Patrick Leahy

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, the Senate today is expected to pass the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011. I support this legislation and I commend its sponsors, Senator Isakson and Senator Boxer, and their counterpart in the House of Representatives, Congressman Poe, for the efforts they have made to get it passed. Kate Puzey was a young, vivacious Peace Corps volunteer in Benin when she was murdered. Not only was she the victim of a terrible crime, the Peace Corps mishandled her case, in fact it contributed to her death by failing to protect her identity after she sent an email expressing concerns about the actions of a family member of a Peace Corps employee. It was inexcusable, and it tarnished the Peace Corps' reputation. This legislation is also a tribute to Kate Puzey's family, who never wavered in their determination to honor and remember Kate by doing everything possible to protect the safety of other Peace Corps volunteers. And I commend the former volunteers, who were victims of sexual assault when they served, who have joined with her family in this effort. I support this bill and have been a strong proponent of reform at the Peace Corps to improve training, transparency, accountability, and the effective use of resources. In fact, the report accompanying the Senate version of the fiscal year 2012 Department of State and foreign operations bill, S. 1601, which was reported by the Appropriations Committee earlier this week, discusses several steps the Peace Corps should take in this regard. But as chairman of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee that is responsible for the Peace Corps' budget at a time when, like other Federal agencies, it is facing cuts, I want to take this opportunity to ask my friend from Georgia if he would clarify the intent behind a few of the bill's provisions. Am I right in understanding that the Peace Corps has established an Office of Victim Advocacy and that the requirement in section 8A(e)(3) of a 24-hour sexual assault hotline can be met by ensuring that all volunteers have contact information for the Office of Victim Advocacy? I assume this provision is not intended to impose an onerous or impractical burden on the agency, but rather is intended to ensure that volunteers who are victims of sexual assault have reliable contact information for a Peace Corps employee who is appropriately trained to receive a report of sexual assault and provide the necessary information and support to the volunteer.

Mr. LEAHY. Is it correct that section 8C(d), ``Transition,'' is specifically intended to ensure that the Office of Victim Advocacy assists returned volunteers who are attempting to access services through the Federal Employees' Compensation Act? While such services are not provided through Peace Corps, and the agency's role may be limited, the victim advocate can assist and guide returned volunteers through the Department of Labor process.

Mr. LEAHY. Is it also correct that section 8E(a), ``Monitoring and Evaluation,'' is not intended to impose new requirements on the agency, nor to supersede current requirements in law, such as those of the Government Performance Results Act--Modernization Act, enacted in 2010. The GPRA-MA requires agencies to develop strategic and performance plans, among other things. To the extent that the agency already meets the requirements of this subsection to monitor and evaluate country programs and directors, it would not have to expend additional scarce resources for these purposes.

Mr. LEAHY. With respect to section 8F(a)(3), concerning stalking, the mandate that the agency protect the confidentiality of volunteers who report stalking to ``the maximum extent practicable'' would not preclude the agency from taking appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of the volunteer, or to take other steps to provide services to him or her. A victim of stalking may be at risk of physical attack, and if other appropriate individuals need to be informed of the identity of a volunteer in order to take action to address a potential risk to that volunteer's safety or security, we would not want to prevent that. At the same time, the agency must ensure that it complies with all legal protections regarding confidentiality, including the Privacy Act.

Mr. LEAHY. Concerning section 8H, ``Removal and Assessment and Evaluation,'' we recognize that Peace Corps cannot guarantee or know with absolute certainty that a given site is safe. But we do want the agency to take all necessary steps to assess the safety of a volunteer's site if that volunteer expresses a legitimate concern that he or she is at risk of imminent bodily harm.

Mr. LEAHY. This bill, once it becomes law, may require the agency to hire additional staff, and given the wording of section 10, ``Offset of Costs and Personnel,'' that could mean cutting costs or laying off other staff. However, I want to be sure that unless the new employee is being added solely because of this law, and would not have otherwise been added, and that the new staff's responsibilities relate solely to implementing provisions of the law, the agency would not be required to eliminate another position. Personnel numbers at any agency fluctuate, so it is important to determine whether a particular employee was hired ``to carry out the provisions of this Act,'' as indicated in subsection (2).

