Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I rise today to speak to legislation that will be introduced by myself and others later today that focuses on an issue which has for too long been neglected, not just by our people or our Government but, indeed, peoples around the world. It centers on the issue of access to safe water and sanitation. This legislation focuses on developing countries with specific policies outlined in the legislation. I am pleased we have Members on both sides of the aisle joining me as original cosponsors of this legislation which will be introduced later today. It boils down to the simple fact that every 15 seconds, a child dies because of a disease contracted from unclean water. Four children have died since I began talking on this particular issue. Fully 90 percent of infant deaths, of deaths of children less than 5 years of age, relate to waterborne illnesses, a product of lack of access to clean water or inadequate sanitation. In total, water-related illnesses kill 14,000 people a day, and most of them are children. That is over 5 million people a year. It does not include the other millions of individuals who will be debilitated and prevented from living healthy lives. Globally, in many ways, waterborne disease is a silent tsunami. That is the impact it has on a continuing basis. Now is the time to focus on it. Now is the time to act because these are preventable deaths. Typhoid, cholera, dysentery, dengue fever, trachoma, intestinal helminth infection, and schistosomiasis can all be prevented by simply providing safe water and sanitation. More than 1.1 billion people today lack access to clean water. They do not have access to what we take for granted. We can go to the water faucets and drink water in most parts of this country, but lack of access to that clean water is killing a child every 15 seconds. Malaria, which is a mosquito-borne disease directly linked with stagnant pools of water, kills 1 million people each year. Again, most of those are young children. It is preventable. Unfortunately, reliable projections suggest that the problem is bad, but projections are that it is getting worse. We know it is getting worse. Water stress and water scarcity, leading to disease-borne and impure water, is increasing. If we look forward to 2025, upwards of two-thirds of the world's population may be subject to water stress. There are over 260 river basins across the world that are shared by two or more countries that actually share the water basins. There are 13 basins that flow through 5 or more countries. There, water is scarce where it is shared by so many. Yet it is so necessary that scarcity can, historically, result in armed conflict. Clean water seems so simple. It seems so basic. In America, we, for the most part, take it for granted. The rest of the world cannot. UNICEF reports that over half of the world's schools lack safe water and sanitation. In many parts of the world, including in Africa where I have the opportunity to visit, people travel not just an hour but 3 and 4 hours to provide water on a daily basis for their family. In many ways, it becomes a women's issue globally because in most countries that burden falls upon women who are pulled away from addressing other issues such as their children and family. It takes time going to that water source and carrying it home. Imagine living in a rural village in Sub-Saharan Africa or East Asia where village members share their water with livestock, where you have contamination occurring on an ongoing basis. Imagine being a grandmother like Mihiret G-Maryam from a small village in Ethiopia who watched five of her grandchildren between the ages of 3 and 8 die from water-related diseases. Before the U.K.-based WaterAid organization intervened in her community, constant stomach pain and diarrhea were a fact of life, an accepted fact of life. The foul-smelling contaminated water exposed Mihiret and her neighbors to parasitic diseases. They had no latrines. Human waste, human excretions were everywhere. As Mihiret testifies: It was horrid to see, as well as being unhealthy. Now, because of the education and investment of WaterAid, together with the local church, her village is clean, and people no longer have to suffer from that chronic stomach ache, pain, and diarrhea. Clean water has literally saved lives. This story demonstrates that proper management and intervention can be a currency for peace and international cooperation. On my medical missions, I have seen this on a daily basis. Most recently, in January, a bipartisan group of Senators went to East Asia to serve in the aftermath of the December 26 tsunami. As I have mentioned in the Senate, traveling over the Sri Lanka coast for hundreds and hundreds of miles, we could see that devastation was nonstop. We saw the destruction of local water sources, water buckets washed away, and the contamination of wells with saltwater. We know the statistics: Well over 150,000 people died, and a million lost their homes. Many are still missing as of today. Thousands of children will grow up without their parents. It will take a lot of time and, yes, a lot of resources to rebuild that infrastructure. A lot of people will never recover from the psychological shock, and the scale of the tragedy is difficult to comprehend. I mention that because if you look at what happened in the tsunami, it illustrates what can happen when one focuses aggressively on relief with clean water. The tsunami poisoned wells, and the routine dependence on water was taken away. That lack of access to clean water introduced the potential for dysentery, for cholera, and for malaria. As we flew over the coast we could look out the window and see stagnant pools of water that, if left, will become a source of breeding for the mosquitos that ultimately could have led to a malaria epidemic. Those things did not happen because of the rapid relief addressing clean water and sanitation. We participated in these