Elizabeth Dole

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the remarkable accomplishments of a former Member of this body, a friend of many Senators, who delivered his first speech in this Chamber 34 years ago next week. It was April 14, 1969, when the gentleman from Kansas, Senator Bob Dole, stood not far from here to address his Senate colleagues for the first time. He spoke eloquently about a group of Americans who were very close to his heart . . . Americans who, prior to his involvement, had largely been ignored. It was a group of Americans he had joined exactly 24 years earlier, when on April 14, 1945, he was wounded in the hills of Italy as he led his men in battle. As a result of his wounds, Bob spent 39 months in various hospitals, and doctors operated on him eight times. Eventually, he was left without the use of his right arm. So it was that Senator Bob Dole who rose on April 14, 1969, not just to speak as a U.S. Senator, but as one of the millions of Americans who have a disability. Mr. President, at this time, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a copy of the April 14th speech.

Mrs. DOLE. I urge my colleagues to read it, because it is as compelling today at it was 34 years ago. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the challenges facing those with disabilities, and the steps needed to fulfill their dreams of full participation in society. Thanks to the leadership and perseverance of Bob Dole--and thanks to the work of others like Senator Domenici, Senator Harkin and Senator Kennedy--the dreams of millions of disabled Americans have become reality. Indeed, over the course of the past three decades, Bob Dole's fingerprints can be found all over every piece of legislation that increased opportunities for the disabled, including, of course, the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. Bob has described July 26, 1990--the day President Bush signed the ADA into law--as one of the most rewarding days of his life. He once said, ``I suppose there were some that day, who saw only a White House lawn covered with wheelchairs and guide dogs. But that just goes to show who in our society is truly limited. My own perspective was very different. As I looked around, I saw Americans with amazing gifts, who could finally contribute to a nation much in need of their skills and insights.'' Bob's concern for individuals with disabilities was not limited to those within America's borders. His leadership prodded the State Department to include the status of people with disabilities in its annual report on human rights. And since leaving the Senate, he has continued his advocacy on behalf of disabled Americans. Bob strongly supported the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Act of 1999, which expanded health coverage for persons with disabilities and created a new employment program through the Social Security Administration. And I can attest to the fact that Bob's devoted leadership to assisting disabled Americans in his public life is matched by leadership in his private life. In 1983, Bob attended a meeting of the Kansas Bankers Association in Dodge City. Waiting for him outside the room where two severely disabled young people with their parents. The young man was named Tim, and he was in a special wheelchair, unable to move anything except his eyes. The young woman, Carla, was only slightly more mobile. Both wanted to talk to Bob about gaining greater access to a more physically independent lifestyle. Bob stopped to talk and to listen, and as his nervous aides looked at their watches and suggested he was running behind schedule, he stayed and talked and listened some more. On his way back to Washington, Bob kept thinking about Tim and Carla. And when he arrived at our apartment he immediately told me how moved he was by the meeting. ``I've been meaning for years to start a foundation for the disabled,'' he said, ``and I haven't done it. This is the time'' In the years that followed, the Dole Foundation would raise over $7 million to address issues like job training and placement for disabled workers. One of the foundation's grants helped New York City's National Theater Workshop for the handicapped teach its members advanced communication skills. In Kentucky, a grant paved the way for a fast- food restaurant that employs the mentally retarded. Disabled students in Seattle were taught campground management skills, thanks to another Dole Foundation grant. A grant to Goodwill Industries of East Central North Carolina assisted the setting up of a Bank for people with disabilities--and in Raleigh, NC. A grant to Partnerships in Assisted Technology provided Internet training and support for people with disabilities. The focus of that foundation is now being carried on at the Robert J. Dole Human Development Center at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. And the Dole Center for Disabilities and the Law at Washburn University in Topeka, KS, is leading the way in the study and analysis of the legal rights of individuals with disabilities. I want to take a moment to give special recognition to two groups in North Carolina who deserve accolades for working every day to help those facing special challenges. The North Carolina Office on Disability and Health has the noble goal of increasing awareness and understanding of the health related needs of individuals with disabilities. And the North Carolina Governor's Advocacy Council for Persons