Mary Landrieu

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr President, it may only be September, but it sure feels like Christmas. For seven years, adoption advocates in the United States and throughout the world have waited for the moment that came late yesterday. In fact, it marked the second time this week that history has been made in these chambers. On Tuesday, this body voted to extend permanent normal trade relations to China and yesterday, we voted to ratify the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of International Adoption. In doing so, we have joined the international community in, for the first time, recognizing that the ``child for the full, harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family.'' For the hundreds of thousands of children growing up on the streets and in institutions throughout the world, yesterday's vote marked the hope of a better tomorrow. I would like to begin my remarks by thanking Chairman Helms for his extraordinary leadership in passing this historic legislation. There is no doubt in my mind that we would not be celebrating this important moment were it not for him. In the two years since we stood together on this floor and introduced this legislation, he has worked tirelessly to ensure that each of the bill's provisions were aimed at protecting adopted children and their families. I would also like to thank Senator Biden, Senator Brownback, Senator Kennedy, Senator Abraham, Representative Gilman, Representative Gejdenson, Representative Smith and Representative Camp for their work in moving this bill forward. I would also like to commend the adoption community at large. In my opinion, this effort is a shining example of what can be accomplished if people are willing to compromise for the greater good. I have said it before and I believe it rings true here, adoption brings people, whether they are Republican, Democrat, conservative, liberal, American, Russian or Chinese, together. United by the belief that all children deserve to grow in the love of a permanent family. Adoption breaks down barriers and helps build families. Last year international adoption helped 15,744 children to realize their dream of having a family of their own. Not a day goes by when I do not receive a letter or a picture from one of these families telling me what incredible joy adoption has brought to their lives. Not long ago, I attended the naturalization ceremony for about 100 of these families. I distinctly remember looking into the crowd, at the tiny faces of these little ambassadors from Moldova, India, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Korea, Romania, and thinking that there is no better example of the new era of globalization. With inventions like the Internet, geographic barriers will no longer stand in the way of children finding families. Today, it is possible for a couple from a small town like New Iberia, Louisiana to be connected with a waiting child in Irkustk, Russia. There is no such thing as an unwanted child, just unfound families. We share a collective responsibility to find a home for every child in the world and with yesterday's vote, we acknowledged that we are willing to share in that responsibility. As the largest receiving country, we have the opportunity to use this legislation and the system it creates to construct an international framework designed to protect the children and families involved in the adoption process. It is time for us to take action to eliminate some of the fraud, abuse and greed that can corrupt the adoption process. Joined by their commitment to protecting the rights of the child, Hague countries can now enjoy the comfort of knowing that each and every adoption will be performed in accordance with the established standards. Adoptive parents can rest easier knowing that there is somewhere they can turn with questions and concerns. As an adoption advocate and adoptive mother, it has been a very exciting week. In addition to passing this treaty, the House just passed the H.R. 2883, the Adopted Orphans Citizenship Act. This bill grants automatic citizenship for children who are adopted. Unlike a child born to a United States citizen, adopted children are not conferred automatic citizenship by virtue of their adoption. Instead, they must go through a long, complex and costly naturalization process. This is not only unnecessary its unfair. Adopted children should have the same rights as birth children and laws which unfairly discriminate between the two need to be changed. I urge my colleagues to act quickly to pass this legislation. Yes, Mr. President, it has been a very good week for children in need of homes. Yesterday, President Clinton awarded the second installment of the adoption incentive payments to states who had increased their number of adoptions out of foster care. 46,000 children in foster care found homes through adoption last year. That is a 65 percent increase since 1996. Although I am excited by the progress we have made, I am still driven by the vision of the children in institutions abroad and the knowledge that over 500,000 children in this country are caught in the foster care drift. We have accomplished a lot, but much remains to be done.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, this week is a week that we take out to celebrate, to honor, and to acknowledge the great contributions that 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities have made to our Nation. In Louisiana, I am very proud to represent four of the greatest of these institutions--Grambling State University, Southern University System, Xavier University, and Dillard University--and to recognize their great contributions in making our Nation stronger, and as we enter the new century to reassert my commitment and to acknowledge their great and significant place in the educational framework of our Nation. On September 14, 2000, President Clinton proclaimed this week as National Historical Black Colleges Week and asked the country to join him in honoring the tremendous contributions these institutions have made not only to the lives of the students they serve but also to