Trent Lott

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3198

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I cannot let this opportunity go by. I will be brief so we can vote. I know Senators have obligations they want to fulfill, but I have to say we do owe a debt of gratitude from the Senate as a whole to the chairman and the ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. They have been at this for 6 weeks. It has been at least 5 years since we spent that long--I don't think, since I have been in the Senate, we have spent 6 weeks on a bill. So this is a monumental undertaking. It is coming to a positive result. They provide bipartisan leadership. They have been persistent, and I thank them for that. I especially have to say to my colleague from Alaska, I appreciate his attitude. Even though I know his feelings on an issue that meant so much to him and the other Senator from Alaska, Mr. Stevens, he said we had to move forward on an energy policy for this country. You did the right thing for your country. I know in the end we are going to do the right thing for you and your State, too. I yield the floor.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment today to recognize one of the finest officers in the U.S. Air Force, Brigadier General Dan L. Locker. On July 31, 2002, General Locker will retire from the Air Force and his positions as Commander of the 81st Medical Group, Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base, MS, and Lead Agent for Department of Defense TRICARE Region IV. During his time at Keesler Air Force Base, General Locker has exemplified the Air Force core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all endeavors. Many Members and staff have enjoyed the opportunity to meet with him on a variety of Department of Defense health care issues and have come to appreciate his many talents. Today it is my privilege to recognize some of Dan's many accomplishments since he entered the military 30 years ago, and to commend the superb service he provided the Air Force, the Congress, and our Nation. Dan Locker was commissioned in the Air Force Reserve in 1970 through the Health Professions Scholarship Program. A proud Texan, he completed his bachelor's degree in biology at Southwest Texas State College in 1967. He entered active duty in 1972, and received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1973 from the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio. He then completed residencies in family practice at Scott Air Force Base, IL, and general surgery at Keesler Air Force Base, MS. An active chief flight surgeon, General Locker has logged more than 1,000 hours of flight time in numerous military aircraft, including 21 combat missions and 25 combat hours. From early in his career, General Locker's exceptional leadership skills were always evident to both superiors and subordinates as he repeatedly proved himself in numerous select command positions. He was the Chief of Surgical Services in his first post-residency assignment at Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID. From there, he went overseas to serve as Chief of General Surgery and Director of U.S. Air Forces in Europe Flying Ambulance Surgical Trauma teams in Wiesbaden, Germany. While in Germany, he also was the military consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General for general surgery. Next, he moved to the Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, where he served as deputy commander for hospital services. Then it was back to Texas to command, first, the 96th Strategic Hospital at Dyess Air Force Base, and then the 82nd Medical Group at Sheppard Air Force Base. After proving his staff proficiency as Director of Medical Service Officer Management at the Air Force Military Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, TX, then-Colonel Locker, was summoned to be the Command Surgeon at Headquarters, U.S. Air Forces in Europe in Ramstein Air Base, Germany. While in that position, he was responsible for management, resources, and oversight of all health care provided at 12 Air Force clinics, hospitals, and medical centers throughout Europe. In 1997, Dan Locker was promoted to brigadier general, and was selected for his current high-profile position as commander of the second largest medical center in the Air Force at Keesler Air Force Base in the great State of Mississippi. General Locker took Keesler Medical Center to new heights, earning the 81st Medical Group the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Department of Defense TRICARE Customer Service Award, and the TRICARE Access to Care Award. The TRICARE honors resulted in a $100,000 cash award, that was used to improve the quality of life and benefit the more than 2,000 health care professionals of the 81st Medical Group at Keesler. General Locker has worked diligently to hone the military professionalism of the ``Combat Medics'' at Keesler Medical Center, which is responsible for the direct delivery of health care to more than 50,000 patients in the Keesler area, and provides referral and consultative services to an additional 605,000 beneficiaries in a 5-State region. As Lead Agent for TRICARE Region IV, General Locker is responsible for the direction of all managed health care activities at 23 military treatment facilities throughout all of Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and parts of Louisiana and Florida. In addition, through a $4 billion contract with Humana Military Healthcare Services, he is responsible for the provision of care to all military beneficiaries in the region. The Managed Care Support Contract relationship with Humana was so strong that both parties were recognized by the National Managed Health Care Congress with the 2001 AstraZeneca Partnership Award for improving the delivery of health care throughout the Gulf-South Region. A dynamic and skilled lecturer, General Locker has delivered presentations around the world on a variety of clinical and technological health care issues to a broad range of audiences, both military and civilian. Still active in his surgical practice, he spends a week each winter, leading a team on a humanitarian mission trip to Mexico to help provide much-needed care to rural and under-served patients. Just last week, he was presented the prestigious Excalibur Award by the Society of Air Force Clinical Surgeons for demonstrating the highest personal dedication, surgical competence, and providing leadership and vision to further advance the field of surgery. I offer my congratulations to Dan, his wife, Cynthia, daughters, Valerie and Rachel, and son, Ryan. The Congress and the country applaud the selfless commitment his entire family has made to the Nation in supporting his military career. I know I speak for all of my colleagues in expressing my heartfelt appreciation to General Locker. He is a credit to both the Air Force and the United States. We wish our friend the best of luck in his retirement and we look forward to working with General Locker in his next career.