Bob Menendez

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I rise today with my friends Senators Durbin and Snowe to reintroduce the Mom's Opportunity to Access Help, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression, MOTHERS, Act. Senator Durbin has been and continues to be a leader on this issue and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with him on this important legislation. I would also like to recognize Representative Rush, who has been a champion for women battling postpartum depression, PPD, in the House for many years. I am proud to say that his bill, The Melanie Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, shares the same goals as the MOTHERS Act. Mr. President, in the United States, 10 to 20 percent of women suffer from a disabling and often undiagnosed condition known as postpartum depression. Unfortunately, many women are unaware of this condition and often do not receive the treatment they need. That is why I am introducing the MOTHERS Act, so that women no longer have to suffer in silence and feel alone when faced with this difficult condition. Last year, the great State of New Jersey passed a first of its kind law requiring doctors and nurses to educate expectant mothers and their families about postpartum depression. This bill was introduced in the State legislature by State Senate President Richard Codey. The attention of Senator Codey and his wife, Mary Jo Codey, who personally battled postpartum depression, have brought to the issue is remarkable. Brooke Shields, a graduate of Princeton University, has also shared her struggle with postpartum depression publicly and should be commended for her efforts to bring awareness to this condition. Postpartum depression affects women all across the country, not just in New Jersey, and that is why I believe the MOTHERS Act is so important. In America, 80 percent of women experience some level of depression after childbirth. This is what people often refer to as the ``baby blues.'' However, each year, there are between 400,000 and 800,000 women across America who suffer from postpartum depression, a much more serious condition. These mothers often experience signs of depression and may lose interest in friends and family, feel overwhelming sadness or even have thoughts of harming their baby or harming themselves. People often assume that these feelings are simply the ``baby blues'', but the reality is much worse. Postpartum depression is a serious and disabling condition and new mothers deserve to be given information and resources on this condition so, if needed, they can get the appropriate help. The good news is that treatment is available. Many women have successfully recovered from postpartum depression with the help of therapy, medication, and support groups. However, mothers and their families must be educated so that they understand what might occur after the birth of their child and when to get help. This legislation will require doctors and nurses to educate every new mother and their families about postpartum depression before they leave the hospital and offer the opportunity for new mothers to be screened for postpartum depression symptoms during the first year of postnatal check up visits. It also provides social services to new mothers and their families who are suffering and struggling with postpartum depression. By increasing education and early treatment of postpartum depression, mothers, husbands, and families, will be able to recognize the symptoms of this condition and help new mothers get the treatment they need and deserve. The MOTHERS Act has another important component. While we continue to educate and help the mothers of today, we must also be prepared to help future moms. By increasing funding for research on postpartum conditions at the National Institutes of Health, we can begin to unravel the mystery behind this difficult to understand illness. The more we know about the causes and etiology of postpartum depression, the more tools we have to treat and prevent this heartbreaking condition. We must attack postpartum depression on all fronts with education, screening, support, and research so that new moms can feel supported and safe rather than scared and alone. Many new mothers sacrifice anything and everything to provide feelings of security and safety to their innocent, newborn child. It is our duty to provide the same level of security, safety and support to new mothers in need.

