Norm Coleman

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, as the majority leader noted, yesterday was a remarkable day. I had a chance to listen to Ambassador Bremer. As a former mayor, I understand how difficult it is to have cities function--electricity, water, and other challenges, kind of the basics. I marvel at the challenge that Ambassador Bremer is facing. The good news is that we are making tremendous progress in Iraq. Yesterday was a good day because two of Saddam's diabolical offspring, as the majority leader said, are dead. It is kind of strange to say that the death of any individual is a great thing. But here we are talking about the most brutish, thuggish, reprehensible individuals who terrorized those with whom they came into contact. There were celebrations in the streets of Baghdad yesterday with news of the death of Saddam's sons. So in this time of good news, yet at the same time that American lives are being lost, that the path to liberation of Iraq and ultimately freedom and democracy and greater stability in that region is a difficult one, I think it is important to come to the floor of the Senate to reaffirm the justice and purpose of American and coalition efforts in Iraq. My only regret is that it is necessary to do so. We have a great tradition of dissent in America, and we need people to ask the tough questions. But just because we value dissent doesn't make that dissent right or just. At a time when lives are being risked and lost, when America and her friends are trying to do something which is both very difficult and supremely important, this is a moment where unity should be at a premium. Yet out on the campaign trail we are observing a mixture of Monday morning quarterbacking, political opportunism, and media exaggeration which threaten to deprive us of perspective and resolve when we need it most. America came into its own as a major player on the world stage at the beginning of the 20th century, in part because of the leadership of a great American President, Theodore Roosevelt. As we consider our role in our new century, I think it is important to reflect on some words from Theodore Roosevelt. He said: It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweet and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause. . . . Let me reiterate the worthiness of the cause we have undertaken. We live in a world where we are more connected than we ever imagined we could be. The benefits of globalization to consumers and impoverished millions are clear. But so are the risks. September 11 showed us how vulnerable we are and reduced our acceptable tolerance level for brutal leaders who wish to harm our people. Saddam Hussein's danger to his neighbors, the Middle East region, and the world has been an unquestioned assumption of American foreign policy for more than a decade. He flaunted the authority of the world community and the United Nations, ignoring 17 solemn resolutions directed against his regime. He failed to account for 30,000 liters of biological toxins, 3.9 tons of nerve agents, and tens of thousands of munitions capable of delivering them against targets. He aggressively pursued nuclear weapons. The Israelis wiped out an Iraqi nuclear function in 1981. In 1991 and after the gulf war, we found solid evidence of him attempting to pursue nuclear weapons. He harbored and supported terrorists. He destroyed the lives of hundreds of thousands of his own people. He ruthlessly cannibalized the assets and resources of the Iraqi people to support his tyranny and lavish lifestyle. Some people shy away from the term ``evil,'' but I would ask them: Is there any form of evil that is not part of the confirmed record of Saddam Hussein? To rid the world of a person such as this and a regime such as this-- an evil regime, an evil person--is ultimately just and wise and the right thing to do. Do the critics dispute this? Not directly. They criticize the means to that end. They support our troops but not the military leaders or their stated mission. They support protecting American interests but not in this particular way on this timetable or at this cost. They want results, but they want them more quickly and at lesser or no cost. But at some point, endlessly criticizing the means calls the ends into question. The flow of the argument has been interesting. Before the war began, this was an impossible, protracted war against devoted Iraqi forces. When there was early success, the argument shifted to criticize that the war would take months rather than days, and now with the hard work of rebuilding the country--not from American war damage but from decades of Saddam's economic devastation--the focus is on what was said and understood and communicated before the war began. It reflects an attention span and a degree of patience measured out in new cycles. Part of Saddam's evil is deception and the desire to humiliate us. To give him credibility--``maybe he didn't have weapons of mass destruction''--and then question our own leaders is ludicrous. Can we actually question the justification of this war because we have not yet found weapons of mass destruction in a matter of months that a master of deception had years to hide in an area the size of California? My question to the critics is simple: What is your alternative? We live in the real world, not a Hollywood stage. There are evil people who want nothing more than to destroy us, and they understand only the language of force. They will not rest