Tim Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. I ask unanimous consent that amendment No. 556 be modified with the modifications at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Udall of New Mexico.) Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 556

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be set aside, and I call up my amendment No. 556, which is at the desk.

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

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam President, I am pleased to present the fiscal year 2012 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and related agencies appropriations bill to the Senate. The bill was unanimously reported out of the committee on June 30. It is a fiscally disciplined and bipartisan measure, and I hope all Senators will support it. I thank my ranking member, Senator Kirk, for his contributions in crafting this bill. He has taken a very active role on the subcommittee, and it has been a pleasure to work with him. I also thank Chairman Inouye and Vice Chairman Cochran, as well as Leader Reid and Minority Leader McConnell for their support and assistance in moving this bill forward. The MILCON-VA appropriations bill provides crucial investments in infrastructure for our military, including barracks and family housing, mission critical training and operational facilities, schools and hospitals, and childcare and family support centers. It also fulfills the Nation's promise to our vets by providing the resources needed for their medical care and benefits. Madam President, the bill before the Senate today totals $142 billion, of which $72.5 billion is discretionary funding. We are all mindful of the severe economic problems facing this Nation, and this bill reflects that reality. It is $1.25 billion below the budget request and $618 million below the fiscal year 2011 enacted level. I can assure my colleagues there are no congressional earmarks in the bill. As always, protecting essential benefits and health care for veterans tops my list of priorities. With an aging population of veterans requiring increased services, and a surge of combat veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars entering the system, the demand for VA health care services has increased dramatically in recent years. The number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in the VA health care system will exceed half a million in 2012, a 106-percent increase since 2008. The sluggish economy is exacerbating the pressure on the VA as more and more out of work or underemployed veterans turn to the VA for their health care. This bill provides $58.6 billion for VA discretionary funding, $2.3 billion over current funding. Nearly 90 percent of the funding--$50.6 billion--is for veterans health care. The bill also includes $52.5 billion in fiscal year 2013 advance appropriations for veterans medical care. The bill includes $2.9 billion, as requested, to meet the health care needs of veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, a $594 million increase over the current funding. This funding includes research and treatment programs for mental health issues, including traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. One of the very few areas in which the bill provides an increase in funding is VA medical research, which is funded at $581 million, $72 million over the budget request, to restore funding to the current level. This program funds a broad array of vital research efforts including mental health, spinal cord injury, burn treatment, polytrauma injuries, and sensory loss. The bill includes $4.9 billion for health care and support services for homeless veterans. Ending homelessness among veterans is a top priority of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, and it is a goal fully supported by the committee. As a result of programs the Secretary has instituted, and the robust funding provided in recent MilCon/VA bills to implement them, the average number of homeless veterans on any given night has dropped from 195,000 6 years ago to 75,600 this year. The funding in this bill provides the resources to continue to make headway on this very important initiative. As a Senator from a rural State, I am pleased to report that the bill also includes $250 million for programs, such as mobile clinics and telemedicine services, to support rural and Native American veterans. This continues the rural health initiative that I initiated in the fiscal year 2009 MilCon/VA bill, and reflects the importance that both Congress and the VA place on meeting the needs of veterans who live in rural areas and must often travel hundreds of miles for treatment at a VA facility. The bill also includes $52 million for collaborative efforts with the Indian Health Service to ensure that Native American veterans receive the care that they have earned. I am encouraged by this funding and by the fact that the VA created an Office of Tribal Government Relations earlier this year to expand outreach to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Access to health care among Native Americans is a major problem in South Dakota and other rural States, and I believe that collaboration between the VA and the Indian Health Service is essential to leverage the resources and services of both agencies. Information technology, or IT, represents another important investment in this bill. The bill provides the full $3.2 billion as requested in the budget to develop electronic health care records, paperless claims systems, and seamless integration of medical and service records with the Defense Department. Secretary Shinseki and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates worked very closely over the past year to develop a framework for implementing a joint VA-DOD electronic health care record system. Their leadership and determination to overcome bureaucratic hurdles to a find a joint electronic solution to the current maze of paperwork involved in transferring health records from DOD to VA was key to making progress on this long-stalled effort. The Secretaries have announced that the Departments have agreed to pursue a number of integrated development approaches including