Heidi Heitkamp

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Will my friend from Washington yield for a question?

Ms. HEITKAMP. We have now had this experience of 3\1/2\ months-- really 4 months because we are at the end of October--with no opportunity for a small business to actually look at how they could grow that small business. We know we have lost jobs all across America in States where they are economically challenged. Opportunities are there. We know that the large institutions, the large manufacturers in our country, some of which are in Senator Cantwell's State, rely on this small business chain of businesses, and those are the businesses that have been hit the hardest. If we wait, again, for another promise that we are going to put it on another vehicle--how much more inactivity, how much more disruption to these small businesses can these small supply chains have given their economics? Isn't it true that a small business is much more challenged by a day's delay in opening up the Ex-Im Bank than a large corporation?

Ms. HEITKAMP

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, we are on the floor in celebration of the American democracy, that occasionally things can work, and that we can overcome extremes in our country and actually pull together to do something for American manufacturers, to do something for American businesses, and to do what is right. I know my colleague, the senior Senator from the great State of Washington, is on a short timeframe, so before I proceed with my remarks I would like to yield the floor to Senator Murray.

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, yesterday was a great day, and it was a great day not just because something we have worked so long and hard on actually was advanced, and that we care about, reopening the Ex-Im Bank, but it was when a majority of people in the U.S. Congress stood up, led by a Republican from Tennessee, Representative Fincher, and actually said: We are not going to let hard rightwing politics get in the way of American jobs, American manufacturing opportunities, and get in the way of moving our country forward. I think that speaks volumes, and I hope it becomes an opportunity to move other broad bipartisan pieces of legislation forward. The frustration the American people have with the U.S. Congress is that things that seem to be no-brainers--legislation that seems to be so obvious in terms of the right kind of policy--do not get done in the U.S. Congress. So I am elated with what happened over in the House. Now the ball is back in our court. We have been waiting for a number of months to see House movement on this. Because of the discharge petition, because of this big vote, we now see House movement. The House has done their job. It is now time for us to do our job. I want to point out a couple of things about that vote. It ended up being over 70 percent of the House of Representatives. Think about that. In this time of hard partisan fighting, we have 70 percent of a body agreeing to an important public policy. What also is significant about that vote is 127 Republicans--in fact, a majority of Republicans in the House--voted to support the Ex-Im Bank, reauthorize it, open it up, and open up this opportunity for American manufacturers. There can be no debate. Along with my colleague from Washington, we have been saying all along that we believed there was broad support in the House of Representatives to do this. I think they hadn't had a test vote in the past. Now we know, and we can say it with great certainty, not only is there majority support, there is supermajority support for the Ex-Im Bank. Now it is our turn. Now it is our job once again. A few short months ago I stood in this body, working with my two great colleagues who have joined me on the floor, to push back and say: Look, if we believe in a trade agenda, we believe as the three of us have voted, to support TPA. We are now evaluating and analyzing TPP. What sense does it make to take one of the most significant and important trade tools such as the Ex-Im Bank--something that levels the playing field and creates huge opportunities for us to be competitive against a world where these kind of private agencies are supported by every major economy and every major government, including some of the developing nations right now-- what sense does it make to shut down or restrict that tool? In what world does that make sense? We have been making this commonsense argument and fighting against things that make absolutely no sense and, quite honestly, in many ways seems almost idiotic. Unfortunately, there are casualties to this failure in America today. American jobs have been lost, American economic opportunity has been lost, and America's position as a leading manufacturer and exporter of quality goods has been challenged because we have sent a message that we are not open for business. We have sent the message that we no longer are going to engage with the rest of the world in terms of developing and supporting exports. That is the wrong message. I think the House yesterday sent a huge message to those foreign nationals in those countries who think we were willing to basically abrogate the ground--give the ground away to other companies from other countries. We sent a loud-and-clear message that is not going to happen on our watch. I rise to make one final point before I ask my colleagues to join me. I will make one final point, which is this bill is going to come over from the House of Representatives. We have been having this discussion about what can we attach it to. We need to attach it to something because the House will not take it independently. Isn't that what we have been hearing; that the House couldn't possibly move this without being on a so called must-have piece of legislation. That argument is way gone. It has been blown up by the vote yesterday in the House of Representatives. Now that we no longer have that argument and we know we have a supermajority here--at least 64 votes and probably likely 67 votes for the Kirk-Heitkamp bill--we need to move this bill now. Let's open the Ex-Im Bank. Let's tell American small businesses that we are on their side. Let's tell American manufacturers that we hear you. We hear that we can't put you in a challenging and competitive global economy and then weigh you down with 100 pounds of inactivity on the Ex-Im Bank. We are going to be talking a lot about this in the next 2 or 3 weeks because it is not enough to wait for the next must-pass vehicle to pass through. I jokingly tell my staff I am going to introduce a bill called the vehicle and say: Here it is. The bill is ready to go right now. We are ready to make this happen. I am very excited for the Ex-Im Bank but more excited for so many of our workers, so many of our small businesses that have struggled and that have wondered why Washington cannot listen to their concerns. I think that question was answered yesterday, so I am very excited to call on my colleague from the great State of New Hampshire to also talk about the importance of the Ex-Im Bank at this point.

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I thank my great colleague from New Hampshire, who has done so much in her State to raise awareness about the importance of the Ex-Im Bank and who has also stood firm with the two great Senators from Washington, the Senator from Missouri, and the Senator from Delaware to basically say: You cannot just look at trade agreements and think you got every piece of important trade legislation passed. So she has been a champion. But we all have to admit that none of us have been as diligent, none of us have been as eloquent, and none of us have been as tenacious as the great Senator from the great State of Washington, who understands this issue so well and has been fighting for this issue for a number of years. So I yield the floor to the Senator from Washington.

Ms. HEITKAMP. Will the Senator from Washington yield?

Ms. HEITKAMP. One of the issues we heard so often during this debate has been that the private sector will step in, that the private sector will take on this responsibility, that we don't need to have the Export-Import Bank, that the private sector will fill the gap. Were there any cases where the private sector stepped up and filled the gap of the Ex-Im Bank?