while we sit around saying: If only . . . if only . . . if only . . . if only. Last night I had a wonderful conversation with Mayor Kevin Finnegan of West St. Paul, MN. He has a son and a daughter-in-law serving in Iraq. His message to me was simple: We need, Senator, to stay the course, to keep our eye on the ball. We have rid the world of Saddam's leadership. Let's work for democracy and stability in Iraq. The more we talk about weapons of mass destruction, the harder it is to achieve our ultimate underlying objective: the liberation of Iraq. In the real world, there are choices to be made, challenges to be dealt with, and burdens to be carried. This is not a game with a reset button. America must stay the course. To pull out now would be a victory for terrorists of unimagined proportions. We must stay the course to show our resolve. And yet every loss of life for an American service person is a tragedy, but we should not fail to recognize those lives are not being lost in vain. From the devastation and corruption of Saddam's reign, freedom and order are being restored. When we understand the depths to which he took that society, we recognize the time it will take to bring it back. Murderers, thugs, and terrorists owned the streets of a whole nation. Slowly but surely, we are prying them loose from their bloody hands. There is a city council now in Baghdad, and yet as a former mayor, I ask the question: Haven't they suffered enough? But there is democracy coming back to Iraq. Winning the peace will take longer than winning the war, but victory will be ours. The great victors will not only be the Iraqi people but children of the whole world who will grow up in a more peaceful century because we saw our duty and stuck to it until we finished the job. Prime Minister Blair gave us a rare and beautiful insight on our role at this time. It was an honor for me to be in that Chamber. It is a moment as a freshman Senator that I will never forget. It is important to reflect. He said: And I know it's hard on America, and in some corner in this vast country, out in Nevada or Idaho-- He could have inserted Minnesota or New Hampshire-- or these places I've never been to, but always wanted to go, I know out there there's a guy getting on with his life, perfectly happily, minding his own business, saying to you, the political leaders of this country: Why me? And why us? And why America? And the only answer is: Because destiny put you in this place in history, in this moment in time and the task is yours to do. Let's pull together, recognize the realities we face, commit for the long and difficult haul ahead, and move forward. Nothing worthwhile is easy, but it never has been for America. I applaud our young men and women who are on the front lines, who are doing the hard work for all of us, but we will all benefit from their efforts. I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs will hold a hearing entitled ``SARS: Best Practices for Identifying And Caring for New Cases.'' At the hearing, officials from the General Accounting Office will release the results from a study that I requested of national best practices for identifying and locating SARS cases. This hearing is a followup to the subcommittee's May 2003 hearing on coordinating the response to individual SARS outbreaks among local, State, and Federal officials as well as between government officials and the private sector. While officials from global health agencies have indicated that, for the moment, SARS appears to have stabilized, there is concern that this is simply a lull before the storm. At the subcommittee's May 2003 hearing individuals within the health care community relayed their concerns that there will be reemergence of SARS this fall. With that in mind, the subcommittee's upcoming hearing will examine the best practices that can be identified for controlling SARS within the health care and community setting. The hearing will take place on Wednesday, July 30, 2003, at 9 a.m., in room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. For further information, please contact Joseph V. Kennedy of the subcommittee staff at 224-3721.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. I thank the chairman for his support, and I also not that the House has included funding for this program. I look forward to working with the chairman to protect this project during conference. Roboscout Program Mr. FEINGOLD: I would like to ask a question of the managers of the bill: It is my understanding that the bill zeros out funding for the Roboscout program, also called Combat Zones That See. Mr. STEVENS: Yes, that is correct. Mr. FEINGOLD: It is further my understanding that zeroing out funding for this program will prohibit any research and development on Roboscout? Mr. STEVENS: That is correct. The Department of Defense should not be engaging in any work on the Roboscout program. Mr. INOUYE: I concur with the Chairman. His statements express our intent for this program quite well. weapons of mass destruction Civil Support