relief efforts. Many participated in some way. What is critical to understand in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami is that there are long-term solutions to the problem surrounding water which we in this body and our Government have not yet addressed. But when you have a child dying every 15 seconds from a preventable cause--that is, lack of access to clean water--there are things we can do to focus and, hopefully, prevent thousands and thousands of deaths that occur now every week. March 22nd is designated by the U.N. General Assembly Resolution 58/ 217 World Water Day and will launch the International Decade For Action. That will launch an initiative called Water for Life. For the decade ahead--that is the next 10 years--from 2005 to 2015, the United States has agreed to work to reduce by one-half ``the proportion of people who are unable to reach or afford safe drinking water along with access to basic sanitation.'' The President and the administration have taken steps to fulfill these commitments. In August 2002, the Water for the Poor Initiative was launched with the intent to improve sustainable management of fresh water resources in over 70 developing countries. An estimated $750 million was invested in this initiative in 2004. However, in a time of limited public resources, we find that in that year only a little over 6 percent, or about a 20th of total U.S. foreign assistance funding for water activities, was targeted for sub- Saharan Africa. Yet it is in sub-Saharan Africa that the major problem, for the most part, rests. It is an allocation of resources that we need to examine to see if it is appropriate instead of investing where the problem is. If the objective is to save lives, the allocation of our resources seems to be going to other areas. Sub-Saharan Africa is not only where we have the greatest problem today, but it has the fastest growing population. Thus, they will have some of the greatest need for clean water and sanitation in the future. As we look at the legislation we will be introducing, we all recognize there is no single piece of legislation that can fully address this huge challenge before us to eliminate these water-related diseases around the world. But I do think this legislation underscores the importance, in a bipartisan way, of continued leadership in this arena of addressing a problem that has been hidden from the world for too long. Alongside Government leadership, many dedicated organizations, private individuals, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, and international governmental organizations are working hard, each in their own ways, to address this challenge. The bipartisan legislation we are introducing today has three simple objectives. No. 1, it would make it clear that we would have an unequivocal pronouncement that clean, safe water and sanitation, sound water management, and improved hygiene for people around the world is a major policy goal of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. It becomes a major policy goal. It is not today, but it should be. And with this legislation it will be. Second, it would authorize a 5-year pilot program of $250 million a year to assist those countries that have the highest rates of waterborne diseases. This is what it does: It helps them develop funding mechanisms such as investment insurance, investment guarantees, or loan guarantees of up to 75 percent to develop sustainable--the key word is ``sustainable''--water infrastructure systems. Third, the legislation directs the Secretary of State, along with the Administrator of the USAID, to develop within 180 days a national strategy that would both assess what is being done today and what changes need to be made in order to expand access to safe water and sanitation. This national strategy would be produced in consultation with all of the Federal agencies addressing components of this problem today, along with appropriate international organizations, foreign countries, and U.S. nongovernmental associations and entities. I will close with mentioning this, as well: In the weeks ahead, I will introduce companion legislation to create a global health corps that will be using the Peace Corps as a model and inspiration. It will allow teams of medical professionals and other volunteers to travel to remote areas to provide medical treatment and public health information. Some of these teams will provide quick assistance when disaster strikes. Some will provide ongoing care in some of the neediest parts of the world. And many of these health volunteers would come from the ranks of experienced doctors, nurses, and medical technicians. We know that such public health and medical assistance can serve as a currency of peace and a vital tool of public diplomacy. Our assistance to other nations carries the most weight when it involves that personal and intimate contact at the community level, and where it also provides tangible benefits to everyday people. Medical and public health assistance does both of these things. Thus, it can be used as a currency of peace and a vital tool of public diplomacy. I look forward to the Foreign Relations Committee reporting this legislation in the near future, and I look forward to enacting this legislation expeditiously. Remember, every 15 seconds a child dies somewhere in the world from a waterborne illness because of a lack of access to clean water. In the short time I have given this statement on the Senate floor, another 50 children have died from diseases we know how to prevent. We must do our part to bring health and hope to the millions of people who need clean water. It is as simple as the glass of water that sits on my desk. I do thank the Democratic leader. We have been talking and working together on this legislation. I believe this can represent a tremendous bipartisan, ultimately bicameral effort that can reverse a human tragedy that is unfolding before our eyes as a product, at least in part, because of inadequate attention. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, for the information of Senators, this will be the last rollcall vote tonight. We will be coming in tomorrow at 9:15. We will have 1 hour of morning business. After that morning business, we will have two rollcall votes in all likelihood. So we need people back early in the morning. After that, another amendment will be introduced, and we may well have another vote prior to lunch tomorrow. I have talked to the Democratic leader and the managers on both sides, and that is agreeable. This will be the last rollcall vote tonight. Amendment No. 16, As Modified

