Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent the amendment be set aside.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the pending amendments be set aside. On behalf of Senator Chambliss and others, I call up amendment No. 432.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Con. Res. 27, submitted earlier today.

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record, without intervening action or debate.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 787 which was received from the House.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of S. Res. 109 and S. Res. 110, which were submitted earlier today.

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, tomorrow, the Senate will resume consideration of the Iraq-Afghanistan supplemental. Although no rollcall votes will occur tomorrow, we hope to make additional progress on the bill. We expect to lock in some of the pending amendments for votes on Monday, and therefore Senators can expect a series of votes to occur Monday evening. It is my intention to complete action on this bill early next week, and Members should not wait until the last minute to offer their amendments.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 15. I further ask consent that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved, and the Senate then resume consideration of H.R. 1268, the Iraq-Afghanistan supplemental appropriations bill.

Mr. FRIST

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, there is one issue I talked about initially Monday and want to bring forth once again. Nothing is more important than the safety of the American people, and we have a lot of work to do in a particular area. Yesterday we learned that samples of the deadly H2N2 flu virus were accidentally shipped to 5,000 laboratories all over the world. Thankfully, nearly all of the samples have been destroyed. The H2N2 virus is lethal. It is fatal. Back in 1957, it killed over 70,000 people just here in the United States and as many as 1 million to 4 million people around the world. This latest news underscores, once again, just how vulnerable we are as an American people, as a world people, because viruses know no borders, they know no geography. There are no barriers. On Monday, 3 days ago, I spoke of the need to bolster State preparedness and Federal preparedness in this arena. I mentioned that exotic and deadly viruses, such as the Marburg virus that at this very moment is racking all of northern Angola--the Marburg virus being a virus which is an Ebola-like virus, a hemorrhagic-fever-type virus-- those viruses that are racking that country which we do not understand, for which we have no cure, for which we have no vaccine, are literally just a plane ride away from this room or from whoever is listening to me now through the media around the country. It is just a plane ride away. Avian flu has already killed 50 people. Some say, 50 people, that is not thousands of people. But it is 50 people from a virus that not too long ago we did not know anything about, that began to be harbored in birds, and now is being harbored in other animals and now has killed and jumped to kill 50 people; with just a tiny drift and ultimately a shift in a mutation, it becomes transmissible. Once again, we have no vaccine for avian flu. It is something for which we have no cure. We only have to look back to 1917, another type of avian flu, but very similar, which killed a half a million Americans, 50 million people around the world. Meanwhile, as all this goes on, there are only five major vaccine manufacturers worldwide that have production facilities in the United States. That is for all vaccines. Only two of those are actually United States companies. Our manufacturing base for vaccines is woefully inadequate for any of the threats I have just mentioned. Over the past 2 decades, the number of manufacturers who make vaccines for children has dwindled from 12 down to now just 4, and only 2 of the 4 manufacturers that make lifesaving vaccines for children are here in the United States. I spoke, as I mentioned, on this topic on Monday. I spoke on Monday because it was the 50th anniversary of the polio vaccine. Yesterday's news about the H2N2 virus is just one more reason why we need to take action. It is imperative we strengthen our domestic vaccine supply, we offer appropriate legal protections, and we encourage and incentivize collaboration between public and private sectors. We need to advance research and development. We need to put all these initiatives together to protect us from a deadly viral outbreak that scientific experts warn could come to our shores any day. America has been the engine of countless lifesaving discoveries and global health efforts. Once again, we are called upon to lead for the safety of our fellow citizens and, indeed, citizens around the world. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, under the previous order, there will now be a period for the transaction of morning business for up to 60 minutes, with the first half of the time under the control of the Democratic leader or his designee and the second half of the time under the control of the majority leader or his designee. The Senator from North Dakota.