Mark Dayton

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, will the Senator yield briefly?

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I ask unanimous consent that I be recognized to speak on the bill I believe is before the Senate, the Secure Fence Act, for up to 20 minutes.

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I thank my distinguished colleague from North Dakota, Mr. Conrad, who championed this cause of disaster relief for not only his farmers in North Dakota but across the affected areas, which certainly includes my State of Minnesota. As others noted, this is a bipartisan effort. I see my friend and colleague, Senator Coleman from Minnesota, is here also. We stand together to make this a bipartisan effort on behalf of the farmers throughout our State who have been devastated by these natural disasters over the last few years and particularly the last 2 years to which this bill applies. I regret that this has been passed by the Senate before. I commend this body for doing so, again, on a very strong bipartisan basis. Unfortunately, the administration has not been willing to allow this funding to go forward or even some part of it. This is long overdue. It is unfortunate that we are now at the 11th hour, the 59th minute of this session in this year, and we haven't even addressed the disaster relief necessary for the last calendar year. This legislation would deal with that and also this year's relief. This disaster has afflicted our State, and some of our counties have lost three-fourths of our crops. In fact, almost half the counties in Minnesota have already been declared disaster areas. The crisis is real. The suffering is acute. As others said, we have a magnitude of disaster in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, but a disaster is a disaster. A complete disaster is as devastating to a family in northwestern Minnesota as it is to a family in New Orleans. I urge my colleagues, once again, to support this measure, and I plead with the House and the administration to work out these differences so that these farmers and their farms can be saved, and their families can be saved. It is only simple justice and humanity. Mr. President, I yield the floor and yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I appreciate the answers of the chairman. I respect him very highly for what he has done. I must, however, object on behalf of my colleagues whom I believe are doing properly what they must and should do to protect their own States. So I do object.

Mr. DAYTON. If I may direct a question again to the chairman, how much would it cost in addition to the $12.2 billion for this 5-year authorization? What additional authorization would it cost to give those five States the same level of funding over the next 5 years that they would receive as of today?

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I haven't had my question answered.

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I am reserving the right to object. I directed two questions to the chairman, if I may, Mr. President.

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I want to say that I thank the Senator for his courtesy and for warning me about his intention here tonight. I salute him for his leadership on this legislation, which I support, so I am in a bit of an awkward situation, as he has recognized. But I guess I would ask the chairman, if my information is correct, there are actually 14 States that would lose funding under the revised formula. As the chairman said the other day, there is a hold-harmless clause that is in effect, as I understand, for 3 years, and this is a 5-year reauthorization, so at that point these other States would lose funding. Does the chairman find it surprising that Senators from those States are doing what I think I would do if I were in that situation? I am grateful the formula adds money for Minnesota, but I find it unsurprising that they are doing what any of us I believe would do, which is to protect our States. My second question to the chairman is: Given that this is a $12.2 billion reauthorization over 5 years, what would it cost in additional authorization to give these States over the next 5 years the same amount of money as they receive presently?

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, again, to make the record clear, I am not objecting on my own account but on behalf of my other Senate colleagues. I thank the chairman for that improvement in the funds that are going to Minnesota. I strongly support the program and intend to vote for it. I thank the chairman again for his leadership and his continuing efforts to get this important legislation reauthorized.

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I object, not on my account but on behalf of some of my Senate colleagues who, I stress, want to join with the program. I commend the chairman for his leadership on behalf of this legislation and the support of the reauthorization, but they object to the permanent reduction in funding for their respective States which would occur under the formula the chairman referenced. They share my hope, along with the chairman, that this issue can be satisfactorily resolved for all concerned before the expiration, September 30, so that this--I think we all agree--very important and valuable program benefiting all of our States can continue uninterrupted. I do object on their behalf.