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I object.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I appreciate the work we have been able to do to try to get a reasonable agreement as to how to proceed on the death tax matter. I think the agreement just entered is fair to all sides. Also, I think it is very important that we have the tax section as a part of our energy package, when it is completed, because many of the important incentives to get more production and to find alternative fuels and develop new technologies--whether it is hybrid cells or whatever it may be--are in that section. We have almost $15 billion that came out of the Finance Committee unanimously, as I recall. So that needed to be included. The fact that it is included is a very important recognition that work has been done by Senator Grassley, Senator Baucus, and others. With regard to the unanimous consent request we are going to propound to limit the number of amendments and get to passage by a time certain, I also think that is the right thing to do. There may be many amendments that are out there, but we could not get an agreed-to number. I know we can accept a limited number of five or seven, whatever that number may be. Also, we are prepared to make a commitment to get final passage on this legislation no later than Thursday at 6 o'clock. I think that is the responsible thing to do. I support that. And Senator Daschle and I have been working for the last 24 hours to try to come to that agreement. It is time we bring consideration of this bill to a conclusion. We have had a full debate, lots of amendments. I am sure nobody is perfectly happy with it, but to have expended over 5 weeks and then not be able to bring this to conclusion, would be disastrous for our country, and the Senate would look very bad. So I hope we come to an agreement on how to get a vote on this legislation, complete action, and send it to conference for final activity. With that, I yield the floor, Madam President, and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. LOTT. Reserving the right to object, and I will not object, I want to say again, this is the right way to proceed. We have been on this legislation for 5 weeks. We have had a full debate. Senators on both sides of the aisle have had opportunities to offer their amendments. This will give us seven more opportunities on each side. We will have to get a limit. We will have to have a process, which will not be easy for either one of us. But we have discussed this in our caucus. We are prepared to accept the limitation. This would also be the process that would get us to a conclusion by, I believe, Thursday or Friday, at the latest, of this week. I support this initiative, and it is a bipartisan effort. I thank Senator Daschle for making the request. I withdraw my reservation.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I wish to take this opportunity to recognize and say farewell to an outstanding Naval Officer, Captain, select, Tara L. LaCavera, upon her change of command from Naval Station Pascagoula. Throughout her career, Captain, select, LaCavera has served with distinction. It is my privilege to recognize her many accomplishments and to commend her for the superb service she has provided the Navy, the great State of Mississippi, and our Nation. Captain, Select, LaCavera began her career as a Fleet Support Officer in 1980 after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Georgia and attending the Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI. She served with distinction early in her career as Message Center Officer on the staff of Commander, Oceanographic Systems Command Atlantic; Regional Evaluation Center Watch Officer and Surveillance Training Operational Procedures Standardization at Naval Facility Brawdy, Wales, UK; Fleet Telecommunications Officer, Naval Telecommunications Area Master Station, Naples, Italy; and Intelligence Officer at Commander Naval Allied Forces Mediterranean, Naples, Italy. Later assignments included Administrative Department Head and Public Affairs Officer at NAS Whiting Field, FL; Protocol Officer and Special Assistant to the Commander, Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; and Executive Officer, Naval Station Norfolk, VA. She received a Master of Science degree in International Affairs from Troy State University in 1990 and was selected as a 1994 Federal Executive Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. As Commanding Officer, Naval Station Pascagoula, Captain, select, LaCavera's foresight during the planning and execution of numerous construction projects greatly enhanced the quality of life for the many Sailors of the home ported ships and tenant commands. The results include construction of a new Gulf Coast USO and Learning Resource Center, major expansions of the Fire Department and cardio-fitness center/gymnasium, addition of an on-base service station, and site selection for an off-base military housing project. She was responsible for the intense coordination and certification procedures required for the unprecedented full weapons off-load of the USS COLE, DDG 67, that entailed the safe handling of 86.3 thousand pounds of explosives from the severely damaged destroyer. After the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, Captain, select, LaCavera immediately executed an increased security posture, utilizing recalled reservist, auxiliary security force personnel, and available base assets to provide harbor patrol and protection for home ported ships and other pre-commissioning units located at Ingalls Shipyard. Her strong guidance and leadership ensured that Naval Station Pascagoula's personnel, facilities, and weapons platforms were well protected. Throughout her distinguished career, Captain, select, LaCavera has served the United States Navy and the nation with pride and excellence. She has been an integral member of, and contributed greatly to, the best-trained, best-equipped, and best-prepared naval force in the history of the world. Captain, select, LaCavera's superb leadership, integrity, and limitless energy have had a profound impact on Naval Station Pascagoula and will continue to positively impact the United States Navy and our nation. Captain, select, LaCavera relinquishes her command on April 25, 2002 and reports as Chief Staff Officer, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, VA where she will continue her successful career. On behalf of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I wish Captain, select, LaCavera ``Fair Winds and Following Seas.''