the history of this country. As a Senator from Louisiana, I am proud to have four HBCUs in the State of Louisiana: Dillard University, Grambling State University, Southern University System, and Xavier University. For too many years in our Nation's history--HBCUs were the sole source of higher education for African Americans. Today, HBCUs confer the majority of the bachelor's and advanced degrees awarded to African American students in physical science, mathematics, computer science, engineering, and education. There are now 105 HBCUs in existence, providing an array of disciplines at both public and private medical schools, four-year institutions, community and junior colleges. Without their courage and commitment, this country would have been deprived of generations of African American educators, physicians, lawyers, scientists, and other professionals. In fact, a few of this country's cabinet members are alumni of HBCUs: Secretary of Labor, Alexis Herman--Xavier University; Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Togo West-- Howard University; Former Secretary of Energy, Hazel O'Leary--Fisk University; and Former Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Espy--Howard University. Like the President, I am proud to say that several members of my staff are graduates of historically black colleges and universities. Alicia Williams, Grambling State University; Tari Bradford, Southern University; Tony Eason, Grambling State University; Former Legislative Director, Ben Cannon, Xavier University and Southern University Law School; Kaira Stelly, Southern University at New Orleans; and Roderick Scott, Southern University. In addition to educating many of our Nation's most distinguished African American professionals, HBCUs have remained steadfast to their commitment to improving the communities in which they reside and preserving America's history. Through countless forms of community service, including tutoring programs, head start, senior citizen programs, they teach their students to use their education to be men and women for others. Their libraries and colleges continue to serve as living repositories for the writings, artifacts, and photographs representing generations of African American history. If one wants to estimate the effect that the Historically Black Colleges and Universities have had on the history of America, ask yourself what would the field of education be without the contributions of Booker T. Washington, or science without George Washington Carver, or Mathematics without Dr. Nan P. Manuel, or Engineering without Dr. Lonnie Sharp. This list is endless. Each year hundreds and thousands of students graduate from these vital institutions and are helping to shape the new century. HBCUs have accomplished this enviable record of achievement despite numerous challenges. Even with limited financial resources and serving a relatively high number of disadvantaged students, they have kept their fees low so that no student is prohibited from accessing a quality education. For years, the faculty and staff have worked hard to provide a nurturing and accepting environment for their students, encouraging them to grow challenging them to meet the highest of academic standards. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in taking this opportunity to salute the founders, faculty, staff, and students of America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Former President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, ``Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skins . . . emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact.'' For well over a century, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have led the way, opened the doors and provided the tools for a quality education for all. I yield any time I might have remaining. Thank you, Mr. President.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Is it the understanding of the Senator from Texas that after I speak Senator Harkin and Senator Wellstone will speak immediately after me? I am under the impression that we have about 20 or 30 minutes on our side.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that after my 5 minutes of remarks Senator Wellstone and Senator Harkin be recognized.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on an issue that should concern us all: that of ovarian cancer. Specifically, I rise to introduce a resolution, along with my colleagues Senators Lincoln, Mikulski, Feinstein, Murray, Snowe, Hutchison, Collins, and Boxer, designating September 17th through September 23d as National Ovarian Cancer Week. Mr. President, of the more than 25,000 women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1999, about 14,500, a little over half, will die of this disease. Think about that for a moment. More than half of our grandmothers, our mothers, our sisters and daughters are dying of a disease that, if caught earlier, could have been treated. Mr. President, I wish this were the only condition in which this was the case, but it is not. Like with many other diseases, we need to turn our focus to prevention and early detection. Doing so not only means saving lives, but millions of tax dollars in the long run. In over 70 percent of the women with this disease, it will not be discovered until after it has spread beyond the ovaries. This is of critical importance, since the recovery rate for these women for whom the disease has spread is less than 25 percent. This is compared to an 85 to 90 percent recovery rate for those in whom the disease is caught early. Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect, as the symptoms are often vague and mimic other medical problems. Still, there are ways that we can reduce the risk of this disease, and significantly reduce the mortality rate. For women with a family history of ovarian cancer, as well as other women with high-risk factors for the disease, regular screenings are available. Although these screenings are not for everyone, individuals with a high-risk factor, particularly those with one or more family members who have had ovarian cancer, should look into these tests. Mr. President, this is why it is so important that we raise awareness about ovarian cancer, and this is what this resolution tries to do. By establishing this special week, we can bring the knowledge of this disease to thousands of high-risk women, and give people a better chance of beating this dreadful disease.