Tim Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today the Senate will approve landmark comprehensive energy legislation that over the next decade will lessen our reliance on foreign energy sources and dramatically increase the use of renewable fuels. Today's work is the culmination of a year-long debate on how best to wean Americans from the unhealthy addiction on foreign energy sources and record-high gasoline prices. We are going to accomplish these twin goals by boosting the role of renewable, homegrown fuel and through a long-term plan to make our cars and trucks use gasoline more efficiently. These two laudable goals will cut fuel use, spur investment into rural economies, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and ultimately make energy more affordable for American families. This bipartisan bill builds on the success of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which authorized the first nationwide renewable fuel standard, RFS. I am proud to have played a role in passage of that bill through my work on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The positive results of that bill are clear: ethanol and biodiesel production is booming, far outstripping the goals in that bill. Today's legislation builds on that success by realizing the tremendous growth in renewable fuels. We are going to dramatically increase the amount of renewable fuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol blended into the gasoline supply. In 2008, the United States will have the capacity to produce a minimum of 10 billion gallons of renewable fuels. The bill before the Senate today will ensure that we capture the promise of this tremendous growth by requiring the United States blend a minimum of 9 billion gallons of renewable fuels in the gasoline supply. Furthermore, this bill will ramp up the amount of ethanol and cellulosic ethanol produced in this country so that by 2020 the United States will produce a minimum of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels. That is enough fuel to displace over 15 percent of the gasoline we use to power our trucks and cars. South Dakota is prepared to do its part in meeting this ambitious goal. The 13 ethanol plants in South Dakota will produce 1 billion gallons of ethanol in 2008 by turning 250 million bushels of corn into the clean-burning fuel. The renewable fuels industry contributes approximately $2 billion in total economic benefits annually to my State while employing hundreds in all parts of South Dakota. South Dakota will now become an energy producer providing the energy and food a growing economy and prosperous nation requires. Working together and placing partisan differences aside, the Congress is moving our country forward. We are going to produce more fuel from renewable resources and over the long-term decrease the amount of fossil fuels we need to import from unstable regions of the globe. This is a great bill for South Dakota and for our country, and I am glad that we will take this step together today.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise in support of Dorgan-Grassley amendment No. 3695, of which I am a cosponsor, to enact commonsense, meaningful farm program payment limitations. My bipartisan colleagues from North Dakota and Iowa and I have offered a straightforward and fiscally responsible proposal that would target our farm program payments and safety net. The current farm program payment structure has, quite simply, failed rural America. Approximately 71 percent of our farm benefits are absorbed by only 10 percent of the farming community. Our omnibus farm bill is intended to promote programs that function as a safety net for farmers, in contrast to the cash cow they've become for a few producers. I do not favor eliminating our farm program benefits, but rather prefer that they are targeted to small- and medium-sized producers instead of large agribusiness. According to farming data from the 2002 census, farms in South Dakota that received program payments collected $16,518 on average. The average producer in my State, then, received under $17,000 in benefits, which pales in comparison to the $360,000 current supposed ``limit'' and does not touch the proposed $250,000 hard payment cap. The Dorgan-Grassley amendment includes several specific limits. Under this amendment, direct payments could not exceed $20,000 per producer; countercyclical payments are capped at $30,000; marketing loan gains are limited to $75,000; and total payments are restricted to $125,000. The amendment would allow for doubling by a spouse, and also require direct attribution. The amendment closes the triple entity loophole that has opened up an avenue of opportunity for excessive payments. In 2002, the Senate saw a strong vote in favor of payment limitations with 66 Senators voting in favor of a $275,000 cap for farm program payments. We need 60 votes this morning to pass the Dorgan-Grassley amendment, because of the filibustering that has been threatened by the minority party, and we are working to achieve that goal. That being said, in a time of budgetary constraints, I find it unconscionable that a Member of Congress would not vote to restrict such egregious spending and vote to promote our rural communities. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Corporal Tanner O'Leary and his heroic service to our country. As a member of the Army's C Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division based in North Carolina, Corporal O'Leary was serving in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On December 9, 2007, he was killed in action in Afghanistan. A native of rural Eagle Butte and a 2003 graduate of Timber Lake High School, Tanner joined the Army in 2005. His teachers remember Tanner as a student who loved to learn. He was active in school science fairs and on the football team. As his former science teacher recalls, ``Once Tanner latched on to something he didn't let go; I know that was how it was with him with the Army as well.'' Growing up on a ranch west of Timber Lake, Tanner was a hard worker who enjoyed spending time with his family. He took great pride in his daughter Alexis, and his family will always remember what a wonderful father he was. Friends and family will miss Tanner's easygoing, fun- loving personality. Corporal O'Leary gave his all for his soldiers and his country. Our Nation owes him a debt of gratitude, and the best way to honor his life is to emulate his commitment to our country. I join with all South Dakotans in expressing my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Corporal O'Leary. He will be missed, but his service to our Nation will never be forgotten.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the Medicare Hearing Health Care Enhancement Act with my colleagues, Senators Harkin, Coleman, and Menendez. This legislation is the companion bill to legislation introduced in the House by Representative Mike Ross, with a number of cosponsors. This legislation will provide Medicare beneficiaries with the same hearing care options available to veterans and Federal employees, including every member of this body. Under this bill, Medicare beneficiaries who experience hearing problems will have the option of going directly to an audiologist, rather than first visiting a physician. This is the policy for the health care programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Personnel Management. Direct access works well for our veterans and for Federal employees, including Members of Congress, and direct access should be available to senior citizens in the Medicare program. More than 31 million Americans have some type of hearing problem, making hearing loss the third most common health problem in the U.S. Many of them are older Americans, and this statistic is fast increasing with the aging of the ``baby boomers.'' Yet half of all hearing impaired persons are under age 65. With 80 to 90 percent of hearing problems not medically or surgically treatable, it seems only reasonable that Medicare patients be allowed to consult with an audiologist without first seeing another health care provider. It is part of regular audiological practice to refer patients for medical management when clinical indicators are present. In 1992, the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, changed its health care policy to allow for the option of direct access to a licensed audiologist. The VA reports: ``the policy has provided and continues to provide high quality, cost effective, and successful hearing health care to veterans.'' The VA did not experience increased utilization of audiology services due to the policy change and instead found, ``the policy did not increase the number of visits beyond what would be expected in the aging veteran population.'' In 2003, the Congress in the Appropriations Conference Report number 108-10 recommended that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services make this change. We have since learned that CMS does not have the authority to do so under current law. Therefore, I hope that we can all agree that this is a common sense idea whose time has come, and move this legislation forward to enactment. Direct access would facilitate access to hearing care without expanding the scope of practice for audiologists. This legislation will make it easier for Medicare beneficiaries, particularly in rural America, to have the same high quality hearing care provided by the VA and OPM. It is also important to point out that both the Medicare and Medicaid programs now recognize State licensure as the appropriate standard for determining who is a qualified audiologist. This legislation enjoys the support of a large number of organizations including the American Academy of Audiology, the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, the National Association of the Deaf and the National Rural Health Association. I commend this legislation to the attention of my colleagues and urge them to lend their support by cosponsoring this bill.