Carl Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I greatly appreciate my good friend's words, as always, and his counsel.

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

Mr. LEVIN. I thank the Senator. Amendment No. 1364

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the Humane Society of the United States, HSUS, has recently brought to my attention a matter that I want to share with my colleagues. According to this prestigious organization, the Canadian government provides millions of dollars of subsidies to the sealing industry every year. These subsidies facilitate the slaughter of innocent animals and artificially extend the life of an industry which has ceased to exist in most developed countries. In 2001, a group of independent veterinarians traveled to observe the seal hunt. What they witnessed was shocking to all who are concerned about the humane treatment of animals. The images are difficult to envision but harder to believe: skinning of live animals and the dragging of live seals across the ice using steel hooks. Few would argue that this industry still serves a legitimate purpose. A number of years ago, an economic analysis of the Canadian sealing industry concluded that it provided the equivalent of only 100 to 150 full-time jobs each year. In addition, the analysis found that these jobs cost Canadian taxpayers nearly $30,000 each. The report concluded that when the cost of government subsidies provided to the industry was weighed against the landed value of the seals each year, the net value of the sealing industry was close to zero. There is little about the Canadian sealing industry that is self- sustaining. The operating budget of the Canadian Sealers Association continues to be paid by the Canadian government; their rent each month is paid by the provincial government of Newfoundland and Labrador; seal processing companies continue to receive subsidies through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; Human Resources Development Canada, and other federal funding programs for staffing and capital costs. The sealing industry, through the Sealing Industry Development Council and other bodies, receives assistance for product research and development, and for product marketing initiatives, both overseas and domestically. All the costs of the seal hunt for ice breaking services and for search and rescue, provided by the Canadian Coast Guard, are underwritten by Canadian taxpayers. Many believe that subsidizing an industry that only operates for a few weeks a year and employs only a few hundred people on a seasonal, part-time basis is simply a bad investment on the part of the Canadian government. The HSUS has already called upon the Canadian government to end these archaic subsidies and instead work to diversify the economy in the Atlantic region by facilitating long-term jobs and livelihoods. The clubbing of baby seals can't be defended or justified, and Canada should end it just as we ended the Alaska baby seal massacre 20 years ago.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, it is my great pleasure to congratulate an outstanding and historic church from my home State of Michigan. This year, Saint Hedwig Catholic Church, located in southwest Detroit, is celebrating its centennial anniversary. Saint Hedwig Catholic Church grew out of a flourishing Polish neighborhood in 1903 and has continued to serve those in the community ever since. Over the course of the next 100 years, the church supported a school, a convent, and many civic organizations. The church community provided a safe haven of support for many Polish immigrants as they fled Europe during the first half of the twentieth century--a time when war ravaged the continent. During the mid-1950s, Saint Hedwig was one of the largest Polish-speaking parishes in the United States. Weekly services were delivered to 1,500 families and the church's school population grew to nearly 3,000 students. Today, the church and rectory still stand at the corner of Junction and St. Hedwig Streets. The beautiful stained glass, statues, murals, and facade are a tribute to the history of the church as well as southwest Detroit. Saint Hedwig continues to serve people outside the congregation by maintaining a food pantry for low-income families and homeless members of the community. The church also holds special events throughout the year such as a giving tree at Christmas and baby showers for expectant mothers with low incomes. The church has survived the effects of the Great Depression, disease, and urban sprawl because of the faith and dedication of its members. The service provided by the members of Saint Hedwig has been invaluable to the Detroit community and is worthy of recognition. I know my Senate colleagues will join me in congratulating Saint Hedwig Catholic Church and wish its members continued luck as they celebrate their 100th anniversary.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, earlier this week, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence released a report entitled ``The Ten Worst Bad Apple Gun Dealers in America.'' This report analyzed national crime gun trace data from 1989 through 1996 gathered by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and identified the 10 gun dealers who sold the most crime guns and exhibited sales patterns that ATF considers to be indicative of gun trafficking. According to the Brady Campaign, most gun dealers are never associated with illegal activities, but guns sold by these 10 dealers turn up in the wrong hands over and over again. According to the report, one dealer in Indianapolis, IN, sold 398 guns later used in crimes from 1989 through 1996. These guns were involved in at least 7 homicides, 12 assaults, and 2 robberies. In addition, the Brady campaign found that between October 2001 and January 2002, one man used two straw purchasers to buy 25 handguns from this dealer and then resold them on the streets of Chicago. Another trafficker used straw buyers to obtain 12 and 9 guns on two different occasions in 2002. Another gun dealer