Tim Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. I send an amendment to the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON. If I may inquire, previously it was agreed to that the Johnson amendment would follow the Feingold amendment. Is that still the case? I assure my colleague from Indiana this is not a lengthy amendment.

Mr. JOHNSON. Reserving the right to object, if there is no further debate on the Johnson amendment, I ask for the yeas and nays on the amendment and that we proceed to the Smith amendment.

Mr. JOHNSON. I withdraw that request if there is additional debate pro or con on the amendment.

Mr. JOHNSON. I was simply suggesting we take care of the Johnson amendment before we moved on to the Smith amendment. That was my only goal.

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, we have before the Senate today the Senate farm bill. It is certainly my hope that a cloture vote will be reached at 4 o'clock so that we may wind down the debate and go to final passage. I think this is an incredible urgency that the Senate pass the farm bill during these closing days of the first session of the 107th Congress for a number of reasons. One is the abject failure of the existing underlying farm bill. It needs replacement. Second, our farmers, our lenders, and our rural communities all want to know what the underlying rules are going to be in this coming crop- year. Third, there is concern about whether there will be an erosion of the budget baseline currently afforded for agriculture. I applaud my colleague, Senator Harkin, for his extraordinary leadership on this farm bill. It was taken up during the tumultuous times of the 107th Congress when we had a change of power midyear from one party to the other--a change of all the chairmen and a change of leadership. Under those circumstances, Senator Harkin took up this issue. I think he has put together an excellent bill. I think there is a need to go forward. The bill contains several provisions that are of particular importance to me. One is that unlike the bill in the House of Representatives, and the bill on the other side, this legislation contains a bioenergy title. I think that is essential. As a member of the Energy Committee, I want to do all that I can in the coming year to move energy legislation which would incorporate incentives for greater utilization of agriculturally based renewable fuels. But it is also important that the farm bill, as well, contain efforts in that direction. I am pleased that Senator Harkin's farm bill, unlike the House bill, contains incentives for ethanol, for soybean-based biodiesel, and places agriculture at the center of our energy debate that this Nation needs to have. Second, the bill contains my legislation on country of origin labeling of meat, as well as fruit and vegetables. I think for too long the American consumers have been denied the ability to know the origins of the products they feed their families. I believe it is an outrage at a time when consumers have the opportunity to know the origins of most items they buy that for some reason they have been denied the ability to know the origin of the meat, fruit, and vegetables they serve their families. This is not a trade limitation. If people choose to buy foreign meat products or food products, it is certainly their prerogative. But this would make those decisions a knowing decision. I think this is helpful to a lot of American agricultural producers because I happen to believe a lot of Americans, if they have the choice, will choose an American product. It is more of a consumer issue than a producer issue because the consumers ultimately are the greatest in need of this additional information. I applaud Senator Harkin for including the competition title in the farm bill. Although that title was stricken in committee, it is my hope that at least components of it will find its way back into the farm bill as we engage in these debates today and this week. This bill provides significant benefits for producers. It is not perfect legislation. No legislation we ever consider on this floor is perfect. There are amendments that I would add. There is going to be one coming up not long from now having to do with the targeting of farm program payments--one that I will support, with Senator Dorgan and others--that I think is bipartisan; that I think will allow us to better utilize and more carefully target the benefits that flow from the farm legislation. But I think the biggest error of all would be for us to be allowed to be bogged down to the point where we cannot reach a final conclusion of this farm bill. I know there are those who want to delay this debate into next year. It would be well into the springtime before we would be able to get back and finish this, no doubt. I think that would be a mistake. I think there is a real urgency. I applaud Senator Harkin for his extraordinary leadership and for bringing this along as quickly as he has. But it is certainly my hope that later on today we will be able to reach cloture so that an adequate number of amendments are allowed to be considered, but that the bill is not, frankly, talked to death to the point where we are unable to give our producers, our rural communities, our lenders, or anyone else reliable knowledge about the shape of next year's agricultural economy. I yield the floor.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, it has been brought to my attention that there are unique concerns about how perishable agricultural commodities are labeled under the country of origin labeling provision in the farm bill. Unlike meat products that are oftentimes either wrapped or displayed behind glass, shoppers physically handle produce to evaluate such characteristics as size or ripeness. Quite honestly, after being handled by a consumer, a fruit or vegetable item is not always returned to the original bin in which the product was displayed. For this reason, each individual produce item may need to be labeled when physically possible to ensure accuracy about the country of origin information. I am confident the method of notification language in the labeling provision in the farm bill will ensure responsibility in information- sharing on the part of processors, retailers, and others under this act. Our language requires any person that prepares, stores, handles, or distributes a covered commodity for retail sale to maintain records about the origin of such products and to provide information regarding the country of origin to retailers. Nonetheless, I understand retailers have some concerns about making sure they are provided with accurate information. Therefore, so that we can be confident this is workable for retailers and others, I would like to recommend to my lead cosponsor of this legislation, Senator Graham of Florida, that we consult with the growers, packers and retailers to develop a means to provide such labels or labeling information to the grocery stores.