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the Medicare Hearing Health Care Enhancement Act with my colleagues, Senators Harkin, Coleman, and Menendez. This legislation is the companion bill to legislation introduced in the House by Representative Mike Ross, with a number of cosponsors. This legislation will provide Medicare beneficiaries with the same hearing care options available to veterans and Federal employees, including every member of this body. Under this bill, Medicare beneficiaries who experience hearing problems will have the option of going directly to an audiologist, rather than first visiting a physician. This is the policy for the health care programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Personnel Management. Direct access works well for our veterans and for Federal employees, including Members of Congress, and direct access should be available to senior citizens in the Medicare program. More than 31 million Americans have some type of hearing problem, making hearing loss the third most common health problem in the U.S. Many of them are older Americans, and this statistic is fast increasing with the aging of the ``baby boomers.'' Yet half of all hearing impaired persons are under age 65. With 80 to 90 percent of hearing problems not medically or surgically treatable, it seems only reasonable that Medicare patients be allowed to consult with an audiologist without first seeing another health care provider. It is part of regular audiological practice to refer patients for medical management when clinical indicators are present. In 1992, the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, changed its health care policy to allow for the option of direct access to a licensed audiologist. The VA reports: ``the policy has provided and continues to provide high quality, cost effective, and successful hearing health care to veterans.'' The VA did not experience increased utilization of audiology services due to the policy change and instead found, ``the policy did not increase the number of visits beyond what would be expected in the aging veteran population.'' In 2003, the Congress in the Appropriations Conference Report number 108-10 recommended that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services make this change. We have since learned that CMS does not have the authority to do so under current law. Therefore, I hope that we can all agree that this is a common sense idea whose time has come, and move this legislation forward to enactment. Direct access would facilitate access to hearing care without expanding the scope of practice for audiologists. This legislation will make it easier for Medicare beneficiaries, particularly in rural America, to have the same high quality hearing care provided by the VA and OPM. It is also important to point out that both the Medicare and Medicaid programs now recognize State licensure as the appropriate standard for determining who is a qualified audiologist. This legislation enjoys the support of a large number of organizations including the American Academy of Audiology, the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, the National Association of the Deaf and the National Rural Health Association. I commend this legislation to the attention of my colleagues and urge them to lend their support by cosponsoring this bill.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I wish to acknowledge National Adoption Awareness Month and National Adoption Day on Nov. 17, 2007. With over 114,000 children available for adoption out of the U.S. foster care system, I think it is crucial to celebrate those lawyers, social workers, officials and, most importantly, parents who help many children move from foster homes to adoptive families. Adoption has personally touched my life this year as two new children have been welcomed as members of my family. My son Brendan and his wife Jana recently adopted Trualem, age 11, and Peneal, age 8, from Ethiopia. I am now a proud grandfather of five, and our family is larger and richer with them in it. National Adoption Day was started in 2000 by the Alliance for Children's Rights, the Freddie Mac Foundation, and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and helped complete foster care adoptions in nine jurisdictions in its first year. National Adoption Day has quickly grown since that time. In 2006, a milestone was surpassed, as National Adoption Day was celebrated in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico for the first time. In total last year, over 3,300 adoptions were finalized on National Adoption Day. I am committed to assisting children in the United States to find stable, loving, and permanent homes. Additionally, I support the goals of National Adoption Day to encourage others to adopt children from foster care, to build stronger ties between local adoption agencies, courts, and adoption advocacy organizations, and to continue to research and learn more about families wanting to adopt and the children waiting to be adopted. I am proud that Members of the Senate continue to support ways to make adoption easier and more affordable. Since the cost of adoption can be very high, we ought to do what we can to lessen this initial burden for the exceptional people who provide caring homes for children. Adoption proceedings and legal fees for some domestic adoptions can cost more than $40,000. To ease some of this burden, Congress adopted a $10,000 tax credit for adoption expenses. If we ask individuals to care for and adopt children, we must provide some relief from the financial burdens associated with that care. The adoption tax credit is an effective vehicle to provide this relief, and it is vitally important that this tax credit does not expire at the end of 2010. In keeping with the celebration of adoption, this year I am proud to recognize Audrey Kirkpatrick as an Angel in Adoption. Audrey is a social worker with Catholic Social Services in Rapid City, SD. She is an integral part of Catholic Social Services offering her knowledge to fellow employees and often her services to birth mothers and adoptive families 24 hours per day. I am also proud to recognize the Amiotte family, whose portrait is displayed in my front office as a part of the Voice of Adoption Adoptive Family Portrait Project. David and Malinda Amiotte began their foster care experience not planning to adopt. However, after meeting and growing attached to biological siblings Medina and David, and biological sisters JoAnne and Karen, David and Malinda wanted to keep these sibling groups together. Despite challenges with the legal process, adoptions for all of their children have been finalized, and I wish them many years of happiness in the future. The commitment of adoptive parents in South Dakota and throughout our country to provide children with safe, permanent, and loving homes will, of course, have a positive impact on their lives. As we celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month and National Adoption Day, I call on my colleagues to continue supporting efforts to make adoption easier for parents, children, and other important participants in the adoption process.