Daniel Inouye

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise to submit a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting the President to issue a proclamation annually calling upon the people of the United States to observe Global Family Day, One Day of Peace and Sharing, on the first of each January. This measure is co- sponsored by Mr. Coleman and Mr. Kennedy. The observance is dedicated to eradicating violence, hunger, poverty and suffering, and to establish greater trust and fellowship among nations and families everywhere. Global Family Day encourages families to reach out to each other on the first of January of each year. It is a day for sharing the idea and condition of peace, and the observance can take a concrete form such as sharing a meal or helping the needy. The idea of Global Family Day originates from young supporters. In 1999, ninety nine children from Hine Middle School in the District of Columbia visited Capitol Hill, asking Congress to dedicate one day each year to a day of peace and sharing. In the following year, the footsteps of these intrepid young thinkers were followed by children from Brent Elementary School, also from the District of Columbia. Children from Stuart-Hobson Middle School also visited members of Congress on Capitol Hill. The 106th Congress agreed with them, and in the year 2000, adopted a resolution similar to the one I am submitting today. However, with the onrush of events after the tragedy of September 11, 2001, a proclamation was not issued. Thus, there was little public knowledge that we have this important tool for peace, despite the international support from the United Nations General Assembly. We can remedy that today by showing our support for Global Family Day. Many Americans are troubled by our deteriorating image in the world, by the dangers of terrorism and by the suffering of others, both at home and abroad. Yet they feel helpless to do anything about it. Global Family Day offers a potential solution. The observance of Global Family Day can lead to greater understanding among faith groups, people of different races and economic classes. Global Family Day provides a way in which every man, woman and child in the United States can help reduce suffering at home, repair our damaged image abroad, and help us remember that in the end, all peoples belong to the same family.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I am very disappointed with the U.S. Department of Defense and Office of Personnel Management's final regulations for the National Security Personnel System, NSPS, that will affect more than 350,000 defense civil service employees throughout our Nation. What makes the new system dangerous is that upon a cursory glance, it would almost appear ``acceptable'' in the name of national security. Scratch the surface, however, and it becomes very alarming. The rhetoric does not match reality. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in public testimony stated that these new regulations ``would not end collective bargaining,'' but, rather, would ``bring collective bargaining to the national level'' to avoid duplication and inefficiency. This has not occurred, nor do I believe there is a sincere interest in the Pentagon to pursue national collective bargaining. In fact, I would suspect that the Pentagon's plan is just the opposite--to substantially remove from the table the number of subjects for good faith collective bargaining. For this reason, I am pleased that the employee unions have gone to Federal court to challenge the regulations, in the same fashion that they challenged the Department of Homeland Security regulations. I hope they will prevail in their call for injunctive relief, as they did in the Homeland Security case, as well as to prevail in the final disposition of both cases. While I would be the first to say that the Federal civil service system is not perfect, it is a system that has withstood the test of time as fair and impartial. To overhaul it in favor of vesting the subjective power to hire, fire, discipline and promote in the hands of a few political appointees is very dangerous. At this point, the ``seemingly acceptable'' national security rationale for the wholesale stripping of employees' rights fast begins to lose its luster. It is no longer reasonable. There seems to me to be an inherent conflict. In the name of national security, this administration is willing to deny its own workers a small modicum of security--employment and family security--especially when I do not believe it is necessary to achieve our goal of national security. I call into question the motivations behind their actions. My position on the Pentagon's issuance of the NSPS regulations is what I believe any decent fellow would say: Now is the time for our Nation to come together in support of our armed services abroad. To do so, we must stand behind our civilian defense workforce from whom we are demanding great productivity in support of our troops. Now is not the time to be divisive and punitive of our Federal workforce. It creates low morale, mistrust, and a decreasing level of respect between worker and management. The consequences stemming from such instability, could be dire. For me, the stakes in terms of human lives are too high to be taking such a gamble. United we stand-- civilian and military together. Divided we could fail.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to address some lingering concerns about certain report language in the fiscal year 2006 Energy and Water Appropriations Conference Report and to seek clarification. During my many years as chairman and vice chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, I became acutely aware of the importance of protecting the treaty fishing rights of tribes in the Northwest and spent much time discussing this issue with many of the Northwest tribal leaders. I know that without independent technical data and analyses on the status of salmon and steelhead runs in the Columbia Basin, it will be difficult for them to act professionally as comanagers of the resource. The final conference report contains language directing the Bonneville Power Administration, BPA, to cease funding an important independent scientific research center based in the Pacific Northwest, known as the Fish Passage Center, FPC. The language directs BPA and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, NPCC, to transfer the functions of the Fish Passage Center in a way that ensures ``seamless continuity of activities'' without giving direction about how this transfer should take place. The Northwest Power Act called for the NPCC to establish a fish and wildlife program. That program has called for BPA to fund the Fish Passage Center for the past 20 years. The data and analyses the center has provided has been invaluable to the States and tribal fishery managers of the Columbia Basin. Can the distinguished chairman of the Energy and Water Subcommittee tell me if this language was in any way intended to supersede the NW Power Act or the specific provisions in the NPCC's present fish and wildlife program calling for a number of key functions to be performed and whether the state and tribal fishery managers will have input into how the center is reconstituted?