the decision to share common data centers and to utilize open source software development. I hope that implementing a joint electronic health record system remains a top priority for Secretary Panetta as he assumes the leadership of the Defense Department. There are several other notable VA programs funded in this bill, including $270 million for women's veterans programs, $6.9 billion for long term care for veterans, and $112 million for the VA Inspector General's Office. Each of these programs meets an emerging requirement for the VA. As more and more women join the ranks of America's veterans entitled to VA health care, their unique needs require a reevaluation and reemphasis of services offered in VA clinics and hospitals. Long-term care for veterans is also emerging as a mounting need for veterans, including both the growing population of aging veterans as well as severely wounded veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the growth and complexity of VA services, it is essential to maintain vigilant oversight of VA programs. The committee, therefore, has provided $112 million for the Office of Inspector General, $3 million over the budget request, to support robust oversight by the inspector general. The bill also provides the full budget request for both major and minor construction as well as the full advance appropriation request for medical facilities. However, I have deep concerns about the VA's budget request in all three areas. With this year's budget submission, the Department also transmitted its 10-year Strategic Capital Investment Plan. The plan identifies a requirement of between $53 billion and $65 billion over the next decade to address critical infrastructure needs. Yet, the combined request for both major and minor construction is $400.8 million below the fiscal year 2011 enacted level. Additionally, the advance request for medical facilities includes $600.2 million for nonrecurring maintenance at existing clinics and hospitals, a $510 million decrease from what is being spent this year. While I understand that the budget crisis facing the country requires sacrifice and belt tightening from all sectors, funding decreases of this magnitude given the requirements and the age of VA facilities is alarming. I urge the Department to develop and submit a comprehensive plan with next year's budget submission identifying specific ways in which to adequately finance VA's infrastructure needs. In addition to the above mentioned items, the budget submission included a request to establish a $953 million contingency fund to be available for medical care if a larger than expected number of veterans turns to the VA for health care as a result of the lagging economy. The contingency fund was to be composed of carryover funds already available to the VA as a result of the Federal pay freeze plus $240 million in fiscal year 12 funding. Instead of creating a loosely defined contingency fund based on an untested projection of the VA's standard modeling formula, the committee has directed the Department to use $664 million in carryover funds made available by the Federal pay freeze, as well as additional carryover funds projected to reach $500 million by the end of fiscal year 12, to address this contingency, should it arise. With little room to maneuver on the VA side of the ledger, the vast majority of the savings in the bill comes from incrementing or deferring funding for certain military construction projects. The bill provides $13.7 billion for military construction, $1 billion below the request. The MilCon reductions in the bill are restricted to the active duty components. The Guard and Reserve components, Family Housing, BRAC and other accounts are fully funded at the President's request. The MilCon portion of this bill mirrors the Senate Defense authorization bill, which was unanimously reported out of the Senate Armed Services Committee on June 16. Every military construction project funded in this bill is authorized in the authorization bill. In fact, if you do the math, 52 Senators in this Chamber have already voted in favor of the MilCon portion of this bill. Because of the constrained budget environment, the bill does not provide any increase in funding for military construction projects. Several Senators urged the committee to provide additional funding for such things as Army Guard readiness centers or various unfunded requirements of the services. In normal times, the committee would wholeheartedly support these efforts, but given the austere budget circumstances, there was simply no money to fund these initiatives. In addition to MilCon and VA, the bill includes $221 million for several related agencies, including $77 million for the American Battle Monuments Commission as requested; $45.8 million for Arlington National Cemetery as requested, and $67.7 million for the Armed Forces Retirement Home as requested. The bill also provides $30.8 million for the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, which is $25 million below the request. The reduction reflects the committee's decision to defer funding for a proposed courthouse for the Court until uncertainties surrounding the cost and location of the project can be resolved. Madam President, I again thank my ranking member for his support in crafting this bill. I also thank the staff of the subcommittee-- Christina Evans, Chad Schulken and Andy Vanlandingham of my staff; Dennis Balkham and D'Ann Letteri of the minority staff, and former minority staffer Ben Hammond--for their months of hard work and cooperative effort to produce this bill. Again, this is a well-balanced and bipartisan bill. It provides resources vital to the well being of our troops and their families, and to the millions of veterans who have served and sacrificed for their Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield the Floor.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, I move to waive the point of order under section 303 of that act for H.R. 2055, and any amendments thereto and motions thereon.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I believe Senator Kirk would like to speak in favor of the motion to waive and I yield him as much time as he may consume.