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of National Physical Therapy Month. What we currently celebrate as National Physical Therapy Month began in 1981 as a week long celebration in the month of June. In 1992, that week was extended to a whole month and was moved to October. National Physical Therapy Month focuses attention on the value of physical therapy to one's health and the contributions of physical therapists to the health of their communities. This year National Physical Therapy Month is focusing on obesity because physical activity is a crucial component of weight loss and better health. My understanding of physical therapy has greatly increased over the past several months. I owe a debt of gratitude to a great many doctors, nurses, and therapists who brought me through the darkest moments of my life and who are walking with me on the road to recovery. I am blessed to work with professional and talented physical therapists as I continue my recovery. Their confidence in my ability to improve is infectious, and my physical therapists motivate me to work harder than I thought possible. I am confident that with my hard work and the dedication of my physical therapists, my potential to improve is limitless. Throughout my career in the U.S. House and Senate, I have strongly supported expanding access to all kinds of health care professionals. Physical therapists provide critical services to their patients. In a rural State like ours, where they may be the only provider of these services in their community, physical therapists greatly improve patient access to care and quality of life. This year the Senate is considering the Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act which would repeal the annual Medicare outpatient cap on certain physical and occupational therapy services and the Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act which would authorize qualified physical therapists to provide services for Medicare beneficiaries without requiring a physician referral. It would also provide for treatment of outpatient speech-language pathology services separately from outpatient physical therapy services. I am pleased to support both of these measures, and I commend them to my colleagues for their consideration. I encourage everyone to consider with their health care professionals how physical therapy might benefit them, whether recovering from an accident or illness or seeking preventive care. National Physical Therapy Month is a great time to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I join Senators Brown, Durbin, Landrieu, Murkowski and Murray in introducing the Advancing FASD Research, Prevention, and Services Act. I thank them for joining me in this important effort to improve the surveillance, identification, and prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders, or FASD. During the course of my career, I have admired people who struggle with the affects of a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and watched with deep respect as their families struggle to help them succeed. Through no fault of their own, these FASD-affected individuals face a lifetime of cognitive, physical, and emotional challenges, including severe learning disabilities, physical abnormalities, costly medical bills, and behavioral impairments. However, we have an opportunity to help people with an FASD overcome many of these challenges with appropriate health, education, judicial, and housing services. As with other disabilities, by investing a small amount of money, we can ensure that FASD-affected individuals have the resources they need to succeed in school, work and life. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are estimated to affect 1 in 100 live births, or more than 40,000 infants, each year. Researchers estimate that one percent of our population lives with an FASD, which is more than 3 million Americans. In my home State of South Dakota, approximately 7,819 individuals are suspected of having an FASD. The costs of this completely preventable condition to our country are staggering. According to the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine's Center for Disabilities, the lifetime cost for an individual with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, the most severe of disorders in this spectrum, is over $2 million. The annual cost of FASD to South Dakota, including medical treatment, special education services, and home and residential care, is estimated to be $18 million. Nationally, the cost for these services will approach $6 billion this year alone, but neither of these estimates include the economic costs of lost productivity. While there is no known cure, FASD is entirely preventable, and this bill seeks a balance between directing federal resources to prevention activities and to services for individuals living with FASD and their families. This bill focuses provision of services in areas where FASD affected individuals are already receiving help. In South Dakota, more than 60 percent of people diagnosed with an FASD lived within a foster care home for some part of their lives. With that in mind, our bill works to train foster care workers and foster parents on how to best communicate with and serve children living with FASD. Furthermore, it is estimated that 60 percent of individuals with FASD will spend some time in a correctional institution or mental health facility during their lives. Most individuals with FASD will commit their first crime between the ages of 9 and 14. To that end, our bill will provide health care and judicial system workers with the resources they need to work with and understand FASD-affected individuals when they encounter them in health care settings or the court system. All of these unfortunate statistics compel me to join with my colleagues to offer a comprehensive approaching to preventing FASD, advancing research to learn more about FASD, and increasing provision of services to those living with FASD and their families. While we have increased awareness about the dangers of consuming alcohol during pregnancy, we clearly have much more work to do as we strive to reach the goal of eliminating the negative effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. In my home State of South Dakota, we have had great successes in working on this issue. With the leadership of the health professionals at our esteemed universities, parents, and teachers, among countless others, we have made some important progress in addressing FASD. This legislation will bolster the efforts of these dedicated South Dakotans and many others across the country who are working hard to prevent FASD and support the children and families living with its consequences. This bill will provide much needed support in the areas of research and prevention. This legislation requires the National Institutes of Health to develop a research agenda focusing on the most promising avenues research in diagnosis, intervention, and prevention, as well as factors that may mitigate the effects of fetal alcohol exposure. This bill will also make available grants to federally qualified health centers to implement and evaluate programs to increase awareness and identification of FASD in those settings. Participating health centers will be able to provide training to health care providers on identifying and educating women who are at risk for alcohol consumption during pregnancy and on screening children for FASD. Another provision in this bill will create public awareness and education campaigns in at-risk areas in order to further the prevention of this disease. This bill will authorize the development and broadcast of national public service announcements to raise public awareness of the risks associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Recognizing that the consequences of FASD are not just health- related, the bill promotes prevention, intervention and services within the education and judicial systems. This legislation provides teachers with resources to educate and support children with FASD. The bill seeks to involve everyone who might encounter an FASD-affected person in the judicial system, including judges, attorneys, probation officers, law enforcement officers, and many others, and works to train them in communicating with and supporting individuals with FASD. Again, I am so pleased to be introducing this bill with my colleagues and encourage all of our colleagues to consider supporting this bill. I would also like to take a moment to thank Senator Daschle for his leadership on FASD. His commitment to combating this illness is still present in South Dakota and in the lives of those who battle FASD every day.