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, we have been promised repeatedly since the end of June that we would be given an opportunity to reopen the Ex- Im Bank, that we would be given the tools to get the Ex-Im Bank operating and providing credit to American manufacturers. If you had told me that the end of July would come and go without putting the Bank back in business, I would have said: That won't happen. If you had told me that we would go through all of August and all of September without putting the Bank back in business, I would not have thought that could happen. We are now at the end of October and, quite frankly, we are at the end of our patience--and so are American manufacturers and so are American workers. The time to deal with reopening the Bank, the time to move this legislation is right now. The patience has run thin. The promises have never materialized in terms of moving this forward. We were told in the very early stages, back when we began to move this issue, that the only way we could possibly get it through the House of Representatives was if it were put on a must-pass piece of legislation, something such as the reauthorization of the surface transportation bill--whether we are going to have highway bills or whether we are going to put it on the debt limit or whatever it is-- because the House couldn't possibly move this legislation forward without any opportunity to put it on something else. That myth has disappeared. That theory is no longer available. That argument is no longer available to anyone in this Chamber. So the question becomes this: Now that we know the will of the Congress, reflecting the needs of the American people, the needs of the manufacturers in this country, and now that we know what the vote count is, why can't we get this done? Why would we tell the American public that in the face of an overwhelming majority in support of a critical piece of trade infrastructure and legislation that we can't get it done, that we have to wait even more months to see the Ex-Im Bank back in business? We will be back. We will continue to talk about this issue. We will continue to raise the concerns that we have about further delay and what that further delay is costing. But we also are extremely grateful for the work that was done in the House of Representatives against great odds to move this forward, to send a message to American manufacturers: Yes, this place can function, and we will listen to you, and we are moving forward on getting you this critical tool to keep people once again employed in your shops, to keep people once again working to export the great American products to the global economy. I yield the floor.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you to my great colleague from the great State of West Virginia, a State that has been powering America for many years--in fact, from the very beginning. My thanks go to all of the great workers and coal miners in her State who have added to our economic opportunity, not just for the people in West Virginia but for the people of an entire region. That is one thing we forget--that in America a great miracle happens every day. We turn on a light switch and the lights come on. If that doesn't happen or if it is too expensive to turn on that light switch, we will not be the country that we are. With this regulation, I think what we have done is cede the all-important role of electrical security and energy security to an environmental agency that does not have the experience or expertise to understand what it takes to get an electron in the wire. I am proud to stand today with my colleague Senator Capito and introduce a bill to roll back the EPA rule on carbon emissions--that rule which threatens the supply of abundant, affordable, and reliable electricity in North Dakota. I pledge to register my displeasure through multiple channels. This legislation today is the most public way of expressing not just my frustration but the frustration and concern of my State regulators and my State utilities. Although this rule will have dramatic consequences across the country, it unfairly targets North Dakota utilities. During the original draft rule, North Dakota's allocation was 11 percent. This is not something we were happy with given the extent of the jurisdictional reach but something that people started rolling up their sleeves saying if we have to reduce by 11 percent, how are we going to do it and how are we going to meet this challenge? That is the North Dakota way, to not only fight for our rights but also look at what the alternatives are. Unfortunately, when the draft rule went from an 11-percent to a 45-percent reduction in the final rule, that was the straw that broke the camel's back. I am trying to do everything I can to push back against EPA's burdensome powerplant rules to find workable solutions so North Dakotans can continue to have low-cost, reliable electricity. This CRA is one of the many different avenues I am taking to make sure that North Dakota is treated fairly. I want to talk about what is unique about North Dakota. In fact, a lot of the generation that happens in North Dakota is generation that is generated by rural electric co-ops. These co-ops own and operate about 90 percent of the State's coal-based generation facilities, and they provide electricity to rural areas that in the past other utilities would not serve, not just rural areas in North Dakota but rural areas all through the region. These are people at the end of the line, as we call them, the very people that this rule will most impact and that EPA and this administration failed to consider when they made this final rule. North Dakota's utilities are heavily invested in coal-based generation for a good and historic reason. I think this is an important point to make because a lot of people may say: Well, what is the difference? You can fuel switch. But at the time our electric co-ops built these generation facilities, they used coal because it was against Federal law to use natural gas. The fuel use act made it illegal to use natural gas for power generation, virtually forcing these power companies to make the investment that they made in this fuel source of coal. Now, after making billions of dollars of investments to meet the mandates under the fuel use act and to meet the numerous emissions standards that have been put forth by EPA, the administration once again is straining these assets, causing them in many cases to be stranded. If the administration were willing to pay fair market value to strand these assets, then maybe we could have a discussion, but I don't see that deal on the table. These utilities built, modified, and retrofitted all at great cost and according to Federal law at the time, and now they are threatening the very existence of this generation. These assets are not just critical to North Dakota. Our coal-based generation provides dependable, affordable, reliable baseload electricity to millions of people in the Great Plains with roughly 55 percent of electric power generated in North Dakota being shipped outside our border. When this final rule came out, I simply said that it was a slap in the face to our utilities and our regulators. This final rule was so vastly different from the rule that was proposed, it was almost laughable that EPA said it wasn't in any way informed by any real input or any real comment. How can you take a utility and a State from 11 percent to 45 percent and not reissue that rule? How can that be the movement in the final rule? I think this final rule is a rule that jeopardizes close to 17,000 good-paying jobs in my State. It provides power for rural communities that otherwise would struggle for affordable, reliable baseload power. We have some of the lowest power costs in the country because we have some of the best utilities in the country, which are always looking out for the consumer at the end of the line. North Dakota has never stepped down from a tough challenge, especially when the challenge is fair, the goal is attainable, and the timeline is achievable, but that is not this rule. The goal is not fair, the challenge is not fair, the goal is not attainable, and the timeline is unachievable in my State--unachievable. That is not anything the Clean Air Act ever anticipated--that we would set a goal with no feasible or possible way of meeting that goal, given current technology. Yet that is the position we are in. At the end of the day, what matters most is making sure that our utilities can do their jobs, making sure that when a North Dakotan or a South Dakotan or someone from Wyoming or Colorado, where we deliver power--and certainly those in Minnesota--reaches over to turn on that light switch, regardless of the time of the day, that light comes on. That is called baseload power. People who think this is easy, people who think this is just switch fuels or switch technology, have never sat in a boardroom as I have and listened to the challenges of putting that electron on that wire. I stand with my colleague from West Virginia and my colleague Joe Manchin here on our side of the aisle saying enough is enough. This is a problem we need to address. Maybe that is the difference in how we look at this. This is an issue that we can tackle and achieve results over time, but this rule is wrong. It is wrongheaded. It will, in fact, cause huge disruption to the economy of my State and the economy of the middle of this country. We have to do everything we can to prevent this rule from becoming a reality. Thank you for letting me join you, the great Senator from West Virginia. We have two great Senators from West Virginia here. I yield the floor.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I wish to recognize an historic milestone in the city of Grand Forks, ND, the 100th anniversary of the Edgewood Corporate Plaza Building. The Edgewood Corporate Plaza Building, located on the corner of Fourth Street and DeMers Avenue in downtown Grand Forks, is a fixture in this city. Formerly known as the First National Bank Building, it is an impressive classical revival style structure of brick and stone on a sturdy polished granite base that covers two of its five stories. When the building opened in 1915, it was home to the Scandinavian American Bank. It changed the face of downtown Grand Forks and helped spur westward growth toward the University of North Dakota. The bank, later known as First National Bank, and its building remained an anchor of the downtown area. It was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and is unofficially loved as the only building in the city with an escalator. Unfortunately, the devastating Red River flood in 1997 caused significant damage in Grand Forks. The bank building stood in 4 feet of floodwater while sustaining significant fire damage to its upper stories. Extensive rehabilitation has restored its beauty and function. Edgewood Real Estate Investment Trust and Edgewood Management Group purchased the building in 2012, and it is now the corporate office for Edgewood, which owns and operates more than 50 senior living communities and multifamily housing units across seven States. Downtown Grand Forks has redefined itself from its banking and retail heyday; its historic structures are now home to office and residential spaces, entertainment venues, and boutique retail. The Edgewood Corporate Plaza Building stands as a tribute to the city's history and a cornerstone for the bright future ahead.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for the following Senators to speak about the importance of the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank. I ask that Senator Coons be recognized for 5 minutes but first that Senator King be recognized for 5 minutes and that I be recognized for 10 minutes, reserving the remaining time for others who may join us. I wish to initially yield time to Senator King.

