Elizabeth Dole

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 4208 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. DOLE. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, my amendment would direct $75 million for ICE to expand the 287(g) program so that more local law enforcement agencies have the resources to identify and help process criminal illegal aliens. To address the problems presented by individuals who are not only here illegally but who have self-identified themselves because of their criminal behavior, we must provide the funding for ICE to make the necessary resources available to local law enforcement officials who are on the front lines. Greater funding for ICE, specifically the 287(g) program, is sorely needed. I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Madam President, in the time remaining in the 110th Congress, there is still much that can be done to address critical pieces of the massively complex immigration issue. As my good friend, the Senator from Alabama, who made such kind comments, has related, we are offering solutions to demonstrated problems--measures that have bipartisan appeal and broad public support. I have introduced legislation which would repeal President Bill Clinton's Executive order requiring the Federal Government to provide services in languages other than English. It is impractical and fiscally irresponsible to provide services in the hundreds of languages spoken in the United States at an estimated cost of up to $2 billion annually. My bill would also help ensure that Federal funds to local and State governments are not jeopardized because they provide English- only services. Moreover, proficiency in English should be encouraged, as it is required for citizenship and essential for maximizing opportunities in this country. My other bill, the Safe Roads Enhancement Act of 2008, would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to make a drunk driving conviction a deportable offense for illegal aliens. It also would classify a third drunk driving conviction as an aggravated felony and therefore a deportable offense for nationals of a foreign country. In my State of North Carolina, there have been a number of fatal automobile accidents caused by an intoxicated person who was in the United States illegally. In several of these incidents, the illegal alien has a record of DWI but has been caught and released. For families, the pain of losing a loved one is compounded by the knowledge that the person responsible for these fatalities was not even in this country legally. A tragic example occurred in Charlotte last spring when a man attempted to cross the street and was struck and killed by a drunk driver who then fled the scene. Fortunately, police were able to apprehend the driver, an illegal alien with a previous DWI conviction, before he could harm anyone else. Cases such as this are not isolated, and they are not specific to North Carolina. Across our Nation, similar senseless tragedies occur on roads and highways. My bill would help ensure that undocumented aliens who have self- identified themselves by drunk driving are removed. Likewise, individuals who abuse their legal status in the United States by repeatedly breaking drunk driving laws would lose their privilege of living in our country. Sadly, as we have seen repeatedly, we sorely need to strengthen immigration laws with regard to drunk driving convictions. Furthermore, our Government urgently needs to be laser-focused on removing undocumented aliens who are self-identifying themselves by committing other crimes, such as drug trafficking and gang-related activities. Most of us can agree that criminal aliens who are obviously here for the wrong reasons should be removed. If we are not safe in our own communities and in our own homes, then what else is going to matter? I am very proud that as a result of my many months working with Federal officials and sheriffs across our 100 North Carolina counties, ours is the first State in the Nation to have a statewide partnership plan for sheriffs to coordinate with ICE, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This plan will ensure that all North Carolina sheriffs can readily access, if they choose, the tools such as 287(g) to identify and help process undocumented aliens who have self- identified themselves by committing crimes. This plan is being implemented by the steering committee of North Carolina sheriffs and adopts a regional approach to ensure statewide access to 287(g) databases and other resources to determine the immigration status of apprehended individuals. The State is being audited as we speak. I welcome the work of my colleagues from Georgia for their bill that recognizes that local law enforcement officers are on the front lines fighting crime in their communities, and it directs additional resources for these types of Federal partnerships that can help bring criminal alien problems under control. The No. 1 lesson learned from the Senate's failed immigration bill is that Americans simply don't have confidence their Government is serious about securing our borders and enforcing our laws. Real action, real results on this front are long overdue. People don't want promises anymore, they want proof. We now have a chance to put the horse before the cart and enact the border security and enforcement policies that will bring about the political will and support to further address our broken immigration system. I urge my colleagues' support of this commonsense approach. I yield the floor.