with Disabilities is a group that lives its motto: ``Every person is entitled to equal protection under the law.'' Both are changing lives in North Carolina, and I look forward to working with these agencies on issues that impact North Carolians with disabilities. Bob Dole is a man of great modesty, and he is only learning of this speech as I speak. Bob doesn't talk about the number of young people who write to him for inspiration, telling him he is their hero. He always writes back or calls with words of encouragement, and often a pen-pal relationship develops. One of Bob's former staffers, the very talented Kerry Tymchuk, now with Senator Gordon Smith, has shared with me the story of Whitney Duggan. Whitney, a young girl from Oregon, was confined to a wheelchair due to injuries sustained in a horse riding accident. She wrote to Bob to express her thanks for his work on behalf of persons with disabilities and to encourage him in his 1996 campaign for the presidency. Bob responded, and he and Whitney were soon trading letters back and forth. Whitney and her mother eventually made their first visit to Washington, where Bob arranged tours of all the landmarks and lunch in the Capitol. Whitney became one of Bob's most loyal campaign volunteers, and sent words of encouragement to him when they were needed most. Two days after the presidential election in November of 1996, Bob said to Kerry Tymchuk, ``I bet Whitney is feeling pretty low. Let's give her a call.'' And Bob called her up to make sure she wasn't taking the loss too hard. Here was a man who just 48 hours earlier had lost a Presidential election. And rather than thinking of himself, he was thinking about a young disabled girl in Medford, OR. That is Bob Dole. I know my colleagues will agree with Bob in his belief that, despite all that has been accomplished, there is still much to be done. While we have eliminated many of the barriers the eye can see, there are still those we can't see and that no law can remove--barriers created by attitudes and misperceptions. Too often we overlook the talents of people with disabilities, whether they are physical or developmental. The remarkable Helen Keller once said, ``One must not consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.'' To make further progress, we must insist that ignorance not be tolerated, and we must work to ensure that all Americans have a chance to soar as far, and fly as high, as their skills and talents will take them. This mission is made all the more important by the ongoing courage and sacrifice of the men and women who wear the uniform of our country. As I traveled last week with President Bush to Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina, I was reminded of a time when Bob and I were dating, and he was visiting with my parents in Salisbury. Bob appeared one morning in the kitchen as Mother was preparing breakfast, with a towel draped over his right shoulder. ``Mrs. Hanford,'' he told my mother, ``I think you ought to see my problem.'' ``That's not a problem, Bob,'' she told him. ``That's a badge of honor.'' As courageous American soldiers return home, some will be doing so with their own ``badge of honor.'' It is our duty to ensure that those who return with a disability have every opportunity to live a full and productive life. It is very fitting that the state motto of Kansas is ``Ad astra per aspera''--To the stars through difficulties. Quite simply, I can think of no American who has done more in his life and career than Bob Dole to ensure that individuals with disabilities have the opportunity to reach their full potential. In doing so, he has earned more than just the pride and admiration of a loving wife. He has earned the respect of a grateful nation and the enduring thanks of millions of individuals he will never meet, but whose lives are better and richer and more productive because of him. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. I thank the Chair. (The remarks of Mrs. DOLE pertaining to the introduction of S. 709 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Mrs. DOLE. I thank the Chair. I yield the floor.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to The Right Honorable Tony Charles Lynton Blair, Prime Minister of Great Britain, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. For more than two centuries, Congress has expressed public gratitude on behalf of the Nation for the notable contributions of individuals and of groups through the Congressional Gold Medal. Congress created this honor as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievement and contributions. Originally bestowed upon military leaders, the first Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to George Washington by the Continental Congress on March 25, 1776, for his heroic service in the Revolutionary War. In the two centuries since the medal was first awarded, Congressional Gold Medal recipients have transcended nationality, country and politics. In addition to modern military leaders including General Douglas MacArthur and General Colin Powell, this award has recognized the extraordinary character and efforts of such world leaders as Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, another British wartime leader. In the year and a half since September 11, 2001, and particularly over the course of recent weeks, Prime Minister Blair has exhibited extraordinary courage in the war against terror. With steadfast and unwavering resolve, he