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in support of funding for the Muscular Dystrophy Research/Muscle Research Consortium to study muscular disease. Funding will allow the consortium to conduct critical research on muscular dystrophy through the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program. I note that the committee has stated its support for this very worthwhile program, in the report to accompany the fiscal year 2004 DoD appropriations bill. I urge the committee when conferencing with the House to include full funding for this program.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I am proud to mark this extraordinary day by coming to the floor of the Senate to celebrate the imminent passage of a prescription drug benefit for Medicare. This is a triumph not for a party or a President, but for America's seniors and their families. This is an incredibly hopeful day for all Americans who long for a national government that can get things done for people. Thirty-eight years ago Congress voted to create a health care program that would be the primary source of health insurance for this Nation's seniors. Most people would agree that this program has served us well for almost four decades. However, the practice of medicine has changed. Drug therapies, medical devices, and human genome research all hold great hope for breaking through physical limitations that hinder many seniors' ability to enjoy the later years of life. The question we now ask is what level of care are we going to provide our seniors and is the current system equipped to provide the type of care our seniors need and deserve. The benefits provided under Medicare, considered generous at its inception in 1965, pale in comparison to those enjoyed by Federal employees and most workers in the private sector today. A recent report submitted by the Joint Economic Committee found that Medicare has the least generous benefit package among leading forms of insurance. Medicare covers 56 percent of total health care expenses, while typical employment-based health insurance covers 70 percent. Seniors need prescription drug coverage. Seniors need better access to preventative care and disease management. Seniors need more choices in their health care options than they have today. Without updating, it may take years to add this kind of care to the current program--after all, it has taken over 30 years to add a prescription drug benefit. The Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement bill is a step toward meeting the needs of this Nation's seniors. This bill provides a solid drug benefit that will provide assistance to every senior struggling to pay for prescription drugs as well as the security of knowing they are covered for unforeseen drug expenses. Under this plan, the average senior's annual drug costs will be reduced by 53 percent each year. That amounts to $1,677 each year back in the pocket of our seniors. And seniors with the greatest needs will receive additional assistance through increased cost-sharing, and reduced or waived monthly premiums and deductible. Equally important, this plan provides seniors with the security of knowing that they are covered in the event something happens and they find themselves facing exorbitant drug costs. At $3,700 in out of pocket drug costs, stop-loss coverage kicks in and the senior is only responsible for 10 percent of costs beyond this amount. This bill is also about expanding options for this generation and future generations of seniors. The incremental improvements to the Medicare program have largely been the result of legislative action over the last 40 years. The legislative process, however, is not a quick process, and it is simply not possible to keep the program current in the first parcel environment we currently live. The Medicare Advantage program included in this bill offers seniors the choice of receiving their health care benefits in a Preferred Provider Organization, PPO, the same type of health plan enjoyed by many families. Under this health care option--not mandate--seniors will have increased access to the latest advances in care such as desire management and better preventive screenings. Additionally, seniors who chose this option will also have a lower deductible for inpatient and hospital care than those in traditional Medicare. This bill lays the foundation for a Medicare program that is better able to respond to an evolving health care system by harnessing the efficiencies of the health care market, while preserving traditional Medicare for those seniors who are satisfied with their current coverage. This bill is about expanding options for seniors so our parents and grandparents have access to the type of care best suited for them. Is this bill everything everyone wants? Of course not. Are there decisions still to be made as it is implemented and we see how it actually works in the marketplace? Certainly. But this bill says we are not going to let the lack of perfection stop us from doing real good for people as soon and as effectively as we practically can. I would be remiss if I didn't express my appreciation to Senators Grassley and Baucus for their leadership in including many provisions in this bill to strengthen rural health care. The availability of health care in rural areas in Minnesota is absolutely critical to the stability and viability of many communities. The provisions in this bill to improve payments to hospitals in rural areas and reduce the geographic disparity in physician payments are critical to ensuring that these hospitals that threat not only seniors, but entire communities continued to receive care. I am pleased that we did not allow perfect to be the enemy of good as we considered this package. This is a substantial and dependable benefit for America's seniors. Again, it's not everything everyone wants. There are still decisions to be made as it is implemented and we monitor how it works in the marketplace. But today we are delivering on a promise to provide quality care to our seniors. I am hopeful that with bipartisan support this landmark legislation will pass the Senate and the House of Representatives by the July 4th holiday. When it does, there may not be any fireworks and parades but millions of seniors will be able to declare their independence from worrying about getting the prescription drugs they need to live a quality life.