Susan Collins

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise to speak in favor of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, and I urge my colleagues to support this much needed legislation. Nearly 3 months ago, the Senate was unable to find a path forward to adopt this important bill. Let's look at what has happened since the time that the Senate refused to proceed. The fact is that our country has continued to endure a wave of damaging and expensive cyber attacks. These incidents include the first major hack of Apple's popular App Store, the compromise of 15 million T-Mobile users due to a breach at Experian, and the exposure of data of up to 8,000 Army families due to improper procedures followed by the General Services Administration. For the Army families who were affected, this sensitive information included medical histories, Social Security numbers, and child day care details. Today, I renew my support for this bill in light of the continuing state of cyber insecurity that affects information held in the public and private sectors. Passing the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act would make it easier for public and private sector entities to share cyber threat information and vulnerabilities in order to lessen the theft of trade secrets, intellectual property, and national security information, as well as the compromise of sensitive personal information. It would eliminate some of the legal and economic barriers impeding voluntary two-way information sharing between private industry and government. It is a modest but essential first step to protect networks and their information. This bill would not in any way compromise our personal information. Its purpose is to help safeguard our personal information that breach after breach, cyber attack after cyber attack has proven to be vulnerable. While this bill promotes appropriate information sharing between the government and the private sector--a good first step, as I have indicated--it unfortunately does little in its original form to harden the protection of Federal networks or to guard the critical infrastructure we rely upon every day. Thus, I have filed two amendments to further strengthen our Nation's cyber security. The first amendment is directed at improving the security of sensitive personal data that is stored on networks of Federal civilian agencies. The insecurity of Federal databases and networks has been evident for years. Inspectors general reports have warned of it. Yet, by and large, those calls for action have not been heeded by Federal agencies, and certainly the weaknesses in our Federal agencies' security systems are underscored by recent breaches and intrusions. In June, more than 20 million--20 million--current, former, and retired Federal employees learned that their personal data was stolen from the poorly secured databases of the Office of Personnel Management. Since that time, we have learned that the personal emails of the Director of the CIA have been hacked. We have learned from the State Department's inspector general that the State Department is ``among the worst agencies in the Federal Government at protecting its computer networks.'' This substandard performance at the Department of State continued even as an adversary nation breached the Department's email system last year. According to the IG, compliance with Federal information security standards remains ``substandard'' at the State Department. I know from my many years of service on the committee on homeland security, where we worked on cyber security issues for literally a decade, producing legislation in 2010 and 2011 that unfortunately was not approved by this body, that this problem is long standing and it is only growing worse. We ignore it at our peril. This appalling performance in so many agencies and departments led to my introducing bipartisan legislation with my colleague from Virginia, Senator Warner, as well as Senator Mikulski, Senator Coats, Senator Ayotte, and Senator McCaskill, to strengthen the security of the networks of Federal civilian agencies. Our bill has five elements, but the most important provision would grant the Department of Homeland Security the authority to issue binding operational directives to Federal agencies to respond in the face of substantial breaches or to take action in the face of an imminent threat to a Federal network. Although the Secretary of Homeland Security is tasked with a very similar responsibility to protect Federal civilian networks, he has far less authority to accomplish this responsibility than does the Director of the National Security Agency for the dot-mil networks. We can no longer ignore the damaging consequences of failing to address these issues. Our amendment would fortify Federal computer networks from cyber threats in many ways. The key elements, I am pleased to say, in our bill were incorporated into an amendment that has been filed by Senator Carper, along with the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Johnson, and Senator Warner, my chief cosponsor of the bill we introduced, and, of course, myself. Our amendment has been included in the managers' substitute amendment, and I wish to thank Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Feinstein for their willingness to include these much needed provisions to boost the security of the networks at Federal civilian agencies. Just think of the kind of data that civilian agencies have in the Federal Government. Whether we are talking about the Social Security Administration, the Medicare agency, the IRS, the VA or the Department of Defense, it is evident that millions of Americans--indeed, most Americans--have personal data, sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers, that are stored in these networks of Federal civilian agencies, and we have an obligation to protect as best we can that data. I have also filed another amendment to the cyber bill, amendment No. 2623, that is aimed at protecting our country's most vital critical infrastructure from cyber attack. This bipartisan amendment was cosponsored by Senator Coats, Senator Warner, and Senator Hirono. The livelihood and well-being of almost every American depend upon critical infrastructure that includes the electricity that powers our communities, the national air transportation system that moves passengers and cargo safely from one location to another, and the elements of the financial sector that ensure the $14 trillion of payments made every day are securely routed through the banking system. Those are just some examples of critical infrastructure. There are obviously many more. Our amendment would have created a second tier of mandatory reporting to the government for the fewer than 65 entities identified by the Department of Homeland Security where damage caused by a single cyber attack would likely result in catastrophic harm in the form of more than $50 billion in economic damage, 2,500 fatalities or a severe degradation of our national security. In other words, only cyber attacks that could cause catastrophic results would fall under this reporting requirement. For 99 percent of businesses, the voluntary information sharing framework established in the bill before us would be enough, and the decision on whether or not to share cyber threat information should rightfully be left up to them. A second tier of reporting is necessary, however, to protect the critical infrastructure that is vital to the safety, health, and economic well-being of the American people. Under our amendment, the owners and operators of the country's most critical infrastructure would report significant cyber attacks just as incidents of communicable disease outbreaks must be reported to public health authorities and to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Think about the situations we have here. Does it make sense that we require one case of measles to be reported to a Federal Government agency but not a cyber attack that could result in the death of more than 2,500 people? How does that make sense? The threats to our critical infrastructure are not hypothetical. They are already occurring and increasing in frequency and severity. At a recent Armed Services Committee hearing on cyber security, Senator Donnelly asked the Director of National Intelligence, Jim Clapper, what the No. 1 cyber challenge was that he was most concerned about. Director Clapper testified that, obviously, it was a large-scale cyber attack against the United States infrastructure. In light of this No. 1 threat, how protected is our country? Well, I have posed that very question to the Director of the NSA, Admiral Mike Rogers. His answer, on a scale of 1 to 10, was that we are at about a 5 or 6. That is a failing grade when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure, no matter what curve we are grading on. Although I am very disappointed that the Senate will not consider the original amendment I filed, I do want to acknowledge that Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Feinstein have worked closely with me on a compromise to begin to address the issue of cyber security risks that present such significant security threats to our critical infrastructure, and I am grateful for their acknowledging that this is a problem that deserves our attention. This new amendment, which is section 407 of the managers' amendment, requires the DHS Secretary to conduct an assessment of the fewer than 65 critical infrastructure entities at greatest risk and develop a strategy to mitigate the risks of a catastrophic cyber attack. Let me stress two things. We are only talking about fewer than 65 entities that have already been designated by the Department of Homeland Security as critical infrastructure where a catastrophic cyber attack would cause terrible consequences. Second, let me again describe what we mean by a catastrophic attack. It means a single cyber attack that would likely result