identified in the Brady report, this one in West Milwaukee, WI, sold 554 guns later used in crimes. These guns were involved in at least 27 homicides, 101 assaults, and 9 robberies. From 1994 to 1996, 1 straw purchaser bought 10 guns from this dealer. Several of the weapons have been recovered from violent criminals, including a murderer, a rapist, an armed robber who later raped a woman at gunpoint, a man who shot at a police officer, and three juvenile shooting suspects. The Brady report highlights the potential damage and abuse that just 10 bad apple dealers can cause. The Brady report reveals the disregard of a few in the gun industry for even basic self-regulation. The Lawful Commerce in Arms Act that recently passed the House and that has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee would shield negligent and reckless gun dealers from many legitimate civil lawsuits. Certainly, those in the industry who conduct their business negligently or recklessly should not be shielded from the civil consequences of their actions.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I rise to extend condolences to the family and friends of the late Eugene Gilmer. Although many of you did not know Mr. Gilmer personally, he was a longstanding member of the Detroit education and political community, and his life touched many. Eugene Gilmer's distinguished career started overseas, where he served as a member of the United States Army during World War II, part of which was in Okinawa. Following the war, he earned a Bachelor's degree in political science from Xavier University of Louisiana. He then moved to Detroit where he earned a Master's degree in education from Wayne State University. After earning his Master's degree, he gained his first job as a teacher at Sampson Elementary School where, 6 years later, he was promoted to the position of assistant principal. He later became principal of Fitzgerald Elementary School, where he is credited for making significant strides in improving the educational quality of that formerly troubled school. He went on to become superintendent of personnel for the Detroit Public Schools. When he retired from that position in 1985, he concluded his tenure of 35 years in the Detroit education system. In his spare time, Eugene Gilmer served as the first African-American chairman of the Fisher Branch YMCA, and he was active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Alliance of Black School Educators, the Palmer Park Police Community Relations Committee and Kappa Alpha Psi, his social fraternity. He became known in the Detroit community for his involvement with the development of the International Afro-American Museum, a precursor to the current Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History. He served as chairman of the board of directors of the museum when it was dedicated in 1993. Eugene Gilmer provided lasting contributions to the City of Detroit, and his death will be mourned. I invite my Senate colleagues to join me in remembering the life of this commendable citizen.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, as our Nation's military continues its efforts to stabilize Iraq, we are reminded of the courage and valor that our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines embody each day as they carry out their duties. When I visited Iraq a few weeks ago, I experienced firsthand the difficult conditions under which they are performing their duties so capably. Today, America is relying on the citizen-soldiers of the National Guard more than ever. In the past year, over thirteen hundred men and women from the Michigan National Guard have been mobilized to serve around the world. Among them were the men and women of the 110th Fighter Wing stationed at W.K. Kellogg Field in Battle Creek, Michigan. Since receiving A-10 aircraft in 1990, the men and women of the 110th Fighter Wing have literally been traversing the globe, seeing action in Bosnia, Kosovo, Operation Southern Watch in Iraq, and in Southwest Asia. It was while serving as part of Operation Allied Force in Kosovo that the 110th Fighter Wing teamed with sister A-10 units from the Massachusetts and Idaho Air National Guards to form the ``killer bees.'' Tomorrow, one of the members of the 110th Fighter Wing, Major James ``Chocks'' Ewald, will be visiting our Nation's capitol. Major Ewald embodies the commitment of the men and women in the National Guard. A pilot for United Airlines until he was furloughed following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Major Ewald is a retired Air Force pilot who leaves his wife and three young children in suburban Chicago one weekend a month to train with his National Guard unit in Battle Creek, Michigan. Major Ewald piloted an A-10 Warthog that was shot down while providing combat air support to ground units approaching Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was truly a relief when we learned that even though Major Ewald had to abandon his aircraft, he was picked up in a matter of minutes by U.S. Army personnel who saw him hiding in the reeds along the banks of the Euphrates River. As the Army unit approached, Major Ewald thought that Iraqi forces were nearing. However, when the soldiers called out to him, saying ``Hey, pilot dude, we see you over there,'' he quickly concluded two things: first, his hiding place was not the best, and second, fortunately ``dude'' is probably not Saddam's Republican Guard calling for you. This anecdote underscores the heroism of our Nation's military. A-10 pilots like Major Ewald put their lives on the line in support of our ground troops, and those troops in turn came to his aid when shot down. In an era when the term ``hero'' is used with increasing frequency, the actions of Major Ewald and his rescuers truly deserve the label of hero. Our Nation owes a debt of gratitude to our men and women in uniform for their professionalism, patriotism and willingness to ensure our Nation's security. I know colleagues join me in welcoming Major James Ewald, and thanking him for his service to our country.