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to urge an anonymous Senate colleague to lift his or her hold that has been placed on critical legislation for America's veterans. As you are aware, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee approved important legislation in October that will make significant improvements to the Montgomery GI Bill, expand benefits for Persian Gulf War veterans, and enhance the VA Home Loan program. The Senate must act on the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2001 before the end of this legislative session. I have advocated updating education benefits for veterans and introduced comprehensive legislation with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) at the beginning of the year to bring Montgomery GI Bill benefits in line with the rising costs of higher education. The Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act represents an important first step in ultimately restoring the effectiveness of the Montgomery GI Bill as a tool in the recruitment and retention of the best and brightest in our armed forces. Unfortunately, an anonymous member of the Senate is preventing veterans from receiving these expanded educational benefits. I am equally disappointed that this anonymous hold is threatening our ability to increase the VA home loan guaranty in order to keep pace with FHA loan guaranties and extend housing loan guaranties for members of the Selected Reserve. Finally, I find it disturbing that during a time of war an anonymous member of Congress is willing to halt legislation that would help Persian Gulf War veterans with service-connected disabilities and Vietnam Veterans exposed to Agent Orange. The Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act rectifies several oversights for these brave men and women who served their country while also illustrating to members of the Armed Forces that our country keeps its promises to our veterans. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) recently wrote Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) and urged him to prevail upon his colleagues to release the anonymous hold on this bill. The VFW correctly points out that with American servicemen and women currently in harms way, there is no justification for blocking action on legislation that recognizes veterans' service to our nation. I ask unanimous consent to have a copy of the VFW's letter printed in the Congressional Record following my remarks. I urge all Senators to help expedite passage of this important legislation and look forward to continue working with my colleagues on veterans legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Dan Wenk, former Superintendent of Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. Dan was recently promoted and is currently serving the National Park Service as the director of the Denver Service Center. Dan started serving as Superintendent of Mt. Rushmore 16 years ago. Over the past 16 years, Dan has had oversight over numerous big events, including the 50th anniversary observance in 1991, which was a national observance that highlighted the memorial's significance as this country's `Shrine of Democracy'. President George Bush, actor Jimmy Stewart and many other national and statewide celebrities took part in the event. In recent years, Mount Rushmore has also been placed on the national stage with its awesome and impressive Independence Day fireworks celebration. Thousands of people descend upon the monument around the July 4th holiday to listen to patriotic music, witness one of the Nation's best fireworks displays and unite in a patriotic spirit. During his tenure, Wenk helped showcase Mount Rushmore National Memorial to a worldwide audience, numbering in excess of two million visitors annually. These visitors have included presidents, cabinet members, members of Congress, and national celebrities. But I know Dan's biggest reward came in visiting with the general public and answering countless questions from inquiring folks of all ages. In recent years, Dan shepherded a massive $30 million renovation project to redesign outdated facilities and expand the visitor experience at the memorial. The expanded amphitheater, the Lincoln Borglum Museum and the Presidential Trail are just a few of the renovations that marked this project. Expanded and renovated parking, dining and gift shop facilities greet today's visitors to Mount Rushmore. Over the years, Dan has not been afraid to tackle challenging issues affecting Mount Rushmore. He has dealt with the occasional protester and anthrax threat. As the renovation took several years to complete, Dan recognized the importance of continued leadership to oversee the project. It was very important to communicate the status of the project and the intricacies of the rebuilding phases to the local citizenry, many of whom were skeptical of any changes made to the memorial. At times, during the renovation and parking fee debates, Dan tackled the challenge of keeping the local public informed, addressed opponents' questions and letters to the editor, and even answered the occasional congressional inquiry--all with calmness, all with a professional attitude and all with a dedication to the final goal, which was completion of a massive renovation to one of this nation's most prized symbols. As if overseeing the political wrangling was not enough, Dan would sometimes get away from it all and come down from the mountain to don a striped shirt and officiate local basketball games. I do not know which was the bigger challenge: dealing with intricate construction details and the occasional verbal or written jab, or whistling a foul in the final seconds of a tightly-contested high school basketball game between city rivals. Dan's responsibilities for his new position will include the oversight of planning, design and construction in national parks throughout the United States. Although this is a big loss for Mt. Rushmore and South Dakota, I know his experience and leadership will benefit the entire country. Dan and I started roughly at the same time. I was first elected to Congress in 1986 and Dan started at Mt. Rushmore in 1985. It has been an honor for me and my staff to work with Dan and his staff, and he will be sorely missed. I have appreciated Dan's insight, honesty and professional attitude over the years. I look forward to continuing my relationship with Dan in his new position and I know that he will show the same professionalism in Denver that he showed in South Dakota. Congratulations Dan and I wish you and your family the best of luck in Denver and in your new position.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. I ask unanimous consent to speak in morning business.