Mr. MENENDEZ

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

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I rise today to talk about an issue of great importance but also of great concern: the importation of prescription drugs. In their search for more affordable prescription drugs, many Americans have turned to pharmacies in other countries, either via the Internet or trips across the border. While I certainly understand their need for affordable drugs, I do have concerns about this particular solution. We must find a way to ensure that the drugs Americans are buying are safe. I believe the Cochran amendment will do just that. Senator Cochran's amendment allows importation to take effect only if the Health and Human Services Secretary can ensure that it will pose no additional risk to the public health and result in a significant reduction in the cost of prescription drugs. So with this amendment, we get safe drugs at a reduced price, and our ultimate objective is achieved. Looking closely at the issue of safety, I am also concerned about the importation of counterfeit drugs. Americans deserve to know the label on the bottle--we have seen colleagues put bottles up and show differences. Well, Americans deserve to know the label on the bottle matches the pills inside they are taking. The only way to ensure that is to provide strong protections. We have all heard horror stories about innocent Americans, starved for cheaper prescription drugs, going online or getting in their cars to go to foreign pharmacies to buy their medications. They are coming back home with what they think is their usual medication, but the reality might be quite different. A recent New York Times article talked about the increasing number of counterfeit drugs. While in the past we may have noticed a misspelled label or off-color pill, today's counterfeit drugs are largely undetectable. The pills look correct, the cardboard boxes are the same, even the blister packaging and foil backing are all normal. But this is not your grandmother's forged medication. These are modern, scary, life-threatening tactics that place American lives in great danger. While the supporters of the underlying amendment believe their proposal addresses some of these concerns, there are a number of safety concerns that I believe must be addressed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and that is why the Cochran amendment is so important. The underlying proposal would undo current safety protections that ensure Americans are getting products that are essentially the same substance and quantity as what their doctor has prescribed. While the proposal requires an importer to retain samples of products, it does not require that those be tested to ensure the drugs are the same as what the doctor ordered. The proposal does not require that imported drugs be approved in their country of origin. It relies only on a paper trail to enforce chain-of-custody requirements, leaving consumers susceptible to unscrupulous dealers who can simply forge documents or copy anticounterfeit technology. While supporters of the proposal claim that they give FDA the authority to conduct inspections of foreign manufacturing plants, the reality is that the United States would actually have to get permission for those inspections from foreign countries, and that is assuming we can even trace the purchase of those products to their country of origin in the first place. Importers are not required to disclose the origin of the products they sell, so consumers would have no way to opt out if they wanted to ensure they were getting Food and Drug Administration-approved products. Finally, the underlying amendment allows importation from far more than just Canada. Written into the proposal is permission to import from Canada and other countries, including certain countries in the EU, even if the drugs leave the chain of custody of the manufacturer or fall outside of the Food and Drug Administration's jurisdiction. Because of the EU structure, we would actually be opening ourselves to drugs from countries such as Latvia, Estonia, and other recent additions to the EU. Some of these countries from the former Soviet Union have counterfeit rates up to 20 percent. The Cochran amendment would ensure these safety concerns are resolved and that the Government provides for the protection of the public's health and safety. Now, in my mind, as we have this debate, the real problem is affordability of prescription drugs, and the real solution to that problem is expanding access to affordable drugs in the United States. In that effort, I take a back seat to no one. But at the same time, I strongly believe we must also protect the health and safety of those we represent. These two goals are not mutually exclusive. We can and must do both. I believe this amendment--the Cochran amendment--accomplishes what we all want, which is expanding access to safe, affordable drugs. I encourage my colleagues to support the Cochran amendment. amendment no. 1011

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record, without further intervening action or debate.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Homeland Security/Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 150, and that the Senate then proceed to its consideration.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 9:30 a.m., Thursday, May 3; that on Thursday, following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed to have expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that the Senate then resume consideration of S. 1082 and there be an hour of debate prior to a vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Dorgan amendment No. 990, with the time equally divided and controlled between Senator Dorgan and the Republican leader or his designee; that upon the use or yielding back of the time, the Senate proceed to vote on that motion to invoke cloture; and that Members have until 10 a.m. to file any second-degree amendments.