Mr. LEAHY. I thank the Senator, and again commend him and the Puzey family for this very important legislation. We all support the Peace Corps' mission and we want to do everything we can to help it succeed, and at the same time ensure that volunteers have the training and support they need. There are inherent risks whenever an American travels, studies, works, or serves overseas, especially in remote areas in poor countries where law enforcement and judicial systems are often corrupt or dysfunctional. But what happened to Kate Puzey should never have happened. We need to do everything reasonably possible to protect the safety of Peace Corps volunteers, and this bill represents a major step forward. I am very pleased that it bears Kate's name. I know Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams has already taken some significant steps in this regard, and that he shares our goal.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I would like to bring to the attention of the Senate a notable development in the community of Moretown, VT. Moretown is located near the confluence of the Mad River and the Winooski River, just down the road from my home in Middlesex, and the community was hit particularly hard by the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Irene. Homes were flooded, the town offices were inundated, and the Moretown School was damaged. Bridges were washed away, cutting the town off from central Vermont's highway system, and leaving some residents stranded. But through this disaster, the town pulled together, in yet another of the many stories that can be told of the great resilience shown by Vermonters in the storm's terrible aftermath. As flood waters rose, the postmaster in charge of the Moretown Post Office, Naomi Tilton, and the two carriers who work in the Moretown Post Office managed to save every piece of mail from the rising flood waters. Every single piece of mail in their charge. Water eventually filled the entire post office lobby, and as water damage left by the flooding in Moretown demonstrated, as much as 8 feet of water filled the first floors of structures surrounding the post office. When my staff visited the Moretown Post Office a week later, workers had already begun renovating the building. They had shoveled out the mud and muck deposited by the river, and they had torn out the mold-prone sheetrock. Yet even in disrepair, the post office was not in disarray or disorder: The Moretown Post Office continued to operate. A sign made out of a plain sheet of white paper directed customers to the side of the erstwhile post office, up a set of crooked stairs and into an office on the second floor. In that makeshift temporary post office, customers could still buy stamps, pick up their mail, and share their stories of survival and community togetherness. The postal employees of Moretown did all this on their own time, outside of normal business hours, and on their own initiative. I understand that Ms. Tilton's manager was stranded dozens of miles to the south in Rochester, VT, a town similarly cut off from the outside world. Professionalism and dedication to the community motivated the employees of the Moretown Post Office to keep the area's postal system working. Their efforts offered a glimmer of hope to their neighbors as the community realized the extent of the devastation caused by the flood and the tremendous effort it would take to rebuild Moretown. And what a powerful testament to the currency in modern times of the proud tradition of this Nation's venerable postal system and its dedicated public servants. The Moretown Post Office is just one story of the hundreds of stories I would like to tell to remind everyone how determined we are to recover from Tropical Storm Irene. The determination of our Moretown postal workers reminds us all of what it means to be a Vermonter and an American.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have spoken over the years about the political transformation that has been taking place in Nepal since 2005, from a corrupt, autocratic monarchy to an emerging democracy. That process has moved forward by fits and starts, plagued by political infighting and the seeming inability of political and ethnic factions to unite for the good of the people. We are struggling with partisanship and divisiveness in this country, so I understand the problem, but Nepal is at a historic crossroads and cannot afford for this process to fail. Key issues that were at the heart of the internal armed conflict, such as impunity for crimes against civilians by both sides, have not been addressed. Shielding perpetrators of gross violations of human rights from punishment is incompatible with a democratic society based on the rule of law. There are many other challenges, like reform of the army, demobilization of former Maoist combatants, improving literacy, building effective, transparent government institutions, and reducing poverty. The United States is helping, but Nepal's competing political leaders must point the way forward by making the necessary compromises. Today I want to speak briefly about caste discrimination, which is at the core of Nepal's feudalistic history. I do so by paying tribute to an extraordinary leader of Nepal's Dalit community, Suvash Darnal, who was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident in Virginia on August 15, 2011. Mr. Darnal was only 31 years old when he died, but he had already achieved far more than most people, even people with every advantage, do in a much longer life. Mr. Darnal was of humble beginnings, with nothing but hardship and unfairness to look forward to. Yet he managed to overcome daunting obstacles to become a respected leader with boundless energy, a quenchless thirst for knowledge, extraordinary vision, and a tireless determination to help improve the lives of his people. As I have said before in this Chamber, Nepal's democracy cannot succeed without the inclusion of minority castes, including Dalits, in political and economic decisionmaking. Mr. Darnal devoted himself passionately to that cause through journalism, research, and advocacy. He was an inspiring example of why caste discrimination has no place in the 21st century, and his death is a tragic loss not only for Dalits but for all of Nepal. He had the humility, integrity, intellect, and dedication to his people that Nepal needs in its leaders, and I hope others of his generation are inspired by his life and work to continue his legacy. Mr. President I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record an August 16 article in the Kathmandu Post about Mr. Darnal.