Mr. DAYTON. I thank the Senator from Illinois. Senator Wellstone was an eternal optimist. I share the Senator's hope that something might be possible this year. If not, this resolution passing on that responsibility to the 110th Congress is very timely and appropriate. I am glad to cosponsor it. Estate Tax

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I thank and commend my friend and colleague, the assistant Democratic leader from Illinois, Senator Durbin, for submitting the Senate resolution honoring the memory of the late Senator Paul Wellstone from Minnesota, my friend of 22 years, my colleague and mentor for my first 2 years in the Senate. I also thank Senator Coleman, my present colleague, for his cosponsorship of this resolution and making it a bipartisan statement. I am proud to join as a cosponsor of the resolution. It is hard to believe that it has been almost 4 years--it will be on October 25, 2006, when we will not be in session--since the terrible plane crash occurred that took the lives of Paul Wellstone, U.S. Senator from Minnesota, his wife and partner of 39 years, Sheila Wellstone, his daughter Marcia; the Democratic Party associate chair from Minnesota, Mary McEvoy; one of Paul's longtime valued Senate staffers here in Washington, Tom Lapic; and a young Minnesota aide, Will McLaughlin, as well as two pilots. One of Paul's most important causes was that of mental health parity. The illness of a family member made this a very personal cause for him, as well as his compassion for those throughout this country who suffer from some form of mental illness and are unable to get the treatment they deserve and which is medically available because insurance companies will not pay for and treat mental illness with the same parity they do other physical health problems. Senator Wellstone found a valuable partner in the distinguished Senator from New Mexico, Mr. Domenici. Together they worked on a bipartisan basis for several years against the fervent opposition of the medical insurance industry to pass mental health parity legislation. In the aftermath of Senator Wellstone's death, then-majority leader of the Senate Tom Daschle succeeded in getting through the Senate the Wellstone-Domenici legislation, which passed the Senate but unfortunately hit opposition by the House of Representatives. And once again the medical insurance industry prevented one of Paul's legislative dreams from becoming law in 2002. Despite assurances beginning in January of 2003 from the new Senate majority leadership that the Senate would act on successor legislation in honor of Senator Wellstone and pass mental health parity, despite the best efforts of Senator Domenici, who was then joined on our side of the aisle by Senator Kennedy and our own caucus leaders, Senator Reid and Senator Durbin, the Senate has neither considered as a body nor passed mental health parity in either the 108th Congress or the 109th Congress. In other words, during the last 4 years following Senator Wellstone's terrible tragedy, the Senate has not acted to pass this legislation. That is why Senator Durbin's resolution today is so timely and so important in these final days of the 109th session. It states that Senator Wellstone should be remembered for his compassion and leadership on social issues, and the Congress should act to end discrimination against citizens of the United States who live with a illness by passing legislation relating to mental health parity as a priority for the 110th Congress. One of Paul's favorite quotes was that of a rabbi many years ago who concluded by saying: If not now, when? If not now, unfortunately, then at least in the 110th Congress, over the next 2 years, it is my fervent hope, although I will not be here, and even though my colleague, Senator Paul Wellstone, will not be here, his spirit will continue to carry this legislation forward, and with the leadership of Senator Durbin and others who have championed this cause in the Senate and with greater understanding perhaps on the other side of Capitol Hill in the House about the importance of this legislation to millions and millions of Americans, this would be one of Senator Wellstone's proudest moments. It would be one of the Senate's and Congress's great accomplishments, if mental health parity were to be made the law of this country for the millions of those who would benefit from it. I again thank Senator Durbin. I yield the floor.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I join today with many of my colleagues in expressing ``no confidence'' in Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and urging President Bush to replace him. I truly respect the Secretary's commitment to public service, and I recognize that he has one of the most difficult jobs here or anywhere in the world. He is a stand-up, tell-it-as-he-sees-it man, the kind we need more of in Washington. Unfortunately, the way he sees it has too often been wrong. His disastrous failures in prosecuting the war in Iraq have left our courageous American troops mired in a quagmire there with no end in sight. And his shameful rhetoric last week comparing critics of his failed policies to the appeasers of Hitler was clearly a desperate attempt to divert attention away from his own failures. Recent polls show the number of Americans who support the Administration's policies in Iraq is down to 39 percent compared to a high of 76 percent in April 2003. That loss of public confidence has occurred not because Americans are appeasers--they most certainly are not--and not because Americans don't support our troops because they most certainly do support them and admire their incredible courage and patriotism as they persevere in the awful, deteriorating conditions there. That loss of the public confidence in the Bush administration's war has occurred because Americans can tell the difference between success and failure. They can see that the President's policies are not succeeding in Iraq. They can see that the Iraqi Government and the Iraqi people are not winning against their own countrymen who oppose them. And the conditions in Iraq are getting still worse, not better. All of the administration's rhetoric won't change their failed plans, policies, and practices that have created this mess. Shortly before the invasion of Iraq, then-Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki testified before the Armed Services Committee that more than twice the number of U.S. troops that the Secretary was planning to commit to Iraq would be needed to secure the country after Saddam Hussein's overthrow. For his foresight and his candor, General Shinseki was essentially dismissed by the Secretary, who preferred to believe the administration's favorite Iraqi exile, Ahmed Chalabi that the country would go back to work the day after Saddam's regime was toppled. So when widespread looting and disorder occurred instead, the Secretary of Defense dismissed its significance. We now know that General Shinseki was right and President Bush, Secretary Rumsfeld, and Mr. Chalabi were wrong. And that the initial civil disorder was a warning of much worse upheavals ahead, for which the Bush administration and its appointed Iraqi administrators were completely unprepared. Even more tragically, they remain unprepared even today. Increasing violence, widespread corruption, nonexistent public services, failed improvement projects, delays, failures, and finger-pointing--those are the miseries that Iraqi citizens must endure today. Democracy is a great