Edward Kaufman

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. I rise once again to recognize the service of one of America's great Federal employees. Right now the Congress, the President, and the American public are engaged in historic discussions about the future of our health insurance system. This is one of the most important issues facing the country. The dedicated public servant I will speak about today works for a government-run health insurance program already serving 44 million Americans. Medicare was established in 1965. Its mission is to provide coverage for all Americans over the age of 65. At the time of its creation, Medicare faced criticism from those who were apprehensive of a government-run health insurance program. Today, however, Medicare is praised as a great success. Indeed, its fiercest defenders sit on both sides in this Chamber. Medicare continues to protect nearly one out of every seven Americans against what would be otherwise prohibitive medical costs. The reason for its success is not only that it provides a much needed service to America's seniors; one of its greatest strengths is that the men and women who administer Medicare benefits are among the most outstanding Federal employees. They work for an agency called the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or CMS. The CMS employee I will talk about today has worked as a Medicare benefits administrator for 11 years. Iris Morales joined the CMS Chicago Regional Office after having first served several years in the Navy. She has been on the front line as a benefits administrator helping to set at ease those who contact the CMS with inquiries about their coverage. Iris has called her job incredibly rewarding, and she is one of so many Medicare administrators who spend their days solving problems for America's seniors. On one day she might work to make sure a cancer patient has access to lifesaving chemotherapy. On the next Iris might reassure beneficiaries that their copayments are low enough for them to afford critical treatments. Iris is set to retire next year, and when she does, she will join the ranks of Medicare beneficiaries herself. I know that Iris, as a beneficiary, will receive from those helping her in the years to come the same kind of attention to detail, diligence, and professionalism she has demonstrated through her years at CMS. Iris Morales and all of the hard-working employees of CMS are proof of the constructive and important role our government already plays in ensuring Americans' access to affordable health care. I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing this unsung hero and all of the employees at CMS. I honor their contributions, and I thank them for the great job they do every day. I know that America's seniors are grateful for their patience, their caring, and their service to the Nation. I yield the floor.

Mr. KAUFMAN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for up to 5 minutes.

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

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I have spoken many times about the need for a renewed investment in scientific research and development. This includes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics--or, as we say, STEM--education. As a former engineer, I also know how important it is that research and innovation is fostered through both public and private investments. Over the years, many wonderful private organizations have been formed to promote STEM education. One of the very best is the national Achievement Rewards for College Scientists--or ARCS--Foundation, which is an excellent example of the type of investment I believe our country needs to make. ARCS was created in 1958 by a group of women in Los Angeles following the launch of Sputnik. Like many people at that time, the women saw a need to support American technological and scientific advancement, and they decided to create a scholarship program for students to pursue degrees in science, medicine, and engineering. Today, the all-volunteer, all-women organization has grown to 14 chapters with a national membership of over 1,500. Thanks to the efforts of the dedicated women of the ARCS Foundation, nationally more than 13,000 scholarships have been awarded since the organization's inception. All ARCS recipients are U.S. citizens who have superior academic records and proven abilities in scientific research and development. They are recommended and selected by the deans and departmental chairs at universities that have been approved by the ARCS Foundation. This year, the local Metropolitan Washington Chapter of ARCS awarded 20 scholarships to Ph.D. candidates and two scholarships to undergraduates: Ilana Goldberg, Monique Koppel, and Eric Patterson from Georgetown University. Brenton Duffy, Anna Korovina, Yi Jin, Jessica Stolee, and Bennett Walker from the George Washington University. Marcin Balicki, Stephanie Wilson Fraley, Eatai Roth, Bridget Wildt, and Bryan Benson from Johns Hopkins University. Brendan Casey, Stefanie Sherrill, Nathan Siwak, Seth Thomas, and Natalie Salaets from the University of Maryland. Theresa Bankston, Thomas Bliss, Ori Fox, and Rebecca Salomon from the University of Virginia. Scholarships were funded through contributions from ARCS members, Washington-area corporations and foundations, and various fundraising events. One hundred percent of all funds went directly to the scholars who received $15,000 at the graduate level and $5,000 at the undergraduate level. This year, several Washington-area corporate and foundation sponsors provided funding for full scholarships, including Lockheed Martin, American Council on Technology/Industry Advisory Council, Booz Allen Hamilton, Bristol-Myers Squibb, General Dynamics, Mars Foundation, McNichols Foundation, and Raytheon. None of these scholarships would be possible without the dedicated women of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of ARCS. Betty Polutchko, the chapter's president, has worked tirelessly for the Foundation since she joined the local Washington chapter in 1992. Her leadership during her 2-year tenure has enabled the scholars to thrive. I recently had the honor of meeting this incredible group of scholars and learning about the fascinating research they are conducting. These students are discovering new ways for delivering pharmaceuticals and other medical treatments, inventing processes to reduce carbon dioxide and other pollutants, engineering aerospace systems, creating microsurgical robots, and much, much more. They are, without a doubt, the future of our Nation's leadership in science and technology, helping us to solve medical and environmental dilemmas and creating new products and systems that will continue to improve our lives and create new jobs. Engineers and scientists have always been the world's problem solvers. They helped us to land on the moon during the space race, the period when ARCS was founded. The foundation saw the need to foster the scientific and engineering potential of our Nation then, and they continue to do so today. The silver lining in today's financial crisis is the opportunity to shift our priorities in many positive ways. As America continues on its path toward economic recovery, we must inspire our students to address the extraordinary challenges facing our country and the world. What better way to encourage and promote this than through programs such as ARCS. I know that, when given the opportunity, a new generation of engineers and scientists will step up to meet these challenges. Indeed, they already are. Congratulations to the 2009-2010 ARCS Metropolitan Washington scholarship recipients. Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. KAUFMAN. I withdraw my request and I yield the floor.