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have spoken many times here on the floor, as has the distinguished Presiding Officer, about the disaster and tragedy Vermont faced from Hurricane Irene. We all learned with profound sadness that MSG Shawn Stocker of the Vermont Air National Guard suffered a fatal heart attack while working on a road reconstruction project in Cavendish, VT. Sergeant Stocker was the first sergeant of the Vermont Air Guard's Civil Engineering Squadron. We in Vermont mourn this tragic loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with Sergeant Stocker's wife Kristine and their children. When I spoke with Kristine today, I told her that I would talk about her husband on the floor, and his sacrifice for his community, and for our country. It struck me that what happened on the morning of Sergeant Stocker's passing says much about him, and about the Vermont National Guard. When Sergeant Stocker passed, his troops gathered to consider how best to honor his memory that day. Ultimately, They decided to keep on working, to continue helping their neighbors in Cavendish. ``It is what Shawn would have wanted us to do,'' they said. We have talked often of the loss and suffering in Vermont in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. But we must recognize the skillful and tireless work of the Vermont National Guard, which has been so critical to rebuilding our state. They have answered the call to duty to help their neighbors in need. Sergeant Stocker and his fellow Guard members put their country first, do whatever the mission requires, and we will never forget that. From the very beginning of the disaster up until today, the Vermont National Guard has been deployed to help Vermonters in need. I spoke to Secretary Panetta last night in Washington, and I told him what a great job the Vermont National Guard is doing. Let me show my colleagues a photograph. This photo is of a Vermont airdrop of supplies to a Vermont town. That town was totally cut off. The only way we could get in the supplies was to bring them in by helicopter. In the days following Irene, the Vermont National Guard immediately went into action to make sure the storm victims cut off by Irene's destruction received emergency supplies. Helicopters airdropped food and water, and we reached out to other State Guards. I talked with the Senators from Maine. They told me how happy their Guards were to be able to come down and help out. It demonstrates the versatility of the National Guard. In addition to meeting our immediate needs, the Vermont Guard has taken on major projects such as debris removal and road construction. As in so many other States, when Vermont has a need, our National Guard is there for us. Often they are the first to arrive and the last to leave. Guard units who have come to Vermont to help include ones from New York, Ohio, Maine, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, and Illinois. All of these Guard units have said: We are here. Call us. Tell us what you need. That is one of the things we love about the National Guard. When one State needs help, every State steps up. One thing Vermont did need in the immediate aftermath of Irene was helicopters. The distinguished Presiding Officer and I helicoptered around the State. It was regrettable that our State needed more airlift. Why did we? Because many of our Black Hawk helicopters were still in Iraq following the most recent deployment. They are the most modern in the fleet, but they are in Iraq. In this season of war, it takes a moment to remember the troops and equipment sent overseas are not going to be available to help out at home if we need them in an emergency. Like that deployment of equipment, every dollar we spend on the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan is one less dollar we have to invest in recovery and rebuilding in America. Let me show another photograph to my colleagues. Look at that National Guard working to put in these roads. They are stretched thin, as are the National Guards all over this country because so many of them serve overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. These are talented engineers, talented men and women, people who know what to do and have the equipment. They can do things nobody else can do, certainly not in our little State. This is a time to choose investment at home first. I hear people tell me we can't pay for disasters in America unless we take money out of education or medical research or other things Americans need, but we can sign a blank check to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan. I am saying, let's worry about America. Americans need help. We are asking for a tiny percentage of what we are spending on a credit card for Iraq and Afghanistan. America needs us. The citizens in our States are suffering because of a natural disaster. The men and women of the Guard who have come to their aid deserve nothing less. For the last decade we have waged two wars on the Nation's credit card. We totally ignored paying for it during that time, even though we have raised taxes to pay for every other war in this Nation's history. We did, however, pause to throw ourselves a party in the form of tax breaks tilted toward the very wealthiest among us. The policy was wrong, and it hurt America. Now, after all these years of funding wars and rebuilding other countries overseas, the leadership of the House of Representatives, in their continuing budget resolution that was defeated yesterday, brazenly told the American people we can no longer afford to come to the aid of Americans in need. Instead we are going to offset the costs of rebuilding America by cutting a program that Americans badly need. This is ``Alice in Wonderland.'' Are they asking the wealthy to pay their fair share? No. Are they asking the oil and gas companies making record profits quarter after quarter to sacrifice their tax giveaways? No. Are they asking a sacrifice from those companies who get tax breaks for shipping American jobs overseas? No. That is wrong. We cannot ask these suffering people to sacrifice and refuse to ask those who have the most to contribute their fair share. We can't cut programs that are going to create new jobs, that provide a basic safety net for struggling families and seniors, while giving every break possible to the very wealthiest among us. It is unconscionable. It is not the American way. I have been privileged to be in the Senate representing our great State of Vermont for 37 years. We have always dealt with disaster bills together. We have worked across the aisle in the spirit of bipartisanship. Vermonters have not asked why we help out with an earthquake in California. We do it. Vermonters don't ask why we help out in Louisiana or Texas or Virginia. We do it. We are the United States of America. We work together. We can not afford to toss aside that tradition. The decision of some to inject politics and political point scoring into disaster relief is a new low for Congress, a Congress that is already scoring records for unfavorability. Leader Reid is right to call for a continuing resolution that includes an emergency disaster relief package that will get aid to all 50 States suffering from the effects of these unprecedented natural disasters. We try to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan and nobody questions that. Instead, let's rebuild America. I encourage my colleagues here and in the House of Representatives to do the right thing for people who need our help and move forward with Leader Reid's bill. Our fellow Americans need our support. Let's start spending some time worrying about America. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum, with the time to be equally divided.

