Bill Frist

Mr. FRIST

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, while the Democratic leader is here, I mentioned as he was returning to the floor that we are all working very hard to complete the bill on class action. I understand there are several other amendments to be considered. But I reflected our commitment to stay on the bill and complete it at the soonest time possible.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, very briefly, a number of Members have inquired about the schedule. It is my understanding that shortly Senator Feingold will be offering his amendment, and then we will debate that amendment tonight. We will have the vote on that amendment tomorrow at some time. We will have discussions with the Democratic leadership and Senator Feingold in terms of time. Thus, we will have no more rollcall votes tonight. The next rollcall vote I expect will be on the Feingold amendment sometime tomorrow. With that, the prospects of finishing this bill tomorrow at a very reasonable time--hopefully, midafternoon or early afternoon--are very good, very positive. There are lots of other discussions and issues that have to be dealt with, and I encourage they be dealt with later this afternoon and into the evening, tonight, and tomorrow morning so we can bring this bill to closure. We were just remarking, it has been a real pleasure, in terms of the approach of this bill--a bipartisan bill, amendments being debated in a timely way, people being able to express themselves--but bringing the bill to closure at an appropriate point, to me, is very constructive and very positive. I thank my colleagues for that. Thus, the next rollcall vote will be tomorrow at some point. No more rollcall votes tonight.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, that is right. Mr. President, again I encourage our colleagues to focus on the bill before us today and tonight and tomorrow, and we will be staying on the bill until we complete the bill. I appreciate everybody's consideration. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that S. 71 be star printed with the changes at the desk.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 10. 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 begin a period of morning business for up to 2 hours, with the first 30 minutes under the control of the majority leader or his designee, the second 30 minutes under the control of the Democratic leader or his designee, the third 30 minutes under the control of Senator McCain, and the final 30 minutes under the control of the Democratic leader or his designee; provided that following morning business, the Senate resume consideration of S. 5, the class action bill.

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. Mr. President, tomorrow, following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the class action fairness bill. We made real progress today. We were able to work through several key amendments, and it appears we are very close to final passage. The pending amendment is the Feingold amendment, and we hope to have that ready for a vote by 12:30 tomorrow or thereabouts. Again, I thank all Members for their cooperation throughout this bill. We have made substantial progress over the course of the day, and I look forward to completion of the bill at an early hour tomorrow.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that morning business be extended 10 minutes to each side.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, we will have a 60-minute period of morning business today, prior to resuming consideration of S. 5, the fairness bill. The bill managers will be here between 10:30 and 10:45 to begin debate. Amendments also are in order today, and I expect we can make good progress over the course of the day on the bill. I reiterate, Members should notify their respective cloakrooms if they intend to offer amendments to this legislation. The Senate will stand in recess today from 12:30 to 2:15 for the weekly policy luncheons. Also, I alert Senators that the Chertoff nomination to be Secretary of Homeland Security is now available on the Executive Calendar. We will be looking for the first available window to schedule that nomination for floor consideration as well. I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today we have a period of morning business until 3 this afternoon, and at 3 we will begin consideration of S. 5, the class action fairness bill. The agreement reached last week provides for debate only and requires amendments to be limited to the subject matter of the bill. I encourage Members to make their opening statements today so that we may begin the amendment process early tomorrow. I thank the Democratic leader for his cooperation as we begin the class action legislation. We have a short list of possible amendments from the other side. I hope we can lock in an exclusive list at the earliest time to facilitate management of the bill. I don't want to encourage amendments, but I would forewarn all Senators, if they intend to offer an amendment to the class action bill they should notify their respective chairmen just as soon as possible and notify the cloakrooms as well. In addition to beginning the debate on the class action bill today, we will also consider a resolution relating to the recent elections in Iraq. That resolution has been circulated, and we expect to have a rollcall vote on the resolution at 5:30 this afternoon. We hope to have that agreement locked in shortly, and we will alert Members accordingly when consent is granted for that vote. I also would announce that the Homeland and Governmental Affairs Committee is expected to report the nomination of Michael Chertoff to be Secretary of Homeland Security. Clearly we will want to schedule that important nomination for floor action as soon as possible. I yield the floor. I will have a few minutes on leader time shortly but would be happy to turn to the Democratic leader.