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. It is hard to believe when you hear it on the floor--and how do they get the ads straight? First, they say government cannot do anything right. The next ad says we cannot just have government because government is going to take away our business. Either government is efficient and organized or it is not. So what you begin to see is that there isn't much continuity to the arguments against a public option. They bring out the same old arguments we heard in 1994 about the public option--and then the public option was not like what we talked about before. First, it is an option. People don't have to do it if they don't want to. It is inconceivable to me--and we have debated this for a long time-- I am trying to see the first indication of how we have competition in these States where the overwhelming amount of business is just in two firms. Nobody has come to me and said: How are you going to have competition? I believe in competition.

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, one of the things that concerns me about this is we hear about the fact that we should not have a public option because it is the government doing this and that. When I was in business school, I learned that the beauty of the private sector is competition. If you don't have competition, you will not get the advantage in the private sector. I don't care how you structure things. I want to read off some States. The problem is, in so many States we have no competition. The only way we are going to get competition is through some kind of a public option. In Hawaii, 98 percent are with two insurers. In Rhode Island, it is 95 percent. In Alaska, it is 95 percent. Vermont, it is 90 percent. Alabama, it is 88 percent. In Maine, it is 88 percent. In Montana, it is 85 percent. In Wyoming, it is 85. You can go down the list to Florida, which is No. 42, and 45 percent of all the health care is with two firms. The next one is No. 43, California, and it is 44 percent. You cannot get the advantage of free enterprise if you do not have the competition. What this is about--the whole reason to have a public option and the only way you are going to bend the cost curve and get this turned around is to have competition. In most of the States, you are not going to have competition if you don't have the public option. So the public option is turned on its head. When I hear people on the Senate floor and on television talk about government, government, the one thing government by itself cannot provide is competition. In some cases, it is the only way we can provide competition.

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I thank Senator Shaheen for her leadership in putting this together and thank her for her leadership on health care and so many other issues. I appreciate the opportunity, once again, to join my colleagues in calling for the passage of meaningful health care reform. This morning, we are answering the question: What can health care reform do for you? I wish to take a couple minutes to talk about how health care reform can help Americans stay active and healthy by enhancing prevention and wellness services for all Americans. As I have said many times on the floor, the present health care system is out of control. It has become a gigantic resource-eating machine which, over time, sucks in more money and delivers fewer options and poorer care. As odd as it sounds--and it does sound odd--health is not always the top priority in the present health care system. The current system, all too often, waits to treat illness and respond to health problems until they become particularly acute and costly to treat. Promotion of health, both physical and mental health, is not given a top priority in the present health care system because, frankly, it is not rewarded. Because of this lack of emphasis, our present health care system is weighed down by Americans who battle one or more chronic diseases every day. Despite all we spend on health care--and in 2009 this figure will approach $2.5 trillion--almost one in two Americans suffers from common, costly, and often preventable chronic diseases. The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease estimates that almost 80 percent of American workers have at least one chronic disease, and 55 percent have more than one chronic condition. In fact, treatment of chronic disease accounts for approximately 75 percent of every dollar spent on health care today. The spending rate is even higher in the Medicaid and Medicare populations, with 83 percent of spending in Medicaid and 98 percent in Medicare going for the treatment of chronic disease. The rapid growth of chronic disease increases insurance costs for Americans, undercuts U.S. competitiveness, and threatens Medicare and Medicaid viability. Our present health care reform effort gives us the opportunity to finally reverse this trend. By empowering and motivating Americans to be physically active and giving them a financial stake in maintaining their day-to-day health status, health care reform can put the focus back on healthy living. An example we can build on is the recent success Safeway Corporation has had in reducing health care premiums for many of their employees by providing them incentives to change their behavior. The CEO of Safeway, Steven Burd, created a program that rewards employees with lower premiums if they reduce their tobacco use, lower their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and achieve a healthy weight. The completely voluntary program tests for these four measures, and employees receive premium discounts for each test they pass. Aided by this program, obesity and smoking rates at Safeway are roughly 70 percent of the national average, and their health care costs for the last 4 years have remained constant. Let me repeat that: Their health care costs for the last 4 years have remained constant. Right now, discounts for healthy behaviors such as Safeway's are limited to 20 percent of the regular premium. Recognizing the success of the programs such as these, the health reform bills moving through Congress include provisions to expand the premium discounts for healthy behaviors from 20 percent to 30 percent. Another attempt to bring increased wellness to the workplace through health reform is a measure that provides grants to small businesses to provide access to comprehensive, evidence-based workplace wellness programs that would help employees make healthier choices. These are both positive steps to promote healthy behaviors and give incentives to keep premium costs under control. Also, by authorizing and expanding school-based health clinics, health care reform gives America's children more opportunity to learn about the merits of healthy behaviors at a young age, giving them the tools they need to make healthier choices throughout their lives. In addition to promoting healthy lifestyles among American workers and children, health care reform will make it easier for those enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid to gain access to preventive services and wellness programs. This is incredibly important not only for the individual health of the enrollees but also to reduce the long-term costs of chronic disease in these programs. For instance, health care reform will provide Medicare beneficiaries with a free visit to their primary care provider every year to create and update a personalized prevention plan. These plans can address health risks and chronic health problems and design a schedule for regular recommended preventive screenings. Health care reform will also eliminate out-of-pocket costs for preventive services for Medicare beneficiaries, making these services more affordable and increasing the likelihood they will seek early care before the cost of treating a disease is prohibitive. For those enrolled in Medicaid, health care reform will offer tobacco cessation services to pregnant women, create a new State option for providing chronically ill individuals with a health home aide to coordinate care, and encourage States to cover preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Again, these are all steps that begin to reward preventive medicine and give people the incentive to utilize such services.