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I yield the floor and reserve the remainder of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I thank the Senator for his courtesy and reserve the remainder of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. That is all right.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam President, the amendment is not germane to the bill. I am trying to keep this bill bipartisan and free of extraneous matters. Therefore, I object.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam President, there is a cloture motion at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. I ask unanimous consent that all time be yielded back.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Michael Barrie Rhemann, an intern with the Senate Appropriations Committee, be accorded floor privileges during consideration of H.R. 2055.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, today, I wish to pay tribute to the 125th anniversary of the founding of Trent, SD. Located along the historic Milwaukee Railroad line, Trent is a humble community in Moody County. On July 22 to 24, 2011, the citizens of Trent will celebrate their town's proud past and look forward to its promising future. At the time of its founding in 1886, Trent was often referred to as Brookfield. The railroad requested that the town of Brookfield officially change its name to Trent in order to avoid confusion with a town of the same name on the line. In 1903, Trent was moved to higher ground east of the railroad tracks due to continual flooding. Today, Trent is home to a community pool, known as the ``Swimming Hole,'' and numerous shops, restaurants, and other local businesses. Trent will be commemorating 125 years of rich history with a community potluck, dance, and free swimming on Sunday. The community will celebrate with many activities including a fishing derby, parade, pork loin feed, horseshoes, mud volleyball, and even cardboard and duct tape boat races. Trent continues to grow and thrive, even 125 years after its founding. I congratulate the residents of Trent, SD as they celebrate the town's quasquicentennial and wish them continued success and prosperity in the years to come. It is truly an honor and a privilege to represent the people of the exceptional town of Trent.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the community of Parkston, SD, on reaching the 125th anniversary of its founding. This vibrant town in Hutchinson County truly is, as its motto states: ``A Great Place to Grow.'' Originally founded as Dakota City by Peter Swartz in 1880, Parkston as we know it today was moved to its current location in order to be closer to the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad built running from Scotland to Mitchell. The town was thus renamed Parkston in honor of Edwin R. Parks, the resident engineer of that division of the railroad because, as the Dakota City Advance put it: ``Mr. Parks is a first class fellow and Parkston is a first class town.'' Today, as with many rural communities, Parkston takes particular pride in their school system, home of the Trojans. Parkston students consistently rank high on achievement exams, a testament to their dedication to education. Local small businesses provide a continually growing economic sector for the town. Parkston is also known for the Klauss-James Archive & Art Museum, which houses the Klauss Archive of music manuscripts, and watercolors and drawings of Bernard Albert James. The citizens of Parkston plan to celebrate this milestone with many community events including a parade, live music, golf tournament, talent show, and an all-school reunion. Over the past 125 years, Parkston has become a shining star in South Dakota. I commend small towns, such as Parkston, for their residents' sense of community pride and friendship that is evident to all. Congratulations to Parkston and their citizens for all their achievements, and I look forward to seeing what they will achieve in the future and wish them well on all their endeavors.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the community of Strandburg, SD, on reaching the 125th anniversary of its founding. Strandburg is a community that embodies the spirit of hospitality, beauty, and an exceptional quality of life that is well known in South Dakota. The people of Strandburg celebrated this momentous occasion on the weekend of July 2-3. The city of Strandburg was settled in 1886 and named after the town's first homesteader John Strandburg. John was the man that applied for a post office to be opened in Strandburg, and served as the first postmaster. With the help of the railroad, Strandburg soon prospered and grew like many South Dakota towns of the time. Today, Strandburg has come a long way from its beginning days. The town is currently working on developing the old town gymnasium to a new community center as an effort to bring the community closer. The beautiful and historic Swedish Lutheran Church still stands today and is known as the Tabor Lutheran Church, and was, recognized on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Residents of Strandburg plan to commemorate the anniversary with many community events including a craft show, wagon train, and parade. On Sunday the community will come together in the historic Tabor Lutheran Church for a service to conclude the celebration. South Dakota's small communities are the bedrock of our economy and vital to the future of our state. Towns like Strandburg and its citizens truly know what it means to be South Dakotan, and I am proud to honor Strandburg on this historic milestone.