in $50 billion in economic damage, 2,500 Americans dying or a severe degradation of our national security. We are talking about significant consequences that would be catastrophic for this country--consequences we cannot and should not ignore. There are plenty of cyber threats that cannot be discussed in public because they are classified--I know that as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee--but in light of the cyber threat to critical infrastructure described by Admiral Rogers and Director of National Intelligence Clapper in open testimony before the Congress, the bare minimum we ought to do is to ask to require DHS and the appropriate Federal agencies to describe to us what more could be done to prevent a catastrophic cyber attack on our critical infrastructure. One or two years from now, I don't want us to be standing here after a cyber 9/11 chastising ourselves, saying: Why didn't we do more to confront an obvious and serious threat to our critical infrastructure? By including these two provisions in the managers' substitute amendment, we are strengthening the protections for Federal civilian agencies and beginning--not going nearly as far as I would like but beginning the vital task of protecting our critical infrastructure. We will be strengthening the cyber defenses of our Nation. I urge my colleagues to support the managers' amendment and the underlying bill. By passing this long-overdue legislation, we will begin the long-overdue work of securing our economic and national security and our personal information for generations to come. Thank you, Madam President. I yield the floor. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, what is the pending business?

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for not longer than 10 minutes.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to speak today about the many contributions of the forest products industry, as we recognize their important work during National Forest Products Week. Wood products play a significant role in our economy. The U.S. wood products industry employs more than 548,000 people in manufacturing and forestry, and U.S. private forest owners support 2.4 million jobs and $87 billion in payroll. In Maine, there are a number of wood products manufacturing facilities, including sawmills, millwork, and treatment plants, engineered wood and panel product facilities, and paper mills. The environmental benefits associated with wood products--from renewability to responsible forest practices to a light carbon footprint--are helping to strengthen markets for wood products, in turn stabilizing the wood industry's ability to create jobs and support local economies. Moreover, sustainable forest management practices in the United States maintain important forest values such as biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Strong markets for wood products provide a financial incentive for landowners to invest in their forests and keep them healthy for future generations. Design and building professionals are increasingly recognizing wood's environmental attributes and helping to create strong markets for wood products. Over the past several years, a number of tall wood projects have been completed around the world, demonstrating successful applications of next generation technologies. Today, the concept is gaining traction in the United States where more architects are opting for a sustainable solution for attaining safe, cost-effective, high- performing tall buildings, particularly in urban dense settings. As the only renewable building material, wood requires less energy to transport, construct, and produce than other building materials. In closing, I encourage my colleagues to support policies that maintain and grow strong markets for wood products. As we celebrate National Forest Products Week, I thank the employers and employees of the forest products industry for their contributions to Maine and the Nation.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Clean Cookstoves and Fuels Support Act. This bill addresses a serious global public health and environmental issue. I am very pleased to be joined in this effort by my friend and colleague Senator Durbin. Nearly half of the world's people cook over open fires or inefficient, polluting, and unsafe cookstoves using agricultural waste, coal, dung, wood or other solid fuels. Smoke from these traditional cookstoves and open fires is associated with chronic and acute diseases that affect women and children disproportionately. The black carbon from these traditional cookstoves is also a significant driver of air pollution and climate change. Alarmingly, the World Health Organization found that in 2012 this type of air pollution claimed 4.3 million lives. Millions more are sickened from the toxic fumes, and thousands suffer burns annually from open fires or unsafe cookstoves. The Global Burden of Disease Study of 2010 doubled the mortality estimates for exposure to smoke from cookstoves, referred to as ``household air pollution,'' from 2 million to 4 million deaths annually. That is more than the deaths from malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS combined. This same study ranks household air pollution as the fourth worst overall health risk factor in the world and is the second worst health risk factor in the world for women and girls. Traditional cookstoves also create serious environmental problems. Recent studies show that the emissions of black carbon or common soot from these cookstoves significantly contribute to regional air pollution and climate change. In fact, black carbon emissions from residential cookstoves in developing countries are responsible for as much as 25 percent of black carbon emissions. Moreover, each family can require up to two tons of cooking fuel, and where the demand for fuel outstrips the natural regrowth of resources, local environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity can result. The collection of this fuel is also a burden that is shouldered disproportionately by women and children. In some areas, women and girls risk rape and other violence during the up to 20 hours per week they spend away from their families gathering fuel. This often means these women and girls have far less time to pursue an education, to generate income or to participate in other community activities, and this marginalizes their role in society. A new report by McKinsey Global Institute estimates that the world economy could increase by between $12 trillion and $28 trillion over 10 years if the participation of women was to equal that of men. Replacing these cookstoves with modern alternatives would help reverse these alarming health, environmental, and economic trends, and it would be relatively inexpensive. In fact, there are stoves that are coming on the market that cost as little as $20 that are 50 percent more efficient than the traditional cooking methods. It could also be done quickly. It is what scientists call the low-hanging fruit of environmental and health fixes. In 2010, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves was formed to help support the adoption of clean cookstoves in 100 million households in the developing world by the year 2020. Recognizing the serious health and environmental issues posed by traditional cookstoves, the Alliance aims to save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and combat pollution by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking stoves. Alliance partners are working together to help overcome the market barriers that currently impede the production, development, and distribution of clean cookstoves in developing countries. During the first 5 years of the Alliance, the U.S. Government played a key role in supporting this important endeavor, including through financial assistance that surpassed the original funding commitments. Led by the Department of State, 11 Federal agencies have invested more than $114 million in clean cookstoves and fuel initiatives to date. For the next 5 years of the Alliance, our government has announced anticipated commitments of another $175 million. To date, our government has focused its efforts on applied research and development, diplomatic engagement to encourage a market for clean cookstoves and to improve access to them, international development projects to support clean cookstove businesses engaging women entrepreneurs, and supporting the adoption of clean and efficient cooking solutions by providing some financial assistance. The legislation Senator Durbin and I are introducing today strengthens these important commitments by requiring the Secretary of State--in consultation with the relevant Federal agencies and in coordination with international NGOs and private and other government entities--to advance the goals and work of the Alliance. In addition, the bill would formally authorize the funding commitments already made by our government for the next 5 years, through the year 2020, to ensure that these important pledges toward preventing unnecessary illness and reducing pollution around the globe are met. By supporting the work of the Alliance and the commitment of the U.S. Government to replace traditional cookstoves with modern versions that emit far less soot, this bill aims to benefit directly some of the world's poorest people and to reduce the harmful pollution that affects all of us. It offers a way for us to address the second largest contributor to climate change in a way that is inexpensive, not burdensome to the people of our country, and that will benefit poor people living in developing nations. There is lots of disagreement on many proposals that have been advanced to address climate change, but this is one that should unite all of us. It will help to improve the health of women and children, in particular, who bear the burden of working over these dirty cookstoves in developing countries, and it will reduce carbon soot in our atmosphere--the second biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. It will do so without requiring those of us in our country to change our ways. I urge my colleagues to join Senator Durbin and me in supporting the Clean Cookstoves and Fuels Support Act.