Byron Dorgan

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, on October 30, 2008, President Bush issued a proclamation designating November 2008 as National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. The President follows a tradition of Presidents since 1990 of issuing proclamations making November the month for recognizing the significant contributions of tribal governments and individual Native Americans to our Nation's history and development. Congress also has traditionally recognized the contributions of Native Americans to the United States in the form of resolutions, findings, coins and medals. The resolution, which I am sending to the desk to ask for its immediate consideration, continues in that tradition. This resolution recognizes some of the many contributions that Native Americans have made to help build our great Nation as well as the continued contributions of Native Americans to the growth of the United States. From contributions to the United States and the world in the fields of agriculture, medicine, music, language, and art to influencing the founding documents of our Federal Government to the use of native languages to develop an unbreakable military code that helped defeat the Axis powers in World War II, Indian Tribes and individual Native Americans have shaped our Nation's history in remarkable ways. Through this resolution, we celebrate these and many other contributions of tribal governments and Native Americans during the month of November. I urge all citizens, and local, State, tribal and Federal Governments and agencies to take time this month to learn more about the many facets of Native American history, traditions, and their important contributions to the formation of the United States. This year, the United States Senate and the Congress as a whole acted on two important pieces of legislation that seek to meet our Nation's legal, treaty and trust obligations to promote health care and housing for the residents of Indian Country. S. 1200, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 2008, passed the Senate in February of this year with a margin of 83-10. As Chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs, this legislation has been the priority for the Committee in the 110th Congress. The Indian health care act was last authorized in 1992, and this bill would help bring Indian health care into to 21st century. I am proud to report that we were able to pass this legislation out of the Senate for the first time in almost a decade. A number of Senators were instrumental moving this legislation forward in the Senate. Unfortunately, our work was not completed. The House was unable to pass the legislation and it remains unauthorized as the health care needs of Native Americans remain sorely under-funded and services remain outdated. Indian health care will continue to remain a priority for the committee and every effort will be made to reauthorize this legislation as soon as possible. In addition to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, the Senate approved a $1 billion authorization for additional funding for the Indian Health Service as a part of the Senate Budget Resolution. Congress also passed a $250 million authorization for Indian health care through an amendment to the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008. In September of this year, Congress succeeded in enacting the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2008. This bill makes long needed improvements to Native housing programs, and authorizes the flexible use of funding to strengthen Native communities through economic and community development. While health care and housing are critically important to Indian Country and represent significant steps forward in fulfilling the trust obligation between Congress and the First Americans, it is important to acknowledge several other achievements in the 110th Congress. Congress passed into law the Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2008 which provides well-deserved Congressional gold medals to each tribe that had members who were Code Talkers in any foreign conflict. Each next of kin to the valiant Code Talker who served their country will receive a silver duplicate. The Higher Education Reauthorization Act was passed into law, which reauthorized the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act, increasing the amount of money per student in tribal colleges and universities. A study has been requested of the General Accountability Office which will allow for an evaluation of public schools on Indian lands to assist Congress in meeting its obligations to Indian education. Congress also passed the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act allowing Tribes for the first time to directly administer foster care and adoption programs offered by the Federal government, allowing tribes to continue strengthening their communities by ensuring safe and caring homes for their Native children. Congress passed the Native American $1 Coin Act, which recognizes the contributions of Native Americans to the development of the United States through an annually changing image on the reverse of the Sakakawea $1 coin that is now in circulation. Congress also passed into law a joint resolution designating November 28, 2008 as Native American Heritage Day, honoring the contributions and achievements of our First Americans. The Treaty of Fort Laramie and other treaties acknowledged the specific obligations that the United States owes to the Tribes located in my State of North Dakota. Much has been done this Congress to begin to fulfill this legal responsibility and the more general trust responsibility that Congress owes to all Indian Tribes. However, as is evident with Congress' failure to pass the Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 2008, much still remains to be done. The resolution before the Senate today would simply honor the hard work, traditions, culture, and contribution of the First Americans. I ask that this resolution be adopted quickly and that it act as an encouragement to all people of the United States to observe the month of November as National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 3681 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session and the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged of PN2128; that the Commerce Committee be discharged from PN1994, except the nomination of Robert E. Day; PN2117 and PN2118; that the Senate proceed en bloc to their consideration; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc; that any statements related thereto be printed in the Record; that no further motions be in order; and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider Calendar No. 757, the nomination of William Carr; and that the Judiciary Committee be discharged of PN1113, the nomination of Ricardo H. Hinojosa; that the Senate proceed en bloc to their consideration; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; the motions to reconsider be laid on the table en bloc; that any statements related thereto be printed in the Record; that no further motions be in order; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged of PN730; the HELP Committee be discharged of PN2019, PN2020, PN2022, PN2132, PN2024, PN2104, and PN2119; and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged of PN2058 and PN2086; and that the Senate proceed en bloc to their consideration; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table; that no further motions be in order, and any statements relating to the nominations be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate return to legislative session.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6859, which is at the desk.

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3711, introduced earlier today.

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a Rockefeller substitute amendment which is at the desk be agreed to; the bill be read a third time and passed; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate; and any statements related to the bill be placed in the Record.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3712 introduced earlier today by Senator Kennedy.

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 435 received from the House.

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements related to the concurrent resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 712, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 715, submitted earlier today.

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolutione be printed in the Record, without further intervening action or debate.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following treaty transmitted to the Senate on November 20, 2008, by the President of the United States: Investment Treaty with Rwanda, Treaty Document No. 110-23. I further ask unanimous consent that the treaty be considered as having been read the first time; that it be referred, with accompanying papers, to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed; and that the President's message be printed in the Record.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 714, which was submitted earlier today by Senator Boxer.

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the resolution be printed in the Record at the appropriate place as if read.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order from September 27 regarding tributes to retiring Senators be modified so that Senators be permitted to submit such tributes for inclusion in a Senate document until Friday, December 12, 2008.

Mr. DORGAN

Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the upcoming recess or adjournment of the Senate, the President of the Senate, the President pro tempore, and the majority and minority leaders be authorized to make appointments to commissions, committees, boards, conferences or interparliamentary conferences authorized by law, by concurrent action of the two Houses or by order of the Senate.