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I have a few other comments.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, once again today, the Senate will be in a period for morning business for 60 minutes. Following that time, the Senate will resume debate on the emergency supplemental appropriations bill. We have several amendments pending from yesterday that are currently under review, and Members may want to speak to those amendments. Much of the day yesterday we spent--both on the floor and off the floor--discussing the immigration issue. The issues surrounding immigration are critically important to our economy, to equity, and to security and fairness. They are all vital to this country. The leadership has encouraged those who want to participate in a comprehensive debate on immigration to postpone consideration of their amendments from this standpoint because this is an emergency supplemental spending bill to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and to have appropriate funding for tsunami relief. There will be a time later, before the end of the year, when we will address immigration in a comprehensive way. In spite of that, we have respected the rights of individual Senators who feel they absolutely must address specific issues, but I continue to encourage those who want to address immigration in a comprehensive way to do so at a more appropriate time. I know we can work out a process to keep moving forward on the emergency supplemental bill, but we have to address specifically the range of immigration issues that have been brought forth to the managers. The managers will continue to consider the amendments that are brought forward. Amendments that are brought forward, I encourage they relate to the supplemental emergency spending bill as much as possible. We expect votes over the course of today, and we will have, I expect, a very busy schedule over the course of the day. Mr. President, I have a few other remarks to make, but I will be happy to turn to the Democratic leader.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, we will begin today's session with a 1-hour period of morning business. Following that time, the Senate will resume debate on the emergency supplemental appropriations bill. Last night we agreed to a time limit of 40 minutes with respect to the pending Durbin amendment relating to the National Guard. If we are able to yield back some of that debate time, we would have a vote on the Durbin amendment by 10:50 this morning. If the debate continues past that point, then we will likely delay the vote on the amendment until sometime after noon today, after discussion with the Democratic leader. There are two additional pending amendments at this time, and we anticipate other amendments being offered throughout the day. Chairman Cochran will be here this morning to prepare to have the Senate debate and dispose of these amendments during today's session. I expect we will make considerable progress on the appropriations bill with rollcall votes as necessary over the course of the day. Just as a reminder to our colleagues, the Secretary of State will be giving a briefing to Senators today from 3 to 4 this afternoon for those interested.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Through the Chair, our expectation is to work through that hour. As the Democratic leader knows, and as our colleagues should know, we are trying to do briefings on a regular basis to make the opportunity available for people to come to these briefings. We do not need to stop action on the Senate floor. So we will be working through that period.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I wish to comment on the passing of Pope John Paul II last week. A number of us had the opportunity to represent the United States, represent this body in Rome. It was a moving experience, an emotional experience, and one that I briefly want to share. The passing of Pope John Paul II was moving. It was a historical event that riveted the world. Millions of Catholics and non-Catholics alike were touched and influenced by this great man. He leaves an extraordinary legacy that all of us have reflected upon over the last week. In his 26-year reign as head of the Catholic Church, the third longest pontificate in history, Pope John Paul was seen by more people than any other individual in history. He influenced more lives than many kings and presidents before him. Together with Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, Pope John Paul helped vanquish the Soviet Union, expose the brutality of communism, and free hundreds of millions of people around the world. He, indeed, was a hinge of history, one of the great leaders of the 20th century who helped make our world over on the pillars of faith, freedom, liberty, and human dignity. As I mentioned, I had the real privilege of leading a delegation of 14 Senators to pay tribute to this great leader. We left last Wednesday. As we soared over the Atlantic, all of us shared our thoughts and stories and reflected upon the Pope's remarkable life. Not only did he live through the great upheavals of the 20th century, but he helped bring about many of its greatest achievements. As a young man in war-torn Poland, he lived under those heavy boots of fascism and communism, and