Blanche Lincoln

Mrs. LINCOLN

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I would also like to make another unanimous consent request that my colleague to the east from Tennessee, Senator Alexander, be recognized for 15 minutes after Senator Durbin, who will follow time.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, we are here at the end of a session, a 2-year session where many of us have worked very hard to try to come up with commonsense solutions for some age-old problems in our Nation and looking for commonsense solutions to new and different challenges that our Nation and its business leaders as well as workers face as our business models change and grow and the more complicated nature of how businesses are set up changes and grows. We have worked hard this year--I certainly have for my State--to look at how we can balance those things and how we can create a good environment for all of the good, solid, responsible corporate citizens who exist out there in this great Nation who are trying desperately to present the kind of good jobs, the good-paying jobs working Americans need to stay where they are, to live in the communities in which they grew up, and to provide for not just their children but their aging parents. So I think as we come to the close of this session, we have all kind of gotten into a hustle and a bustle, much like any holiday season brings, where we tend to get a little overexcited about some things, yet we don't stay focused enough on what it is we really need to be doing. The working families of this country need us right now. They need us to be responsible. They need us to focus on the things that will be productive for them, productive for this country, and the companies that are working hard to produce and maintain jobs in many of our States across this great land in order to make sure that those working families can stay working, that their children can stay in school and that their future for higher education is there, and that these families can stay together and care for their aging loved ones. So I come to the Chamber to speak about a subject which I believe is immediate and serious or certainly has immediate and serious consequences to the working people of my State. I am talking about the hemorrhaging of jobs in the forest products industry particularly. Here to my side is really an outdated map because we have seen the loss of well over 700 jobs since June of this year in the forest products industry. But in any case, there has been a tremendous amount of loss in employee layoffs, closed saw mills and paper mills in this country. I think it really, if you take a look at this, drastically shows the hemorrhaging that is occurring and what it means to good, hard-working American families across this country. Over the last year and a half, the State of Arkansas has lost 1,800 timber manufacturing jobs. These are good jobs. They are negotiated union jobs. They are located in our small rural towns. They are the jobs which are the foundation of these families, these American families who are the fabric of our country, whom we come to the floor every day, day in and day out, to talk about. But it doesn't end there. For every highly skilled, highly paid plant job that is lost, another job is lost out in the forest--not just these which are represented here but jobs including truckdrivers and foresters, the cafe along the way that supports that industry, and those people who are out working in the forest--the loggers, all of those different entities. That means about 3,600 families are not having a very merry holiday this year. In fact, we have lost over 1,000 jobs in just the last 10 days alone. But it is going to get worse. If the Congress does not do something here, with the opportunity that has been presented to us--many of us have been working on this issue over the last 8 to 10 months. But here in the close of this session and this week, we have an opportunity to do something, to help stop the loss of these manufacturing jobs out of our country to places such as South America and Asia. I am talking about enacting the Timber Tax Act which we have talked about over this past year. For many months, the Timber Tax Act has consistently and repeatedly been included as part of the extenders packages we talked about. For example, it was included in the Senate conferees' agreement in the pension bill, in the Reid extenders amendment, and in the Baucus extenders amendment. The bill has broad bipartisan support, with over 33 cosponsors from every part of the country. That should come as no amazement to any of us when you look at this map and realize that it is not just one region of our country that is suffering, but it is many parts of our country that are suffering. Additionally, this provision provides relief to the entire industry across the board, from the smallest woodlot owner to some of our largest, oldest forest companies. Over 9.9 million individual tree owners will receive immediate and significant regular and minimum tax relief. Unfortunately, we have found some concern about whether we need competition or greater competition in this industry. We come to this floor every day talking about how competition makes our Nation stronger. We talk about how competition can help us grow, not just as individuals, not just as companies, not just as a nation, but as a part of the global community. I believe that. I believe competition is a good thing. If it is done in a fair way and if people are given the opportunity to show what they are made of and to get out there and do the job they believe they are capable of doing and really compete, working together to compete in a global marketplace, I think everyone is a winner. But when we keep in artificial stopgaps or actually keep away opportunities and continue to keep an artificial circumstance which stymies the kind of competition that can make us strong, we all end up being losers. I think that is a lot of what has occurred here. I think it is extremely shortsighted and it opens all of our similarly situated companies--all of them, whether it is the forest products industry, which has multiple different types of entities, or any of our entities--it situates them and puts them up against unbelievable scrutiny and criticism. The timber tax provision is sound tax policy. Over the past several years, forest products companies have been under intense pressure to reduce their Federal taxes by either reorganizing as a nontaxpaying entity, or to sell their timberlands, whether they sell them to pension funds or to timber management organizations--wherever they may go to offload that part of their industry. But I want us to think a little bit more about that. We talk about being shortsighted. Think about what that means to the conservation of this country. You look at the small, family-owned timber companies that exist out there that are