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to recognize a distinguished Minnesota radio station, WJJY-FM, for winning 2003 National Association of Broadcaster's Crystal Radio Award, commending its commitment to community service. WJJY-FM, based in Brainerd, MN, won a National Association of Broadcaster's Crystal Award, recognizing its continued charitable efforts in the Brainerd community. This award marks the third time the National Association of Broadcasters has recognized WJJY's dedication to service. The station also won a Crystal Award in 2001 and the prestigious NABEF Service to America Award in 1999. WJJY-FM is active in charitable fundraising, supporting food drives, and providing public service announcements for the community. In 2002 the station set a fundraising record for the Brainerd area by raising $940,500 for the community. WJJY-FM helped collect 7,500 pounds of food for the Salvation Army, gathered 1,300 clothing items for needy families, and broadcasted over 7,350 public service announcements. In addition, WJJY holds the annual Radiothon to End Child Abuse, which raised a record-setting $66,520 in 2002. WJJY-FM represents a tradition of corporate dedication to community service in the State of Minnesota. Since 1999, 4 Minnesota stations have received the Service to American Award, and since 1987, 17 have received Crystal Awards. This tradition of service is an important Minnesota legacy. Public-private partnerships like these are what truly get things done and leave a lasting positive impact on our state. I would like to commend WJJY-FM for its diligent efforts to improve the community which it serves.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to recognize a distinguished Minnesota radio station, KDWB-FM, for winning the 2003 National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation's Service to Amerca Award, commending its commitment to community service. This award recognizes KDWB-FM's alliance with the University Pediatrics Foundation. For 8 years KDWB, based in Minneapolis, has produced and hosted numerous fundraising events to support the foundation, raising $1.5 million. In 1999 KDWB and the University Pediatrics Foundation used these funds to open the KDWB University Pediatrics Family Center within the University of Minnesota's Department of Pediatrics. The center serves children living with chronic conditions such as cerebral palsy, sickle cell anemia, and spina bifida, and provides clinical care, research, and emotional support services to the children and their families. KDWB represents a tradition of corporate dedication to community service in the State of Minnesota. Since 1999, four Minnesota stations have received the Service to America Award. This tradition of service is an important Minnesota legacy. Public-private partnerships like these are what truly get done and leave a lasting positive impact on our state. I would like to commend KDWB-FM for its diligent efforts to improve the communities which it serves.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill I introduce today to improve health care quality and reduce costs under the Medicare program be printed in the Record.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs will hold a hearing entitled ``Patient Safety: Instilling Hospitals with a Culture of Continuous Improvement.'' The Subcommittee intends to examine the progress made and obstacles that remain in the health care industry in terms of patient safety through better management, reducing costs and increasing quality. The hearing will take place on Wednesday, June 11, 2003, at 9 a.m., in Room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. For further information, please contact Joseph V. Kennedy of the Subcommittee staff at 224-3721.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask that the following three tributes honoring the life of the late Rev. Bob Wellisch, St. Paul, MN native, priest for the Hmong Catholic community, and respected college professor, be printed in the Record. The material follows. [From the Star Tribune, May 26, 2003] (By Nolan Zavoral) The Rev. Robert Wellisch, Pastor to Twin Cities Hmong, Dies The Rev. Robert Wellisch, who built bridges between the Catholic establishment and the Twin Cities Hmong community, died in a traffic accident Saturday night. Wellisch, 62, was driving back alone to the Twin Cities from Mankato when his car struck a horse on Hwy. 169, 4 miles north of Le Sueur, and slid into a ditch, according to the Minnesota Highway Patrol. Wellisch, who was wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. A St. Paul native and longtime English professor at the University of St. Thomas, Wellisch was named chaplain for the Twin Cities Hmong Catholic community in 1984 by then- Archbishop John Roach. Eleven months ago, the present archbishop. Harry Flynn, appointed him as pastor of the largely Hmong parish of St. Vincent De Paul, in St. Paul's Frogtown area. About 20 people from the congregation's leadership gathered informally Sunday