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I am deeply saddened to inform my colleagues that at 3:30 this morning, my friend and colleague, Henry Giugni, passed away at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, MD. His passing is a great loss for the people of Hawaii, the United States, and the Senate, an institution he loved dearly, and in which he served as its 30th Sergeant at Arms for 4 years, beginning on January 6, 1987. I had the privilege of knowing Henry for nearly 50 years, beginning in 1956 when he joined my re-election campaign to the Hawaii Territorial House of Representatives. We quickly forged an unbreakable bond. With his tireless work, dedication, and loyalty, he proved invaluable as the top aide on my staff when I served as a Hawaii legislator, U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senator. His keen political instincts also made him invaluable on campaigns, and beginning with my first congressional race in 1959, when I successfully ran to be the State of Hawaii's first U.S. Representative, he coordinated my campaign activities on all of Hawaii's islands. And, I am proud to say, I once anointed Henry as ``the supreme commander of Hawaiian politics'' in recognition of his political acumen and skill as a political strategist. It was an unofficial title that Henry relished. Henry also enjoyed being called ``Dr. Giugni.'' Circumstances prevented him from receiving his undergraduate degree, but 2 years ago, the University of Hawaii at Hilo conferred upon him an honorary doctorate of humane letters for his exemplary service to the State of Hawaii and the Nation, and for serving as a role model for Native Hawaiians. It was an honor he truly deserved. From January 6, 1987, to December 31, 1990, Henry served as the Senate's Sergeant at Arms, ably managing a budget of nearly $120 million, overseeing a staff of more than 2,000, and supervising support services, which included law enforcement and telecommunications. More importantly, as the first person of color and the first person of Polynesian ancestry to serve in this position, he left an indelible mark during his tenure by promoting minorities and women. He appointed the first minority, an African-American man, to lead the Sergeant at Arms' Service Department, and he was the first to assign women to the Capitol Police plainclothes unit. His special interest in people with disabilities resulted in a major expansion of the Special Services Office, which now conducts tours of the U.S. Capitol for the blind, deaf, and wheelchair-bound, and publishes Senate maps and documents in Braille. In 1991, Henry joined Cassidy & Associates, one of Washington's leading public policy consulting firms. With his intimate knowledge of Hawaii and Washington, and with a vast network of contacts that spanned the entire country and crossed party lines, Henry was able to continue his support for policies that he believed best served the Nation. Even as a high-powered vice chairman of Cassidy & Associates, Henry continued to describe himself as ``just a poor Hawaiian boy.'' Henry's soul was very much Hawaiian, but he was never poor in experience, generosity of the heart, or patriotism. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the Army at the age of 16, and saw combat at Guadalcanal. He was part of the Hawaii delegation that greeted then-Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson in the islands just before the start of the Cuban missile crisis. As a staunch support of civil rights, he carried the Hawaii flag and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King in Selma, AL. He volunteered to drive Senator Edward Kennedy following the assassination of his brother, President John F. Kennedy. Henry was also a member of one of the first official delegations that traveled to the People's Republic of China following President Nixon's historic visit. As Senate Sergeant at Arms, he presided over the inauguration of President George H.W. Bush, and escorted numerous foreign dignitaries, including Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, and Vaclav Havel, when they visited the U.S. Capitol. Indeed, for a ``poor Hawaiian boy'' who was born in Hawaii in 1925 to Alfred Giugni and Kealoha Hookano, Henry has done much on the national stage since his days when he studied at Hanahauoli School, Iolani School, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and when he worked as a Honolulu firefighter, police officer, and liquor inspector. However, while he was an acquaintance of Presidents and kings, his heart was always with the native people of Hawaii, who are still struggling for their moment in the sun. I ask my colleagues to join me and all who have known and loved Henry in expressing our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Muriel Roselani; his four daughters, H. Kealoha Giugni, Deborah Roselani McMillan, Heather Haunani Giugni, and Gina Pilialoha Giugni-Halbach; 11 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. I look forward to submitting a resolution expressing our condolences to the Giugni family.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in support of the Lott-Lautenberg amendment to add S. 1516, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2005, to the Budget Reconciliation package. The Commerce Committee favorably reported this bill in July of this year, but we have been unable to get floor time for its consideration. As I said during our markup, I believe this is the most comprehensive reauthorization of Amtrak ever attempted by this body and I commend Senators Lott and Lautenberg for their hard work in putting it together. Amtrak and intercity passenger rail are critical elements of our national transportation system, and it is time for Congress to devote the attention to Amtrak and passenger rail that we have given to our airports, highways, and other surface transportation modes. Amtrak's critics and supporters alike agree that it is time to reauthorize the corporation so that Amtrak has Congressional guidance on how to proceed with important reform initiatives needed to improve service, grow revenues, and cut costs. With time running out this year, adding our amendment to this reconciliation package is probably the only opportunity for the Senate to vote on this important proposal. Senate passage of S. 1516 will signal our commitment to strengthen and reform Amtrak to the House and the administration, and hopefully, lead to enactment of a reauthorization this year.