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in expressing the grief felt by us all at the passing of Senator Paul Coverdell. As a fellow Southerner, I can tell you that Paul epitomized all that is good and noble about the South. He was principled, but always looked for workable solutions to problems. He was a determined advocate, but always added an air of civility to this chamber. He was a Republican through and through, but always sought out ways to work with the other side of the chamber. My friend, the Senior Senator from New York, called Senator Coverdell a man of peace. I think that sums up his contribution to this world very eloquently. His work, as director of the Peace Corps during a time of world transition, was extremely important. He brought the Peace Corps the nations of the Warsaw Pact and the former Soviet Union. This single decision may harvest benefits to this nation that we will enjoy for many generations. Had Senator Coverdell's life work ended there, he would have accomplished much for which he and the nation could be proud. However, fortunately for the people of Georgia, he continued his life in public service. When I came to the Senate in 1997, one of the first bills that I worked on as a Democratic sponsor was with Paul Coverdell. I will always remember the warm reception that he gave me, and the encouragement to go forward with the Coverdell-Landrieu Protecting the Rights of Property Owners Act. Since I had just finished a bruising campaign it was such a pleasure to be welcomed in such a warm and bipartisan manner from this southern gentleman. Senator Coverdell was also an early and ardent supporter of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act. As many in this Chamber well know, I have pestered and cajoled my colleagues on CARA for 2\1/2\ years. Paul must have seen it coming and was one of the first to sign on. For his leadership on this, I owe him a debt of gratitude I cannot repay. Senator Coverdell shall be missed, in this chamber, by the people of Louisiana, and by people throughout the country. My deepest condolences to his family.

Ms. LANDRIEU

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

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I wanted to come to the floor and spend a few minutes this afternoon talking about a very important bill that is moving through this Congress--it is the Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 2000--and to talk about some of the more important aspects of this legislation as it passed the House by an overwhelming bipartisan majority a couple of weeks ago. This bill is being considered as I speak in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which is ably chaired by my good friend from Alaska and the leadership of our friend from New Mexico, Senator Bingaman. It is appropriate I follow with my remarks on the heels of our other Senator from New Mexico, Mr. Domenici, because as I appreciate his remarks, he was speaking about the obligation we have to make good and wise decisions about the surplus. He, of course, was arguing for as much of that money as possible to go to tax cuts, supported by many members of his party. Along that same line, we will be judged in this Congress by the discipline, restraint, and good judgment we show on this issue. Truly, these are happy days in Washington because we are talking about an extraordinarily historic surplus. A lot of that should be credited to the current administration and the President's policies regarding discipline in budgets, spending restraint, as well as a strategic investment for America's working families. Nonetheless, it is much better when we can all agree to talk about allocating these surpluses than trying to fairly distribute sacrifices or fairly distributing cuts. It is a good time to be here so we can make good judgments on behalf of all the people whom we represent--of course, coming from the State of Louisiana, that is 4.5 million people--in the country and, frankly, the world as to our obligations to our neighbors around the world. In this great discussion about how much should go for tax cuts and then when we set aside money for tax cuts, how should it be allocated, what families should receive those tax cuts, how can we help to strengthen and widen the circle of economic opportunity, that clearly has a role and, hopefully, we will have more discussions about that in the days ahead. There will be, as the Senator from New Mexico pointed out, an opportunity to make some strategic investments. We should pay down our debt, and we should give a significant portion of tax breaks to working families in America, helping them with the things that are most important to them--sustaining the strength of their family, providing educational opportunities and economic opportunities for children and grandchildren. That is what every parent in America wants, to see the opportunities for their children greatly expanded. The third thing we are going to be discussing is how to take some of this money, hard earned by the American people--not necessarily the Government's money, but the people's money--how should we allocate the people's money on their behalf for the good of their future. That is part of our job as Members of Congress. I am very proud to be leading a great bipartisan effort by many Senators in this Chamber and House Members who are arguing that a small portion of this surplus, a small portion of the $2.2 trillion surplus--let me say our portion represents about 1 percent of this surplus; less than 1 percent actually--should be invested in the environmental resources of this Nation, along our coasts, in our interior portions of the Nation, for wildlife conservation, preservation of our coastlines, and investments in other types of environmental programs that have been underfunded and undernourished for