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I want to pay tribute to Mike Kurle, who retired earlier this year as the longtime manager of the West River/Lyman-Jones Rural Water System. I have worked with Mike for nearly my entire congressional career and value his friendship, professionalism, and typical South Dakota steadfastness. I know that Mike and his wife Marlene are looking forward to being able to travel a little more and spend some time with their children who are scattered across the country. However, I want to take a few minutes and explain to the Senate the role Mike played in bringing reliable supplies of drinking water to the towns and ranches of western South Dakota. As manager of West River/Lyman-Jones, Mike guided one of the four local project sponsors that constitute the Mni Wiconi Rural Water System--one of the largest Federal drinking water projects constructed in the last 30 years. Mike managed the project practically from the beginning and over the past 16 years has always put first the interests of the communities, ranches, and farms served by the system. On Mike's watch, 2,200 rural customers now receive reliable drinking water piped hundreds of miles from the Missouri River. The towns of Philip, Presho, Kennebec, Murdo, White River and, very soon, Kadoka benefit from the Mni Wiconi project. Mike has overseen Federal transfers in excess of $55 million and constantly delivered good value and on-time performance from contractors. Most importantly, Mike is someone that could be trusted and he worked well with the system's three other sponsors--the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, and Rosebud Sioux Tribe. The project is a collaboration between the area's American Indian tribes, the Federal Government, and the western South Dakota communities in Lyman, Stanley, Jones, Mellette, Jackson, Haakon, and Pennington counties. Mike spent countless hours on the road traveling from one project sponsor meeting to another and on the phone and in Washington, DC, meeting with Bureau of Reclamation officials and the South Dakota congressional delegation to keep the project on track. Because of Mike's good work, the project is close to the finish line with about 70 percent of the system in the ground and delivering water to thousands of residents. These are all great goals and accomplishments. So, in closing, I want to thank Mike Kurle for his service and professionalism and most of all friendship and guidance over these many years. I know that Mike can't stay away from the West River/Lyman-Jones office forever but hope that he can enjoy moving at a slower pace knowing that future generations will be well served by his efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I join Senators Brown, Durbin, Landrieu, Murkowski and Murray in introducing the Advancing FASD Research, Prevention, and Services Act. I thank them for joining me in this important effort to improve the surveillance, identification, and prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders, or FASD. During the course of my career, I have admired people who struggle with the affects of a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and watched with deep respect as their families struggle to help them succeed. Through no fault of their own, these FASD-affected individuals face a lifetime of cognitive, physical, and emotional challenges, including severe learning disabilities, physical abnormalities, costly medical bills, and behavioral impairments. However, we have an opportunity to help people with an FASD overcome many of these challenges with appropriate health, education, judicial, and housing services. As with other disabilities, by investing a small amount of money, we can ensure that FASD-affected individuals have the resources they need to succeed in school, work and life. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are estimated to affect 1 in 100 live births, or more than 40,000 infants, each year. Researchers estimate that one percent of our population lives with an FASD, which is more than 3 million Americans. In my home State of South Dakota, approximately 7,819 individuals are suspected of having an FASD. The costs of this completely preventable condition to our country are staggering. According to the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine's Center for Disabilities, the lifetime cost for an individual with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, the most severe of disorders in this spectrum, is over $2 million. The annual cost of FASD to South Dakota, including medical treatment, special education services, and home and residential care, is estimated to be $18 million. Nationally, the cost for these services will approach $6 billion this year alone, but neither of these estimates include the economic costs of lost productivity. While there is no known cure, FASD is entirely preventable, and this bill seeks a balance between directing federal resources to prevention activities and to services for individuals living with FASD and their families. This bill focuses provision of services in areas where FASD affected individuals are already receiving help. In South Dakota, more than 60 percent of people diagnosed with an FASD lived within a foster care home for some part of their lives. With that in mind, our bill works to train foster care workers and foster parents on how to best communicate with and serve children living with FASD. Furthermore, it is estimated that 60 percent of individuals with FASD will spend some time in a correctional institution or mental health facility during their lives. Most individuals with FASD will commit their first crime between the ages of 9 and 14. To that end, our bill will provide health care and judicial system workers with the resources they need to work with and understand FASD-affected individuals when they encounter them in health care settings or the court system. All of these unfortunate statistics compel me to join with my colleagues to offer a comprehensive approaching to preventing FASD, advancing research to learn more about FASD, and increasing provision of services to those living with FASD and their families. While we have increased awareness about the dangers of consuming alcohol during pregnancy, we clearly have much more work to do as we strive to reach the goal of eliminating the negative effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. In my home State of South Dakota, we have had great successes in working on this issue. With the leadership of the health professionals at our esteemed universities, parents, and teachers, among countless others, we have made some important progress in addressing FASD. This legislation will bolster the efforts of these dedicated South Dakotans and many others across the country who are working hard to prevent FASD and support the children and families living with its consequences. This bill will provide much needed support in the areas of research and prevention. This legislation requires the National Institutes of Health to develop a research agenda focusing on the most promising avenues research in diagnosis, intervention, and prevention, as well as factors that may mitigate the effects of fetal alcohol exposure. This bill will also make available grants to federally qualified health centers to implement and evaluate programs to increase awareness and identification of FASD in those settings. Participating health centers will be able to provide training to health care providers on identifying and educating women who are at risk for alcohol consumption during pregnancy and on screening children for FASD. Another provision in this bill will create public awareness and education campaigns in at-risk areas in order to further the prevention of this disease. This bill will authorize the development and broadcast of national public service announcements to raise public awareness of the risks associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Recognizing that the consequences of FASD are not just health- related, the bill promotes prevention, intervention and services within the education and judicial systems. This legislation provides teachers with resources to educate and support children with FASD. The bill seeks to involve everyone who might encounter an FASD-affected person in the judicial system, including judges, attorneys, probation officers, law enforcement officers, and many others, and works to train them in communicating with and supporting individuals with FASD. Again, I am so pleased to be introducing this bill with my colleagues and encourage all of our colleagues to consider supporting this bill. I would also like to take a moment to thank Senator Daschle for his leadership on FASD. His commitment to combating this illness is still present in South Dakota and in the lives of those who battle FASD every day.