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, it is with great pride that I recognize Jeffrey Lane Miller of Hendersonville, NC. Mr. Miller is the founder of HonorAir, an all-volunteer community group, which was organized to honor local World War II veterans by providing them with the opportunity to visit their National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC, at no expense. The National World War II Memorial, dedicated in 2004, honors the 16 million men and women who served in the Armed Forces of the United States, the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. Thousands of WWII veterans pass away every year without having a chance or ability to visit the monument recognizing their service. Jeff's passion and commitment to America's ``greatest generation'' has galvanized the Henderson County community. Mr. Miller accomplished what was believed to be the impossible. He organized and obtained funding for chartering commercial aircraft to fly veterans from North Carolina to Washington, DC. His unwavering dedication, with the help of many in the community, has resulted in more than 630 World War II veterans participating in the Hendersonville HonorAir trips. Most of these heroes otherwise would not have been able to visit their monument due to physical or financial limitations. In partnership with veterans advocates, Jeff created the Honor Flight Network. This network is in the process of honoring the service of World War II veterans from across the United States. As the result of Jeff's inspiration, leadership, and tireless efforts, Honor Flight has been established throughout communities in more than 25 States. Today I ask that the Senate join with me in recognizing the remarkable public service of Jeff Miller. Jeff has worked so hard to make his dream, of recognizing World War II veterans, into reality. His selfless service has not only had a tremendous impact in his community but throughout our great Nation.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, ever since my days as Deputy Special Assistant to the President for Consumer Affairs in the Nixon administration, followed by 5 years on the Federal Trade Commission, consumer education has been a top priority, especially with regard to helping individuals protect their credit and improve their financial literacy. In fact, back in my days with the White House Consumer Office, we prepared an extensive manual called ``Consumer Education K through 12.'' I traveled the country and encouraged schools to use this material so that students could learn the importance of financial literacy at an early age. So this is truly an issue that is near and dear to my heart, and I am pleased that the Senate Banking Committee held a hearing just last week entitled, ``Shopping Smart and Avoiding Scams: Financial Literacy During the Holiday Season.'' As I said at that hearing, it is unfortunate that today there is a particularly harmful practice called identity theft, an all too prevalent problem we must continue to deal with. Identity thieves constantly create new scams to rob hard-working, law-abiding citizens of their good names, their credit and their security. The stakes could not be higher for the families involved. As you may remember, after last year's holiday shopping season, TJX, the parent company of TJ Maxx and Marshalls, disclosed that it had experienced a massive data breach, where the security of its customers' financial information was compromised. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, beginning in July 2005, and continuing over an 18 month period, at least 45.7 million credit cards were exposed to possible fraud. As this example illustrates, identity theft is often cited as one of the fastest growing crimes in the Nation. According to a study conducted for the Federal Trade Commission, approximately 8.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2005, losing an average of $1,882 dollars each. In my home State alone, an estimated 300,000 North Carolinians are victims of identity theft and fraud each year. Without a doubt, this is an issue that continually needs to be front and center on our radar screens, and we need to do our part to educate people on ways to prevent identity theft and inform them of what to do if, heaven forbid, they become a victim. For example, the North Carolina Department of Justice site called ``NoScamNC.gov'' and the Federal Trade Commission's Web site, www.ftc.gov, both provide useful information and tools to help consumers protect themselves and take action if their personal information has been compromised or misused. With regard to financial literacy, I believe clarification of credit card agreements is high on the list to benefit consumers. There are many well-intentioned laws that require credit card companies to fully disclose their policies on rates, payments and terms of use. But unfortunately, the tangible effect of these laws is often multiple pages of single-spaced typing in small font lettering, filled with sophisticated legal terminology. Who are they trying to fool? For gosh sakes, you shouldn't have to have a lawyer and a magnifying glass to understand a credit card user agreement. Some lending companies are now providing consumers with a one-page summary of their disclosure information in a format similar to the nutrition information displayed on products in your local grocery store. In fact, I'm proud that working to get that clear, concise nutritional labeling was a top priority during my early days in the White House Consumer Office. We must also continue to require that credit card companies provide full disclosure regarding fees, interest rates, minimum payments and privacy statements. It is imperative that this information be presented in the most consumer-friendly manner possible. This will benefit not only the consumers, but also the credit card companies. By providing more easily understood applications and monthly statements, card issuers can reduce losses due to defaults and also lessen the demand for customer service to guide consumers through problems. It's a win- win situation or, as they say, a no-brainer. During this busy shopping season, and all year-round, we can each benefit from sharpening our financial literacy and protecting our personal information and credit. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Madam President, Harry Truman was wrong. Truman famously defined a statesman as ``a politician who has been dead for 20 years.'' It is a good line, but it wasn't true then, as Truman's own career attests, and it is not true today. That said, we can never have enough statesmen and women to validate our democratic creed, which makes our sense of loss all the greater when an authentic statesman leaves this place. For 35 years, Trent Lott has served the people of Mississippi with distinction, never forgetting their interests, even as he advanced our national interests: Economic development for Mississippi, meeting transportation infrastructure needs, persuading businesses to build plants and provide jobs. His effectiveness is legendary, whether championing a strong national defense, encouraging entrepreneurship in a dynamic economy or expanding both educational opportunity and accountability. Through it all, Trent kept faith with the people who sent him here. Just as he long ago earned their trust and confidence, so he impressed Members on both sides of the aisle with his integrity and his decency. The only person ever to serve as a party whip in both Houses, Trent soon became much more than a party leader. To his lasting credit, he helped convince us tax cuts were the road to economic revitalization. At the same time, he argued for a bipartisan approach to education reform. In the bleak aftermath of 9/11, Trent appealed to what Abraham Lincoln called the better angels of our nature. Similar to Ronald Reagan, he wears an optimist's smile, for he never confused an adversary with an enemy. Trent Lott will be remembered as someone who preferred to narrow our differences rather than exploit them. The junior Senator from Mississippi has scaled the heights in his political career and he has experienced life's valleys as well. With dogged determination, he made adversity, whenever it occurred, a strengthening experience. As one who has shared Senate Bible studies with both Trent and his beloved wife Tricia, I know that his has been a profoundly spiritual journey and one that is far from over. In a town where talk is cheap--indeed, it is the only thing that is cheap--Trent prefers solutions to sound bites, and he has never mistaken civility for weakness. One of his basic principles is to respect others whose views might differ. More often than not, he found a way to distill the best of each, which to me is the definition of a statesman. His ability to get things done--to work effectively and foster relationships with colleagues from both parties--resulted in his numerous triumphs as the Senate majority leader. In his first year as leader, he personally led his colleagues to pass two landmark legislative items: Welfare reform and the budget compromise, which resulted in the first balanced budgets with surpluses in 30 years. Of course, the Senate is also a family, and on this day, I must mention some of my most cherished memories in the Dole family album, of Trent and Tricia campaigning for me in Rocky Mountain, NC, in the autumn of 2002; of Bob Dole showing up for the Spouses Club, presided over by Tricia, though begging off on a tour of the Capitol since he said he had already seen the place. Nor will I ever forget sitting in Trent's cherished rocking chair on the front porch of his Pascagoula home--a home that would vanish on a brutal morning a little more than 2 years ago, when a tempest named Katrina scoured miles and miles of Mississippi coastline. Similar to so many who looked out on the gulf, the Lotts lost everything that day--everything but life and love and the faith that gives to them both a meaning that no storm can wash away. In the years since, the victims of Katrina have had no more passionate advocates than Trent and Tricia Lott. No one has worked harder, longer, to ensure that we honor the promises made to our fellow men and women along the gulf coast. As the mayor of Gulfport said about Trent: Although suffering catastrophic personal losses himself, he has tirelessly fought our battles and won our wars for us time and again. His legacy will be recognized in every corner of our great State and the pages of history will reflect the honor and service of the Senator from Pascagoula who restored hope in the citizens of Mississippi. I would add I have great respect for Tricia's enormous efforts to provide needed supplies and hope to the Katrina victims. Houses, we have learned, are vulnerable to the fury of nature. Supremacy in politicians is even more transitory. Majorities shift similar to the sands of Biloxi. But some things endure. Honor endures. True leadership generates its own legacy. True leaders stake their own claim to posterity's gratitude. That is the stuff of statesmanship, and that is the essence of Trent Lott. The gentleman from Mississippi has had a lengthy and purpose-driven career in this institution, and he will be greatly missed. With deep admiration and respect for a trusted colleague, I wish Trent and his family all the best.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Let me add my congratulations to Senators Harkin and Chambliss for their hard work and many accomplishments in passage of the farm bill. I congratulate all involved. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for about 10 minutes as in morning business.