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Clean Cookstoves and Fuels Support Act. This bill addresses a serious global public health and environmental issue. I am very pleased to be joined in this effort by my friend and colleague Senator Durbin. Nearly half of the world's people cook over open fires or inefficient, polluting, and unsafe cookstoves using agricultural waste, coal, dung, wood or other solid fuels. Smoke from these traditional cookstoves and open fires is associated with chronic and acute diseases that affect women and children disproportionately. The black carbon from these traditional cookstoves is also a significant driver of air pollution and climate change. Alarmingly, the World Health Organization found that in 2012 this type of air pollution claimed 4.3 million lives. Millions more are sickened from the toxic fumes, and thousands suffer burns annually from open fires or unsafe cookstoves. The Global Burden of Disease Study of 2010 doubled the mortality estimates for exposure to smoke from cookstoves, referred to as ``household air pollution,'' from 2 million to 4 million deaths annually. That is more than the deaths from malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS combined. This same study ranks household air pollution as the fourth worst overall health risk factor in the world and is the second worst health risk factor in the world for women and girls. Traditional cookstoves also create serious environmental problems. Recent studies show that the emissions of black carbon or common soot from these cookstoves significantly contribute to regional air pollution and climate change. In fact, black carbon emissions from residential cookstoves in developing countries are responsible for as much as 25 percent of black carbon emissions. Moreover, each family can require up to two tons of cooking fuel, and where the demand for fuel outstrips the natural regrowth of resources, local environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity can result. The collection of this fuel is also a burden that is shouldered disproportionately by women and children. In some areas, women and girls risk rape and other violence during the up to 20 hours per week they spend away from their families gathering fuel. This often means these women and girls have far less time to pursue an education, to generate income or to participate in other community activities, and this marginalizes their role in society. A new report by McKinsey Global Institute estimates that the world economy could increase by between $12 trillion and $28 trillion over 10 years if the participation of women was to equal that of men. Replacing these cookstoves with modern alternatives would help reverse these alarming health, environmental, and economic trends, and it would be relatively inexpensive. In fact, there are stoves that are coming on the market that cost as little as $20 that are 50 percent more efficient than the traditional cooking methods. It could also be done quickly. It is what scientists call the low-hanging fruit of environmental and health fixes. In 2010, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves was formed to help support the adoption of clean cookstoves in 100 million households in the developing world by the year 2020. Recognizing the serious health and environmental issues posed by traditional cookstoves, the Alliance aims to save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and combat pollution by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking stoves. Alliance partners are working together to help overcome the market barriers that currently impede the production, development, and distribution of clean cookstoves in developing countries. During the first 5 years of the Alliance, the U.S. Government played a key role in supporting this important endeavor, including through financial assistance that surpassed the original funding commitments. Led by the Department of State, 11 Federal agencies have invested more than $114 million in clean cookstoves and fuel initiatives to date. For the next 5 years of the Alliance, our government has announced anticipated commitments of another $175 million. To date, our government has focused its efforts on applied research and development, diplomatic engagement to encourage a market for clean cookstoves and to improve access to them, international development projects to support clean cookstove businesses engaging women entrepreneurs, and supporting the adoption of clean and efficient cooking solutions by providing some financial assistance. The legislation Senator Durbin and I are introducing today strengthens these important commitments by requiring the Secretary of State--in consultation with the relevant Federal agencies and in coordination with international NGOs and private and other government entities--to advance the goals and work of the Alliance. In addition, the bill would formally authorize the funding commitments already made by our government for the next 5 years, through the year 2020, to ensure that these important pledges toward preventing unnecessary illness and reducing pollution around the globe are met. By supporting the work of the Alliance and the commitment of the U.S. Government to replace traditional cookstoves with modern versions that emit far less soot, this bill aims to benefit directly some of the world's poorest people and to reduce the harmful pollution that affects all of us. It offers a way for us to address the second largest contributor to climate change in a way that is inexpensive, not burdensome to the people of our country, and that will benefit poor people living in developing nations. There is lots of disagreement on many proposals that have been advanced to address climate change, but this is one that should unite all of us. It will help to improve the health of women and children, in particular, who bear the burden of working over these dirty cookstoves in developing countries, and it will reduce carbon soot in our atmosphere--the second biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. It will do so without requiring those of us in our country to change our ways. I urge my colleagues to join Senator Durbin and me in supporting the Clean Cookstoves and Fuels Support Act.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I am deeply saddened by the terrible tragedy that occurred in Roseburg, OR, last week that resulted in the loss of nine lives and injured many more. My heart goes out to the victims and their families, who are struggling to understand this senseless act of violence and are shouldering incomprehensible grief. Roseburg, Newtown, Aurora, Virginia Tech, the Navy Yard--these mass shootings are examples of tragedies that our country has experienced far too often. The common thread that runs through all of these acts of violence is untreated or undertreated severe mental illness. The shootings in Roseburg should serve as a wake-up call that it is time--indeed, it is past time--for a comprehensive overhaul of America's mental health system. A serious flaw in our current system is that it is simply far too difficult for families to get help for their adult children who are suffering from severe mental illness. Over the past several months, it has been my privilege to get to know Joe Bruce from Caratunk, ME. Motivated by his own family's tragic experience, Joe has become a powerful advocate for mental health reform. Let me share with you and with my other colleagues Joe's tragic story. In 2006, Joe's 24-year old son Will, who had a history of severe and persistent mental illness, was discharged from a psychiatric hospital and returned home without the benefits of any medication. Will had been advised that without his consent, his parents had no right to participate in his treatment or to have access to his medical records. Will believed that there was nothing wrong with him and that he was not mentally ill, which can be characteristic of some individuals with severe bipolar disorder or paranoid schizophrenia. Will would not consent to his parents' involvement with his treatment, and because he was an adult, his father Joe and his wife Amy were barred from all access to his treatment or his medical records. Tragically, the fears that Amy and Joe had voiced to Will's doctors that Will would hurt or kill someone came true. On June 20, 2006, Joe returned home to find the body of his wife Amy. His son Will was in a deep state of psychosis and, believing his mother to be involved with Al Qaeda, murdered her with a hatchet. Because of that tragedy, Will was committed to the same psychiatric hospital, which had previously discharged him, by a criminal court. He is now doing well because he is getting the treatment and care he should have had before. As his father says: ``Ironically and horribly, Will was only able to get treatment by killing his mother.'' Joe also introduced me to a group of families from Maine, who are part of a group known as the Families of the 4%, a reference to the segment of our population that suffers from severe mental illness. All of them spoke of similar difficulties in getting needed treatment and care for their adult children suffering from severe mental illness. This group of parents was distressed, exhausted, and so worried about their loved ones. One mother told me that she had made more than 60 calls seeking help for her son, whom she believed was dangerous. Another mother described her son chasing her around the kitchen table with a butcher knife. A few of these families had more uplifting stories, because they had finally been able to get needed help for their children. One mother told me about her son