Mr. LEVIN

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

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, last week, CIA Director George Tenet accepted responsibility for having gone along with the African uranium statement in the President's State of the Union address. His acknowledgment that it should not have been included in the address and his acceptance of responsibility was appropriate. But his explanation of the CIA's acquiescence in allowing the use of a clearly misleading statement raises more questions than it answers, and statements by other administration officials, particularly National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, compound the problem. Even more troubling, however, is the fact that the uranium statement appears to be but one of a number of several questionable statements and exaggerations by the intelligence community and administration officials that were issued in the buildup to the war. The importance of objective and credible intelligence cannot be overstated. It is therefore essential that we have a thorough, open and bipartisan inquiry into the objectivity, credibility and use of U.S. intelligence before the Iraq war. First, relative to the uranium issue: The President in his State of the Union Message said that the British Government had learned that Iraq recently sought to purchase significant quantities of uranium from Africa. The sole purpose of that statement was to make the American people believe that the American Government believed the statement to be true and that it was strong evidence of Iraq's attempt to obtain nuclear weapons. But the truth was that, at the very time the words were spoken, our Government did not believe it was true. Condoleezza Rice's effort to justify the statement on the grounds that it was ``technically accurate'' doesn't address the heart of the matter, which is that the statement was calculated to create a false impression. It is simply wrong to make a statement whose purpose is to make people believe something when you do not believe it yourself. It is all well and good that the CIA has acknowledged its role in caving in to pressure from the National Security Council to concur in something which it did not believe. But Director Tenet's acknowledgment raises further questions of who was pushing the false impression at the National Security Council. The NSC should not misuse intelligence that way. The President's statement that Iraq was attempting to acquire African uranium was not a ``mistake.'' It was not inadvertent. It was not a slip. It was negotiated between the CIA and the NSC. It was calculated, and it was misleading. And what compounds its misleading nature is that the CIA not only ``differed with the British dossier on the reliability of the uranium reporting,'' to use Director Tenet's words, but the CIA had also ``expressed [its] reservations'' to the British in September 2002, nearly 5 months before the State of the Union Address. Furthermore, the CIA pressed the White House to remove a similar reference from the President's speech on October 7, 2002, and the White House did so--nearly 4 months before the State of the Union Address. The uranium issue is not just about sixteen words. It is about the conscious decisions that were made, apparently by the NSC and concurred in by the CIA, to create a false impression. And it is not an isolated example. There is troubling evidence of other dubious statements and exaggerations by the intelligence community and administration officials. Relative to aluminum tubes, in a speech before the U.N. General Assembly on September 12, 2002, President Bush said, ``Iraq has made several attempts to buy high-strength aluminum tubes used to enrich uranium for a nuclear weapon.'' In fact, an unclassified intelligence assessment in October acknowledged that some intelligence specialists ``believe that these tubes are probably intended for conventional weapons programs,'' and on February 5, 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell told the U.N. Security Council that ``we all know there are differences of opinion,'' and that ``there is controversy about what these tubes are for.'' The International Atomic Energy Agency, after conducting an inquiry into the aluminum tubes issue, concluded they were not for uranium enrichment. On the Iraq-al-Qaida connection: On September 27 of last year, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld described the administration's search for hard evidence for a connection between Iraq and al-Qaida. He said, ``We ended up with five or six sentences that were bullet-proof. We could say them, they are factual, they are exactly accurate. They demonstrate that there are in fact al-Qaida in Iraq.'' While Secretary Rumsfeld later went on to say, ``They are not beyond a reasonable doubt,'' he did not say there was considerable uncertainty in the intelligence community about the nature and extent of ties between Iraq and al-Qaida. It was certainly never a ``bullet- proof'' case. On nuclear reconstitution, last Sunday, Ms. Rice said, ``We have never said that we thought he [Saddam] had nuclear weapons.'' But Vice President Cheney said on March 16, ``We believe he [Saddam] has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.'' On the question of certainty that Iraq possesses chemical and biological weapons, on August 26, 2002, Vice President Cheney said: ``Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us.'' On September 26, 2002, President Bush said, ``The Iraqi regime possesses biological and chemical weapons.'' On March 17, 2003, President Bush told the Nation that ``intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised.'' And on March 30, 2003, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said, ``We know where they [weapons of mass destruction] are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat.'' The fruitless search to date for Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction during and after our entry into Iraq suggests that our intelligence was either way off the mark or seriously stretched. As to mobile biological warfare labs, on May 28, 2003, the CIA posted on its Web site a document it prepared with the Defense Intelligence Agency entitled, ``Iraqi Mobile Biological Warfare Agent Production Plants.'' This report, which is still on the CIA Web site, concluded that the two trailers found in Iraq were for biological warfare agent production, even though other experts and intelligence community members do not agree with that conclusion, or believe there is not enough evidence to reach such a conclusion. None of these alternative views have been posted on the CIA's