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, we have just heard what I think is almost a horror story from two great Senators, one representing 80 jobs, one representing maybe just dozens of jobs, but every one of those jobs matters in America. We come here every week and we say we are here fighting for the middle class. We are here fighting to build the American economy. We are here fighting to make sure our manufacturing and our businesses are competitive in a highly charged and highly competitive world. And we have an institution that is critical to making sure we have access to these export markets, doesn't cost the Treasury a dime, is used by large corporations and small corporations alike, and it is supported by Democrats and Republicans. But why do we shut down the Ex-Im Bank? I serve on the banking committee, and we had a hearing. The bill we have been considering these many months is the Kirk-Heitkamp bill. I have taken responsibility for addressing some of the concerns about the Ex-Im Bank and looking at how we can reform some of the things that are legitimate concerns about how the Bank operates. But I will tell my colleagues from that hearing that what we saw is the National Association of Manufacturers, we saw the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. And we might imagine that those two witnesses were the Republican witnesses. They were not the Republican witnesses; they were the Democratic witnesses. The Republican witnesses came from intellectual think tanks. They came from institutions of higher learning with conservative think tanks. They all had a theory about the Ex-Im Bank. I asked them a simple question when it came time for me to ask them a question. I asked every one of those persons who represented a think tank or represented an academic institution how many jobs they have created, what their output is, what their contribution to the gross domestic product was. They didn't have much of an answer. I said: Why should I believe what you are telling me in terms of this being the slippery slope toward the demise of democracy as we know it, which is really how the Ex-Im Bank has been categorized against the word of the National Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. This has become an irrational ideological fight. And, unfortunately, we have irrational ideological fights almost daily in the Congress, to no good end for the American people. But this Senator will say this: This fight has devastating consequences. We now have shut down the Bank. No new credit is coming in for 2\1/2\ months--2\1/2\ months where a small manufacturer in Delaware may say: Well, how have we done this in the past? How have we taken on currency risk? How have we taken on debt risk? How have we guaranteed this in the past? Call your local bank. Do you know what the banker is going to tell you? Call the Ex-Im Bank because in spite of what they tell you, somehow magically in this market will emerge a private institution that will carry on the responsibility of the Ex-Im Bank. That is not reality. The largest supporters of the Ex-Im Bank are those financial institutions that want to continue to provide credit and help grow those American businesses that are putting Americans back to work. One of the things I did want to talk about today is that way too often we hear about the so-called bank of Boeing, the bank of GE, and how it is that this institution helps only those large manufacturers. What I would tell you, first, is if you look at the business model of GE or the business model of Boeing, what they do is assemble. They assemble products that are manufactured all across the country, and the components are manufactured in large shops and small shops all the way down the supply chain to small communities that are doing things in Jamestown, ND, that are growing jobs. In the communities that you just heard about in Bangor, ME, and communities in Delaware, they are building out those jobs. Those are the people we are hearing from. Those are the people who are shaking their heads, saying: Why is it that you guys talk all the time about helping American business, growing the economy, growing exports? You talk all the time about jobs and the need to bring back the innovation, and you curtail and limit my ability to grow and, quite frankly, my ability to survive. How does that happen? I want to talk about the equipment wholesalers that will see a negative impact. Look at this--35 to 40 percent, if Ex-Im isn't reauthorized. Equipment wholesalers stated that without the Export-Import Bank, it will be at a disadvantage in increasingly globalized markets. No access--do you know why? Because there are 80 other countries that have export credit agencies. The first thing China and India did when Asia slowed down, when they knew their economies were beginning to suffer some of the consequences of slow growth--guess what they did. The first thing they did is pump more money into their export credit agencies--in fact, billions more into those export credit agencies. Then, when this institution shut down the Ex-Im Bank, they shouted: Hip, hip, hooray. They knew that not only did they have money to capitalize and to guarantee these sales, but they were operating in a market where we have unilaterally, economically disarmed in the export market. When we go back and take a look at how the U.S. Export-Import Bank has supported more than 850,000 jobs, when we look at Wahpeton, ND-- Wahpeton, ND, is the largest town next to my hometown. Not a lot of people live there, but for the people who work there, those jobs matter. Look at that--almost $1 million--and those jobs are being threatened today because of the inactivity of this institution. Sixty percent of WCCO Belting's annual sales and revenues come from customers who are located outside the United States of America. This is a small town in Wahpeton, ND. Many of the pages here probably didn't even know such a place existed, but the people who work there are doing a great job, and they are contributing to the global economy. More importantly, they are building up their local economy, and they are building up the U.S. manufacturing and trade deficit. This is something I know the Presiding Officer, as a former member of the OMB and somebody who has watched the American economy, is very concerned about, making sure that the trade deficit is favorable to us, that we are actually exporting more than we are importing. That is how we grow our economy. That is called new wealth creation. When we look at not just manufacturing, but we look at J.M. Grain, a business that I visited--built out of nothing by a mom and pop who put their heads together and said: This is something I think we can do. They built this great business. The Export-Import Bank provides credit and credit insurance needed for J.M. Grain to export its products. If Ex-Im isn't reauthorized, J.M. Grain may be forced to sell its products to larger corporations that can finance the exports--consolidation-- because we can't take care of small business. Even though we hear the platitudes and all of the statements quite to the contrary on the floor of the Senate and the Congress, that we care about small business, we do nothing in terms of our actions to really prove that. Amity Technology is a great story. This is a family--the developers of this company come from the family who developed the Bobcat skid- steer loaders, if you can imagine that. That company was sold and has moved on, yet those young entrepreneurs--those young inventors--have taken the next step. This is a company that is absolutely dependent on the Export-Import Bank. If you look at this, it has supported more than $50 million in exports in the last decade. Without the help of the Export-Import Bank, Amity would lose at least 10 percent of its business. Story after story in America--this is just North Dakota. We can tell you more stories about what is happening in North Dakota, but stories after stories in the State of North Dakota and across the country include small businessmen and small businesswomen who are shaking their heads, saying: What did we do? Why is it that something such as the Export-Import Bank, which is so critical to our being successful and doesn't cost the American taxpayers a dime. Why is it that this is so hard? I have to try and explain how it is that we got 64 votes for the Export-Import Bank here on the floor of the Senate--a huge majority. We think we actually have the support of about 67 Members of the Senate--a veto-proof majority, if you look at it that way. And we know that over in the House of Representatives there is well over 50 percent of the Members of that body that would vote for the Ex- Im Bank. Where is the hangup? Where is the problem? Quite honestly, the problem is with leadership because if this isn't a priority or if the Ex-Im Bank may be a problem for a Speaker who has a small but vocal group of conservatives who hate the Ex-Im Bank and who have made this their celebrity cause, then we will just send it over here and we will try to sneak it in. That is kind of the idea, right? We need a vehicle. I hear that so often for good ideas and for things we know we have majority votes for and well over majority votes for: We need a vehicle. I joke to my staff that I am going to introduce a bill, and it is going to be called ``the vehicle.'' Then we will be able to do everything we have to do to keep the American economy moving forward--the things that we can all agree on--because then, maybe, the American public will see something that is not rancor and disagreement. They will see us listening to American business, to American manufacturers, to American workers, and they will hear that we actually will respond, and we will move this bill forward. Now there is a lot of talk that we may not get this done in September. No, it doesn't look very good. And if you had told me when we shut down the Bank in June, if you had told me that we were going to open it up in July, I would have said: That is not likely. We will get the Bank reopened in July. July came and went, and the promise of the vehicle, which was supposed to be the Transportation bill, never materialized. And the promise of putting it somewhere where we could actually get it done never materialized. So we went home in August, and I said: Well, we will get it done in September. We will figure out a way to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank in September because we can't shut it down for that long. September has come and gone. We have got other priorities--no opportunity for floor time. Now we are looking at October, and the promise once again in October is that we are going to put it on the Transportation bill. Well, this Senator has heard that promise twice. So I think it is now time to ask for consideration of this bill. People say: We all need to reserve the special floor time of the Senate for really important ideas. I say that these people, the 80 people, 90 people in Bangor, ME, think this is an important idea. All the people now who supply GE who are looking at GE's plan to move a lot of this manufacturing and assembly overseas, they think this is very important. They think American jobs, American manufacturing, our trade deficit, and our access to global markets, are very important for the Congress to consider. So we have a bill that has broad bipartisan support: the Kirk- Heitkamp Export-Import Reauthorization bill. We can put that bill on the floor. We can move it in an expedited fashion because we have a procedure to do this. When there is a will, there is a way. We can move pretty quickly to votes here if we want to, and we can pass this bill. Then we can send it over to the House of Representatives. They can put it on the floor, and they can pass this bill. It can get sent to the President's desk and get signed, and we can reopen the Export-Import Bank. We can hang out a big sign: ``Open for business once again.'' But the longer we wait, the longer we continue to allow this to become the celebrity cause of a very, very small minority of hard-core conservatives in this country, the harder it is going to be to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Make no mistake. At the end of the day, it is not about inside-the-beltway politics. It is not about whether we are going to have political winners or losers. What this is about is people's livelihoods. It is about helping American workers do what we know we do best: innovate, create, manufacture, and export. I thank the Presiding Officer so much for the time. We will continue to be talking about the Ex-Im Bank. As you know, I almost can't even approach a group because they think I am going to regale them with 20 hours of the Ex-Im Bank and the challenges we have with reauthorization. But I will tell you this: The Ex-Im Bank is not only about manufacturing; it is almost a metaphor for what is wrong in the Congress. What that is, is an institution that creates jobs, has broad bipartisan support, and has the ability to provide opportunity for American workers, and we shut it down because the Congress cannot figure out how to avoid a minority of people dictating the agenda. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, the mid-2000s housing bubble was fueled by cheap access to credit and unsound, deceptive, and sometimes fraudulent mortgage lending practices. Borrowers were offered risky, high-cost loans they could neither afford nor understand by originators who abandoned traditional underwriting process, accepted loan applications with little or no documentation, and directly profited from selling unsustainable loans wholesale. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act contains many necessary and important reforms to the mortgage origination industry to prevent future abuses. However, the law is complex and has, unintentionally, imposed onerous, one-size-fits-all rules on community banks and local financial institutions that originate mortgages to entrepreneurs and farmers. For over a decade, and under supervision of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal Home Loan Banks, FHLBanks, have operated a set of mortgage programs that ensure small financial institutions can expand access to credit and originate affordable mortgages in their communities. The Mortgage Partnership Finance program--and the similar Mortgage Purchase Program--provides members an alternative secondary mortgage market. A FHLBank purchases a mortgage and manages the liquidity, interest rate, and prepayment risks while the originating bank member assumes some credit risk for the loans. The FHLB mortgage programs' guidelines prior to the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act often met or exceeded the standards that we now know as Qualified Mortgage, QM, but the requirements were flexible and not unduly burdensome. QM status provides originators the legal and regulatory certainty they need to expand safe access to affordable mortgages. The FHLBanks have since harmonized their standards with QM, but some member banks struggle to comply due to the strict requirements, such as Appendix Q, for assessing a consumer's ability to repay. For example, the general QM option in some circumstances prevents community banks and credit unions that originate mortgages to the self-employed from selling those loans to the FHLBanks. This outcome is problematic because the FHLBank System is the only avenue for mortgage resale for many small financial institutions; without the ability to resell to the FHLBanks, credit availability is constrained in communities served by these institutions. Small financial institutions that participate in the FHLBank System engage in relationship lending--their customers are their neighbors, their youth sports coaches, their community leaders--and they should not be required to comply with burdensome regulations designed to clamp down on unsound mortgage lending practices at large institutions. The legislation I am introducing today, the Relationship Lending Preservation Act, would allow these financial institutions to continue serving farmers and entrepreneurs while ensuring the safety and soundness of the mortgage origination system. The bill simply requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, CFPB, to establish a distinct QM option for loans eligible to be purchased by a FHLBank or loans participating in a credit risk sharing program established by a FHLBank pursuant to regulations issued by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. This legislation is supported by The Council of FHLBanks and others in the financial community. In practice, the bill will provide QM status to loans sold to the FHLBanks that would have otherwise qualified for the general QM option except for the income and debt rules. Institutions would still be required, by FHLBank regulation, to adhere to underwriting and documentation requirements. The legislation provides parity between the FHLBanks and Fannie and Freddie, and it mirrors a request by the FHLBanks to the CFPB to modify QM to accommodate sales to the FHLBanks. Just as mortgages sold to Fannie and Freddie qualify for QM status, participants of the FHLBank mortgage programs should be eligible for QM. It is important to note that this legislation is narrowly tailored to benefit truly community financial institutions--the new option is limited to the commonly accepted definition of community banks, those institutions with less than $10 billion in assets--and does not increase systemic risk. Sixty-seven percent of participants in the FHLB mortgage programs are institutions with less than $500 million in total assets--these are the smallest of the small lenders. Additionally, the FHLB mortgage programs require lenders to retain a portion of the loan's credit risk. This ``skin in the game'' provision ensures originators are making quality loans that will be repaid; in fact, loans participating in the FHLB mortgage programs have a 1.47 percent 90-day delinquency rate, less than 2/3 the national average of 2.29 percent. Community-based financial institutions are central to promoting growth and economic prosperity in small and rural communities throughout North Dakota and the Nation. These institutions were not the cause of the housing and financial crises and should not be subject to regulations meant for large-scale mortgage-origination institutions. The Relationship Lending Preservation Act will ensure small financial institutions can continue to do what they do best: serve their communities by providing affordable mortgages. I urge my colleagues to support this bill--community financial institutions, and the families they serve, are too important for our country's future.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, the mid-2000s housing bubble was fueled by cheap access to credit and unsound, deceptive, and sometimes fraudulent mortgage lending practices. Borrowers were offered risky, high-cost loans they could neither afford nor understand by originators who abandoned traditional underwriting process, accepted loan applications with little or no documentation, and directly profited from selling unsustainable loans wholesale. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act contains many necessary and important reforms to the mortgage origination industry to prevent future abuses. However, the law is complex and has, unintentionally, imposed onerous, one-size-fits-all rules on community banks and local financial institutions that originate mortgages to entrepreneurs and farmers. For over a decade, and under supervision of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal Home Loan Banks, FHLBanks, have operated a set of mortgage programs that ensure small financial institutions can expand access to credit and originate affordable mortgages in their communities. The Mortgage Partnership Finance program--and the similar Mortgage Purchase Program--provides members an alternative secondary mortgage market. A FHLBank purchases a mortgage and manages the liquidity, interest rate, and prepayment risks while the originating bank member assumes some credit risk for the loans. The FHLB mortgage programs' guidelines prior to the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act often met or exceeded the standards that we now know as Qualified Mortgage, QM, but the requirements were flexible and not unduly burdensome. QM status provides originators the legal and regulatory certainty they need to expand safe access to affordable mortgages. The FHLBanks have since harmonized their standards with QM, but some member banks struggle to comply due to the strict requirements, such as Appendix Q, for assessing a consumer's ability to repay. For example, the general QM option in some circumstances prevents community banks and credit unions that originate mortgages to the self-employed from selling those loans to the FHLBanks. This outcome is problematic because the FHLBank System is the only avenue for mortgage resale for many small financial institutions; without the ability to resell to the FHLBanks, credit availability is constrained in communities served by these institutions. Small financial institutions that participate in the FHLBank System engage in relationship lending--their customers are their neighbors, their youth sports coaches, their community leaders--and they should not be required to comply with burdensome regulations designed to clamp down on unsound mortgage lending practices at large institutions. The legislation I am introducing today, the Relationship Lending Preservation Act, would allow these financial institutions to continue serving farmers and entrepreneurs while ensuring the safety and soundness of the mortgage origination system. The bill simply requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, CFPB, to establish a distinct QM option for loans eligible to be purchased by a FHLBank or loans participating in a credit risk sharing program established by a FHLBank pursuant to regulations issued by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. This legislation is supported by The Council of FHLBanks and others in the financial community. In practice, the bill will provide QM status to loans sold to the FHLBanks that would have otherwise qualified for the general QM option except for the income and debt rules. Institutions would still be required, by FHLBank regulation, to adhere to underwriting and documentation requirements. The legislation provides parity between the FHLBanks and Fannie and Freddie, and it mirrors a request by the FHLBanks to the CFPB to modify QM to accommodate sales to the FHLBanks. Just as mortgages sold to Fannie and Freddie qualify for QM status, participants of the FHLBank mortgage programs should be eligible for QM. It is important to note that this legislation is narrowly tailored to benefit truly community financial institutions--the new option is limited to the commonly accepted definition of community banks, those institutions with less than $10 billion in assets--and does not increase systemic risk. Sixty-seven percent of participants in the FHLB mortgage programs are institutions with less than $500 million in total assets--these are the smallest of the small lenders. Additionally, the FHLB mortgage programs require lenders to retain a portion of the loan's credit risk. This ``skin in the game'' provision ensures originators are making quality loans that will be repaid; in fact, loans participating in the FHLB mortgage programs have a 1.47 percent 90-day delinquency rate, less than 2/3 the national average of 2.29 percent. Community-based financial institutions are central to promoting growth and economic prosperity in small and rural communities throughout North Dakota and the Nation. These institutions were not the cause of the housing and financial crises and should not be subject to regulations meant for large-scale mortgage-origination institutions. The Relationship Lending Preservation Act will ensure small financial institutions can continue to do what they do best: serve their communities by providing affordable mortgages. I urge my colleagues to support this bill--community financial institutions, and the families they serve, are too important for our country's future.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I rise to speak again about the 198 North Dakotans who died during the Vietnam war. In a moment I will speak about some of the things I have learned about who they are. I also wish to thank Vietnam veterans who have served our State and our country, and one of those Vietnam veterans is Robert ``Bob'' Wefald of Bismarck. The year Bob graduated from the University of North Dakota, he enlisted in the Navy. He served 3 years on Active Duty during the conflict in Vietnam. In Bob's 2010 autobiography titled ``Moments,'' he wrote: ``Going to WESTPAC and Vietnam was the biggest and most intense experience of my 27 years in the Navy.'' After his Active-Duty service, Bob continued to serve his country in the Naval Reserve. In 1970, Bob began law school at the University of Michigan and saw his classmates being drafted to serve in Vietnam. As a part of the university's student board of governors, Bob led the movement for the dean to promise to allow drafted students to return to law school after completing their service. While in Michigan, Bob met and married the love of his life, Susan. They moved to Bismarck, ND, and spent their careers and even now their retirement in public service. Bob's first job after law school was clerking for the North Dakota Supreme Court. He later worked in private practice as an attorney. In 1981, he was elected North Dakota's Attorney General. I have him to thank for appointing me as assistant attorney general in the tax department and for fighting for me to earn a decent wage while I was in that position. Bob made me say that. In 1998, Bob was elected as a district court judge and served there until his retirement in 2010. While working, Bob and Susan, who was North Dakota's public service commissioner for 16 years, raised three children. Throughout their careers, and now, Bob and Susan have both volunteered to serve on many boards and organizations throughout our State, including the Boys and Girls Scouts, the American Legion, and Boys State. Bob was the spark that lit the fire in making two significant military projects a reality for North Dakota. One was establishing a State veterans cemetery and the other was having a Navy ship named after North Dakota--the USS North Dakota. Both ideas became a reality. For over 20 years, the vets cemetery outside my community of Mandan has been a beautiful resting place for those who gave so much to our country. In 2013, I had the honor of attending the 2013 christening of the USS North Dakota, and I could see Bob's involvement in every thoughtful detail. Bob is an example of a true public servant. Thank you, Bob, for your continued drive and your dedication to service. North Dakota loves and appreciates you. Bob also wanted to make a point to publicly recognize other people's service and sacrifice. One of Bob's University of North Dakota Sigma Chi Fraternity brothers, Bill Potter served in the Air Force and died serving in the Vietnam war. Bob regularly writes about Bill to encourage others to remember and honor Bill. Now I am going to conclude my series of speeches on the floor of the U.S. Senate by remembering Bill Potter, as well as other North Dakotans who died during the Vietnam war. Today is the last of my weekly trips to the Senate floor to talk about the men from our State who died during the war. I have taken to the floor 15 times to honor these fallen soldiers, these fallen heroes, and every time has been an enormous and special privilege. I have made it a point to reach out to the families of each of the 198 North Dakotans who lost their lives in Vietnam. I wanted to speak about each man so his family, friends, and people who served with him would know how much we appreciate who he was and what he did for us. Learning from family members about each man has truly been a great honor. To everyone who shared with us, I imagine it was difficult to speak about your loved one, and I can honestly say that doing so made a difference to my staff, made a difference to so many people, made a difference to many of the Senators who have listened to these speeches, and I hope it has made a great difference to the young pages who have been so patient as I have talked about these fallen heroes. William ``Bill'' Potter Today I begin with William ``Bill'' Potter. Bill was from Grand Forks. He was born December 28, 1942. He served as a pilot in the Air Force's 432nd Tactical Recon Wing. Bill was 25 years old on February 5, 1968, when his plane was shot down and burned. The Air Force awarded Bill the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition for his heroism in aerial flight. For 7 years after Bill's plane crashed, the Air Force listed Bill as missing in action. Bill was survived by his wife Betsy. Betsy wrote the following poem regarding the need in her life to file for divorce from Bill while he was listed as missing. Eyewitnesses had described watching his plane crash and burn. This is her poem: In my adult life as a serviceman's wife I stayed home so ``the man'' could deploy. Had dependent I.D. card--and first passport got stamped '66 was a year of some joy '67 not bad--'68 very sad Potter's body got lost in Nam's shuffle MIA was the status, completely non-gratis And the Air Force told me that I should muffle. Crashed in Laos (the site) and try as I might D.O.D would not call it a death. Civil court was my choice if I wanted a voice for my life to move forward with breadth. As I saw no dishonor to distance myself from a pilot flown into the earth. The life I have led since Bill Potter was dead Second husband, kids/grandkids and mirth. Peter Rice career Navy, now our son in the Army continued our serviceman's code As a widow, wife, mother, North Dakotan or OTHER I have carried my share of the load. Herbert ``Herb'' Lapp Herbert ``Herb'' Lapp was from Hebron. He was born February 1, 1923. He served in the Army's 25th Infantry Division. Herb was 43 years old when he died on July 3, 1966. He had seven brothers and eight sisters. Herb's sister Betty remembers him as someone with a great sense of humor and that he was easy to get along with. Herb enlisted in the Army as a young man and served in World War II prior to serving in Vietnam. Five of his brothers served their country by serving in the military, and Herb's younger brother Edwin was killed in action in the Korean war. Herb was then killed early in the Vietnam war, when he was shot in the stomach. In addition to his mother and siblings, Herb was survived by his wife Juanita; daughter Diana; and son Marcus. Roger Alberts Roger Alberts was from Fort Totten. He was born on July 11, 1947. He served in the Army's 1st Infantry Division. Roger died on February 5, 1968. He was 20 years old. Roger was the ninth of 10 children, and his older sister Winona helped her parents raise Roger. Winona remembers Roger as a quiet person who did many great things, including helping his family around their home. Winona said, ``Everything was good about that young boy.'' Roger had a desire so strong to serve his country that he enlisted in the Army before he graduated from high school. At the same time