who is currently receiving treatment and is in stable condition after being hospitalized more than 30 times in 10 years and spending time homeless and in jail. Another father told me about his son who had been hospitalized more than a dozen times but is now living in an apartment and able to hold a part-time job because he too is finally receiving the care he needs. While millions of Americans suffer from mental illness, only a very small number engage in unspeakable acts of violence against themselves or others. Yet many of the tragedies that we have witnessed in recent years--these mass shootings--might have been prevented had the proper resources been in place to support a timely diagnosis, early intervention, and effective treatment for those struggling with severe mental illness. That is why I have joined with my colleagues, Senator and Dr. Cassidy and Senator Murphy, in sponsoring the Mental Health Reform Act of 2015. This bill is patterned on a bill that has been introduced by Congressman Tim Murphy, a clinical psychologist in the House of Representatives. It will make critical reforms to address a lack of resources, to enhance coordination, and to develop real solutions to improve outcomes for families dealing with mental illness. My hope is that this most recent tragedy in Oregon will provide an impetus for the Senate to consider our bipartisan bill, which has been endorsed by so many mental health groups, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the American Psychological Association, and the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems. Passage of this comprehensive, bipartisan legislation would help to jump-start the much-needed conversation in this country about how to better care for people living with severe mental illness and to help their loved ones. This bill addresses one facet, but a significant and ignored one, of the problem of mass shootings. I will continue to support other actions, such as the gun purchase background checks proposed by Senator Manchin and Senator Toomey. I hope we can come together to pass both bills to help lessen the chance that other families will have to endure the loss of a loved one to a mass shooting. I urge all of our colleagues to join Senator Cassidy, Senator Murphy, and me in cosponsoring this important legislation to strengthen our mental health system, to help ensure that others in this country do not suffer, as far too many families have done, because of adult children suffering from severe mental illness. I yield the floor.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to speak as in morning business for up to 10 minutes.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to commend Coastal Ridge Elementary School in York, ME, on being named a 2015 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. This year, Coastal Ridge Elementary was one of only 335 schools across the country and one of only two schools from Maine to receive this prestigious recognition of high accomplishment by the U.S. Department of Education. Created in 1982, the Blue Ribbon Schools Award honors schools that are either academically superior in their States or that demonstrate significant gains in student achievement. The schools singled out for this national recognition are models of high educational standards and accountability. This award recognizes Coastal Ridge Elementary as a model of excellence and high achievement. The students' success can be attributed to the school's focus on creating a healthy climate where adults model respect and selflessness. Principal Sean Murphy noted that while the award is based on exemplary test scores in math and reading, the school's emphasis on the arts, sciences, and social development has contributed to the students' overall achievement. I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has selected Coastal Ridge Elementary School for this well-deserved honor and congratulate not only the students, but also the administrators, teachers, staff, and parents on this outstanding achievement. Together, they are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of students by helping them become energetic learners and engaged citizens.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to commend Minot Consolidated School in Minot, ME, on being named a 2015 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. This year, Minot Consolidated was one of only 335 schools across the country and one of only two schools from Maine to receive this prestigious recognition of high accomplishment by the U.S. Department of Education. Created in 1982, the Blue Ribbon Schools award honors schools that are either academically superior in their States or that demonstrate significant gains in student achievement. The schools singled out for this national recognition are models of high educational standards and accountability. With just 240 students from prekindergarten to sixth grade, Minot Consolidated takes pride in a strong sense of community that contributes to the success of its students. Staff, families, and community members have come together to create a welcoming school environment where students are challenged, motivated, and rewarded for good work. Self-confidence and personal responsibility are strongly encouraged and have produced positive results for Minot Consolidated's high-achieving student body. I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has selected Minot Consolidated School for this well-deserved honor and congratulate not only the students, but also the administrators, teachers, staff, and parents on this outstanding achievement. Together, they are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of students by helping them become energetic learners and engaged citizens.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill. Yesterday, Congress sent the President a continuing resolution, a bill to prevent a government shutdown. This was necessary to ensure that vital resources and services the American people depend on do not lapse and in order to avoid harm to jobs and our economy. But as my colleagues fully realize, simply putting government on autopilot through a continuing resolution is not the responsible way to fund government. It locks in last year's priorities, delays the start of vital new programs, and allows unneeded programs to continue to be funded. We must pass the 12 annual appropriations bills. In July of this year, the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which I am privileged to serve, reported the last of the 12 bills. This was the first time that all 12 of the appropriations bills have been approved by the committee, in plenty of time for the Senate to act, since 2009. It is past time for the Senate to take up and pass these funding bills so that we can go to conference with our House colleagues and send to the President annual funding bills that reflect our current priorities that benefit the American people. In May of this year--in May--the Senate Appropriations Committee reported the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill by a strong, bipartisan vote of 21 to 9. As a member of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over this bill, I know this represented bipartisan consensus and hard work. It reflected the leadership of Chairman Kirk and Ranking Member Tester. This bill provides vital resources for our veterans and our servicemembers. We are operating under very challenging budget constraints, and I support the negotiations that are going on now. But it is long past time for the Senate to take up, debate, amend, and pass each of these appropriations bills. We have the opportunity to do that just now, and I do not understand those who argue that we should not proceed with the normal appropriations process. Those who disagree with provisions in this bill will have the opportunity to offer amendments to change the bill. But to not even allow this vital funding bill for our military and for our veterans to come to the Senate floor is an argument that I do not accept nor understand. We owe it to our Nation's veterans, 127,000 of whom reside in the great State of Maine. There are more than 21 million nationwide. We owe it to them to move forward with this important bill. These veterans answered the call to duty. They shouldered the hardships and sacrifices of military service. They have done their jobs. It is time for the Senate to do its job. We must fulfill our obligations and affirm a larger commitment made long ago to take care of those who have so proudly served our Nation--the patriots who have worn our Nation's uniform. To highlight a few examples of why this bill is so important, let me mention that it ensures our veterans have access to critical mental health care services. It aims to reduce veteran homelessness--a very important issue to me that I have worked on with Senator Jack Reed as a member of the HUD and transportation appropriations subcommittee-- another bill that we need to bring to the Senate floor. This bill provides funding to pay veterans benefits and includes $270 million for the Office of Rural Health, important to the Presiding Officer as well as to my State. This office has established the program called the ARCH Program, or Access Received Closer to Home. ARCH ensures that rural veterans in the pilot States, who often have a difficult time accessing the regular VA health system, can receive care closer to where they live. This has been a tremendous success in northern Maine, which has one of the pilot programs in Caribou, ME, in conjunction with Cary Memorial Hospital. This has made such a difference to our veterans. I remember one of our veterans telling me about breaking his hip last winter in the height of a terrible winter storm. Instead of enduring a painful and bumpy ride for more than 4 hours to get to the VA hospital in Augusta, he was able, through the ARCH Program, to receive care at his local hospital, Cary Memorial in Caribou, ME. He also had the benefit of being able to receive care closer to where his family and friends were. The programs that I just mentioned, like so many that are contained within the Military Construction-VA appropriations bill, are essential to ensuring that veterans who have placed their lives on the line for our continued safety receive the benefits they have earned. This bill is essential to providing updated military housing and other construction upon which those who are serving today depend. It is simply irresponsible for us not to proceed with consideration of this and every other appropriations bill. They are ready. They have been reported by committee. Let's do our job. We must do our best to honor those who serve, and who have served, and who have sacrificed so much for our country. Surely--surely--the Senate should do its part. We should do our part by promptly passing this important bill.