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

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise in strong support of the comprehensive energy bill that is being introduced today. As we all know, there has been a great deal of discussion this year about the nation's energy situation. The increasing volatility in gasoline and diesel prices and the growing tension in the world from the terrorist attacks have affected all of us. There is a clear need for energy policies that ensure long term planning, homeland security, fuel diversity and a focus on new technologies. To this end, I am very pleased that a comprehensive energy bill has been introduced in the Senate by my South Dakota colleague, Senator Tom Daschle. The bill is the result of many months of hard work by the Majority Leader and the chairmen of the committees of jurisdiction, including Senator Jeff Bingaman, the chairman of the Energy Committee, of which I am a member. We have listened to the concerns of both those who run our energy systems and our constituents in crafting the legislation. The result is a balanced and thorough product that addresses most of the major segments of the energy system and looks ahead to the needs of future. The bill covers a number of important areas, including incentives to increase oil and gas production and the nation's supplies of traditional fuels, streamlining of electricity systems and regulations, important environmental and conservation measures, and provisions to increase efficiency of vehicles and appliances. One of the key provisions in the bill is the inclusion of a renewable fuels standard. Earlier this year, I introduced a bill with Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, the Renewable Fuels for Energy Security Act of 2001, S. 1006, to ensure future growth for ethanol and biodiesel through the creation of a new renewable fuels content standard in all motor fuel produced and used in the U.S. I am pleased the framework of this bill is included in the comprehensive energy legislation. Today, ethanol and biodiesel comprise less than one percent of all transportation fuel in the United States. 1.8 billion gallons is currently produced in the U.S. The energy bill's language would require that five billions gallons of transportation fuel be comprised of renewable fuel by 2012--nearly a tripling of the current ethanol and renewable fuel production. There are great benefits of ethanol and renewable fuels for the environment and the economies of rural communities. We have many ethanol plants in South Dakota and more are being planned. These farmer-owned ethanol plants in South Dakota, and in neighboring states, demonstrate the hard work and commitment to serve a growing market for clean domestic fuels. Based on current projections, construction of new plants will generate $900 million in capital investment and tens of thousands of construction jobs all across rural America. For corn farmers, the price of corn is expected to rise between 20-30 cents per bushel. Farmers will have the opportunity to invest in these ethanol plants to capture a greater piece of the value-added profitability. Combine this with the provisions of the energy bill and the potential economic impact for South Dakota is enormous. Today, an important but underemphasized future is biodiesel, which is cheaply produced from excess soybean oil. We all know that soybean prices are hovering near historic lows. Biodiesel production is small but has been growing steadily. A renewable fuel standard would greatly increase the prospects for bioproduction and benefit soybean farmers from South Dakota and other states around the Nation. Moreover, the enactment of renewable fuel standards would greatly increase the Nation's energy security. Greater usage of renewable fuels would displace the level of foreign oil that we currently use. During these difficult times it is imperative that we find ways to improve our Nation's energy security and reduce our overwhelming dependence on foreign oil. A renewable fuel standard would go a long way toward achieving this critically important goal. The House has passed an energy bill without any provisions for renewable fuel standard. Moreover, I believe the other body looks backward by focusing too heavily on simple tax breaks for traditional fuel supplies without enough encouragement for new technologies. Where there are agriculturally based fuels, wind energy, and so on, we adequately provide for it in this Senate legislation. The House bill sets us on track for continued heavy reliance on imported petroleum from unstable nations all around the world. I believe the Senate bill that is now introduced achieves the right balance for the Nation's future. I commend Senator Daschle and Senator Bingaman for their efforts and I look forward to debate this coming year on this critical piece of legislation which directs our attention not only to energy needs of every kind in our Nation but to the energy independence and energy security that during these troubling times we all understand now more profoundly than ever is so badly needed.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise in strong support of the comprehensive energy bill that is being introduced today. As we all know, there has been a great deal of discussion this year about the nation's energy situation. The increasing volatility in gasoline and diesel prices and the growing tension in the world from the terrorist attacks have affected all of us. There is a clear need for energy policies that ensure long term planning, homeland security, fuel diversity and a focus on new technologies. To this end, I am very pleased that a comprehensive energy bill has been introduced in the Senate by my South Dakota colleague, Senator Tom Daschle. The bill is the result of many months of hard work by the Majority Leader and the chairmen of the committees of jurisdiction, including Senator Jeff Bingaman, the chairman of the Energy Committee, of which I am a member. They have listened to