that Roger was serving in Vietnam, his brother Allen was serving in the Navy on a ship close to Vietnam. Allen remembers looking toward Vietnam and seeing flares and wondering where Roger was and if he was OK. When he had less than a month to serve in Vietnam, Roger was shot. On February 2, his family received notice that Roger was missing. Finally, at the end of February, the Army confirmed that they found his body and that Roger had been killed. They later learned from another North Dakota soldier, Wesley Howling Wolf, that when Roger died, Wesley hid his body so the opposing forces would not be able to find his body, but after hiding Roger's body, Wesley was hurt and went into a coma. When he awoke, he told the Army officials that he had hidden Roger's body to protect him and Roger was found. Roger's family appreciates the Army for sending an escort to remain with Roger's body until he could reach them in North Dakota, and to Roger's girlfriend for giving them the letters he wrote while Roger was serving in Vietnam. Mitchel ``Mitch'' Hansey Mitchel ``Mitch'' Hansey was a native of Scranton and was born March 25, 1947. Mitchel died December 14, 1968. He was 21 years old. He grew up on his family's farm and was the oldest of eight children, born to Dennis and Bertha Hansey. In his early years, he attended country school, and later graduated from Scranton High School. His youngest sister Gwyn laughs and remembers the time she felt Mitchel saved her life by kicking a grasshopper off her leg despite his arms being full of the groceries he was carrying. Mitchel's family is dedicated to serving their country. His father Dennis served in the Army during World War II. His brother Terry served in the Marines, and his brother Gail served in the Army. Mitchel's siblings remember him sending them letters from Vietnam with pictures of himself on a boat. They understand that when he was on his way to mail them Christmas cards, Mitchel fell off a plank as he was walking between two ships and drowned. Michael ``Mike'' Wolf, Jr. Michael ``Mike'' Wolf, Jr., was from Beulah, and he was born June 27, 1946. He served in the Marine Corps H Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was 21 years old when he died on September 10, 1967. He was the fifth of 12 children. Mike's sister Laurel said Mike was a quiet man who was involved in just about every sport offered in high school. His dream was to work as a high school coach someday. Mike enlisted at the same time as his cousin Rick Wolf and two of their friends from Beulah enlisted. The day he died, Rick was sent ahead as a scout and was killed in an ambush. He had been expected to return home about 3 weeks later. Mike's 1955 Pontiac Chieftain sat in the yard for 30 years. Laurel's husband spent 10 years restoring Mike's car and gave it to Laurel's son Donovan, who is currently having it painted. As a tribute to Mike, they made a scrapbook which shows the process of restoring his car. Randolph ``Randy'' Marthe Randolph ``Randy'' Marthe was from Esmond. He was born November 17, 1950. He served in the Army's 52nd Artillery Group. Randy died March 31, 1971. He was 20 years old. He was the youngest of his family of 10 children. His older siblings enjoyed spoiling him and treating him like the baby of the family. Randy's sister Rita said he was a good, quiet boy who liked to have fun and never caused his parents any problems. Rita remembers that after she was married and living on a farm, Randy and two of his brothers, Pat and Dale, would go to Rita's farm to help. Rita's basement bathroom shower had a window in it, and Randy had a great time surprising his showering brothers with a blast of cold water from the garden hose. Randy's family appreciates the calls he made and letters he sent them from Vietnam. Rita remembers Randy calling her from Vietnam. He said he would be going on duty for a while, so she would not hear from him again for a while. She never heard from him again. The Army awarded Randy the Silver Star for gallantry due to his heroic actions the day he was killed in Vietnam. That day, Randy's firebase was under heavy attack and he defended his position, despite being injured and ultimately sacrificing himself, which saved the lives of many of his fellow soldiers. In 2010, Randy's family was touched to read a Benson County Farmer's Press column written by a young woman, Shell Eyl, who was born after Randy died but thought about Randy because she spent time as a child at the Randy Marthe Memorial Park in Esmond. Shell wrote about what giving up your life for country truly means. She described a lifetime of moments Randy didn't get to have, such as hot summer days by the lake and walking his daughters down the aisle. Shell concluded her column describing that Randy didn't die so his name would be etched on a granite wall or for a park named after him. He died and gave up everything so you and I could have it all. Thomas ``Tom'' Senne Thomas ``Tom'' Senne was from Valley City, and he was born November 14, 1948. He served in the Army's 1st Infantry Division. Tom died on October 26, 1968. He was 19 years old. Tom worked at the Red Owl store in Valley City and was looking forward to a future in that business. He was a great athlete and top wrestler at his high school. Everyone knew and loved Tom. He made friends easily. He was so well liked that sometimes folks would look the other way when he did things like take part in an impromptu drag race down Central Avenue in Valley City on a Sunday morning. Now, I would just tell you that is hearsay. Tom came from a family with a deep history of serving their country. His dad served in World War II, his uncles from both sides of his family served in either World War II or Korea, and two of his brothers served with the National Guard. Cleo Levang Cleo Levang was from Forman. He was born February 6, 1946. He served in the Marine Corps, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Cleo died on January 5, 1967. He was just 20 years old. He was the third of four children born to Cliff and Leckny Levang and grew up on his family's farm northwest of Forman. His sister Bev said Cleo loved to tease in good fun. She recalls Cleo visiting her, sneaking around behind her in the kitchen and opening the cupboard doors behind her. After closing them several times, she finally realized her jokester brother was behind the recurring problem. Bev's son Rick also went into the Marine Corps. Bev said that seeing Rick wearing a marine uniform is a striking similarity to Cleo in his uniform. My friend from Rutland, Bill Anderson, remembers Cleo well. He said that Cleo was a tall, good-looking guy with a ready smile. He particularly remembers Cleo's exceptional musical talent, playing ``Bugler's Holiday'' in a trumpet trio with the Sergeant Central Cadets Marching Band. Bill said that band, ``The Governor's Band,'' was, in fact, the best in the State. After high school, Cleo moved to Wisconsin to work, but his love of the trumpet and music drew him back to North Dakota and he enrolled in college to study music. With the Vietnam War beginning, Cleo joined the Marines. After learning of his death, his family said the 2 weeks it took for his body to arrive felt like an eternity. Bev appreciates the meaningful yet difficult phone call she received about 10 years ago from the marine who was with Cleo the day he died. David ``Dave'' Nesset David ``Dave'' Nesset was from Fargo. He was born April 16, 1942. He served in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division. Dave died on April 19, 1968, 3 days after his 26th birthday. Dave and his sister Arlene grew up in Fargo. Their father Oscar worked for the North Dakota State University Extension Service and lived in different parts of the world, including Iran and Korea, with his wife and children. After graduating from Fargo Central High School, Dave earned a degree from NDSU. He enlisted in the Army and became a helicopter pilot. Dave's sister Arlene named her son David after her brother. The younger Dave remembers his uncle's infectious smile and said it was always a pleasure to see him. He was their ``cool'' uncle. He still clearly remembers when he was in the third grade and his mother received a call in the middle of the night from her parents in Korea explaining that Dave was missing and, a few hours later, an officer coming to his door to deliver his mother a telegram explaining her brother had died. Dave and Arlene's mother Ruth lives in Colorado and is 104 years old. She is a woman who has buried both of her children during her lifetime. David Johnson David Johnson was born August 20, 1950. He spent his high school years in West Fargo. He served in the Army's 25th Infantry Division. David was only 19 years old when he died on May 17, 1970. Right after high school, David chose to enlist in the Army. His sister Eva believes David's trip to basic training in California was his first airplane ride. While David was serving in Vietnam, Eva's first daughter, Stephanie, was born. David became Stephanie's godfather by proxy. About 2 months later, Dave was wounded and died. When she had children of her own, Stephanie named her son Nelson David in honor of the uncle she never met. In the 1980s, the Fargo area Armed Forces rededicated a building the David F. Johnson United States Armed Forces Reserve Center. Fargo residents chose David for his contributions, recognizing his Army medals, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge. Members of David's 3rd Platoon, called the Bobcats, maintain contact with David's family. In June, the Bobcats held their annual reunion in Fargo. They held a memorial service and visited David's grave. His sisters and their families were thankful to the Bobcats for inviting them and helping David's memory to live on. Jon Robbins Jon Robbins was from Dickinson, and he was born November 22, 1947. He served in the Army's 56th Postal Unit as a clerk. Jon died February 23, 1969. He was 21 years old. Lester Davies is a man who calls himself Jon's Army buddy. I want to read a poem that Lester shared that he wrote about Jon the day Jon died. I think Lester's poem is a tribute to all of the people who served in the Vietnam War who had little to no combat training. These people were nurses, clerks, and other staff. Lester's poem is titled, ``The February Awakening.'' From peaceful sleep and dreams of home I'm thrown into the night. At two A.M. the twenty-third I know that I must fight, For sirens blow, as rockets fall And flares illume the night. I still recall with saddened heart The night I went to war And how I lost, so thoroughly, My innocence before. I know that I will ne'er forget The UGLINESS of war. When charlie hit from out 'the night He came intent to kill. Just office clerks who'd never fought, We met him on our will. And so the price we paid was dear--Jon Robbins did they kill! A shocking hell to see him fall, But one of many more. And now I wonder why I made it Through that night of war. Yes I'm alive and free to do What Jon will do no more-- And so I'll ne'er forget my friend Who wanted so to live. Who gave for us his precious life The most a man can give. In freedom's name my buddy died In his name must I live. This is the 50th commemoration of the Vietnam War, and we all have an important part to play in recognizing those soldiers and families who gave so much and who were rewarded so little at the time. This has been a project of great emotion for me and great love, and I encourage other people to pick up the mantle and remember those soldiers who gave their all. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, as I do on many Thursdays, I rise again today to share about the lives of the men from my State, the North Dakotans who died during the Vietnam war. I have been talking about the 189 men who didn't make it home, but that is not a complete accounting of the people we lost as a result of Vietnam. Many of our Vietnam veterans continue to feel the effects of their service long after they return home. Some developed medical conditions that, quite frankly, are hard to explain. I have worked with a number of these men, many of whom became my friends and one who is very special to me, a veteran by the name of Bill Broer, who was former director of the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. William ``Bill'' Broer William ``Bill'' Broer started his work in law enforcement as a security policeman in the U.S. Air Force. During the Vietnam war, Bill was stationed at a base that supported aircraft that was used in Agent Orange campaigns. Bill died in 2002, at the age of 53, from non- Hodgkin's lymphoma. In 1989, Bill was appointed Director of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and was an outstanding law enforcement official. He was awarded the Attorney General's Meritorious Service Award in 1991 and the North Dakota peace officers highest award, the Lone Eagle Award, in 1996. Bill worked hard for North Dakota law enforcement both at his desk in our office and during his free time. He started a bowling tournament to bring together people involved in law enforcement from across our State so they could get to know each other and work together in an environment that took them away from their official duties. That tournament is now in its 30th year. Bill also was instrumental in creating the Peace Officers Memorial that stands on the capitol grounds today, recognizing that those who serve in law enforcement also take that risk every day that so many of our servicemen do in protection of our people. But I want to say something more than that about Bill. I am quite certain I probably would not have been attorney general without Bill's help, and I certainly don't believe I would have been a United States Senator without the lessons I learned from Bill Broer. He was a great friend and a trusted adviser to me. Quite honestly, I don't know anyone in law enforcement who didn't absolutely love him. His staff was devastated when Bill was taken ill. We were devastated when we lost Bill way too early--I know not as devastated as his wonderful wife and his two great daughters. I remember when he used to rush home so he could be at a basketball game, of course in his suit and tie, always cheering them on. His only fault probably was being an Atlanta Braves fan. John Schneider Another friend of mine, John Schneider, died in 2001 from a brain tumor. He also was a Vietnam-era veteran and a true friend and public servant of the highest caliber. John served in the Peace Corps in Afghanistan in the 1960s and was tops in his language class, which was learning Pashto. He worked with farmers to introduce a hardier, more productive wheat variety to the region. While in law school, John was drafted. He entered the Marine Corps in 1970 and was deployed to bases in Japan and the Philippines during the Vietnam war. John finished his law studies after he was discharged and joined a firm in Fargo, ND. He was elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives in 1982 and was known for his brilliant command of the legislative process. He was appointed U.S. attorney for North Dakota in 1993. In fact, he served in that capacity because I begged him to join me. He served as our U.S. attorney during those same years that I served as attorney general, and we spent a lot of time together, especially in Indian Country, working on the law enforcement issues of the day. John was devoted to his wife Lois and their sons Jasper and Rocky. He loved cooking--cooking with way too much salt for them--and visiting with them for endless hours, even taking longer routes to school so he and his sons could talk. John organized the Schneider baseball games, family tennis matches, and