrorism. Yesterday was a declaration of war by terrorists on this country. This resolution we pass today in a unanimous fashion is, in my opinion, a resolution of guts and courage that this body sends forth, that we declare war on international terrorism.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution recognizing the 21st century as the ``Century of Equal Opportunity for Women.'' This proposal recognizes that as we enter the 21st century, it is essential that we note the great strides made by women in the 20th century as well as recognizing fundamental inequalities still faced by women as we begin the 21st century. The need for this resolution comes from the important requirement to acknowledge past achievements but to also address specific areas where further improvements are needed in order to ensure that women are given equal opportunity. Unfortunately, women continue to face challenges and disparities in areas like health care and wages. This resolution acknowledges inequities such as the pay gap and challenges us to see that these issues are addressed so that women may have not just more opportunities, but equal opportunities. The measure is supported by the American Association of University Women. I, along with co-sponsors Senators Clinton, Cochran, and Murray, urge our colleagues to support this resolution and recognize the 21st century as the ``Century of Equal Opportunity for Women.''

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I have previously brought to your attention the important capabilities of the Center for Leadership in Education and Applied Research in Mass Destruction Defense (CLEARMADD). This Center, to be supported by a consortium of institutions including the University of Georgia, the Medical College of Georgia, and the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory in South Carolina, has available substantial expertise regarding the threat posed domestically from weapons of mass destruction (WMD). In recent years, concerns have increased about the potential for terrorists or foreign states to use biological, nuclear or chemical weapons to inflict mass casualties in the United States. As a nation, we are only just beginning to develop an adequate response capability for such an attack. The consequences of the use of WMD in the United States would be catastrophic, particularly in terms of the ability of our health care system to respond. While other programs have focused on research and training to assist first responders in the event of a WMD, very little has been done to develop proper curriculum and training, including advanced degrees, for medical responders including doctors, nurses, emergency room personnel, pharmacists, toxicologists, and veterinarians. The experts assembled with CLEARMADD have significant capability to provide such curriculum development and training for these so-called second responders. I understand that a total of $364 million is included in the Senate version of the Fiscal Year 2002 Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill for the Office of State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support (OSLDPS) of the Department of Justice to assist with training in the U.S. to respond to potential terrorist attacks. This is an increase of more than $100 million over funding for Fiscal Year 2001. It is my view that the programs and expertise of CLEARMADD fit well within the OSLDPS mission and I believe funds should be found within the Fiscal Year 2002 budget of OSLDPS to take advantage of CLEARMADD's expertise to help develop model curricula and training programs to assist local health care professionals.

Mr. CLELAND. I thank the Senator for his support and attention to this matter and I look forward to working with you in the future on this issue of mutual interest. hartsfield Atlanta international airport ins officers

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, we have discussed on previous occasions the compelling need for additional Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) officers assigned to Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport. The present staffing of 78 positions to handle 2.8 million arriving international passengers per year at Hartsfield is consistently generating extremely long lines, and is damaging the reputation of Hartsfield as an international gateway. The desired INS 45-minute processing time limit is being exceeded frequently with lines overflowing the inspection hall into the adjoining concourse. The 95 passengers per inspector during peak periods do not match the annual growth rate of 16 percent. As a result of the 1996 Olympics Games, Hartsfield has more than an adequate number of processing booths. Yet, today, at least 75 percent of those booths go unused on any given day. Hartsfield now has more arriving international passengers from Latin America and Africa, who require longer processing times, than from Europe. Overall, the airport has experienced a 108 percent increase in international flight arrivals from 1994 to 2000.