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, there has been a great deal of debate regarding many aspects of the farm bill; but, there is one issue that has received relatively little attention on the Senate floor, yet it is one of the most important matters facing our country. That issue is hunger, and it affects 1 in 10 U.S. households, including nearly 1 million of North Carolina's 8.8 million residents. Fortunately, the farm bill we have just passed contains a number of provisions that will support efforts to help the hungry. Take for example, the Food Employment Empowerment and Development Act, or the FEED Act, which Senator Lautenberg and I have worked on together. I am very pleased that this measure has been included in the managers package. The FEED Act helps fight hunger by combining food rescue with job training, thus teaching unemployed and homeless adults the skills needed to work in the food service industry. This provision will provide much-needed resources to community kitchens around the country. Successful FEED-type programs already exist. For example, in Charlotte, NC, the Community Culinary School, which I visited last month, recruits students from social service agencies, homeless shelters, halfway houses and work release programs. Just around the corner from the U.S. Capitol, students are hard at work in the DC Central Kitchen's culinary job training class. This is a model program, which began in 1990, and it is always a privilege for me to go over to the Kitchen and meet with folks who have faced great adversity but are now on track for a meaningful career. Earlier this year, I visited on their graduation day, and the graduates were so excited they were dancing in the kitchen. They were ready to start good jobs. Of course, for the DC Central Kitchen, Charlotte Community Culinary School and other hunger relief organizations to carry out their mission, they must have food. To this end, I am very pleased that Senator Grassley and Senator Lugar have joined me as co-sponsors of my food donation amendment included in the managers package. My thanks to Chairman Baucus, and a special thank you to Ranking Member Grassley, as well as their staffs, for working with me in this effort. My amendment addresses four tax issues that will encourage food donations and volunteering to help the hungry. First, my amendment extends a provision from the Pension Protection Act that allows any taxpayer to claim an enhanced deduction for donations of food. This deduction is set to expire at the end of the year; my amendment extends it for 2 additional years. Second, my amendment allows restaurants to qualify for this deduction. Unfortunately, a drafting error excluded most restaurants from utilizing this deduction due to their tax structure. My amendment corrects this problem and provides restaurants with an extra incentive to donate food for hunger relief. Third, it simplifies the rules that allow farmers and ranchers to take advantage of this deduction for donating their products. Finally, my amendment allows volunteers to receive a tax deduction for mileage incurred while transporting food donations. As a former President of the American Red Cross, I know first hand the importance of volunteers--there would be no Red Cross without the 1.3 million volunteers--and I understand that many charities, like Meals on Wheels, depend on volunteers using their personal vehicles to deliver food to countless tables across the country. In addition, volunteers who glean and transport food could benefit from this tax deduction measure. Excess crops that would otherwise be plowed under or thrown out are taken from farms and other entities and distributed to the needy. In the Old Testament, in the book of Ruth, we learn that she gleaned in the fields so that her family could eat. Each year in this country, 96 billion pounds of good, nutritious food is left over or thrown away. Gleaning helps eliminate this waste. I have gleaned a number of times with an organization called the Society of St. Andrew, the latest being sweet potatoes in Harnett County, NC, in October. While I have a number of concerns about the farm bill and its impact on North Carolina agriculture, I welcome this bill's hunger and nutrition focus. Especially at this beautiful season of giving and thanksgiving we should remember our 35 million fellow Americans who are struggling just to have enough to eat. The bill's provisions will help us keep up the fight in the battle against hunger. This is a campaign that cannot be won in months, or even a few years, but with a caring Government and a caring people working together, ending hunger in America is certainly a victory within reach. Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate Joe Freeman of Mistletoe Meadows Christmas Tree Farm in Laurel Springs, NC, for winning the National Christmas Tree Association's 2007 National Christmas Tree Contest. As the Grand Champion, Mr. Freeman has the distinguished honor of providing this year's Official White House Christmas Tree. This storied tradition began in 1966, and I applaud Mr. Freeman for producing North Carolina's tenth Official White House Christmas Tree. After winning at the State level, the Mr. Freeman's prized 18\1/2\ foot Fraser fir was selected at the national competition. The prized tree was chosen to be the Blue Room Christmas Tree by White House Chief Usher Stephen Rochon, Superintendent of Grounds Irv Williams, Grounds Foreman Mike Lawn and White House Florist Nancy Clarke. Mr. Freeman and Ms. Linda Jones will have the honor of presenting the prized Blue Room Tree to First Lady Laura Bush in a special ceremony at the White House on November 26, 2007. This year's Official White House Christmas Tree is a fine example of the exceptional quality of Christmas trees that we have in North Carolina. According to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, in 2006 North Carolina led the nation in Christmas tree production, providing roughly one out of every four Christmas trees in the United States, and contributing over $134 million to North Carolina's economy. But this success did not come easily; it takes several years of meticulous care and attention to raise a Christmas tree. An average 7 foot tree is about 10 years old, and throughout that time the grower diligently shapes, grooms, and fertilizes the tree several times per year. Not many people realize the years of hard work and sacrifice that go into raising a Christmas tree, and our growers are to be commended for their continuous success. North Carolina celebrates a rich history of Christmas Trees, and year after year, many American families enjoy the warmth and beauty of these North Carolina trees that are a symbol of the holiday season. I am proud of the hard work exhibited by our Christmas tree growers in North Carolina, and I am proud that there will be another North Carolina Christmas tree in the White House this year.