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I will address my leader comments this morning to the bill S. 256, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. This legislation was passed with bipartisan support in the Judiciary Committee on the 17th. Over the last 7 years, it has repeatedly passed this Senate and the House with bipartisan majorities. Yet we still do not have a bill as law. That is the goal in this Congress. Both sides of the aisle recognize the current system is calling out for reform. Personal bankruptcies are skyrocketing and, at the same time, wealthy debtors are walking away from debts that they have the ability to repay. This abuse does not just hurt the creditor they owe, but it hurts all who end up paying higher fees and higher prices as a result of the system that is out of control. It is fitting that a Senator from Tennessee is talking about this issue. As it happens, a city in my home State of Tennessee, Memphis, has come to be known as the bankruptcy capital of America. Memphis ranks No. 1 in personal bankruptcy filings if you compare Memphis to 331 metropolitan areas. The total bankruptcy filing rate in Memphis in 2004 was roughly 26 people for every 1,000 residents. That is well over three times the national average. Bankruptcy has become so common that it has lost the stigma it had even a short generation ago. Today it is just another method for getting out of debt, a tool just to get out of debt. Some folks have even been known to plan their bankruptcy. They buy a house or they buy a car or furniture or whatever else they need and then file a bankruptcy form. They figure they can get the big ticket items upfront, and for everything else they will use cash. It is not altogether an accident that the Memphis bankruptcy system is what one attorney calls a ``well-oiled'' machine. It was Memphis's very own U.S. Representative, Walter Chandler, who established a chapter of bankruptcy law with the 1938 Chandler Act. His motivation was simple. America was going through the Great Depression. Times were tough for everyone. Debtors wanted to pay back what they owed, and local businesses needed to stay afloat. Congressman Chandler reformed the system to help those in dire financial trouble go to the courts and work out, appropriately, a payment plan. Congress has passed, and the courts have upheld, Federal bankruptcy laws for over 100 years. The Constitution gives Congress the express power to ``establish uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States.'' And the Supreme Court has stated: One of the primary purposes of the Bankruptcy Act is to give debtors a new opportunity in life in a clear field for future effort, unhampered by the pressure and discouragement of preexisting debt. Unfortunately, however, we veered away from this original positive, constructive, good intent. Bankruptcy filings were low during the early part of the 20th century. They were generally tied to whatever the business cycle might have been. In the past two decades, the number of bankruptcies have skyrocketed, actually accelerating during the economic boom, speeding up during the boom of the 1980s and the 1990s. The total number of bankruptcies more than doubled during the 1980s and then doubled, once again, from 1990 to 2003. For too many people, bankruptcy is no longer a last resort. It has become a first stop. Opportunistic debtors who have the means to repay use the law to evade personal responsibility. Unlike in Memphis, where filers typically use chapter 13, the overwhelming number of filers nationally--over 70 percent--opt for chapter 7 so they can walk away from their debt. Where does all this leave us? It leaves us at an historic high of over 1.6 million filings per year. Personal bankruptcies outnumber business bankruptcies by a multiple of more than 45 to 1. Among those filings, we see an increasing number which are fraudulent. In fact, the FBI estimates at least 10 percent of all filings involve fraud of some type. In most of the fraud cases that are identified, the filer in some way hides or pushes their assets over to the side. For example, a debtor would file chapter 7, claiming to have no assets of any kind, but they still drive a luxury sedan, may have a boat in the driveway, and even sport expensive jewelry and clothing. The result is pretty clear. Every bill you pay, I pay, that the American people pay includes what is a ``bankruptcy tax'' that amounts to about $400 a year for every man, woman, and child in this country-- an unnecessary bankruptcy tax of $400 for every man, woman, and child in this country. That is what we are addressing on the floor of the Senate this week. For that bankruptcy tax, people say: How do you pay that tax? I was meeting with some Tennesseans earlier this morning. They asked: What do you mean? How do you pay that tax? The tax is a hidden tax, but you pay it. It is in every electric bill, every phone bill, every mortgage payment you pay, every purchase of furniture, every car loan you obtain--$400 a year. Interest rates are higher, downpayment requirements are larger, grace periods become shorter, and late-payment penalties are astronomical, all because some people are shirking their debt obligations. The people who are hurt most by all of this are the low-income earners. Say, for example, you have a