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the amendment by Senator Ensign that would reduce the maximum amount authorized for the converter box subsidy program from $3 billion to $1 billion. A similar amendment was considered by the Commerce Committee and was soundly defeated by a vote of 19 to 3. The consumer converter box subsidy program is an essential part of making sure that those consumers who today rely on over-the-air analog television are able to make a smooth transition to digital television that does not render their existing analog TV sets obsolete. Without a robust subsidy program, over-the-air households--which are disproportionately minority, elderly and poor--will face a significant burden. Moreover, because the Commerce title transfers any unobligated funds from the converter box subsidy account to the account that will fund interoperable public safety equipment, this amendment would end up hurting first responders in their ability to get new equipment that can use this newly cleared spectrum. Because of significant uncertainty as to consumer demand and the expected cost of converter boxes, we must leave the fund at $3 billion and err on the side of caution. For this reason, I must oppose this amendment. I am joined in my opposition to the Ensign amendment by the AARP, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer's Union, U.S. PIRG, National Hispanic Media Coalition, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, League of United Latin American Citizens, and the Puerto Rican Defense & Education Fund, among others.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to two of our most distinguished colleagues, Senator Arlen Specter and Senator Tom Harkin. I wish to recognize both for their many outstanding contributions to our country's disease and injury prevention and emergency preparedness through their work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 1995, when Senator Specter and Senator Harkin became chair and ranking member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, funding for the CDC has tripled, from a little over $2 billion to more than $6 billion. This funding has been used by CDC to achieve its mission of promoting health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. In 1999, Senators Specter and Harkin visited the CDC main campus in Atlanta, GA. They were surprised to find world-class scientists and health care professionals working in substandard, 50-year-old buildings. They recognized that beyond the aesthetics, the facilities were hindering the ability of the scientists to respond to disease outbreaks with the full force of modern technology. They set out to rebuild the infrastructure of the CDC to ensure that it was capable of meeting its mission. In 1999, the budget for CDC buildings and facilities was $17 million, barely enough to make critical repairs, such as patching leaky roofs. However, since 2000, under the leadership of Senators Specter and Harkin, over $1.3 billion has been invested in the infrastructure of the CDC. These funds have been used to build laboratories capable of handling the most dangerous pathogens, such as ebola, anthrax, and smallpox. The foresight of these two Senators was confirmed by the essential role the new facilities played in responding to the anthrax attack in 2001, the Marburg virus outbreaks, and the potential for an influenza pandemic. The latest additions to the CDC campus are now complete and include two new buildings dedicated to responding to public health emergencies and disseminating information to health professionals. The CDC Headquarters and Emergency Operations Center will be the new home to the Office of the Director, Coordinating Officer of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness, and the Emergency Operations Center. It will provide permanent, secure, and consolidated command and control areas for CDC's response to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and outbreak responses. It allows for CDC's executive leadership and other critical headquarters functions to relocate to one building to allow for increased coordination and communication. The Global Communications Center will support outreach and worldwide collaborative efforts. The center is a multifunctional, comprehensive scientific learning facility encompassing functions key to CDC's mission and goals for public health, such as outreach, research, and programmatic foundations. The Global Communications Center not only provides a physical place to bring the public health community together for training, information exchange, and collaboration, but it is also the technological link for CDC employees around the globe, from Alaska to Zimbabwe. It is fitting that these flagship buildings be named for the two Senators who have led the Senate in providing funding for public health and research. I am pleased to offer this amendment, cosponsored by my dear friend from Mississippi, Senator Cochran, to designate the two new CDC buildings as the Arlen Specter Headquarters and Emergency Operations Center and the Thomas R. Harkin Global Communications Center. Mr. President, the amendment has been cleared by both sides.