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I would not object, but I ask consent that upon completion of that, I be allowed 7 minutes as though in morning business.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senator Moran to be recognized for up to 10 minutes; that following his remarks that the Senate recess subject to the call of the Chair.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, earlier this month, Vermont's Governor Peter Shumlin appointed Sydney Lea to serve as Vermont's new Poet Laureate. This honor has been bestowed to Vermonters whose poetry manifests a high degree of excellence since Governor Kunin reestablished the position of Poet Laureate in 1988. Sydney Lea is certainly deserving of this honor. A resident of Newbury, VT, Sydney has written a number of poetry collections including Young of the Year, Ghost Pain, Pursuit of a Wound, and The Floating Candles to name a few. His pieces have been published in the New York Times, the New Yorker, the New Republic, Sports Illustrated, and many others. In 2000, his poem, Pursuit of a Wound, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. In 1998, he was a cowinner of the Poets' Prize, one of the nation's highest honors for a single collection of poems. Sydney has taught at Dartmouth, Wesleyan, and Middlebury College as well as the University of Vermont and Yale University. He has also spent time teaching at the Franklin College in Switzerland and the National Hungarian University in Budapest. His dedication to and love for the written word has inspired hundreds of students in Vermont and around the globe. As a Central Vermont Adult Basic Education board member, he continues to see education as a lifelong process. Sydney's stories attract a wide array of audiences and come alive for Vermonters of all generations. His personal dedication to land conservation has given him an unique ability to describe our beautiful New England landscape. I am proud of Sydney Lea and applaud his accomplishments as a distinguished Vermonter and poet. When I called to congratulate him he was characteristically modest, but we are so proud of him, and I join all Vermonters in congratulating him on this appointment.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that there be an additional 1 minute for Senator Lindsey Graham to speak on his amendment.

Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, my State was devastated by Hurricane Irene, and I am going to do everything possible to help Vermonters get the aid they need. But I strongly oppose the amendment offered by the junior Senator from Kentucky. First, it is a terrible idea to cut critical national security programs to offset funding for emergency disasters. It would set a precedent and make it infinitely harder to help our States cope with these crises, whether it is Katrina or whether it is earthquakes or no matter what it is. Disasters strike unexpectedly. The funding to recover and rebuild is not built into the budget. They strike Republican and Democratic States alike. To say in this: Well, why don't we cut out our State Department or our embassies, so we cut out the aid the United States gives to Haiti--we live in a global economy--this amendment makes no sense.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, Senators Sanders, Lautenberg, Conrad, Gillibrand and I filed an amendment to provide an additional $2.5 billion to the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Fund, which is woefully underfunded right now. In addition, our amendment would waive the $100 million per State cap on emergency funding, which has been done for previous disasters, and allow 100 percent Federal reimbursement for disaster repair work occurring more than 180 days after the disaster. Nearly 3 weeks ago, Vermont bore the full brunt of then-Tropical Storm Irene as it turned gentle mountain streams and valley rivers into raging torrents of destruction. Whole towns were cut off from the outside world. Homes, businesses, farms, water systems, and miles of roads and bridges were swept away. And some Vermonters lost their lives in these devastating floods. Roads, bridges, and rail lines all over the State have been wiped out. Flooding closed more than 300 town and State roads and damaged more than 30 bridges in Vermont, stranding people in more than a dozen towns for days. It is going to take years and years for my small State to recover. In the aftermath, it has been extremely difficult to move emergency supplies and rebuilding materials around, as some of the washed-out roads have gaping gullies in the middle that are 30 feet or more deep, and some of the reopened roads and bridges are not yet recommended for heavy traffic. The consequences have been harsh. Residents are forced to make 30- mile-plus detours to the nearest grocery store or doctor--on mountain roads, some of them unpaved. Businesses are struggling to reopen and find customers. Schools have been forced to remain closed until repairs are made. And tourists are worried about traveling to Vermont this fall to see the foliage or this winter to do some skiing. Our small State is stretched to the limit right now. Winter is fast approaching, which means the end of the construction season is near. By November it will be too cold to lay asphalt, and by December snow and ice will cover the mountains, leaving many towns dangerously isolated. We need to make more permanent repairs as soon as possible or future rains and the fall's freeze-thaw cycle will further deteriorate our roads and make them all but impassable this winter. With just weeks to accomplish so much, we need the full and immediate support of FEMA, the Department of Transportation, and many other Federal agencies. Earlier natural disasters across the Nation have drawn down our emergency fund accounts, jeopardizing the ability to respond in those States, as well as the newly stricken States such as Vermont. FEMA has less than $400 million in its disaster account for the rest of fiscal year 2011, and the Federal Highway Administration's disaster account is under $200 million. On top of that, the Federal highway account already has over $1 billion in backlogged projects waiting for funding. Since damage to Vermont's Federal-aid roads and bridges alone will exceed half a billion dollars, it is unclear whether the $2.5 billion we propose in this amendment will even cover all of the costs for declared disasters including Irene. But it is a good start. We must act quickly to replenish FEMA's disaster relief fund, Federal highway's emergency road fund, and a variety of other disaster accounts that are at dangerously low levels right now. Without additional funding to these and other emergency accounts, Vermont and all of the other 49 States with ongoing Federal disasters will not have the resources they need to rebuild. Thousands of American families and businesses have been devastated by an unprecedented series of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters this year. The people hurting out there are desperate for a helping hand from their fellow Americans. Given the breadth and depth of Irene's destruction, on top of the ongoing disasters already declared in all 50 States, we must ensure that FEMA, the Department of Transportation, and all of the other Federal agencies involved in disaster-relief efforts have the resources they need to help our citizens in their desperate time of need.