fighting and trying hard to keep their heads above water in an industry and in circumstances where they are put at a disadvantage. Who is most likely to be a good steward of the land? Who is most likely to go in and reforest? It is the third- or fourth-generation small business owner, the small family-owned timber company that is going to go in and take good care to be a good steward of this land. Those are the most likely ones. Let's not put them at a disadvantage because then, all of a sudden, all of our timberland, particularly the family-owned timber company, is going to be owned by big groups, and all they want to do is go in and cut and then sell off to developers. Let's make sure we have diversity in this industry; a good, diverse, competitive industry that looks at all sides of what we are trying to protect here: family jobs, the environment, the landscape of many of our small rural States. It is very important. As the integrated companies separate their mills from their plants and from their timber, there are obvious results: plant closures and job loss, not to mention what happens with that family-owned business that is such a good steward in the conservation of the land. As a result of this sort of artificial, short-term tax-driven pressure, the amount of U.S. timberland held by integrated forest products companies has fallen from 50 million acres to 15 million acres. Think about that. I want my colleagues to think, when you take those kinds of lands out and put them under a bigger umbrella where nobody is going to really be able to come in and say you can't come in and clearcut that and sell it to a developer or whatever, they are more likely to wave their hand, do it, and go on. But when you have a small family-owned business that has been there for generations, they are so much less likely to do any of that. They are going to go back in, and with a great sense of pride and respect as well as confidence that this is going to continue to be a small family-owned business, they are going to reforest and they are going to reinvest in that forest product and that timber company. By enacting the timber tax provision, Congress will forestall a further decline, and we will allow forest products companies to make their decisions based exclusively on sound business principles--not looking at what they have been backed into a corner to do in order to simply keep their business or to simply keep one piece of their business. They will lay off the jobs, they will break up the integrated company, and they will move on because it is easier and because it keeps them alive--as opposed to making good, sound, principled business decisions. Without its passage, I fear the State of Arkansas will see further immediate closures and loss of jobs. I plead with my colleagues, we cannot lose this opportunity. We cannot lose this opportunity to take something that we have looked at and talked about and developed over the last 10 or so months. We have seen it in other packages, and we know how productive it can be. I hope the majority of this body will join me in seeking a collaborative effort to make sure that we do not see even what the current map would look like if this one were updated, or to think of what it may look like 5 or 10 years from now, with the incredible loss of jobs in timberland and our family-owned timber businesses. It would be devastating. I thank my colleagues for their attention to this issue. I plead with them on behalf of the people of Arkansas, those unbelievably hard- working families who live in those rural communities, who know our forests and know how to take good care of them: Please let us work to keep those jobs and to keep those businesses going in order that we can not only save those jobs but save a way of life in parts of rural America, as well as making sure that we have the best interests of our forest lands at heart, private forests and others. I think we have a great opportunity to do it, and I hope we will act on that.

Mr. LINCOLN

Mr. LINCOLN. Mr. President, it is my honor to rise today to pay tribute to one of Arkansas' fallen heroes, PFC Jeffrey Shaffer, who gave his life serving our country in Operation Iraqi Freedom. By all accounts from family and friends, Private First Class Shaffer lived his life to the fullest. For this young man, that meant caring for others, having fun, and making people laugh, even when confronted with life's challenges. The image of a tough soldier masked the side most familiar to his loved ones, that of a more playful young man who pulled pranks and brought laughter to lives of others. His stepfather, Mark Adams, recalls a golf outing where neither he nor Jeff was playing particularly well. Rather than suffer through the rest of the game, and to the surprise of Mark, Private First Class Shaffer jumped in the water and began collecting golf balls. Mark had never had more fun playing golf. The day was a testament to the effect Private First Class Shaffer often had on others. But he also had a humble, more serious side and a deep sense of commitment to his country. While working for his uncle's masonry contracting business in Harrison, AR, he took time to earn his GED. Shortly thereafter, and to the surprise of many in his family, he joined the U.S. Army in February 2005. The tragic events of September 11 changed how he viewed the world and motivated him to serve in the military. For Private First Class Shaffer, serving in the Army was a way he could contribute to the safety of his family and security of all Americans. The 20-year-old was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division. After being stationed in Germany, Private First Class Shaffer was deployed to Kuwait and later Iraq. Witnessing close friends lose their lives in Iraq, he was never naive about the dangerous realities of war. He believed whatever happened to him was God's will and often told this to his mother to calm her fears. Private First Class Shaffer's life ended on September 13, 2006, after a roadside bomb detonated near his Bradley assault vehicle. On September 16, family, friends, and fellow soldiers gathered at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco, TX, to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Jeffrey Shaffer. I am proud to pay tribute to him today and am thankful for his service to our country. He leaves behind a 2-year- old daughter, Makayla Grace, who I hope will one day know that her father took full advantage of what life had to offer and brought untold happiness to those around him. My thoughts and prayers are with her, Jeffrey's parents, his aunt and uncle, and all those who knew and loved him. Lance Corporal Kyle Wesley Powell