Web page. On White House Web site photos, on October 8, 2002, the White House placed three sets of satellite photos on its Web site, with the headline, ``Construction at three Iraqi nuclear weapons-related facilities.'' Although one of the facilities was not nuclear-related, the captions of the photos gave the impression that Iraq was proceeding with work on weapons of mass destruction at these facilities, although UNMOVIC and IAEA inspections at these facilities found no prohibited activities or weapons. For instances, related to the Al Furat manufacturing facility, the caption notes that ``the building was originally intended to house a centrifuge enrichment cascade operation supporting Iraq's uranium enrichment efforts'' and that after construction resumed in 2001, ``the building appears operational.'' So the misleading statement about African uranium is not an isolated issue. There is a significant amount of troubling evidence that it was part of a pattern of exaggeration and misleading statements. That is what a thorough, open and bipartisan investigation should examine. Finally, again relative to the uranium statement, I am deeply troubled by Ms. Rice's continuing justification of the use of the statement in the President's State of the Union Address. She repeatedly says it was ``accurate,'' despite the fact that its clear aim was to create a false impression. Her statement and Director Tenet's statement raise more questions than they answer. Here are some of those questions: One, who in the administration was pressing the CIA to concur in a statement that the CIA did not believe was true, and why did they do so even after the CIA objected to the text? Two, who at the CIA was involved in pressing the White House to remove the similar reference from the October 7 speech, and what reasons did they give for removing it? Three, who in the White House was involved in removing a similar reference from the President's speech on October 7, nearly 4 months before the State of the Union speech? Four, who at the CIA knew about the decision to tell the British intelligence service in September, 2002 of CIA's ``reservations'' about the inclusion of references to Iraqi efforts to obtain uranium from Africa in the British intelligence service's September 24 dossier? Five, given the doubts of the U.S. Intelligence Community, why didn't the President say in his State of the Union speech not only that ``The British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa'' but that ``our U.S. intelligence community has serious doubts about such reporting''? Six, how and when did the U.S. Government receive the forged documents on Niger, and when did it become aware that they might be bogus? And, seven, what role did the Office of the Vice President have in bringing about an inquiry into Iraq's purported efforts to obtain uranium from Niger? Was the Vice President's staff briefed on the results of Ambassador Wilson's trip to Niger? These and many other questions underscore the critical importance of a bipartisan, open, and thorough inquiry into the objectivity and credibility of intelligence concerning the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq immediately before the war and the alleged Iraq al- Qaida connection, and the use of such intelligence by the Department of Defense in policy decisions, military planning and the conduct of operations in Iraq. I yield the floor.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the ``Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act'' with Senator DeWine and our other bill sponsors. I also want to thank Representatives Emanuel and Reynolds and the rest of the House members who are introducing similar Great Lakes restoration legislation over in the House today. Many of my colleagues are aware of the importance of the Great Lakes to the eight States which border them. The lakes provide our drinking water, they provide our largest recreational resource, they are tremendously important to our economy, and they impact our quality of life. Over time, we have seen numerous changes in the lakes from water levels to fish populations to water quality. Some of these changes are part of a natural cycle, but many of these changes are the direct result of management policies. For example, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and its partners have been able to reduce sea lamprey populations by 90 percent. The lake sturgeon appear to be improving as a result of the efforts by Federal and State managers, fishermen, and other water users. As of April 2002, approximately 84 percent of high- level PCB wastes had been destroyed, up from approximately 40 percent in spring 1998. And the first U.S. Area of Concern--Presque Isle Bay, PA--has been upgraded to a ``recovery area.'' While the Great Lakes have made strides in recovering after the environmental protections were put in place in the early 70s, there has been very slow progress in the last 10-15 years because the Federal commitment has not kept up with the needs of the Great Lakes. This legislation that we are introducing today will provide the Federal commitment of funding and resources to keep pace with the restoration needs of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes face problems like beach closings, contaminated sediments, and invasive species, and the Federal Government needs to ``jump start'' our restoration efforts in the Great Lakes. I believe that with the help of the governors, the mayors, the wide array of nongovernmental organizations, and other interested parties, this legislation would provide some of the resources needed to keep pace with needs of the lakes. In April, the GAO completed its study on Great Lakes Restoration efforts, and they reported that while there were many on-going restoration efforts from dozens of Federal and State Great Lakes programs, there was no over-arching, coordinated plan for the Great Lakes. GAO also reported that an environmental indicators and monitoring system needed to be developed in order to measure overall restoration progress. The report emphasizes that limited Great Lakes funding has always been a problem. The legislation we are introducing today has three components to address the problems outlined by the April 2003 GAO report. First, the legislation authorizes $600 million in annual funding for the EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office to provide grants to the Great Lakes States, municipalities and other applicants based on the recommendations and priorities of a Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Advisory Board. These grants will require a 20 percent funding commitment from the region, and