has held firm to his principles without regard to, indeed in spite of, the shifting political winds. Again and again, he has been called on to demonstrate his recognition that tyrannical dictators cannot be allowed to terrorize their citizens and neighbors, or the world community. In the process, Prime Minister Blair has proven to be one of the strongest and most distinguished allies of the United States in our efforts to rid the world of terrorists, and to bring to justice the corrupt regimes that support them. Great Britain has long been a trusted ally of our Nation; however, Prime Minister Blair has gone beyond friendship to demonstrate true leadership for his nation and for Europe. In the 18th century, English philosopher Edmund Burke once said, ``The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.'' How poignant and how true that remains today. It is clear that Prime Minister Blair understands the truth in these words, and that true leaders often hold lonely positions when they forgo the political expedient to stand for what is right. Last week, a British newspaper editorialized about Prime Minister Blair's lonely struggle. ``Mr. Blair has not shrunk from debate,'' said The Independent, a newspaper that has frequently and loudly criticized the Prime Minister in the past. ``He has taken the argument to all quarters of his restive party. He has allowed the Commons its say. And despite all the doubts about this war, Mr. Blair has shown himself in the past few days to be at once the most formidable politician in the country and the right national leader for these deeply uncertain times.'' These are uncertain, but defining, times. America suffers with Great Britain during the struggles in Iraq. And we mourn together the loss of the brave individuals who dedicate their lives to defending freedom. The courage of the coalition forces in the theater, their skill and bravery on the front lines, the dedication and patriotism of their families at home, all extends back to their leaders. Prime Minister Blair has had the vision to see that Saddam Hussein is a dangerous man who continues to pose a threat to the region's stability, to his own people, and to the world through his sponsorship of terror. The liberation of Iraq will be the beginning, not the end, of our commitment to the people of Iraq. We will work together to supply humanitarian relief and strive for the long-term recovery of Iraq's economy. In this effort to bring freedom to a nation of people who have thirsted for relief from terror, Prime Minister Blair has taken a courageous and principled stand before the world. The simple lesson learned, the lesson Prime Minister Blair personifies, is that evil must be checked. History will be a kind judge of Tony Blair, for great leaders are remembered well when they stand by their convictions, especially when those stands are tested in the face of adversity, during times of conflict and strife. In such times of testing, we take the measure of our leaders, our institutions, and ourselves. Prime Minister Blair's character has proven strong and he deserves nothing less than our highest accolades. That is why I am proud and honored today to introduce legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Prime Minister Blair, and to thank him, on the floor on this Chamber, for his steadfast stand against evil. I encourage my colleagues to recognize Prime Minister Blair for the courage of his convictions by joining in support of this legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to The Right Honorable Tony Charles Lynton Blair, Prime Minister of Great Britain, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. For more than two centuries, Congress has expressed public gratitude on behalf of the Nation for the notable contributions of individuals and of groups through the Congressional Gold Medal. Congress created this honor as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievement and contributions. Originally bestowed upon military leaders, the first Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to George Washington by the Continental Congress on March 25, 1776, for his heroic service in the Revolutionary War. In the two centuries since the medal was first awarded, Congressional Gold Medal recipients have transcended nationality, country and politics. In addition to modern military leaders including General Douglas MacArthur and General Colin Powell, this award has recognized the extraordinary character and efforts of such world leaders as Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, another British wartime leader. In the year and a half since September 11, 2001, and particularly over the course of recent weeks, Prime Minister Blair has exhibited extraordinary courage in the war against terror. With steadfast and unwavering resolve, he has held firm to his principles without regard to, indeed in spite of, the shifting political winds. Again and again, he has been called on to demonstrate his recognition that tyrannical dictators cannot be allowed to terrorize their citizens and neighbors, or the world community. In the process, Prime Minister Blair has proven to be one of the strongest and most distinguished allies of the United States in our efforts to rid the world of terrorists, and to bring to justice the corrupt regimes that support them. Great Britain has long been a trusted ally of our Nation; however, Prime Minister Blair has gone beyond friendship to demonstrate