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I announce that the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Nickles), the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Bond), and the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Roberts) are necessarily absent.

Mr. LOTT

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

Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I announce that the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Nickles), is necessarily absent.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I announce that the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Nickles) is necessarily absent.

Mr. LOTT. I announce that the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Nickles) is necessarily absent.

Mr. LOTT. I announce that the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Nickles) is necessarily absent.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. I thank Senator Daschle for making our colleagues and those who follow the situation in the Senate aware of the struggle our Chaplain is going through now. He has been a chaplain and a minister for all of us. As Senator Daschle said, each one of us has had moments of difficulty over the past 7 years. He is always there. Just recently, when my wife lost her father, she didn't get to talk to Dr. Ogilvie, but he left a message on the recorder. It was like a message from heaven, just magnificent; so meaningful, my wife saved it and listened to it more than once. So at this time when our Chaplain is facing difficulty, certainly we need him to know of our thoughts and our prayers. When I spoke to him, I told him that I believe in miracles and that his wife can pull through this and rejoin the Senate family. Mary Jane is very much a part of the family. She attends events; she goes with our Chaplain so many places. She is his helpmate. As I spoke with him a few minutes ago, I could just feel it in his voice; he is just really so worried. I join Senator Daschle and all of the Senate in extending to them our love and our thoughts and prayers. We look forward to continuing to follow her improvements. We have the Senate physician, Dr. Frist, on the job. He is keeping us posted of how she is doing. We will be thinking about them over the next weekend and look forward to them being back in full form and with us on all these many occasions at which we enjoy their presence. I yield the floor.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Reserving the right to object, I supported this tax section that Senator Baucus is trying to add to the energy bill at this time when we had it in the Finance Committee. Obviously, there are some things in there that I would prefer not be in there. But we had an overwhelming vote out of the Finance Committee in support of this package. An energy policy that does not include a tax section is not a complete policy. We have to have some incentives for these hybrid cell vehicles and to try to get marginal wells back in production, to encourage biomass, to do everything we can, along with the policy that is included in this bill, to also encourage more energy production and more energy conservation through the Tax Code. I support this. I will be glad to work with Senator Baucus to see that we get it included in the Senate package or certainly in the conference when a conference is completed. We have to do that. But at this time, we do have an objection from our side of the aisle. And on behalf of a Senator who has a tax provision in which he is very interested, I am constrained to object.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. In April it is still that cold?

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the letter to which I referred be printed in the Record.