thing, but democracy as we know means life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Most Iraqis today fear for their lives, more and more are losing them, and reportedly almost 1 million Iraqi citizens have fled their country. The New York Times today has an article about Iraqi citizens who are changing their names, something that is almost forbidden in the Iraqi culture, because it is the only way they know to save themselves from being pulled out of their cars or their homes and murdered simply because of their identity. The story states, and I will quote in part: Stories abound of Iraqi civilians being stopped at checkpoints by militia men or uniformed men and having their identification cards scrutinized. They are then taken away or executed on the spot if they have a suspect name or a hometown dominated by the rival sect. In Baghdad, Shiite death squads, sometimes in police uniform, operate many of the illegal checkpoints, Iraqi and American officials say. The most infamous episode of this kind took place in July when Shiite gunmen set up fake checkpoints and went on a daytime rampage through the Jihad neighborhood of Baghdad, dragging people from their cars and homes and shooting them after looking at their identification cards. Up to 50 people were killed. Liberty, as we know, requires basic security, which the Bush administration and the Iraqi Government are failing to provide. And the chance to pursue happiness for many Iraqis is tragically even less possible now than it was under Saddam Hussein's evil regime. This is the disaster for which over 2,600 heroic American soldiers have given their lives. Almost 20,000 have given their bodies, and for which Secretary Rumsfeld must accept responsibility--but won't. Instead, what we are getting is another round of overheated and misleading rhetoric from the Secretary, the Vice President, and the President. Last week was a repeat of some of the 2002 conventions where they first trotted out their overheated and misleading rhetoric to stampede Congress into supporting the Iraqi war resolution. Saddam Hussein and his supposed weapons of mass destruction were then called urgent threats to our citizens' safety. The Secretary of Defense, the Vice President, and the President all claimed proof positive that Saddam Hussein was developing nuclear weapons that would soon, if not already, present mortal danger to our national security. Critics, skeptics, and even questioners were derided and dismissed as being appeasers of the then-Hitlerian menace of Saddam Hussein. The administration offensive succeeded in persuading the majority of Congress and the American people. I was 1 of only 23 Members of the Senate to vote against the Iraq war resolution in October of 2002. Yet even with bipartisan support for their war resolution, the President and others still used it politically to try to defeat Democrats in the 2002 midterm elections--just as they are now trying to do in this year's midterm elections. Once again their rhetoric is misleading at best and blatantly wrong at worst. Just yesterday the President repeated his claim that Iraq is the central battlefield where the war against terrorism will be decided. There is no question that we must win the war in Iraq because we started that war, and once you are in it you must win it or suffer serious consequences. But the worsening violence in Iraq, which the Bush administration and the Iraqi Government are failing to control or contain, is, by all rational accounts, primarily and mostly Iraqi-against-Iraqi sectarian violence. To the extent that Al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations are operating in Iraq it is because of the openings and opportunities President Bush has provide them by creating a leaderless and lawless state. Al-Qaida, as we have just witnessed, is not using Iraq as its central battlefield, but rather Heathrow Airport, or bombings in Spain, Jordan, and Egypt. Osama bin Laden is by all accounts not masterminding his next assault against the United States from Iraq but rather from Pakistan or Afghanistan, where the al-Qaida allied Taliban is now resurgent due to other failed Bush administration policies, including their tragic and disastrous failures to meaningfully help rebuild that country. Five years after 9/11, Osama bin Laden is still alive, unscathed, and plotting against the United States because the Bush administration has failed to devote the military personnel, the resources, and the diplomatic efforts necessary to find him and eliminate him. Given the administration's attempts to exploit next month's fifth anniversary of 9/11 to its political benefit, it is a disgrace to the Americans Osama bin Laden murdered and to their families--this terrible criminal remaining alive and free to operate against the United States. Let me conclude with excerpts from public statements made recently by two U.S. generals with firsthand experience of the situation in Iraq. The first are excerpts from an article in the Washington Post by GEN John Batiste, a retired Army major general who commanded the First U.S. Infantry Division in Iraq. He wrote on Wednesday, April 19, 2006: I had the opportunity to observe high-level policy formulation in the Pentagon and experience firsthand its impact on the ground. I have concluded that we need new leadership in the Defense Department because of a pattern of poor strategic decisions and a leadership style that is contemptuous, dismissive, arrogant and abusive . . . We went to war with the wrong war plan. Senior civilian leadership chose to radically alter the results of 12 years of deliberate and continuous war planning, which was improved and approved, year after year, by previous secretaries of defense, all supported by their associated chairmen and Joint Chiefs of Staffs. Previous planning identified the need for up to three times the troop strength we committed to remove the regime in Iraq and set the conditions for peace there . . . Our current leadership decided to discount professional military advice and ignore more than a decade of competent military planning . . . We took down a regime but failed to provide the resources to build the peace. The shortage of troops never allowed commanders on the ground to deal properly with the insurgency and the unexpected. What could have been a deliberate victory is now a long, protracted challenge. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld claims to be the man who started the Army's transformation. This is not true. Army transformation started years before this administration came into office. The secretary's definition of transformation was to reduce the Army to between five and seven divisions to fund programs in missile defense, space defense and high-tech weapons . . . the Army remains under-resourced at a time when it is shouldering most of the war effort. Boots on the ground and high-tech weapons are important, and one cannot come at the expense of the other. Civilian control of the military is fundamental, but we deserve competent leaders who do not lead by intimidation, who understand that respect is a two-way street, and who do not dismiss sound military advice. At the same time, we need senior military leaders who are grounded in the fundamental principles of war and who are not afraid to do the right thing, Our democracy depends on it. There are some who advocate that we gag this debate, but let me assure you that it is not in our national interest to do so. We must win this war, and we cannot allow senior