every State will receive at least 6 percent of the total amount of funding available for the year. The Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Advisory Board will be led by the Great Lakes governors, but it will include views of a whole range of people interested in the Great Lakes such as mayors, Federal agencies, Native American tribes, environmentalists, industry representatives, and Canadian observers. This Advisory Board will provide priorities on restoration issues such as invasive species control and prevention, wetlands restoration, contaminated sediments cleanup, and water quality improvements. By providing grant priorities, the region will shape the future of the Great Lakes. Second, this legislation establishes a Great Lakes Federal Coordinating Council in order to coordinate Federal activities in the Great Lakes. According to the GAO study, environmental restoration activities in the Great Lakes are uncoordinated. EPAs Great Lakes National Program Office is equipped to serve as the Council leader, and Federal participants include NOAA, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of State, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior. The Council would meet at least three times per year to ensure that the efforts of Federal agencies concerning environmental restoration and protection of the Great Lakes are coordinated, effective, complementary, and cost- efficient. The Council would also provide a list of its funding priorities to the Office of Management and Budget. Third, this bill gives the Great Lakes National Program Office the mandate to work with other Federal agencies and Canada to identify and measure water quality and other environmental factors on a regular basis. The initial set of data collected through this network will serve as a benchmark against which to measure future improvements. Those measurements will help us make decisions on how to steer future restoration efforts. With a clearer picture of how the Great Lakes are changing, we can change course when needed and spend public funds on the most pressing demands. This provision will address GAO's finding that there is no data collected regularly throughout the Great Lakes, and that the existing data are inadequate to determine whether water quality and other environmental conditions are improving. The Great Lakes are a unique and valuable resource, and we cannot afford to continuously underfund their protection. Congress must act to enhance their restoration and protection. As the current caretakers and beneficiaries, we owe nothing less to the region and the American people.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the ``Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act'' with Senator DeWine and our other bill sponsors. I also want to thank Representatives Emanuel and Reynolds and the rest of the House members who are introducing similar Great Lakes restoration legislation over in the House today. Many of my colleagues are aware of the importance of the Great Lakes to the eight States which border them. The lakes provide our drinking water, they provide our largest recreational resource, they are tremendously important to our economy, and they impact our quality of life. Over time, we have seen numerous changes in the lakes from water levels to fish populations to water quality. Some of these changes are part of a natural cycle, but many of these changes are the direct result of management policies. For example, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and its partners have been able to reduce sea lamprey populations by 90 percent. The lake sturgeon appear to be improving as a result of the efforts by Federal and State managers, fishermen, and other water users. As of April 2002, approximately 84 percent of high- level PCB wastes had been destroyed, up from approximately 40 percent in spring 1998. And the first U.S. Area of Concern--Presque Isle Bay, PA--has been upgraded to a ``recovery area.'' While the Great Lakes have made strides in recovering after the environmental protections were put in place in the early 70s, there has been very slow progress in the last 10-15 years because the Federal commitment has not kept up with the needs of the Great Lakes. This legislation that we are introducing today will provide the Federal commitment of funding and resources to keep pace with the restoration needs of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes face problems like beach closings, contaminated sediments, and invasive species, and the Federal Government needs to ``jump start'' our restoration efforts in the Great Lakes. I believe that with the help of the governors, the mayors, the wide array of nongovernmental organizations, and other interested parties, this legislation would provide some of the resources needed to keep pace with needs of the lakes. In April, the GAO completed its study on Great Lakes Restoration efforts, and they reported that while there were many on-going restoration efforts from dozens of Federal and State Great Lakes programs, there was no over-arching, coordinated plan for the Great Lakes. GAO also reported that an environmental indicators and monitoring system needed to be developed in order to measure overall restoration progress. The report emphasizes that limited Great Lakes funding has always been a problem. The legislation we are introducing today has three components to address the problems outlined by the April 2003 GAO report. First, the legislation authorizes $600 million in annual funding for the EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office to provide grants to the Great Lakes States, municipalities and other applicants based on the recommendations and priorities of a Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Advisory Board. These grants will require a 20 percent funding commitment from the region, and every State will receive at least 6 percent of the total amount of funding available for the year. The Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Advisory Board will be led by the Great Lakes governors, but it will include views of a whole range of people interested in the Great Lakes such as mayors, Federal agencies, Native American tribes, environmentalists, industry representatives, and Canadian observers. This Advisory Board will provide priorities on restoration issues such as invasive species control and prevention, wetlands restoration, contaminated sediments cleanup, and water quality improvements. By providing grant priorities, the region will shape the future of the Great Lakes. Second, this legislation establishes a Great Lakes Federal Coordinating Council