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, with great honor, I congratulate the Aberdeen congregation of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary who are in the process of celebrating their 125 years of service. Founded on December 25, 1775 by Nano Nagle in Cork, Ireland, with the mission to educate poor children and minister to the sick, the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary retain a strong dedication to their founding principle of providing for people's unmet needs. Arriving in the Dakota Territory from Dublin, Ireland, in 1880, the Sisters of the Presentation endured the hardship of isolation and harsh weather to teach the children of the early settlers of South Dakota. Teaching and healing remain the foundation of the work performed by the Presentation Sisters. Today the sisters have expanded their work into less traditional forms. From teaching the young to counseling individuals in spiritual growth, the services provided by the Sisters have grown steadily outside the classroom to provide deeper healing. Assisting in such healing has also led the Sisters to become involved in a wide range of activities-from walking alongside those with HIV to facilitating healing and counsel to individuals after traumatic life events. In addition, the Sisters continue to sponsor Presentation College and Avera Health, along with having sisters actively engaged in those ministries. While recognizing the need to adapt to the changing needs of those they serve, the common thread that binds all the work the Sisters perform is their steadfast adherence to their apostolic tradition of joyfully going where the calls of need ring out most loudly. They are guided in this mission by the words of Bishop Walsh who advocated for the need to go where they are needed, but not necessarily wanted, and stay until they are wanted but no longer needed. I am proud to have this opportunity to honor the Aberdeen Congregation of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary for 125 years of exemplary service. It is an honor for me to share with my colleagues the strong commitment the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin of Mary have demonstrated over these many years. I strongly commend their years of hard work and dedication, and I am very pleased that their substantial efforts are being publicly honored and celebrated.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, today I recognize the service of Judith K. Meierhenry to the Unified Judicial System of South Dakota. In June of this year, Justice Meierhenry will retire after nearly 9 years as associate justice on the South Dakota Supreme Court. Justice Judith Meierhenry was educated at the University of South Dakota where she received her bachelor's, master's, and juris doctorate degrees. Upon completion of her education, Justice Meierhenry practiced law in Vermillion in 1977 and 1978. She began her service to the State of South Dakota in 1979 when Governor Janklow appointed her to the State Economic Opportunity Office. This was just the beginning of her commitment to South Dakota; she was appointed as Secretary of Labor beginning in 1980 and Secretary of Education and Cultural Affairs in 1983. In 1985, Justice Meierhenry left the public sector and worked as a senior manager and assistant general counsel for Citibank in Sioux Falls, SD. Justice Meierhenry was appointed by Governor Mickelson in 1988 as a Second Circuit Court judge serving Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties. She became presiding judge of the Second Judicial Circuit in 1997. Governor Janklow appointed Justice Meierhenry to the South Dakota Supreme Court in 2002. This historic appointment made her the first woman to serve on South Dakota's highest court. Though no female had preceded her in this post, Justice Meierhenry succeeded in this demanding position and now leaves her position having set a standard of excellence for her successors, regardless of gender, to follow. Through her service, female judges and attorneys in South Dakota's legal system now have available to them an exemplary female role model and owe a debt of gratitude to Justice Meierhenry. The citizens of the State of South Dakota are better for the public service of Judith Meierhenry. According to Chief Justice David Gilbertson, during her time on the South Dakota Supreme Court: Justice Judith Meierhenry has contributed to the legal scholarship of that body in resolving the disputes that come before it. Whether it be a traffic ticket or a death penalty conviction, Justice Meierhenry has approached each case with the application of the highest of legal scholarship. The South Dakota Supreme Court, the legal profession of South Dakota and all of the citizens of South Dakota are all better off for the public service of Justice Judith Meierhenry. South Dakota Second Judicial Circuit court judge Patricia Riepel also notes that Justice Meierhenry ``was always well-prepared and decisive, she required decorum in her courtroom as well as civility and cordiality to all of the participants, and she has worked tirelessly for the advancement of women within the legal profession, and especially within the judiciary.'' I wish Justice Meierhenry a happy and healthy retirement. In her own words, ``life and time are our only real possessions,'' and it is time that she reclaim those possessions for herself and her family. I thank Justice Meierhenry for her commitment to the rule of law and her long and distinguished career serving the State of South Dakota.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to the 125th anniversary of the founding of Tripp, SD. Tripp, a small town located in Hutchinson County, will be celebrating its quasquicentennial the weekend of July 1-3. Tripp was incorporated in 1888 and named after Judge Bartlett C. Tripp. On his way to California, Judge Tripp fell in love with the area and chose to make it his home. Judge Tripp was later appointed chief justice of the Dakota Supreme Court in 1885 by President Cleveland, and also served as the U.S. Minister to Austria-Hungary. Although a diplomat, Judge Tripp identified with the possibilities that South Dakota offered. Today, the importance of community to this vibrant town is evident in the presence of their well-maintained school, local businesses, and churches. The Veteran's Memorial is a popular tourist attraction and brings community pride to the residents and honors the military members that served their country. Tripp will celebrate its 125th anniversary with many activities including a race on the local fairgrounds. Tripp is a thriving town that maintains true South Dakota values. I congratulate the citizens of Tripp on their accomplishments over the last 125 years and look forward to seeing their future endeavors.