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, with the Senate now back in session, as a Vermonter I would like to call the Senate's attention to Mr. Keegan Bradley's first-place finish in the 93rd Professional Golf Association's Championship Tournament on Sunday, August 14. Mr. Bradley is the first male golfer born in Vermont to win a major PGA Championship. Keegan Bradley has earned a permanent place for himself, and Vermont, in the record books. As a rookie golfer, his participation in the 2011 PGA Championship is his first major tournament, making him one of only three rookie golfers ever to place first in a major tournament debut. This win also marks the end of a six-major tournament dry spell for American golfers. In order to win this year's PGA Championship, Bradley needed to demonstrate tenacity and determination. Keegan successfully came back from a four-shot deficit in the last three holes of the tournament, proving his ability to focus and overcome obstacles. His PGA Championship win extends Mr. Bradley's successful start to his professional golf career. Most notably, he placed first in another PGA tournament earlier this year, the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Texas. In 2011 he has also finished in the top 10 in 4 PGA tournaments, as well as having finished within the top 25 in 10 others. Even more impressively, Keegan Bradley has spent many of his younger years living in the New England area, with seasonal weather that did not always afford him the luxury of training year-round. This resulted in much time-sensitive dedication and focus, as winter weather inhibits year-round outside practice in our part of the country. Keegan Bradley was born in Woodstock, VT, in 1986 and attended Woodstock High School. He is the son of Mr. Mark Bradley, golf professional at Crown Point Golf Club, and Mrs. Kay Bradley. Keegan is also the nephew of Ms. Pat Bradley, a Ladies Professional Golf Association Hall-of-Famer. I am proud to recognize Keegan Bradley for his accomplishment, both as a Vermonter and a professional golfer. I join all Vermonters in wishing him many more years of success.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, this Saturday, the Nation marks the 224th anniversary of the day when the Founders signed the fundamental charter for our democracy--the Constitution of the United States. During the Constitutional Convention, the delegates debated hundreds of issues and proposals before crafting the final charter. Thankfully, the Founders had the foresight to know that their debate would not be the final word on the subject. The work of defining our Nation--ensuring protection of rights for all Americans--would continue, as we strive to create ``a more perfect union.'' It was through the leadership of the late Senator Robert C. Byrd that the Congress began to officially celebrate the signing of the Constitution, calling the September 17 anniversary Constitution Day. Senator Byrd understood the importance of ensuring that future generations value our Nation's founding charter. This week, in schools across the country, students will learn about the Constitutional Convention and the meaning of Constitution Day. For well over two centuries, the Constitution has allowed America to flourish and, importantly, adapt to new challenges. Since the inclusion of the Bill of Rights in 1791, the Constitution has been amended just 17 times. There has been much discussion of late about amending our Nation's fundamental charter. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, that is not something that I take lightly. Proposing amendments to the Constitution should not be a reflexive response to political threats. Each Member of Congress swears to support and defend the Constitution; it should be treated with the reverence it deserves, not as leverage in heated political debate. While I certainly believe that the Constitution has been improved over time in our effort to create a more perfect union, those amendments were thoroughly considered and debated over time. Before we alter our national charter, we must openly consider whether such amendment would hamstring future generations. Pressure groups may demand that elected representatives sign pledges about what they will and will not do if elected to office. The pledge I follow--the one I was honored to make again at the beginning of this Congress--is to uphold the Constitution. I take that pledge seriously. ``We the People'' owe a great debt to the Framers of our Constitution. And as we commemorate the signing of the Constitution of the United States of American 224 years ago, I hope all Americans will take this opportunity to read the words of our founding charter and learn about how it protects us all.