yet even then he possessed an enduring hope and commitment to man's redemption. To our great fortune, Karol Woljtyla ascended the world's stage and, as the 264th Pope of the Catholic Church, pressed belief into global action. In the Catholic Church, he grew its religious following from 757 million faithful when he began his papacy in 1978 to over 1 billion today. We arrived as a delegation in Rome on Thursday morning. The weather was truly glorious that day; one might even say Heaven-sent weather-- clear blue skies, sunshine, a gentle wind. After a brief moment to organize, we went to Vatican City. As we drove along the roadways, posters lined the city walls with giant pictures of John Paul emblazoned with the words ``grazie'' and ``a dio.'' As we pulled closer to St. Peter's Square, priests, monks, pilgrims, and well-wishers from around the world, many Americans, would come up and say hello to us, all crowding those stone streets around the Basilica. On that first day, our delegation was escorted into St. Peter's to view the Pope's body. We filed into the crowds as they passed respectfully. Many had waited hours and hours, indeed, well over 24 hours on average. They passed by bowing, saying prayers, crossing themselves, and waving small papal flags. As we came around the corner, we came into view of the Holy Father. It was a powerful moment for our entire delegation--the viewing. It was the first of many powerful moments over the remainder of that day and the next day when the service actually occurred. As we passed by the body, you could not help but to pause and run through a series of your own prayers of thankfulness, as each and every one of us did. The next day was the funeral. Again, it was a beautiful day--crisp weather, morning sky glistening overhead. The square was full, silent, solemn, and respectful. We were privileged to enter the Square and find our seats. Our seats were out front, probably 50 or 75 yards, both the Senate and House delegations. The ceremony was about 2\1/2\ hours. Many people have had the opportunity to see it on television, but the presence there, that sense of time and place is difficult to describe. You could feel the powerful strength of the man for whom we all gathered and prayed. It was uplifting, it was serious, and a very dignified celebration in many ways. As the funeral drew to a close, the adoration for Pope John Paul crescendoed to almost an electric pitch. I heard my colleagues who were with us describe it to our other colleagues over the course of the last 48 hours that way off in the distance we began to hear clapping and the roar of the crowd as it came forward, a huge wave all the way up to St. Peter's and then to the Basilica. It was truly a moving and powerful experience. The crowd did, at the end, begin to chant and begin to cheer as the Pope was held up one last time in that wooden coffin and dipped down to the people in St. Peter's. He was then lifted aloft and carried solemnly into the Basilica for his final burial. In closing, I know I speak for all my colleagues when I say it was a tremendous honor for those of us who were able to attend on behalf of our fellow Americans and this institution in paying our respects for a momentous and truly historic world figure. Pope John Paul will be remembered for many things: his intellect, his charisma, his warmth, his steadfast belief in the culture of life. Above all, he will be remembered for his humble dedication to God and his unwavering love for us all, each and every one a child of God. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning, following the 1 hour which is designated for morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 1268, the emergency supplemental appropriations bill. I anticipate amendments being offered over the course of the day. Therefore, Senators can expect rollcall votes throughout the day. I again ask Members to contact their respective cloakrooms if they intend to offer an amendment or amendments to the supplemental. This will allow Chairman Cochran and Senator Byrd to facilitate the amendment process. Yesterday, I mentioned the importance and the timeliness of this legislation, and I hope Members will take that into consideration as they contemplate amendments. We would like to finish this bill which provides funding for our troops as quickly as we can. Also, today we will have our respective policy luncheons and will recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. to accommodate those meetings. Mr. President, at this juncture I will yield to my colleagues for their brief statements and recognition of our guest Chaplain today, and then I will have a brief opening statement.