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Madam President, in about 40 minutes or so we will be formally bringing to the floor S. 5, the Class Action Fairness Act. There will be opening statements over the course of the afternoon. We will not be submitting amendments specifically on the bill today or voting on the bill this afternoon, but I would like to take a few minutes and introduce my strong support on this important bill, a bill we have worked on for several years now in a bipartisan way. It is important, I believe, to put the debate in context. This particular bill gives us the first opportunity to take a major step forward on this floor to halt lawsuit abuses that occur across the country. Every 2 seconds a lawsuit is filed in America--every 2 seconds. In 2002, that added up to 16.3 million lawsuits filed in State courts. In the past decade, litigation has skyrocketed, creating the most expensive litigation system in the world. In 2003, the tort system cost an incredible $246 billion. In other words, that is approximately $845 for every man, woman, and child. At the current rate of increase, it is estimated that the per capita cost of the tort system will go up to $1,000 per person by 2006. That is $4,000 for a family of four. Nationally, the tort system costs more than the entire economic output of my own State of Tennessee. The result of this runaway litigation? Clogged courts, wasted taxpayers' dollars, restrained competitiveness, and unjust settlements that award huge attorney fees at the expense of injured victims who often get a coupon or nothing at all. Businesses spend millions of dollars each year defending themselves against lawsuits, many of them frivolous. Home Depot is now one of America's largest and most successful companies, but Bernie Marcus, who cofounded Home Depot back in 1978, says his business could never have gotten off the ground in the current legal climate. That is thousands of jobs that would have never been created, millions of products never sold, and prices that would never have been introduced for the benefit of consumers. Contrary to popular perception, small businesses, which are the engine of economic growth in our country, are the ones which are hardest hit by the lawsuit industry--not the large corporations. Small businesses take in 25 percent of America's business revenue but they bear 68 percent of the business tort costs. Let me repeat: Small businesses take in 25 percent of America's business revenue but they bear 68 percent of the tort costs. They spend a staggering $88 billion a year on legal fees--$88 billion that could be used to hire more workers, create more jobs, expand their businesses, or develop new products and services. Many small businesses can't afford the legal burden, so they close up shop and jobs are lost--and the economy overall suffers. Clearly, it is time for reform. We simply cannot afford the status quo. The cost of doing business in America keeps going up while respect for our legal system goes down. That is why today, as a first step, we are tackling class action. We should consider focusing on other areas of lawsuit abuse, including medical liability, asbestos, and bankruptcy--and in due time we will do just that. But we are beginning with class action to help those injured by negligence who often receive little or nothing while their attorneys pocket millions. Class action serves an important purpose in our justice system. We all know that. Class action lawsuits allow plaintiffs whose injuries are not big enough to justify the legal expense individually to combine their claims into one suit against a common defendant. This is an important and valuable tool to keep unscrupulous companies honest and to compensate legitimate victims. But the system has gotten off track. Opportunistic attorneys are distorting the process to generate excessive attorney fees at the expense of the injured plaintiffs. Take, for example, a case in my home State involving faulty plastic pipes. Throughout the 1970s and the 1980s, 6 million to 10 million new homes and apartments were fitted with the plastic piping. PB pipes, as they are known, were generally considered cheaper and more durable than either copper or galvanized steel systems. They were especially popular in the Sun Belt where we were experiencing a huge housing boom. Before long, however, the pipes and the fittings began to fail, causing leaks and property damage. A class action suit was filed on behalf of the homeowners who were stuck with these defective pipes. After extensive litigation, the lawyers reached a deal. The homeowners were eligible to receive less than 10 percent of the total settlement fund--less than 10 percent. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs' attorneys negotiated for themselves a $45 million payday--the equivalent of $2,000 per hour. This is just one of many examples of consumers getting a fraction of the total settlement, while the lawyers got millions. In fact, the Class Action Fairness Act enumerates a consumer class action bill of rights which will put an end to these unfair compensation packages. Under the Class Action Fairness Act, lawyers' fees for coupon settlements must be based either on the value of the coupons that are actually redeemed or the hours actually billed in prosecuting the class action. The consumer provisions will also require settlement deals to be written in plain English so plaintiffs know what is being negotiated and can make informed decisions about how to proceed. Second, the bill before the Senate will help end the phenomenon of forum shopping. Aggressive trial lawyers have found there are a few counties that are what is known as lawsuit friendly. These elected State court judges are quick to certify a class action and juries are known to grant extravagant damage awards. The same defendant can face copycat cases in different States, each granting a different result. These counties may have little or no geographic relationship to the plaintiffs or the defendant, but the trial lawyers know that simply the threat of suing in these counties can lead to large cash settlements. One study estimates that virtually every sector of the U.S. economy is on trial in only three State courts. The Class Action Fairness Act moves those large nationwide cases that genuinely impact the interstate commerce to the Federal courts where they belong. These are commonsense reforms that will bring fairness back to the system. For these reasons, the Class Action Fairness Act enjoys strong bipartisan support. It was reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with a bipartisan majority. I am confident if we continue working together to pass a clean bill without amendment, it will pass the House of Representatives quickly and be ready for the President's signature. Class action is an important tool of justice, but it is a tool that has been badly abused. Class Action Fairness Act will bring rationality to the system which will benefit the truly injured, keep America competitive, and restore the public respect for the law. I yield the floor.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Monday, February 7, 2005, at a time and location to be determined to hold a business meeting to consider the nominations of Michael Chertoff to be Secretary of Homeland Security, and Allen Weinstein to be Archivist of the United States.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, it has been 1 week since 8 million Iraqis cast their historic vote for freedom. Already a new sense of optimism is infusing the Iraqi people. I refer my colleagues to a story in the Washington Post this morning on this rising tide of civic pride. A young pharmacy owner tells the paper: You can feel the situation is changed. People seem to linger on the street longer. You can feel the momentum, the sense of optimism. A Baghdad bakery store manager said that he, too: . . . feels very optimistic things will change for the better because of the strong turnout in elections that reinforced our faith. The Post reports car stereos and storefront speakers proudly blare the anthem, ``My Homeland,'' which was banned by Saddam Hussein. Neighbors have more trust for one another after years and years of forced fear and suspicion. Most encouragingly, Iraqi police officers and national guardsmen are getting better tips and better information on the terrorist insurgents who are widely regarded by the Iraqi people as criminals. History is not going to soon forget that extraordinary sight of 8 million Iraqis risking their lives for freedom. Amidst those terrorist threats and bomb blasts, Iraqi voters streamed to over 5,000 polling stations across the country to cast their ballots. Families brought their young sons and daughters so they, too, could be witnesses to history. We also cannot forget the Iraqis who voted in over a dozen countries besides Iraq, including the United States. In fact, in my own hometown of Nashville, TN, we saw thousands of Iraqis voting in their first election in years. Election officials say they will have the total vote count by Thursday of this week. Whatever the outcome, January 30, 2005, marked the beginning of a new era in Iraq and the beginning of changes that will reverberate throughout the region. In the words of the President: The world heard ``the voice of freedom from the center of the Middle East.'' As we know, many Sunnis in the Baghdad region did not vote out of fear--probably it was more a mistaken belief that their actions would in some way delegitimize the electoral process. Over the last several days we have heard encouraging reports that Sunni leaders want to play an active role in the drafting of the constitution; that they want to be a part of the process and not separate from it, not isolated from it. Equally inspiring is the news that Shiite leaders are reaching out to the Sunnis and other minorities, reaching out to include them in the process. They, too, want the Sunni Iraqis to be part of that constitutional