leaders to continue to make decisions when their track record is so dismal . . . Secondly, a statement in Time magazine on Sunday, April 9, 2006, by LTG Greg Newbold, who states: From 2000 until October 2002, I was a Marine Corps lieutenant general and director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. . . . Inside the military family, I made no secret of my view that the zealots' rationale for war made no sense. And I think I was outspoken enough to make those senior to me uncomfortable. But I now regret that I did not more openly challenge those who were determined to invade a country whose actions were peripheral to the real threat--al- Qaeda . . . I am driven to action now by the missteps and misjudgments of the White House and the Pentagon, and by my many painful visits to our military hospitals . . . What we are living with now is the consequences of successive policy failures. Some of the missteps include: the distortion of intelligence in the buildup to the war, McNamara-like micromanagement that kept our forces from having enough resources to do the job, the failure to retain and reconstitute the Iraqi military in time to help quell civil disorder, the initial denial that an insurgency was the heart of the opposition to occupation, alienation of allies who could have helped in a more robust way to rebuild Iraq, and the continuing failure of the other agencies of our government to commit assets to the same degree as the Defense Department. My sincere view is that the commitment of our forces to this fight was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions--or bury the results . . . The consequence of the military's quiescence was that a fundamentally flawed plan was executed for an invented war, while pursuing the real enemy, al-Qaeda, became a secondary effort. . . . So what is to be done? We need fresh ideas and fresh faces. That means, as a first step, replacing Rumsfeld and many others unwilling to fundamentally change their approach. The troops in the Middle East have performed their duty. Now we need people in Washington who can construct a unified strategy worthy of them. It is time to send a signal to our nation, our forces and the world that we are uncompromising on our security but are prepared to rethink how we achieve it. . . . This debate is long overdue on the Senate floor, and I thank our Democratic leader for it. This debate is about how to finally win in Iraq, how to bring our courageous troops home as safely and as soon as possible, with their victory secured by the Iraqi Government, the Iraqi military and police, and the Iraqi people. Our heroic soldiers deserve better than the President's apologies, again defending the failures of the past and the continuing failures of the present. They deserve a new strategy to win victory in Iraq and a new leader to achieve it. I yield the floor.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Saint Michael- Albertville High School, in Albertville, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. Saint Michael-Albertville High School is truly a model of educational success. Its students and staff recently completed a collaborative effort uniting the environmental sciences classes, studio art classes, and members of the community to create a mural, now displayed in the school's courtyard. The students also designed a flower garden to beautify the building's landscaping. Each of the mural's components depicts one of the four seasons in Minnesota. The mural, which was completed last November, was funded through a grant from the Minnesota Arts Board. Over 180 high school students contributed, under the direction of Mr. Danny Saathoff, an artist in residence. Students from the environmental sciences department helped develop the ideas for each component of the mural. Then studio art students transformed those ideas into a proposed design. A local business, Timberland Clothing Store, also helped install the finished mural in the courtyard. Although the Award for Excellence is in recognition of the school's creation of a mural, its academic performance over the past few years also merits recognition. In 2005, the high school received five stars in reading and four stars in math from the Minnesota Department of Education, which is a significant improvement over the three-star rating the district received in reading and math in 2004. The school also offers a College in a Classroom Program, allowing high school students to take college-level courses and earn college credits through a partnership with St. Cloud State University. Much of the credit for the Saint Michael-Albertville High School's success belongs to its Principal, Mark Minkler, and the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Saint Michael-Albertville High School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Saint Michael-Albertville High School should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate Saint Michael-Albertville High School in Albertville for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Little Falls Community Middle School, in Little Falls, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. Little Falls Community Middle School is truly a model of educational success. Every year since 1997, its Language Arts Department has invited well-known authors to work with the students to help develop their writing skills. Students are assigned beforehand to read one or more of each author's books. This approach to teaching both an appreciation of reading and improved writing skills works very well in a middle school setting. This year, Will Weaver was invited to work with the students. Some other authors who have participated are Will Durbin, Patricia Calvert, and Earl Fleck. The author spends 2 days teaching techniques for writing stories that allow the reader to ``feel'' what is happening. The authors discuss their favorite books, how they came up with the ideas for their books, how long it takes to write a chapter, and how they were able to get their first books published. Students come away from the experience believing that they, too, can become good writers. Another program unique to the school is its annual Water Festival, which allows sixth-graders to travel each year to nearby Camp Ripley for hands-on experience learning about the significance of water in our environment. The festival offers children an opportunity to discover how important water is in their lives and how we ourselves affect water, positively or negatively. They learn about water purification techniques, invertebrates that live in the water, wetland habitat, the history of the Mississippi River, and the characteristics of a watershed. The school makes use of National Guard staff, Department of Natural Resources Specialists, and representatives from the Science Museum of Minnesota. This year, Little Falls Community Middle School suffered a tremendous loss when one of its teachers, Mr. Lee Hochsprung, died suddenly. He had enjoyed spending time with his family, teaching at the middle school for 31 years in language arts, EBD, and social studies, hunting, fishing, camping, cooking, watching his children play sports, announcing wrestling matches, listening to all kinds of music, and reading history. He was a compassionate person, a motivator, and a loving husband, father, and loyal friend. The Little Falls community will remember Lee for his stories, jokes, great teaching skills, fabulous coaching ability, gift for connecting with students and parents, capacity for fun, and love for all