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that there now be a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, if there is no further business today, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, 4 years ago today, President Bush landed on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in his flight suit. The banner behind him proudly said, ``Mission accomplished.'' President Bush announced to the world, and to the American people, that ``major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.'' I can think of almost no greater act of hubris, arrogance, and denial than the declaration of mission accomplished in Iraq 4 years ago. It is truly stunning how false that statement was. Four years ago today, President Bush declared mission accomplished. Yet, since that time, 3,000 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq. Over 104 American troops died in April alone, making it the deadliest month since last December. Four years ago today, President Bush declared mission accomplished. Yet we have now spent over $450 billion on the war in Iraq. This war is costing us almost 10 times what the Bush administration initially said it would. Four years ago today, President Bush declared mission accomplished. Yet we have now been in Iraq for nearly 50 months, longer than the United States was in World War II. Four years ago today, President Bush declared mission accomplished. Yet U.S. troop fatalities are up 33 percent since the President's escalation of the war in January. Four years ago today, President Bush declared mission accomplished. Yet today, Iraqi civilian casualties are estimated to be in the tens or even hundreds of thousands. It is impossible to know how many have been killed in Iraq, but the United Nations estimates that 35,000 civilians have been killed. Four years ago today, President Bush declared mission accomplished. Yet today oil production in Iraq is still 15 percent lower than it was before the war. Four years ago today, President Bush declared mission accomplished. Yet Baghdad is only getting 6 hours of electricity a day, significantly less than before the war. Four years ago today, President Bush declared mission accomplished. Yet the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction just put out a new report detailing how projects the administration declared a ``success'' are actually failing and no longer operating. Frankly, it reminds me of all the other ways we were misled by this administration. Let us remember what this administration told us about this war. Let us remember the Iraq myths. Remember the unfound weapons of mass destruction; remember the missing mobile weapons labs; remember the yellowcake uranium in Africa; remember Saddam's nonexistent vast stockpiles of chemical weapons; remember when Secretary Rumsfeld told us that ``we know where the weapons of mass destruction are;'' remember the nonexistent link between al-Qaida and Saddam; remember the claims that Iraqi oil and other countries, not the United States taxpayer, would pay for the cost of reconstruction; remember when the administration told us the war would cost only between $50 billion and $60 billion; remember when Paul Wolfowitz said ``it seems outlandish'' to think we would need several hundred thousand troops in Iraq; and remember when President Bush told us on May 1, 2003, that ``major combat operations in Iraq have ended.'' This is the same administration that now comes to this Congress and says: Trust us. This is the same administration that says: Trust us, our new escalation plan will work. This is the same administration that tells this Congress and the American people to be patient, to give their ``new'' plan to escalate the war time to work. Yet their new plan is more of the same. To quote one of the witnesses who testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: This plan is just stay-the-course plus 20,000 troops. That is what they thought then when the witness testified, but eventually it has been a lot more than 20,000 troops. Well, the American people and this Congress have run out of patience. This administration has run out of credibility to ask for more time or another chance, when all we are largely doing is staying the course. Frankly, I find it insulting that this administration thinks this Congress would simply go along with their escalation plan without question. Why should we support President Bush's escalation--a plan with benchmarks but no real consequences? As I have said time and time again, benchmarks without consequences are simply aspirations. We have seen countless misguided plans from this administration, but the Iraqis have never been held accountable. We were told by the end of 2006 a provincial election law would be approved. But that benchmark has not been met. We were told that Iraqis would approve a law for de-Baathification. But that benchmark has not been met. We were told that Iraqis would create a law to help restrain sectarian militias. But that benchmark, too, has not been met. We were told the Iraqis would establish a law to regulate the oil industry and share revenues, which is one of the critical elements to be able to achieve reconciliation in Iraq, the sharing of the nation's national resources. But that benchmark has not been met. We were told that, by March, the Iraqi Government was supposed to hold a referendum on constitutional amendments. But that benchmark has not been met. Time and again, the Iraqi Government has fallen short; and time and again, this administration has looked the other way--basing their plans on the hope that the Iraqis will step up. Continuing this failed policy in Iraq based on the mere hope that things will improve is not good enough. The broken promises must stop. It also seems to me the President is once again out of touch about our progress on the ground and his escalation plan. The President said last week: The direction of the fight is beginning to shift . . . and so far the operation is meeting expectations. This is very much like ``mission accomplished.'' Yet, last Monday, an attack carried out by a suicide bomber near Baqubah killed 9 soldiers and wounded 20 others. The explosion was one of the deadliest single ground attacks on American forces since the start of the war. Two weeks ago, five different bombs exploded in Baghdad, killing at least 171 people. These attacks mark the deadliest day in the capital city since the new security plan was implemented 2 months ago. In fact, almost four coalition soldiers have been killed per day in the past month--the highest rate since January of 2005. As I pointed out before, over 100 soldiers were killed in April, including 9 killed over the weekend, 1 of only 6 times that more than 100 servicemembers were killed in 1 month since the start of the war. Violence outside of Baghdad is on the rise, with more than twice the number of American troops killed in the past 5 months in Diyala Province than were killed all of last year. In terms of civilians, over 1,500 Iraqis were killed between February 14 and April 12. That is almost 500 more people than were killed during