Mr. CLELAND. I applaud the chairman's decision to boost the number of INS inspectors for this next fiscal year. I would like to bring to the Senator's attention that of the 150 new INS inspectors placed at various points of entry last year, Hartsfield received no new positions. There are other notable disparities. For example, Atlanta conducts 70 percent more inspections than Boston, but has only 30 percent more inspectors. The number of passengers processed annually per inspector in Atlanta is 35,782. In comparison, Miami has a higher ratio of inspectors per passenger than Atlanta, and, as a consequence, the average inspector in Miami processes 10,000 fewer passengers each year. Honolulu inspects less passengers than does Atlanta, but has twice as many inspectors. And because Hartsfield generates between $18 million and $19 million in user fees each year with less than $8 million spent at Hartsfield there is concern that the Atlanta Airport is subsidizing inspections at other airports in the Nation. In addition, the airlines serving Hartsfield are planning major expansions in their international service. Furthermore, recent census data reflects tremendous population growth in metro Atlanta over the past 10 years. This dynamic population increase, second only to that of New York, will cause ever greater demand for international travel. Given the time it takes to hire and train new inspectors, it is critical that INS address the shortfall at Hartsfield now, or we will lose our ability to attract international passengers, and the economic development of the region will suffer.

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I thank you for your support and attention to this matter and I look forward to working with you in the future on this issue of national importance. vote explanation

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. I thank the gentlelady for her leadership and look forward to working with her as the process moves forward. Spina Bifida