Mrs. DOLE

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

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, in America--the land of prosperity and plenty, some people have the misconception that hunger plagues only faraway, undeveloped nations. The reality is that hunger is a silent enemy lurking within 1 in 10 U.S. households. In my home State of North Carolina alone, nearly 1 million of our 8.8 million residents are struggling with food insecurity issues. In recent years, once-thriving North Carolina towns have been economically crippled by the shutting of textile mills and furniture factories. People have lost their jobs and sometimes their ability to put food on the table. I know this scenario is not unique to North Carolina, as many American manufacturing jobs have moved overseas. While many folks are finding new employment, these days a steady income does not necessarily provide for three square meals a day. Hunger and food insecurity are far too prevalent, but I think Washington Post columnist David Broder hit the nail on the head when he wrote: America has some problems that defy solution. This one does not. It just needs caring people and a caring government, working together. I certainly agree. The battle to end hunger in our country is a campaign that cannot be won in months or even a few years, but it is a victory within reach. To this end, I strongly support what the nutrition title of the farm bill strives to accomplish. I commend my colleagues on the Senate Agriculture Committee for putting together a package that helps address the hunger and nutrition needs of Americans of all ages. For example, with regard to the Food Stamp Program, this bill seeks to responsibly address concerns of fraud, waste, and abuse in the system and help ensure that it serves those who truly need assistance. I am also pleased that the nutrition title expands the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to all 50 States. This program encourages healthy eating habits in schoolchildren and helps combat childhood obesity. According to a recent Duke University report, in the last 25 years, the rate of obesity has doubled for children ages 6 to 11, and has tripled for teens. Today, about 10 percent of 2- to 5-year-olds and 15 percent of 6- to 19-year-olds are overweight. In North Carolina, where childhood obesity rates have been higher than national averages, I am very proud that nearly 1.4 million children are enrolled this school year in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. This certainly is a positive way to help combat the childhood obesity problem. Furthermore, I am pleased this bill will allow schools participating in the School Lunch Program to use geographic preference when purchasing fruits and vegetables. This is especially good news in North Carolina where our farmers produce a wide variety of nutritious fruits and vegetables. I also welcome a provision in the nutrition title that makes permanent the exclusion of combat zone pay from eligibility determinations in the Food and Nutrition Program. More than 157,700 servicemembers from North Carolina have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and their families, who are sacrificing greatly, should not become ineligible because the head of household receives extra income for serving in harm's way. Additionally, I am pleased that the nutrition title expands the use of electronic benefit transfer at farmers' markets. As in other States, in North Carolina's rural areas the poverty rate tends to be higher, and there is limited access to grocery stores that participate in the Food and Nutrition Program. Our State prides itself on having some of the finest farmers' markets around, and allowing the use of EBT will provide needier individuals access to these healthy, homegrown foods. Likewise, this bill also increases funding for the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, which helps low-income seniors, and it continues and extends the Commodity Supplemental Food Program to more low-income individuals. While I am encouraged by these hunger and nutrition components, there is still more we can and should accomplish in this farm bill to help those in need. One area where I have focused my efforts is gleaning, where excess crops that would otherwise be thrown out are taken from farms, packinghouses, and warehouses, and distributed to the needy. It is staggering--really staggering--that each year in this country 96 billion pounds of good, nutritious food, including that at the farm and retail level, is left over or thrown away. Gleaning helps eliminate this waste. It helps the farmer because he does not have to haul off or plow under crops that do not meet exact specifications of grocery chains. And it certainly helps the hungry by giving them nutritious, fresh foods. Last month, in Harnett County, NC, I gleaned sweet potatoes with volunteers from the hunger relief organization the Society of St. Andrew. One of the single largest concerns for groups such as this wonderful organization is transportation--how to actually get food from the farm, for example, to those in need. According to the Society of St. Andrew, the increase in fuel costs has made food transport particularly challenging. They say today it costs 30 percent more to hire a truck to move food than it did 2 years ago. To help address this problem, I am putting forward my bill, the Hunger Relief Trucking Tax Credit, as an amendment to this legislation. My measure would change the Tax Code to give transportation companies tax incentives for volunteering trucks to transfer gleaned food. Specifically, my bill would create a 25-cent tax credit for each mile that food is transported for hunger relief efforts by a donated truck and driver. This bill would provide a little extra encouragement for trucking companies to donate space in their vehicles to help more food reach more hungry people. Additionally, I am proud to join my colleague Senator Lautenberg as a cosponsor of an amendment that helps fight hunger in our communities by combining food rescue with job