Mary Landrieu

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I would like to speak for up to 10 minutes.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I have been on the floor now for a couple of hours urging some of our colleagues to take heed of one of the clear messages from this election. People all over the country voted and spoke, and spoke clearly and loudly to say let's get to work, let's work together, let's stop the gridlock and let's find common ground to move our country forward. Two hours ago I came to the floor to see about one of the most important pieces of legislation, the Keystone Pipeline, as Chair of the Energy Committee in the Senate. I have had the great privilege of working in a bipartisan manner with the Members of the Republican Caucus on this bill led by Senator Hoeven. I am the lead sponsor on the Democratic side and there is a large group of my colleagues trying to convince this body to have a vote, and a strong 60-vote margin, which is required for passage on the Keystone Pipeline. The Senator from West Virginia has come down and the Senator from North Dakota came down to speak and the Senator from Montana joined me, and I want to announce we have just gotten great word from the House of Representatives. Evidently they heard us speaking, and they have introduced our bill in the House. They have introduced our bill in the House, and the information we have gotten is that they plan to pass it tomorrow. Let me just say hallelujah. I will say it again--hallelujah--because their bill would never have passed this body and their bill would not have any chance of getting the President's signature because it is Keystone Pipeline plus--or it was--but now the House has introduced the exact same bill as the Hoeven-Landrieu bill. We now have an even clearer path to victory. I started 2 hours ago saying that I could see the path. I am not sure everybody else could, but it is clear to me now that everybody is starting to see it, and I could not be happier. I don't have the actual number of the House bill. I was just told they introduced an identical bill, including the private property language, which is absolutely essential to secure the 60 votes required. That is why I drafted it in the bill, that is why Senator Hoeven insisted it be in the bill, and that is why we have it in the bill. I thank the House for keeping that language, which is important for its ultimate passage. To me, it looks as though just in the last 2 hours lots of people are paying attention, and this is wonderful because this is an important step. I believe I am also a cosponsor of Senator Alexander's bill. No Senator has worked harder in either party, and that is saying a lot because Senator Murray and Senator Mikulski have worked hard on this issue. Senator Alexander--a former Secretary of Education--has been ceaseless and tireless in his effort on behalf of early childhood education. He and I worked together when President Bush was President. I believe and I hope I am a cosponsor of his bill, and I look forward to helping him move that piece of legislation forward for a vote. There might be a few things in there other Members disagree with, but that is our process. This is a critical issue for education and job creation as well. We have the Keystone Pipeline on one end, which is as concrete as steel, and then we have the soft issues, which are also important issues, such as economic development, which begins with early childhood education. I am so proud to be an advocate of both bills, and I thank the Senator for his leadership. I urge my Members, who I believe have been very supportive on this issue--as have the Republican Members--to give cloture on his bill. I yield the floor.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I was on the floor earlier today. I have been on the floor since we convened back into session--our first session since the election--and I am very heartened by what I have heard from colleagues such as the Senator from Hawaii, who just spoke, our colleague from Montana, who just spoke, our colleague from Tennessee, who spoke; as well as the leadership particularly, including Leader Reid, majority leader-to-be Mitch McConnell, and the Senator from Texas, Mr. Cornyn, all of whom came to the floor and said they heard the message of the American people. The message is that now is the time to stop the bickering, stop the fighting, stop the gridlock, and take action on issues the American people know are the right answers for our country, focusing on building jobs and economic hope for the middle class, in large measure because of this extraordinary opportunity for an energy renaissance that is underway as we speak-- energy jobs, petrochemical jobs, manufacturing jobs. Our unemployment rate in south Louisiana is 3.5 percent. Our general unemployment rate is much lower than the national average and has been for many years. But even in my State, with these very positive numbers, middle-class families are seeing their incomes stagnate, their way of life not progressing, and their economic progress not moving forward as it should. So while people are happy and doing well in some parts of the country--every leader came to the floor and said, we heard the American people. We want jobs. We want economic opportunity. We want the middle class put first. We want gridlock put last, and we want you all to roll up your sleeves and get the job done. That was the message. So I came to the floor at 2 o'clock, the first minute we opened, to claim the floor to say let's begin with trusting each other, moving forward, and passing the Keystone Pipeline which is a bill that has enjoyed bipartisan support and has the 60 votes on this floor for passage. There is strong objection from the 40 Members who have been opposed. Of course they have a right to be opposed. We debated this for 5 years, but the process is let's vote and let the process move forward. I am very encouraged that in the 2 hours 15 minutes I have been on the floor that the House of Representatives has actually heard this call and has decided to introduce--the Rules Committee will be meeting tonight. I understand they want to introduce the identical bill to the Hoeven- Landrieu bill which will give a clear path. It is a stand-alone Keystone only with private property rights language that is very important to the Republican base but it is also very important to Democratic Members, for me, personally, and my State, but for many rural States on the Democratic side. We cannot allow international companies to expropriate our properties here without due process. It cannot happen. I am the strongest advocate of building pipelines everywhere, but there are private property rights that have to be followed. The language carefully drafted by Senator Hoeven and myself respects the private property rights of American citizens. I understand the House is going to take that language and the straight-up, no attachments, no riders, no anything--except for the Keystone language as it is written in this file that is pending and pass that out of the House. We have already made some progress in getting the Keystone project built or moving forward. I want to put into the record a couple of headlines of magazines and articles that I think help to underline or underscore what I am trying to say. The ``Science'' magazine editor-in-chief says, ``Time to move forward on Keystone Pipeline.'' LABI: ``Twenty Louisiana Chambers of Commerce support Keystone Pipeline.'' This is the Louisiana Association of Business Industry. It is a recent headline. The Washington Post: ``On the Keystone XL pipeline, put policy ahead of politics.'' That is what we are doing today. Illinois Review--this is one of the most important. ``AFL-CIO says Keystone XL is not just a pipeline but a life line.'' The largest labor unions in our country have rolled up their sleeves. They are in this fight. They are telling us, Democrats and Republicans, but mostly to the Democratic Caucus, because they are part of our base, vote for the pipeline. This is jobs for average middle-class working people that we need. We deserve them, they say, in States such as yours, Mr. President, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and in States such as Colorado, New Mexico, New York. I could go on and on. In West Virginia. Remember, my State--not that we don't need good jobs but our unemployment rate is very low. We have jobs and opportunities pouring into Louisiana and Texas, the energy coast of America. We are proud of it. We are proud not only to produce these jobs and this energy but we are helping to fuel a renaissance of manufacturing in the Midwest. We are exceedingly proud of this. We are not just creating jobs for ourselves, we are creating jobs for the Midwest, for the manufacturing renaissance of America. We are allowing for the expansion of the economy on the east coast and providing help for the west coast. It is what we do. It is what America's energy coast does. No coast does it better than we do. We are connecting to a partner, Canada, which is better for us in many ways than Venezuela or even some of our friends in the Mideast, and we don't--not every friend is our friend in the Mideast. We are getting oil from our best friend, our best trading partner, our best ally, that has equal economic standards as we do and even some higher environmental standards than we do to create economic opportunity for our country. I wanted to submit this for the record. There are no other Senators to speak. I am going to yield the floor in a minute. We are still in a time of morning business until votes at 5:30. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. LANDRIEU

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

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following the leader's remarks on Tuesday, November 18, the Senate proceed to consideration of Calendar No. 371, S. 2280, a bill to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline; that there be up to 6 hours of debate equally divided between opponents and proponents; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of S. 2280; that no amendments, motions, or points of order be in order to the bill prior to the vote on passage; that the vote on passage be subject to a 60 affirmative-vote threshold. And I will include something. I ask that unanimous consent as in legislative session.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Reserving the right to object. I thank the Senator from Texas engaging on this matter today. I appreciate it. Most importantly, I appreciate the comments he made earlier on the floor about rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. He was one of the first speakers this morning when our Senate convened, and I was here when he spoke. I wish to thank him for his very insightful and courageous words that said we should roll up our sleeves and get to work. He knows very well that I, and about 12 to 15 Members on our side, have been working very hard with him and his leadership and all the Members of the Republican side to move the Keystone Pipeline bill forward. I think the Senator also knows the bill that Senator Hoeven and I drafted respects this process, wanted to see the process complete, and acknowledges that the process is now complete and it is time to move. So because the House heard these words today and has decided to introduce the identical language in the Hoeven-Landrieu bill--and I think the Senator will agree with me it is good news--it looks to me as if they are prepared to pass it. I can see no reason to object to what the Senator from Texas is asking for, and I consider it extraordinary progress. I am very happy that I came to the floor at 2:00 p.m. to get the ball rolling and that I was here in time to hear the Senator's remarks: Let's get to work. So let's get it done. We can get it done in the lameduck session, and I will accept the Senator's counter.