the previous 2 months. Frankly, I don't believe the President's escalation plan is working. So I say to the President: The era of blank checks is over and the time of congressional oversight has begun. The President would largely want us to send him a blank check. We have spent 10 times more than we were told we would spend on this war, and there is no end in sight in terms of lives and national treasure. That is why this Senate and the House sent the President an Iraq spending bill with a responsible timeline for withdrawing our troops from Iraq. I believe the President is making a serious mistake with his plan to veto the bill. Some on the other side of the aisle like to point out that the President is the Commander in Chief. I remind my friends the Constitution puts the Congress in charge of appropriating funds. The Constitution, in article I, section 8, provides what scholars call the power of the purse, and it says: ``The Congress''--the Congress-- ``shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.'' Congress has the power and the right and the obligation to make sure we spend the taxpayers' money wisely. In a recent editorial, Leon Panetta, a member of the Iraq Study Group, reminded us the President has stated the goal of our involvement is for Iraq to be able to ``govern itself, sustain itself, defend itself.'' In order for us to get to that point, we need to hold Iraqis accountable for meeting the benchmarks they helped set. The emergency supplemental bill that passed the House and the Senate does just that, by including a plan to redeploy U.S. forces in relation to progress made by the Iraqi Government in achieving security and diplomatic benchmarks. Leon Panetta also said: The worst mistake now would be to provide money for the war without sending the Iraqis any message at all about their responsibility for reforms. Both the President and the Congress at the very least must make the Iraqi Government understand that future financial and military support is going to depend on Baghdad's making substantial progress toward the milestones Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has publicly committed to. The Iraq supplemental sends a strong message to the Iraqis that it is their responsibility to take control of their own country and that our involvement in Iraq is not indefinite. Vetoing the supplemental sends the message to the Iraqis that they do not have to take responsibility and that our troops will be in Iraq indefinitely. But staying in Iraq isn't in the national interest or national security of the United States. Our troops are caught in the middle of a civil war they cannot solve. Keeping more troops there will only put them directly in the middle of an Iraqi fight. Keeping our troops there is trying to solve a political problem with a military solution. Staying in Iraq actually keeps the Iraqis from taking responsibility for their actions. Frankly, what we hear from the other side doesn't make sense. They talk about victory, but what is the definition of ``victory''? Is that the victory we have heard is around the corner? They talk about benchmarks for the Iraqis, but they set no consequences. Four years after the President declared ``mission accomplished,'' 4 years and over 3,000 Americans lives later, 4 years and over $450 billion later, 4 years with no new plan for Iraq, just more of the same, 4 years after the President declared ``mission accomplished,'' I ask: How many more lives must we lose and how much more money must we spend? I close by asking: When will this administration finally understand that ``mission accomplished'' was a myth of their own imagination, born of delusion and denial, yet another terrible mistake in a series of tragic errors? When will we finally hear the words ``major combat in Iraq has ended'' and know they are true? I yield the floor.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, a lot has been said about this bill. Let's get the facts straight before we cast a vote. This administration has said: If you vote for this bill, you don't support the troops. Nothing could be further from the truth. This bill is the ultimate definition of supporting the troops. The truth is, a ``yes'' vote ensures our troops are equipped and prepared to defend themselves, moves them out of another country's civil war, and provides health care that has been lacking for those who return home injured. This is not about surrender, this is about our best chance for success. A vote against this $124 billion spending bill is a vote against the $100 billion for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. A vote against this bill is a vote against a billion-dollar increase to get desperately needed equipment to our National Guard and Reserve who fight abroad and protect us at home. A vote against this bill is a vote against $3 billion for the purchase of 8,500 mine-resistant, ambush- protected vehicles to protect our soldiers from deadly roadside bombs. A vote against this bill is a vote against nearly $3 billion to help reform an overburdened veterans health system struggling to take care of our returning wounded. A vote against this bill is a vote against $900 million to research and treat posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, two of the most critical issues facing wounded soldiers. A vote against this bill is a vote against more than $650 million in emergency funding for children's health care coverage. Without this funding, we are closing our doctors' doors to our Nation's children. A vote against this bill is a vote against $6.9 billion for the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita who are still struggling to rebuild their homes and their lives more than a year after the storms hit. A vote against this bill is a vote against allowing States to have stronger standards to protect chemical security plants. A vote against this bill is a vote against over $2 billion in homeland security initiatives, including mass transit, port security, and other measures that passed in the 9/11 bill in the Senate. Quite frankly, I don't have faith in President Bush's escalation, a plan with benchmarks but no real consequences. I have said again and again, benchmarks without consequences are just aspirations. We have seen countless misguided plans from this administration, but the Iraqis have never been held accountable. We were told that by the end of 2006 a provincial election law would be approved. That benchmark has not been met. We were told the Iraqis would approve a law for debaathification, but that