decades. There have been promises made by Congresses in the past but promises not kept. It is time that we make strategic investments to fund those programs and to hold and keep our promises to our children and grandchildren. I wanted to come to the floor to show you the front page of USA Today. I am going to include this entire, lengthy, and well-researched and well- written article in the Record. The headline is: ``Growth Reshapes Coasts: A Wave of Development Overwhelms Our Shores.'' I want to read a couple of the important highlights from this article for this debate and conversation this afternoon because the essence of the CARA bill is that now is the time to take a portion of offshore oil and gas revenues that are currently streaming right into the general fund, to intercept some of these funds and send them back to coastal counties and interior counties for investments, strategic investments in the environment, to help us have good growth, to make wise decisions, so that we can start this century by laying down some resources that will help us to grow and develop in the right ways in the years to come. According to this article, again, the growth along the coasts is going to be explosive. Let me read a little bit from this article: A USA TODAY analysis has found that an estimated 41 million people--more than one in seven Americans--now reside in a county that abuts the eastern or southern seaboard. That number swells by several million when inland residents with second homes near the shore are included. . . . In making that choice, these coastal migrants are transforming seasonal resort towns that used to bustle for just a few summer months-- We are all used to communities such as this-- into sprawling, year-round communities that are starting to look and feel like, well, everyplace else. Up and down the coast, development is spreading for miles inland. New residents attract new businesses to serve them, workers move in to fill the new jobs that are created, and new housing, schools, malls and hospitals spring up to serve the workers. What are we doing today to prepare for this coming boom? It goes on to say: This shoreline strip is growing significantly faster than the rest of the country in population, employment and gross domestic product. In many cases, these counties have the fastest-growing economies in their states. I think this is a very key point: Since 1993, the population of these hot 100 counties has grown nearly 50 percent faster than the entire USA. About 1,000 year-round settlers are arriving each day. Jobs have been created at a 30 percent greater clip, and GDP through 1997, the latest year for county breakdowns, grew 20 percent faster. These counties are growing rapidly, as our more mobile, more affluent population seeks and chooses to live along the coasts. In an interesting quote in the article by Cleveland State's Hill: It used to be that you moved to where the jobs are. Now, people are deciding where they want to live, and the jobs are following them. Part of our goal in Congress is to be leaders, and part of the job of being a leader is to have enough vision to see past where you are today, to be able to see where we are going, so that we can lay down and make the strategic decisions that will benefit our children and our grandchildren. I have a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old. Frank and I are doing our best to be good parents in raising them. I often think about the fact that what I do here I want to do so that when Mary Shannon is 40 or 50 or 60, and is finished raising her family and beginning to have grandchildren, that everyone in America will be better off. What will this country look like when she is that age or when Connor is in his 40s or 50s or 60s? That is what this bill is actually about, because CARA mandates that we should take a small portion of our revenues to make important investments, which are shown by these projections that are listed here and in many articles and which are cited in many speeches, including those given by Governors and local officials. They are saying, look what is happening. Let's make plans now. Quoting the article further: Urban planners say growth along the coast should be propelled for another 10 to 20 years by demographic, economic and social trends. Additionally, it is clear--and the Senator from Florida was just speaking about this earlier in the week in committee-- Until the 1990s, the destination of choice was Florida -- That one State has seen explosive and extraordinary growth in the last 20 years-- with its perpetually balmy, one-season climate. But now the entire coast lures settlers. Up north, the shore in winter has higher temperatures and less snowfall. Farther south, [along the shores] the winters are moderate, and mild sea breezes offer relief from stifling heat. People would flock to Florida in the 1980s and 1990s, but what these demographers are saying is that in the next 20 to 30 years, all the coast along the south and the eastern seaboard will experience similar growth. My question to this Congress is, What are we doing today to prepare? One of the things we can do is to pass CARA and to reinvest at least $1 billion in our coastal resources to help our communities, our Governors, our county commissioners, and our mayors cope with this explosive growth, so we do have good development but that we preserve the precious beaches; that we allow for public spaces, so that all people, whether they are affluent enough to own a second home or whether they can just manage to get their kids in the car and spend a weekend on a beach at a moderately priced hotel, or whether they can just manage a day or two camping outside--we must preserve our coast and invest some of this money so that as this country grows over the next 20, 30, and 40 years, we can say we have done something. I feel so passionately about these revenues. While they are general fund revenues, their source is from oil and gas, from the bounty that God has given to this country. Oil and gas in the Outer Continental Shelf is a depletable resource. One day, as those of us from Louisiana know, these wells will be dried