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, may I have 1 more minute?

Mr. KAUFMAN. In short, the long-term financial viability of the health care system requires a focus on improving health and addressing the burden of chronic disease. Health care reform gives us the chance to facilitate our health system's transition from one that focuses on just treating illness to one that is more designed to prevent or delay disease onset and progression. It is time to gather our collective will and do the right thing during this historic opportunity by passing health care reform. We can do no less. The American people deserve no less. Thank you.

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, this has been a great journey for me, before I came to the Senate, watching my present senior Senator, Tom Carper, then junior Senator--I am proud to say one of my greatest accomplishments as a Senator was to promote Tom Carper from junior Senator to senior Senator--to watch him work on this bill for a national park for Delaware for 8 years. I think if you were trying to do a case study on what it takes to make an accomplishment in the Senate, his efforts would be an excellent case study. He has been working for 8 years to bring a national park to Delaware. It is the only State in the Nation that does not have a national park, and yet it has so many wonderful things to see. I think people who visit Delaware will know that. I am proud to be a cosponsor of a bill that really my senior Senator has worked so hard on. He already explained much of the history of how we came to this point, so I want to simply say again that I appreciate how he has worked with the National Park Service to design a national historical park for Delaware. Earlier this year, when we were discussing the Travel Promotion Act, I discussed many of Delaware's attractions, from the colonial history dating back to before it became the first State to ratify the Constitution, to the beautiful beaches. We have a wealth of opportunities for tourism. However, until this bill is signed into law, we will not have a national park. No one needs to be told about the value of national parks, the way they offer recreational opportunities, support local businesses, and protect natural and cultural heritage. What is perhaps most important about them, however, is the way they define and preserve our relationship with possibility. They speak of a quintessential American world view that everyone has a right to share in what is greatest and magnificent in our world, in this case our national parks. Since the creation of Yellowstone and Yosemite over a century ago, millions of Americans have had their eyes opened by breathtaking vistas and the rich history of our wonderful country. The park in Delaware will play an important role in preserving our colonial history. Remember, Delaware was a crossroads for early Dutch, English, and Swedish settlers. Our State has a rich endowment of colonial landmarks. Bringing these together the way Senator Carper has proposed in a national historical park, this bill will allow all Americans to appreciate our history leading up to the signing of the Constitution. That is why I am glad to join with my senior Senator, Tom Carper, in cosponsoring this bill. It is high time Delaware has a national park, and I believe this bill will create one that preserves Delaware's rich pre-Constitution history for generations to come. I thank my senior Senator for what he is doing, not just for me, not just for the people of Delaware, but for the country. This will be a great place for people to come from all over the country and all over the world to see the glorious history that is in Delaware.