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I am pleased today to once again join my colleague Mike Crapo of Idaho in introducing a bill with growing bipartisan support, a bill that promises to be an important part of the many steps we will need to take to help Americans save more effectively for the many long-term needs they must increasingly plan for on their own--health, education and retirement. Currently, mutual fund investors who are saving outside a 401(k) plan or an IRA find themselves taxed every year as a result of the buying and selling that is part of fund diversification, even if they have arranged to automatically reinvest any capital gains, even though they sold no shares, in fact, even if the value of their investments have fallen. As a result, each year during tax season, we hear from investors who have worked hard and played by the rules. These are Americans who are committed to a plan of saving for the long term, who nevertheless find themselves hit with a tax bill although they are simply staying the course. Mr. Crapo and I don't believe that these people should be discouraged from long-term investing and taxed I prematurely when a better-timed tax--one that comes in when investments are sold--would better facilitate long-term investing, retirement readiness, and perhaps even tax compliance through simpler calculations and fewer annual adjustments. Congress has spent a great deal of effort trying to strengthen and promote pension promises, through both defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Yet many of today's workers do not yet have in place the retirement savings to supplement Social Security benefits. In fact, almost half of American workers--nearly 75 million of 155 million workers--are not offered any form of pension or retirement savings plan at work. These are the people who need GROWTH the most. And the challenge they face for the future is growing. The number of years Americans and their families can expect to spend in retirement is growing, as are the costs individuals can expect to bear in retirement. Individual savings opportunities for those who spend some or all of their working years without participating or vesting in an employer's retirement plan are modest. Those workers covered by an employer's retirement plan, for example, can set aside a deductible IRA contribution of only $4,000 this year, $5,000 if they are age 50 or older. Many will want and need to save more every year if they are to be ready for retirement. These are the people who need GROWTH. How many are there? More than 31 million Americans are saving through taxable mutual fund accounts, either as supplements to their employers' plans or because they do not have such plans. The GROWTH Act would provide sensible tax treatment that would defer, not avoid, taxation. In the process, it would better enable retirement savers in what they are trying to do, plan for an uncertain road ahead. A bigger tax debate is ahead, along with a bigger debate about the future of Social Security and the way to modernize and improve private sector retirement savings tools that must supplement it. The GROWTH Act is one of those practical building blocks that deserves to be part of future debates on tax and retirement policy. Its impact illustrates just how many millions of American households are out there right now, households of modest incomes, saving on their own, through mutual fund investments, making up that growing middle class, a middle class that is facing a lot of squeezes, a lot of growing demands on their savings, but a group that is trying to save nevertheless. About three in five fund investors have household incomes between $25,000 and $100,000. Not high-flyers looking to be creative, but working people who deserve to find a few less obstacles in their way. I urge my colleagues to join Mr. Crapo and me in supporting the GROWTH Act and refocusing their attention to just who these savers are and what kind of sensible tax policy they need.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of Child Health Day. Under a joint resolution of Congress, the President has proclaimed National Child Health Day each year since 1928. It is especially fitting that we celebrated Child Health Day yesterday, October 1, 2007, just 4 days after this body approved legislation to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, improving benefits and ensuring that 10 million American children receive health insurance coverage. Child Health Day serves to focus attention on children's health issues. Past themes of this day have ranged from prenatal care, childhood injury prevention, the importance of immunizations and prenatal care. This year's theme is ``Building a Bright Future Through Preventive Health,'' and this is exactly what Congress seeks to do with the bipartisan reauthorization of CHIP sent to the President for his signature. The role of preventive health care in ensuring the well-being of all people is well established, but such care is especially critical for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP, recommends that children receive routine preventive health services such as immunizations, vision and hearing checks, and screenings for signs of developmental or medical problems. These recommendations include 6 preventive care visits during a child's first year, 3 visits during the second year, and 17 preventive visits between ages 2 and 21. Unfortunately, many of our Nation's children do not receive these important physician visits. A survey of literature by the Commonwealth Fund found that estimates of the number of children who receive all their recommended visits range from 37 percent to 81 percent. Critically, this review concluded that insurance coverage is the most powerful indicator of whether a child receives all recommended well- child care. One study determined that just 68 percent of uninsured children receive the recommended preventive care, compared with 76 percent of privately insured children and 85 percent of publicly insured children. The Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act will increase the number of children who receive this important preventive care. Simply by providing nearly 4 million uninsured children with insurance coverage will increase the likelihood that they will be screened for developmental and medical problems, receive all their immunizations, and benefit from regular hearing and vision checks. In addition, the legislation ensures that children who receive their health coverage through Medicaid are entitled to all medically necessary early periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment, EPSDT, services. These services are required in every State and are designed to improve the health of low-income children by addressing their physical, mental, and developmental health needs. As we recognize Child Health Day, I wish to congratulate Congress on its bipartisan effort to improve child health through reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program. I also urge President Bush, in the spirit of Child Health Day, to drop his veto threat and sign this legislation. This is the single most important action he can take to ensure more children get the health care they deserve.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I am pleased today to once again join my colleague Mike Crapo of Idaho in introducing a bill with growing bipartisan support, a bill that promises to be an important part of the many steps we will need to take to help Americans save more effectively for the many long-term needs they must increasingly plan for on their own--health, education and retirement. Currently, mutual fund investors who are saving outside a 401(k) plan or an IRA find themselves taxed every year as a result of the buying and selling that is part of fund diversification, even if they have arranged to automatically reinvest any capital gains, even though they sold no shares, in fact, even if the value of their investments have fallen. As a result, each year during tax season, we hear from investors who have worked hard and played by the rules. These are Americans who are committed to a plan of saving for the long term, who nevertheless find themselves hit with a tax bill although they are simply staying the course. Mr. Crapo and I don't believe that these people should be discouraged from long-term investing and taxed I prematurely when a better-timed tax--one that comes in when investments are sold--would better facilitate long-term investing, retirement readiness, and perhaps even tax compliance through simpler calculations and fewer annual adjustments. Congress has spent a great deal of effort trying to strengthen and promote pension promises, through both defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Yet many of today's workers do not yet have in place the retirement savings to supplement Social Security benefits. In fact, almost half of American workers--nearly 75 million of 155 million workers--are not offered any form of pension or retirement savings plan at work. These are the people who need GROWTH the most. And the challenge they face for the future is growing. The number of years Americans and their families can expect to spend in retirement is growing, as are the costs individuals can expect to bear in retirement. Individual savings opportunities for those who spend some or all of their working years without participating or vesting in an employer's retirement plan are modest. Those workers covered by an employer's retirement plan, for example, can set aside a deductible IRA contribution of only $4,000 this year, $5,000 if they are age 50 or older. Many will want and need to save more every year if they are to be