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Thank you, Mr. President. It is such a pleasure to join my colleagues in supporting legislation that would provide a short-term extension for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and I think you can see by the breadth of the number of Senators on the floor on the Republican side of the aisle supporting this extension that this program has widespread support from Montana to North Carolina, to Tennessee, to New Hampshire, to the great State of Maine. All of us have come together to urge the Senate not to allow this important conservation and recreational program to expire. It was 50 years ago that the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act established America's most successful conservation and recreation program. The fund was designed to assure that outdoor recreation lands would be secured on a pay-as-you-go basis for future generations. As we mark this anniversary, it is inconceivable to me that we would allow this successful and valuable program to expire. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is arguably our most important and successful program of this type. There is nothing else like it, and it has widespread bipartisan support. While the funding for this program could continue to be appropriated beyond the September 30 expiration date, the authority to collect new revenue into the fund would expire. So we must act quickly today to reauthorize the LWCF so we do not lose the important connection between the funding stores for this conservation program and the program itself. Investments in this landmark conservation program expand assets to the outdoors to all Americans. We are living in a time where so many children and so many teenagers are spending all of their time inside before computer screens and tablets and iPhones. This is the program that helps ensure that they have access to recreational activities outside--the great American outdoors. The Land and Water Conservation Fund has created numerous outdoor recreational opportunities in every single State in the Nation and 98 percent of the counties across our great country. It is funding that will open key areas for hunting, fishing, and other recreational access to support our working forests and ranches, to acquire inholdings and protect critical lands in national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, Civil War battlefields, and other Federal areas that are so special to our heritage, and to support State and local projects from ball parks to recreational trails. If you have a bike trail, a ball park or a hiking path in your community, it may well have been constructed with funds from the Land and Water Conservation Program. I support the permanent reauthorization of the program that has been introduced by Senator Burr and believe that Congress has an obligation to make good on the promise that was made to the American people back in 1964 to take the proceeds from natural resource development and invest a portion in conservation and outdoor recreation. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has favorably reported a bipartisan bill that would permanently extend the program. A short-term extension is needed now to provide the time over the next few weeks for us to work together to achieve that permanent authorization and consistent funding for this program and to help ensure that the fund plays the strongest possible role in helping to revitalize local communities for another 50 years. I remain committed to working with Senator Daines, Senator Burr, and the other leaders in this area, along with the bipartisan coalition that truly spans the country to support creating a more stable long- term plan for the LWCF that allows landowners, States, local communities, and conservation partners to plan for the future recreational and conservation opportunities for our country. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this 60-day extension. Thank you, Mr. President. Again, I thank the Senator from Montana for organizing this colloquy and the Senator from North Carolina for his leadership in this area.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to support reauthorizing the Perkins Loan Program, which will expire tomorrow, September 30, if the Senate does not act. Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed legislation to extend this vital program for 1 year. I urge my Senate colleagues to support this bill and send it immediately to the President for his signature. I want to recognize and thank my colleagues, Senator Baldwin, Senator Casey, and the Presiding Officer, Senator Portman, for their leadership in highlighting the importance of this program. I am pleased to join with them in submitting a Senate resolution urging its extension. Since 1958, the Perkins Loan Program has helped make college affordable for millions of students who have financial need. In the State of Maine, more than 5,000 students received a Perkins loan last year, providing $9.2 million in aid. Last Friday, I had a conversation with the president of the University of Maine, who told me just how critical Perkins loans are to UMaine students. Perkins loans are a critical part of a college's and a student's financial aid resources. These loans help to fill gaps beyond what is available through the Department of Education's Direct Loan Program and a family's ability to pay. A Perkins loan can meet that additional need so that students do not have to resort to borrowing through private or higher cost loans, and, most of all, so they can remain in school. Perkins borrowers are predominantly from lower income families. For example, at the University of Maine last year, 64 percent of Perkins borrowers had a family income of $40,000 or less. The Perkins Loan Program is campus-based, which means that participating colleges and universities administer the loans. When students graduate, they make payments directly to their college or university, and those payments are used to make new loans to other students through a revolving fund. These revolving funds are a combination of a Federal contribution and an institutional match. Now, I think it is important to understand that Congress has not had to appropriate funds for the Perkins Loan Program since 2004 because of this revolving fund concept, but institutions continue to be able to assist needy students through this self-sustaining program. That is why we simply cannot allow it to lapse. As a Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, I know that our committee is committed to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. I strongly support that effort. In the meantime, however, we must ensure that there is not a lapse in the financial assistance provided to students under the Perkins Loan Program. As I mentioned earlier, the House-passed bill extends the authority for the Perkins Loan Program for an additional year and does not authorize any additional Federal funds. Students who receive a Perkins loan during this academic year and remain in the same academic program would be eligible to receive future Perkins loans. We only have 1 day before the Perkins Loan Program expires. Students at our colleges and universities are looking at us--they are depending on us--to ensure that this vital and proven program does not expire. I urge my colleagues to pass the House-passed legislation so that the Perkins Loan Program can continue. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a letter from the chancellor of the University of Maine System in support of the reauthorization of the Perkins Loan Program.