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I rise to applaud the SEC's Enforcement Division for recently bringing two actions for insider trading against Wall Street actors. While our judicial system must run its course, I am nonetheless pleased that the investigators and prosecutors are working together to target Wall Street wrongdoing. In white-collar crime, securities fraud, and insider trading, enforcement is critical to deterrence. In turn, deterrence is critical to maintaining the integrity of our capital markets. The importance of these cases extends beyond deterring and punishing criminal conduct. By identifying, prosecuting, and punishing alleged criminals on Wall Street, we are restoring the public's faith in our financial markets and the rule of law. So while the Enforcement Division is sending a strong signal about insider trading, it still has not brought any enforcement actions against naked short sellers. This is despite the fact that naked short selling is widely acknowledged by many on Wall Street to have helped manipulate downward the prices of Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns in their final days. Their resulting failure served as a catalyst for the ensuing financial crisis that affected millions of Americans. I am pleased the SEC has flashed a red light in front of insider trading. But until it brings a case or makes the naked short selling that took place last year an investigative priority, the Commission is leaving a green light in front of naked short sellers. When you have a red light on one road and a green light on another road, everyone knows where the cars are going to go. This concern is not mine alone. In the words of the Dow Jones Market Watch, in a recent article entitled ``SEC Loses Taste for Short Selling Fight:'' More than a year after short sellers allegedly sucked the broader market lower by concentrating negative bets in troubled financial firms, the Nation's securities regulators appear to be backing off curbing the practice. In a piece on the naked short-selling debate, Forbes magazine noted: We have become a nation that ponders everything without resolution. This is critical because the SEC's current rule against naked short selling--a reasonable belief standard that the underlying stock would be available if it is needed--is widely viewed as unenforceable. The market has recently been showing promise in moving upward, but if it goes south--and I am sorry to say eventually it will again--the bear raiders who destroyed our economy a year ago and made millions in the process will strike again. If you know you can sell 5,000 umbrellas on a rainy day in New York, you are going to be out on the street with 5,000 umbrellas the next time it rains. The next time one of our TARP banks or other financial institutions look vulnerable, naked short sellers will seize the opportunity to profit again, and this time it could cost the taxpayers directly. The SEC will have no ability to stop them or punish them after the fact. Given what is at stake, why have we not had action? Frankly, it is a story emblematic of problems on Wall Street. The story starts in July 2007, when the SEC decided to remove the uptick rule which forces short sellers to wait until a stock ticks up at least once before being allowed to sell without putting anything effective in its place. When I was at Wharton back in the midsixties, the uptick rule was an article of faith. But a couple years ago, the 70-year-old uptick rule became another casualty of deregulation, an impediment to market liquidity, they said. A little over a year later, two of the Nation's biggest banks--Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers--had collapsed. Lehman's failure alone, with $613 billion in debt, was far and away the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. Both banks were victims of their own risky behavior and their own poor judgment. Their thinking was clouded by an aura of invincibility--willingly taking highly leveraged positions in what turned out to be toxic assets. But while Bear and Lehman certainly are responsible for their actions, naked short selling played a crucial role in accelerating their fate. I wish to make an important distinction. Short selling is a well- established market practice. It can enhance market efficiency and price discovery. I, myself, have sold stock short on many occasions, but I always had to borrow the stock first before I could sell into the market. Naked short selling is another matter altogether. It occurs when someone sells a stock they do not own and have not borrowed. Naked short selling creates two risks in the marketplace. The seller may not be able to deliver the necessary shares on delivery date and bad actors can manipulate stocks downward, repeatedly selling something they do not own. Naked short selling, without first borrowing or obtaining a so-called hard locate of the shares, essentially increases the number of shares in the market, which tends to lower the value of the stock. It is exactly as if I made three copies of my car's title and then sold the title to three different people. By the time I sold my third title, it would likely be impossible to deliver the car to the third buyer and its value would also have declined. When Bear Stearns and Lehman started to crumble, many believed manipulative naked short sellers, using a series of large and frequent short sales known as bear raids, helped drive both firms into the ground. Bear Stearns' stock dropped from $57 to $3 in 3 days. Let me repeat. Bear Stearns' stock dropped from $57 to $3 in just 3 days. When Lehman collapsed, an astonishing 32.8 million shares in the company had been sold short and not delivered on time. The SEC has proven incapable of both preventing market manipulation from happening and punishing those responsible for it. We cannot allow this to continue. Since March, a bipartisan group of Senators and I have been calling on the Commission to reinstate some form of the uptick rule and put a rule in place that the SEC Enforcement Division could use to stop naked short sellers dead in their tracks. At a recent SEC roundtable, major problems with the current regulatory structure were exposed. Even panelists heavily stacked in favor of industry admitted that compliance with the requirement is widely ignored. Commissioner Elisse Walter acknowledged, prosecuting naked short sellers on the reasonable belief standard is a ``very difficult case to bring.'' Because the ``reasonable belief'' standard is unenforceable, abusive short sellers are essentially free to engage in criminal activities without fear of facing criminal prosecution. The SEC's silence speaks volumes. They have given no indication that there will ever be action. Nothing--from the SEC's strategic plan to various speeches by SEC executives--acknowledges that this is a priority. The SEC has taken action on insider trading; it should devote the same intensity of purpose to stopping abusive naked short selling. I suspect the problem is that our financial institutions, which can now trade stocks with previously unimaginable speed and frequency, simply are unwilling to support any regulation that will slow down their profit- maximizing programs. High-frequency traders balk at the suggestion that they wait in line and get their ticket punched--by first obtaining a ``hard locate'' of the stock--before selling short. If that is the case, then we are letting technological developments on Wall Street dictate our regulatory and enforcement destiny rather than vice versa. That philosophy is simply unacceptable. Clearly, the cost of inaction in this area is too great to ignore. Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to join Senators Isakson, Tester, Specter, Chambliss, and me as cosponsors of S. 605, which requires the SEC to move quickly to address naked short selling by reinstating the substance of the prior uptick rule and requiring traders to obtain a contractual hard locate before selling short. We need to send a strong message to the SEC that the Congress will not tolerate inaction on this critical issue. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. KAUFMAN