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I am so proud to join my colleagues this morning, and I especially thank my colleague from Delaware for his service as the Senate chairperson of the National Bible Week this year and for preserving time this morning for our observance of this annual celebration. I also want to say a very special thanks to my colleague, Norm Coleman, the Senator from Minnesota, who does a tremendous job. We work together on so many different things, but yesterday it was great to be able to sit down and visit with the new Members, the new Senators coming into this body and talk to them about how to keep their life rich; not just to do their jobs as Senators but to take care of themselves and to make sure that their journey in life stays strong. We all know, in this journey that we all share on this Earth, this incredible blessing we have been given to live this journey here on Earth, if we keep that journey strong, then we will always be better Senators. I could not have found a better partner in communicating that than my good colleague from Minnesota, and I appreciate him so much for that. I am very grateful to be here to speak about the Bible, in recognition of this annual National Bible Week and certainly its importance in my life, what it has meant to me. In my family, growing up in east Arkansas, my dad was a farmer. We are a seventh-generation Arkansas farm family. We go back to our roots there along the Mississippi River. Actually, the first Lambert, which is my maiden name, who came to Arkansas was a Presbyterian minister who was sent as a missionary to the Native Americans who lived in that area. It was long before Arkansas was a State, and again it is a huge part of my heritage where, as a Presbyterian minister and a Christian, Rev. Jordan B. Lambert came across the border as a missionary to carry his faith into the West. In my family, we were all introduced to the Bible at a very early age, and we were taught how to turn to its teachings early and often for guidance in our daily lives and what we needed to make this journey, our journey, each of us, our individual journey on this Earth, a full one, one that not only was fulfilling for us but, more importantly, fulfilling to our fellow man. I can remember, as a young teenager, coming to Sunday school on Sunday mornings. I remember one of my Sunday school teachers who would take us every Sunday into our Sunday school room, and we made this huge Bible village out of clay and papier-mache. It was wonderful because it taught us so much of the times, of the Old Testament and the New Testament. It was incredible how we built this. I realize now, later in life, that that was a time to reflect, reflect on the writings and the times that the Bible brings to us because, as we sat there, very curiously and very diligently creating out of clay and papier-mache this Bible village, we talked. We talked to each other. We talked to the Sunday school teacher, the adult who was there to help guide us. As she read Scripture to us and we made these things, we talked about our experiences as young teenagers. We talked about what we were going through in school, the cruel words that others may have presented to us or the new student who had come to class and who was not being well received or someone whose family was ill or had a tremendous tragedy. We talked about these things as we created this village, and then we realized, through those Bible teachings and through those stories that we, too, were living that word--hopefully-- and learning how better to live that word in our teenage years and in our adult years. Without question, for me, the Bible is the most profound book in life, and there is no doubt that its lessons shape the type of person I am; the type of person I strive to become each and every day, working hard to do my best; the type of parent I want as an example for my children as they grow up and they learn these stories; and the type of Senator I want to be to help lead this country. It is no secret to any of us that the Members of this incredible body are very blessed and fortunate in so many different ways. But what does that mean, exactly, and particularly to those who are scholars of Bible? I am not a Bible scholar, I wish I were, but I do look to the Bible for that guidance and as a part of my faith, as the Senator from Delaware said, it is a light. It is a lamp unto my feet. But the Bible teaches me: To whom much is given, much is required. If you look around throughout this body and realize how blessed we truly are, our devotion to public service, hopefully, comes from a desire to live by the types of teachings that the Bible gives us and that is to help the least among us. It doesn't just teach us to clothe those who are naked. It doesn't just teach us to feed those who are hungry. Those are the important parts. But I never shall forget a lesson I learned in person working in a soup kitchen in downtown Washington, cleaning up tables after we, our Bible study group, had served a breakfast, which we did on a monthly basis. I was cleaning up those tables and moving to what was the next thing in life, which was heading off to work, there was a man sitting at the last table and, as I began to break it down, I asked him: Are you still hungry? Is there something more that you would like? No, just 10 minutes of your time. Could you just please sit and visit with me for 10 minutes? I realized it was not just the nourishment that he needed. He needed his soul to be fed as well. If I think about all of the most important teachings in the Bible, I think about how important it is for us to nourish one another, Democrats to nourish Republicans and Republicans to nourish Democrats; how important it is in this body that we feed one another's souls with the kind of loving care that we are taught about in the Bible. As a Senator, I thoroughly believe that government can be a weapon of good, if we adhere to and follow the basic message of the Bible's teaching of love. I think that is, without a doubt, the most clear message that comes there--love, care, and respect for our fellow man. Perhaps my favorite Bible lesson proclaims: Let us not love in word but in deed and in truth. In an environment that gets way too political, and so often it does, it is so incredibly important for all of us to look to that lesson. I thank you, Mr. President, and especially thank my colleagues, for coming here to recognize what an important role the Bible does play in so many of our lives and what a wonderful opportunity it gives us to nourish each other's soul on a daily basis. I yield to the Senator from Delaware.