Ms. COLLINS. Again, I want to commend my colleagues, including the Presiding Officer, Senator Portman, and my colleague from Wisconsin who has been a leader on this issue as well.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to praise Senate passage earlier this week of legislation I authored, S. 1632, to help combat the threat posed by the Boko Haram terrorist group. I am hopeful that our colleagues in the House will pass the bill quickly so that it can go to the President's desk for signature. Boko Haram is a notorious terrorist organization. Less well known, however, is what the name means: ``Western education is forbidden.'' This descriptive moniker helps explain the organization's determination to terrorize young girls who seek an education--girls who seek nothing more than a better life and a path to independence. Following the horrific kidnapping of 276 girls more than a year ago, Boko Haram has continued to commit barbaric acts of violence against civilians. According to the Congressional Research Service, Boko Haram may have killed more than 11,000 people, with more than 5,500 people killed in 2014 alone. Boko Haram has also pledged allegiance to ISIS, a fellow terrorist organization, in an attempt to further their reach and increase their ability to intimidate the citizens of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger. We cannot sit idly by while Boko Haram continues to terrorize women, girls, and religious minorities in these African nations. Last year, in response to the kidnapping of the schoolgirls, I worked with Senator Barbara Mikulski and garnered the support of all 20 women Senators in urging Secretary of State John Kerry to seek Boko Haram's addition to the United Nations al-Qaeda Sanctions List. Following this letter, the United Nations Security Council voted to subject Boko Haram to a complete asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo. This year, I am again leading a bipartisan legislative effort to address the threats posed by Boko Haram. Specifically, my bipartisan bill, which now awaits consideration in the House of Representatives, calls on the U.S. Departments of State and Defense and their relevant partners to work together in creating a 5-year strategy to counter these increasing threats. Cosponsored by 18 of my Senate colleagues, this bill also signals a renewed congressional commitment to combatting Boko Haram and bolstering U.S. efforts throughout the region. While I am pleased that this legislation and previous efforts continue to move us forward in the fight against Boko Haram, more must be done. I will continue to work with my colleagues to create and enact legislation aimed at countering the violence and terror spread by Boko Haram. We have a window of opportunity to change the course of the fight against this intensifying terrorist threat, and we must seize the opportunity. We must also ensure that the United States, as a world leader, is providing the assistance necessary to make this strategy successful. We must never forget that the girls of Nigeria were targeted simply because they chose to pursue an education. We must send a message to women and girls around the world that their safety and well-being matters, that everyone deserves the opportunity to seek an education. We must also send a clear message to Boko Haram that their appalling acts of violence have no place in this world.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act. I am very pleased to be joined by my colleague from Delaware, Senator Carper, in introducing this bipartisan bill. Our bill would encourage commercial building owners to invest in life-saving fire safety upgrades. While building codes require sprinklers in new commercial buildings, a great number of structures across the U.S. were built and put in service before sprinklers were required. This is of significance in Maine, which has some of the oldest housing stock in the country and which has experienced deadly apartment building fires. Maine has a large number of older, historic buildings--buildings that generally may not be required to have fire sprinklers. According to the Maine State Housing Authority, Maine has the sixth oldest housing stock in the country. In fact, many of the historic areas of Portland were built following a devastating fire in 1866. This fire destroyed most of Portland's commercial buildings, many of its churches, and countless homes. Fire sprinklers are very effective at preventing deaths caused by fires. Small business building owners find it difficult, however, to fund adding retrofit sprinklers. Our bill would provide two tax incentives to encourage building owners to make this investment. Currently, commercial building owners must depreciate fire sprinkler retrofits over a lengthy 39-year period. The period for residential buildings is 27 and a half years. This bill reclassifies fire sprinkler retrofits as 15-year depreciable property, thus allowing building owners to write off their costs more quickly. The bill also provides an option for certain small businesses to deduct the cost of the fire system upgrades immediately under Section 179 of the tax code. Together, these proposals will provide a strong incentive for building owners to install fire sprinkler systems. According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2013, a fire department responded to a structure fire every 65 seconds, and fire claimed 9 lives every day. Just last October, five young adults were killed when fire swept through a two apartment building near the University of Southern Maine. In addition to these five, 20 other people died in fires in Maine in 2014. Just last month, a fire killed two people in Old Town, ME. Sprinklers decrease the fire death rate by about 80 percent and the average loss per home fire by about 70 percent. This bill was originally drafted in response to the deadly nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI, in 2003. One hundred people died in that fire. The building did not have a fire sprinkler system. Let us work together to prevent another tragedy like this from happening. I invite my colleagues to join Senator Carper and me in support of this bipartisan, common sense legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter of support be printed in the Record.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war, we reflect with reverence upon a generation that served with honor, distinction, and selflessness. We pay tribute to the 9 million men and women who wore our Nation's uniform during the Vietnam era, answered our Nation's call to service, and advanced the sacred ideals of liberty and self-determination. All gave some, and some gave all. Currently, the names of the more than 58,000 patriots who gave their all are forever etched in black granite on the Vietnam Memorial in our Nation's Capital. The names of the nearly 1,800 Americans who remain unaccounted for are forever etched in our hearts. Nearly 350 patriots from Maine are listed among the killed or missing. Among those names is U.S. Army SGT Donald Skidgel, a Medal of Honor recipient, born in my hometown of Caribou, ME, who served in Vietnam and who gave his life saving the lives of others. On September 14 of this year, Navy pilot LT Neil Taylor was finally laid to rest in his hometown of Rangeley, ME, 50 years to the day after his aircraft was shot down on his 68th mission and he was reported missing. They were patriots in the best American tradition. We will never forget them. May the families of those who fell and of those unaccounted for find peace in knowing that the American people share their loss and grief. We will always be grateful for the valor and sacrifice of their loved ones. And we will never forget them. From the founding of our Nation to today, the freedom we hold sacred has been earned by our fellow citizens. Our Nation's history has been written by the men and women who serve, despite the sacrifices, with courage and devotion. The men and women of the Vietnam era carried on that tradition. They carry on another tradition that echoes throughout our history: After their military service was done, they returned home, quietly and modestly, and continued to serve their communities. The American people believe that supporting our troops doesn't stop once they leave the military. Just as no member of our Armed Forces would leave a comrade behind on the battlefield, we must not leave our veterans and their families behind on the battlefields of injury and disease. We must be strong advocates for veterans' health care and be concerned about the Vietnam veterans who were exposed to agent orange. We must remain committed to ensuring that those veterans and their families receive the care and support they have earned. The men and women who served our Nation a half century ago upheld the highest ideals of America and of the American Armed Forces. Our Vietnam veterans were then, and remain today, heroes who deserve our respect and our gratitude.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am opposed to late-term abortions and would support legislation to ban them except in unusual circumstances. A carefully drawn, short list of exceptions to apply in those rare cases should have been included in this bill. Regrettably, the bill before us provides no exception for when the physical health of the mother is at risk of serious harm, the most glaring deficiency in this legislation. Let me give just three examples of devastating conditions that could threaten the physical health of a pregnant woman. An extremely serious condition triggered by pregnancy in some women is preeclampsia, which tends to develop after the 20th week of pregnancy. This condition can lead to serious, long-term health consequences for a woman, including liver and kidney problems, vision disturbances, seizures and strokes. Another example would be a woman diagnosed with cancer who requires chemotherapy and radiation but cannot be treated while pregnant. A massive infection, such as severe sepsis, is yet another case of a grave illness that could cause grievous harm for a pregnant woman and to her physical health. Almost every country in Europe that limits late-term abortions allows for exceptions for the physical health of the mother. Like these European countries, States such as Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, and others that ban late-term abortions provide an exception for the health as well as the life of the woman. But the bill before us does not. I have advocated that we add language that would provide an exception when the woman is at serious risk of grievous injury to her physical health. This is an appropriately high standard to meet, but one that would allow a woman to terminate her pregnancy when the alternative is serious harm to her physical health. Under this bill, a doctor who performs such an abortion after 20 weeks to prevent grievous physical injury to the pregnant woman would be subject to criminal penalties of up to 5 years in prison. Do we really want to make a criminal out of a physician who is trying to prevent a woman with preeclampsia from suffering damage to her kidneys or liver or having a stroke or seizures? Do we want the threat of prison for a doctor who knows that his pregnant patient needs chemotherapy or radiation treatments? If a woman has the terrible misfortune to have a serious infection of amniotic fluid that threatens her physical health and her ability to have children in the future, do we want her doctor to be unable to perform an abortion because he faces the prospect of years in prison if he terminates her pregnancy? The way the rape and incest exceptions to this bill are drafted is also problematic. I do not question the good motives of the sponsors of this bill, as I share their goal of prohibiting late-term abortions. My point, however, is that all of these language problems could be solved, and then we might well be able to enact a law that would accomplish the goal of ending late-term abortions except in those unusual cases where an exception is warranted. Therefore, I shall cast my vote in opposition to this well-meaning but flawed bill.