true leadership for his nation and for Europe. In the 18th century, English philosopher Edmund Burke once said, ``The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.'' How poignant and how true that remains today. It is clear that Prime Minister Blair understands the truth in these words, and that true leaders often hold lonely positions when they forgo the political expedient to stand for what is right. Last week, a British newspaper editorialized about Prime Minister Blair's lonely struggle. ``Mr. Blair has not shrunk from debate,'' said The Independent, a newspaper that has frequently and loudly criticized the Prime Minister in the past. ``He has taken the argument to all quarters of his restive party. He has allowed the Commons its say. And despite all the doubts about this war, Mr. Blair has shown himself in the past few days to be at once the most formidable politician in the country and the right national leader for these deeply uncertain times.'' These are uncertain, but defining, times. America suffers with Great Britain during the struggles in Iraq. And we mourn together the loss of the brave individuals who dedicate their lives to defending freedom. The courage of the coalition forces in the theater, their skill and bravery on the front lines, the dedication and patriotism of their families at home, all extends back to their leaders. Prime Minister Blair has had the vision to see that Saddam Hussein is a dangerous man who continues to pose a threat to the region's stability, to his own people, and to the world through his sponsorship of terror. The liberation of Iraq will be the beginning, not the end, of our commitment to the people of Iraq. We will work together to supply humanitarian relief and strive for the long-term recovery of Iraq's economy. In this effort to bring freedom to a nation of people who have thirsted for relief from terror, Prime Minister Blair has taken a courageous and principled stand before the world. The simple lesson learned, the lesson Prime Minister Blair personifies, is that evil must be checked. History will be a kind judge of Tony Blair, for great leaders are remembered well when they stand by their convictions, especially when those stands are tested in the face of adversity, during times of conflict and strife. In such times of testing, we take the measure of our leaders, our institutions, and ourselves. Prime Minister Blair's character has proven strong and he deserves nothing less than our highest accolades. That is why I am proud and honored today to introduce legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Prime Minister Blair, and to thank him, on the floor on this Chamber, for his steadfast stand against evil. I encourage my colleagues to recognize Prime Minister Blair for the courage of his convictions by joining in support of this legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I rise tonight to express by great admiration and appreciation for Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie, a man who has served the Senate, and our country, with great dignity and honor. Bob and I have treasured our friendship with Lloyd and Mary Jane through many years. I feel blessed to know such a warm, compassionate and caring couple. They share a beautiful partnership and just last year celebrated 50 years of marriage and three wonderful children, Scott, Heather and Andrew. Mary Jane has long been admired for setting such a strong example of what it means to give of yourself. After battling breast cancer 20 years ago, she has done so much to help other women going through the pain--physical, emotional and spiritual--of cancer and cancer treatment. My thoughts and prayers are continually with Mary Jane and her family now, at this very difficult time in her life and theirs. Lloyd Ogilvie is an extraordinary man of God. He has served amongst us with such a gentle and humble spirit, that sometimes it has been easy to forget what a world-renown spiritual guide and Biblical scholar we have had in our midst. As a profound preacher, as well as an author and editor of over 40 books, Lloyd Ogilvie is admired the world over for his depth of insight into eternal truths and for his ability to communicate those truths in a God-horning and loving spirit. It has been our special blessing to have had this wise, dear man of God as our personal friend and advisor, standing with us here in the Senate Chamber or meeting with us just down the hall. The first in his family to attend college, Lloyd Ogilvie's plan was to study drama, hoping to go to Hollywood. He answered a call to preach instead, but still ended up in Hollywood--pastoring the First Presbyterian Church. After 23 years at First Presbyterian, Dr. Ogilvie answered another call--and became the 61st Chaplain of the Senate. Recommended by a bipartisan committee, he was nominated by then-Majority Leader Bob Dole and he began his duties March 13, 1995. He bridged Dole to Dole--and during his time in the Senate he has also bridged many differences, counseling and caring for both sides of the aisle. With that deep, booming voice of his, which we have come to so easily recognize and love, Lloyd has opened our days in prayer. Day after day, he has steadied our hearths and pointed our thoughts Heavenward. And I believe, as a result, he has helped us to render service to our Nation and to our God with a deeper sense of perspective and stewardship. From this first days as Chaplain, Dr. Ogilvie reached out in so