dishwasher and the dishwasher breaks. The owner would go to the neighborhood store. But because of the high rate of personal bankruptcies, they could not get credit. The store would no longer give credit. The owner, who has this broken dishwasher, cannot afford to pay for it with cash but is denied that opportunity to purchase because credit cannot be issued. The store cannot make the sale. It is those low-income earners who are disproportionately affected by a system that is out of balance. Without credit, saving up enough money to buy a couch or to even pay for school clothes can become a real hardship. And high interest rates can make using a credit card, as we all know, risky. Ultimately, bankruptcy abuse by wealthy debtors disproportionately harms those who can least afford it. That is why the Bankruptcy Reform Act enjoys strong bipartisan support, strong support from both sides of the aisle. It establishes a means test that is based on a fair principle, a simple principle, and that is this, that those who have the means should repay their debts. A simple principle: Those who have the means should repay their debts. It specifically exempts anyone who earns less than the median income in their State. It also allows every consumer to show special circumstances, if they exist, if they cannot handle a repayment plan. We know the No. 1 reason people file for bankruptcy is because of an unexpected health emergency. If you look at all these filings, that ends up being No. 1. Consequently, in the legislation that is on the floor, we allow every filer to deduct 100 percent of their medical costs. We also know education is a big outlay for many families. Under bankruptcy reform, parents can deduct private school tuition to protect their children's educational opportunities. The bill does much more. The bankruptcy bill strengthens protections for child support and alimony payments. It protects patient privacy and care during bankruptcy proceedings that involve health care facilities. It protects consumers from deceptive credit practices that can lead to financial distress, and it protects the system that allows America to be one of the most generous countries when it comes to bankruptcy. We all know sometimes a person simply gets in over their head or they get socked with an unexpected setback. They are overwhelmed by the bills, and for every step forward there are two or three steps back. Most people in this difficult situation want to do the right thing. It is in their heart to do the right thing. They want to pay their debtors, they want to meet their obligations, but they cannot. What they need is a fresh start. The legislation before us is thoughtful. It is well considered. It is family centered. It closes unfair loopholes so that the system and the people it is designed to help can get that fresh start and get back on track. I look forward to the debate today, which I know will be robust. We will be debating amendments and voting on the amendments over the course of the day--indeed, over the week. I am hopeful that by working together in a bipartisan way on a bill we know will be to the benefit of the American people, we will make huge progress today, tomorrow, and the next day, so we can soon have a bill on the floor that will receive overwhelming bipartisan support. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning, following leader time, we will proceed to a period of morning business for up to 60 minutes. That time is divided for the majority for the first 30 minutes and the minority in control of the second 30 minutes. At approximately 11:30 a.m. the Senate will resume consideration of the bankruptcy bill. Yesterday, we began debate of the bankruptcy bill with several opening statements and made great progress. Today, we expect to begin the amendment process. I understand Senator Durbin may be able to offer an amendment when we resume the bill this morning. We will recess from 12:30 until 2:15 today for the weekly policy luncheons. With respect to the voting schedule, it is my expectation to have votes this afternoon on bankruptcy-related amendments. Most probably we will not vote after 7 o'clock tonight, but as the schedule proceeds we will be able to make those announcements. We will have votes this afternoon. Given the compressed workweek, I hope to make great progress on the bill this week, spending Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday on this bill. Hopefully we can complete it this week.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to consideration of S. Res. 67, which was submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I welcome everyone back from the President's Day recess. I suspect the weather outside today makes our distinguished President pro tempore homesick for his home, Alaska. As we communicated over the last week, today, in just a few minutes, we will begin debate on the bankruptcy bill, S. 256, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. The chairman and ranking member are here to begin the opening remarks. Other Members will want to speak, I am sure, this afternoon. Our agreement provides for debate only today. Therefore, as previously announced, we will have no rollcall votes today. We do have several speakers. I don't expect a lengthy session today. I ask my colleagues to come to the Chamber to make opening statements and keep the afternoon full. I want people to make sure they have that opportunity to speak today, but do not expect a lengthy session because of the weather. We expect to begin the amendment process on the bill tomorrow. I encourage Members to notify their respective cloakrooms if they intend to offer amendments to this bill. I had the opportunity to talk to the Democratic leader over the recess, as well, and we both agreed we would encourage our caucuses to bring those amendments forward to the ranking member and the chairman so they can be addressed in an efficient and effective way. I expect we will make progress on