in order to coordinate Federal activities in the Great Lakes. According to the GAO study, environmental restoration activities in the Great Lakes are uncoordinated. EPAs Great Lakes National Program Office is equipped to serve as the Council leader, and Federal participants include NOAA, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of State, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior. The Council would meet at least three times per year to ensure that the efforts of Federal agencies concerning environmental restoration and protection of the Great Lakes are coordinated, effective, complementary, and cost- efficient. The Council would also provide a list of its funding priorities to the Office of Management and Budget. Third, this bill gives the Great Lakes National Program Office the mandate to work with other Federal agencies and Canada to identify and measure water quality and other environmental factors on a regular basis. The initial set of data collected through this network will serve as a benchmark against which to measure future improvements. Those measurements will help us make decisions on how to steer future restoration efforts. With a clearer picture of how the Great Lakes are changing, we can change course when needed and spend public funds on the most pressing demands. This provision will address GAO's finding that there is no data collected regularly throughout the Great Lakes, and that the existing data are inadequate to determine whether water quality and other environmental conditions are improving. The Great Lakes are a unique and valuable resource, and we cannot afford to continuously underfund their protection. Congress must act to enhance their restoration and protection. As the current caretakers and beneficiaries, we owe nothing less to the region and the American people.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, in 1994 I supported legislation which President Clinton signed into law a banning of the production of certain semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. The 1994 law banned a list of 19 specific weapons as well as a number of other weapons incorporating certain design characteristics such as pistol grips, folding stocks, bayonet mounts, and flash suppressors. The 1994 assault weapons ban prohibited the manufacture of semiautomatic weapons that incorporate at least two of these military features and accept a detachable magazine. Pre-existing military-style semiautomatic weapons were not banned. This law is scheduled to sunset on September 13, 2004. Earlier this year, Senator Feinstein introduced the Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize this important piece of gun safety legislation. I am a cosponsor of this bill because I believe it is critical that we keep these weapons off the streets and out of our communities. Senator Feinstein's bill also includes a provision that would ban the importation of large capacity ammunition feeding devices. This provision passed the Senate 59 to 39, as an amendment to the 1999 Juvenile Justice bill, and passed the House by unanimous consent. However, the 106th Congress never passed the Juvenile Justice bill because it got stuck in conference, and thus the import ban never became law. Studies have shown that the assault weapons ban legislation works. According to National Institute of Justice statistics reported by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, gun trace requests for assault weapons declined 20 percent in the first calendar year after the ban took effect, dropping from 4,077 in 1994 to 3,268 in 1995. This indicates that fewer of these weapons were making it onto the streets. If the law is not reauthorized, the production of assault weapons can legally resume. Restarting production of these weapons will increase their number and availability and inevitably lead to a rise in gun crimes committed with assault weapons. The Congress should act this year to reauthorize the ban.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Normally, our States would be able to rely on the operations and maintenance account for the corps to help repair damages to public facilities, such as obstructive deposits in flood control streams, bank erosion threatening public facilities, damages to other public infrastructure such as water and sewer facilities. Additionally, funds provided will allow the Army Corps to repair weather-related damages that have occurred to Federal infrastructure. However, it is our understanding that the fund has been depleted for this year.

Mr. LEVIN. We thank the Senator.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, Senators Byrd, Stabenow, and I would like to engage in a colloquy with Senator Reid, the ranking member of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee and Ted Stevens, Chairman of the Full Committee.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Will the Senator withhold?

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, on Saturday July 12, 2003, in my home state of Michigan, residents of the city of Lathrup Village will gather to celebrate the city's 50th anniversary. The city of Lathrup Village is a small residential community in southern Oakland County, just north of Detroit. Its quiet, tree-line streets which are full of modest brick homes are the result of considerable foresight and vision by the city's founder, Louise Lathrup Kelley who in 1923 acquired 1,000 acres of land in Southfield Township. This area, originally known as Lathrup Townsite, was incorporated as the City of Lathrup village in 1953. Since then, the residents and the city have carried on Louise Lathrup Kelley's vision for community- oriented small city living. What Lathrup lacks in square miles, it makes up for in heart and a strong sense of community. This is evident through the success of events such as Lathrup's Summer Concerts in the Park series, which the city hosts for residents throughout the summer months. Residents have also created the Children's Garden in the city park, where children learn a wide range of skills including how to grow vegetables and the delicate art of raising butterflies. From July 11th to 13th of this year, the Lathrup Village community will be commemorating the city's 50th anniversary with a weekend full of celebration. It is sure to be a wonderful series of events that will further solidify the feeling of community that residents there have enjoyed for over five decades. I know my Senate colleagues will join me in congratulating the city of Lathrup Village on this important milestone. I am proud to represent this spirited city, and wish them many more years of success and prosperity.