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have spoken to so many of my colleagues-- I know I have with my good friend, a distinguished Member of this body, the Senator from Montana, and others--about what has happened in Vermont. We are a little State. We are 660,000 people. We are a State that has sent volunteers all over the country where people have been hit by earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and flooding, but now Vermont has been hit. I was born in Vermont. My family came to Vermont in the 1800s. The only thing that could even begin to match what we have seen were the horrible floods of 1927. I was not alive then, but I remember the stories my parents told me. Certainly in my lifetime we have never seen anything like this. Vermont continues to grapple with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene. It does not make a difference if you are a Republican or a Democrat, all Vermonters are joined together to rebuild after this disaster. I wish to call the Senate's attention today to the severe and extensive damage done to our State's transportation infrastructure and to how the washed out roads and bridges are affecting the lives of all Vermonters. Here are a few of the scenes of the destruction. This was a main highway. You can see one lane here. Look what happened. The road does not begin to pick up again until we get over here. That was a highway that had been used for decades. It is Route 100, south of Plymouth. Plymouth, VT, is where Calvin Coolidge was born. He was spending time there with his father when he got news that he had suddenly become President and was sworn in by his father, who was the justice of the peace. The deputy sheriff thought they may need security so he stood there with a pitchfork in one hand and a lantern in the other. But this photo shows you what has happened. They tried to build a temporary bridge up there. As you know, being from a northern State, Mr. President, we are going to have snow in Vermont in a matter of weeks and, of course, companies stop making asphalt in early November. This is a photo I took of U.S. Route 4. I took it from a helicopter when Governor Shumlin and I toured the State immediately after Irene. It is a major east-west route across Vermont. Again, look at this. We can't see one of the lanes of the road. It would have gone just like this, but it is gone, and look how deep it is. That is because this river moved from where it had never been before and tore it out. Governor Shumlin, the Governor of our State, General Michael Dubie, the head of our National Guard, and I toured the damage around Vermont by helicopter immediately after the storm. We actually needed the helicopter because many of the places we went were unreachable on the ground. This third one is the New England Central Rail Line in central Vermont that hosts Amtrak's Vermonter train. One can actually get on the Vermonter here in Washington and take it to New York and go up through New England to Vermont, which I have done a number of times. Economic Recovery Act funds had just repaired this line to nearly mint condition. Look at it now. We couldn't take a train across it. It has sunk out from underneath the track. That is a pretty horrific situation. This shot was taken along Vermont Route 30 in Jamaica, VT, or what is left of it. This is while rains from the remnants of Hurricane Lee fell on Vermont. We just got hit and hit and hit up there. We can see work crews trying desperately to stay ahead of the rising water and some of them, frankly, risking their lives to do that. I might say, in that regard, we have had people come in to help out. I told the two Senators from Maine yesterday, we had highway construction people from Maine--crews, some on vacation--who came down and helped. In response, when we thanked them, they said: You helped us; we will help you. The Presiding Officer knows rural America. He knows we pitch in to try to help each other. Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Roads, bridges, and rail lines all over the State have been wiped out. I apologize to my colleagues for being emotional, but this is my State. This is my home. It is the home of my ancestors. We have seen flooding close more than 300 town and State roads and damage more than 30 bridges, stranding people in more than one dozen towns for days. Damage to the State's Federal aid roads and bridges will exceed $\1/2\ billion in our little State. It is going to take years and years to recover. It has been extremely difficult to move emergency supplies and building materials around. Some of the washed-out roads have gaping gullies in the middle that are 30 feet or more deep. One can't drive a truck over that. Some of the reopened roads and bridges are not yet recommended for heavy traffic. The consequences have been harsh. Residents are forced to make a 30- mile-plus detour to the nearest grocery store or doctor on mountain roads, many of them dirt roads. Businesses are struggling to reopen, rehire their people, and then to find new customers. Schools have been forced to remain closed until repairs are made, and children are wondering--adding to the trauma of what they have seen--when they are going back to the normalcy of going to school. Tourists are worrying about traveling to Vermont this fall to see the foliage or this winter to do some skiing. These are major industries in our State. The end of construction season in Vermont is fast approaching. As I mentioned earlier, by November, it will be too cold to lay asphalt. By December, snow and ice will cover the mountains, leaving many towns dangerously isolated. My home was safe, but I live on a dead-end dirt road. It is 2 miles to the nearest paved road. I know how easily these dirt roads can be disrupted. I applaud the Vermont Agency