Carl Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Does the Senator from Louisiana wish to go first or second?

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I will take 30 seconds and yield 30 seconds to my friend from Florida. On the four items that the Vitter amendment adds money to, the committee either already added more than the administration requested or fully funded. On THAAD, we added $115 billion; on targets, we fully funded; and on the Aegis and the SM-3 missile, we added $100 million. So on the items he adds money to, we either added money or fully funded. We did not cut those items.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. LEVIN. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, would Senator Sanders be willing, as a number of other colleagues are, that his remarks, although they relate to the bill, be in morning business?

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, for the information of colleagues, what I am about to do is send a series of 14 amendments to the desk which I hope we will be able to adopt at this point by unanimous consent. The amendments include one on behalf of myself and Senator McCain, which is a technical correction to the underlying bill; an amendment on behalf of Senators Akaka and Voinovich requiring a report on the security clearance review process; an amendment on behalf of Senators Bingaman and Domenici requiring a report on the test and evaluation activities of the Department of Defense; an amendment on behalf of Senators Collins, Lieberman, and others to ensure oversight and accountability in Federal contracting; an amendment on behalf of Senators Collins and Lieberman to establish a governmentwide contingency contracting corps; an amendment on behalf of Senators Lugar, Biden, and others to build operational readiness and civilian agencies; an amendment on behalf of myself, Senators McCain and Akaka, to establish the position of Director of Independent Cost Assessment; an amendment on behalf of Senators McCaskill and McCain relating to a database for contracting officials; an amendment on behalf of Senators Smith, Bayh, and Nelson of Florida relating to travel of family members of the Armed Forces with serious mental disorders; an amendment on behalf of Senators Lieberman and Collins relating to ethics safeguards for employees; an amendment on behalf of Senators Lieberman, Collins, and McCaskill regarding whistleblower rights; an amendment on behalf of myself and Senator Warner codifying recurring authority on contributions to NATO; an amendment on behalf of Senator McConnell on traumatic brain injuries; and on behalf of Senator Menendez, an amendment regarding the Environmental Protection Agency. Those are the amendments I am hoping we can adopt at this time.

Mr. LEVIN. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. LEVIN. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the Senator from Iowa wishes to speak as in morning business for up to 10 minutes. I have no objection, providing he would agree that at any time during that 10 minutes we could interrupt him, if we get unanimous consent agreement on the series of amendments I outlined. I hate to interrupt his remarks, but the timing is critical.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. In that case, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we now move off the bill, move to morning business, and that Senators Graham and Lieberman be recognized and then Senator Sanders be recognized.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I wonder if Senator Graham could speak for just a few minutes, and then we could turn to Senator Sanders and then to Senator Lieberman. Mr. President, I ask Senator Graham, how many minutes does he wish?

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the importance of providing access to a quality education is one of our most important goals as a nation, as our children and grandchildren compete in an ever increasingly complex workplace. Those who dedicate their lives to this mission have chosen one of the most rewarding and satisfying life paths. For 29 years, Dr. Albert Lorenzo served as president of Macomb Community College, skillfully charting a course that has greatly benefitted not only those who have been directly affiliated with the college, but also the surrounding community. His commitment to educating students has transformed countless lives. July 1, 2008, marked the end of an era for one of Michigan's premier educational institutions, Macomb Community College, and the end of a richly rewarding journey for Dr. Lorenzo. I, along with my Michigan colleague, Senator Stabenow, would like to sincerely thank him for a job well done and for making such a significant contribution to the lives of the people of Macomb County and the State of Michigan. Dr. Lorenzo was installed as the fourth president of Macomb Community College in July 1979 and navigated the college through significant transition and growth. Upon his retirement, he was the longest-serving community college president in Michigan. Under his leadership, Macomb Community College began offering classes leading to various bachelor degrees in 1991, filling an important void in the community. Dr. Lorenzo is also credited with creating the first ever university center model, which is now used in community colleges throughout the country. Macomb's University Center facilitates partnerships with eight universities and institutions, working to bring higher educational opportunities to this underserved community in Michigan. The college is flourishing, with an enrollment of approximately 27,000 students and with three out of every four Macomb County college students beginning their college careers at MCC. In addition to his commitment and success at MCC, Dr. Lorenzo has been a leading member of the Macomb community. Over the years, he has been active on several corporate boards and policy commissions, has worked with several national advisory groups and has been appointed by both Governor Engler and Governor Granholm to economic advisory boards. Al Lorenzo has also been recognized nationally for his many publications and has been awarded 12 major leadership awards, as well as 2 honorary doctoral degrees. He has received numerous other commendations, including the Tom Peters Leadership Award, and the March of Dimes Citizen of the Year Award. Additionally, he was named President of the Year by three national associations. Al will be devoting the next chapter of his life to solving the economic and educational challenges that face Macomb County and Michigan by working with Oakland University as they expand their services in Macomb County. We know our colleagues in the Senate join us in recognizing Dr. Al Lorenzo, his wife Katherine, and their family on his retirement. He has left an enduring mark on the educational landscape in Michigan, and we wish him many more years of service and success as he begins this new endeavor.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to the students, faculty and staff of Marian High School on the 50th anniversary of the school's founding. This is indeed an important milestone, and the many contributions they have made are evident throughout the Detroit community. For a half century, the faculty and staff of Marian High School have worked tirelessly to educate young women and prepare them for college and the workforce. The school's emphasis in service instills the values of leadership and responsibility in Marian High students, and the strong academic curriculum, vast array of sports and activities, and qualified staff has contributed mightily to the success of many women over the years. Education is an investment in the future of our Nation, and students and schools must aspire to high standards. Throughout the last 50 years, the faculty and staff of Marian High School have met this challenge by fostering a nurturing and safe environment for its students to grow and develop. The most recent example of this is the class of 2007, which produced five National Merit Scholars, 37 Phi Beta Kappa Honorees, and numerous other scholarship winners. Students at Marian continued to consistently score above State and national averages on the SAT and ACT tests, a testament to the high standard of excellence cultivated at Marian High School. I know my Senate colleagues join me in extending my congratulations to the faculty, staff, alumni, and students of Marian High School on the school's 50th anniversary. I wish them the best as they continue this important work for another half century.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, August 10, 2008, at 10 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 10 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to hold a hearing entitled, ``Improving the Federal Bridge Program: Including an Assessment of S. 3338 and H.R. 3999.''

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at 10 a.m., in room 215 of Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at 10:30 a.m.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at 2 p.m.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Expediency Versus Integrity: Do Assembly-Line Audits at the Defense Contract Audit Agency Waste Taxpayer Dollars?''

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``New Strategies for Combating Violent Crime: Drawing Lessons From Recent Experience'' on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at 10 a.m., in room SD-562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. LEVIN. 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 Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Managing the Challenges of the Federal Government Transition.''

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality, Committee on Environment and Public Works, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at 3 p.m., in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to hold a hearing entitled, ``Quality and Environmental Impacts of Bottled Water.''

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at 10 a.m., in room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Improving Health Care Quality: An Integral Step Toward Health Reform''.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at 3:15 p.m.

Mr. LEVIN

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