Ms. LANDRIEU. I will clarify. I want the record to reflect my remarks. The Senator from Louisiana has absolutely no objection to the House of Representatives taking the exact language from my bill with Senator Hoeven and passing it. Why would I object? I have been working on this for 4 years. Why would I object to that? The record should reflect that. The Senator from Louisiana has no objection whatsoever-- and I am encouraged that the House is taking the exact language of the bill that I carefully drafted with Senator Hoeven. He is the lead on this bill. I am not. It is his bill. He is the lead. I am just the Chair of the energy committee. I wish to thank Senator Tester and others who helped to craft a bill that the House would accept, and so I have no objection to that.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public, that a business meeting has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The business meeting will be held on Thursday, November 13, 2014, at 3 p.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Building. The purpose of the Business Meeting is to consider the following legislation: 1. S. 2638, a bill to amend the Natural Gas Act to provide certainty with respect to the timing of Department of Energy decisions to approve or deny applications to export natural gas. (Mr. Hoeven) 2. S. 2379, a bill to approve and implement the Klamath Basin agreements, to improve natural resource management, support economic development, and sustain agricultural production in the Klamath River Basin in the public interest and the interest of the United States, and for other purposes. (Mr. Wyden) 3. S. 1784, a bill to improve timber management on Oregon and California Railroad and Coos Bay Wagon Road grant land, and for other purposes. (Mr. Wyden) 4. S. 2602, a bill to establish the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area in the State of Washington. (Ms. Cantwell) 5. S. 182, a bill to provide for the unencumbering of title to non-Federal land owned by the city of Anchorage, Alaska, for the purposes of economic development by conveyance of the Federal reversion interest to the City. (Ms. Murkowski) 6. S. 776, a bill to establish the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in the State of New Mexico, to provide for the conveyance of certain parcels of National Forest System land in the State, and for other purposes. (Mr. Udall of New Mexico) 7. S. 841, a bill to designate certain Federal land in the San Juan National Forest in the State of Colorado as wilderness, and for other purposes. (Mr. Bennet) 8. S. 1419, a bill to promote research, development, and demonstration of marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy technologies, and for other purposes. (Mr. Wyden) 9. S. 1971, a bill to establish an interagency coordination committee or subcommittee with the leadership of the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior, focused on the nexus between energy and water production, use, and efficiency, and for other purposes. (Ms. Murkowski). 10. S. 398, a bill to establish the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Women's History Museum, and for other purposes. (Ms. Collins) 11. S. 2031, a bill to amend the Act to provide for the establishment of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in the State of Wisconsin, and for other purposes, to adjust the boundary to that National Lakeshore to include the lighthouse known as Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light, and for other purposes. (Ms. Baldwin) 12. S. 1750, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into agreements with States and political subdivisions of States providing for the continued operation, in whole or in part, of public land, units of the National Park System, units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and units of the National Forest System in the State during any period in which the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture is unable to maintain normal level of operations at the units due to a lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes. (Mr. Flake) 13. S. 1966, a bill to provide for the restoration of the economic and ecological health of National Forest System land and rural communities, and for other purposes. (Mr. Barrasso) 14. S. 2104, a bill to require the Director of the National Park Service to refund to States all State funds that were used to reopen and temporarily operate a unit of the National Park System during the October 2013 shutdown. (Mr. Flake) 15. H.R. 1526, an Act to restore employment and educational opportunities in, and improve the economic stability of, counties containing National Forest System land, while also reducing Forest Service management costs, by ensuring that such counties have a dependable source of revenue from National Forest System land, to provide a temporary extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, and for other purposes. (Rep. Hastings) 16. H.R. 885, an Act to expand the boundary of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, and for other purposes. (Rep. Doggett) 17. S. 1328, an bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the archeological site and surrounding land of the New Philadelphia town site in the State of Illinois, and for other purposes. (Mr. Kirk and Mr. Durbin) 18. H.R. 1241, an Act to facilitate a land exchange involving certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo National Forest, and for other purposes. (Rep. Cook) 19. S. 1437, a bill to provide for the release of the reversionary interest held by the United States in certain land conveyed in 1954 by the United States, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, to the State of Oregon for the establishment of the Hermiston Agriculture Research and Extension Center of Oregon State University in Hermiston, Oregon. (Mr. Wyden) 20. S. 2873, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acknowledge contributions at units of the National Park System. (Mr. Coburn) Because of the limited time available for the Business Meeting, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the business meeting record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, 304 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to Sam_Fowler@energy.senate.gov. For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. I know the Senator from Tennessee is on the floor and I would like to take 2 or 3 minutes. I know we can go back and forth but I want to conclude a little bit of this debate we have had. First, I want to submit for the Record--because I am going to remain on the floor and speak after the Senator from Tennessee--but I want to put into the Record the list of Republican cosponsors of S. 2280, the date they became cosponsors, and the name of every single Member, including the Senator from Tennessee, who is a cosponsor of the Hoeven- Landrieu bill that is pending on the Senate Calendar, S. 2280. I ask unanimous consent that the list be printed in the Record.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I was hoping to catch the Senator before he left the floor because I wanted to ask him--and I am not sure he is going to slip back in here, but I was going to ask him if he thought maybe--because I agree with him that that new approach to bipartisanship could start today. I do not think we have to necessarily wait until January. There are some of us who have been ready, who have worked in a bipartisan way, literally for years, getting very important things done for our Nation. I am sorry the Senator slipped away. I am sure he has some other pressing business. I wanted to ask him--and I absolutely agree with him on the priorities he just laid out. I think he just said the American people want us to act and to act together in their interests. I think I heard him say that on the top of his list, what he is particularly anxious to work on is the Keystone XL Pipeline, the expedited export of natural gas. I think he said it was important for jobs in America, helping to strengthen the middle class, sending a very positive signal to them that we heard them in this election; that he was troubled about the falling median household income and wants to do something to raise it. And I think I heard him say he was concerned or that he was--how shall I say it?