the concerns of both those who run our energy systems and our constituents in crafting the legislation. The result is a balanced and thorough product that addresses most of the major segments of the energy system and looks ahead to the needs of future. The bill covers a number of important areas, including incentives to increase oil and gas production and the nation's supplies of traditional fuels, streamlining of electricity systems and regulations, important environmental and conservation measures, and provisions to increase efficiency of vehicles and appliances. One of the key provisions in the bill is the inclusion of a renewable fuels standard. Earlier this year, I introduced a bill with Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, the Renewable Fuels for Energy Security Act of 2001 (S. 1006), to ensure future growth for ethanol and biodiesel through the creation of a new renewable fuels content standard in all motor fuel produced and used in the U.S. I am pleased the framework of this bill is included in the comprehensive energy legislation. Today, ethanol and biodiesel comprise less than one percent of all transportation fuel in the United States. 1.8 billion gallons is currently produced in the U.S. The energy bill's language would require that five billions gallons of transportation fuel be comprised of renewable fuel by 2012--nearly a tripling of the current ethanol and renewable fuel production. There are great benefits of ethanol and renewable fuels for the environment and the economies of rural communities. We have many ethanol plants in South Dakota and more are being planned. These farmer-owned ethanol plants in South Dakota, and in neighboring states, demonstrate the hard work and commitment to serve a growing market for clean domestic fuels. Based on current projections, construction of new plants will generate $900 million in capital investment and tens of thousands of construction jobs to rural communities. For corn farmers, the price of corn is expected to rise between 20 and 30 cents per bushel. Farmers will have the opportunity to invest in these ethanol plants to capture a greater piece of the ``value chain.'' Combine this with the provisions of the energy bill and the potential economic impact for South Dakota is tremendous. Today, 3 ethanol plants in South Dakota (Broins in Scotland and Heartland Grain Fuels in Aberdeen and Huron) produce nearly 30 million gallons per year. With the enactment of a renewable fuels standard, the production in South Dakota could grow substantially, with at least 2000 farmers owning ethanol plants and producing 200 million gallons of ethanol per year or more. An important but under-emphasized fuel is biodiesel, which is chiefly produced from excess soybean oil. We all know that soybean prices are hovering near historic lows. Biodiesel production is small but has been growing steadily. The renewable fuels standard would greatly increase the prospects for biodiesel production and benefit soybean farmers from South Dakota and other states. Moreover, the enactment of a renewable fuels standards would greatly increase the nation's energy security. Greater usage of renewable fuels would displace the level of foreign oil that we currently use. During these difficult times, it is imperative that we find ways to improve the nation's energy security and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. A renewable fuels standard would go a long way towards achieving this goal. The House passed an energy bill without any provisions for a renewable fuels standard. Moreover, the House looks backward by focusing too heavily on tax breaks for traditional fuel supplies without enough encouragement for new technologies and provisions that will reduce our dependency on foreign oil. The Senate bill achieves the right balance for the nation's future. I commend Senators Daschle and Bingaman for their efforts and look forward to enacting the bill.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise in strong support of the comprehensive energy bill that is being introduced today. As we all know, there has been a great deal of discussion this year about the nation's energy situation. The increasing volatility in gasoline and diesel prices and the growing tension in the world from the terrorist attacks have affected all of us. There is a clear need for energy policies that ensure long term planning, homeland security, fuel diversity and a focus on new technologies. To this end, I am very pleased that a comprehensive energy bill has been introduced in the Senate by my South Dakota colleague, Senator Tom Daschle. The bill is the result of many months of hard work by the Majority Leader and the chairmen of the committees of jurisdiction, including Senator Jeff Bingaman, the chairman of the Energy Committee, of which I am a member. They have listened to the concerns of both those who run our energy systems and our constituents in crafting the legislation. The result is a balanced and thorough product that addresses most of the major segments of the energy system and looks ahead to the needs of future. The bill covers a number of important areas, including incentives to increase oil and gas production and the nation's supplies of traditional fuels, streamlining of electricity systems and regulations, important environmental and conservation measures, and provisions to increase efficiency of vehicles and appliances. One of the key provisions in the bill is the inclusion of a renewable fuels standard. Earlier this year, I introduced a bill with Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, the Renewable Fuels for Energy Security Act of 2001 (S. 1006), to ensure future growth for ethanol and biodiesel through the creation of a new renewable fuels content standard in all motor fuel produced and used in the U.S. I am pleased the framework of this bill is included in the comprehensive energy legislation. Today, ethanol and biodiesel comprise less than one percent of all transportation fuel in the United States. 