ready for retirement. These are the people who need GROWTH. How many are there? More than 31 million Americans are saving through taxable mutual fund accounts, either as supplements to their employers' plans or because they do not have such plans. The GROWTH Act would provide sensible tax treatment that would defer, not avoid, taxation. In the process, it would better enable retirement savers in what they are trying to do, plan for an uncertain road ahead. A bigger tax debate is ahead, along with a bigger debate about the future of Social Security and the way to modernize and improve private sector retirement savings tools that must supplement it. The GROWTH Act is one of those practical building blocks that deserves to be part of future debates on tax and retirement policy. Its impact illustrates just how many millions of American households are out there right now, households of modest incomes, saving on their own, through mutual fund investments, making up that growing middle class, a middle class that is facing a lot of squeezes, a lot of growing demands on their savings, but a group that is trying to save nevertheless. About three in five fund investors have household incomes between $25,000 and $100,000. Not high-flyers looking to be creative, but working people who deserve to find a few less obstacles in their way. I urge my colleagues to join Mr. Crapo and me in supporting the GROWTH Act and refocusing their attention to just who these savers are and what kind of sensible tax policy they need.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to SSG Zachary Tomczak and his heroic service to our country. As a member of the Army's 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division based in North Carolina, Staff Sergeant Tomczak was serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On September 25, 2007, he was killed in action in Baghdad. A Huron native, Zachary joined the Army in June 2002 and took great pride in serving his country. His graduation from Ranger School at Fort Benning, GA, in May is described by his father as ``one of the proudest moments for him and for me.'' His captain remembers him as ``a leader, mentor, warrior, Ranger, hero.'' Zachary was on his fourth tour of duty in Iraq and had earned the Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal, among other awards. A hard worker, Zachary enjoyed hands-on projects and worked for a construction company during high school. He also enjoyed spending time four-wheeling, pheasant hunting, and deer hunting. Friends and family will remember Zachary's love for life and easygoing personality. Sergeant Tomczak gave his all for his soldiers and his country. Our Nation owes him a debt of gratitude, and the best way to honor his life is to emulate his commitment to our country. Mr. President, I join with all South Dakotans in expressing my deepest sympathy to the family of Staff Sergeant Tomczak. He will be missed, but his service to our Nation will never be forgotten. Private First Class Christopher Pfeifer

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to express my support for legislation that is critically important to more than 6 million children in the United States, including more than 14,000 South Dakota children, who are covered by the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. I voted for this program when Congress created it 10 years ago and I have watched with great satisfaction as the number of uninsured children in our country dropped. More children have health insurance coverage today, which ensures that they have every chance to do their best in school and live long, healthy, productive lives. Congress originally authorized this program for 10 years in order to provide an opportunity to evaluate the program and make sure that we are doing right by our children. Well, the studies are in with impressive results: while the number of uninsured adults has steadily risen since CHIP was enacted, the number of uninsured low-income children has dropped by nearly one-third. Yet there is much more work to do. In my State alone, more than 12,000 children are eligible for health coverage through either Medicaid or CHIP but remain uninsured. These uninsured children don't receive their vaccinations, miss screening and other preventive measures, and access health care at much later stages of their illnesses than insured children. The fact that so many children, through no fault of their own, face these struggles with health care is something about which our Nation should be ashamed. The President says he will veto this bill, which he calls ``an incremental step toward the goal of government-run health care for every American.'' Nothing could be further from the truth. If the President's plan of providing private health insurance worked, we wouldn't have 9 million uninsured children in the United States today, including 18,000 South Dakota children. But the bottom line, as an editorial in one South Dakota newspaper put it, is this: The uninsured children of families struggling to get by do not need lectures about the encroachment of socialized medicine or the virtues of personal responsibility. They need health coverage. During the past 9 months, I have received a personal lesson in the great value of health insurance. Our Nation's children shouldn't have to learn this lesson the hard way. I urge my colleagues to support the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, and I hope the President will do right by our Nation's children and sign this bill into law.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. An airport in Bookings, SD, is also affected by the state-determination mileage waiver. So I am pleased to hear from all of my fellow appropriators that EAS funding should continue uninterrupted to the affected airports.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Audrey Kirkpatrick, one of South Dakota's 2007 Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute's Angels in Adoption Award recipients. Audrey has worked with Catholic Social Services in Rapid City, SD for 30 years, exhibiting empathy and dedication to birth families, adoptive parents, and adoptees. I am pleased to recognize Audrey for her years of service, and extend my congratulations to her on this special occasion. Audrey was among the first social workers employed by Catholic Social Services in Rapid City when she began her work with pregnancy counseling and infant adoption in 1977. She remained with the agency until November 2002. At that time, Audrey believed the time had come for her to retire. However, when the program director of the agency resigned, Audrey was called upon to return to Catholic Social Services and fill in the gap during that critical time, despite suffering from ongoing health problems. Audrey continues to be active in the agency on a part-time basis, and is often tapped by other social workers to answer questions, direct people to resources, and provide ideas on how to continue expanding and fulfilling the agency's mission to facilitate the adoption process, in addition to her role working directly with families. Stories of Audrey's intense commitment abound. She has been available to families 24 hours a day, going so far as to venture out in the middle of the night to help a young birth mother whose car had broken down. On another occasion, she was present for a reunion of a birth mother and adult son, who she had helped to place in adoption as a child. The mother offered her thanks to Audrey, who had been such a comforting presence at the beginning and end of the adoption experience. It is not uncommon for people to come back to the agency to express their gratitude to Audrey, even years after she helped them through the adoption process. Audrey is truly an Angel in Adoption. Her contributions to the communities of western South Dakota are inestimable. In the words of one of her coworkers, ``I can say with confidence that the gift Audrey offered to these individuals is stronger than words can express. Dedication, alone, cannot describe it.'' Audrey is beyond a doubt deserving of recognition for her commitment to ensuring that countless children in South Dakota have loving families and safe homes. It is clear that Audrey's legacy will be one of compassion and caring.