--he was thinking that some of these things would really push Putin back on his heels. I have been one of the ones sanctioned by President Putin, and there are a few others who are on that list, so I have been of that mind for a while. I think he also referred to Ted Kennedy, one of our dear friends who mentored many of us--not just Democrats but Republicans as well--with his straightforwardness, his honesty, his passion, his capacity for extraordinary work, and his willingness to work across party lines. As the Senator from Texas pointed out, there was a great partnership between Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi, and he talked about the 80-20 rule; let's agree on 80 percent. ``We might not agree on everything, but let's move forward'' I think were his words on the 80 percent on which we do agree. So I want to come to the floor today to ask Senator Cornyn from Texas particularly and Senator McConnell and Senator Reid and others if they will join me in moving forward on the Keystone XL Pipeline. This has been a project that has lingered far too long. It is clearly supported by 60 or more Members of this body. It is a piece of legislation that has been endorsed by the new to-be majority leader, as a cosponsor and a leading cosponsor of the legislation. There are a significant number of Democrats on that legislation. I believe with a significant push in the next few hours we could actually get the votes we need to pass the Keystone Pipeline. In an hour or so, at the request of the minority, I am going to wait for about an hour and then I am going to propose a unanimous consent to do exactly that-- to set up 2 hours of debate tonight after the vote and then have a vote on the Keystone Pipeline tomorrow. I believe it is the time to act. I believe we should take the new majority leader at his word and stop blocking legislation that is broadly supported by the American public and has been for quite some time. I want to say yes to the new majority leader Mitch McConnell. The time to start is now. The public has clearly spoken. I believe we can move forward on several important pieces of legislation. Senator Reid mentioned the Marketplace Fairness Act. That is another very important piece of legislation that I believe needs to be moved through. With a little push right now, it could get done. It would be a significant boost to businesses and retail that are being hurt every day by our inaction. My comments are going to be about the Keystone Pipeline because I am chair of the energy committee for the Senate. I am going to do everything in my power, here and at home on the campaign trail where I am still in a runoff, as you know, to get this project moving forward. One of the extraordinary facts about the Keystone Pipeline is not what it is. I am going to talk about that in a minute and what it does. One of the most extraordinary pieces of argument for why we should pass it is the unprecedented coalition that supports it. There are other bills that have a longer list of supporters. There are bills that have pages and pages of lists. This particular bill has a relatively short list of organizations, but they are extremely powerful and diverse, which makes it compelling and I think it makes us--or should make us-- want to understand and respond to this coalition. I am going to read their names. I have some time to do this before I call for unanimous consent to pass the original Hoeven-Landrieu Keystone bill, which is a stand-alone Keystone bill as originally introduced with 45 Republican cosponsors. Every Member of the Republican caucus is already a cosponsor of this bill, and we have on that bill about 12 Democratic cosponsors. I am confident we have the additional votes necessary to pass it. The American Chemistry Council, the American Concrete Pipe Association, the American Exploration and Production Council, the American Highway Users Alliance, the American Petroleum Institute, the American Road & Transportation Builders, American Truckers Association, Associated General Contractors of America, Association of Oil Pipelines, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, Distribution Contractors Association, Independent Petroleum Association of America, Industrial Minerals Association of North America, Institute for 21st Century Energy, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Laborers International Union of North America. Let me stop there and make a point. Many bills passed here or attempted to pass here either have a list of all business organizations or all labor organizations or all environmental organizations or all highway contractors. This bill has such an extraordinary, diverse group of some of the strongest business leaders in the country. I want to underscore to my Democratic colleagues who are supporting this piece of legislation, tremendous support from labor unions because labor unions, like business leaders, want jobs. They want profits. They want success. They want more investment in business, creating good middle-class jobs. The difference between the oil and gas industry, which I have been pleased to be a strong advocate for in many different facets, is that industry does produce the kinds of jobs Americans truly want, not minimum wage jobs, not just slightly above minimum wage but jobs that in my State-- the Senator knows this because he is well aware of this--start at $60,000, $70,000, $85,000 for a young man or a young woman coming out of high school or trade school, let alone college. These are very important jobs. That is why labor unions are represented here. Along with Portland Cement Association, the plastics industry, the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, the Business Roundtable, American Supply Association, American Iron and Steel Institute, National Association of Manufacturers, National Electrical Contractors Association, National Roofing Contractors. Why would roofing contractors be supporting the Keystone Pipeline? There are no roofs on a pipelines, but there are thousands of roofs over workers needed to build a pipeline. All along the route of this pipeline will be increases in populations of housing, industrial sites, retail, residential, supporting over 40,000 workers to build this pipeline. The North American Die Casting Association, the National Utility Contractors--again, associated businesses--the U.S. Oil & Gas Association and, finally, Steel Manufacturers Association and Western Alliance. This is an extraordinary coalition that has come together to support the Hoeven-Landrieu bill. The bill I am going to call up in a few minutes for unanimous consent to pass because I believe what the new majority leader has said. I believe what Senator Cornyn has just said. I believe what the current majority leader said, soon to be minority leader in the next Congress, that we need to work together and that we can work together, and we need to begin to do that today--not tomorrow, not in January, not in February, not in March, not around the corner, not next week but today. That would send the most positive signal. I am not asking to have unanimous consent on 10 bills that are controversial. I am not asking us to do the impossible. I am not asking us to do something that just came up last week. I am asking us to move forward on a bill that has labor support, business support, general contractor support, and most importantly the American people. The latest polls on the Keystone Pipeline, not just in my state--I see my colleague from West Virginia--and not just in West Virginia but polls in this country from California to New York, to Michigan, to Pennsylvania, to Ohio, to Florida, and to Texas. Overwhelmingly Democrats, Republicans--not everyone--but there is overwhelming support to build the Keystone Pipeline because Americans want jobs. American families deserve good- paying jobs. In addition, Americans are tired of bowing to Mideast powers or to Russian dictators about what our future is going to be. Americans are proud. We want to stand proud. We believe the Keystone Pipeline is an important first step. It is a signal. It is a symbol that represents American energy power. It is a symbol moving past gridlock. It is a deliverable on promises we have all made. Yes, we will work together. Yes, but that will start later. Yes, we will work together, but it will be next year. Yes, we will work together, but it will be in the spring. Yes, we will work together, but we can't pass Keystone unless we pass these 10 other things. There is always going to be tomorrow. There is always going to be 10 other things. Let's act today, tomorrow. We can do this. We can pass the Keystone Pipeline and answer the frustrations of the American people so they can rest next week and say: Oh, my gosh. The Senators of the United States of America have ears. They have brains. They have hearts. They heard what we said and we can do this. We have a bill that is on the calendar. I have also passed a similar bill through my committee, but I am not even asking you to pass the bill I passed through my committee, which I think is slightly better than the one on the calendar, but we can all compromise here. I am also the cosponsor of the bill, lead sponsor of the bill, that is on the Senate calendar. It doesn't have to go through a committee. It basically technically already has. It is ready for a vote. We have the 60 votes to pass it. I am going to recognize in just a minute the Senator from West Virginia. I will ask the Senator a question because only the Chair can recognize, but I would like to ask the Senator from West Virginia, does any of this make sense to him. I don't know if he was down here. Although I am sure he was in his office listening to the comments of the majority leader, the soon-to-be majority leader, and the good Senator from Texas saying now is the time to work together. I don't know if the Senator heard that. Does the Senator think that maybe this bill would be the bill to start moving us from gridlock to doing the job for the American people?