amendments during tomorrow's session, although it is unlikely we will vote before the policy luncheons. I ask the chairman to consider having a vote shortly after the 2:15 reconvening tomorrow if at all possible. I understand we are just beginning today, but I encourage the amendment process to begin in the morning. Hopefully, we can debate amendments in the morning. I thank everyone for their assistance on this snowy Monday and look forward to a very constructive legislative period over the next several weeks. I will say more on the bankruptcy bill tomorrow morning. Let me say how pleased I am we are moving forward in considering this bill that many people have looked at for longer than 7 years. Over the last 7 years we have passed this bill, or a bill very similar to it, repeatedly, again and again, both in the House and in the Senate. The reason we have been able to pass the bill is that both sides of the aisle recognize the current system is calling for reform. Personal bankruptcies are skyrocketing and wealthy debtors are walking away from debts they can repay. This abuse is hurting everyone, not just the creditor they owe, but it hurts all who ultimately pay higher fees in prices to cover the loss. With that, I yield the floor as we begin debate on S. 256, the Bankruptcy Abuse and Prevention Consumer Protection Act of 2005.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, tomorrow, the Senate will resume consideration of the bankruptcy bill. Today we were able to accommodate several opening statements on the bill, and I hope that we can make real progress in the amendment process tomorrow. We anticipate that amendments will be offered prior to the policy luncheon recess. However, as I mentioned earlier today, I do not anticipate a vote on any amendment until after the policy luncheons. Again, I encourage all Members who may have amendments to the bill to contact the cloakrooms.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in terms of scheduling a vote--we will have more information on that tomorrow--again, it will be after the policy luncheon on the first amendment.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to consideration of S. Res. 68, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, March 1. I further ask 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 proceed to a period for morning business for 1 hour, with the first 30 minutes under the control of the majority leader or his designee, and the second 30 minutes under the control of the Democratic leader or his designee, and that the Senate then resume consideration of S. 256, the Bankruptcy Reform Act. I further ask consent that at 12:30 p.m., the Senate recess until 2:15 p.m. for the weekly party luncheons.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. 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. Madam President, on leader time, I will make a very brief statement on the assassination of Rafiq Hariri. On behalf of the Senate, I will spend these few moments to rise and condemn in the harshest terms the cowardly and despicable assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Monday, as Rafiq Hariri's motorcade was traveling along Beirut's Corniche seafront, a car bomb loaded with 600 pounds of explosives detonated, killing the former Prime Minister and 13 others. Our condolences go out to the Hariri family and the people of Lebanon. They have lost a great man, and they have lost a beloved leader. Rafiq Hariri served as Prime Minister in the aftermath of a devastating civil war that wrecked the country for 15 years. Over his 10 years in office, Prime Minister Hariri helped to revitalize the Lebanese economy and rebuild its shattered infrastructure, including the rebirth of Beirut's historic downtown district. His murder is a direct attack on the aspirations of the Lebanese people, and an attack on civilization itself. We demand an investigation, and we demand that the killers, and any backers of the killers, be brought to justice. Further, we strongly urge that Syria withdraw its 14,000 troops and intelligence personnel in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act passed by this body in 2003. We support the President's decision to recall our Ambassador from Syria and urge the President to restrict the mobility of Syrian diplomats in Washington, DC, and at the United Nations in New York City. Furthermore, we urge the President to seek a United Nations Security Council resolution that establishes an independent investigation into the assassination of the Prime Minister. Today, the Lebanese people mourn the murder of a great leader. They line the streets--Christian, Druze, and Sunni--in an extraordinary show of unity. Our message to them is clear: ``The United States Senate stands with you. Your voices will be heard.'' I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Armed Services Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 69 and that the bill be referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, today the Senate will begin with a period of morning business. Yesterday we debated the genetic nondiscrimination legislation and, as a reminder, we will vote on passage of that bill at 3 p.m. today. Throughout today's session, we will also be working on clearing the high risk pooling bill, as well as the committee funding resolution. The chairman and ranking member have been working on a resolution related to Lebanon, and we may be able to clear that resolution for floor action. Later today, I will have more to say on tomorrow's schedule and the schedule for when we return from the President's Day recess.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 5, S. Res. 50, the committee funding resolution.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 58, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 60, S. Res. 61, S. Res. 62, and S. Res. 63, which were submitted earlier today, en bloc; that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, en bloc.