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

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I rise to welcome today's announcement of a runoff election in Afghanistan, to be held on November 7. This second round is absolutely critical, and I commend the Electoral Complaints Commission for successfully investigating reports of fraud surrounding the August 20 vote. The ECC fulfilled its mandate, and I applaud the Afghan people for demonstrating patience and resilience throughout this very difficult process. I also want to recognize the efforts of the chairman of our Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Kerry, and Ambassador Eikenberry in Afghanistan to secure greater transparency and encourage a second round. When I was in Afghanistan in April, there was great promise that the election would usher in a new era of hope for the Afghan people. But when I returned to the region in September, it was clear this hope had been dashed by allegations of election fraud. Each story of corruption further undermines the confidence of the Afghan people in their government, which has hemorrhaged endlessly since the August vote. Today's news of a runoff gives hope to the Afghan people that their voices and political aspirations will finally be heard. On October 8, I gave a statement on the eighth anniversary of the war. In it, I highlighted governance as an essential component of our counterinsurgency strategy, particularly because our goal is to build support for the Afghan Government among the Afghan people. This battle for the hearts and minds is not between the Afghans and Americans; it is between the Afghan Government and the Taliban, a Taliban which has been bolstered by the allegations of fraud from the August vote. Counterinsurgency cannot succeed in Afghanistan without a credible government. It is my hope that a credible Afghan partner can emerge from a second round of elections. Whether the winner is President Karzai or Dr. Abdullah, it is critical that the next Afghan Government take steps to root out corruption, improve security, and provide essential services to the Afghan people. Just as the United States supports a transparent, fair election, we also support a transparent and effective Afghan Government that serves the interests of its people. It will be necessary to ensure that the mistakes made in August are not repeated in a second round. This is why the role of monitors should be strengthened to protect the integrity of the vote. Afghan and international forces should also be present in sufficiently strong numbers to provide security and ensure that Afghan citizens can safely cast their votes. It is my hope that this second round will provide an opportunity to rectify problems encountered in August and, most importantly, help to build faith in government among the Afghan people. As President Obama takes the time he needs to thoroughly consider all of our options in Afghanistan, issues of governance will inform this process because our policy is more than just about combat troop levels; it must include the promotion of effective governance, training of Afghan security forces, and economic development. The Afghan people deserve a better and brighter future, and I hope this runoff election will bring them one step closer to their goal. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, this has been a great journey for me, before I came to the Senate, watching my present senior Senator, Tom Carper, then junior Senator--I am proud to say one of my greatest accomplishments as a Senator was to promote Tom Carper from junior Senator to senior Senator--to watch him work on this bill for a national park for Delaware for 8 years. I think if you were trying to do a case study on what it takes to make an accomplishment in the Senate, his efforts would be an excellent case study. He has been working for 8 years to bring a national park to Delaware. It is the only State in the Nation that does not have a national park, and yet it has so many wonderful things to see. I think people who visit Delaware will know that. I am proud to be a cosponsor of a bill that really my senior Senator has worked so hard on. He already explained much of the history of how we came to this point, so I want to simply say again that I appreciate how he has worked with the National Park Service to design a national historical park for Delaware. Earlier this year, when we were discussing the Travel Promotion Act, I discussed many of Delaware's attractions, from the colonial history dating back to before it became the first State to ratify the Constitution, to the beautiful beaches. We have a wealth of opportunities for tourism. However, until this bill is signed into law, we will not have a national park. No one needs to be told about the value of national parks, the way they offer recreational opportunities, support local businesses, and protect natural and cultural heritage. What is perhaps most important about them, however, is the way they define and preserve our relationship with possibility. They speak of a quintessential American world view that everyone has a right to share in what is greatest and magnificent in our world, in this case our national parks. Since the creation of Yellowstone and Yosemite over a century ago, millions of Americans have had their eyes opened by breathtaking vistas and the rich history of our wonderful country. The park in Delaware will play an important role in preserving our colonial history. Remember, Delaware was a crossroads for early Dutch, English, and Swedish settlers. Our State has a rich endowment of colonial landmarks. Bringing these together the way Senator Carper has proposed in a national historical park, this bill will allow all Americans to appreciate our history leading up to the signing of the Constitution. That is why I am glad to join with my senior Senator, Tom Carper, in cosponsoring this bill. It is high time Delaware has a national park, and I believe this bill will create one that preserves Delaware's rich pre-Constitution history for generations to come. I thank my senior Senator for what he is doing, not just for me, not just for the people of Delaware, but for the country. This will be a great place for people to come from all over the country and all over the world to see the glorious history that is in Delaware.

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that morning business be extended until 5:30.