Ms. LANDRIEU. I agree with the Senator. I think he is absolutely correct. The Senator from Montana knows this as well. The Senator from Montana also has an issue that I will ask him to explain in just a moment--he knows it better than I do--about private property rights, because he negotiated the language in the bill. But responding to the question of the Senator from West Virginia about the environment, that is what is so exciting about this project, so compelling for us to move forward. Not only did the international study that was done say it is in our international interests, of course, to trade with our best and most friendly trading partner closest to us that enjoys the same high quality standard of life that we do and even higher environmental standards, but the environmental study that came in, conducted by the President's own administration-- this wasn't done previously--came back and concluded this is the safest way to move it and it is the most environmentally friendly way to move it, and that is the record. So the Senator is right. Not only does it have a compelling economic argument, but it has a compelling environmental argument from that perspective. I would ask the Senator from Montana if he could explain the very important language that is in the Landrieu-Hoeven bill that is cosponsored by every single Republican and this chairman and that is about the language he negotiated on private property rights, because this is a very important principle for many Republicans but also for many Democrats, particularly in Louisiana, where we have a lot of private property. In West Virginia you have a lot of private property. In Montana you have a lot of private but also some public lands. Would the Senator answer that question if he would.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I see the Senator from North Dakota has arrived, and of course she wants to speak and can do so beautifully because this pipeline comes through her State, as I said. But I do want to respond to a few things and thank the Senator from West Virginia. I have heard colleagues, particularly my colleague from California, say this often, and she says it in committee and on the floor. And even though she and I are on opposite sides of this debate, we have worked together on some important legislation for our country, and I have such respect for her leadership on the RESTORE Act, which was an amazing piece of environmental legislation for our gulf coast States. Without her leadership it would not have happened. But I have heard her say over and over and over again that elections have consequences, and this one does, just as they all do. And one of the consequences of this election is that a clear path for Keystone has been opened up. The reporters following this legislation, which they have followed very carefully, know exactly what I am talking about when I say a path for passage has been cleared. In my view, that path will never, ever be clearer than it is today. Now in order for the path to stay clear, and it is crystal clear today, politics must be set aside. Gamesmanship has to be set aside. We must come together to do what is right for the country, for the American people, and to vote. There are strong feelings, I know, against this bill. There have been for many years. But the overwhelming majority of this body--60-plus Members--has indicated support for this legislation. And the Senate bill, from the perspective we just heard--from private property rights, for clarity, for simplicity--is far superior to the House bill that has been passed. The House is very agile--very agile. They can do lots of things quickly that the Senate can't do. So the House may decide to take the language of this bill, pass it, and call it something else. I understand that. I don't know if that is what they will do, but there is a clear path for victory on Keystone. Whoever's name is on the bill does not matter to me as long as it gets done. I want to say that again. The name on the bill does not matter to me as long as this gets done. And it needs to get done right now--not in January, not in February, not in March. It doesn't need to be combined with anything else. It needs to get done on its own, because it is standing alone. It will go to the President's desk as a stand-alone. I believe the President will have to make an important decision. I am hoping he will sign it. But if he doesn't, that is the process. I hope he will, and I will be urging him to do so because his administration--his State Department, his EPA, and his Transportation Department--has urged him to support this piece of legislation for the strength of our economy, a signal to our allies, and to strengthen America here and abroad. I would strongly urge him to sign it. We have a job to do in the Senate, the President has a job to do, and the House has a job to do. But if everybody would stop playing games with this bill and think about what the American people said on election day and stop trying to push one philosophy or one person ahead of the other, we can get this done. My name is not even first on this bill. Senator Hoeven's name is first. It is a Hoeven bill. I am the lead Democratic sponsor because I am the chair of the energy committee, and I will be until January 2. If my voters send me back, I will be here for 6 more years. That is why my name is on the bill, because I chair the committee. But if they want to take my name off, put somebody's else name on it and pass it, so be it. I didn't come here to see my name in lights. I came here to create jobs for my State and for this country, and I believe I have done an excellent job in the 18 years I have been here, through very difficult circumstances, and will continue should the voters want me to. Today we need to talk about the Keystone Pipeline, and nobody can speak better of this than the Senator from North Dakota. I wish to line this up before she speaks, because she was traveling and she just landed. She might not have heard what all three leaders said when they came to the floor. Senator Reid, Senator Cornyn, and Senator McConnell said their No. 1 goal was to break gridlock, and they wanted to start now. Their second goal was to expand middle-class job opportunities and create wealth in America. So I am hoping the Senator from the State that has created the most wealth in the shortest period of time of any State of the Union might express to the rest of us actually how that happened and why she thinks this Keystone Pipeline and other pipelines--because she and I agree, this is just the first of several we are going to have to lay down to make America a superenergy power. We don't become a superenergy power by just wishing it; we become a superenergy power by putting in the infrastructure that makes it possible. Even kids in second grade understand this. We have to put up windmills, we have to put up solar panels, we have to put in pipelines, we have to put in highways. The Senator from North Dakota, who has a very sparsely populated State, understands the issue of this infrastructure I think better than any Senator in this body. So I am going to ask her if she would respond to that and maybe elaborate on the question: How did her State get so wealthy in the last few years? My State is doing well. I am not here complaining. My State is doing beautifully. Our unemployment in south Louisiana is 3 percent, so we are blessed because we are an energy State. We are proud of it. We are creating jobs hand over fist. But there are places such as Detroit, there are places in Ohio, there are places in Pennsylvania and New York and New Mexico and other places where people are unemployed, begging for work, willing to work. Three leaders came to the floor and said: It is time to break gridlock. Here is a project that can do it. So I hope to see them sometime before close of business tonight. Would the Senator expound on that?