of Transportation and the Vermont National Guard--along with the work crews and Guardsmen from States all around the country--because they are moving quickly to make emergency road repairs and install temporary bridges. Governor Shumlin, General Dubie, and I had to helicopter into one town because it was the only way to get there. At least now it has a temporary road. But these are lifelines to the hardest hit communities. We need to make more permanent repairs as soon as possible or future rains and the fall's freeze-thaw cycle will further deterioration of our roads and make them all but impassable in the winter and cut off major parts of my State. Given the breadth and depth of Irene's destruction, on top of the disasters already declared in all 50 States, we have to ensure that FEMA and the Department of Transportation have all the resources they need to help our citizens in their desperate time of need. The other night the President addressed the Congress and the Nation from the floor of the House of Representatives. On his way in, he leaned over and said to me: I am thinking of your people in Vermont. That means a lot. I applaud him for issuing the emergency declaration very quickly and then making adjustments when we needed them. We have to replenish the FEMA disaster relief fund and the Federal highway emergency road fund, both of which are at dangerously low levels right now, not just for Vermont but for every other State that has been hit with the same kind of problems. Without supplemental funding to these and the other emergency accounts, Vermont and all the other 49 States with ongoing Federal disasters are not going to have the resources to rebuild. Americans should be worried about Americans. The kind of money we are talking about we throw away in Iraq and Afghanistan in 1 week's time and we do it on a credit card and we say we don't have to pay for it. Now we have some say: If we are going to help Americans, we better find out some way we can pay for it. What can we take away from other Americans to help these Americans? Can we take away from education, medical research, housing? Let's start thinking about America. We have seen the billions, eventually trillions, we have spent trying to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, and we know how much that is appreciated. These are Americans who do appreciate and need the help. Let us come home. Let us take care of the needs in America. There is so much on the line, so starkly for so many, it would be horrible and unseemly to play politics with disaster relief. We have never done this before. I was heartened, as I came into one, badly damaged town and I got an e-mail from a very conservative Republican Senator who said: Pat, you helped us when our State was hit. What can we do to help your State? That is the kind of bipartisanship, Republicans and Democrats, have displayed in the past to come together. Thousands of American families and businesses have been devastated by an unprecedented series of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and wildfires--look at the pictures out of Texas--and other disasters over these years. The people are hurting out there. They are not thinking about Democrats versus Republicans or red States versus blue States. They are saying: We are Americans. We help everybody else; we can at least help ourselves. People are desperate for a helping hand from their fellow Americans. We are one Nation. We have traditionally come to the aid of our fellow Americans in times of need. In my 37 years in the Senate, we have always dealt with disaster bills together. We haven't cared whether it was a Republican State or a Democratic State or Democratic or Republican President. We have worked across the aisle, in the spirit of bipartisanship, in the best interests of America and in the best tradition of our country. As a nation, can we afford to toss that tradition and cooperation overboard? It is unconscionable that a small number decided to inject politics and political point-scoring into a situation that already is so difficult and so laden with grim realities for so many of our fellow citizens. Go and talk to a farmer who has seen his herd decimated and tell him that. Go and see a small business owner who is a major employer in a small town who is saying: I don't know how I can keep hiring these people. Go and tell a child who has asked their parents when the road will be done so we can go to school or visit grandma. Tell them. Tell them. Leader Reid is right to bring an emergency disaster relief package to the floor that will give aid to all 50 States suffering from the effects of unprecedented natural disasters. I state the obvious when I say we need Republican cooperation to get this urgent job done. I encourage my colleagues to end this shameful filibuster of the disaster relief bill. Let us proceed to a full debate on how to help our fellow Americans--our fellow Americans--as quickly as we can. I have taken a lot of time of the Senate. I yield the floor.

Mr. LEAHY

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

Mr. LEAHY

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 13, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Agro-Defense: Responding to Threats Against America's Agriculture and Food System.''

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth of the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 13, 2011, at 2 p.m., in room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Role of Tax Reform in Comprehensive Deficit Reduction and U.S. Fiscal Policy.''

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 13, 2011, at 10 a.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Civil Rights Division Oversight.''

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 13, 2011, at 9:30 a.m.