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I rise once again to recognize the service of one of America's great Federal employees. I feel fortunate to have a chance to stand here each week and share so many inspiring stories. Since the spring, I have recognized the contribution of public servants from a number of Departments, including Defense, Labor, Agriculture, and Justice, as well as Agencies such as NASA and CIA. Today, I will be speaking about an outstanding employee from the Department of the Treasury. This is a time of great challenge to our economy, our markets, even the power of our currency. But the men and women of the Treasury and its various agencies and offices are working tirelessly on recovery and securing our prosperity. The impact they make through their daily work can be felt from coast to coast. Public servants at the Treasury Department serve on the front lines of job creation, public investment, and the management of tax income. They carry on the tradition of Alexander Hamilton, our first Treasury Secretary, who believed the health and prosperity of our Nation depended on the strong management and oversight of public funds. He laid the foundations of America's financial system, which the employees in the Treasury Department reinforce each day. Kenneth Carfine has been serving the American people and the Treasury Department for 35 years. A graduate of the University of Baltimore, Kenneth joined the Treasury Department's Financial Management Service in 1973, the same year I came to the Senate to work for then-Senator Biden. During his time there, Kenneth worked in banking, cash management, payments, check claims, and government-wide accounting. In recent years, he has worked under the Fiscal Assistant Secretary, serving as an adviser to senior department officials. His intellect and diligence have been critical as the Treasury addresses economic recovery. Earlier this year, Kenneth helped direct the Treasury's implementation of its responsibilities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. He led the development of two new departmental programs aimed at spurring economic growth. One of them helps renovate affordable housing for struggling families, and the other funds renewable energy initiatives. Kenneth has also earned respect as a leader in cash-and-debt management infrastructure. Americans who use a national debit card to receive their Social Security benefits have him to thank for leading the implementation of this program. His hand has helped shape how the Treasury deals with debt financing, trust fund administration, cash management, and a range of services. Kenneth Carfine and all of the hard-working employees of the Treasury Department are leading the way toward economic recovery and sound fiscal management of the taxpayer's money. I hope my colleagues will join me in thanking them all for their service to our Nation. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I thank Senator Bennet for organizing this event today. He has been a leader in our effort to try to achieve meaningful health care reform. I am looking to him, as we move down the road on health care reform, to continue to show leadership to make sure we achieve meaningful health care reform. I appreciate the opportunity once again to join my colleagues and show our united support for health care reform. I want to address one of the biggest myths reform opponents have spread throughout the debate, the myth that America cannot afford to change the health care system. They say our country has too much debt and the health care reform would only increase the Nation's deficit. They say we spent too much money on TARP and the stimulus package. They say we must rein in spending and push off health reform until we straighten out our fiscal house. When we hear this kind of criticism, especially during this time of economic downturn, it is reasonable to ask if now is the time for reform of the health care system. The answer is: We need health care reform now. We need health care reform now because economic recovery for the long term is completely dependent on controlling health care costs. We cannot afford to wait for reform because the status quo is absolutely, positively unsustainable. Medical costs account for one-sixth of domestic spending and are headed upward. They are handcuffing families and workers, strangling Federal and State Governments. In 2000, the average premium for family health care in Delaware was just over $7,500. In 2008, that number jumped to $14,900, almost doubling in only 8 years. If we do not enact health care reform now, the same premium for family coverage is expected to reach $29,000 in 2016, another doubling in price. The status quo is unsustainable because of health care spending on a national level. In 1979, we spent approximately $220 billion as a nation on health care. In 1992, we spent close to $850 billion. In 2009, we will spend $2.5 trillion on health care. That trajectory of health care expenditures is totally out of control. We must begin to bend the cost curve down on the health care system. We need to do this now. We cannot wait any longer. We cannot afford to wait for reform because failure to do so will place even more pressure on the Federal budget and on taxpayers to continue support for Medicare and Medicaid. Clearly, one of the major driving forces behind our Federal deficit is the skyrocketing cost of Medicare and Medicaid. Combined, these programs account for 20 percent of all government expenditures. If we do nothing to start bending the cost curve down for Medicare and Medicaid, we will eventually spend more on these two programs than all other Federal programs combined. Let me say that again: If we do nothing to start bending the cost curve down on Medicare and Medicaid, we will eventually--and not that far off--spend more on these two programs than all other Federal programs combined. Because of this, people who are concerned about deficits should welcome health care reform now. The plans being considered by the Congress would require some upfront cost, but reform done the right way will mean savings for families and businesses, money that could be pumped into the economy. We all know in the short term the cost of expanding coverage to Americans will temporarily increase government spending. Quickly, however, the net impact of the cost containment provisions will accumulate, and there will be a reduction in government spending. It is important to remember that while we are awaiting the cost containment provisions to take hold, the President and congressional leaders have insisted that health care reform be deficit neutral. In other words, the administration and Congress are committed to responsible health care reform that reduces the deficit over 10 years and major reductions over the long term. We will not be able to get the major reductions we need to sustain the budget and sustain the Government if we don't do these things now which will only begin to benefit us in the long term. For this reason we cannot afford to wait for health care reform. Finally, if we lose this opportunity to pass health care reform, we will not have an opportunity to reform our health system in the foreseeable future. We will be stuck with the unsustainable status quo. This Congress, this President is not about to return to this issue if we do not pass it because it is so incredibly difficult and so traumatic and takes everyone's concern. I have been around Congress for 36 years, and I have learned something about how Washington works. Trust me, we have truly a unique window of opportunity for health care reform. The window is now open. It will soon close. We have a new President in his first year in office who has a good relationship with Congress. There is major support for reform among providers, patients, business, labor, and everyday Americans. With the major players in health care seeking reform, this could be our chance. I believe it is our chance, and this will be the only chance for a while. Mark my words: If we don't take this opening and enact health care reform this year, it will not be done until the health care system crashes down around our ears. We cannot continue the status quo for one more day. We cannot wait to enact health care reform. We must gather our collective will and do the right thing during this historic opportunity by passing health care reform. We can do no less. The American people deserve no less.

Mr. KAUFMAN

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

Mr. KAUFMAN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.