many ways--one of which impacted my life--a weekly Bible study for Senate spouses. And one of the things I will miss most is the Senators' Bible Study he has led every Thursday at noon during my first 10 weeks in the U.S. Senate. Lloyd has seen all of us here in the Senate family as his parish. He will be deeply missed by the hundreds of Senate staffers, cafeteria workers, police officers, and service department personnel whom he has inspired to deeper faith and commitment. Lloyd's love of Christ, and his love of others in Christ's name, have been evident through his life, and his ministry amongst us, each and every day. There is a remarkable, caring spirit about Lloyd Ogilvie, a special attentiveness in his demeanor. Lloyd has a wonderful capacity for kindness and compassion. He has been a valued teacher and counselor to so many. He has been there at our side, when we or our family members have faced turmoil. And he has ministered among us when our Nation has faced special challenges. Each one of us is constantly in need of God's grace and guidance not only to make the big decisions, but also to perform life's routine duties with the love for others, the peace, the joy inherent in God's call. Lloyd Ogilvie has helped bring that grace and guidance to the Senate. His gift, and his passion, is helping others not only to understand God's will, but to resolve to live within God's will each and every day. Although Lloyd Ogilvie is leaving the Senate, I am comforted in knowing that he will still be praying for the people of the Senate. Through his continued friendship, and his writings, he will be a treasured resource for spiritual guidance. As former chaplains of distinction Peter Marshall and Richard Halverson continue to impact this historic Chamber, so, too, will Lloyd John Ogilvie.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. I thank the Chair. To date, nearly 40,000 men and women from North Carolina's military bases have been deployed for duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Last month, as a new member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I visited three of our military installations in North Carolina. I have always had the greatest respect and admiration for the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to defending our freedoms. It was particularly important to me to visit our armed forces personnel at this critical moment in our history and to tell them how much I appreciate what they do for us, for our country, each and every day. At Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station, and at Fort Bragg, I was moved by the dedication, the commitment, the patriotism of the members of our armed forces and their families. They make me proud and thankful to be an American. In a recent interview, my husband, Bob, was asked about his service in World War II--about being part of ``the Greatest Generation.'' He responded that it is the men and women of our military today who are the greatest generation. I agree with him completely. We have the best equipped, most capable, most courageous military force in the world. I remember my first day, 12 years ago, as president of the American Red Cross, walking into my new office to find a letter from Colin Powell, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. One of the oldest Red Cross assistance programs, the Armed Forces Emergency Services, was in jeopardy due to a lack of donor interest. I promised Colin Powell right then and there that we would do whatever it took to preserve that program for our men and women in uniform--and we did. Many people do not realize that wherever our military goes, the Red Cross goes with them to provide support and services, delivering 4,000 emergency messages a day to our military men and women. On that first day on my job, during the Persian Gulf war, our thoughts and prayers were with the Red Cross and our armed forces. Shortly after the war ended, I traveled to the Persian Gulf to thank the Red Crossers for their work and to deliver humanitarian aid to Kuwait. Even now, I can clearly recall the horror of Saddam Hussein's occupation of that country--oil fields burning, a hospital where scores of children had died because doctors and nurses fled the country to escape the horrors of Saddam Hussein and his forces. I put a call out, right then and there, for doctors and nurses to come to Kuwait through Red Cross sponsorship--and about 50 American medical personnel responded immediately. Saddam Hussein is a dangerous man who continues to pose a threat to the region's stability, to his own people, and to the American people through his sponsorship of terror. Right now, he's passing weapons of mass destruction to Iraqi troops--weapons he claimed not to have. He would gladly pass these weapons to terrorists to use against America. President Bush exhausted every option before resorting to military force. It is time to free the people of Iraq from Saddam Hussein's terror, to remove his weapons of mass destruction, to help Iraq establish democracy. I have the highest confidence in our Armed Forces, and I know they will complete the mission they are called to accomplish. As we go forward, my thoughts and prayers will constantly be with our Commander in Chief, with these men and women and their families, with the Iraqi people, and with all those on the front lines of this war. May God bless them all, and may God bless this great land of the free and home of the brave--America.