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I wish to recognize and honor Dr. James Meza, Jr., who has devoted much of his life to ensuring that all of Louisiana's students receive an excellent education. He currently serves as Superintendent of the Jefferson Parish Public School System and while he will soon retire from this role, he will be leaving behind an indelible mark of impressive leadership and results. On behalf of the U.S. Senate and the State of Louisiana, I applaud Dr. Meza as a champion of high quality education and for his devotion to Louisiana's public education system. Dr. Meza's experience in education spans more than 40 years and crosses teaching and leadership positions both at the K-12 and higher education levels. As a champion of education reform, Dr. Meza developed many of the pioneering ideas in Louisiana that led to revolutionary reform movements across the Nation. In the devastating aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, Dr. Meza was instrumental in one of the most transformational endeavors of modern public education helping to establish the Recovery School District in New Orleans, LA, which is now 100 percent public charter schools and has experienced extraordinary progress in closing the achievement gap. Dr. Meza served most recently as the Superintendent of Jefferson Parish Public School System, Louisiana's largest and most diverse school district, serving 46,000 students. Since becoming the head of Jefferson Parish Public School System in 2011, Dr. Meza has led a reform agenda that has transformed the school system from one in a downward spiral for achievement to one of Louisiana's most improved school systems. In 2 years, Jefferson Parish Public School System has improved its State performance rating from a letter grade ``D'' to ``B.'' In that same period, the number of ``A'' and ``B'' schools has increased dramatically, from 13 to 32. Jefferson Parish is home to 4 schools that are ranked in the top 10 in Louisiana. Prior to becoming Superintendent of Jefferson Parish Public School System, Dr. Meza served as Professor and Dean at the University of New Orleans, UNO, for more than 21 years where he published more than 40 journal articles to study education reform, specifically focused on serving children of low-income families in Louisiana and nationwide. Dr. Meza is recognized nationally for redefining the role of colleges of education and their work with low performing schools. As Dean, he launched the UNO Charter School Network of four charter schools, as well as Louisiana's first Type 5--turnaround--charter school. His efforts were recognized by New Orleans City Business, which presented him with the ``Innovator of the Year'' award. He received the honor and title of Professor and Dean Emeritus from the LSU system, recognizing his years of scholarship at UNO. Dr. Meza has served as the Executive Director of the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, BESE, and the Interim State Superintendent of Education for Louisiana. During this time, he was a pioneer in school accountability, launching Louisiana's educational quality and trust fund, 8G, and restructuring the Department of Education as Louisiana transformed the State Superintendent's position from an elected position to one appointed by BESE. Dr. Meza also has served as a faculty member at Nicholls State University, principal of Cabrini High School, and teacher at E.D. White and Isidore Newman High School. Dr. Meza has received numerous awards and deserved recognitions for his transformational work in the education sphere. He is the recipient of The Weiss Award by the New Orleans Council for Community and Justice, which honors members of the Greater New Orleans community for civic and humanitarian contributions. He has also been recognized as a ``Super Hero'' by the national organization Stand for Children for his work in improving quality educational opportunities for children of poverty. Dr. Meza currently serves on the Board of Directors of Holy Cross School and was a member of the Louisiana Serve Commission and the Southern University System Board of Supervisors. He is also a founding board member of Ben Franklin High School and Edward Hynes charter schools. Dr. Meza served 32 years in the Louisiana Army National Guard and retired at the rank of Colonel. I am proud that Louisiana's students and teachers have had the strong leadership and guidance of Dr. Meza over the years. Dr. Meza's leadership as the Superintendent of the Jefferson Parish Public School System will be missed; however, I have full faith and trust that he will continue to lead in improving the educational prospects and outcomes for Louisiana's students in whatever role he pursues next. Once again, I am privileged and honored to formally recognize Dr. James Meza, Jr. for his commitment and efforts to strengthen public education in Louisiana.

Ms. LANDRIEU

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

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, it is my pleasure today to come to the floor of the Senate to honor some very special constituents from all of our States who are here for 3 days, and they are very special because they actually have wings. We call them angels, and I think the Presiding Officer has met her angels who are here this week. They are Members who have been honored or constituents of ours who have been honored by Members of the Senate and Members of the House for the extraordinary work these individual citizens and sometimes entities and organizations have done on behalf of orphans here in the United States and around the world. There are happily over 124 angels here with us, 124 Members of Congress--70 Members of the House and 54 Members of the Senate--who took the time to identify someone in their district or State who has really stepped up for orphans through either the domestic adoption and foster care system or our international adoption world. I am proud of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. I am one of the founders of the organization. About 16 years ago a group of about 20 of us came together to begin really focused work on educating ourselves first and then our colleagues across the aisle and in both Houses of Congress on the barriers that were keeping children from families, the barriers that were causing children to be left and abandoned, never to be reunited with their birth families or ever placed with new families who could adopt them. We struggled to learn and educate ourselves about why families break up and disintegrate and what is the proper approach after that happens to try to pull that family back together and if not, how we can place children in homes where they can be raised and nurtured and cared for. You heard me say this many times: Governments do some things very well--some things not so well--but raising children is not one of them. Parents, responsible adults, raise children. It is the way we are wired. It is the way we are created. It is the only real way that ever works well. I believe our job at the Federal, State, and local level, both here in the United States and around the world, is for the government to get out of the way and let this happen or start leading and helping with the kinds of policies that help children reunite with birth families and if that is not possible, to move quickly--because time is of the essence in a child's development--to make sure that child and sibling groups are placed in a loving, supportive family and not in an institution--not necessarily with people who are paid to be parents, not necessarily in group homes, but in real families. Sometimes governments, nonprofits, and charitable individuals want to help with stipends to support that effort. We perfectly understand that. It is perfectly legal. But we really love children to be in homes where they feel they are being loved out of a gift of love, and that is our goal. There is so much gridlock and arguing going on. This is one issue about which there is no gridlock and no argument. Republicans and Democrats have come together. Jim Inhofe and I are proud to serve as the leaders in the Senate with many Members who have been very active. The Presiding Officer has been extremely active. I wish to say thank you to the Senator from Wisconsin for her leadership on several pieces of important legislation. I would like to give a special shout-out to the Senator from Minnesota, Ms. Klobuchar, who has been remarkable in her leadership; Senator Gillibrand, who has been extremely helpful; Senator Shaheen; Senator Blunt; Senator Boozman; and I could go on. There have been 20 or 25 real champions this year in the Senate on issues that affect orphans and children in foster care. Senator Grassley, who leads the foster care caucus, has also been a very reliable advocate on behalf of these children. To frame the challenge, there are about 500,000 children in the United States who are in foster care. About 100,000 have been deemed to be adoptable. Parental rights have been terminated due to gross neglect, abuse, et cetera. The courts have stepped in and said these children need a new home, new parents. That is a big number, 500,000, but it represents about one-half of 1 percent of all the children in America. From that standpoint, you can say America is doing pretty well with keeping all of our children in families, keeping them loved and supported. When families fail, the community, the government, and churches and places of worship need to step in and help and be supportive. But we still have many problems. Some children are waiting too long. Some children are born in this country without birth certificates--I just met one in my office today, if you can imagine that--so their legal status has been compromised. There are millions of orphans around the world who don't have any advocacy and don't have the kinds of systems we have in the United States to help with their identification, their rescue, their placement, et cetera, so that is the work we do. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption educates Members of Congress. We hold seminars for ourselves, educational opportunities. We hold an annual gala, and this year the Angels In Adoption gala is happening tonight in Washington. Angels are visiting Senate offices, telling their stories of adoption to our Members. Tonight we will be at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center celebrating with almost 1000 people the work our angels are doing. I wish to congratulate our three very special national award winners: adoptive parents Bill Klein and Dr. Jennifer Arnold, the stars of the TLC reality show ``The Little Couple.'' They are very famous in America and well-known around the world. People have watched them overcome the great challenges they face. They are very tiny but have great hearts and great minds, and by being on television, they have an extraordinary reach. We are all very familiar with their show. They are married and have proceeded to build a family through adoption. They adopted a little, little child from India and another little child from China and are building their family. They have just been remarkable models for all adoptive parents, of which I am one. They share the joys and challenges of being adoptive parents of children with very special physical needs. It has just been remarkable. We will be so touched by their story tonight. They just left my office and they will share their story with us tonight. I just wanted to thank them for their leadership. Shonda Rhimes is not with us in Washington. She will be receiving an award. She is the executive producer of the hit shows ``Scandal,'' ``Private Practice,'' and ``Grey's Anatomy.'' She has been a tremendous advocate for adoption. She has written about some issues regarding adoption into her shows and has helped to educate the United States of America and the world about the needs of orphans and the great privilege of being adoptive parents. Finally, our third national award winner is our Paul Singer awardee. Paul Singer is deceased, but he was a great leader in our corporate world and our organization gives an award every year to a corporate executive. This year our winner is Debra Steigerwaldt Waller, CEO of Jockey International. She founded an organization that really helps provide support with postadoption services because many of our adoptive families have adopted children with special needs and some have adopted teenagers or older children. There are all sorts of challenges that come with those adoptions, just as there are with infant adoptions, and those families need someplace to turn. She stepped up as a corporate leader and adoptee herself, and we are thankful for her leadership. I wish to mention two other angels. I see my colleague is on the floor ready to speak. I ask unanimous consent for 5 additional minutes.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I was proud to nominate Pastor Chad Hardbarger and his wife Marsha. They served as foster parents in Louisiana for over 9 years. Amazingly, the couple has cared for 14 children from the foster care system and have adopted 6 of those children out of foster care. They have a 19-year-old, a 14-year-old, an 11-year-old, a 9-year-old, an 8-year-old, and a 7-year-old. They are in the process of adopting a special infant named Amber. All of them are here in Washington and have had a great tour of the city today. Monique, Chris, Bryce, Jordan, Bailey, Gavyn, and Amber are a wonderful family that was brought together and into the loving home of Pastor Chad and his wife Marcia. They are now working with their local church in Shreveport--in the northwest Louisiana area--to help advocate and get other churches and other families involved in fostering and adopting. I was so pleased to present the award to the senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church. He has established his own ministry, Fashioned for a Home, and he does so many great things to help our children. These children don't have any fancy lobbyists or PR firms fighting for them. The pastors at home, their wives, and advocates are the ones who are doing a beautiful job. Congratulations to Chad Harbinger and his wife Marsha. I was so moved when I met Senator Wicker's angel at the pinning ceremony, and he was such an interesting angel that I wanted to put his story in the Congressional Record. Senator Wicker nominated Mendell L. Thompson, who has been president of America's Christian Credit Union in Glendora, CA, serving more than 48,000 members and has more than $500 million in managed assets. He serves as trustee and director of several different organizations. He received his award from Senator Wicker for designing a loan package at the credit union that would provide low-interest loans to families that were adopting, because sometimes the expenses can be overwhelming, particularly if you are adopting internationally but even if you adopt out of foster care. The foster care costs are minimal, but there are other costs when you adopt a child. Sometimes they have to add a room to the house or get a special vehicle if they have adopted a special- needs child. He has made over 1,000 loans to families that have adopted children. I wanted to give a shout-out to Senator Wicker's angel, Mr. Mendell L. Thompson, and his board of directors at America's Christian Credit Union in California and thank them for believing that every child deserves a forever family and for taking an active role in crafting an affordable solution for America's adoptive parents. He has a passion at heart for the miracle of adoption and continues to promote this in California and around the country. I thank the members for their participation. It is going to be one of our biggest events. Before I take my seat, Madam President, I wish to speak on one more topic. Tribute to Reverend Samuel R. Blakes Madam President, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Rev. Samuel Raymond Blakes, pastor of New Home Family Worship Center in New Orleans, LA on his 19th pastoral anniversary. I was honored to participate in the recent anniversary celebration and worship alongside members of the congregation and friends. Reverend Blakes is a graduate of St. Augustine High School. He attended Southern University at New Orleans and earned both a bachelors and master's degree in theology from Christian Bible College in Louisiana. Rev. Blakes has devoted himself to New Home Family Worship Center where he has served as pastor since 1995. Through his leadership, the congregation of New Home has expanded to a membership of over 10,000 worshipers. Reverend Blakes remains committed to making a positive impact on the lives of all people through his weekly televised spiritual broadcasts, live radio show and ongoing community outreach. Rev. Samuel R. Blakes is the youngest son of the late Prophet Robert C. Blakes, Sr. and Minister Lois R. Blakes, both residents of New Orleans for decades. Prophet Blakes was an outstanding community leader, spreading his ministry across Louisiana and into Texas. I commend Reverend Blakes and his congregation for remaining vigilant, faithful and steadfast in his service to his community. I join his wife Stacey, daughter Sariah and the entire New Home Family Worship Center congregation in celebrating his 19th pastoral anniversary. I pray that Rev. Samuel R. Blakes will continue to be blessed with many more years as a spiritual leader. I yield the floor.