process, a part of the new, free, and democratic Iraq. What we saw on the 30th mirrors what many in Iraq told me and my colleagues who went to Iraq, now several weeks ago. They were right. Before we went over, and actually after we came back, you would hear again and again the doubts about the elections. Many watchers were humbled by the transformative power of these elections, similar to what we saw in Afghanistan last October. The effect these elections can have on a people and on a government and on a nation is so powerful, and we saw it played out recently in these elections. We saw it in the Ukraine, we saw it in the Palestinian Authority and, as I mentioned, in October in Afghanistan and now in Iraq. We hope to see it in the broader Middle East in the months and years ahead. Once oppressed by a brutal dictatorship, the Iraqis are inspiring people all over the world with their courage and determination. They now stand as a great, bright hope in a land that was too long shrouded by tyranny and by violence. We still have a long road and a hard road ahead. We all recognize that. No one should expect the violence to end, but the election and its ripple effects confirm that the Iraqi people are on the right path; and it renews our confidence in the human desire for liberty and for self-determination. The United States joins the President in his praise of the Iraqi people by the resolution we are about to pass here in the Senate. In a few moments, we will pass a resolution that expresses our support for the Iraqis as they move forward toward a free and full democracy that respects the rule of law and the rights of all its citizens. I want to give my personal thanks and thanks on behalf of all our colleagues to Senators Lugar, Dole, and the Democratic leader, Harry Reid, for all their leadership on this particular resolution. The Senate and the American people stand shoulder to shoulder with the Iraqis as they continue their remarkable journey toward freedom and democracy. Last Sunday's elections were the first of many momentous steps to come. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

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. Mr. President, after the first complete week that we have been in session, looking back over the last several days, we have had a productive week. Today, we confirmed Judge Alberto Gonzales as U.S. Attorney General. I talked to him a few moments ago. As we heard from so many, Judge Gonzales is an outstanding choice to lead the Justice Department. In that phone call, I had the opportunity to congratulate him and to express my optimistic anticipation of working with him in what I know will be a very productive and important several years. From very humble beginnings in Humble, TX, he has climbed to those highest peaks, in Government and law. As friend and fellow Texan Henry Cisneros attests, Judge Gonzales has a personal story that allows him to understand the realities so many Americans face in their everyday lives. A former Texas Supreme Court Justice, over the last 4 years as White House Counsel to the President, Judge Gonzales is eminently qualified to be our Nation's top law enforcement officer. Candid and thoughtful and always a straight shooter, for him the law is the law--exactly what is needed for this high post. I am confident he will serve with distinction and with honor. I applaud his confirmation. In addition to confirming Judge Gonzales, we passed the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act of 2005 this week. It didn't get a lot of fanfare, but this new legislation is another very important tool to help families protect their children from violent and explicit movie content. We have the V-chip, and we have television ratings. Now parents will have even more ways to stop inappropriate images from coming into and flooding their homes. As Senator Hatch, the lead sponsor of this bill, says, parents, not Hollywood, should decide what kids see today. The bill also provides a uniform Federal law to help crack down on international piracy, which is a huge problem in a creative industry. I mention that, in part, because I am from a part of the country in Tennessee that has a rich music tradition, extending from the Grand Ole Opry to the Country Music Hall of Fame. From Elvis Presley to Johnny Cash, throughout Tennessee, artists and musicians have shaped popular music the world over. Their contributions deserve to be celebrated. But they also deserve to be protected. That is what this legislation does. The legislation will help stop the Internet theft that threatens this creative industry and, indeed, the creative arts more broadly. I thank Senator Orrin Hatch, Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator John Cornyn, who is occupying the Chair, and Senator Dianne Feinstein for their hard work on this important issue.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate begin consideration of S. 5, the class action bill, on Monday, February 7, at a time to be determined by the majority leader after consultation with the Democratic leader; that Monday's consideration be limited to debate only; that during the consideration of the bill amendments be limited to those which are related to the subject matter of the bill.