1.8 billion gallons is currently produced in the U.S. The energy bill's language would require that five billions gallons of transportation fuel be comprised of renewable fuel by 2012--nearly a tripling of the current ethanol and renewable fuel production. There are great benefits of ethanol and renewable fuels for the environment and the economies of rural communities. We have many ethanol plants in South Dakota and more are being planned. These farmer-owned ethanol plants in South Dakota, and in neighboring states, demonstrate the hard work and commitment to serve a growing market for clean domestic fuels. Based on current projections, construction of new plants will generate $900 million in capital investment and tens of thousands of construction jobs to rural communities. For corn farmers, the price of corn is expected to rise between 20 and 30 cents per bushel. Farmers will have the opportunity to invest in these ethanol plants to capture a greater piece of the ``value chain.'' Combine this with the provisions of the energy bill and the potential economic impact for South Dakota is tremendous. Today, 3 ethanol plants in South Dakota (Broins in Scotland and Heartland Grain Fuels in Aberdeen and Huron) produce nearly 30 million gallons per year. With the enactment of a renewable fuels standard, the production in South Dakota could grow substantially, with at least 2000 farmers owning ethanol plants and producing 200 million gallons of ethanol per year or more. An important but under-emphasized fuel is biodiesel, which is chiefly produced from excess soybean oil. We all know that soybean prices are hovering near historic lows. Biodiesel production is small but has been growing steadily. The renewable fuels standard would greatly increase the prospects for biodiesel production and benefit soybean farmers from South Dakota and other states. Moreover, the enactment of a renewable fuels standards would greatly increase the nation's energy security. Greater usage of renewable fuels would displace the level of foreign oil that we currently use. During these difficult times, it is imperative that we find ways to improve the nation's energy security and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. A renewable fuels standard would go a long way towards achieving this goal. The House passed an energy bill without any provisions for a renewable fuels standard. Moreover, the House looks backward by focusing too heavily on tax breaks for traditional fuel supplies without enough encouragement for new technologies and provisions that will reduce our dependency on foreign oil. The Senate bill achieves the right balance for the nation's future. I commend Senators Daschle and Bingaman for their efforts and look forward to enacting the bill.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, very briefly, I want to share my thoughts on the urgency and the merit of the railroad retirement legislation. This is legislation that ought to be a slam dunk for this body. It is legislation which passed in the House by an overwhelming 384-33 vote-- legislation sponsored and supported by three-quarters of the Senate. We have an opportunity this afternoon to bring this bill up and to have adequate debate. I don't think it needs much greater debate. People who want to offer amendments could do so, and we could get this finished up after years of negotiation. This legislation has the support of both railroad management and labor and has broad-based, bipartisan support in both Chambers of Congress. There simply is no reason this bill cannot be expedited and taken care of today. I am disappointed we are having as much resistance as we have. It appears to me that with the 74 sponsors we have in the Senate this is an opportune time to find out who, in fact, is really supportive and whose sponsorship is, in fact, not meaningful. We will have a vote on breaking the gridlock and bringing this legislation to the floor. It is timely, meritorious, and it deals with a railroad retirement system that is solvent and will continue to be solvent to the end of the horizon for budget accounting. It is badly needed to update the survivor benefits. We all largely agree to that. I think it is a sad commentary that we can have that level of bipartisan support in both Chambers of Congress and still find ourselves being held up during these closing days by a few who, it would seem, are hopeful that this will somehow be discarded in the rush of closing legislation. I think there is a time when the will of the majority needs to prevail, particularly when it is an overwhelming majority and when it is bipartisan in nature. I cannot express my support for this legislation more strongly. We cannot wait for next year. This has been around for too long. It has been negotiated, painfully brought together over a course of years by management and labor, and it is time. Its time has come. There is no excuse for not passing this legislation this Congress and getting it to the President's desk for his signature. It will significantly enhance the quality of life and retirement prospects of thousands of Americans who are relying on us to do the responsible thing--the responsible thing in terms of retirement policy, the responsible thing in terms of budgeting. That is what this legislation does. Again I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting every effort to break the gridlock, to bring this up for full and fair consideration and then final passage. I yield the floor.