children, especially for his own children, Laura, Paul, Phil, and Katie, and his wife Julie. Much of the credit for Little Falls Community Middle School's success belongs to its principal, Dr. Maxine Strege, and the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Little Falls Community Middle School understand that in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Little Falls Community Middle School should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate Little Falls Community Middle School in Little Falls for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor the Paynesville Area School District, in Paynesville, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. The Paynesville Area School District is truly a model of educational success. The district administrators, teachers, staff, and parents have remained focused on the District's mission: ``Success for Everyone Through Quality Learning.'' The commitment of the entire community to the education of its children has earned the Paynesville Area School District's high school a five-star rating in both math and reading, one of only seven percent of schools in the State that can make that claim. The elementary school also earned a five-star rating in reading. Paynesville is very proud of the fact that it is the only district in greater Minnesota that has five stars in reading for both its elementary and high schools. Paynesville, a rural community, continually seeks new ideas to remain competitive in a progressive society while cherishing local history and tradition. Along with the fundamentals of reading, writing, and mathematics, the district also emphasizes respect as a basic value. The Paynesville Area School District offers a number of innovative programs, including full-day kindergarten for everyone; children in kindergarten and first grade are grouped by ability; teachers in grades 2 and 3 remain with the same teacher for 2 years in a row; parents can view children's grades through the district's Web site; and College in the Classroom courses are available for fundamentals of college writing, rhetoric, and introduction to literature, allowing students to earn college credit in these subjects. The Paynesville Area School District also offers a wide variety of cocurricular activities, including: an award-winning Future Farmers of America Program, a Future Leaders of America Program, and a Business Professionals of America Program. The middle school band has been rated ``Best Young Band,'' and the high school choir performed at candlelight processionals at Disney's Epcot Center in 2000 and 2004. Much of the credit for the Paynesville Area Public School's success belongs to its superintendent, Mr. Todd Burlingame, and the district's dedicated principals, teachers, and staff. The students and staff at the Paynesville Area School District understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at the Paynesville Area School District should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate the Paynesville Area School District in Paynesville for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Wilshire Park Elementary School, in Saint Anthony Village, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. Wilshire Park Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. Wilshire's motto is: ``Making Kids #1 for Over 40 Years.'' The school's reputation is reflected in the fact that nearly half its pupils enter through open enrollment, and there is a long waiting list for acceptance. Families choose Wilshire because it is known for academic excellence and for its safe, caring environment Test scores at Wilshire Park Elementary School are well above the State average and continue to improve every year. Three years ago, Wilshire received three stars in reading and math from the Minnesota Department of Education. Two years ago, the school received four stars in reading and three in math. Last year, Wilshire received four stars in reading and five stars in math. However, test scores and ratings alone do not fully represent a school's true success. The principal and teachers at Wilshire Park Elementary believe many other factors influence children's ability to learn, qualities often better revealed through personal stories describing an atmosphere of caring and nurturing. The true sense of the Wilshire community is evident from the support the entire school gives to children experiencing tragedies in their lives. One Wilshire student has been on kidney dialysis for several years, waiting to receive a transplant. Last fall, the school held a dance to raise funds to help cover the family's medical expenses. Also, earlier this year, staff rallied to support a first-grader whose mother died suddenly. Wilshire was the first school in the five-State area to have a K-Kids Club, which is a Kiwanis Club for children to work on projects to benefit the whole community. Wilshire Park Elementary School is also proud of the tremendous volunteer support it receives from the community. The school currently has 252 active volunteers, of whom 70 to 80 work at the school at least 1 to 2 days per week. These volunteers not only include parents of Wilshire pupils; aunts, grandparents, and community members are also regulars in the volunteer room. Much of the credit for Wilshire Park Elementary School's success belongs to its recently retired principal, Dr. Bonnie Kirkpatrick, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The pupils and staff at Wilshire Park Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where children can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and pupils at Wilshire Park Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate Wilshire Park Elementary School in Saint Anthony Village for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Renville County West School District, in Renville, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. Renville County West School District is truly a model of educational success. The district has struggled financially for many years, primarily as a result of declining enrollment. It has addressed its financial problems through multiple consolidations of many districts into a single district, and last year, the closing of yet another school building. These moves, while financially necessary, are extremely hard on the students, staff, and community. While the district has been plagued by falling enrollment due to population trends, statutory operating debt, reductions in staff and programs, and staff development funds that have been suspended, the district maintains its commitment to quality education. Its schools have consistently made yearly progress toward the goals of No Child Left Behind. Despite these challenges, test scores in Renville County West schools have improved over the past few years. Last year, Renville County West Elementary School earned four-star ratings in math and reading; and its high school earned a four-star rating in math. Renville County West's continued academic progress has also overcome changes created by greater numbers of special education, low-income, and minority students. The statements of teachers and students offer yet another reflection of the success of the district. Social sciences teacher Daniel Rohman writes: ``I have developed a senior economics class that gives kids a springboard into life. In this class, I teach the concepts of micro and macro but try to put it into real life examples that the kids have to work at. In this class I teach investments. We do mock