up. There will be no more gas. There will be no more oil to be drawn. They will be depleted. Hopefully, we will find other sources of fuel, some that are more environmentally friendly. I most certainly support that. Actually, natural gas is a very environmentally friendly fuel. My question to my colleagues is: When these oil and gas wells are dried up, and we no longer receive the taxes that are currently being paid, what will we have to show for our money? I would like to look up and say: We invested those revenues well; we have expanded through the interior of our Nation a great park system; we have expanded hunting and fishing areas to preserve them for our children and grandchildren, and, yes, we were smart enough to take taxes from resources from our coasts and invest them in coastlines all across the United States, so that we would have sand dunes and beaches, and our fisheries would be protected, as well as to provide for the proper development of our coastal areas. It would be a great shame to leave this Congress without making a serious commitment to the environment of our Nation and to coastal communities everywhere, not just in the South, not just on the east coast, but in the Great Lakes region and along our precious western seaboard. This is the time to act. I suggest to my colleague from New Mexico, in speaking about tax cuts, it is most appropriate to return some money from this great surplus to hard-working Americans and middle-class families throughout the Nation. There are many ways we can provide tax relief, and we should certainly do that. But it is also equally important that we make strategic investments, to lay down bills and initiatives and funding sources now that will help us, as our population in this Nation is expected to double from 260 million to over 500 million people in the next 100 years, much of that population moving to the coastal areas. As people will decide where they want to move, the jobs will follow. There is going to be a migration to our coasts. Let us begin this new century by making a smart choice and a wise investment and invest in some of our coasts. The Chair has been patient because, representing Nebraska, we have not figured out a way to get him a coastline yet, but we are working on it. He knows this bill takes care of interior States as well as coastal States by allowing all Governors and local officials to make some wise investments with these funds. I came to the floor to share this article. I will submit it for the Record. I hope my colleagues will take an opportunity in the next couple of days to read it. I again thank Senator Murkowski from Alaska and Senator Bingaman from New Mexico for their leadership and also acknowledge the support of Senator Lott and Senator Daschle, as we have moved this bill through the process, and the President of the United States, for their commitment and support to this effort. I look forward to debating this even further next week. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the article to which I referred be printed in the Record.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I know we are getting ready to vote in a few minutes. I wanted to thank my distinguished colleagues from Mississippi and Iowa for managing an important appropriations bill. It is so important to my State of Louisiana and to many States and communities in this Nation. I want to take 2 minutes, though, to address the sugar issue that was earlier debated on the floor and to submit some things for the Record. I listened to the debate this morning, and I know the sugar program, every year, seems to conjure up all sorts of images that the opponents of this cost-effective program try to use: ``It is a sweet deal.'' ``It is a candy-coated program.'' ``It leaves a sour taste in people's mouths.'' Don't let these quick sound bites fool you. All the sugar farmers and sugar beet farmers and producers in Louisiana and other communities who support these farmers and producers want is fairness. Mr. President, there is nothing sweet about fatigue. That is what many of our farmers in this Nation are experiencing this year--fatigue. They are tired. They are stressed. Prices are low. There is drought in many areas of our Nation. Farmers have been through a tough time, and sugar farmers are no exception. This is a program that works. This is a program to which the taxpayers provide very little money. This is a loan program. Actually, as has been said in the Record over and over again, the sugar policy that we now have supported overwhelmingly--good support year after year--doesn't cost the Government anything. It has been a revenue raiser of nearly $300 million during the decade of the nineties. All of the 300 to 400 sugar farmers in Louisiana, their suppliers, and the communities that support them want is fairness. They would be shocked to know that the program that we understand as a loan program is termed by some as a ``giveaway'' program because they believe they are giving back. They believe they are paying taxes, and they are. They believe they are supporting communities in Louisiana and others around the Nation. It is not just Louisiana; it is Florida, Texas, California, Wyoming, and Montana, as I can see and share from the map in front of me. This is an important industry in our Nation, and I think the underlying amendment would be devastating, obviously, to eliminate this program at a time when there is such a great need and at a time when it is actually a revenue raiser. Let me also make a point that the opponents of the sugar program argue that we are trying to kill all imports. Nothing could be further from the truth. Nearly 20 percent of all of our sugar needs are met from imports from 40 different nations. This program works. It is a loan program. It is an issue of fairness. It is a time of difficulty. It is not time to eliminate this program now. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote against the underlying amendment that would eliminate this program, which has been helpful not only to Louisiana but to many States and many communities around the Nation. I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mrs. LANDRIEU