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 2 p.m. on Monday, February 7. I further ask unanimous 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 begin a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each; provided that at 3 p.m. the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. 5, the class action bill, as provided under the previous order.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, on Monday, following morning business, the Senate will begin consideration of the class action bill. The managers of the bill will be here on Monday. I encourage Members to make themselves available for opening statements. The previous order provides for debate only on the class action bill during Monday's session, and I expect we will start the amendment process early on Tuesday. I would also announce to my colleagues that we are working on a resolution relating to the recent elections in Iraq. It is our intent to have a vote on that resolution on Monday evening at approximately 5:30 p.m. Again, we do not have that locked in, but we will be working in good faith on the final language and agreement for that 5:30 vote.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the Senate is about to vote on the nomination of Judge Alberto Gonzales for Attorney General. We have had 3 days of spirited debate. I am gratified that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle decided not to block an up-or-down vote on his nomination. Judge Gonzales is eminently qualified to serve as our Nation's top law enforcement officer. He is an outstanding candidate who deserves our strong support. Unfortunately, during the course of this process a number of groundless criticisms have been unfairly leveled against Judge Gonzales, many of them based on exaggeration or quotations taken out of context. I will take this opportunity to very briefly address them for the record. First, President Bush does not have, nor has his administration ever had, an official Government policy condoning or authorizing torture or prisoner abuse. Let me restate for the record an excerpt from a Presidential memo dated February 7, 2002: Our values as a Nation, values that we share with many nations in the world, call for us to treat detainees humanely, including those who are not legally entitled to such treatment. . . .As a matter of policy, the United States Armed Forces shall continue to treat detainees humanely and, to the extent appropriate and consistent with the military necessity, in a manner consistent with the principles of the Geneva Conventions governing the laws of war. Second, neither Judge Gonzales nor the President have condoned, advocated, or authorized torture of prisoners. In fact, on numerous occasions both have explicitly condemned torture as an abhorrent interrogation technique. Third, Judge Gonzales was not the author but the recipient of memos focusing on interrogation methods of captured terrorists. The research memos that have been the focus of so much attention and criticism were written by the Office of Legal Counsel of the Department of Justice to Judge Gonzales as White House Counsel. The memos explored the legal interpretation of a Federal law. They did not set administration policy. The Department of Justice has since categorically withdrawn this controversial legal analysis, stating unequivocally: Torture is abhorrent, both to American law and to international norms. These are the facts, straight and simple. Judge Gonzales has acted with total professionalism and high regard for the law. Suggestions to the contrary are baseless and a slur against an honorable man. Judge Gonzales is highly qualified to be America's next Attorney General. Judge Gonzales is a man of keen intellect, high achievement, and unwavering respect for the law. He will continue to build on the success of the last 4 years in reducing crime, fighting corporate fraud, and upholding our civil rights. As our first Hispanic-American Attorney General, Judge Gonzales will stand as an inspiration to all Americans. I urge my colleagues to offer their full support to Alberto Gonzales as our next Attorney General. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. FRIST

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

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, in a final note, tomorrow, February 4--I mention this because we will not be in session tomorrow--is called National Wear Red Day. So I put my red tie on a little bit earlier, and I will be wearing it tomorrow because tomorrow all across the country men and women will be wearing this red color of dress, or pant suit, or tie, or maybe jackets, all to raise awareness for heart disease in women. A lot of people do not realize that this year more women will die of heart disease than men. People think heart disease, unfortunately, is a men's disease. More women will die of heart disease than men. It is true this year, last year, the year before that--all the way back to 1984. It is a fact. Last week, I had the pleasure of joining WomenHeart, which is the Nation's only patient advocacy organization for women with heart disease. I shared my experiences with them as a heart surgeon, as a heart and lung transplant surgeon, and the importance of awareness of early detection and prevention and treatment. It is not a ``man's disease'' and it is not an ``elderly disease.'' It is a disease that