portfolios; we track stocks; we do government securities, 403s and 401s, IRAs, mutual funds, insurance plans, money market accounts, and on and on. ``I have had kids so interested in this class that they have gone into the securities profession as investment brokers, insurance sales, working for firms such as State Farm and Piper Jaffrey. Do you think that makes me proud? You bet it does. That is what teaching is all about. Seeing a kid make three times what I make and feeling good about it when they come back to share their success story with you and saying, `Thank you, you made a difference in my life.' '' Molly Forkrud, a 2006 graduate of Renville, describes her academic career, writing: ``I can honestly say in all four campuses, I have received a wonderful education. This education did not come from the walls, halls, or classrooms of certain buildings, but rather the consistent ambition of the teachers and staff who instructed me. The buildings themselves have had nothing to do with my education, but it's the people inside who have impacted my life as a student.'' Although the district has struggled financially, it has made the financial commitment to fund an all-day kindergarten for all children, something the State of Minnesota has refused to provide. Much of the credit for the Renville County West School District's success belongs to its Superintendent, Mr. Doug Conboy, and the dedicated principals, teachers, and staff. The students and staff at the Renville County West School District understand that in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success. It must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at the Renville County West School District should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate the Renville County West School District in Renville for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Walker-Hackensack- Akeley School District's speech team, in Walker, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley speech team is truly a model of educational success. The team has demonstrated that when a school establishes a reputation in a specific area, this promotes high expectations, community involvement and support, and an atmosphere encouraging further success. The competitive speech program at Walker- Hackensack-Akeley High School truly sets this school apart from most others in the State. The program is primarily for senior high school, but exceptionally gifted seventh- and eighth-graders can also participate. The speech program focuses on the Minnesota State High School Speech Competition and the National Forensic League. Both areas of concentration have brought numerous awards and recognition to Walker- Hackensack-Akeley communities. More important, the program has helped develop students' skills and led them, in some cases, to world-class opportunities. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley's speech program has produced more State champions and medal winners at State-level competition than any school its size, and the high school consistently ranks among the top schools throughout Minnesota. Many students have gone on to compete in the prestigious National Forensic League, and 10 former students have achieved National Forensic League Academic All-American status. Many have also pursued distinguished careers in law, medicine, and business. The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley speech program has a 40-year record of success, during which participants earned 163 State speech medals, including 31 individual State championships. Participants of the program have competed 21 times at the national level and have won dozens of invitational, subsection, and sectional titles. Last year, the high school's graduating class of 61 students received in excess of $650,000 in merit-based scholarships from universities and colleges across the country. Much of the credit for the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley's speech team's success belongs to its coach, Chuck Cravens. The students and staff at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Schools understand that in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Schools should be very proud of the accomplishments of its speech team. I congratulate the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School District's speech team in Walker for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Thomas Jefferson High School, in Bloomington, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. Thomas Jefferson High School is truly a model of educational success. The school is to be commended for its overall commitment to quality education, including its curriculum and scheduling, staffing, materials and equipment, and facilities. The quality of Jefferson's programs in the sciences, mathematics, language arts, health, music, languages, special education, technology, media, and the arts has set the standard for secondary education in Minnesota. In 2004 and 2005, the school ranked as one of the top six schools in the State on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments reading and math scores. Thomas Jefferson High School, which opened in 1970, has 1,748 students and prides itself for its academic rigor. During the past 3 years, 30 students have earned distinction as National Merit Scholar Semifinalists and Commended Scholars. Each year, over 150 students earn college credits at Jefferson by scoring three points or higher on advanced placement tests. After graduation, more than 80 percent of Jefferson students go on to postsecondary educational opportunities. Academics alone, however, do not present the whole picture. According to the Thomas Jefferson High School mission statement: ``The Jefferson High School Community will develop and nurture responsible leaders and enlightened citizens who challenge themselves to create the present and enrich the future.'' The teachers and administrators at Jefferson High are proud of their students' academic, athletic, and artistic accomplishments, especially when achieved in the spirit of the Thomas Jefferson core ethical values of respect, responsibility, integrity, citizenship, and honesty. For example, in keeping with Jefferson's broad mission statement, students demonstrated their personal integrity and desire to serve others by working to raise over $12,000 for hurricane relief and $10,000 for the Red Cross relief efforts. In addition, the Jefferson Marching Band, which is fondly known as the Pride of Minnesota, is a source of special luster and has performed at the Cotton Bowl, Alamo Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Tournament of Roses Parade. Students are also offered a choice of two orchestra programs. The school does well in athletic competition. Over its 35-year history, Jefferson High School has won 51 State championships in hockey, soccer, football, baseball, and other men's and women's sports. Recent accomplishments of Jefferson sports teams include a 2004-2005 Boys State Soccer Championship, a 2004-2005 Boys' Hockey Lake Conference and 6AA Championship Title, and a 2003-2004 Girls State Alpine Ski Academic Championship. Much of the credit for Thomas Jefferson High School's success belongs to its principal, Steve Hill, and the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Thomas Jefferson High School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Thomas Jefferson High School should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate Thomas Jefferson High School in Bloomington