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to SSG Robb Rolfing and his heroic service to our country. He was killed in action on June 30, 2007, by enemy small arms fire while on a mission near Baghdad. Robb was a member of the elite Green Berets as a special forces engineer to Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Airborne, in Fort Carson, CO. Robb was on his second tour of duty when he was killed. Robb Lura Rolfing was born on December 4, 1977, to Rex and Margie Rolfing in Sioux Falls, SD. He grew up admiring ``MacGyver,'' prompting him to start carrying duct tape everywhere he went. Before Robb became a soldier, he attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, majored in physics and astronomy, and played soccer. During his time as captain on the Vassar soccer team, he took the team to Vassar's first ever NCAA tournament postseason playoff, in any sport, where he scored the winning goal in the first round of games. To further demonstrate his talent as a soccer player, he was named to the NSCAA/Adidas All-Region Team and the All-New York Team. A Vassar basketball coach told the Rolfing family that he would often see Robb practicing soccer out on the field by himself in the morning and after regular scheduled practices. The coach said, ``If I had 5 Robb's we would win every game because of the determination and focus he showed.'' After college, he went to work in field management at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL, and then moved on to coach soccer at Currey College in Boston. Robb's mom Margie says that she has started a list called ``Amazing Robb.'' This list is a compilation of stories, thoughts, and recollections that the family has gathered from family and friends of Robb. Margie recalls one particular moment when Robb's sister, Tiffany, was about to graduate from high school. The family thought that he was still overseas during his first tour, but he showed up at home wearing a blanket of Tiffany's college over his head just standing at the door. The only way Tiffany recognized it was Robb was because of his shoes-- he had them duct taped because he refused to buy new shoes as the ones with duct tape were far too comfortable to throw away. Robb always wanted something more out of the life he was given. After the events of September 11, 2001, Robb's calling to help serve his country was jolted into action and he joined the Army in January of 2003. He completed his basic training at Fort Benning, GA, and was assigned to the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, KY. Shortly after returning from his first tour, he qualified and was accepted into the special forces unit where he became a Green Beret. Robb's good will and service touched the lives of many people. Although his life was cut short, he continues to inspire all those who knew him. Our Nation owes him a debt of gratitude, and the best way to honor his life is to emulate his commitment to our country. Mr. President, I join with all South Dakotans in expressing my deepest sympathy to the family of SSG Robb Rolfing. He will be missed, but his service to our Nation will never be forgotten.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize September 2007 as National Life Insurance Awareness Month. I speak from personal experience when I say that you should never take for granted that you will always wake up tomorrow in the same condition you are in today. We can never be sure when our time will come, and it is always best to be prepared for the unexpected. An important part of preparedness is financial readiness, and that is why National Life Insurance Awareness Month is needed. There are 68 million Americans either with no life insurance or who are underinsured. It is concerning that there is such a large segment of the adult population in this country without proper financial planning tools. In a time of loss, a life insurance policy can mean the difference between having to sell the family home, pulling the kids out of college, or even, in some cases, having enough money to put food on the table. I want to commend the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and the Life Insurance Foundation for Education as well as more than 100 insurance companies for their effort to raise consumer awareness of the important role that life insurance products can play in helping families plan their financial futures. I am also pleased that so many of our local financial advisors and financial institutions are already actively involved in helping South Dakotans increase savings and plan financial contingencies for unexpected events. By designating September 2007 as ``Life Insurance Awareness Month,'' I hope that the increased national attention on this issue will further encourage people across America to achieve financial security for themselves and their loved ones.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I wish to publicly honor and recognize one of South Dakota's favorite daughters, Eleanor McGovern, who died on January 25, 2007, at the age of 85. A memorial service is being held today for Eleanor, and I know my colleagues all join with me in expressing our sympathies to the McGovern family. While we do mourn her passing, we also celebrate her extraordinarily successful life working to better the lives of the people of South Dakota and people around the world. Born in Woonsocket, SD, in 1921, Eleanor grew up on a farm during the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s. Her strong work ethic and her lifelong concern and compassion for others were instilled in her by her childhood experiences. When her mother died when she was 12 years old, Eleanor and her twin sister, Ila, took over all household responsibilities, helping their father raise their younger sister. Eleanor attended high school in Woonsocket and met her future husband, former Senator George McGovern, while attending Dakota Wesleyan University. After graduation she worked as a legal secretary before marrying Senator McGovern on October 31, 1943. Throughout her life, Eleanor achieved many impressive accomplishments. She was a board member of Dakota Wesleyan University, the Psychiatric Institute, the Child Study Association, the Erickson Institute of Chicago, and Odyssey House of New York. Eleanor also volunteered for the Child Development Center. She was named an Outstanding Citizen in 1975 by Dakota Wesleyan University and awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters in 1997. In addition to all these accomplishments she was a devoted mother of five. Throughout the years, she provided a stable and loving home environment for her children and helped facilitate her husband's service to the Nation. During Senator McGovern's Presidential campaign, he described her as his most helpful critic and most trusted adviser. Eleanor also authored her memoir, ``Uphill: A Personal Story,'' which was published in 1973. Following the death of her daughter Terry in 1994, she showed remarkable courage by speaking publicly about the tragedy of alcoholism and how it impacted her family. In addition, she helped establish the McGovern Family Foundation for researching alcoholism. Thoughout her life she worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others, especially the lives of women and children; she published articles on child development while also traveling the Nation to address the problems facing American families. There are few people who have done as much to better the lives of the women and children of South Dakota. Eleanor is survived by her husband Senator McGovern; 4 children--Ann McGovern, Susan McGovern, Mary McGovern-McKinnon, and Steve McGovern-- 10 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren. It is with great honor that I speak of the accomplishments of Eleanor McGovern and with great sadness that I mark her passing.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, today I pay tribute to MG Michael A. Gorman. September 15, 2007, will mark the end of an illustrious, 41 year career that began on March 7, 1966. Major General Gorman is a home-grown South Dakotan who has served his State and Nation with distinction. Major General Gorman began his distinguished service to the Nation by enlisting in the South Dakota Army National Guard in 1966. In 1974, he was commissioned an engineer officer upon graduating from the South Dakota Officer Candidate School program. He has held numerous positions in the 109th Engineer Battalion, commanded South Dakota's 88th Troop Command, served as Director of Human Resources, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, and Assistant Adjutant General for the South Dakota Army National Guard. Major General Gorman also serves on the Governor's cabinet as the Secretary of Military and Veteran's Affairs. In this capacity, he is the principle adviser to the Governor on military and veteran matters. He is concluding his meritorious career as the Adjutant General for the South Dakota National Guard. I would like to personally thank Major General Gorman for his service as the Adjutant General with the South Dakota National Guard. His military service, patriotism, and dedication to the National Guard and South Dakota's veterans have been invaluable, and I commend him for his dedication to our country and our State during the many years he has served. I have enjoyed working with him on a variety of issues and appreciate the compassion and understanding he has shown to the men and women under his command, especially during these very challenging times for our Nation and our military. His efforts to recruit, train, equip, and mobilize South Dakotans for service have been critical to the Guard's mission accomplishment, as has his commitment to care for our State's veterans. His outstanding service on behalf of our State's service men and women is appreciated; he has set an exceptional example for military personnel to follow. I commend him for all he has done for the people of South Dakota. His dedicated service to our grateful Nation will not be forgotten.