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated member of the Senate family, Doug Fertig, Human Resources Director of the Senate Sergeant at Arms office, who passed away on April 2, 2005, at the age of 54. Doug Fertig came to the Sergeant at Arms in 1996 facing a formidable challenge to standardize processes, establish pay bands and job classifications and a leave accountability system to comply with the Congressional Accountability Act. Doug Fertig's dedication, knowledge and compassion to the Senate Sergeant at Arms organization turned the Human Resources Department into the professional organization it is today. Doug Fertig was born in Columbus, OH, received his B.A. from Oberlin College in 1972, and held Masters Degrees from Stanford University and Ohio State University. Doug Fertig was a dedicated family man who was very proud of his wife Susan, daughter Emily, and son Andrew. He was passionate about education and any sport involving Ohio State University. During his tenure with the Senate Sergeant at Arms, Doug Fertig was faced with many challenges, including anthrax in October 2001 and ricin in February 2004. Because of Doug's experience and calm demeanor, the challenges of relocating the Human Resources operation and continuing to serve the Senate community were met with calm leadership and competent direction and stability. Today we honor Doug for his dedication to the Senate, his love for his family, his compassion for the staff in the Human Resources department and the Senate Sergeant at Arms organization. His passing leaves the Senate community with a profound sense of loss. I hope it is of comfort to his family that so many people share their loss at this sad time.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I will speak on leader time.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today marks the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the polio vaccine. On April 12, 1955, Americans across the country cheered the news that Dr. Jonas Salk and his team of researchers had developed a vaccine that was ``safe, effective, and potent.'' One of mankind's most ancient enemies going as far back as ancient Egypt would finally be vanquished. It was truly a watershed in American history, launching an era of unprecedented vaccine development. Today, vaccines protect children from more than 12 vaccine- preventable diseases, reducing disease rates by as much as 99 percent in the United States. It is hard for today's generation to imagine the fear and the panic that gripped the Nation every summer in the first decades of the 20th century. Everyone was at risk--young and old, rich and poor. At the first signs of illness, swimming pools were closed and drained, movie theaters were padlocked shut, mothers cloistered their children for the duration, as everyone waited for that anxious cloud to pass. Some polio victims died. Others were debilitated for life. The 1916 polio epidemic alone killed 6,000 Americans and paralyzed another 27,000. Polio's most famous victim was, of course, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who contracted the virus at the age of 39 while on vacation. As America would later learn, the disease permanently paralyzed the future President. Even now, half of the 1 million polio survivors today suffer residual bouts of illness. Deborah Cunningham of Nashville, TN, recalls her childhood struggle with the vicious disease. It was 1951. She was only 6 years old. She had just begun the first grade when one morning she woke up with a severe headache. As she tried to walk across her bedroom to get dressed for school, she collapsed on the floor. Her parents rushed her to the local hospital where doctors examined her. They asked her to try to lift her legs. As she told a newspaper, the Commercial Appeal: ``I didn't know why they gave me such funny looks.'' She thought she had done as they said but, in fact, neither of her legs moved an inch. Deborah spent the next month in isolation, unable to speak or to eat solid foods. She was then moved to a ward for children with polio for 8 months where she spent the first 3 months encased in an iron lung. In 1946, there were 25,000 cases of polio across the country. By 1952, the annual tally had more than doubled to 58,000 new cases. Until Jonas Salk's historic breakthrough, polio was one of the most dread diseases in the world. Indeed, the development of the polio vaccine has been compared to the Moon landing. Today, polio has been nearly eradicated from the globe. Worldwide, only six countries are still significantly afflicted. In 1988, there were 350,000 cases worldwide. In 2003, that number was down to only 784 new cases. The World Health Organization is confident they will eradicate polio from the face of the globe by the end of the year. One gentleman who has been instrumental in the drive to eliminate polio is Tennessee's own William Sergeant, chairman of the International PolioPlus Committee. The 86-year-old has dedicated over 40 years fighting the spread of the disease. In 1998, he was the first recipient of the Hannah Neil World of Children Award. Today, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History will celebrate the vaccine's 50th anniversary. Dr. Salk's youngest son and FDR's granddaughter will be in attendance. Together they will help launch the Smithsonian's monthlong exhibition on the rise and fall of polio and the heroic efforts of Dr. Salk, and people such as Mr. Sergeant who worked tirelessly to defeat the disease. As we celebrate polio's final retreat from human history, we must be ever vigilant and aware of the new threats that are taking place today. HIV/AIDS, SARS, West Nile virus, avian flu, and most recently the Marburg virus are among the emerging dangers in the 21st century. Currently, Angola is suffering the most severe Marburg outbreak in recorded history. As