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, today I rise to commemorate National Adoption Day. As a mother, I understand the joy and the meaning that raising a child can bring to one's life. I also understand the importance that a stable home can play in a child's development. Each year, National Adoption Day offers us all an opportunity to not only reflect on the benefits that adoption can bring but also to raise awareness of the thousands of children across our Nation who are still awaiting stable, nurturing, and loving homes and families. Last year, 227 events were held on National Adoption Day in 45 States. In the process, over 3,000 adoptions were finalized. At Saturday's celebration in Hot Springs, AR, and at similar events across the country, we all hope to build on that success as hundreds of volunteers take time out of their schedules to help place children in permanent homes. In my State of Arkansas, our judges, courts, and child advocates have worked tirelessly on behalf of our State's foster children. In consultation with them and in cooperation with my colleagues, I have done all I can to ensure our adoption process is as efficient as possible. With an estimated 118,000 children across our country in foster care and awaiting adoption, I urge my colleagues to continue working together on behalf of these children. The opportunity to grow up in a nurturing, loving, and stable family is something that none of us should take for granted. It is our duty in this Congress to ensure that these children are not denied this opportunity but given timely placement with the home and the family that each and every one of them deserve. I would also like to once again express my support and offer my heartfelt gratitude not only to the volunteers in Arkansas and across the country who make National Adoption Day the success it is but also to the selfless men and women who work every day on behalf of America's children.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, it is my honor to pay tribute to the life of SFC Richard J. Henkes, a brave soldier who gave his life in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sergeant Henkes will be remembered as a courageous soul, a proud father, and an inspiration to those who knew him best. The 200 people who gathered at his memorial service are a testament to the number of lives he touched. They are lives that he continues to touch through the legacy he leaves behind. Sergeant Henkes wrestled and ran track in high school, but his true passion was snowboarding. He shared this passion with his 6-year-old daughter, Isabel, as well as with his 17-year-old niece, Cassidy, who fondly remembers the caring uncle who was always there to pick her up when she would fall. Above all, Sregeant Henkes was a compassionate, outgoing, and fun-loving guy with a great sense of humor. It was this compassion for others and desire to make a difference that drove him to carry on his family's rich history of military service, dating back to World War I. Stationed out of Fort Lewis, WA, Sergeant Henkes served with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. In Iraq, he was recently placed in command of his platoon--a challenge that he embraced. Tragically, Sergeant Henkes died on September 3 from injuries sustained from a roadside bomb in Mosul, Iraq. People say he knew of the dangers of war, but he believed his mission would make a difference in the lives of countless people and that it was worth the sacrifice. Mourners paid tribute to Sergeant Henkes in the Woodburn, OR, National Guard Armory on September 11. At the ceremony, he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart service medals by his battalion. We grieve the loss of another soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the freedoms we all cherish. Sergeant Henkes leaves behind a legacy that will live on through the people he inspired and the young daughter who will grow up knowing that her father lived to make a difference in the world. My thoughts and prayers are with his daughter Isabel, his parents, Chris and Jim Stanton of Ashdown, AR, and Richard and Karen Henkes of Woodburn, OR, and to all those who knew and loved him.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, we have had numerous opportunities to renew important tax incentives. Earlier this year we had an opportunity in the tax reconciliation. The priority was to deal with tax cuts that had not even expired or were not going to expire--the dividend deduction and the capital gains. With tax cuts that have expired, businesses are not going to be able to take advantage of work opportunity tax credits, in research and development. We know we are falling behind in stem cell research. We have businesses that want to make those investments in research and development and be the best they can be in the global marketplace. These businesses have not been able, is that correct, to realize that tool and use that tax deduction for at least the first three quarters of this year?

Mrs. LINCOLN. Once again, I applaud Senator Baucus's leadership and his tenacity to come out and say we have a limited amount of time left. We have businesses out there that want to grow, that need the tools to grow. Yet these issues, things that we do every year to put into the toolboxes of our business, corporate America, our teachers, and others to be able to do the incredible things that make America great. Yet we are just sitting here. We are not doing it. They are being held hostage because we want to put all these eggs into one basket. I have been very outspoken about my support for the estate tax reform, but there is no reason these extenders should be held hostage to all of these other things that people want to crowd into one basket. The bottom line is, by failing to renew these incentives, as Senator Baucus has said, for responsible behavior such as savings and getting a college education, we are raising the taxes on many of our hard-working American families this year. I applaud the Senator and I appreciate and am grateful for the leadership.

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I compliment and applaud the leadership of Senator Baucus in working to get the retired tax incentives renewed. Did I hear the Senator correctly, the welfare-to-work and work opportunity tax credits expired at the end of 2005? Is it true that these credits have expired and we in Washington have yet to renew them, and 20,000 businesses have not been able to use this important tool? We are here to provide tools to businesses to grow the economy, to grow the jobs. I know the good Senator from Montana traveled his State, as I did in Arkansas, in August. People are concerned about the economy. They are concerned about their jobs. We are talking 20,000 businesses? Did I hear the Senator correctly?

Mrs. LINCOLN. Will the Senator yield?

Mrs. LINCOLN. That is amazing. The objective is to get people off welfare, get them independent and into the jobs. I think I heard the Senator correctly, as well, because we failed to renew the teacher expense deductions, more than 3 million schoolteachers nationwide--and there are a tremendous amount of Arkansas schoolteachers who give out of their own pockets to bring those supplies in their classrooms--those teachers are going to be paying higher taxes this year if we don't act now?