Mr. LEVIN

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

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to recognize the creation of the Greater Midwest Affiliate of the American Heart Association. This new affiliate which was founded on July 1, 2003, covers seven States, including my State of Michigan. Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer in America. The American Heart Association is the second largest funding source for research and prevention of heart disease behind only the Federal Government. Its mission is to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. To this end, they work within local communities to educate people on prevention and identification of heart disease. The merger which creates the Greater Midwest Affiliate strengthens the potential for positively influencing the health and welfare of Americans by advancing groundbreaking medical research and spreading lifesaving education on heart disease to people of all ages. I am sure my colleagues join me in applauding the Greater Midwest Affiliate of the American Heart Association as they renew a commitment to create healthier communities and make stronger, longer lives possible for more Americans.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to recognize an outstanding county in my home State of Michigan for receiving a prestigious community recognition award. Marquette County, which is located in the beautiful upper peninsula of Michigan, was recently named an All-America City by the National Civic League. The National Civic League has presented the All-America City Award annually for the last 54 years. The award recognizes outstanding communities such as Marquette for their excellence in combining grassroots efforts with local government and businesses' community programs to address critical local issues. This year Marquette County was selected in recognition of its efforts to increase access to health care, create a countywide nonmotorized trail system, and build support for at-risk youth in the community. Marquette County was one of only 10 communities nationwide to be awarded the distinction of All-America City. The selection was made out of a pool of more than 700 applicants and 30 finalists. A 10-person jury comprised of nationally recognized public and civic affairs experts evaluated Marquette County based on a 10 category model developed by the National Civic League. Criteria include significant evidence of results which have improved the community within the last 3 years, extent of public participation, evidence of collaboration between multiple jurisdictions, and creative usage of available resources. In addition to being an active and caring community, Marquette County includes some of the nation's most beautiful beaches, waterfalls, and wildlife. Thousands of tourists each year are attracted by the breathtaking scenery and numerous outdoor leisure activities such as golf, skiing, canoeing, hiking, and fishing. I take great pride in congratulating Marquette County for the award of All-America City. This award is well deserved and is a source of pride for everyone in my home State of Michigan. I know my Senate colleagues will join me in saluting Marquette County and wishing its citizens continued success in the years to come.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I would like to recognize an important event that will soon be held in my home State of Michigan. On July 9, 2003, community residents, business owners, and area youth will gather at Belle Isle to celebrate the 21st Annual Metro Detroit Youth Day. Metro Detroit Youth Day was founded to improve relations between youth and other community members in the metropolitan Detroit area. Before its creation 20 years ago, a series of altercations had occurred between Detroit area youth and several grocery store owners. Since that time, Youth Day has provided an opportunity for all community members to work and play together and has drastically reduced the level of violence in the area. Youth Day includes games, meetings with celebrities, motivational speakers, sports events, and a wide variety of other activities designed to promote unity within the Detroit community. I am pleased to recognize Metro Detroit Youth Day as an example of a proactive community effort that has promoted positive change. I am sure that my Senate colleagues will join me in saluting this event and in wishing Metro Detroit Youth Day continued success in the future.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, this is a sad day for the family of our late and beloved colleague, Strom Thurmond. I want to begin my remarks by extending my and Barbara's heartfelt condolences to all of them for their great loss. It is also, though, a day for all Americans, and most especially those of us in the Senate community, to remember a man who spent a lifetime--in fact more than the average lifetime--in dedicated public service to this nation. When I joined the Armed Services Committee in 1979, Senator Thurmond had already served on the committee for 20 years. I knew of him as a passionate and effective advocate for a strong national defense even before I joined the committee. In the 24 years that we served on the committee together, I came to appreciate even more his commitment to the welfare of the men and women who serve and who have served in our nation's military, as well as their families. One of the reasons Senator Thurmond was such an effective leader on national security issues is that he spoke from his heart and from personal experience. He served his country in uniform for 36 years. He was commissioned in the Army Reserve even before he began his remarkable career in politics. He retired as a Major General in the Army Reserves. In June 1944, Lt. Col. Strom Thurmond landed behind German lines in a glider with the rest of the 82d Airborne Division as part of the D-Day invasion. He truly was a member of what Tom Brokaw called ``the greatest generation.'' During Senator Thurmond's long tenure on the Armed Services Committee, our Armed Forces faced challenge after challenge in Western Europe, Vietnam, the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, the Balkans, and Afghanistan. Through it all, Senator Thurmond was unwavering in his support for our men and women in uniform. His steadfast commitment to our national defense was a rock upon which they and we could all depend. He never stopped working to ensure that our military is always ready to answer the call whenever and wherever needed. Senator Thurmond served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee in the 104th and 105th Congresses. I had the honor and pleasure to serve as his ranking member in 1997 and 1998. I know from personal experience how seriously Senator Thurmond treated his duties as chairman and how hard he worked to be fair and even-handed with every member of the committee. Our former colleague and chairman, Senator Sam Nunn, was right when he said that there was not a single national security issue facing this country that has been or could be solved by one political party. That legacy of bipartisanship on the Armed Services Committee was continued under the