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act. I am very pleased to be joined by my colleague from Delaware, Senator Carper, in introducing this bipartisan bill. Our bill would encourage commercial building owners to invest in life-saving fire safety upgrades. While building codes require sprinklers in new commercial buildings, a great number of structures across the U.S. were built and put in service before sprinklers were required. This is of significance in Maine, which has some of the oldest housing stock in the country and which has experienced deadly apartment building fires. Maine has a large number of older, historic buildings--buildings that generally may not be required to have fire sprinklers. According to the Maine State Housing Authority, Maine has the sixth oldest housing stock in the country. In fact, many of the historic areas of Portland were built following a devastating fire in 1866. This fire destroyed most of Portland's commercial buildings, many of its churches, and countless homes. Fire sprinklers are very effective at preventing deaths caused by fires. Small business building owners find it difficult, however, to fund adding retrofit sprinklers. Our bill would provide two tax incentives to encourage building owners to make this investment. Currently, commercial building owners must depreciate fire sprinkler retrofits over a lengthy 39-year period. The period for residential buildings is 27 and a half years. This bill reclassifies fire sprinkler retrofits as 15-year depreciable property, thus allowing building owners to write off their costs more quickly. The bill also provides an option for certain small businesses to deduct the cost of the fire system upgrades immediately under Section 179 of the tax code. Together, these proposals will provide a strong incentive for building owners to install fire sprinkler systems. According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2013, a fire department responded to a structure fire every 65 seconds, and fire claimed 9 lives every day. Just last October, five young adults were killed when fire swept through a two apartment building near the University of Southern Maine. In addition to these five, 20 other people died in fires in Maine in 2014. Just last month, a fire killed two people in Old Town, ME. Sprinklers decrease the fire death rate by about 80 percent and the average loss per home fire by about 70 percent. This bill was originally drafted in response to the deadly nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI, in 2003. One hundred people died in that fire. The building did not have a fire sprinkler system. Let us work together to prevent another tragedy like this from happening. I invite my colleagues to join Senator Carper and me in support of this bipartisan, common sense legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter of support be printed in the Record.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to honor and congratulate CPT Kristen Griest and 1LT Shaye Haver for their historic accomplishment of being the first two women soldiers to complete U.S. Army Ranger School and earn their highly coveted Ranger tabs. Earning the right to wear a Ranger tab is not for the faint-hearted. The rigors of the course test even the strongest service members. Many try; few succeed. Through their grit and determination, Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver have demonstrated that character, courage, and tenacity, not gender, are the hallmarks of great servicemembers and leaders. Just as teamwork and dedication are the benchmarks for military effectiveness, they are also the mandates of the U.S. Army Rangers who are tasked with our Nation's most challenging and difficult missions. Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver, along with their fellow Ranger School classmates, braved the challenges and serve as role models for girls and boys--women and men--in the United States and around the world. This integrated class answered our Nation's call to service. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, enduring the course's extreme mental and physical stress, together. Each carried his or her own weight, and at times the weight of others, proving that integration represents not just a lofty goal, but an achievable reality. Their collective and distinguished accomplishments embody the values of our Armed Forces and our Nation. The journey toward integration, however, has been hard fought. Before them, the first African Americans and women who answered the call to service laid the foundation for making integration possible. These pioneers inherently understood the importance of their contributions to the realization of integration. They also recognized the undeniable truth that an integrated and balanced force is a successful force both on and off the battlefield. The effectiveness of a military unit is almost always determined by the cohesion of its individual members, their dedication to the team, and their commitment to the mission. No individual servicemember can succeed by his or her efforts alone. Success is forged from equality and integration. As we celebrate Captain Griest's and Lieutenant Haver's historic and inspiring achievements, we express our pride and gratitude for their personal courage and sacrifice. I am confident that the military and our country are more battle ready as a result. I am also confident that Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver will continue to serve with distinction as they ``lead the way'' as our Nation's newest U.S. Army Rangers. As a result of their milestone achievements, they have inspired a nation. With this in mind, I am pleased to offer this resolution with Senators Mikulski, Ayotte, Baldwin, Boxer, Cantwell, Capito, Ernst, Feinstein, Fischer, Gillibrand, Heitkamp, Hirono, Klobuchar, McCaskill, Murkowski, Murray, Shaheen, Stabenow, Warren, Perdue, Murphy, Kirk, Tester, Flake, Reed, Donnelly, Grassley, Blumenthal, Isakson, Warner, Leahy, Franken, Rubio, Heinrich, Coons, Thune, Merkley, and Gardner, honoring and recognizing the patriotism and historic contributions to the United States by Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver, and extend my best wishes and heartiest congratulations.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, this August the Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating September 25, 2015, as National Lobster Day. I was proud to cosponsor that resolution with my fellow Mainer, Senator Angus King, and to be joined by our New England colleagues, Senators Shaheen and Ayotte of New Hampshire, Reed and Whitehouse of Rhode Island, and Murphy and Blumenthal of Connecticut. That day has arrived and will be celebrated with a special event at the Maine Maritime Museum in the City of Bath. For more than a half- century, this outstanding museum has honored our State's seafaring heritage and the important role Maine plays today in global maritime activities. Lobster fishing is central to that heritage. Since colonial times, it has served as an economic engine and a family tradition in New England, helping to support the livelihoods of thousands of families. Throughout the region, more than 120 million pounds of lobster are caught each year, making it one of our most valuable commodities. More than 70 percent of this harvest is hauled in by Maine's 6,000 commercial license holders. Lobster is the backbone of Maine's prolific fishing industry, which produces more than $1 billion in economic activity and supports 26,000 year-round jobs in such affiliated enterprises as boatbuilding and maintenance, trap-making, bait, fuel and other supplies. The Maine lobster industry is built upon thousands of owner-operated family businesses, where the generations work together, supporting themselves and sustaining their communities. The hard-working men and women of the Maine lobster industry are the original conservationists. For more than 150 years, they have led the way in managing this precious resource through size restrictions and trap limits, and they are at the forefront of efforts to protect whales and other marine mammals. The economic activity they generate helps to preserve the working waterfronts that are essential to coastal communities. The lobster industry represents the very essence of Maine--a deep respect for the environment and a dedication to hard work. I congratulate the men and women of the Maine lobster industry for upholding this centuries-old heritage and thank the Maine Maritime Museum for celebrating it.