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I join my colleague from California in thanking Senator Brownback for bringing this issue forward. He has been a tremendous supporter of taking action. He brings to light, tonight, the fact we have to act and we have to act expeditiously. As the situation deteriorates, unfortunately, it moves closer toward a situation that we can do nothing about. I appreciate all of the Senator's efforts in what he is doing for the people of Darfur.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I was so pleased this week as the daughter of a seventh generation Arkansas farm family from rural eastern Arkansas, and it is with a tremendous amount of pride I come to the Senate today to applaud the passage of Senate Resolution 561 which designates September of 2006 as Rural America Month. I was pleased to introduce this resolution last week with Senator Reid, Senator Frist, and many of my colleagues. Rural America means a tremendous amount to this Nation. It is the place where our values oftentimes begin and grow. We send people from rural America not just to the big cities of America, but all across the globe to exhibit those American values that grow and begin in rural America. My values and my world view are directly tied to how I was raised in a small town in Helena, AR, on the Mississippi River. My upbringing gave me a deep and abiding love for the rural way of life. In rural America, you learn that in order to have good neighbors, you have to be a good neighbor. Importantly, you learn by the example set for members of the community. Growing up, I lived within walking distance from both sets of my grandparents. I learned what it meant to be a caregiver. At the age of 14 I learned from my grandparents. I learned values, I learned stories of World War I and the experiences they had during the Depression and so many other things that I captured from a real perspective--not from a textbook. My mother would prepare dinner for our family every night, but very often she and my aunt would go back and forth and prepare a little bit extra every other night. It was my duty and my cousin's duty to take that dinner up to my grandparents and spend time with them, valuable time, where we would make them feel better, to share part of our day and they could share a story with us. I didn't realize at that age what caregiving was all about. I do now. Being a good neighbor is something that comes easily for rural Americans. It is taught early in life. I am proud to have had the opportunity to learn that lesson by example. I see it as a model that can be applied outside the family, outside the neighborhood and to so many relationships that we, as people of a global community, have around the world, when we listen to the comments of Senator Brownback and Senator Boxer talking about our neighbors across the globe and what that means to us, what our responsibility is as a global neighbor to those people in such need of protection, of sustenance of life, of education, and the ability to build for themselves a life of independence. My love for the rural way of life I grew up in, the values it taught me, is what drives me to want to strengthen and support rural communities all over our country. With the passage of this resolution this week, the Senate has formally acknowledged the invaluable contribution that rural America makes to our country. The experiences in my life have shown me firsthand that the more than 55 million people residing in rural America are the embodiment of the values that make our country great: community, service, hard work, family, responsibility. Rural America provides significant contributions to our Nation, such as the safest, most abundant and affordable food supply in the world, as well as the renewable sources of energy with the potential to significantly reduce our country's dangerous dependency on foreign oil, not to mention what we could do for our environment. Americans residing in rural areas have also made a considerable contribution to our country's freedom. Rural Americans comprise a sizable percentage of our reserve, military force abroad and the highest concentration of military veterans live in rural communities. Additionally, police officers, volunteer firefighters, EMTs or National Guardsmen, and members of our rural communities come together in times of national emergencies to keep our country safe. I am certainly reminded of the proud, strong, courageous firefighters, Guardsmen, ambulance drivers, and so many more that responded from Arkansas to New York during September 11 and to Louisiana during Katrina and the entire gulf coast. I am proud of my heritage in rural America. I am pleased the Senate has acknowledged we owe rural America a considerable debt of gratitude. Rural America is critical to this Nation. I look forward to working with my colleagues to address the challenges and the obstacles that rural America faces so all in rural America can enjoy every blessing and opportunity that our Nation has to offer. I commend my colleagues for joining me in this special effort. I want to especially commend our leader, minority leader Harry Reid, who grew up in Searchlight, NV, who knows and understands the mentality, the values, and really has a tremendous passion for those people in rural America. I am proud to have joined he and Senator Frist and others in bringing this resolution forward.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I also come to the floor today to pay tribute to one of the most important and unique individuals in the history of American politics, Governor Ann Richards. As a female politician from the South, Ann Richards was a person who I considered to be a role model. She was a great American patriot who had overcome tremendous obstacles to become a valued public servant while blazing a trail for aspiring female politicians, with wit, style, and grace like no one else could produce. I consider it my good fortune to have come to know her over the years as a friend. While I am deeply saddened by her passing, it is so difficult not to smile whenever I think of Ann. She was remarkably gifted at using her keen sense of humor to say exactly what was on her mind and to get her point across in an effective and quotable way, proving she was truly one of a kind. Ann Richards became the first woman elected to statewide office in Texas in more than 50 years--winning a seat as treasurer in 1982. In 1990, she became the first female to be elected Governor of the State of Texas. As Governor, she took pride in the fact that she appointed more women and minorities to State positions than any of her predecessors. During her tenure, the Texas economy enjoyed growth, despite the trend of the slumping U.S. economy. Additionally, her audits of the State bureaucracy saved Texans $6 billion, and her reform of the State prison system resulted in fewer violent offenders being released. Perhaps her most remarkable achievement was maintaining the respect and admiration of Texans in the midst of not being reelected to office. The poll numbers of her popularity remained above 60 percent at that time. Ann has been noted as saying that she did not want her tombstone to read, ``She kept a really clean house,'' but, instead, preferred to be remembered by it reading, ``She opened government to everyone.'' Ann Richards will certainly be remembered as doing much more than keeping a clean house. She opened a door for me as a female politician in the South, and I know I speak for so many when I say that she continues to have my respect and my admiration. She will certainly be dearly missed by this Senator and so many, many more across this Nation. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I yield to my colleague from Connecticut.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today in tribute to a brave young man from my home State of Arkansas. SSG Kenneth Jenkins was a loving son, a devoted husband, and a loyal friend. He was also an American hero, who fulfilled his lifelong ambition of honorably and courageously serving our nation in uniform. In doing so, he was to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Those who knew him best tell of a special young man who always placed his friends and family above all else. Always dependable, he was the type of person who would give you the shirt off of his back if needed. It was this generosity and goodwill that endeared him to others. They were also the traits that allowed him to form new bonds quickly with everyone he met and with everyone he served. On July 1, 1999, Staff Sergeant Jenkins fulfilled his aspiration to serve our Nation in uniform by enlisting in the U.S. Army. Soon after completing his training, he was deployed for various missions around the world, which took him to such countries as Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Cuba. Throughout his service, he was a soldier's soldier, grateful to serve and proud of his role in helping to defend the people and the country that he loved. It came as no surprise that Staff Sergeant Jenkins answered his Nation's call for duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom, completing a full tour of duty and returning for a second. In Iraq, he served with the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division. Tragically, while conducting operations in Baghdad on August 12, his humvee came under attack by enemy forces and sustained small arms fire. He later died from injuries sustained in that battle. He was scheduled to return home in November. Staff Sergeant Jenkins was laid to rest with full military honors in Killeen, TX. Posthumously, he was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his courageous service. A few miles away, his fellow soldiers held a separate memorial ceremony at Fort Hood in honor of Jenkins and the five other 4th Infantry Division soldiers who were killed in Iraq during the month of July. It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of yet another brave soldier from Arkansas. While Kenneth Jenkins may no longer be with us, I pray that we may find some sense of solace knowing that his spirit will live on forever in the hearts of those whose lives he touched. The way he lived his life is truly an example for us all. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Brandy Jenkins, his sister Stephanie Richard, his brother Mack Jenkins, his parents, and with all those who knew and loved this special young man.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. I thank Senator Smith for taking this step to correct this error because I do not support the provision regarding liability protection for acts of abuse in nursing homes that was mistakenly included in the version of S. 3815 I cosponsored with Senator Smith on August 3, 2006. The parliamentary step taken today will replace the incorrect version of legislation with a new version that accurately reflects the bill Senator Smith and I agreed to sponsor to help improve the quality of life for those who need long-term care.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to a brave young man from Arkansas who lost his life while serving our Nation in uniform. PFC Derek James Plowman is remembered by those who knew him best as a compassionate soul, who was always quick to bring a smile to the faces of those around him. Having grown up in a large family that was often filled with laughter, he quickly became the life of every party, developing a special gift for being at ease in large groups and brightening the spirits of the people he came in contact with. Shortly after moving to northwest Arkansas from Florida in 2004, Private First Class Plowman graduated from Valley Springs High School. Hoping to study psychology some day, he enlisted in the Arkansas Army National Guard for an opportunity to earn money towards his college education. It was also an opportunity for him to serve his country, a decision that personified the selfless attitude of this young man. In the Guard, Private First Class Plowman was a cook assigned to the 142nd Brigade, a brigade comprised of citizen soldiers from north and northwest Arkansas. Upon returning home from basic training, he was informed by one of his superior officers that he would soon be mobilized for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. With courage and reassurance, he looked his Sergeant in the eye and said ``That's OK. I signed on the dotted line and I've got a job to do.'' The 142nd was mobilized for duty in Iraq on December 7, 2005, and was scheduled to return next summer. Tragically, Private First Class Plowman died from a gunshot wound on July 20 while serving with his brigade in Baghdad. In a memorial service at Valley Springs High School, over 200 mourners gathered to pay their respects for this fallen soldier and to comfort his family. He was later laid to rest at Western Grove Cemetery in Harrison, AR. The loss of this special young man is a sobering reminder of the tragic human cost of war. The loss of any of our brave men and women in uniform is felt by not only their friends and loved ones but also by communities and families across our Nation that they fought to defend. Words cannot adequately express the sorrow felt in the hearts of the family and loved ones of Derek Plowman, but I pray they can find solace in the courageous way he lived his life. My thoughts and prayers are with his mother and stepfather, Kim and Andrew Campbell, his father, Donald Plowman, his brothers and sisters, and with all those who knew and loved him.