Tim Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order for the following amendments to be considered en bloc: 2759, 2760, 2741, 2752, 2738, 2746, 2773, 2740, 2749, 2751, 2743, 2771, 2737, 2747, 2745, 2734, 2753.

Mr. JOHNSON

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

Mr. JOHNSON

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 Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, I look forward to making progress on the MILCON-VA bill today so we can reach agreement on a finite list of amendments and vote on them next Monday, followed by final passage of the bill. I wish we were in that position today, but since that is not possible, I hope we can at least arrive at a roadmap to final passage next week. This bill is too important to our military troops and their families and to our Nation's veterans to allow it to become caught up in petty politics. We do not need grandstanding on this bill or message amendments or delaying tactics driven by a political agenda. We just need to get the job done and get this bill to the President. We will be working throughout the day to try to clear and dispose of noncontroversial amendments and to try to come up with a short, finite list of amendments that can be voted on next Monday so we can clear the way for final passage of the bill that same day. I know the leaders and the cloakrooms, as well as the committee staff, are working hard to clear amendments. I hope we will be at a point to dispose of some of those amendments soon. I do not need to remind my colleagues that tomorrow is Veterans Day. If we cannot complete this bill today, let us at least return home with a plan to finish the bill next Monday. Madam President, I yield the floor.

Mr. JOHNSON

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

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, this August I had the opportunity to accompany Secretary Shinseki in South Dakota to meet with the many South Dakotans who have served our Nation. During this trip, the Secretary outlined for me his ambitious plan to end homelessness among veterans and impressed upon me how this is one of his top priorities for the VA. The fiscal year 2010 MILCON-VA bill before us provides a significant amount of resources to help him accomplish that goal, including over $500 million for direct homeless programs. However, after returning from the August recess, I began to look into other efforts the VA could undertake to further address this issue. As many of you know, the VA has 153 hospitals, many on expansive campuses which include numerous buildings, some used and others sitting empty. The amendment I have just offered would add $50 million to the VA's minor construction account specifically for the VA to renovate unused, empty buildings sitting on VA campuses for the purpose of providing housing with supportive services for homeless veterans. In today's economic climate, many of the community organizations and nonprofits that run homeless shelters for vets cannot come up with the capital needed to renovate unused VA buildings. This amendment would allow the VA to make those renovations and then pursue public-private ventures that address the problem of homelessness among vets. The amendment is fully offset and does not exceed the subcommittee's allocation for budget authority or outlays. I would urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senators Byrd and Feinstein be added as cosponsors.

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

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

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, the MILCON-VA appropriations bill is very important to America's military forces and veterans. On Wednesday, the Nation observes Veterans Day. There is no reason this bill should not be completed before Veterans Day. But if we are to achieve that goal, we cannot wait until Tuesday to start the debate and amendment process. We have a choice. We can go home for Veterans Day with a speech in our pockets or we can go home for Veterans Day with a solid accomplishment for our veterans: passage of the fiscal year 2010 MILCON-VA appropriations bill, to our credit. I vote for the latter, and I urge my colleagues to join with me in working to make progress on this bill today so we will be able to move to final passage tomorrow. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be set aside.

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 2733 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

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

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 210, the adjournment resolution, received from the House and is at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, as we resume consideration of the MilCon/ VA bill, I remind my colleagues how important this bill is to the health and well being of our Nation's veterans and military troops and families. Overall, the bill provides $134 billion for veterans health and benefits and for urgent investments in military construction, including family housing, barracks and operational facilities. Within that total, the bill before the Senate provides increased funding for a number of smaller but important initiatives. Let me cite just a few examples. For veterans, the bill provides $3.2 billion for health care and supportive services for homeless veterans. Ending homelessness among veterans is one of Secretary Shinseki's top priorities, and I am committed to doing everything possible through the appropriations process to help him achieve that goal. To that end, I have an amendment to provide another $50 million to the VA to renovate empty buildings on VA medical campuses to provide housing and services to homeless vets. For the military, the bill fully funds the expansion of the Homeowners Assistance Program to help military families who face steep losses on home sales as a result of orders to new posts during the current mortgage crisis. Military families cannot pick and choose when or where they move--they go where their orders send them when they are told to move. The expansion of the Homeowners Assistance Program is designed to help military families who must move at a time when home values have plummeted to avoid foreclosure or financial ruin by compensating them for losses on home sales. And for the Nation's economic and environmental health, the bill provides $225 million to promote energy conservation and investment in renewable energy resources at U.S. military bases, nearly triple the budget request. The Defense Department is the single largest consumer of energy in the Nation. This bill provides the funding to step up efforts to reduce energy consumption on military bases and to promote renewable energy alternatives, ranging from installing energy efficient light bulbs to powering an installation with geothermal energy. These are just a few examples of the many important programs funded in this bill, and a few of the reasons why it is important that we act swiftly to pass the bill. I urge my colleagues to come to the floor if they wish to speak or if they have amendments to offer, and to work with the committee staff to clear amendments. Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, this is an excellent amendment. I thank the Senator for offering it. I will accept this amendment at the appropriate time.

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

Mr. JOHNSON. I thank the Senator from New Mexico.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Yes.

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, this amendment is a technical amendment which provides for the proper designation for title IV of the bill, Overseas Contingency Operations. This information was inadvertently left out of the bill. An amendment would correct this error. I note the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I believe it has been cleared by both sides. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to.

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 2730.

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

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