at the church to mourn. The Rev. Kevin McDonough, who oversees administration in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, joined them. ``One of the elderly Hmong ladies came up to me, and she said, as it was translated to me, `We are like a family that has lost its parent.' '' McDonough said. ``Father Wellisch was a very quiet, unassuming guy, but it was clear to the Hmong people that he had their interest at heart.'' ``He loved the Hmong,'' said Michael Mikolajczak, chairman of the St. Thomas English Department. He recalled attending a Hmong fundraiser nine years ago with Wellisch. ``They wound bits of yarn around his wrists in appreciation of all he'd done,'' Mikolajczak said. ``Had it been I, I would have cut [the yarn] off the next day. ``He wore them for a whole week.'' Va Thai Lo, deacon and administrator at St. Vincent De Paul, said in a St. Thomas news release that Wellisch ``would go everywhere to assist (Hmong) families--to their homes, to where they worked and to the hospitals. ``This is a tragic loss for us.'' Among Wellisch's accomplishments at St. Vincent, McDonough said, was to help administrators with budgeting. ``He did a fine job of encouraging them along,'' McDonough said. ``This year we had a very mature budgeting process.'' It was unclear what led Wellisch to dedicate much of his life to the Hmong. The Rev. Ed Flahavan, a retired St. Paul priest who keeps in touch with many local Catholic clergy, said he thought that the Rev. Daniel Taillez--a French priest who had once served in Vietnam--introduced Wellisch to that segment of Southeast Asia's population. Wellisch learned to say the mass in Hmong. ``He even learned to preach in Hmong--he'd learned it that well,'' said the Rev. James Reidy, a retired priest and friend of Wellisch's. ``He had the ability to pick up language very quickly,'' Wellisch is survived by three cousins. Funeral arrangements are pending. He earned an undergraduate degree St. Thomas in 1962 and a master's degree and doctorate in English from the University of Minnesota. He was ordained in 1969 and served as an associate pastor at St. Mark's Catholic Church in St. Paul until 1971, when he joined the St. Thomas faculty. ``He was the kindest, gentlest, most supportive colleague you could want, ``Mikolajczak said. ``He loved literature-- Victorian, mainly, but everything, really. ``He'd teach the modern tradition if I'd want. He'd teach the classical tradition if I'd ask. He wasn't afraid to pitch in. ``He was a priest the lay faculty accepted as a colleague. He claimed no special privileges because of his collar.''

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill I introduce today to provide parity with respect to substance abuse treatment benefits under group health plans and health insurance coverage be printed in the Record.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill I introduce today to provide parity with respect to substance abuse treatment benefits under group health plans and health insurance coverage be printed in the Record.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, are we in morning business? What is the status of where we are, Mr. President?

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

Mr. COLEMAN. I ask unanimous consent to have an opportunity to address the global AIDS bill very briefly.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to speak as in morning business for up to 5 minutes and that the time be charged against the majority's control of time on S. 1054.

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, today I am engaging in my own version of ``Bring Your Daughter to Work Day.'' As we all know, this day does not fall on May 14, nor does it involve the daughter bringing along 40 of her friends, but this was the unique situation I faced today when my daughter Sarah stopped by my office with some of her schoolmates from the Twin Cities Academy in St. Paul, MN. Like many other students from across the Nation, seventh and eighth graders from the Twin Cities Academy are in Washington this week for a school trip. Their plans include visiting the countless museums and monuments throughout the city, a Capitol tour, and also the chance to be with us today in the Senate Chamber. I want to again welcome Sarah and her schoolmates to the Senate, and I am glad they have the opportunity to observe the activities of this body. In honor of their visit, I want to talk a while on the importance of young people understanding how Government works. So that they can better follow along, and since I trust the students are familiar with it, I am going to use parts of the Twin Cities Academy mission statement as an example. The Twin Cities Academy mission stresses collaboration between the school, parents, and the community to develop each child's talent, potential, and character. When this process succeeds, the mission statement says that the end result is a group of productive citizens who will contribute to sustaining American democracy. Thomas Jefferson, one of the great leaders and legislators of this Nation, had a vision for public schools and the role they were to play in America, to create a public of informed and engaged citizens capable of sustaining the Republic he and his colleagues had formed. Twin Cities Academy had modeled its vision after these ideals, and they are committed to fostering productive citizens, as stated in its mission. Having a strong history program at school is a good thing for young