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise in support of the nomination of Judge Bobby Shepherd to become the next member of the United States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Based on my review of the record, my visits with Judge Shepherd, and feedback I have received from members of the Arkansas legal community who know Judge Shepherd well, I believe he is qualified to serve in this position, and I support his nomination. Judge Shepherd was born in Arkadelphia, AR. After high school, Bobby graduated magna cum laude from Ouachita Baptist University in 1973. He then continued his education by earning a law degree from the University of Arkansas, graduating with high honors. After law school, Judge Shepherd began his professional career as an attorney in private practice at Spencer & Spencer law firm in El Dorado. From 1984 to 1987, he worked as a solo practitioner. In 1991, he began his career as a jurist serving as a Circuit-Chancery judge for the 13th District of Arkansas until his appointment as a Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Arkansas in 1993. Throughout Judge Sheperd's nomination process numerous Arkansans from all walks of life have contacted me urging me to support Judge Shepherd. Some of these people had been advocates in Judge Shepherd's courtroom and others simply considered themselves his friends. To a person, they all found Judge Shepherd to be a man of honor, respected by his peers and in his community. In closing, I thank Chairman Specter and Senator Leahy for working with Judge Shepherd and me in moving his nomination forward. I appreciate their consideration of this nominee and urge every Member of the Senate to support his confirmation.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues today to speak in support of reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. No act has done more to change the course of our Nation's history than this. I am pleased to see both sides of the aisle set aside their differences to ensure its passage today. I first offer my thanks to Senators Leahy and Specter for their work in getting this legislation to the Senate. I also thank Senators Reid and Frist for their efforts in bringing all sides together to renew this historic law. This act protects and preserves our democracy by ensuring that every citizen is given the same opportunity to participate in the political process. The strength of our democracy, as well as its existence, depends on the fact that the Government is created to perform, to exist, and to excel only when those who are governed participate in it. Without this assurance, this opportunity to participate in that political process, our democracy could not exist. Without the right to participate freely in elections, a citizen's ability to effect change in his or her community is highly limited. We are given, each of us, many God-given gifts, but our responsibility with those gifts is to give of those gifts to those around us, to our community and to our country, to our fellow man. Without being able to participate in this community, we are not able to fully give back. I think it is important to remember what we are voting for today. Men and women not much older than I am made great sacrifices to be able to perform that most basic right of free men and free women--the right to vote. It is easy to take for granted. We often do. But we cannot forget that this document represents the pain and hope of millions of Americans. It represents their efforts and their prayers. The things that we do without giving them much thought, were not so for many of our fellow Americans. When we go to eat lunch, we sit wherever we would like. When we go to the movies, we sit wherever we would like as well. When we ride the bus, we sit wherever we like, and when we get to the polls, we take our ballot and we cast it without thinking about it. It is easy for us to forget that it has not always been so. By way of example, the mother of one of my staff members became deeply involved in voter registration as a young college student in the early 1960s. She was determined to secure the right to vote for herself and for her community. It was a life-or-death decision. She and her fellow students were told if they tried to encourage African Americans in the community to register, that they would be killed. They had every reason to take that threat seriously, but it didn't matter to them. They knew that this right, the right to vote, was worth the cost, and they continue to encourage people to register and to vote. By the grace of God, no one was killed, but we know that others around the Nation were not so lucky. These are the stories we must remember. We must ensure that no future generation of Americans will ever have to endure second-class citizenship again. As elected officials, we are charged with representing and protecting the interests of our States and our districts. It is of utmost importance that we are elected by a fair representation of our constituents. The Voting Rights Act has played an enormous role in making sure that happens. Since becoming law in 1965, the number of African Americans and other minority voters who are registered and able to vote has increased dramatically. As an example, my home State of Arkansas saw an increase of more than 33,000 African-American registrants immediately after the act was passed. Extending the provisions of this legislation will ensure that we continue to build on the gains we have made since it first passed. We have men and women spread across the globe, fighting for democracy and freedom. They are fighting for the right of citizens to hold free elections in which all, regardless of race, gender or creed, can participate. In many cases, this cannot be achieved without violence, unfortunately. Truth be told, we are not so far removed from our own violent past. But by the mercy of God, we today will extend the blessings of liberty to all Americans with the recording of a vote and the swipe of a pen. That is a miracle that we dare not forget. Because of what we do tomorrow, the men and women who marched and stood still and sat down and stood up and rejoiced and cried and ultimately overcame, can be proud, proud that their legacy will be carried on. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from West Virginia and my colleagues from Oklahoma and Vermont for allowing us this opportunity. Today I rise to pay tribute to one of Arkansas' great public servants, business leaders, and philanthropists, our Lieutenant Governor, Winthrop Paul Rockefeller. Winthrop passed away quietly last Sunday after a period of illness. Words can hardly express the sense of loss we in Arkansas feel at the passing of Winthrop. Everyone has heard of the Rockefeller name, there is no doubt. It is renowned the world over. Truth be told, Win could have used that name and the family fortune to do whatever he wanted or nothing at all. Many in similar circumstances have chosen to indulge themselves in personal excess. But not Win. He chose to live the life of a servant. He had a plaque placed at his home on Petit Jean Mountain in Arkansas that really sums up how he lived and what he believed. The plaque quoted Micah, chapter 6, verse 8: He has showed us, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. All through his life, you see evidence of his desire to live out that Scripture. He was compassionate and thoughtful. He showed a strong love for his fellow man and a commitment to leaving this world a better place than he found it. Part of that commitment was expressed through his work at Little Rock-based Winrock International--one of the world's leading incubators of economic progress for developing economies. His work there not only