other competitions. The boys have a love of baseball to this day because of John. He loved to sing, knew thousands of songs, had a beautiful voice, and wrote and produced original family Christmas plays for 15 years. John was thoughtful and kind. He loved life and he loved North Dakota and its people. Now I have the privilege of sharing about the lives and deaths of other North Dakotans, those men who did not come home from the war. James ``Jimmy'' Levings James Levings was commonly called Jimmy. He was from New Town. He was born on October 18, 1948. He served in the Army's 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade. Jimmy was 19 years old when he was killed May 23, 1968. His father James Conklin, Jr., served our country in the Army during the Korean war, and his grandfather Martin Levings also served in the Army in Europe during World War I. Jimmy grew up close to his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They said Jimmy thought the world of hunting, hiking, and riding horses. His family appreciates the letters he mailed them when he was serving in Vietnam. They remember the pictures he mailed them and how proud he looked to be serving his country. Jimmy's cousin Rex Mayer said he enjoyed when Jimmy stayed with his family when they were young because Jimmy was like an older brother who played with him and took him to the movies at the nearby theater. Rex said Jimmy was 17 years old when he enlisted in the Army and volunteered to return to Vietnam for his second tour. Rex remembers seeing Jimmy when he was home on leave between his tours and that Jimmy had a different look about him, that he was changed by what he experienced in Vietnam. Jimmy was shot and killed in Vietnam when he approached his base perimeter and was accidentally mistaken as a hostile force. Jimmy is buried in Snowbird Chapel Cemetery and his name is memorialized on the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Fallen Soldiers Memorial near New Town. Ward Walter Ward Walter was born October 13, 1917. Prior to serving in Vietnam, Ward had lived in McKenzie County and in Minot. He served in the Army's 720th Military Police Battalion. Ward was 50 years old when he died on November 29, 1967. Ward spent most of his adult life working in law enforcement and serving in the Army. Based on Ward's time in the Army and experience in four countries, his fellow soldiers became like family to him. His camaraderie and guidance earned him the nickname of Pop. One month after arriving in Vietnam, Ward's team was tasked with setting up an ambush. Once in their ambush position, a U.S. Army jeep drove by and spotted movement. Thinking Ward's team members were opposing forces, the jeep opened fire, shooting Ward in the chest and killing him. To commemorate Ward, members of his battalion named the movie theater at their post in Vietnam the Sergeant Ward ``Pop'' Memorial Theater. The Army recognized Ward's service by issuing him the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, the Purple Heart, and the Good Conduct Medal. Leon Lochthowe Leon Lochthowe was from Minot. He was born March 23, 1945. He served in the Marine Corps' Mike Company, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. Leon died on September 22, 1967. He was 22 years old. Leon was the oldest of four children born to Don and Donna Lochthowe. His mother Donna said that growing up on the family farm, Leon was a free spirit and enjoyed riding his dirt bike in off-road races. He married Betty Berg, and they had a son Rickie and daughter Kimberly. On September 10, 1965, Leon, his wife, and two children were driving north of Minot and were hit head-on by a drunk driver. Leon's wife and both children were killed. After his wife and kids' deaths, Leon's draft number was changed to that of a single man. He chose to enlist in the Marines. A year after his family's death, he arrived in Vietnam. Leon's fellow marine Gerald Loretta credits Leon with saving his life by pulling him to safety after he was wounded so badly he could not move. Other fellow marines have also written about Leon's heroism during his service. On September 22, 1967, Leon received a letter from his mother stating that his parents were in California with his brother Gary, who was critically ill with spinal meningitis. Gary recently had enlisted in the Marines and was in his first days of basic training when he was hospitalized. That same afternoon, rockets and artillery began shelling the area that Leon was defending. Shrapnel struck him in the chest, and he was killed instantly. Leon's parents left California, where their son Gary was in a coma, to return to Minot to receive Leon's body and hold a funeral. Just hours after arriving home, Donna learned that her father had died in his home. The day after his funeral, they held Leon's funeral. During Leon's funeral reception, the family learned their son Gary had just died in California. This is a family who had held three funerals for the men they love in just 1 week. Robert ``Bobby'' Storey Robert ``Bobby'' Storey was from Grand Forks, and he was born July 22, 1946. He served in the Army Reserve's 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade as a helicopter pilot. Bobby was 22 years old when he died on November 21, 1968. He was the oldest of four children. His father Henry served in the Air Force and the family moved to different bases while the kids were young. Bobby's sister Debbie said that Bobby was kind and had a smile that would light up a room. She remembers that in high school he played quarterback for the high school football team and was nicknamed Bunny because of how fast he could run. Bobby's friends came to their house often, which meant a house full of boys and a refrigerator stocked with milk. Bobby attended college at the University of North Dakota. He joined the Sigma Nu Fraternity, and he and several of his fraternity brothers enlisted in the Army. Bobby became a Warrant Officer helicopter pilot, and about a month after arriving in Vietnam his helicopter was shot down and Bobby was killed. After his death, Bobby's father also went to Vietnam, serving our country in 1970 and 1971. After Bobby's death, both of Bobby's brothers chose to wear the number 22 on their sports jerseys, just like Bobby had in high school. In memory of Bobby, his youngest brother named their son Robert. Deland ``Dennis'' Zubke Deland ``Dennis'' Zubke was from Grassy Butte, and he was born October 28, 1951. He served in the Army's 15th Artillery Regiment. Deland was just 19 years old when he went missing on March 1, 1971. He was one of five children born to Drusilla and Gerald Zubke. One of Deland's fellow soldiers, Ralph, wrote a remembrance describing how Deland volunteered to take Ralph's place on a dangerous mission the day Deland was last seen. His actions that day under intense enemy and friendly fire made Deland a hero. In Ralph's eyes, Deland should have been awarded a Silver Star for his courage under the most difficult combat conditions imaginable. Deland had arrived in Vietnam about 2 months earlier. In 1978, the Army changed Deland's status from Missing in Action to Died While Missing. Deland has never been found. David Kline David Kline was born July 31, 1948, and was from Hurdsfield. He was in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division. David died July 2, 1967. He was 18 years old. David's sister Faye remembers that David was liked by everyone in Hurdsfield. David was the envy of many because he owned a pink and white 1957 Chevy convertible. He played basketball for the high school team and liked playing his guitar for fun. ``Dancing in the Streets'' by Martha and the Vandellas was one of his favorite songs. He was senior class president and hoped to teach history someday. He had a younger brother Curtis, who was just 11 months younger than David. They were so close, folks around town told them they were like twins. Faye said that when she, David, and Curtis were young, they always participated in Memorial Day events, placing flags next to the headstones of our country's veterans. Faye recalls clearly that one time David noted that ``someday, I will have a flag just like that.'' She remembers the words he said to her, his little sister, the last time he left for Vietnam: ``Don't grow up too fast.'' Robert ``Bob'' Fullmer Robert ``Bob'' Fullmer was from Grand Forks. He was born April 2, 1948. He served in the Army's 25th Infantry Division. Bob died on June 6, 1969. He was 21 years old. Bob had two brothers, Bud and Bill. They both served our country. Bud served in the Navy and Bill served in the Army Reserve. Bill said Bob was very social and enjoyed always having friends over. When Bob was killed in Vietnam, his parents donated his death gratuity to the Grand Forks Central High School to be used as a scholarship for students with average grades who wished to attend the University of North Dakota. Bob's high school friend Barb Colby wrote a poem about Bob shortly after he died, and the poem was published in 1987 in the first issue of a magazine entitled ``Reflecting on the Memories of War.'' This was her poem: Why didn't you say goodbye The January day, When that damn warring airplane Took you so far away? Maybe you knew before you left That you were going to die So your heart just wouldn't let you Come and say goodbye. Please try and understand I can't come to where you lie. I guess I feel like you did then. I just can't say goodbye. After learning that Bob's mother had read her poem, Barb visited his mother on Memorial Day. After their visit, Barb wrote a letter to the editor of the magazine describing how she and Bob's mother reminisced about Bob's life and the people who have contacted his mother since his death describing the ways they have touched his mother's heart. Talking with Bob's mother and seeing her laughter, strength, and warmth made Barb realize, 17 years later, that her poem was not finished. Barb wrote this ending to her poem and dedicated it to Bob and his mother. Seventeen years have come and gone Again it's the month of May. I went back home and met your mom On this Memorial Day. She talked of you as a child and son I told her stories of our youth. And as we shared our memories and loss She taught me a simple truth. She showed me that your memory is alive So you'll never really die. She made me laugh--she let me cry She helped me to say goodbye. These are just some of the stories I am privileged to share, hopefully with the rest of the country, as we continue this 50-year remembrance of the Vietnam war and the people who took part. I think it is so critical and so important, especially in this time when we call on people to make sacrifices, that so many of the young people here, who would be the age of the grandchildren of many of the people who served, appreciate and understand the extent of the sacrifice and the disruption of family but the love of country that is an inherent part of each one of these stories. I yield the floor.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, once again I see my good friend Senator Collins fighting for all of the good people of her State and all of our States and raising important issues--issues that I dealt with, quite honestly, quite a bit when I was attorney general of my State. Exploitation is a horrible practice that takes away the dignity and the opportunity for a healthy life of an elderly American citizen. So I congratulate the Senator from Maine on her fine work, and I pledge my full support as she moves forward with this bill. I thank the Senator from Maine.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, today, as I do most Thursdays in this Senate, I rise to speak about the young men from my State of North Dakota who went to Vietnam and certainly those who died while serving in the Vietnam war. As I have said before, the families of each of these 198 fallen North Dakotans deserve to have America pause to honor and remember each of them. Before I speak about some of the North Dakotans who are missing or who died during the Vietnam war, I wish to thank Author ``Tom'' Mandan, a Vietnam veteran from New Town, ND, who is an inspiration to our State and to our country. In 1966, Tom chose to enlist in the Army. He was stationed in Vietnam as a medic. He volunteered to extend his time in Vietnam twice and spent a total of 3 years there. The Army awarded him with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with the V device to denote his heroism involving conflict with the armed enemy. Tom comes from a family who is also an example of service to our country. Tom and his four brothers all served in Vietnam, each one after the other. Previously, their father, Victor Mandan, served our country in World War II. When Tom returned to the United States from Vietnam, he raised his family and became a teacher. He enjoyed teaching fourth graders in Mandari and teaching the Hidatsa language to elementary and middle school students. Tom retired from teaching and now serves the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation, working full time as tribal liaison for elders and veterans. Tom is a proud father and proud grandfather, but he is humbled about his important contributions to his tribe, to his State, and to his country. Tom's first cousin, Myron Johnson, who was like a brother to Tom, also served in Vietnam and was killed in action there. I now would like to talk about Myron and four other young men who didn't come home from the war. Myron ``Chief's High'' Johnson Myron ``Chief's High'' Johnson was born September 26, 1948. He was from Mandaree and was an enrolled member of the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation. He served in the Army's 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry, Americal Division. Myron died March 28, 1971. He was 22 years old. He was the sixth of nine children born to Melvin Johnson and Eloise Mandan Johnson. His siblings said that Myron had a magnetic personality and was kind and sincere to everyone who met him. When people reminisce about Myron, they always talk about how much they loved him. Myron enjoyed riding bucking horses and was a top contender in the American Indian Rodeo Association. He was also a good hunter and a great shot. In Vietnam, Myron's best friend Richard Boehm and 32 other American soldiers were killed in action when Firebase Mary Ann was attacked. Myron received many medals for his honorable and distinguished service in Vietnam. Diane Johnson is Myron's sister and my great friend. Diane said that after Myron's death, he was escorted by his first cousin, John Morsette, who, in the Indian way, was Myron's brother. John Morsette served two tours in Vietnam and also was highly decorated. John told Diane that taking Myron home was the hardest thing he ever did. The trail of cars accompanying Myron from the Minot Airport back to his home in Mandaree was miles long. In addition to his parents and siblings, Myron left his wife Sharol and daughter Melanie. Myron's family said that his death left a permanent scarred hole that can never be filled. They will continue to honor veterans and honor Myron for giving his life for his country. The Mandaree American Legion Post 271 is named after Myron and Myron's nephew, Nathan Good Iron, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2006. The Mandaree American Legion Post honors me consistently by allowing me to enter with their shawl at American pow-wows and honors me by allowing me to walk with Nathan's mother Harriet as we honor her as a Gold Star Mother. For over 30 years, Myron's mother, despite her limited resources, honored Myron by giving away star quilts and shawls she made in Myron's name. These giveaways