Mrs. LANDRIEU. I thank the Senator. Carbon Dioxide Emissions Trading Credit Models

Mrs. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, the Nation's Land-Grant University system is very fortunate to have historically black land-grant colleges and universities like Southern University of my home State of Louisiana, Tuskegee University of Alabama and Alcorn State of Mississippi, to name just three of them. These universities were granted Land-Grant status under the Evans-Allen law enacted by Congress in 1890. An amendment accepted in House of Representatives during debate on the Agricultural Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2001 increases formula funds for research and extension science performed at these universities in a total amount of $6.8 million. There are 18 such historically black universities in America which are part of the entire national land-grant university system. The historically black land-grant universities play a very special and unique role in our nation. Since 1988, the base formula funding provided to our nation's historically black colleges has eroded. Funding provided to these institutions through this mechanism has remained flat from the previous fiscal year. Investing in the 1890s Land-Grant institutions is a wise investment indeed. Together, our historically black land-grant universities comprise a unique asset with the multi-cultural depth to enrich the research, extension and education capacity of the nation. Strengthening minority serving institutions and making them equal partners in the Land-Grant System are key elements toward improving minority access to USDA programs. Our universities need a significant boost in infrastructure investment to fully participate and compete for research, extension and education funding. The amendment passed by the House of Representatives would increase base (formula) funding and as a result would be a significant step in that direction. I appreciate Senator Cochran's recognizing the importance of this funding and hope you will give strong consideration during conference to acceding to the amendment passed by the House of Representatives. $6.8 million divided among the 18 historically black institutions is not much, but it does mean a great deal to these institutions and the people they serve through their research and extension programs.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment I send to the desk be in order and that it take the place of a Dodd amendment that was removed from the list.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I am very pleased to join my colleagues, the Senator from Delaware and the Senator from New York, in cosponsoring this amendment. The part I particularly want to speak about for the 2 minutes that I have is the teacher tax credit. We have spent much time talking this year about the ways we could improve education in this Nation. We have talked about the important components of improving education, which is a State and local partnership with the Federal Government. But we all agree, even across party lines, that one of the key components of improving education in the Nation is to provide quality teacher training, incentives for teachers to be the very best they can be. Many studies have shown that the single most important factor in a child learning, in terms of at school in the classroom--families have a great input into that, obviously, but the single most important factor in a child learning at school in the classroom is the quality of the teacher. This amendment will provide a tax credit for teachers who get a national certification, as we work with our Governors and with our mayors and with our local school boards to help bring excellence in education across this Nation. So I am pleased to have authored the part of this amendment which would provide this tax credit because if we are going to give tax relief to America, and if we are going to give back a share of the surplus in this way, let's give a tax credit that will help not only teachers but education and our children. Mr. President, I yield back the remainder of my time.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I am proud to join my colleague tonight to discuss an important amendment. Let me just talk about the underlying amendment for just a moment. There were 523 families in Louisiana who paid the estate tax last year. I am one of the nine Democrats who are willing to talk about some significant relief because some parts of the tax are clearly unfair, and the Democratic alternative we have offered, I am convinced, would help bring relief to many of those families who have small businesses and family farms. To go where the Republican leadership in the House wants to take us would lead us to a place where we can't provide any help to many other families--as my colleague pointed out, the 8 million middle-income families who need help with child care--and we could not provide for the businesses across this Nation. Small business is struggling. Tax relief for health insurance is something which our colleague from Illinois has championed on many occasions. We could not expand the earned-income tax credit. So let's try to be fair in this debate and give some estate tax relief and give us some opportunities to do other things. In my last minute, that brings me to my point on the adoption tax credit. Americans, in record numbers, are opening their hearts and homes to more children. Last year, 100,000 American families opened their hearts and homes to children throughout the United States and from abroad. Several years ago, Congress gave an important tax credit of $5,000. This amendment will extend that tax credit but will almost double it for families who adopt children with special needs. There are over 500,000 children in foster care in America. We need to promote adoption and permanency. This will be a great incentive for families to do that. So I am happy to join my colleagues on this. It costs so little, but it would mean so much and would go such a long way in helping to strengthen families, relieve tax burdens on the general public, and give these children an opportunity to be raised in a loving home. I will soon yield back the remainder of my time. It will be just a small amount. If we do this estate tax relief right, we could do the adoption tax credit, the child care credit, and the health insurance for businesses. I hope we will, in the end, accomplish that goal. I yield back the remainder of my time.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. I thank the Senator for his commitment on this matter and look forward to working with him in the weeks ahead. acquisition programs at nsa