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to Curtis Hage of Sioux Falls, SD, on the occasion of being installed as Chairman of America's Community Bankers. The people of the great State of South Dakota share my pride in Curt's accomplishments, and I know they join me in congratulating him on becoming the first South Dakotan to rise to the Chairmanship of this important organization. Throughout his long and distinguished career, Curt has worked to provide financial opportunity to South Dakota. For the past 30 years, Curt has guided Home Federal Savings Bank in new and innovative directions. Home Federal was named South Dakota's Best Bank by Money Magazine in 1995, when Curt was President & CEO. Under Curt's direction as Chairman, Home Federal in 1997 became the first bank in South Dakota to introduce Internet Banking. From its humble beginning in 1929, Home Federal has grown to over 30 branches, and Curt has played a critical role in that success story. In addition to his professional dedication, Curt is a true leader in the South Dakota community, and has earned the respect and friendship of so many of us fortunate to spend time with him. Curt represents the goodness and diligence that we find in so many of our South Dakotans, and he will do us proud as Chairman of America's Community Bankers.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. I ask my colleague, does it seem odd--and I speak as someone who has been very committed to impact aid schools in my State-- that some people would have voted earlier to spend billions of dollars in tax relief that went into the hands of people already millionaires, and then to come to us today to tell us the only way we can help repair and build impact aid schools is to take it from other schools that are in desperate need of school construction and repair? Does it seem to the Senator that the goal here is an ideological issue to make sure that somehow the Federal Government does not get into the business of assisting school districts with school construction and that is what seems to be the end product of this amendment?

Mr. JOHNSON. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, first I thank, Chairman Kohl and Senator Cochran for their outstanding work in putting together an excellent bill. An important part of this legislation provides funding for the Food and Drug Administration to perform its vital mission to protect and promote the public health. That mission includes the essential work of evaluating the safety and effectiveness of promising new life-saving and life-enhancing medical device technologies so that they may be used with patients in an expeditious manner. However, we must be sure that the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDHR) are provided with the adequate resources to carry out their work. The number of patents issued in the medical device sector has increased by 30 percent in recent years. The private sector is committing substantial increases in funding to healthcare research and development. We are fortunate that the FDA will be faced with the task of evaluating many new technologies that will benefit all of us next year. It is my hope that we could review this issue in conference to ensure that the premarket review function at CDRH receives an appropriate level of funding to carry out their mission.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. I also thank Chairman Kohl for his help with this project. Agriculture has much to contribute to the nation's energy security, and can make significant contributions to markets for nonfood producers as well. This biobased shift would reduce our reliance on petroleum-based products and provide significant economic opportunities for independent farm families and rural communities. These funds will help make this a reality, and I am hopeful that USDA will release the funds as quickly as possible after enactment of this legislation so the planning of this exciting initiative can continue in a timely manner.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Katy Ziegler of my staff be granted floor privileges during the remainder of the day.

Mr. JOHNSON

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

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I thank Chairman Kohl and Senator Cochran for their extraordinary cooperation and leadership on this Agriculture appropriations bill which funds the commodity and income support programs for farmers. It funds conservation programs, crop insurance, regulatory programs ensuring market competitiveness, rural development initiatives, value-added projects, agricultural research and security priorities, trade promotion initiatives, food safety, drug and medical services, and nutritional programs administered by the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. This bill contains $74.121 billion for these imperative programs which benefit all Americans. There is a lot of focus obviously here on farmers and ranchers, understandably so. Over half of the funding for these programs, in fact, goes for nutritional programs which benefit particularly low- income people as well as students all over America. This important appropriations legislation, of course, is separate from the farm bill debate which we hope to have on the floor of the Senate this year. The current farm bill expires next year. It is our hope to have a new farm bill in place--perhaps this year but certainly early on next year if this year it is not possible. It will be critically important that the Congress capitalize upon the resources that are provided in this appropriations bill and in the budget resolution to ensure farmers, ranchers, and rural communities that they, in fact, have an opportunity to prosper and to compete in the years ahead. I am proud to serve on the Agriculture Subcommittee which crafted this product which has come to us in such an excellent bipartisan fashion. This Agriculture appropriations bill provides very timely funding for the Department of Agriculture's guaranteed and direct loan programs for farmers and ranchers, as well as beginning operators. It provides almost $4 million for State mediation grants. This is an area that has been of particular concern to me because of multiple years of income stress in farm country. We have needed less litigation and more coming together to try to devise ways for family farmers and ranchers to have an opportunity to stay on the farm and to pay their debts but to do so outside of long, protracted legal proceedings. The mediation