were held throughout the years at various flag raisings, various pow-wows, and Memorial Day and Veterans Day services. On Myron's mother's death bed, she looked up and smiled and said in her native language, ``Oh my son, you're here. You've finally come to see me.'' Francis Dowling Francis Dowling was from Cooperstown, and he was born July 13, 1929. He served as a sergeant major in the Army's First Infantry Division. Francis was 38 years old when he died on October 17, 1967. Francis was one of eight children. His two brothers also served in the Vietnam war--George in the Air Force and Forrest in the Marines. We were unable to reach any of Francis's family members, but according to a remembrance written by Jim Shelton, who served with him, Francis was a brave and a loyal soldier. Jim described Francis as ``tall, handsome, and professional,'' with a strong sense of humor. Michael Meyers also served with Francis, and he recalls that Francis was easily 6 feet 6 inches tall and was very muscular. Michael said, ``He was so big people thought he was mean, but 97 percent of the time he had a big smile on his face.'' Francis died during an ambush when he was trying to shield his wounded commanding officer from further fire. Francis is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Glenn Maier Glenn Maier was from Bismarck and was born December 31, 1949. He served in the Navy and was trained as a fireman. Glenn died July 11, 1970, when he was 20 years old. This Senator has the pleasure of knowing Glenn's family. His parents, Vi and Chuck Tracy, lived just two doors down from my house where I raised my family in Mandan. Glenn's father, Ervin Maier, served our country in the military and died when Glenn was very young. Vi later married Chuck Tracy, and they raised Glenn together. Vi and Chuck also gave Glenn a brother, Bob, and a sister, Sue. Bob and Sue said that Glenn was a happy-go-lucky guy. They remember him riding his Vespa scooter and enjoying time with his friends and especially playing a lot of pinochle. Glenn's sister Sue chuckles when she thinks about growing up and Glenn not knowing how to swim. Even though Sue was younger by 6 years, she tried to teach him how to swim in the small swimming holes on the sandbars of the Missouri River. When Glenn decided to enlist in the Navy, she joked with him that he was foolish, but he assured her that the Navy would make sure he could swim. Glenn's brother Bob is grateful for meeting other men who served with Glenn in the Navy. They told Bob stories about Glenn's service, like how despite being trained in the Navy as a firefighter, Glenn served on a swift boat in brown waters running machine guns. They said they always requested Glenn for missions because he was so good with .50- caliber machine guns. The month he was killed, he was scheduled to leave Vietnam to train in the United States as a Navy SEAL. John Tague John Tague was from Burlington. He was born December 2, 1945. John served in the Army's 1st Infantry Division. He was 22 years old when he died on June 16, 1968. He was the oldest child in his family, and he had three sisters: Alice, Georgia, and Jody. Alice and Georgia said that John loved to hunt and fish and did so at every opportunity. His golden retriever followed him everywhere, especially when he went hunting. After high school, John joined the Job Corps, where he helped teach others about life and taking care of themselves. The Wahpeton Job Corps honored John for his outstanding work by naming a building after him. When that facility closed, Jobs Corps gave John's family the building sign with John's name. John's sisters appreciate that their former Des Lacs Burlington High School classmates are planning to honor John in a parade float this summer. In Vietnam, John served as a field communications electronics equipment mechanic. John was about 6 months into his tour of duty when he was severely burned. Shortly thereafter, he was flown to Japan, where he died of his injuries. He was laid to rest in Rose Hill Memorial Park in Minot. Lowell Einarson Lowell Einarson was from Bantry and was born March 18, 1938. He served in the Navy as a shipfitter. Lowell was 28 years old when he died on September 1, 1966. Lowell and his sister Marilyn were the children of immigrants from Iceland, Joe and Sophie Einarson. They grew up on a small farm outside of Bantry. Lowell's niece Vonda remembers hearing her mother Marilyn telling stories about how she and Lowell traveled to school in the winter by cross-country skiing. Marilyn told Vonda that Lowell was a strong young man who watched over her and took care of her, taking care of the many chores, especially after Marilyn was diagnosed with polio at age 7. Shortly after completing high school, Lowell enlisted in the Navy. He served for 10 years until he died of a heart attack during the early part of the Vietnam war. Marilyn cherished the three sets of china Lowell brought home for her, their mother, and for himself. Sadly, Marilyn lost her belongings, including Lowell's china, when her home burned down in the 1970s. Lowell's niece Sue keeps a rubbing of Lowell's name etched on the Vietnam Memorial Wall, and shared that several family members have said that Lowell's nephew Mitch resembles Lowell. I continue to speak here on the floor of the U.S. Senate about the lives and deaths of North Dakotans who died while serving in the war because these men remain in our hearts, and they certainly remain in the hearts of the wonderful families we have had an opportunity to get to know during our work on this project. The 2012 Presidential Proclamation on the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War states: In the reflection of The Wall, we see the military family members and veterans who carry a pain that may never fade. May they find peace in knowing their loved ones endure, not only in medals and memories, but in the hearts of all Americans, who are forever grateful for their service, valor, and sacrifice. It is so important that we never forget the sacrifice of those who served in Vietnam or the sacrifice of those who serve today, and that is why I consider it such a privilege to tell the stories of those who did not make it home and listen to the stories of those who did. I want to share with you a song that was sung at the recent Vietnam Memorial Exhibit at the Fargo Air Museum in May. I was really moved by a local poet and local performing artist, Shaun Schipper, who was able to sing this song to honor those who served, and I would like to read the lyrics of his song, which is called ``Nineteen Years Old.'' I am not going to sing it, and all of you should be very excited that I am not singing it. I couldn't do justice to the words he wrote. He wrote: nineteen years old six months from prom out in a jungle in Vietnam so scared don't wanna die thinking bout home, tears in my eyes what are we fighting for, I'm so sick of war I bet the guys on the other side wanna go home like I do miss your mom and dad, the life I had I pray to God I'll get back home again to be with you search and destroy, kill or be killed mayhem out here in the battlefield adrenaline flowing another sleepless night holding my M16, ready for a fight here in the trenches fear everywhere death and destruction smoke in the air mortars grenades deafening sounds shrapnel and bullets flying all around praying to God calling for mom's another buddy dies in Vietnam another buddy dies in Vietnam and it goes on and on and on and on what are we fighting for, I am so sick of war I bet the guys on the other side Wanna go home like I do I want to thank him, and I know he was greatly moved by and inspired to write this song by encountering a Vietnam vet. I think all of us who have had those experiences meeting veterans and people who serve can't help but be moved by the quality of their continued devotion to their brothers-in-arms but also the quality of their service. Connect With Veterans Act So I was moved to doing something for veterans, making sure that our veterans have an opportunity when they return home to basically reconnect with their families. So while each week I come to the Senate floor to honor the persons who gave their lives in the Vietnam war, to truly honor them and our current servicemembers and veterans, we have to make real changes to better support them. Today I am proud to reintroduce a bipartisan bill with Senators Moran, King, and Boozman that would better connect our Nation's new veterans with the services, resources, and benefits that are available right at home in their communities. My Connect With Veterans Act, S. 1797, aims to help servicemembers transitioning to civilian life after they separate from the military and begin to settle into their communities. Organizations, such as the Association of Defense Communities, have stated that the most important part of the transition from servicemember to civilian comes in the short period of time after that servicemember leaves the military. We need to make sure it is effective and successful, and there is more we could do to accomplish that goal. Too often, these veterans do not have access to the basic information on local services, and many communities have few ways to connect with them. I have traveled across North Dakota and listened to our veterans. I hear time and time again about the need for veterans to have more information on services and opportunities available to them at the local level. My Connect With Veterans Act would provide these veterans with better access to that information by making it easier for cities, counties, and tribes to interact directly with them. It is a simple but commonsense bill. Participation, No. 1, is completely voluntary. Transitioning servicemembers will be given the option to share their contact information with communities in which they intend to live after completing military service. Interested cities, counties, and tribes will be able to request that contact information from a secure directory maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs so they can provide the information. Integrating back into civilian life may be particularly difficult for those living in rural communities, like so many of the communities in my home State of North Dakota, as they often have fewer resources and access to less services. As a study from 2014 shows, half of the veterans polled from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan said they are having difficulty adjusting to civilian life. This reasonable solution would help change that by allowing local communities to connect with new veterans at the earliest possible point in the transition process. With 550 servicemembers transitioning daily--I want to repeat that--550 servicemembers transitioning daily nationwide out of the military and with nearly 250,000 service men and women expected to leave military service over the next 5 years, we have to prepare. We have to say thank you by making sure they get the services they have earned and that we can connect them with communities where they can continue to participate and serve their country and their communities. I know from talking to North Dakotans that this bill will especially benefit communities in my State that have unmet employment needs. As you can imagine, over 20,000 jobs go unfilled, and we have all of these trained servicemembers who are coming out of the military who would be just excellent additions to our North Dakota community. So whether it is employment or health care or family support services, we have to do better. I appreciate the opportunity to talk about this. We have to have a plan for our servicemembers. I think connecting them with their community is a great plan.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Finally, Mr. President, I would just like to give a little update on what has been happening since we have basically allowed the charter of the Ex-Im Bank to expire. Just as we predicted, that unilateral disarmament in our trade financing opportunities would open the door for opportunities in other countries. We are seeing more and more this delay in basically having a fully functioning Ex-Im Bank is already costing jobs and opportunities in our State. So I want to reinforce that, not by just my words but talk about what is being said about the U.S. Export-Import Bank being shut down as what is good for China and bad for our competitiveness. Today, the Business Standard printed an interview with the head of the Export-Import Bank of India, who said that with U.S. Ex-Im Bank closing down, we would now have more markets because Indian products are going to compete with U.S. products, and now that competition will go away. In a recent Reuters article, the chief risk analyst of the China Export-Import Bank said that the end of the American Export-Import Bank would help China be more competitive. He said, ``With respect to competition in strategy and policies between the U.S. and China, this is a good thing'' for China. Another recent article said China's central bank is injecting $32 billion into the China Development Bank and $30 billion into the Export-Import Bank of China. We are seeing very similar growth in the Export-Import Bank of India. So I would suggest, if we truly want to remain a global competitor, if we truly want to access an international market where we have--in fact, 95 percent of all consumers live outside our country. If we don't have access to those markets and if we are not competing on a level playing field, it is going to cost American business, including American small business, opportunities--opportunities for exports, opportunities for profitability. But equally important, it is going to cost American jobs. So sooner rather than later we expect we will have a vote on reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank. I know we continue to see challenges to having that vote. We continue to see challenges to this institution. But I will tell you that many small businesses in my State are contacting us, wondering why in the world we would do this. Why in the world would we shut down the Ex-Im Bank that is a critical part of that trade infrastructure? So why in the world, indeed. Why would we ever make this decision? It is a decision that needs to be reversed. We need to get the Ex-Im Bank fully functioning and back in business. So we are going to be doing everything we can in this next month and into future months, if we expect that we are going to eliminate the possibility of unilateral disarmament in trade financing. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I rise to urge my colleagues to support my amendment. As you have been talking to your school districts and as you have been talking to the school personnel, if they don't mention the challenges they have dealing with children in their schools who need services beyond education services, who come unready to learn because of behavior and mental health problems, we have a program that has existed for a number of years. I understand it has been underutilized. But if there has ever been a time, as we talk about the behavior and mental health challenges that we have in our communities and in our schools, and if there has ever been a challenge for a grant program that develops best practices, it is today. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and integrate these behavior and mental health programs into the schools and into the education system so that we can better address the concerns, so that we can, in fact, begin to challenge our society to deal with these issues at the school level. Schools should not be in this alone. We need to integrate the behavioral health and mental health systems into our schools.