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I rise in support of the amendment that has been offered by Senator Murkowski to allow for exploration in this area known as ANWR, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Also, it is very reasonable to pursue what will happen with the funds we would get as a result of opening up this wildlife area. It is important that we look at this issue in the most serious way. I just got off the phone with the President's National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, talking about the situation in the Middle East. I appreciate the fact Secretary Powell has been there and has been meeting with the interested parties trying to make some progress in that very difficult situation. I am satisfied that we have a better feel now of what can be done, that progress was made in dealing with the situation on the northern border of Israel. But the fact is, we still have a very volatile situation in the Middle East, one that could cause disruptions in a number of ways from that region of the world. The oil from Saudi Arabia comprises about 25 percent of the oil the world gets. We have had threats from Saddam Hussein. There is no question in my mind that he would use any tool of destructive capability he could find, including cutting off the oil that comes from Iraq. I still agree very strongly with Senator Murkowski that it is impossible to explain why we would be getting oil directly or indirectly from Iraq, refining it, and then sending it back to the region to be used in our planes to patrol the region to keep Saddam Hussein and the Iraqis under control. The oil supply in the world is not in a stable situation. We saw this past week in Venezuela a change in Government, and then the former Government was back in place. This is a country we depend on. I believe the third largest amount of oil we get comes from Venezuela. The point is, we are in danger. Our national security and our economic security could be threatened by the instability in the world, by the uncertainty or the unreliability of the sources of this oil and gas. If we start losing part of it or large portions of it, we could be in a very difficult situation very soon. We need a national energy policy. We need additional production, and I predict today that if we do not take advantage of the oil we know exist in ANWR, in that northern extremity of Alaska, we will have some very bad situations evolve in the next few months, or in the next couple of years. I do not want to say I told you so, but when the gasoline prices go up, when supplies cause dislocation, when we have rolling brownouts, it will be traceable right back to this body and to this vote. We need to understand this is for real. We need our own domestic energy supplies, and all the supplies that might be available. We should make better use and more use of nuclear power, but we have people who do not want nuclear power. They do not want to have a nuclear waste repository. We should make use of hydropower more, although in some areas there are people who do not want hydropower because it might adversely affect some species. We need additional oil and gas, but yet we have people in America who do not want to have exploration off the east coast, the west coast, the gulf coast, and now in the northern part of Alaska. We need to make greater use of coal. We can have clean coal technology that allows us to have the benefit of this source of energy without being a problem for the environment. Again, a lot of people oppose that. What do they propose doing? How are we going to have the energy we need to fuel the growing economy we all want in America? I think we should do all of these things, and that is my problem with this bill. This bill has a lot of conservation incentives and alternative fuels. We have the tax bill that came out of the Finance Committee. There is a large amount of tax incentives for hybrid sales in automobiles, and to encourage getting these marginal wells back in usage. We have all of that in the bill but not what we need for energy production. The point that is so critical to me--this map I am sure my colleagues and the American people have seen. The area we are talking about is an extremely small portion on the Arctic Ocean, and the people of the region and the Senators and Congressmen of the State want this to happen. We are being told we cannot do that. We are being told by people from States in the furthest extremities of the eastern part of the United States: We do not think this should happen in this area. Whatever happened to Senatorial courtesy and trust? For years as a Member of Congress in the House and Senate, I put my greatest reliance--although I reserve the right to make up my own mind--but I put an awful lot of reliance on the Senators and Congressmen from the States. When I had the Congressman from North Dakota say to me and others: Yes, the Garrison Diversion is something we want--a lot of environmentalists said we should not have the Garrison Diversion--I took the word of then-Congressman, now-Senator Dorgan about the need for and the justification for the Garrison Diversion. We have had lots of debates in years gone by about water supply in Arizona. I did not have a Mississippi dog in that fight. I did not know all the ramifications of the argument. Who did I rely on? I relied on the word of the Congressmen and the Senators and the people in the local region. Why are we not doing that now? Two of the most effective, most respected Senators in this body, the Senators from Alaska, Mr. Stevens and Mr. Murkowski, are pleading with us to give them the opportunity to do this in a safe, reliable, affordable way in a very small region. We have the letter from the Alaska Natives who live in this area asking us to support opening of ANWR, and basically