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, thank you. It sure does feel good to be back here again. I wish to thank Senators Thune, Reid, and McConnell, as well as all my colleagues, for their warm welcome back. In so many ways, the words and prayers from you and your spouses, on both sides of the aisle, supported both Barbara and me and gave us strength. You will never know what that meant to us. I also wish to thank Representative Herseth Sandlin for her incredible support throughout these tough times. The MILCON appropriations bill is now on the floor, and I must also thank Senator Jack Reed for working with my staff and for his leadership on the bill. Before I get too far along in my remarks, it must already be clear to you that my speech is not 100 percent. My doctors tell me it will get there. But my thoughts are clear and my mind is sharp, and I am here to be a voice for South Dakota in the Senate. With patience, persistence, and faith I have come back, and my will to keep fighting for South Dakota is strong. My ability to think is paramount, so I hope now, as I return to my office, people focus on my work more than how quickly I walk these days. Last week, I went home to South Dakota. Today, I come home to the Senate. This has been a long and humbling journey--a journey that has taken longer than some people have liked, and I count myself among them. But I return to work today to this great body with a renewed spirit and a sharper focus. I better appreciate today what individuals and families go through when they face crippling hardship--whether that hardship be the consequence of catastrophic health issues, economic hardship, or lack of an opportunity to reach one's full potential in life. I believe I have been given a second chance at life. I vow to take that second chance and work harder than ever to be the best I can be for my State and for my Nation; to be a voice for those individuals and families who so often are ignored or forgotten; and to fight to live up to the ideals that have made this Nation great. That is my focus and that is my commitment to my constituents back home in South Dakota and to the people of this great Nation, and to my colleagues here in Washington. It has been the greatest honor of my life to stand for and by the people of South Dakota. I cannot thank them, as well as the Members of this Chamber, enough for your patience and support. Today, my work begins anew. I relish the task. It is great to be home. Thank you and, Mr. President, I yield the floor. (Applause, Senators rising.)

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I wish recognize the fine work of the Western South Dakota Senior Services Meals Program in South Dakota. This year, the Meals Program celebrates 25 years of service to elderly and disabled individuals in western South Dakota. The Meals Program currently serves between 735 and 750 meals per day, or 185,000 meals annually, to residents at 28 stations in 16 communities. These communities include Rapid City, several cities in the Black Hills, and many rural communities in western South Dakota. Despite declining budgets, the goal of the Meals Program has remained constant: to provide healthy and nutritious meals to hundreds of Black Hills and western South Dakota residents. Many of these individuals are homebound, and the noon meal they receive is often the only warm, healthy, and nutritious meal they receive during the day. The visit by the Meals Program volunteer is welcomed by the elderly or disabled individual who is unable to leave their home or apartment. It is an opportunity for a brief chat with a friend and to receive a nutritious, home-cooked meal. Meals are also served at various apartment complexes or senior citizens centers where several tenants can come together, eat a good meal, and share stories with friends and neighbors. When someone is unable to attend the noon meal, the meal is delivered to the apartment and it is an opportunity to check on the health and welfare of the individual. It is my hope that more individuals can receive the benefits of the Meals Program in my State and across the Nation. More funds are needed so that current programs can be maintained and expanded so that deserving individuals can get the nutritious meals they need. I appreciate the various local sponsors and entities that allow the Meals Program to function in western South Dakota. I commend and applaud the great work of all the staff and volunteers of the Meals Program and congratulate Western South Dakota Senior Services, Inc., for their efforts. Thousands of western South Dakota residents have benefited greatly over the past 25 years from the Meals Program, and it is my hope these services can continue for many years to come.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the service of Linda L. Stoll, who has been an employee of the Federal Government for nearly 34 years, including 21 years with the National Park Service. Since July 2000, Ms. Stoll has been the superintendent of Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota. Wind Cave is the fourth longest cave in the world. Ms. Stoll began her career with the Government in the 1970s with the General Services Administration in Denver. Over the course of 12 years in the agency, she held several positions, starting as a c1erk stenographer and ultimately becoming personnel management specialist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Miami, FL. In 1985, she accepted a position with the National Park Service as supervisory personnel management specialist at Everglades National Park. It was the first of what were to be many posts in an extensive and highly regarded career. In 1988, she became superintendent of what is now Pecos National Historical Park. Also prior to coming to Wind Cave, she was assistant regional director for program review in the Intermountain Regional Office of National Park Service. As the superintendent of Wind Cave for 6 years, Ms. Stoll took the lead in shepherding the park through 10 environmental assessments and one environmental impact statement. The purpose of these exercises was both to be sure park resources were being protected, and to ensure the safety of those visiting the park. The results of this work were an array of construction projects and new wildlife management plans. Her ingenuity helped to preserve the wonderful Wind Cave system and the mixed-grass prairie that is also under her jurisdiction. Ms. Stoll will be retiring on January 3, 2007 and intends to stay in the Hot Springs area. Though her day-to-day presence at the park will be greatly missed, her years of hard work are appreciated by the visitors of Wind Cave and all those who care about protecting this national treasure. I applaud Ms. Stoll's service and thank her for her time and efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, yesterday the Senate Armed Services Committee voted unanimously in favor of Robert Gates' nomination to be Secretary of Defense. Following robust debate in the Senate, I plan to vote in favor of Dr. Gates' nomination. During Dr. Gates' testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, I was encouraged by his candid assessment of the situation in Iraq. Dr. Gates acknowledged that we are not winning in Iraq and the status quo is unacceptable. He signaled his willingness to actively solicit the advice of military leaders on the ground and to work with members of both parties to develop a coherent strategy for Iraq. Dr. Gates' testimony was straightforward and refreshing. It is a step in the right direction toward resolving the crisis in Iraq. At the same time the full Senate began debate on Dr. Gates' nomination, the Iraq Study Group released their recommendations for overhauling our policy in Iraq. The commission's report was stark and sobering and described the current situation in Iraq as grave and deteriorating. I wholeheartedly agree with the Iraq Study Group's assessment that our commitment to Iraq should not be open-ended. U.S. support for the Iraqi government is strong, but Iraqi leaders must immediately make the necessary political decisions to create a sustainable political settlement. As a member of the Iraq Study Group prior to his nomination, it is my hope Dr. Gates will heed the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group and encourage the Bush administration to change course in Iraq.