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Civil Justice Tax Fairness Act of 2015. I am very pleased to be joined by my colleague from Maryland, Senator Cardin, in introducing this bipartisan bill. This bill would change the taxation of awards received by individuals that result from judgments in or settlements of employment discrimination and civil rights cases, and would apply to victims in cases including racial discrimination, sexual discrimination, and whistleblower discrimination. These changes would correct an inequity in current law and are designed to promote the fair and equitable settlement of such claims. In 2003, I introduced the Civil Rights Tax Relief Act. In 2004, Congress adopted the most important part of that bill, allowing successful plaintiffs in civil rights actions to deduct the portion of their awards covering attorneys' fees from their annual incomes. This provision eliminated the double-taxation of such fees, which are still taxable income to the attorney. Two important provisions from my 2003 bill, which I will describe in a moment, have yet to be addressed, and the bill we introduce today would enact them. The primary purpose of the bill we are introducing today is to remedy an unintended consequence of a 1996 law, which made damage awards that are not based on ``physical injuries or physical sickness'' part of a plaintiff's taxable income. Because most acts of employment discrimination and civil rights violations do not cause physical injuries, this provision has had a direct and negative impact on plaintiffs who successfully prove that they have been subjected to intentional employment discrimination or other intentional violations of their civil rights. Our bill would remedy the unfair method of taxation of civil rights victims' settlements and court awards with respect to ``frontpay'' and ``backpay,'' and with respect to the taxation of noneconomic damages. By way of background, I should explain that awards of compensation attributable to the difference between what the employee was paid and the amount he or she should have been paid are known as ``backpay.'' ``Frontpay'' represents the future wages and benefits that would have been paid had the former employee not been terminated or had the employee not been forced to resign. Our bill contains two important reforms: First, award amounts for frontpay or backpay would continue to be included as taxable income, but would be eligible for income averaging according to the time period covered by the award. This correction would allow individuals to pay taxes at the same marginal rates that would have applied to them had they not suffered discrimination. Income averaging more fairly takes into account the person's financial standing apart from the lump sum of the award. Second, the bill would also allow plaintiffs to exclude non-economic damages, amounts awarded for pain, suffering or other health effects, from their income, to treat employment and civil rights claims the same as claims that involve a physical injury. The Civil Justice Tax Fairness Act would encourage the fair settlement of employment discrimination claims. Our legislation would allow both plaintiffs and defendants to settle claims based on the damages suffered, not on the excessive taxes that are now levied-- taxation that adds insult to a civil rights victim's injury and serves as a barrier to the just settlement of civil rights claims. I invite my colleagues to join Senator Cardin and me in support of this bipartisan, common sense legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter of support be printed in the Record.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Civil Justice Tax Fairness Act of 2015. I am very pleased to be joined by my colleague from Maryland, Senator Cardin, in introducing this bipartisan bill. This bill would change the taxation of awards received by individuals that result from judgments in or settlements of employment discrimination and civil rights cases, and would apply to victims in cases including racial discrimination, sexual discrimination, and whistleblower discrimination. These changes would correct an inequity in current law and are designed to promote the fair and equitable settlement of such claims. In 2003, I introduced the Civil Rights Tax Relief Act. In 2004, Congress adopted the most important part of that bill, allowing successful plaintiffs in civil rights actions to deduct the portion of their awards covering attorneys' fees from their annual incomes. This provision eliminated the double-taxation of such fees, which are still taxable income to the attorney. Two important provisions from my 2003 bill, which I will describe in a moment, have yet to be addressed, and the bill we introduce today would enact them. The primary purpose of the bill we are introducing today is to remedy an unintended consequence of a 1996 law, which made damage awards that are not based on ``physical injuries or physical sickness'' part of a plaintiff's taxable income. Because most acts of employment discrimination and civil rights violations do not cause physical injuries, this provision has had a direct and negative impact on plaintiffs who successfully prove that they have been subjected to intentional employment discrimination or other intentional violations of their civil rights. Our bill would remedy the unfair method of taxation of civil rights victims' settlements and court awards with respect to ``frontpay'' and ``backpay,'' and with respect to the taxation of noneconomic damages. By way of background, I should explain that awards of compensation attributable to the difference between what the employee was paid and the amount he or she should have been paid are known as ``backpay.'' ``Frontpay'' represents the future wages and benefits that would have been paid had the former employee not been terminated or had the employee not been forced to resign. Our bill contains two important reforms: First, award amounts for frontpay or backpay would continue to be included as taxable income, but would be eligible for income averaging according to the time period covered by the award. This correction would allow individuals to pay taxes at the same marginal rates that would have applied to them had they not suffered discrimination. Income averaging more fairly takes into account the person's financial standing apart from the lump sum of the award. Second, the bill would also allow plaintiffs to exclude non-economic damages, amounts awarded for pain, suffering or other health effects, from their income, to treat employment and civil rights claims the same as claims that involve a physical injury. The Civil Justice Tax Fairness Act would encourage the fair settlement of employment discrimination claims. Our legislation would allow both plaintiffs and defendants to settle claims based on the damages suffered, not on the excessive taxes that are now levied-- taxation that adds insult to a civil rights victim's injury and serves as a barrier to the just settlement of civil rights claims. I invite my colleagues to join Senator Cardin and me in support of this bipartisan, common sense legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter of support be printed in the Record.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to honor and congratulate CPT Kristen Griest and 1LT Shaye Haver for their historic accomplishment of being the first two women soldiers to complete U.S. Army Ranger School and earn their highly coveted Ranger tabs. Earning the right to wear a Ranger tab is not for the faint-hearted. The rigors of the course test even the strongest servicemembers. Many try; few succeed. Through their grit and determination, Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver have demonstrated that character, courage, and tenacity, not gender, are the hallmarks of great servicemembers and leaders. Just as teamwork and dedication are the benchmarks for military effectiveness, they are also the mandates of the U.S. Army Rangers who are tasked with our Nation's most challenging and difficult missions. Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver, along with their fellow Ranger School classmates, braved the challenges and serve as role models for girls and boys--women and men--in the United States and around the world. This integrated class answered our Nation's call to service. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, enduring the course's extreme mental and physical stress, together. Each carried his or her own weight, and at times the weight of others, proving that integration represents not just a lofty goal, but an achievable reality. Their collective and distinguished accomplishments embody the values of our Armed Forces and our Nation. The journey toward integration, however, has been hard fought. Before them, the first African Americans and women who answered the call to service laid the foundation for making integration possible. These pioneers inherently understood the importance of their contributions to the realization of integration. They also recognized the undeniable truth that an integrated and balanced force is a successful force both on and off the battlefield. The effectiveness of a military unit is almost always determined by the cohesion of its individual members, their dedication to the team, and their commitment to the mission. No individual servicemember can succeed by his or her efforts alone. Success is forged from equality and integration. As we celebrate Captain Griest's and Lieutenant Haver's historic and inspiring achievements, we express our pride and gratitude for their personal courage and sacrifice. I am confident that the military and our country are more battle ready as a result. I am also confident that Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver will continue to serve with distinction as they ``Lead the Way!'' as our Nation's newest U.S. Army Rangers. As a result of their milestone achievements, they have inspired a nation. With this in mind, I am pleased to offer this resolution with Senators Mikulski, Ayotte, Baldwin, Boxer, Cantwell, Capito, Ernst, Feinstein, Fischer, Gillibrand, Heitkamp, Hirono, Klobuchar, McCaskill, Murkowski, Murray, Shaheen, Stabenow, Warren, Perdue, Murphy, Kirk, Tester, Flake, Reed, Donnelly, Grassley, Blumenthal, Isakson, Warner, Leahy, Franken, Rubio, Heinrich, Coons, Thune, and Merkley honoring and recognizing the patriotism and historic contributions to the United States by Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver, and extend my best wishes and heartiest congratulations.