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, do I have any time remaining?

Ms. HEITKAMP

Ms. HEITKAMP. I yield the floor.

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

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I wish to thank Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray for their excellent leadership as stewards of this important bipartisan effort. In my conversations with parents, educators, and advocates across my State, one theme prevails: We must reform this outdated law. This bipartisan legislation before us, while not perfect, is a step in the right direction. I am glad my language was included in the substitute amendment to address conflict resolution and crisis intervention services in schools. It will provide support and the ability of school districts to provide suicide, trafficking, trauma, and violence prevention models. Such models will assist educators as they foster positive school climates so that students can enter school excited and ready to learn. However, I hope we can also advance my amendment No. 2171, which would support those schools where such preventions are needed the most. My amendment will restore access and make improvements to school and mental health support grants under an existing program in ESEA--the integration of schools and mental health systems. Unfortunately, the bill before us eliminates this program simply because of recent budget cuts. Those budget cuts have allowed for the diversion of its funding to other priorities. This program, however, is more important than ever today. I am not calling for new or expanded funding or even a new program. The funding conversation should take place during the appropriations process. But for these purposes, we must make sure the program's authorization is not eliminated, as students across this country and students in my State critically need these integrated services that help them deal with the effects of poor educational environments as well as the effects of toxic stress and trauma. The need to address this problem is something I have heard repeatedly since becoming North Dakota's Senator and previously in my role as North Dakota's attorney general. Through my personal experiences with affected children, school leaders, and tribal representatives, I have focused on making sure all children have the ability to succeed and overcome obstacles associated with suicide, trauma, violence, and stress on their mental health. In May of 2015, Futures Without Violence, alongside partners such as the Alliance for Excellent Education, the National Education Association, and the National PTA, released a report entitled ``Safe, Healthy, and Ready to Learn'' that detailed how unhealthy school climates, exposure to violence, and the effects of trauma reduce academic success. As a result of such conditions, students with two or more adverse childhood experiences are more than twice as likely to repeat a grade. Students exposed to violence are at a greater risk of dropping out or having difficulty in school. Children exposed to violence scored lower on tests of verbal ability and comprehension, reading and math skills, and overall achievement on standardized tests. As a member of the Indian Affairs Committee, I can attest that nowhere are adverse childhood experiences more common than in schools serving this country's Native communities and Native American tribes. The suicide rate for young adults aged 15 to 34 years is 2\1/2\ times higher than the national average. In South Dakota, from December 2014 to May 2015, the Oglala Sioux Tribe lost nine--nine--of their young people to suicide between the ages of 12 and 24. At least 103--I want to repeat that number--103 attempts were made by young people aged 12 to 24 just in those few months. North Dakota has had a similar experience with suicide. Five young people--three teenagers and two 25-year-olds--on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation took their own lives within a 2-month period. Much like North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska's suicide rate has increased dramatically in recent years--jumping 70 percent in 10 years, with large increases among middle and high school students. As populations have increased in the West, violent crime has similarly risen 121 percent in some areas. Through drug crimes, gunrunning, gang activity, and limited capacity of law enforcement, human trafficking has become epidemic, with 83 percent of all victims in the United States being American. How can we expect children to learn when they face such obstacles as these? This is an injustice. We must make sure our schools have the means to partner with health systems and provide preventive measures and family engagement models for improving school environments and mental health stress. Unfortunately, schools are often the last line of defense for our country's most vulnerable students. My amendment would simply preserve a voluntary program that helps schools provide children stability and the tools necessary to handle mental stress. I understand the call for Federal streamlining and local flexibility. For North Dakota, strengthening local efficiency is a top priority. However, this particular program should not be a part of that streamlining. This authorization is about updating a civil rights law based on helping all--even the most disadvantaged--students achieve and have access to a better future. But for many of our States, those disadvantaged students are also owed a Federal trust responsibility. While this language would protect a grant program that is accessible to all, the services provided under this amendment target issues epidemic to Indian Country. As such, it would work to uphold the distinct trust responsibility of this government to provide educational resources to Native children. Much like the amendment from the senior Senator from Montana, which the Senate adopted last week, I hope the Senate will similarly protect this program. By helping schools coordinate with health professionals specializing in addressing the effects of traumatic events and mental stress, we will secure for our most disadvantaged the equal opportunity they deserve--that equal opportunity to learn and to achieve. I want to tell you a quick story. The first year I was elected, I had an opportunity to visit with a lot of North Dakota constituents who came into my office. I remember distinctly the day the grade school principals came to visit me, and I thought that I would prepare for this meeting--that I would prepare on No Child Left Behind. I shared a lot of their concerns, and I was ready to talk about No Child Left Behind. That is not what they wanted to talk about. One principal told me a story about two young boys who were in second and third grade who had ridden the bus that morning and beaten up two little girls. When they got to school, the principal asked them why they would ever do that. They said: Well, you understand that last night my dad beat up my mom and he went to jail. They wanted to visit their dad. How prepared is a school district to deal with that situation? If we do not engage the mental health community, our schools will continue to be those first responders, ill prepared to deal with the trauma of that life. We have to begin to integrate these programs, and we have to look at what is happening with trauma and stress and the effects trauma and stress have on learning and the ability to succeed. I understand and can completely appreciate and support the idea that we need to streamline programs. I think this is a program whose time has come. We should fund this program. That is a conversation for the Appropriations Committee. We have to begin to emphasize the conditions in which children live if we are going to educate all of our children equally. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this amendment. I ask unanimous consent that the Futures Without Violence report, ``Safe, Healthy, and Ready to Learn,'' be printed in the Record.