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I appreciate the efforts by the Senator from Oklahoma to facilitate the resumption of critical live-fire training at the Naval training range on the island of Vieques. He has visited the island and has dedicated himself to trying to resolve this important issue. I believe, given the differences between the provision in the Senate bill and those in the House bill, that this will be a matter of considerable discussion and debate in conference. I look forward to working with Senator Inhofe and other Members of the Senate and House to address these differences and achieve a resolution that maximizes the possibility of resuming live-fire training as soon as possible. I am concerned that the Senate bill does not authorize the transfer of all the surplus land on the western side of the island, as requested by the President pursuant to his agreement with the Governor of Puerto Rico. I believe that only the full implementation of those directives will restore the Navy's credibility with the local population. Secretary Danzig has emphasized to us the importance of the conveyance of this land as a demonstration of good faith prior to the referendum on the Navy's continued use of Vieques. Therefore to avoid undermining the Navy's position on Vieques, the conference report should adopt the language in the House bill that would authorize this transfer.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I wish to add my voice to that of my colleagues on behalf of Madelyn Creedon's nomination. She has been selected by the President to become the first Deputy Administrator for defense programs in the new National Nuclear Security Administration, NNSA, at the Department of Energy. I had the privilege of working closely with Madelyn while she served on the minority staff for the Strategic Forces Sub-Committee. I have great respect for her ability and judgment, and I'm confident she will do an excellent job for General Gordon and the country. In addition to being skillful and reliable, Madelyn's knowledge of DOE issues is absolutely unsurpassed. Besides her work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, she was the Associate Deputy Secretary of Energy for National Security Programs at DOE, General Counsel for the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, majority Counsel for the Senate Armed Services Committee under the Chairmanship of Senator Sam Nunn, and finally, trial attorney and Acting Assistant General Counsel with the DOE. Her entire career has prepared her for this important assignment, and it should be no surprise that the President asked her to help lay the foundation for the success of the NNSA. As a member of the Senate, you rarely get the opportunity to vote on the nomination of someone you have observed as closely as I have observed Madelyn. Having done so, I lend her my unqualified support. Mr. President, I have but to note the vote of support by the members of the Armed Services Committee. The high esteem that I hold Madelyn is reflected throughout. This Chamber will be proud of its vote today, and we will be lucky to have Madelyn serve her country in this capacity. I congratulate Madelyn and her family. I will miss having her guidance and work ethic on the Strategic Subcommittee. However, our loss is truly the country's gain.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, this shows clearly that every State in the Union will benefit. The poor children in every State will benefit significantly by this amendment. I will read specifically into the Record the poorest States that will greatly benefit, and those States are: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Texas, and West Virginia. Just to read out a few pretty startling numbers, let's take California. This amendment, without adding one penny to the budget, will give California $80 million more because they have in certain areas a concentration of very poor children who need additional help. Louisiana will get an $18 million increase. Without this amendment, Senator Breaux and I will basically go home empty-handed to a State where a headline in one of our major newspapers this week was: Louisiana's Children Suffer. The Kids Count Data Book just came out. It clearly demonstrates which States need the help and which States could use the help. I don't believe in just throwing around new money. I am arguing for flexibility and accountability. But I am also arguing that we have an obligation to target our Federal resources better than we do. I am hoping my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will see the wisdom in this amendment. I am going to yield a few minutes of my time to my colleague from Arkansas, Senator Lincoln, who has waited patiently to speak. I thank her for her support, her passion, and her interest in helping us make our point. At this point, I yield 5 minutes to my colleague from Arkansas, and then I respectfully request the remainder of my time.

Ms. LANDRIEU. I thank the Senator for his honesty, and I yield the floor.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I yield 4 of those minutes. But I ask for an additional 5 minutes.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Reserving the right to object, will I be next in line for an amendment?

Ms. LANDRIEU. I thank the Chair. Under the unanimous consent agreement, I have the right to offer my amendment at this time.

Ms. LANDRIEU. I would need about 20 minutes.

Ms. LANDRIEU. I thank the Senator. I yield 5 of those minutes to my colleague from Connecticut, and I would like 5 minutes to close.