grants program has been a proven success. It has now been reauthorized through the year 2005 because of legislation I authored last year allowing agricultural producers to sort through their disputes with creditors and with USDA agencies without costly litigation. Additionally, this legislation provides funding for our ongoing conservation efforts and programs that compensate farmers while preventing soil erosion and providing valuable habitat for wildlife. This Senate bill provides about $985 million for discretionary conservation programs administered by the Department of Agriculture-- nearly $30 million more than is contained in our counterpart in the other body, the House of Representatives. Agricultural research extension and education is another winner in this bill. Those programs are central to a strong production in the agricultural industry in my home State of South Dakota and across the Nation. The Senate bill contains $2.3 billion for four USDA agencies to support these activities. Moreover, our bill includes over $1 billion for the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, which is $32 million more than the House bill. Many new value-added and bioenergy research projects that benefit farmers, and which will benefit our Nation ultimately, are funded through these programs carried out by our land grant universities all over the United States, including specifically South Dakota State University. Protecting our Nation's crops, livestock, and overall food and fiber system from pests, diseases, and new bioterrorist threats is, again, one of the issues that is addressed in this key legislation. Given the recent and very real bioterrorist attacks on the people of the United States, including in this very Capitol complex, I am also concerned that our Nation's food and fiber systems may be vulnerable to bioterrorism. A host of factors make our crop, livestock, and food supplies potentially susceptible to the introduction of a bioterror threat, such as livestock disease, crop fungus, or foodborne illness. Our research facilities and land grant colleges are in great need of emergency funding to boost security and accelerate research to protect our agricultural industry and to protect our Nation as a whole. This bill provides appropriate funding levels for these facilities given the timing of committee action, but we may need to consider additional emergency funding to boost security and research in these important labs. Second, our border inspections need to be dramatically increased, and greater security needs to be placed on imports of commodities, livestock, carcasses, food ingredients, and ready-to-eat food items. Less than 1 percent of imported food currently undergoes inspection by Federal officials. Given the new set of circumstances that we face regarding anthrax and bioterror, this must change, and it needs to change with great urgency. Additionally, many of the major livestock feeding and processing areas are concentrated in certain regions of our Nation. The introduction of a biosecurity threat such as foot and mouth disease could, in fact, spread rapidly in these areas and would create horrendous problems for the livestock health and economic viability. Finally, and perhaps most disturbing, Federal agencies, including USDA, APHIS, FSIS, Customs, HHS, and the Food and Drug Administration, responsible for protecting our food and fiber system do not adequately coordinate their efforts, nor do they effectively communicate among each other or with the agricultural industry or the public. Therefore, I believe it is going to be imperative that we establish a crisis communications and education strategy with respect to bioterrorist threats to our food supply. My good friend and colleague, Senator Hagel from Nebraska, and I are working on legislation which we believe complements and coordinates the efforts I have referred to here. And the funding made available through this legislation, in fact, will be an important part of that overall strategy. I believe this bill takes significant steps to boost current efforts to begin new initiatives to protect American agriculture from harm. I thank the chairman and the ranking member in particular for that effort. Now more than ever, ensuring economic security in rural America means that emphasis has to be placed upon initiatives that serve to enhance the well-being of rural communities throughout our Nation. Rural development programs within USDA target financial loan and grant resources to value-added agricultural projects, telecommunications, and broadband services, telemedicine, distance learning, rule housing, and rural electric systems. The Senate bill devotes almost $2.8 billion to rural development. It is a great amount of investment to these important programs. Again, these are programs that will make the difference literally between communities that prosper and communities that die away and that wither away in our rural development programs. This legislation provides $300 million more for this array of rural development initiatives than is found in the legislation of our counterpart, the House of Representatives. So in area after area, I believe the Ag Appropriations Subcommittee and the Appropriations Committee as a whole have done very well for our Nation, for our farmers and ranchers, for our consumers, for the economic vitality of the entire fabric of our country. I applaud the bipartisanship and the thoughtful work that went into the production of this appropriations bill. It is my hope that we will reach an opportunity for final passage on this bill still today. It is an excellent piece of legislation. I applaud all who participated and worked so hard to create this quality piece of appropriations legislation. I yield back, Mr. President.