training, thus teaching unemployed and homeless adults the skills needed to work in the food service industry. The FEED Program, which stands for Food Employment Empowerment and Development, will support community kitchens around the country with much needed resources to help collect rescued food and provide meals to the hungry. Successful FEED-type programs already exist. For example, in Charlotte, NC, the Community Culinary School recruits students from social service agencies, homeless shelters, halfway houses, and work release programs. And just around the corner from the U.S. Capitol, students are hard at work in the DC Central Kitchen's culinary job training class. This is a model program, which began in 1990, and it is always, to me, a great privilege to visit the kitchen and meet with the individuals who have faced adversity but are now on track for a career in the food service industry. While I do have a number of concerns about the farm bill and its impact on North Carolina agriculture, I welcome this bill's hunger and nutrition focus. Particularly with Thanksgiving just 1 week away, let us remember our 35 million fellow Americans who are struggling to have enough to eat. With the addition of the Hunger Relief Trucking Tax Credit and the FEED Program provision, this farm bill can go even further to responsibly lend a helping hand to those in need. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, it is with great honor that I rise today to proudly recognize the accomplishments of the Gardner-Webb University ``Runnin' Bulldogs'' of Boiling Springs, NC. Originally chartered on December 2, 1905, Gardner-Webb has long been known for its excellent academic and athletic programs, which is a testament to its accomplished faculty. As a thriving regional university, Gardner-Webb offers eight unique degree programs on its beautiful 200 acre campus. Led by University President Dr. Frank Bonner, its approximately 4,000 students are some of the brightest minds their generation has to offer and I look forward to witnessing their rise through the ranks in the coming years ahead. On November 7, 2007, in a truly David versus Goliath story, the Gardner-Webb ``Runnin' Bulldogs'' basketball team visited storied Rupp Arena to challenge the Kentucky Wildcats, one of college basketball's most successful programs, boasting seven National Championships. Late into the evening it became official, the Bulldogs shocked college basketball by upsetting the #20 ranked Wildcats. The Bulldogs entered the locker room at halftime with an 11 point lead and never looked back. With a final score of 84-68, head coach Rick Scruggs, team staff and the determined players masterfully executed their game plan which will forever be remembered as one the greatest upsets in college basketball history. I join the university's many loyal supporters, alumni and fans everywhere in commending not only the Bulldogs' outstanding accomplishment last night, but the entire Gardner-Webb community for cultivating an environment that believes that accomplishing anything is not only plausible, but as highlighted last night, is possible.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Madam President, I wish to recognize the fifth anniversary of the Wachovia Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. Several years ago, a number of leading North Carolinians gathered to begin the planning for this first-class event. Under the leadership of Quail Hollow president Johnny Harris, tournament chairman Mac Everett, and executive director Kym Hougham, the Wachovia Championship has quickly risen to the top echelon of sporting events in the country. These leaders desired to create a premier sporting event that would provide a first-class experience for patrons, PGA tour players, and volunteers that at the same time would have a significant economic impact for the Carolinas, showcase my State and region to a national and international television audience, and most importantly raise significant funds for charitable interests in the State. The primary beneficiary of the success of the Wachovia Championship is Teach for America. Funds generated from the tournament are used to support the national efforts of this organization. This past year, I circulated a letter that asked appropriators to fund the Teach for America program at a $15 million level for this fiscal year. Teach for America's goal is to provide students in urban and rural low-income areas with highly qualified teachers in order to eliminate educational inequity. This program is the national corps of top college graduates who commit 2 years to teach in underresourced public schools and become lifelong leaders in the pursuit of educational equity. After completing their 2-year commitment, 63 percent of the Teach for America alumni continue to work in education. Since 1990, nearly 17,000 college graduates have joined Teach for America, impacting the lives of over 2.5 million students. I applaud the efforts that Wachovia is making to support this program. In its first 5 years, the Wachovia Championship has donated over $7.5 million to Teach for America and other charities. This year, to my understanding, the bank's donation to Teach for America is $1 million, and their overall contributions to charities have been $1.95 million. As you can see, this golf tournament has a much bigger impact on the community than its direct entertainment and economic impact. Through this golf tournament Wachovia has been able to reach out and affect overall society by helping students gain a quality education.