for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor the Wabasso Public Schools, in Wabasso, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. The Wabasso Public Schools are truly a model of educational success. The district is a small, rural district that has a single building for its entire program, prekindergarten through grade 12. Superintendent Ted Suss describes the District as the ``center of local activity, the most important institution within its community, and the emblem of community pride.'' Wabasso Public Schools have demonstrated that quality education can be provided in a small, rural school district. The district prides itself for its success in academics, athletics, and the arts. Wabasso Public Schools' amenities include a comprehensive early childhood education program, a formal prekindergarten for 4-year-olds and an all-day kindergarten. In the high school, Wabasso offers a full- year physics class and a full-year calculus class. The vocational agriculture department offers additional opportunities for students to earn science credits, including hands-on learning in floriculture, agriculture, crop science, and animal science. The district will begin offering advanced placement classes next year, which very few rural districts are able to do. The Wabasso community is proudest of a Future Farmers of America Chapter in which 25 percent of all students in grades 9 through 12 won the opportunity to compete at the FAA State Convention; the Wabasso High School choir, which won three ``superior'' ratings, the maximum possible under Minnesota State High School League rules; the Wabasso High School Rabbits, which have an extraordinary record of success, including State championships in girls' fast-pitch softball and basketball; the boys' wrestling team has qualified for the State tournament in 2 of the past 3 years, winning second place in 2001 and reaching the semifinals in 2003; and the football team has also advanced to the State tournament in 2 of the past 3 years. The success of the football team is even more impressive, given that the school has opted to play in the more competitive 11-man league even though the small enrollment would have allowed them to compete in the 9-man league. To control costs, the Wabasso School District has hired a single dean of students to serve as the principal for the elementary school, middle school, and high school. A site council makes many of the decisions traditionally made by a school principal. The Wabasso Elementary School received a four-star rating in math and a five-star rating in reading from the department of education, while the high school received three-star ratings in both math and reading. Last year, every 10th-grade student passed the state MCA writing test on the first attempt. Well over 90 percent of the class of 2005 continued on to a postsecondary education program or entered the military. Much of the credit for Wabasso Public School's success belongs to its superintendent, Ted Suss, its dean of students, Amy Iverson, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The students and staff at Wabasso Public Schools understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Wabasso Public Schools should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate Wabasso Public Schools in Wabasso for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Morris Elementary School, in Morris, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. Morris Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. The award specifically recognizes the fifth-grade science program for three initiatives: Project Alpha, chick growing, and Tomato Fest, which all combine learning with hands-on application of scientific theory and research, and which also involve prominent scientists and parent volunteers. Project Alpha blends learning in science, math, language, and the arts. The children form an aerospace commission designed to study space flight, aerodynamics, weather, physics, and optics. As they accomplish each intelligence-gathering mission, they earn valuable ``cash'' for their company. They then use the knowledge they have acquired to build and launch model air-powered rockets. The children then make design modifications to their rockets, based on actual flight performance. To earn the privilege of launching their rockets, pupils must pass a tough physics test which covers concepts in energy, mass, light, sound, the earth's tilt, and Newton's laws of motion. Fifth-graders also participate in an experiment growing chicks, which includes gauging the effects of diet on growing chickens. The children write the experimental protocol, analyze weight gain, feed intake, and feed/gain conversion. They use math skills to compile data and perform measurements. The children meet with research scientists from the University of Minnesota's College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences at the West Central Research and Outreach Center. The scientists talk with the children about research, how to write a scientific hypothesis, and how to conduct a research project that will either prove or disprove the hypothesis. Fifth-graders also conduct a plant-growing experiment, in partnership with the USDA Soils Lab, located in Morris. The children study how certain variables affect germination, growth, and reproduction in tomato plants. The children are required to take measurements, construct data tables, and present findings at the annual Tomato Fest. One-third of the seeds were flown aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1997; another third were sealed in a dry container and kept underwater at the Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station in Key Largo, FL; and the rest were kept as a control group at Park Seed Company. During the fifth-graders' annual science fair, research scientists from the University join area high school students who excel in science. The scientists and high school students visit the fifth- grade classrooms for a ``meet the expert day,'' when they review the science projects, answer questions, and give feedback about the fifth-graders' projects. While the Award for Excellence in Education recognizes the Morris Elementary fifth-grade science curriculum, the school has also done very well in reading and math, receiving four stars in reading and five stars in math from the Minnesota Department of Education in 2005. Much of the credit for Morris Elementary School's success belongs to its principal, Brad Korn, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The pupils and staff at Morris Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where pupils can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and pupils at Morris Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate Morris Elementary School in Morris for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor the Marshall Public School District, in Marshall, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. The Marshall Public School District is truly a model of educational success. Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes nominated the local school district for an Award for Excellence, based largely upon the many programs offered through a collaboration of the school district, the city, and local businesses. The programs include the Marshall Public School District's Mentor Connection Program, which gives students an opportunity to shadow Marshall business, nonprofit, and government leaders; the Talents Academy, which pairs the brightest instructors with gifted students at a very early age; and the Marshall East Campus Learning Alternative, MECLA, Program, the district's alternative education program for students at risk of dropping out of high school. All of these reflect the belief of the Marshall community that ``all children are important resources.'' The growth and achievement shown by Marshall's students have supplied benchmarks for other Minnesota school districts. Students achieved 90 percent reading proficiency and 80 percent math proficiency on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment tests. Over 50 percent of Marshall's teachers have at least a master's degree. The Emerging Leadership Investment Program for Marshall's minority residents demonstrates the effectiveness of collaboration on the local level. The partnership between the city, its schools, and its businesses has also produced an extremely successful intramural sports program at Marshall High School, which allows a cross section of students to interact socially in a structured, recreational setting, while benefiting from physical activity. The program will be expanded this fall to deliver the same opportunities to middle school children. In addition, foreign languages, creative writing, and science clubs will be added to afterschool activities. Mayor Byrnes said, ``Our community is fortunate to understand the common goal of educating our youth and developing communities that demonstrate their interest in our youth. Communities that value youth, in the end, will retain youth for its sustainable future.'' In 2005, the Marshall High School received a three-star rating in math and a five-star rating in reading from the Minnesota Department of Education; the junior high school received a four-star rating in math and a three-star rating in reading; and the elementary schools received three-star ratings in both math and reading. Much of the credit for the Marshall Public School District's success belongs to its superintendent, Mr. Klint Willert, and the dedicated principals, teachers, and staff. The students and staff at Marshall Public Schools understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Marshall Public Schools should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate the Marshall Public School District in Marshall for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Johnsville Elementary School, in Blaine, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. Johnsville Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. The school has developed a wide variety of programs to meet the learning needs of all children. Unlike many elementary schools, which offer only three or four break-out curricula, Johnsville has built art, music, library, technology, and physical education into the school-day curriculum. A talent development program provides enrichment reading, math, creative writing, and science for the more advanced learners. A targeted services program offers extended-day instruction in reading and math for pupils who are struggling. At Johnsville, those kindergarten children who have already begun to read and write can participate in an advanced reader program. In addition, for 2 consecutive years, a Johnsville kindergartner has won the Anoka Hennepin District's Anti-Bullying Kindergarten Poster Contest. This year's winner was Jake Taylor. The school is also very proud of its choir programs, including an honors choir program, and its Fine Arts Festival, where everyone displays at least one project. The Anoka-Hennepin School District has also established a teacher with outstanding performance, TOP, recognition program so that parents can nominate deserving teachers. Seven of Johnsville's teachers have received the award. Parents' support for the school is reflected in the 98 percent parent participation rate in parent-teacher conferences. Johnsville also provides opportunities to involve parents in all aspects of the school day. In the spirit of community service, this year Johnsville participated in a special fund-raiser for people affected by Hurricane Katrina, raising $2,700 for St. John's School in Louisiana. Johnsville's principal, Mr. Patrick Murray, was recently recognized with a division leadership award from the Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association. In 2005, the school received a three-star rating in math and a four- star rating in reading. This is an improvement over the two-star rating in reading the school received in 2004. Much of the credit for Johnsville Elementary School's success belongs to its principal, Mr. Patrick Murray, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The pupils and staff at Johnsville Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where children can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and children at Johnsville Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate Johnsville Elementary School in Blaine for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. DAYTON

Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Saint Anthony Village High School, in Saint Anthony Village, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children. Saint Anthony Village High School is truly a model of educational success. The high school aims to establish a ``preferred, small, caring educational community creatively meeting individual learners' needs.'' The Saint Anthony Village High School's success can be attributed to the relatively small number of students enrolled, the dedicated teachers and staff, and the strong community support. The high school and middle school share the same building, hence the innovative Tutors R Us Program has allowed high-achieving older students to help tutor middle school students who need more individualized attention. Teachers at Saint Anthony Village High School genuinely care for their students and hold them accountable for high academic standards. When Maggie Horan, a recent graduate, and senior Dede Sirleaf were asked about their teachers, they responded by citing their experience with Mr. Olszanski, their math teacher: He takes the time to explain things. If you don't get it, he will explain it two or three times to make sure you get it--he really cares about you. He wants everyone to learn and be on the same page. He will even take time to stay after school with you if you don't get it. The community has demonstrated its strong support for the schools by approving several referendums and supporting numerous fundraising activities. Community members are always represented at school functions, act as mentors for students, serve as hosts for student volunteer opportunities, and frequently offer afterschool employment for Saint Anthony students. The results are very impressive. The number of Advanced Placement tests taken by students at Saint Anthony has grown from 5 in 1994 to 240 in 2006. Over 20 percent of juniors and seniors belong to the National Honor Society. In both 2004 and 2005, the school received five-star ratings in both math and reading from the Minnesota Department of Education. Much of the credit for Saint Anthony Village High School's success belongs to its principal, Mr. Tom Keith, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The students and staff at Saint Anthony Village High School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Saint Anthony Village High School should be very proud of their accomplishments. I congratulate Saint Anthony Village High School in Saint Anthony Village for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.