pleading with us to give them an opportunity. The people who live in the region want it. They know it can be done safely. They know it can be done in a way that would benefit the people economically. I am really at a loss for words to explain why this should not be done. There is a national movement of some kind by various groups saying we must not let this happen, but when it comes to dealing with energy independence, when it comes to dealing with the likes of dictators in Iraq such as Saddam Hussein, when it comes to creating new jobs, this is the thing to do. It is supported by labor unions. The people who would be involved in transporting the supplies, the people who would be involved in building the pipelines, they are for this. For those who are worried about the environment, I have never seen a project that has stronger environmental rules that would have to be enforced than any project I know of, and they have narrowed the area. They have offered to put more land in pristine reservations. Everything possible has been done to make it possible for us in the United States to get the benefit of this exploration and this pipeline and the supply we would get from it. So when we look at our current situation, relying on 60 percent foreign oil for our energy needs, when we look at the instability in the world, in several countries where we rely on the oil they produce, and then when we look at the benefits we get economically, and the jobs, this is legislation we clearly should pass. An energy policy without ANWR is not complete. In my own case, I have spoken about the ability to explore in what is known as the Destin Dome in the Gulf of Mexico, close to where I live. I want it because we need it. I know it can be done in an environmentally safe way and in a way that will not be damaging to the fish in the Gulf of Mexico, and yet we had a tremendous debate in the Senate about opening up even a part of that area. Yet those of us who live there, the Senators from Alabama and Mississippi, although not the case with the Florida Senators, were saying: This can be done, and we need to do it. I believe a map speaks a million words in explaining what is involved. So I thank Senator Murkowski for his diligence. He has tried every way in the world to make sure the American people understand the importance of this, that they understand this could be done in a way that would benefit America with probably somewhere between half a million and 735,000 new jobs, that it would reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Some people said if we started today, we would not get it online for months, perhaps years. Eventually we are going to have to do this. The time will come when America is going to have serious energy problems and we are going to have to go where we can get energy the quickest, and one of those places is this particular area on that northern slope of Alaska. So I wanted to come and add my support for this effort. I do not know how in the world we can justify not being for this. I believe President Clinton vetoed this effort in 1995, and yet the Congress has passed this several times over the last 20 years. I believe that is correct information. We should do it once again. I urge my colleagues, if they are undecided or if they have been leaning the other way, think about it again. The situation has changed. The need for this oil and the gas that might be involved has changed since this debate began. I would not want to be a Senator who voted no on this 6 months from now, because we could be having huge problems. This could be a vote that would haunt us forever. I do not mean that as a threat, I mean it as a plea. We need this. The Senator from Louisiana and I are very closely situated to the Gulf of Mexico. We know we can get oil and gas with the technology now available. That technology is so sophisticated. one does not just take a potshot down and hope they hit. When they look at the charts, they know exactly where the little shelves are. They can go right to where the oil is. Some of the best fishing I have ever experienced in my life was around the oil rigs off the coast of Louisiana, not far from the Chandelier Islands. I know the area. I have been there. I have not been to ANWR. Senator Murkowski and I will have to debate where fishing is the best. He has tried to take me to Alaska, but I said: ``Isn't it very cold up there? Isn't it a pretty barren area?'' I would rather go where there are palm trees or oil rigs already in place. I say to my colleague from Alaska, I really appreciate the job he has done. I am going to work with him to the very last minute to see if we cannot do what is right, not just for the Senator from Alaska, not even just for Alaska. This is for America. If we are from some remote State, for us to say this little piece of 2,000 acres cannot be used to produce oil and gas is irresponsible, in my opinion, when you look at what we are faced with in terms of threats around the world. I urge my colleagues to pass this. Let us get a good energy bill for the good of our country.

Mr. LOTT. I am happy to yield.

Mr. LOTT. In Washington, DC, I think it is approaching 95. What is the temperature on the northern slope of Alaska?

Mr. LOTT. I yield the floor.

Mr. LOTT. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. LOTT. I am always delighted to talk to Senator Reid and Senator Ensign. I think maybe the Record will reflect in the past that I did listen very closely to some of his pleas. But we will have a chance to debate that another day.

Mr. LOTT

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I understand that perhaps progress has been made on getting a final agreement on the border security bill, that it may be ready today, and that it might just be a matter of getting a vote on final passage. Is that correct information?