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, statistics show that a woman is raped every five minutes in the United States and that one in every three adult women experiences at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood. In fact, more women are injured by domestic violence each year than by automobile accidents and cancer deaths combined. October, as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, is a good time to take a serious look at the progress we've made in addressing the problem of abuse against women in our communities. In 1983, I introduced legislation in the South Dakota State Legislature to use marriage license fees to help fund domestic abuse shelters. At that time, thousands of South Dakota women and children were in need of shelters and programs to help them. However, few people wanted to acknowledge that domestic abuse occurred in their communities, or even in their homes. During the last 7 years, I have led efforts in the United States Congress to authorize the original Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, and, most recently, expand and improve the program to assist rural communities. South Dakota has received over $8 million in VAWA funds for women's' shelters and family violence prevention services. In addition the law has doubled prison time for repeat sex offenders, established mandatory restitution to victims of violence against women, and strengthened interstate enforcement of violent crimes against women. South Dakotans can also call a nationwide toll-free hotline for immediate crisis intervention help and free referrals to local services. The number for women to call for help is 1-800-799-SAFE. In South Dakota last year, over 5,500 women were provided assistance in domestic violence shelters and outreach centers thanks, in part, to VAWA funds. While I am pleased that we have made significant progress in getting resources to thousands of South Dakota women in need, it is important to look beyond the numbers. Fifty-five hundred neighbors, sisters, daughters, and wives in South Dakota were victimized by abuse last year. Thousands of other women are abused and don't seek help. We must also recognize that the problem is multiplied on the reservations where Native American women are abused at two and a half times the national rate and are more than twice as likely to be rape victims as any other race of women. The words of a domestic abuse survivor may best illustrate the need to remain vigilant in Congress and in our communities on preventing domestic abuse. A woman from my State wrote me and explained that she was abused as a child, raped as a teenager, and emotionally abused as a wife. Her grandchildren were also abused. In her letter, she pleaded: ``Don't let another woman go through what I went through, and please don't let another child go through what my grandchildren have gone through. You can make a difference.'' We all can make a difference by protecting women from violence and abuse.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary work done by Peter Henry as Director of the VA Black Hills Health Care System in Fort Meade and Hot Springs, SD. I also wish him all the best in his new position as Chief Executive Officer of the Extended Care and Rehabilitation Patient Service Line for Veterans Integrated Service Network, VISN, 13. Peter has been a valuable asset in working the myriad of issues affecting the VA over the years, especially his efforts to keep services going to Category C veterans when others could not. Peter, his wife Sharon, and their five children, have also been important members of the Black Hills community. Peter serves on the Board of the Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce and the Sturgis United Way. Peter's service in the VA dates back to 1970, when he was a Management Intern at VA Central Office in Washington, DC. He later served as Chief of Personnel Service at Vancouver, Martinez, and Palo Alto VAMCs. He completed the Associate Director Training Program in 1982 at the VAMC in San Francisco, CA. Peter then served as Associate Director at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, FL and as Assistant Medical Center Director at the VAMC Long Beach, CA. Peter came to South Dakota in 1993 as the Director of the Medical Center at Fort Meade, SD. Three years later, he became Director of the VA Black Hills Health Care System. Peter is a third generation VA employee and currently serves as president of the VA Chapter of the Senior Executives Association and on the National Board of that organization. I have had the pleasure of working with Peter through my career in the United States House of Representatives and now in the United States Senate. Peter has helped to educate me and other South Dakota officials on a variety of veterans issues, and his caring for the individual veterans in the Black Hills has been a great asset to our efforts to improve health care services for our Nation's heroes. Peter's commitment to expanding VA services into rural regions of South Dakota includes the use of outreach clinics which have allowed veterans in rural areas to receive needed care closer to their homes. As I travel South Dakota and meet with veterans, I am reminded of the very core of what the Founding Fathers meant when they talked about America's citizen soldiers who serve as the bulwark of defending our democracy and freedom. The sacrifices of the men and women who served this Nation in time of war are a dramatic story that we need to tell to future generations. We need to remind younger generations of the sacrifice of the quiet heroes who have served our Nation in the military service. We need to remind them that freedom isn't really free. Throughout our Nation's proud history, people have made profound sacrifices to preserve liberty and democracy. I am pleased that with the help of dedicated people like Peter Henry, we have finally begun to honor additional commitments made to veterans nationwide. Peter and his staff at the VA Black Hills Health Care System know that veterans health care is this Nation's priority and not just an afterthought. I look forward to working with Peter, in his new role with VISN 13, to continue to improve veterans health care services.