of yesterday, the virus has killed 193 victims in 1 month. Marburg, which is a variant, a cousin, of the Ebola virus, is spread by bodily fluids, by things as small as little beads of sweat. Nine out of 10 people who contract the disease die typically within a week. The virus has an incubation of 5 to 10 days. The victim then suffers a sudden onset of fever, chills, and muscle aches. These symptoms quickly escalate to nausea, vomiting, chest tightness, and abdominal pain, ultimately leading to organ failure and death. There is no cure and there is no effective vaccine. Scientists do not know the source of the virus or how it is initially transmitted into the human population. It is one plane ride away from the United States of America. There is no cure and there is no vaccine. At this very moment, international health workers in Angola are working feverishly to contain its spread. The epidemic is expected to last up to 3 months. Meanwhile, there is avian flu. We continue to receive disturbing reports on the avian flu outbreaks in Asia. Already 50 people have died. Experts warn that the virus may mutate into a more lethal and more transmissible form, potentially unleashing a worldwide flu epidemic. If we do not address this threat now, tens of millions of people could die as a result, and we are dangerously behind. The flu vaccine shortage last winter underscores the fragility of our vaccine supply in this country and indeed around the world. It underscores our need to bolster Federal and State preparedness whether in the event of a bioterror attack or emerging infectious disease. We have had this discussion before. We need to take action. There are now only five major vaccine manufacturers worldwide that have production facilities in the United States. That is for all vaccines. Only two are U.S. companies. Over the past 2 decades, the number of manufacturers that made vaccines for children has dwindled from 12 now down to 4. Only two of the four manufacturers that make lifesaving vaccines for children are in the United States of America. Early this year, Republican leadership unveiled the Protecting America in the War on Terror Act of 2005. This legislation contains critical new provisions to strengthen our public health infrastructure, stabilize the vaccine industry, and encourage advanced research and development. It encourages the development of countermeasures against a biological, radiological, or nuclear attack as well as emerging infectious diseases. It does not address routine childhood immunizations. This legislation incorporates recommendations from top health officials, industry experts, and infectious disease specialists. I urge my colleagues to support these long overdue measures to keep America safe. I am gratified by my colleagues' efforts in the House to press this public safety issue. Indeed, in a few minutes the House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies is holding a hearing on pandemic preparedness and influenza vaccine supply. Officials from the CDC, NAID, and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services will offer testimony this morning on the status of our public health security. We cannot afford to be complacent. Experts tell us that the emergence of the worldwide flu pandemic is not a mere possibility but an all too frightening probability. Millions of lives could be lost if we fail to act. We must continue to search for preventions and cures to the new diseases on the horizon. Most recently, thanks to the success of U.S. immunization efforts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that rubella is no longer a major health threat in the United States. However, Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the CDC, stresses: We have to remain vigilant because, as we say in public health, our network is only as strong as the weakest link . . . [We] have to sustain our commitment to immunization. We have to strengthen all of the links in the network, and we have to do everything possible to protect the health of children here within our country, as well as beyond. We have come a long way since the famed Ernest William Goodpasture helped pioneer the development of vaccines. His work at Vanderbilt University helped create the vaccines that protect us from chickenpox, smallpox, yellow fever, typhus, Rocky Mountain fever, and many other viral diseases. I am confident that we possess the ingenuity. America has been the engine of countless lifesaving discoveries and global health efforts. Now it is time for us to demonstrate our resolve once again for the safety of our fellow citizens and millions of people around the globe. I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, on September 30, 2004, I had the pleasure to announce that Senator Gordon Smith was the latest recipient of the Senate's Golden Gavel Award, marking his 100th hour of presiding over the Senate. The Golden Gavel Award has long served as a symbol of appreciation for the time that Senators contribute to presiding over the Senate--a privileged and important duty. Since the 1960s, Senators who preside for 100 hours have been recognized with this coveted award. On behalf of the Senate, I extend our sincere appreciation to Senator Smith for presiding during the 108th Congress.