Dianne Feinstein

Mrs. FEINSTEIN

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the amendment proposed by the distinguished Senator from Missouri, Mrs. McCaskill. This amendment would eliminate 16 congressionally directed spending items in the National Park Service's Save America's Treasures Program. I would like to say what these are: in Alabama, Swayne Hall, Talladega; in California, Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara; in Florida, Freedom Tower, Miami; Iowa, Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines; Kansas, Colonial Fox Theater, Pittsburgh; Michigan, Big Sable Lighthouse, Luddington; Madison County Courthouse, Mississippi; Mississippi, Medgar Evers site, Jackson; Nevada, the Lincoln County Courthouse, Pioche; New York, the Strand Theater, Plattsburgh; New York, the Richard Olmstead Complex, Buffalo; Oregon, the Wallowa County Courthouse, Enterprise; Rhode Island, the Warwick City Hall, Warwick; the State Theater, Sioux Falls, SD; the Blount Mansion, Knoxville, TN, and the Capitol Theater, Wheeling, WV. Those are the 16 that would be eliminated. The underlying argument is that this bill continues business as usual when it comes to earmarking funds, and this is hardly the case. The Senate leadership and the chairman and ranking member of the Appropriations Committee have built on the reforms established by the last Congress when it comes to congressionally directed spending. To offer more opportunity for public scrutiny of Member requests, Members are now required to post detailed information concerning their earmark requests on their official Web sites at the time the request is made. Each Senator must explain the purpose of the earmark and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds. A list of every congressionally directed spending item in this bill has been on the Internet for public scrutiny since June 17, 2009, when it was first marked up by the Interior Subcommittee. For every congressionally directed spending item contained in this bill, the Senator has certified that he or she or his or her immediate family has no financial interest in the item requested. These letters of certification are available to the public on the Internet. These reforms are not the status quo. They represent significant improvements in the transparency and accountability for the spending decisions contained in the various appropriations measures being brought before this body. Let me now explain the process used to evaluate these specific Save America's Treasures earmarks. As Senator Alexander and I have reviewed each of the 128 funding requests the Interior Subcommittee has received, we applied the same criteria that has been applied for the past 10 years and that has been codified in the program's authorization. When we did that, only 16 projects passed muster. For example, if the project received funding in the past it was ineligible for a grant this year. If the project was a building and the building was not listed on the National Register of Historic Places, then it was ineligible for a grant this year. If the local authorities did not have the required one-to-one matching funding in hand, then it was ineligible for a grant this year. Then, even if the project cleared those hurdles, we still set aside those requests that were not considered the highest priority by the requesting Members. When that process was complete, what we ended up with were the 16 very good and credible projects that I have just read. So I urge a ``no'' vote on the McCaskill amendment. Mr. President, I move to table the amendment.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I believe there is a time agreement so I cannot move to table at this time. I withdraw my motion to table.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum and ask unanimous consent that the time during the quorum call be equally divided.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, it is my understanding that there is 2 minutes equally divided on the Vitter motion to recommit. I ask unanimous consent to speak for 1\1/2\ minutes on the amendment.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I have no objection to equal time.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I oppose this motion to recommit because it would prevent the Obama administration from presenting its oil and gas development plan in favor of a draft plan issued by the Bush administration on its last business day in office. The amendment would overturn Interior Secretary Salazar's decision to extend the public comment period over a 5-year plan for oil and gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf by 180 days. The amendment would make the last-minute Bush draft binding. The Bush plan only allowed for a 60-day deadline for public comment. That is not enough time. The Interior Department received 350,000 public comments during the extended comment period. The Department should not be prevented from studying these comments and proposing the best plan it can. In addition, there is currently insufficient data on available resources for the Atlantic seaboard where the Bush plan would extend drilling. We should not make decisions to sell off taxpayer resources based on old information.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I move to table the motion to recommit and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, regrettably, I wish to speak against the amendment. There has been a rigorous vetting process of these projects. We looked at 128 requests. Only 16 of those passed muster. Earlier, I outlined the criteria which were strictly observed in selecting these projects. I outlined what the projects are. We applied the same criteria that is in the law. These are all excellent projects. I urge my colleagues to support the committee bill and oppose this amendment. I move to table the McCaskill amendment, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

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

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, it is my understanding that we have to vacate the Chamber at 5:30 p.m. so the room can be swept for the ceremony. I know Senator Ensign wishes to speak. I have stated to him that he could speak, so I would like to have the floor open to him to speak for the remaining time.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 23, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 23, 2009, at 9:30 a.m., in room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 23, 2009, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Defense Contract Audit Agency: Who Is Responsible for Reform?''.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 23, 2009, at 10 a.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Reauthorizing the USA PATRIOT Act: Ensuring Liberty and Security.''

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 23, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Judicial Nominations.''

Mrs. FEINSTEIN

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1035 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I ask unanimous consent that a Bingaman amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the HELP Committee be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to H. Con. Res. 59.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 282, which was submitted earlier today.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 283, submitted earlier today.