Mrs. LANDRIEU

Mrs. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public, that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will hold a business meeting on Thursday, September 11, 2014, at 10 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to consider the nomination of Elizabeth Sherwood- Randall to be Deputy Secretary of Energy. For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571, or Sallie Derr at (202) 224-6836.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I come to the floor today in support of the State of Israel, our closest and most critical ally in the Middle East. The escalating violence between Israel and Hamas is extremely disheartening. At this time of extreme instability and conflict in the region, the clear and unyielding support of the United States for Israel is more critical than ever. While we all hope for a peaceful ceasefire and a return to negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, we cannot ignore the current situation. For weeks now, Israel has been responding to Hamas militants in Gaza whose clear mission is to exact a civilian death toll. It is an often- used tactic of Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization, to launch rockets into Israel at civilian targets. In doing so, they not only harm innocent Israelis but put Palestinian civilians in danger as well. Hamas's exposure of their own population to danger is made worse when they use civilians in Gaza as human shields. When Hamas used cement for the construction of tunnels to attack and kidnap civilians instead of using it for the construction of peaceful infrastructure projects, they literally chose the path of conflict over the path of peace. Israel has the undeniable right to defend itself against these threats to their civilians, and we must stand by our friend and help protect innocent lives in any way we can. One thing we can do to continue to support Israel is to continue to support the Iron Dome missile defense system. The United States has provided financial support for this state-of-the-art defense system for years, and I, and many of my colleagues from both parties have been strong and continual supporters since its inception. The technology is extraordinarily effective at stopping rockets fired at civilian targets in Israel from Gaza; according to some estimates, it has intercepted about 90 percent of rockets which otherwise could have hit major population centers in Israel. Ultimately, the Iron Dome protects innocent lives, and I shudder to think of what this conflict's death toll in Israel might be without it. I am reassured that the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee doubled the administration's funding request for the Iron Dome recently, and I commend my colleagues for this tangible show of support for Israel. I, along with many of my colleagues, am deeply committed to the security of Israel, and I am saddened by the loss of civilian lives on both sides of the current conflict. Too much innocent blood has been shed already.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I wish to join my colleague, Senator Nelson, in expressing frustration over the Chinese Government's failure to remedy the damages to homeowners, businesses, and contractors caused by Chinese drywall companies. Beginning some 10 years ago, drywall manufactured by Chinese companies was imported to the United States. A significant amount of the imported Chinese drywall proved to be defective. In my State, this drywall was mostly used in homes and businesses that had suffered substantial damages from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In total, there were thousands of cases in the gulf coast area. The drywall emitted sulfur gases, which caused physical damage to the homes and significant health problems for the residents. The sulfur gas severely corroded metals found in plumbing, electrical wiring, air- conditioning systems, and household appliances. Health issues included skin irritation, persistent cough, bloody noses, and asthma attacks. For many families who lived through these hurricanes, having to completely rebuild a home again was yet another obstacle to their recovery. I have maintained that the Consumer Product Safety Commission should have served as the first line of defense in preventing this inferior product from entering the U.S. market. Nevertheless, manufacturers, no matter where they are located, have a responsibility to consumers harmed by defective products. The homeowners sought relief in court, and most of the cases were consolidated in the Eastern District of Louisiana, where the court identified two companies as the primary perpetrators; Knauf Entities and Taishan Entities. Knauf Entities participated in litigation and paid damages. Unfortunately, Taishan Entities has refused to appear to defend lawsuits in U.S. courts and will not negotiate with those harmed by the defective sheetrock. The Honorable Judge Eldon Fallon of the Eastern District of Louisiana issued an order holding Taishan in both civil and criminal contempt on July 17, 2014. The order also enjoined Taishan and its affiliates from conducting business in the United States until it participates in the judicial process. Although this is a win for Taishan's victims, they deserve and require tangible compensation for their losses. The Chinese Government has shown no willingness to hold this company accountable. Meanwhile, thousands of families are still waiting for justice. We cannot allow Taishan Entities to hide from the United States judicial process and further injure those who have suffered. I urge this body to call on Taishan Entities to do the right thing and respect international law. Additionally, we should continue to pressure the Chinese Government to hold companies within its borders accountable for their actions.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I wish to reiterate my longstanding support for employee stock ownership plans or ESOPs. During my time in the Senate, I have been dedicated to building on the lasting contributions of my Louisiana predecessors, including Senator Russell B. Long, who, as Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, championed tax provisions to encourage corporations to adopt ESOPs. Senator Long advocated for employee stock ownership as an ``issue that cuts across party lines in an attempt to bring out the best in our free enterprise system.'' He believed that ``it is only fair and right that those who work to make this economy succeed should have an opportunity to share in that success . . . [i]t is a matter of simple common sense and basic equity.'' I couldn't agree more. Designed to expand employee ownership of firms through stock distribution to employees, over time, ESOPs have a proven track record of encouraging capital expansion and economic equality for American workers. The National Center for Employee Ownership estimates that 11 million people are employed by the roughly 12,000 companies that have adopted ESOP and ESOP-like plans and estimates that ESOP participants have about 2.5 times the retirement assets of individuals who do not participate. Last year, as chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I convened a roundtable to provide small business owners, policy experts and other stakeholders an opportunity to express their views and to solicit their ideas on making tax reform work for small businesses. Participants argued in favor of a Tax Code that rewards employer and employee ownership as a means of providing continuity of business ownership and opportunities for employees of businesses to build wealth. Specifically, participants favored retaining the current Tax Code's ESOP provisions, noting that during the most recent economic downturn, ESOPs, which are predominately small businesses, were able to retain more employees as they weathered the crisis than conventionally owned companies. Companies in Louisiana have embraced ESOPs and as a result have seen both businesses and their employees realize the benefits. One prime example is Acadian Ambulance, a Lafayette, Louisiana-based company, and the Nation's largest private, employee-owned ambulance service. Acadian Ambulance became a 30 percent-employee-owned company in 1993 and subsequently became a majority employee-owned company in 1998. Today, Acadian Ambulance is a thriving business whose employee owners have retirement security because of Acadian Ambulance's employee stock ownership plan. Its ESOP Committee has been recognized as one of the best in the Nation, having won 25 regional and national awards since 2001. Acadian Ambulance has grown to over 200 ambulances, a $180 million budget, and 2,000 employees who have retirement security. Earlier this year, the New York Times published an article describing the research of three labor economists who have focused their work on promoting ESOPs as a ``new perspective on how to resolve the disparities in wealth and income.'' I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the New York Times article, dated February 11, 2014, and titled, ``Whatever Happened to `Every Man a King'?''. These experts, Dr. Joseph Blasi and Dr. Richard Kruse of Rutgers University, and Dr. Douglas Freeman of Harvard University, argue in their book, ``The Citizen's Share'', that policies promoting employee ownership date back to the era of the Founding Fathers and have garnered support from politicians and stakeholders across the political spectrum--from Ronald Reagan to Senator Bernie Sanders. Quite simply, policies that promote ESOPs are policies that merit this Chamber's bipartisan support and I will continue the work of my Louisiana predecessors to ensure retirement security for working Americans.