people like my daughter Sarah. Students need to understand how the three branches of Government work together. Also import is having the opportunity to come to Washington and witness first hand the rights and duties of citizens. It helps them realize what it means to celebrate freedom, to celebrate opportunity, and to be an optimist and have a hopeful spirit. My good friend and colleague Senator Alexander understands the importance of sharing these values with the next generation, which is why he introduced The American History and Civics Education Act, an act which will help us ensure young people grow up learning what it means to be an American. I was pleased to have the opportunity to cosponsor this legislation. When their school trip comes to an end, I hope that my daughter Sarah and her schoolmates have thoroughly enjoyed all that they experienced in Washington, particularly my version of ``Bring Your Daughter to Work Day.'' I mentioned earlier in this statement how I hoped to give them an understanding of how Government works. If these Twin Cities Academy students were to look up the word ``understand'' in a thesaurus, they would see as a synonym the word ``appreciate.'' I hope at the end of the day, these students have even a greater appreciation, not just understanding, of this great institution and our process of Government that makes us the greatest Nation in the world. I yield the floor.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts for giving me this opportunity to make this presentation. I am very appreciative. I wish to talk about a young man I read about in the Minneapolis Star Tribune last Friday. It was the story of Tchisou Tho, an 18-year-old currently facing two situations: in three weeks, high school graduation and, in one day, the threat of deportation. Yesterday, I introduced legislation that would grant citizenship to Tchisou, a senior at Como Park High School in St. Paul, MN who would become the first member of his family to attain a high school diploma. In 1975, Tchisou's parents fled Communist rule in Laos and settled their family in France. At age 5, with his parents having visitors' visas, Tchisou's family came to the United States, first settling in California before eventually moving to Minnesota in 1993, mainly for the quality schools and educational opportunities for their children. As Tchisou's mother commented, ``We consider it a precious thing to wear the gown and receive the diploma with honor and applause.'' The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service states that the Tho family defied a judge's order to leave the United States voluntarily before March 26 of this year. Mr. and Mrs. Tho had been granted work authorizations, but a meeting with immigration officials to request modifications of their status resulted in knowledge of the March deadline and consequently the deportation order. I have great respect for the folks of Immigration. They do their job. they do it well. They are following the law. Unfortunately, Tchisou is a good kid experiencing a bad situation. The sins of the parents should not automatically fall upon the shoulders of the children. Actively involved in his church, Tchisou teaches Sunday school, belongs to the youth group, and sings in the choir. At Como Park High, he is registered for challenging courses such as advanced-placement calculus. Furthermore, Tchisou has been accepted by the University of Minnesota, where he plans on studying either aerospace engineering or natural resources. The situation Tchisou faces is not all that uncommon. It is a circumstance that, I am sorry to say, many children have to experience. In response, it is my understanding that my good friend and colleague Senator Hatch reintroduce the Dream Act in the near future, a bill that will address tough circumstances such as this, in a comprehensive manner, and I look forward to working with Senator Hatch on this important legislation. However, Tchisou can't wait for the Dream Act to become law, and that is why I introduced private relief legislation for him last night. Mr. President, good kids like Tchisou should not pay for the mistakes of others. Tchisou should graduate from high school with his friends, and I believe the bill I introduced last night will make that happen. I yield the floor.

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to proceed for 5 minutes as in morning business.

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

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs will hold a hearing entitled ``SARS: How Effective Is The State And Local Response?'' The Subcommittee intends to examine the coordination of response to individual SARS outbreaks among local, state, and Federal officials as well as between government officials and the private sector. Additionally, the Subcommittee will examine what state and local officials are doing to anticipate and respond to the disease. The hearing will take place on Wednesday, May 21, 2003, at 9 a.m., in Room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. For further information, please contact Joseph V. Kennedy of the Subcommittee staff at 224-3721.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill for the relief of Tchisou Tho be printed in the Record.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill for the relief of Tchisou Tho be printed in the Record.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. I ask that it be in order to read the titles of the measures en bloc.