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President. I am very proud to be a Vietnam veteran and to have served as director of the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, from 1977 to 1980. The VA has continued to provide high quality health care to our Nation's veterans and is a health care system leader on patient safety tracking, long-term care, Post-Traumatic Stress disorder treatment and dozens of other innovative health care programs. The VA Health Care System has also enhanced its access to veterans with the development of approximately 600 community-based outpatient clinics, CBOC's, across the Nation. But as I visit the VA medical centers in Georgia and across the Nation, I am very alarmed to see patient care areas which look as if they have not been renovated or upgraded in decades. These VA medical centers serve as the hub for all major health care activities and can not be compromised without affecting veterans' care. The president's annual budget for the VA has not requested crucial funding for major medical facility construction. The VA is currently reevaluating their present VA facility infrastructure needs through a process known as CARES or the ``Capital Assets Realignment for Enhanced Services.'' Veteran health care and safety may pay the price as this process may take years to complete. With the increasing numbers of female veterans, many inpatient rooms and bathrooms continue to be inadequate to provide needed space and privacy. Many VA facilities, like the VA Spinal Cord Injury Center in Augusta, Georgia, which serves veterans from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee have long waits for care. At least 25 VA construction projects across the Nation would be appropriate for consideration. A Price Waterhouse report recommended that VA spend from 2 to 4 percent of its plant replacement value, PRV, on upkeep and replacement of current medical centers. Based on a PRV of $35 billion, for fiscal year 2001, VA would need approximately $170 million to meet these basic safety and upkeep needs. The VA health care system is the largest health care provider in the nation, yet we are not maintaining these essential medical centers. I urge my colleagues to support the Veterans Hospitals Emergency Repair Act and to provide the crucial assistance needed now for our veterans. This proposal would give the VA Secretary limited authority to complete identified medical facility projects thus helping to preserve the VA health care system until the CARES process can be completed. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President. I am very proud to be a Vietnam veteran and to have served as director of the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, from 1977 to 1980. The VA has continued to provide high quality health care to our Nation's veterans and is a health care system leader on patient safety tracking, long-term care, Post-Traumatic Stress disorder treatment and dozens of other innovative health care programs. The VA Health Care System has also enhanced its access to veterans with the development of approximately 600 community-based outpatient clinics, CBOC's, across the Nation. But as I visit the VA medical centers in Georgia and across the Nation, I am very alarmed to see patient care areas which look as if they have not been renovated or upgraded in decades. These VA medical centers serve as the hub for all major health care activities and can not be compromised without affecting veterans' care. The president's annual budget for the VA has not requested crucial funding for major medical facility construction. The VA is currently reevaluating their present VA facility infrastructure needs through a process known as CARES or the ``Capital Assets Realignment for Enhanced Services.'' Veteran health care and safety may pay the price as this process may take years to complete. With the increasing numbers of female veterans, many inpatient rooms and bathrooms continue to be inadequate to provide needed space and privacy. Many VA facilities, like the VA Spinal Cord Injury Center in Augusta, Georgia, which serves veterans from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee have long waits for care. At least 25 VA construction projects across the Nation would be appropriate for consideration. A Price Waterhouse report recommended that VA spend from 2 to 4 percent of its plant replacement value, PRV, on upkeep and replacement of current medical centers. Based on a PRV of $35 billion, for fiscal year 2001, VA would need approximately $170 million to meet these basic safety and upkeep needs. The VA health care system is the largest health care provider in the nation, yet we are not maintaining these essential medical centers. I urge my colleagues to support the Veterans Hospitals Emergency Repair Act and to provide the crucial assistance needed now for our veterans. This proposal would give the VA Secretary limited authority to complete identified medical facility projects thus helping to preserve the VA health care system until the CARES process can be completed. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to temporarily lay aside the pending amendment and call up amendment No. 1033 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, this amendment addresses a critical issue of safety in my State of Georgia, and I want to thank the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, Senator Murray, and the ranking member, Senator Shelby, from the great State of Alabama, for all their work on this tremendous issue of transportation, which is the cornerstone and building block really of our economic development in this country. Recently, State Farm Insurance ranked the most deadly intersections in the Nation, and five intersections in Georgia made that list. Georgia actually is the fastest growing State east of the Mississippi, and we are in many ways suffering the aftereffects in terms of our traffic problems. Today I am offering an amendment to improve one of the five most dangerous intersections in my State. Specifically, my amendment would require the State of Georgia to give priority consideration to improvements that would impact the killer intersection of Abernathy Road and Roswell Road in Sandy Springs, just north of Atlanta. This deadly intersection is located in Metropolitan Atlanta which now has the longest average vehicle miles traveled in the Nation. It has, sadly, become the Nation's poster child for pollution, gridlock, and sprawl--not a pretty sight. There are 85,000 automobiles which travel this particular corridor every day, and to make matters worse this artery narrows from four lanes to two lanes at the historic Chattahoochee River, as one crosses from Cobb County into Fulton County. The result is a bottleneck of historic proportions, which has continued to be a problem for 25 years. According to an article recently appearing in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper, ``Fender benders never stop,'' at Abernathy and Roswell Road intersection and the four other killer intersections in Georgia which made State Farm's list. Specifically, my amendment calls for Georgia to give priority consideration to improving Johnson Ferry Road from the Chattahoochee River to Abernathy Road, including the heavily traveled bridge over the Chattahoochee River. It also calls for priority consideration in widening Abernathy Road from two to four lanes from Johnson Ferry Road to Roswell Road. These improvements enjoy widespread bipartisan support in my State, from the Governor of Georgia to the Georgia Department of Transportation, to Cobb County and Fulton County and their elected commissioners. I stress that my amendment calls for no new money--no new money. The improvements to this deadly intersection would come from formula funds already guaranteed to Georgia. As the AJC article points out, this is not a new issue. The streets named by State Farm ``have had their reputations for some time.'' In fact, my distinguished colleague in the House, Representative Johnny Isakson, has waged this important battle for 25 years. Congress now has an opportunity to do something which will be critically important to metro Atlanta, the State of Georgia, and the safety of their citizens. I call on my colleagues to support this amendment. I thank the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee and ranking member from Alabama for this opportunity to talk about this important amendment. I yield the floor.

Mr. CLELAND

Mr. CLELAND. I thank the distinguished Senator from Nevada for his leadership on the Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee. I would like to ask the Senator from Nevada whether I am correct in my understanding that the reason the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, a project that was one of my highest priorities because of its importance to the people of my State and its priority with the Governor of Georgia, was not included in the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee report was because of the subcommittee's policy made pursuant to budgetary constraints that new start construction and/or environmental infrastructure water projects will not be addressed until the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act is considered in conference committee?

Mr. CLELAND. Am I also correct in my understanding that when the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act is considered by the conference committee that the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District Project will be considered for inclusion in the conference report?