Mr. INOUYE. I move to reconsider the vote and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, today, I rise to speak on an innovative and creative proposal submitted by the Republic of the Philippines that would provide debt relief to the 100 most heavily indebted nations. This proposal was presented to the Boards of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on September 20, 2005, by the Honorable Jose De Venecia, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Congress of the Republic of the Philippines. The proposal has received a positive reception by financial and political authorities in Western Europe and will be considered by the Paris Club at its next meeting. The proposal, known as the Debt-for-Millennium Development Goals-- MDG--Investments program, would allow creditor countries to convert up to 50 percent of the debt-service payments from debtor countries into equities or other forms of investment capital. Such equities would subsequently be use to finance MDG initiatives, including, but not limited to, reforestation, energy, mass housing, irrigation, food production, and postharvest facilities, ecotourism projects, safe water systems, hospitals, infrastructure, and microfinancing. The Debt-for-MDG Investments proposal is voluntary and would augment the agreements made by G8 countries to depreciate multilateral debt owed by heavily indebted countries. Creditor countries will have a say in which projects they support in a specific debtor country. For example, under the proposal, a creditor country may decide to help finance housing construction to address the needs of low-income households in a debtor country. In addition, the proposal would provide debtor countries with the opportunity to improve on its infrastructure and make the economic and social investments required for them to achieve a self-sustaining economic stability. Developing countries with heavy debt burdens face tremendous challenges in meeting the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations and in promoting their own economic development and growth. The Philippine Debt-for-MDG Investments program proposal is one innovative and creative approach in bringing together the G8 countries to help address the debt burdens of the 100 most heavily indebted nations. I encourage my colleagues to review the Republic of the Philippines' proposal in the hopes that it will spark productive discussion and debate on this international problem. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of my statement, and the September 20, 2005, statement of Speaker De Venecia before the Boards of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank be printed in the Record.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I appreciate the comments from the chairman, and commend his leadership on this issue. I am familiar with the successes that this program has enjoyed. Providing wheelchairs to the victims of overseas conflicts is an important program, and I encourage our Federal agencies to support this program. war related illnesses

Mr. INOUYE. The committee bill seeks to improve pay and benefits for our military personnel and makes considerable improvements in medical care that our men and women in uniform and their families receive. In addition, funding has been included to fund a Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program that addresses a wide array of important medical programs.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. INOUYE. No objection.

Mr. INOUYE. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 1896

Mr. INOUYE. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. INOUYE

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, in behalf of the Senator from New Jersey, Mr. Lautenberg, I send to the desk an amendment.

Mr. INOUYE. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. INOUYE. No objections.

Mr. INOUYE. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 1887

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, much as I would prefer to have amity and comity on this floor and be able to accommodate the concerns of my dear friend from Virginia, I must say that I fully agree with my chairman, Mr. Stevens of Alaska. This procedure will set a terrible precedent, one that we will regret in the years to come. If you look at it very carefully, it will take away some of the rights of people with minority views. So I would hope that another step be taken--I do not know what it is--where we can resolve this matter. I would hope the leadership of the Senate realizes the seriousness of what we are confronting at this moment. It affects the future of this land, and I am not being dramatic. Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. INOUYE. No objection.

Mr. INOUYE. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 2017