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I wish to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the illustrious life of Mrs. Irma Gene Hall DeTiege, who passed on July 1, 2014, after more than five decades of service in the Louisiana community. Mrs. DeTiege was born in 1931 in Riverton, LA, which had a total population of 40, including livestock. From these humble beginnings, she learned lessons of humility and hard work that were embodied throughout her entire life. After moving to Monroe, LA and meeting the love of her life, Frank G. DeTiege, a graduate of Southern University who taught Industrial Arts at Carroll High School, Mrs. DeTiege rode the bus to Grambling College every morning. There she received a bachelor's of science degree in elementary education, which she would later use to become a teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. During her tenure, she created enduring changes in a wide breadth of programs that impacted and improved the lives of almost every individual who attended the school. In addition to her efforts as a teacher, Mrs. DeTiege worked tirelessly as a newspaper editor, publisher, and columnist for the Monroe News Leader and the Monroe News Weekly before she and Mr. DeTiege founded the Monroe Dispatch in 1975. Mrs. DeTiege had a vision of providing the citizens of Monroe with access to accurate reporting at a time when important information in this community was too often overlooked. Throughout her career, she remained dedicated to ensuring that those in crisis and most in need always had an advocate in the community. In this and in all of her tasks, Irma fought for a community where people are taken care of, no matter their situation in life. She also worked continuously to provide for the prosperity of Louisiana citizens for generations to come. This level of devotion to her craft, the people of Monroe, and the State of Louisiana is indicative of her storied career of service. Irma was a wonderful friend to me and my family. She was also an inspiration to all those who were impacted by her tireless efforts. It is with my heartfelt and greatest sincerity that I ask my colleagues to join me along with her son Frank and other family members in recognizing the life and many accomplishments of this incredible leader and her impact on so many people throughout Louisiana.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, July 25, 2014, marks the 40th anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). With bipartisan support, including that of President Nixon, LSC was established in 1974 as a private, nonprofit corporation, funded by Congress, with the mission to ensure equal access to justice under law for all Americans by providing civil legal assistance to those who otherwise would be unable to afford it. LSC distributes nearly 94 percent of its annual Federal appropriations to 134 local legal aid programs and has nearly 800 offices that serve each of the 435 congressional districts and the U.S. territories. LSC-funded legal aid programs make a crucial difference to millions of Americans by assisting with the most basic civil legal needs, such as helping women get protection from abuse, mothers to obtain child support, families from unlawful evictions or foreclosures that could leave them homeless, veterans seeking benefits duly earned, defending seniors against consumer scams, and individuals who have lost their jobs and need help in applying for unemployment compensation and other benefits. In my home State, more than 25 percent of the population is eligible for LSC-funded legal services. The three programs funded by LSC served nearly 40,000 Louisianians and closed nearly 16,000 cases last year. On this 40th anniversary, I congratulate and commend the Legal Services Corporation for the vital work they do every day on behalf of Americans who need qualified counsel. With the growing number of Americans eligible for services and increased demand for legal services, the need for legal aid attorneys has never been greater. Every day that a legal aid attorney protects the safety, security, and health of our most vulnerable citizens, they bring this Nation closer to living up to its commitment to equal justice for all.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, at 2:15 p.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The title of this hearing is ``Breaking the Logjam at BLM: Examining Ways to More Efficiently Process Permits for Energy Production on Federal Lands.'' The purpose of this hearing is to understand the obstacles in permitting more energy projects on Federal lands and to consider S. 279, the Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act of 2013, and S. 2440, the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Act of 2014, and related issues. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Kristen_Granier@energy.senate.gov. For further information, please contact Jan Brunner at (202) 224-3907 or Kristen Granier at (202) 224-1219.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Rev. Samuel Tolbert, pastor of the Greater St. Mary's Missionary Baptist Church in Lake Charles, LA, on his recent election as the 15th president of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. Rev. Samuel C. Tolbert, Jr. was born August 1, 1958 in Lake Charles, LA and graduated from Washington High school in 1976. A graduate of Bishop College in Dallas, he earned his bachelors of arts in religion and philosophy with a minor in speech education. He has also received an honorary doctorate of divinity from Union Baptist College and Theological Seminary and a masters from Payne Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in ministry at Stephen Olford Center at Union University in Memphis, TN. Reverend Tolbert is a recognized civic leader. He served as a commissioner for the Lake Charles Housing Authority, a representative of District ``A'' on Lake Charles City Council, and as a member of the board of the Louisiana Economic Development Corporation. Currently, Reverend Tolbert serves on the board of supervisors for the Southern University System. A devout man of faith, Reverend Tolbert has dedicated himself to a life of religious servitude. He has presided over Greater Saint Mary Missionary Baptist Church since 1984. Reverend Tolbert has held a number of positions in the faith community including serving as first vice president of the Southwest Missionary Baptist Association, president of the Louisiana Home & Foreign Missions Baptist State Convention, and general secretary National Baptist Convention of America Inc. Reverend Tolbert currently serves as president of Greater St. Mary Community Development Foundation, the president & CEO Strategic Faith Leadership Ministries, and as the coordinator of disaster relief North America for Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention. Reverend Tolbert's accomplishments reflect his dedication to his faith, education and service. On June 25, 2014, he was elected the president of the National Baptist Convention of America. With over 3.5 million members worldwide, the National Baptist Convention of America is an organization that seeks to ``positively impact and influence the spiritual, educational, social, and economic conditions of all humankind''. It is with the greatest sincerity that I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Rev. Samuel Tolbert Jr. for his accomplishments as an incredible reverend, father, and mentor. His wife Matilda, and their two daughters Candace and Kayla must be extremely proud and I know that he will serve the National Baptist Convention well.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 1049 and H.R. 2166, to direct the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture to expedite access to certain Federal lands under the administrative jurisdiction of each Secretary for good Samaritan search-and-recovery missions, and for other purposes; S. 1437, to provide for the release of the reversionary interest held by the United States in certain land conveyed in 1954 by the United States, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, to the State of Oregon for the establishment of the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center of Oregon State University in Hermiston, Oregon; S. 1554, to direct the heads of Federal public land management agencies to prepare reports on the availability of public access and egress to Federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes, to amend the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to provide funding for recreational public access to Federal land, and for other purposes; S. 1605, for the relief of Michael G. Faber; S. 1640, to facilitate planning, permitting, administration, implementation, and monitoring of pinyon- juniper dominated landscape restoration projects within Lincoln County, Nevada, and for other purposes; S. 1888 and H.R. 1241, to facilitate a land exchange involving certain National Forest System land in the Inyo National Forest, and for other purposes; S. 2123, to authorize the exchange of certain Federal land and non-Federal land in the State of Minnesota; S. 2616, to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal land to Idaho County in the State of Idaho, and for other purposes; H.R. 1684, to convey certain property to the State of Wyoming to consolidate the historic Ranch A, and for other purposes; and, H.R. 3008, to provide for the conveyance of a small parcel of National Forest System land in Los Padres National Forest in California, and for other purposes. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, 304 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to John Assini@energv.senate.gov. For further information, please contact Meghan Conklin (202)-224-8046 or John Assini (202)-224-9313.