Mrs. DOLE

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

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Madam President, I rise to pay tribute to the excellent work of our intelligence services in capturing Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. This is a major triumph in the war on terror. Our officers from the Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Agency, and their counterparts in the Pakistani and intelligence services are to be highly commended. Let there be no doubt, capturing Mohammed is a big deal. He has a long and bloody history. He has been implicated in the 1993 bombing of the Twin Towers. He played a major role in plans to hijack airliners in Asia and crash them into the sea. He may well have been a leader in the attack on the USS Cole, an attack that killed 17 United States sailors and wounded 39 others. He has been implicated in the attacks on the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania which killed hundreds and wounded thousands. And he planned the attacks of September 11. It is not just attacks against Americans. He is now wanted by our friends, the Australians, for questioning in connection with the recent bombings in Bali which killed hundreds of those citizens. There has even been a warrant issued by our reluctant allies in France for his role in the bombing of a synagogue that killed a French citizen. Those are the horrible acts of his past that we know about. By capturing Mohammed, what devastating plots have our intelligence services prevented? Hopefully, as they start to learn more from Mohammed, they will also be able to thwart future attacks. Another possibility is that those who would engage in such acts will realize their secrets may now be compromised and, hopefully, they will abandon their plans. Not only did we get Mohammed, their operations planner, we also got Hawsawi, their chief financier. The 9/11 terrorists sent their left- over money to Hawsawi. By taking him out of the al-Qaida operations, we have damaged their ability to move money into terrorists' hands. This should hamper their ability to launch any currently planned operations. I want to thank our intelligence services for the work they do. Yes, there have been mistakes in the past, and there will be human failures in the future. But when we learn of their victories, they should be thanked. That thanks comes with the knowledge that there must be many more instances where we have been protected and there was no public acclaim for these servants of the public. Frankly, without the publicity surrounding this case, we might never have known all the agencies that contributed to the captures. The Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation do not watch after us alone. We should be thankful for the hard work of the men and women of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the National Reconnaissance Office. They and others are working around the clock to defend us in the war on terror. It is not just our intelligence agencies that should be thanked. It was our friends in Pakistan who discovered Mohammed, who arrested him, who turned him over. President Musharraf has continued his strong support for the war on terror, and we must continue to work with allies such as Pakistan to eradicate terrorism. Yes, this is a great win in the war on terror, but it was not a victory. We may never actually realize when we have achieved victory; for the men and women who make our intelligence system work will have to continue their vigilance, that quiet and all too often unheralded vigilance. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. DOLE. I withhold.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, in North Carolina the Kinston Free Press and the Winston-Salem Journal have called on Democrats to stop this filibuster. Even a student writer for the University of North Carolina school paper took the time to write about it and criticize the filibuster. This obstructionism is being noticed and people are angry. On this question of the Solicitor General's memos, the Winston-Salem Journal wrote: ``Congress should not be asking for such material.'' Does the Senator from Utah agree with the journal that ``if Democrats have a substantive reason for opposing Estrada's nomination, it is past time to produce it. If not, they should let the Senate vote.'' Does the Senator agree?

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the attached legislation ``Lumbee Acknowledgment Act of 2003,'' be printed in the Record.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the attached legislation ``Lumbee Acknowledgment Act of 2003,'' be printed in the Record.

Mrs. DOLE

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, it is my understanding that in the 107th Congress, $9.5 million was authorized by the Trade Promotion Authority Act for the hiring of up to 71 new customs agents to more vigorously enforce the existing textile trade agreements. I ask Senator Campbell, is that correct?

Mrs. DOLE. And it is also my understanding that this funding was not included in the final version of the bill before us. Is that also correct?

Mrs. DOLE. I understand the severe budget restraints you and the committee were working under to produce this final bill. I wish that the committee had been able to fund this very important measure. Since 1996, 65,7000 jobs have been lost in North Carolina alone in the textile industry. However, contrary to some opinions, the North Carolina textile industry can compete domestically and worldwide if, and I strongly emphasize ``if,'' the Federal Government allocates the resources to its customs agents to do their jobs and enforce existing trade agreements. Chuck Hayes, the former head of the American Textile Manufacturers Institute, once said that thousands of textile jobs could have been saved in North Carolina if the United States had rigorously enforced our existing textile trade agreements. But in order to do that, the Customs Service needs to hire many more experienced agents to be able to investigate cases of illegally shipped textile products into the United States through our ports. It is a massive undertaking but one that we must pursue in order to save the remaining textile jobs in North Carolina and elsewhere and put our domestic textile industry on a more equal basis versus overseas manufacturers.

Mrs. DOLE. I thank the Senator for that pledge to work with me. The health and welfare of thousands of hard-working North Carolina families depends on enforcing the textile trade agreements we now have in force. I will continue to stay in close contact with you and the committee on this issue. Port Security