has had a profound impact on 107 nations spread across the globe but also has impacted Arkansas' rural areas as well. I have worked closely with Winrock International on many of those initiatives and have been proud to do so. His Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation has also helped enrich the quality of life for rural America, particularly in the area of home ownership in my home area; that is, the Mississippi Delta. He also strongly believed in developing the potential in our young people. One of his favorite organizations was the Boy Scouts of America. He served on the executive board of the National Council, and he was president of the Quapaw Area Council in 1997 and thereafter was a vice president. He also founded a program called Books in the Attic in which Boy Scouts could collect used books to distribute to families. Most importantly, however, he served for many years as an assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 12, and he attended Scout camp with his son regularly, as well as Scout meetings. Win was also the father of two special needs children. His desire to see them and others like them succeed in life moved him to open a school for differently abled children called the Academy at Riverdale in Little Rock. This is just another example of the kind of heart he possessed. Throughout his lifetime, Win also served in charitable organizations in many ways. The list is long, but some of the charities include the Arkansas State Police Commission, the President's Council on Rural America, and on and on. He served as a Texas Christian University trustee and was on the national boards of Ducks Unlimited, and the Nature Conservancy. He served on the boards of the Arkansas Cancer Research Center and the Arkansas Arts Center Foundation. He was a trustee of the Winthrop Rockefeller Charitable Trust and Rockefeller Foundation. In his spare time he was one of the finest Lieutenant Governors the State of Arkansas has ever known. As I close paying tribute to this thoughtful, kind man, I am reminded of the story of David. He was looked upon as the most unlikely of men to become king of Israel. In the same way, it was easy for many to believe that they could look at outward things--Win's money perhaps, family connections, and his status--and draw conclusions about who he was. But, as with David, man looks on the outside but God looks in the heart. Win's heart was always in the proper place, a faithful place. I truly believe that his heart has now found its rightful place in the hands of his King. My condolences go out to his lovely wife Lisenne, his three daughters and five sons, to his extended family and my very dear friend and colleague, Senator Jay Rockefeller, and I pray the Lord will keep this entire Rockefeller family in this time of grief. Mr. President, I am proud to yield to my colleague from the great State of Arkansas, Senator Pryor.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I would like to ask the Chair if there is any possible way we could take the opportunity to give myself and my colleague from Arkansas and Senator Rockefeller just a few moments to speak in morning business in behalf of paying tribute to our Lieutenant Governor from Arkansas.

Mrs. LINCOLN. We are so grateful. We appreciate that from our colleague from Oklahoma.

Mrs. LINCOLN

Mrs. LINCOLN. I thank the Chair. I thank the Senator for yielding. I, too, Mr. President, come to the floor today with tremendous respect for the sensitivity of this very critical issue that we in the Senate and in the Congress have worked so diligently to ensure--that we not only respect the sensitive nature but that we also look toward the possibilities of what we can do for the constituents we represent. I am very pleased that the Senate is debating stem cell research, and particularly H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, and I thank the majority leader, Senator Frist, for scheduling a vote on this very important bill today. I am a proud cosponsor of the Senate companion bill, S. 471, because it offers new hope for patients, for grandmothers and grandfathers, children, daughters, mothers, fathers, and for their families who love them so dearly. Four years ago I watched my mother give her utmost of devotion to the man she had loved--and still loves--and shared her life with for more than 52 years. She had pledged to care for him and to honor his life until he departed this world, even if he no longer remembered her name or could recognize her face. My sweet father suffered from Alzheimer's disease. My sisters and my brother had been by his side helplessly for years watching as, first, he lost the most precious of all things, his memory, his ability to see his family and to remember the cherished moments that we had spent as family, and then, unfortunately, also, the dignity of life, in his ability to care for himself. My mother's commitment to my father during his long illness remains a tremendous source of inspiration to me and to the rest of our family. Unfortunately, my family's experience with the ravages of Alzheimer's is not unique. Millions of victims and their families are suffering from debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, burns, and spinal cord injuries. Fortunately, we have within our power the potential to relieve their suffering and the possibility of cure. I believe embryonic stem cell research conducted ethically and under Government supervision holds the potential to offer lifesaving treatments for many diseases that have frustrated the medical community for ages. I also believe that whenever we have the power to heal the sick we have the responsibility to do so. It is a commandment as old as the Scriptures themselves. In 2001, President Bush made the decision to use Federal dollars to fund embryonic stem cell research. By allowing embryonic stem cell research to move forward, the President signaled that he believed this was both a morally acceptable and potentially lifesaving form of research. Since the President's decision, we have discovered that in order for embryonic stem cell research to reach its fullest potential and for science to be accurate, it is essential to expand the number of stem cell lines that are eligible for federally funded research. H.R. 810 will allow Federal funding for research on an expanded number of embryonic stem cell lines according to strict ethical requirements. The bill would restrict Federal funding to only those stem cells from embryos that would otherwise be discarded. In addition, the bill requires that any individuals wanting to donate embryos do so with written consent and not receive any financial inducement. Also, the bill does nothing to change the current law banning the use of Federal money to destroy human embryos. H.R. 810 gives us the opportunity to expand lifesaving research with proper ethical safeguards. Furthermore, it will be a step forward in helping us to fulfill our moral obligation to heal the sick. And in the end, that obligation is one that we must keep. I thank the Chair. I yield my time back to Senator Harkin.