affects all people. There are over 8 million women nationwide who have heart disease right this very second. That is more than the number of women--if you added them together--in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Women who experience heart problems--it is interesting--die at a higher rate after their first heart attack than men. So you have a man and woman, they both have a heart attack, but the woman is more likely to die of a heart attack. We don't know exactly why that is the case, which is one of the things we need to continue to investigate. In my own State of Tennessee, the death rate for women with heart disease is 70 percent higher than men. These are the sorts of observations of phenomena that need to be even more aggressively investigated. And part of wearing red tomorrow is this awareness--the necessity of research, the focus on prevention and diagnosis of heart disease in women. We have made huge strides in treating heart disease in women. In January, the American Cancer Society released its annual statistical report, citing that mortality rates for heart disease are dropping dramatically. I am encouraged by this news. But we can't be complacent. Heart disease is still the second leading cause of death in the United States. While we can't control our genes--which is a large predeterminant--we can eat a healthy diet, get active, stay in shape, absolutely stop smoking, and reduce stress in our daily lives. Those are all the controllable variables which we know can have a dramatic impact on improving quality of life, if you have heart disease, or avoiding heart disease altogether. If we live by these very simple principles, we can live a healthier life and have a more optimistic outlook on life. In celebration of National Wear Red Day, in the spirit of the Heart Truth Campaign, I call upon each and every American to take action-- take charge of your health and this Friday wear red. I actually have a little pin on as well that has a red dress. You will see a lot of women wearing red dresses tomorrow. By encouraging awareness, you will help women across the country-- mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends--to learn the facts about this deadly disease.

Mr. FRIST

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, each year, nearly 1 of every 10 Americans is injured and requires medical attention. Injuries are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Trauma kills more people between the ages of one and 44 than any other disease or illness. While injury prevention programs have greatly reduced death and disability, severe injuries will continue. Given the mass trauma events of September 11, 2001 and our Nation's renewed focus on enhancing disaster preparedness, it is critical that the Federal Government increase its commitment to strengthening programs governing trauma care system planning and development. The direct and indirect cost of injury is estimated to be about $224 billion a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The death rate from unintentional injury is more than 50 percent higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Only one fourth of the U.S. population lives in an area served by a trauma care system. Studies of conventional trauma care show that as many as 35 percent of trauma patient deaths could have been prevented if optimal acute care had been available. It is essential that all Americans have access to a trauma system that provides needed care as quickly as possible. Since 1990, Congress has sought to improve care through the Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act. This Act provides grants for planning, implementing, and developing statewide trauma care systems. This critical program must be reauthorized. Therefore, I am introducing bipartisan legislation today, along with Senators Kennedy, Roberts, Jeffords, Talent, Clinton, and Murray to reauthorize this program. Despite our past investments, one half of the States in the country are still without a statewide trauma care system. Clearly we can do better. We must respond to the goals put forth by the Institute of Medicine in 1999--that Congress ``support a greater national commitment to, and support of, trauma care systems at the federal, state, and local levels.'' The ``Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act of 2005'', reauthorizes this program with several improvements: first, it improves the collection and analysis of trauma patient data with the goal of improving the overall system of care for these patients; second, the bill reduces the amount of matching funds that states will have to provide to participate in the program so that we can extend quality trauma care systems across the nation; third, the legislation provides a self-evaluation mechanism to assist states in assessing and improving their trauma care systems; fourth, it authorizes the Institute of Medicine to study the state of trauma care and trauma research; and finally, it doubles the funding available for this program to allow additional states to participate. I appreciate the support of my co-sponsors. I look forward to working with them, and with Senator Enzi, the Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, to see this bill passed this year. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.