Mr. COLEMAN

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I want to add my voice in support of the renewable fuels standard amendment that has been offered by the majority leader and the Democratic leader. This may be a bit unconventional for a place like the Senate floor, but I want to begin my remarks by talking about duct tape. I am not talking about it in connection to homeland security, or even the fact that one of the largest producers, 3M Corporation, is in my home city of Saint Paul. Duct tape is probably in every garage in Minnesota and on most work benches. Why? Because you can do so many things with it. For those of us who are mechanically challenged it is essential. It is cheap. It is simple. You can use it for temporary car repair, plumbing, picture hanging . . . I even heard of a guy who used it on a duct! The point is that it is valuable because it can do many things well. The renewable fuels standard we are talking about today is a duct tape kind of proposal. It will decrease our dependence on foreign oil. It will help keep America's air and water cleaner. It will increase the income of our hard working farm families. And it will provide economic development and jobs for rural Minnesota. I am not sure if there is one other thing we could do as a national government that would do more good, for more people, at less expense and with no down side than set a renewable fuels standard. Allow me to explain in further detail. Today 56 percent of our oil comes from foreign sources. As frightening as that statistic is, we are heading in the wrong direction: becoming more dependent as the years go by. When George Washington gave his Farewell Address, he warned us solemnly to ``avoid entangling alliances.'' We compromise the sovereignty of our Nation by giving other nations that powerful leverage on our people. This reasonable renewable fuels standard would reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 1.6 billion barrels over the next 10 years. That would make us an even stronger nation because we would be winning back the power to determine our own destiny. In Minnesota, we put a high value on clean air and clean water. Carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, Nitric Oxide, and other toxins and particulates are responsible for countless environmental and health problems. As a matter of compassion, we must act to reduce these pollutants to avoid the suffering they cause. As a matter of health policy, the best way to contain costs is to prevent people from becoming sick in the first place. Studies have shown that ethanol can reduce emissions of hydrocarbons by 20 percent and particulates by 40 percent. I believe biodiesel holds out the same promise. Right down the road from Minnesota in Chicago, ethanol use helped bring that huge city under the federal standard for ozone. Phasing out MBTE will have a dramatic impact all by itself. As I spend time with Minnesota's farm families, they don't beat around the bush--whom they support, I might add, in large numbers. They don't care to listen to a lot of fancy speeches. They say, ``Senator you can help us if you do two things: lower our costs and raise our prices. We'll do the rest.'' The great folks who feed the world and undergird our economy--at great personal risk and sacrific--deserve to be heard and listened to. Pure and simple: it is better to send corn and soybeans to ethanol and biodiesel plants to create energy then it is to send too much to the elevators and depress prices. The Department of Agriculture estimates that ethanol adds 30 to 50 cents of additional value to every bushel of corn produced in the United States. That is a difference consumers of corn flakes will never notice, but it is a huge change at the margin for hundreds of thousands of hard working American farmers. And make no mistake: farmers need help right now. In recent years, those who provide us with the safest, most abundant, most affordable food supply in the world have been struggling with the lowest real net cash income since the Great Depression, record low prices, record high costs of production, and foreign tariffs and subsidies some 5 and 6 times higher than our own. President Kennedy once said that ``the farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything he buys at retail, sells everything he sells at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways.'' The RFS is an opportunity to turn things around for our farm families: to give them a chance to earn a living off the market while yielding huge economic, environmental and energy dividends. As every Senator should know, farm policy and rural development go hand in glove. The key to so many rural communities is for them to reap a greater economic benefit from the things they produce. If they just harvest the crops or raise the cattle and watch them roll over the hill for someone else to process and profit from, that is not going to maximize economic development and job growth potential in the area. They need to add value to those products. There are no better examples of this than ethanol and biodiesel. Let me talk for a moment about what many call the ``Minnesota Miracle.'' I hold it out to Members of other States as an incentive for what approving an RFS could mean to your communities. The State of Minnesota leads the Nation in promoting the production and use of ethanol. Nearly all of Minnesota's 2.6 billion gallons of gasoline are blended with 10 percent ethanol, reducing fuel imports by 10 percent. Today, Minnesota boasts 14 ethanol plants--13 of which are owned by Minnesota farmers. And, what these 14 plants have produced-- besides ethanol--is truly phenomenal: 40,000 jobs, over a half billion a year in economic activity, and $15 million in tax revenues. Now, on a national scale, studies suggest that the RFS will, over the next decade, reduce our Nation's trade deficit by more than $34 billion, increase our gross domestic product by $156 billion, create more than 214,000 new jobs, expand households income by some $51 billion, increase net farm income by nearly $6 billion per year, while cleaning our air and water and displacing 1.6 billion barrels of foreign oil. In short, the RFS will allow Minnesotans to build on our State's success while creating new opportunity and promise throughout the country. Mr. President, I am proud to stand here today in the shadow of the work Senator Hagel has done, the work the chairman of the Energy Committee has done, and stand in support of the amendment offered by the majority leader and Democratic leader, an amendment that will promote energy independence, cleaner air and water, stronger farm prices, and viable rural communities. Renewable fuel standards will do all these things. That does duct tape one better. I yield the floor.