Mr. KAUFMAN. Madam President, I rise once again to recognize the service of one of America's great Federal employees. This Monday, Americans across the country marked Columbus Day. It is a day that holds different meanings for different communities. I had such a meaningful experience attending the Columbus Day Mass and breakfast at St. Anthony's of Padua in Wilmington. I know in the Italian-American community, Columbus Day is a vibrant cultural celebration. But Columbus Day, above all, reminds us all that America is a patchwork; that we are--in the words etched on the wall behind you, Madam President--one Nation from many. This has always been a source of great strength for our country. This is as true for our Federal workforce as it is for America as a whole. So many of our outstanding civil servants were not born in the United States. Some came as students and found in America jobs and a new home. Others came as infants, carried onto airplanes in the arms of loving parents seeking a new beginning for their families. Some traveled halfway around the world driven by the dream of a better life. Others braved the short but perilous journey over turbulent waves fueled only by the hope of freedom on our shores. The diversity of our Nation is reflected in the diversity of those who choose to serve it. The Federal employee I am recognizing this week has had a distinguished career in the Department of Justice, both in the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Zalmai Azmi was 14 years old when he fled with his family from Afghanistan. He arrived in the United States speaking very little English, and he became fluent while in high school. Zalmai, wishing to give back to the Nation which gave him refuge, eventually joined the Marine Corps. He served in the corps for 7 years as a communications and intelligence specialist, and he also trained in special operations. While in the Marines, Zalmai studied computer science, and he later obtained a bachelor's degree in the field from the American University and a master's from George Washington University. In the 1990s, Zalmai continued his Federal career by moving from the military into the civil service. He was working as chief information officer for the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys when the September 11 attacks occurred. Zalmai helped implement the Justice Department's continuity of operations emergency plan, and by September 12, he was at Ground Zero in New York setting up departmental field offices. Just weeks after the attacks, he volunteered to be dropped into Afghanistan as part of a Marines special operations team. In the 2 years that followed, Zalmai, who is fluent in Dari, Farsi, and Pashto, served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. While at home, he was detailed to the CIA's Counterterrorism Center. In 2004, FBI Director Robert Mueller appointed him as the Bureau's Chief Information Officer. In that role, Zalmai led the effort to revamp the FBI's virtual case file system and helped transform its IT infrastructure to meet the needs of a post-9/11 environment. He was honored with the prestigious Arthur S. Fleming Award for Applied Science and Technology in 2002, which is presented annually to an outstanding public servant. Additionally, he won the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award. Zalmai retired from the FBI late last year. His story, while unique, is reflective of the commitment to service and patriotism embodied by all of the immigrants who work in government and serve in our military. Just as America would not be as strong without our great Federal employees, that workforce would not be as vibrant or successful without those who, like Zalmai, came to this country from other lands. I hope all my colleagues will join me in honoring his service, that of the men and women in the Department of Justice, and all immigrants who work in the Federal Government. Madam President, I yield the floor.

Mr. KAUFMAN

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.

Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I rise again today to honor a great Federal employee, something I have been doing each week on the Senate floor. I do so because I believe it is very important to recognize the unsung heroes who work every day on behalf of the Nation with great effort and often with great sacrifice. Today, I want to honor an employee of the Securities and Exchange Commission, one of our most important independent Federal agencies, whose work affects all Americans. This great Nation was founded on a belief in freedom and fairness--two fundamental pillars of American society. This is what the Revolutionaries fought for in the time of Samuel Adams and George Washington. It is what the Framers enshrined during the era of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Maintaining democratic government and fair, open markets were the charge of every administration and Congress from their day to ours. In the decades since World War II, American global leadership has focused on promoting these two concepts throughout the world. Democracy and a fair marketplace complement each other perfectly. A society based on fair markets cultivates an egalitarian political culture. Likewise, democracy instills in all citizens the sense that they ought to enjoy in commerce what they so cherish in government: a marriage of liberty and equality. I have already spoken from this desk several times about the challenges we and the SEC jointly face today in protecting our financial markets. I have talked repeatedly about how, as a nation, our credit and equity capital markets are a crown jewel. Only a year ago we suffered a credit market debacle that led to devastating consequences for millions of Americans. I have squarely blamed the self-regulation philosophy of the SEC as being a major part of that problem. By this I mean that the SEC had too often deferred to those it regulates for knowledge, experience, and certitude. I feel so strongly about this because we have lived through an era where regulators and the leadership of regulatory agencies failed to regulate. Perhaps Congress, too, failed to give the regulators the tools and resources they needed to do their jobs effectively. These failures have contributed not only to a financial disaster but also to a loss of public confidence in our markets and our national economy. In addition, these failures run counter to our ideals of democracy and market fairness. During the time of the Revolution, we were a nation of farmers and merchants bound together by our common dependence on the trade of manufactured goods, foodstuffs, and local services. Today, we have become a nation of investors. Tens of millions of Americans own retirement accounts, and they depend on fair markets to protect those long-term holdings. Many Americans have suffered directly as a result of the markets losing value. Those who have not been hurt personally surely know someone--a parent, a friend, or a coworker--who has. The financial crisis has forced many to delay retirement or even go back to work. Most working Americans have lost something; some have lost almost everything. Under its previous leadership, the SEC lost its way. While the failure of the SEC to follow up on tips about the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme is certainly emblematic of this failure--and probably a huge blow to the morale of the agency--I believe morale at the agency may also have suffered for a much more fundamental reason. Too often in the past, the SEC leadership kept its employees from pursuing its core mission. This happened not only at the SEC but at other Federal agencies as well. There was simply a philosophical difference between their policies and the need for effective enforcement of regulations. Employees at the SEC, while still working hard every day, sadly, I suspect, have become somewhat demoralized by this and by resulting setbacks. And, I might add, SEC employees have also had to endure criticism of the Commission in recent months by concerned Members of Congress--myself chief among them. Today, the SEC stands at a crossroads. In the wake of last year's historic election, Washington has been focused on change. The greatest thing about change is that it offers the promise of a new start. I wholeheartedly believe one of the most fundamental qualities of the American people is the ability to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and return to the important task before us. For the SEC, this means a renewed focus on its original mission: to maintain public faith in our markets, to protect all investors. The SEC needs to reassure our long-term investors--many of whom are average Americans saving for retirement--that the system is not rigged against them. I know the SEC can, and will, be a can-do agency once more. In 2005, the SEC moved into a new headquarters just a few blocks from the Capitol. It is a beautiful glass and stone building with a high, curving facade. The lobby is full of light, and its windows frame a view of the Capitol dome. Much of the building wraps around a courtyard, and in the center of that courtyard is a playground for the children who attend the SEC's employee daycare. Across the street are a school and a row of small businesses, including a busy coffee house. Behind the new building are the tracks leading out from Union Station carrying business travelers and commuters each day. The men and women who work in that building don't need to be reminded who they work for. They see them every day out of their windows. The stability and fairness of our financial markets affects every American, from the small business owner to the coffee house patron; from the daily commuter to the future of that toddler in daycare. I believe a new building provides a chance for a new beginning. I agree with the President that at least with regard to the financial crisis, the worst is behind us. Now is the time for the SEC to step to the plate. I know they can do it. I have faith in the SEC because it stabilized our markets in the aftermath of the Great Depression. I have faith in the SEC because it always proved to be resilient during times of institutional change, and I have faith in the SEC because it has some of the most talented public servants who are now working tirelessly to catch up after several years of failed leadership. One of those public servants is Erica Williams, a lawyer for the SEC's Enforcement Division. A graduate of the University of Virginia Law School, Erica has been with the SEC for 5 years. During that time, she has distinguished herself as a trial lawyer on several complex cases involving accounting and fraud. Before coming to the SEC, she worked at a major private sector law firm in Washington. In July, she and her team of SEC enforcement attorneys won a hard- fought verdict in Federal court on a case involving insider trading. This case, commonly referred to as SEC v. Nothern, was a rare case involving U.S. Treasury bonds. She could not have had better colleagues on this case than John Rossetti, Sarah Levine, and Martin Healy, all of whom equally deserve recognition. John is a graduate of Catholic University Law School, and he served for 9 years as an SEC enforcement attorney. Sarah, who holds a law degree from Yale, clerked for Justice David Souter before coming to the SEC in 2007 as a trial attorney. Martin supported their efforts as a regional trial counsel at the SEC's office in Boston. Erica and her team had to prove that the defendant had insider knowledge from someone inside the Treasury Department. Approximately $3 million in illegal profits had been generated from this scheme. They argued their case strongly and thoroughly. They also had to prosecute the case with fewer resources than are usually available to private sector litigators. They worked weekends and sacrificed time with their families for long hours spent in the office or on the road. It all paid off, a victory that reflects what the SEC is all about: punishing and deterring wrongdoing. What Erica achieved with her team is more than a court victory, however. She is helping to send a message the SEC is back; that those who are contemplating fraud better think twice. That is why I am honoring her as my ``Great Federal Employee'' of the week. I know this is only the beginning. The SEC knows it needs to focus on deterring those activities that make our markets unfair. That is what Erica's victory and what other recent gains of the Commission have done. As new SEC Enforcement Division Director Robert Khuzami has said, the SEC is engaged in ``a rigorous self-assessment of how we do our job.'' Their victory is what Khuzami meant when he promised ``a focus on cases involving the great and most immediate harm and on cases that send an outside message of deterrence.'' I also have faith in SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro, who shares my concern about the stability and the quality of our markets. She understands the trade-offs between market liquidity and market fairness, and she recognized how important it is to protect the interests of long-term investors. As my colleagues are aware, since March, Chairman Schapiro and I have exchanged communications, and I believe under her leadership the SEC is coming back stronger and better able to pursue its mission. The famous Alabama football coach, Paul ``Bear'' Bryant, once said: I have learned over the years how to hold a team together. How to lift some up, how to calm others down, until finally they've got one heartbeat, together, a team. Chairman Schapiro believes in the SEC's mission, and she is working diligently to ensure that all who work there are doing so with one heartbeat--as a team. They, too, believe in the SEC's mission, and we have to make certain they get all the resources they need, not only to catch up but also to operate ahead of tomorrow's market threats. Taped to the door of Chairman Schapiro's office is a sign for all those entering with new proposals or ideas. It reads: ``How does it help investors?'' This ethos must once again be the source of inspiration for everyone who works in that beautiful new building. As the SEC embarks on its next chapter, I want all of its employees to know when they walk out of that lobby each day and see the Capitol dome, they should feel confident that those of us who work under it are their partners. We will be their partners by making certain the SEC is strong enough to do its job, and we will work together with the Commission to help identify and prevent new problems before they arise. The American people also should have patience and hope that the SEC is back and on the right track. We all hold a common stake in its success. The era of looking the other way is now behind us. The time has come to look forward. I hope my colleagues will join me not only in honoring the service of outstanding Federal employees of the SEC such as Erica Williams and her team but in recommitting ourselves to help them pursue our common goal. When it comes to protecting America's investors, we must have one heartbeat. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. KAUFMAN

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