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask for all of my colleagues to join me in support of Senate approval of the National Guard and Reservists Financial Relief Act. This is a bipartisan effort to extend a critical benefit to our National Guard and reservists, many of whom are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Section 827 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 allows guardsmen and reservists called to active duty for at least 6 months to make penalty-free early withdrawals from their IRA, 401(k), or 403(b) retirement accounts. This provision expires in less than 2 months, and my bill would make this benefit permanent for our servicemembers and their families. Our guardsmen and reservists always stand ready to put their lives on hold and answer the call of duty. They can face lengthy deployments that can cause major financial strains for their families, which only adds to the emotional stress these families face during extended separation from a loved one. In fact, according to a GAO report, nearly 41 percent of reservists are affected by a pay discrepancy between their military and civilian salaries. National Guard and reservists account for approximately half of all U.S. military personnel. Since September 11, 2001, more than 443,000 guardsmen and reservists have been deployed in support of the global war on terror, including nearly 93,000 currently deployed mainly to Iraq and Afghanistan. Congress should take decisive action to ensure that this benefit does not expire for these fine young men and women should they find themselves in a deployment-related financial crunch. The Reserve Officers Association strongly supports the continuation of this tax relief measure. I also thank my colleague, Senator Lincoln, for cosponsoring this legislation, and I add that a similar provision included in the Pension Protection Act received broad bipartisan support. Shortly, Congress will adjourn for 2 weeks for the Thanksgiving recess. This means there is limited opportunity to act to extend this assistance to those who have answered the call to serve. I ask every Member who I know cares about our Guard members, reservists, and their families to support my legislation that this important benefit continues. I yield the floor.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to special agent Virginia ``Ginger'' Kirk of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, who is retiring from employment with the Federal Government on October 30, 2007. Special Agent Kirk is retiring after over 24 years of Government service, the last 21 of which have been spent with NCIS. Of special note, during the course of her service with NCIS, she spent a year as a Department of Defense legislative fellow in the office of the late Congresswoman Tillie Fowler. During the course of Special Agent Kirk's career in Government service, she rose from a GS-3 computer programmer for the Navy to a GS- 15 NCIS senior special agent. In her final NCIS job, she was assigned to the Navy's Acquisition Integrity Office--a high-profile, high-impact position that put her on the inside of the Department of the Navy's most significant procurement fraud investigations. Special Agent Kirk's law enforcement career began in the Norfolk fraud unit of the Naval Investigative Service, NIS--the precursor of today's NCIS. In addition to contributing to the collective success of the office there, Special Agent Kirk was singled out to receive the NIS Director's Cup, distinguishing her as the first-ever NIS Special Agent of the Year for fraud investigations. Her early career assignments were particularly fraud-focused and included tours at NAS Oceana, Pearl Harbor, New York, and Washington, DC. Among other postings, she spent a year with the FBI's Washington Field Office, working on major Government procurement fraud investigations jointly with her Bureau counterparts. That was followed by her first assignment in the counterintelligence arena in 1996, supporting both arms control treaty implementation and the Navy's International Program Office. Eighteen months later, Special Agent Kirk transferred to NCIS headquarters to serve as a desk officer in the NCIS Counterintelligence Directorate's Pacific Division. In 1999, in what she describes as one of the most significant highlights of her career, she was selected to represent NCIS as a DOD legislative fellow on Capitol Hill. She served on the staff of the late Congresswoman Tillie Fowler, where she worked on a variety of defense, judiciary, and other issues. As a result of Special Agent Kirk's presence and persistence, Congresswoman Fowler sponsored legislation that was later incorporated into the Fiscal Year 2001 National Defense Authorization Act and ultimately resulted in statutory arrest authority being granted to civilian special agents of NCIS--an act of Congress that to this day is considered a watershed event within the agency. Following her Capitol Hill assignment, Special Agent Kirk was reassigned to the NCIS Counterintelligence Directorate, where she worked on a host of policy issues. Thereafter, she was promoted to supervisory special agent and posted to NCIS's Washington, DC, field office. While her first year there was spent investigating procurement fraud, Special Agent Kirk and the fraud squad refocused their efforts on counterterrorism concerns as a result of the 9/11 attacks and the anthrax threat that plagued the Nation's Capital at that time. In 2002, Special Agent Kirk transferred to the Pentagon as the NCIS liaison to the Joint Counterintelligence Evaluation Office within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She was subsequently assigned to be Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Criminal Investigations at the NCIS Southeast Field Office, located aboard Naval Station Mayport. She concluded her NCIS career back in DC in the Navy's Acquisition Integrity Office. Mr. President, during the course of her Federal service, Special Agent Kirk has made many sacrifices. As noted above, she moved frequently to meet the needs of her agency, the Department of the Navy, and our Nation. She spent extended periods geographically separated from her husband, who was also an NCIS special agent, as each of them strived to meet their own mission demands. She and her husband, retired NCIS special agent Guy Kirk, have bought a home on the side of a mountain in Brevard, NC, where they plan to take some time together to hike and explore the area. She has also set up a stained glass studio and plans to pursue the artistic side of life. I know all of my colleagues join me in thanking Special Agent Kirk for her many years of dedicated service, and in wishing her ``fair winds and following seas'' as she and her husband Guy embark on the next chapter of their lives together.