benchmark has not been met. We were told the Iraqis would create a law to help restrain sectarian militias. That benchmark has not been met. We were told that Iraqis would establish a law to regulate the oil industry and share revenues, but that benchmark has not been met. We were told that by March the Iraqi Government was supposed to hold a referendum on constitutional amendments, but that benchmark has not been met. Time and time again, the Iraqi Government has fallen short, and time and again this administration has looked the other way, basing their plans on the hope that the Iraqi Government will step up. Continuing this failed policy in Iraq based on the mere hope that things will improve is not good enough. The broken promises must stop. Some on the other side of the aisle point out that the President is the Commander in Chief. I remind my friends that the Constitution puts the Congress in charge of appropriating funds. Congress has the power, the right, and the obligation to make sure we spend the taxpayers' money wisely. What we are saying today with this bill is no more blank check for the Iraq war. This bill sends a strong message to the Iraqis that it is their responsibility to take control of their own country and that our involvement in Iraq is not indefinite. As Thomas Friedman has written: It is time to decide ``we will no longer play host to a war where we are everyone's protector and target.'' We must put in motion a plan to bring a responsible end to this war. I urge all colleagues to vote for the supplemental, a vote that takes care of our troops, a vote to responsibly bring our troops home, and a vote for a new direction in Iraq and here at home.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I rise in support of S. 761, the America COMPETES Act. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation, which takes important steps to make sure we are preparing our young people to be competitive and working to secure our Nation's future in a global economy. That need has never been more urgent than today, when globalization and technology are tearing down the walls of geography, language, and income. Globalization has brought increased educational, technological, and societal advances to regions that only once dreamed of innovation. Today, as nations abroad are gaining a competitive edge, our younger generations are at risk of falling behind. For a nation with endless resources at its fingertips, it is inexplicable that the United States continues to fall far below other nations when it comes to higher achievement. Yet this is the reality. On international assessments, our young people score below the average compared to other developed nations on math tests. Even when we just look at the highest achieving students, the United States still ranks near the bottom. In the global race to have the most trained, highly-skilled, best prepared workforce, we are losing ground. And we are especially losing ground in fields that are the source of innovation and technology, which will increasingly become a key sector of the global economy. Fewer of our college students are pursuing degrees in math, science and engineering, and if those trends continue, by 2010 more than 90 percent of all our world's scientists and engineers would be living outside the United States. We cannot sit back and expect that we will continue to be at the top when it comes to global achievement. Where other countries are strengthening their education systems, we are not keeping up. We must regain that ground by investing in our younger generations. We must provide quality opportunities for young people now so that they can gain the science, math, and technological skills they need in an emerging global marketplace. We stand at a critical juncture, and how we proceed will determine the future for generations to come. That is why this legislation is so critical--it is a commitment that we will do what is necessary to strengthen our Nation's future. This legislation will both bolster our research and development capabilities and better equip our young people to become the future leaders that this Nation needs. The America COMPETES Act will strengthen educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from elementary through graduate school. It will create grants for master's degrees in math, science, and foreign language and establish programs to improve math instruction for elementary and secondary students. This legislation also calls for substantially increasing funding for the National Science Foundation, doubling basic research funding over the next decade, and the creation of a national science and technology summit. I am pleased this bill includes provisions I introduced last year to increase the participation of women and minorities in science. Specifically, this bill directs the Energy Department to increase the numbers of women and minorities in science and technology fields at all education levels--from kindergarten through the graduate level--and establishes a new outreach program for underrepresented minorities in grades K-12 to encourage careers in science and technology. While opportunities in these fields are becoming more accessible to all students, women and minorities are still sorely underrepresented in the sciences. It is my hope this legislation will help us to close that gap and ensure that young people of all backgrounds have the opportunities they deserve. This bill also contains an initiative that would authorize partnerships between high-need or rural school districts, higher education institutions and the private sector, with the goal of revitalizing the high school science labs in those schools. This will help schools purchase scientific equipment, renovate laboratory space, design new experiments or methods of integrating the laboratory with traditional lectures, and provide professional development for high school lab teachers. This provision--which I introduced last year as a separate bill--will improve the science learning experience for students in low-income and rural schools across the country. As someone who was raised to believe there were no boundaries to what I could achieve, I know first hand that a strong education is the key to success. I was not constricted by the income my parents made, or by the neighborhood I lived in, but only my ability and my determination. With the assistance of the Federal Government, I graduated from college and law school, and had a world of opportunity open to me. I want every young person to have the chance to achieve their