chairmanship of Strom Thurmond. I am sure that I speak for all of our colleagues in saying just how much we appreciate not only the commitment that Senator Thurmond brought to his duties as chairman, but also his lifelong dedication to the defense of our Nation and to the welfare of those who defend us. In my 24 years of service with Strom Thurmond, I never knew him to be anything other than unfailingly optimistic, always courteous, and ever- thoughtful of his Senate colleagues and their families. I cannot say how many times he gave me and all my colleagues advice on exercise, on diet, and on taking care of ourselves and our families in general. I wish I had followed his advice more often because it was always given out of his true concern as a friend. Strom himself was a marvelous specimen of physical fitness. One need only receive a handshake or a shoulder slap from Strom Thurmond to fully appreciate his strength and stamina. Sadly Strom Thurmond has left this Earth and we will always miss him. I hope his family takes comfort in knowing, though, that he leaves an example of dedicated public service that will stand as a inspiration for generations to come.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, joined by a number of my colleagues in the Senate, I am today introducing legislation, S. 1368, that will authorize the President to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., posthumously, and his widow, Coretta Scott King, in recognition of their countless contributions to the Nation as leaders of the civil rights movement. A companion bill is being introduced in the House by Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. This medal is one small way for Congress to recognize and honor this couple's distinguished record of public service, sacrifice, and commitment to protect the dignity of a people and awaken the conscience of a country. Dr. King embraced all Americans in his quest to make a living reality of equality of opportunity and economic and social justice for all humankind, those fundamental principles in our Constitution. The vision of equality which guided his life and contributed to his death is indelibly woven into the fabric and history of our Nation. This medal will pay tribute to Dr. King's many great accomplishments: from his courageous application of the doctrine of nonviolent civil disobedience to combat segregation to his leadership in the Montgomery bus boycott, from his efforts on behalf of 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act to his soaring speeches that inspired a nation to action. For these and for all his other contributions, Dr. King deserves our highest honor. Mrs. Coretta Scott King joined her husband in his lifework and has continued his legacy to this day. Like Dr. King, Mrs. King was a leader in our country's civil rights movement, striving through nonviolent means to promote social change and attain full civil rights for African-Americans and other discriminated people. Mrs. King worked to preserve Dr. King's memory and ideals by, among other things, developing and building the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, establishing the ``Freedom Concerts'' organization to increase awareness of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and leading a campaign to recognize Dr. King's birthday as a national holiday. Mrs. King's continuing contributions to our nation also merit her receipt of this award. Here in America we have come a long way towards achieving Dr. King's dream of liberty, justice and equality for all. But we still have work to do. Let us rededicate ourselves to continuing the struggle that he died for and that Mrs. King continues to work for. The Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting tribute to these two heroes who tirelessly fought to create a united America. I hope that my colleagues will join Senators Warner, Biden, Hollings, Bingaman, Stabenow, Kennedy, Lautenberg, Pryor, Landrieu, Clinton, Milkulski, Durbin, Dodd, Lieberman, Corzine and me in commemorating the efforts of the late Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his widow, Coretta Scott King, by supporting this legislation.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, joined by a number of my colleagues in the Senate, I am today introducing legislation, S. 1368, that will authorize the President to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., posthumously, and his widow, Coretta Scott King, in recognition of their countless contributions to the Nation as leaders of the civil rights movement. A companion bill is being introduced in the House by Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. This medal is one small way for Congress to recognize and honor this couple's distinguished record of public service, sacrifice, and commitment to protect the dignity of a people and awaken the conscience of a country. Dr. King embraced all Americans in his quest to make a living reality of equality of opportunity and economic and social justice for all humankind, those fundamental principles in our Constitution. The vision of equality which guided his life and contributed to his death is indelibly woven into the fabric and history of our Nation. This medal will pay tribute to Dr. King's many great accomplishments: from his courageous application of the doctrine of nonviolent civil disobedience to combat segregation to his leadership in the Montgomery bus boycott, from his efforts on behalf of 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act to his soaring speeches that inspired a nation to action. For these and for all his other contributions, Dr. King deserves our highest honor. Mrs. Coretta Scott King joined her husband in his lifework and has continued his legacy to this day. Like Dr. King, Mrs. King was a leader in our country's civil rights movement, striving through nonviolent means to promote social change and attain full civil rights for African-Americans and other discriminated people. Mrs. King worked to preserve Dr. King's memory and ideals by, among other things, developing and building the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, establishing the ``Freedom Concerts'' organization to increase awareness of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and leading a campaign to recognize Dr. King's birthday as a national holiday. Mrs. King's continuing contributions to our nation also merit her receipt of this award. Here in America we have come a long way towards achieving Dr. King's dream of liberty, justice and equality for all. But we still have work to do. Let us rededicate ourselves to continuing the struggle that he died for and that Mrs. King continues to work for. The Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting tribute to these two heroes who tirelessly fought to create a united America. I hope that my colleagues will join Senators Warner, Biden, Hollings, Bingaman, Stabenow, Kennedy, Lautenberg, Pryor, Landrieu, Clinton, Milkulski, Durbin, Dodd, Lieberman, Corzine and me in commemorating the efforts of the late Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his widow, Coretta Scott King, by supporting this legislation.