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, on December 20, 2005, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act was signed by the President and became law. This legislation established, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, HRSA, the C.W. ``Bill'' Young Cell Transplantation Program. This program, a successor to the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry, takes what used to be considered medical waste, deposits of umbilical cord blood, and banks it for future transplant recipients. Cord blood is the only known substitute for bone marrow. The first cord blood transplant in the United States not involving a family member was performed at Duke University Medical Center in 1993. Since then, cord blood transplants have become increasingly common. Nationwide, more than 500 cord blood transplants are performed each year. Today, cord blood transplantation is one of the most hopeful and exciting areas in the field of medicine. Together, adult stem cells and cord blood units have been used to treat over 70 blood cancers and genetic diseases. Let me tell you about a young girl named Sangeetha. She received a transplant 10 years ago at my alma mater, Duke University, when she was battling leukemia. Doctors struggled to find a bone marrow match for Sangeetha, who is Indian. Fortunately, doctors found a compatible match from a baby girl born in New York, and Sangeetha was able to have cord blood stem cell transplantation. I am pleased to say she graduated from Western Alamance High School last year and is now a freshman at East Carolina University. My amendment ensures that the cord blood program is included in the actual Labor-HHS appropriations bill. In the past, the cord blood program has enjoyed strong bipartisan support in Congress, and I ask that the Senate again show its support of this program by accepting my amendment. I also thank my colleagues, Senators Specter and Harkin, for their strong support of the cord blood program. Without their hard work, this life-saving program would not have received the funding increase that it did this year. Patients across the Nation have benefited from these state-of-the-art centers that are located in six States: North Carolina, New York, Washington, California, Colorado, and Texas. I know that in my home State of North Carolina, Duke University Medical Center has been working tirelessly to serve patients who travel from all across the country to benefit from the latest advancements in medical research. I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment. It is imperative that these centers are adequately funded to ensure that the National Cord Blood Centers can continue to expand and store more cord blood donations--which means matches for more patients in desperate need of a transplant. I ask for passage of the amendment.

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I call up No. 3341 pending at the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3313 pending at the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. DOLE. I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be temporarily set aside in order that I may offer an amendment.

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I have just returned from North Carolina where this morning I attended a presentation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the North Carolina Sheriffs Association. I heard today, as I have many times before, that ICE resources for enforcing our immigration laws are woefully underfunded. They tell me they are stretched much too thin, and they are asking for our help. As seen firsthand in parts of North Carolina, the programs carried out by ICE work, particularly where there are partnerships with local law enforcement. In North Carolina today we were announcing an exciting partnership between our 100 county sheriffs and ICE where tools will be made available to local law enforcement so they can help identify, apprehend, and remove illegal aliens who have self-identified themselves by committing crimes. But these programs that are so critical to enforcing our laws must have funding. This is the Senate's opportunity to act to make certain that these valuable programs are funded and our law enforcement professionals have the tools they need. My amendment would target $75 million in funds appropriated by the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program to benefit local law enforcement agencies as they assist ICE in enforcing Federal immigration laws. When it comes to tackling this complex issue of immigration, an important first step must be addressing the criminal element and ensuring that people can feel safe in their homes and communities. We have all heard about families shattered when an illegal alien driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or engaged in gang-related activity kills a law-abiding citizen. Many tragedies can be prevented if we give our local law enforcement officials the tools and resources to identify and process illegal criminal aliens. Providing greater funding for ICE programs will demonstrate our commitment to helping local law enforcement officials secure the resources they need, and it is the right thing to do for all our communities. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I simply wish to make the point that what I have suggested is ICE works at common purpose with SCAAP for money on the frontlines, where it is desperately needed by our law enforcement officials. This is State and local law enforcement. So I think they are working at common purpose. I wished to add that comment.

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I said what I have said earlier works at common purpose with SCAAP--the ICE funding--for money on the frontlines, where it is desperately needed by our law enforcement personnel. This is State and local law enforcement.