dreams an fulfill their God-given potential. This bill will undoubtedly help countless young people reach that goal. The time has come to make a robust, national commitment to the education of our youth at all levels, from kindergarten through graduate school and beyond. We cannot expect our country to be adequately prepared unless we are making the necessary investments in all of our students. Our Nation faces great challenges to meeting the demands of global innovation and competition. A nation that is united in its purpose can answer that challenge, as we have so many times throughout our history. Just as an entire generation was once inspired to dream new dreams of reaching space, and a nation launched a bold investment in science and technology that put a man on the Moon, so can we lead a generation to be the next great leaders and innovators. This legislation will help achieve that goal. It will strengthen not only the competitive future of our young people but of our Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I am proud to be submitting a resolution designating May 1, 2007, as National Child Care Worthy Wage Day. On this day, child care providers and other early childhood professionals nationwide conduct public awareness and education efforts highlighting the importance of good early childhood education for our Nation's young children. This resolution is an effort to support these initiatives and to help develop greater public awareness to our early educators and the critical work they do. Every day, nearly 63 percent of children under the age of 5 are cared for outside their home so their parents can work. Early care and education workers, who number more than 2.3 million, make it possible for millions of parents to leave their children at day care and go to work. By enabling parents to go to work every day, our early education workers add more than $580 billion to our economy nationwide. The importance of early education cannot be overstated. From the day they are born, children begin to learn, and the quality of care they receive will affect their language development, math skills, behavior, and general readiness for school. Our early educators help future leaders and workers of our Nation develop their social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills so they can be ready for school. However, the committed individuals who nurture and teach these young children continue to be undervalued, with grossly low wages and lack of benefits. It is outrageous that the average salary of our early education staff is just a little over $18,000 per year, that only one- third has health insurance and even fewer have pension plans. Early childhood educators perform essential work by supporting the development of our Nation's children. Yet poor wages and benefits have made it difficult to attract and retain high-quality early childhood care takers and educators, and one-third of all early childhood educators leave their jobs every year. This is not only unfair to our child care workers, but it undermines the quality of care that our children receive. Our early educators deserve nothing less than to be recognized and adequately compensated for the work they do. We must give our Nation's early childcare workers wages worthy of the incredible work they do every day to train and develop the future workforce of America. The Nation's childcare workforce, and the families who depend on them, deserve our support, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. The Senator from Michigan is recognized.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Personnel and the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support be authorized to meet in open session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 3 p.m., to receive testimony on the readiness impact of quality of life and family support programs to assist families of active duty, National Guard, and Reserve military personnel.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Joint Committee on Printing be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct its organization meeting for the 110th Congress.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Joint Committee on the Library be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 2:15 p.m., to conduct its organization meeting for the 110th Congress.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 to hold a Business Meeting to markup the nomination of Thomas E. Harvey, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Veterans' Affairs, Congressional Affairs.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate for a hearing entitled ``Sarbanes- Oxley and Small Business: Addressing Proposed Regulatory Changes and their Impact on Capital Markets,'' on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, beginning at 10 a.m. in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 10 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office building. The purpose of this hearing is to examine how America's trade policy has impacted the U.S. economy, consumers, and workers.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 2:30 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The purpose of this hearing is to review the Coast Guard's proposed FY 2008 budget, and related oversight matters.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on Repealing Limitation on Party Expenditures on Behalf of Candidates in General Elections.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet for a hearing on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 2:30 p.m., in 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building. The agenda for the hearing is the nomination of Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp, Jr., to be Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 10 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to hear testimony on ``Examining the Administration's Plan for Reducing the Tax Gap: What are the Goals, Benchmarks and Timetables?''

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. to hold a nomination hearing. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Committee on health, education, labor, and pensions

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to hold an off-the-floor markup during the session on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, at a time to coincide with the first vote and a place to be determined to consider pending committee business. Agenda Nonmination of Gregory B. Cade, of VA. to be Administrator of U.S. Fire Administration.