Patty Murray

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, there is no question that we need to make smart decisions to tighten our belts and reduce our Nation's debt and deficit. American families have done it around their kitchen table, and we owe it to them to get our fiscal house in order. But there is also one group of Americans we owe an even greater promise to, a group we can never allow to become pawns or fall through the cracks, or be forgotten altogether in these budgets debates, and that is our men and women in uniform and the veterans who have protected our Nation for decades. That is why I am here today on the floor, in the midst of the whirlwind of debt and deficit rhetoric, to remind us all of the critical nature of the bill that is on the floor this week; to remind us all that no matter what fiscal crisis we face, no matter how divided we may be over approaches to cutting our debt and deficit, no matter how heated the rhetoric gets here in Washington, DC, we have to keep our commitments to our veterans and servicemembers, and we have to move this bill forward and we have to provide for those who wore or who are wearing the uniform with the peace of mind that we are keeping our promise to them. A couple of years ago we took a proactive step to make sure the nonstop wrangling over appropriations bills here in Congress didn't interfere with the health care our veterans have earned. Thanks to the work of Senator Akaka and many others, the VA spending for health care is now appropriated a year in advance, protecting it from an imperfect budget process that is so often affected by politics. But I remember when we passed advanced appropriations, we were very clear. Our foresight was not going to be an excuse to sit on our hands when VA funding was up for consideration. We were not going to allow a precautionary measure to get in the way of passing timely increases in veterans' health care, and so this bill is the test. Can we put politics aside for the good of our Nation's veterans and servicemembers? Can we show them that, despite our differences, we will work as diligently toward getting them the benefits and care they have earned as they have worked for our Nation? Well, I hope we can. I say that because the investments in this bill are a lot more than numbers on a page. They are life-changing programs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. It is support for suicide hotlines that are seeing more callers than ever before. It is providing roofs over the heads of our servicemembers and their families. It is timely investments in the very biggest priorities of our Nation's heroes. Today I want to talk about a few of the investments that are included in the bill we are considering today and how they translate into the lives of our servicemembers, our veterans and, critically, their families. There is an influx of young veterans coming into the VA system right now that we have not seen in a very long time. In fact, the VA estimates that the number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in its health care system will reach well over \1/2\ million at some point next year. That is an over 100-percent increase since 2008. This is a big challenge and one we have no choice but to step up to meet if we are going to avoid some of the same mistakes we saw with the Vietnam generation. That is why this bill includes nearly $3 billion to meet the health care needs of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, which is a nearly $600 million increase over last year. But it is more than just the sheer number of new veterans that will be coming home to the VA in the near future. It is the extent of their wounds, both visible and invisible, that will require an untold resource from our Nation. Through the wonders of modern medicine, servicemembers who would have been lost in previous conflicts are coming home to live productive and fulfilling lives. But they will need a lifetime of care from the VA. That is why part of this bill includes significant investments for research in a number of areas, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, polytrauma injuries, and sensory loss. It includes funding that will go to maintaining world-class prosthetics such as the one that was worn by SGT Leroy Petry, whom I saw at the White House last week shake the hand of a grateful President Obama as he was awarded the Medal of Honor. It is also funding that comes at a critical time as amputations have sharply increased among soldiers in Afghanistan, many of whom are getting out of protective MRAP and Humvees to engage Afghan citizens and at the same time putting themselves at far greater risk of severe IED injuries. According to a recent Washington Post article, twice as many U.S. soldiers wounded in battle last year required limb amputations than in either of the two previous years. This funding also comes as mental health concerns continue to rise, and suicides among active-duty troops and veterans from these wars have risen to a level now on par with combat deaths. In April, the VA's suicide hotline took 14,000 suicide calls, more than they had taken in any month in the previous 4 years. This bill makes sure we are putting someone on the other end of that call. This bill funds efforts to give veterans access to mental health professionals, and ensures we are not leaving our veterans to go it alone. But this will do much more than help our newest generation of veterans. For generations we have faced the problems of homelessness among our Nation's veterans without making any real headway. Recently, through the success of programs such as HUD-VASH and the Grant and Per Diem Program, we are seeing real progress toward putting homeless veterans into safe and secure housing, and the bold goals laid out by the Obama administration to end veterans' homelessness once and for all. This bill includes nearly $1 billion in direct assistance to homeless veterans, and this bill helps those who have taken on the monumental but deeply personal task of providing care to an injured veteran in their family, those people who have left behind their own careers and personal lives, and even their own health care and benefits to care for those who can't take care of themselves. It includes major investments to meet the unique needs of one of the fastest growing groups of veterans, women veterans who, through health care and construction upgrades that improve privacy, will benefit from VA facilities that are more conducive to their needs. This bill also includes major investments to fund military construction projects worldwide, including readiness centers, barracks, hospitals, clinics, and schools. It also supports family housing construction projects that ensure military families have a satisfactory roof over their heads. And that, by the way, will create thousands of good-paying jobs. As we all know, the strength of our military is rooted in the strength of the families who support them. Investments such as these are what allow our servicemembers to go abroad knowing that their loved ones are being looked after by the Nation they are protecting. After nearly a decade at war, the consequences of sending our servicemembers into combat and the sacred obligation we have to care for those injured in service have become clear. But so have the shortcomings and the challenges we have to meet. Last week, I chaired a hearing on the gaps to mental health care that still exist at the VA, and the stories we heard were deeply frustrating. I heard the stories of two separate veterans who attempted suicide but were still left to wait for weeks, and even months, for appointments at the VA. We have to fix the VA in a way that meets that obligation so they are more flexible and responsive to the needs of today's veterans, and we have to do it in a cost-effective way by making sure we are getting the most value out of every dollar that a bill such as this one provides. Next week in our committee I will be examining the long-term costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to our newest generation of veterans, because I believe we need to address this problem openly and honestly. Like generations of servicemembers and veterans before them, today's heroes have done everything that has been asked of them. They have been separated from their families through repeat deployments; they have sacrificed life and limb in combat; and they have done all this selflessly and with honor to our country. We cannot allow our commitment to them to lapse or to get caught up in politics. That is why we need to pass this bill. We must also come to a budget agreement that avoids default and the consequences that would have on our veterans. We have to keep our promise, no matter what. Madam President, I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, it is with great privilege that today I honor and express my thanks to Dr. Ines Triay, Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management at the Department of Energy for her service to our country. The Environmental Management Program at DOE has consistently been a priority for me during my tenure in the Senate, as Washington State is home to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. As a part of the Manhattan Project, Hanford produced plutonium from 1944 until 1987, and the efforts of Hanford workers and the Tri-Cities community helped end World War II. Today, under the leadership of Dr. Triay, Hanford workers are involved in an environmental cleanup project of enormous scale necessitated by the processes required to transform raw uranium into plutonium for bombs. These processes generated billions of gallons of liquid waste and millions of tons of solid waste which must now be cleaned up, removed, or remediated. Dr. Triay and her staff have worked closely with both the Richland Operations Office and the Office of River Protection to ensure cleanup efforts at Hanford continue to move forward in a meaningful and timely fashion. Ines has devoted her career to the safe and timely cleanup of radioactive waste and facilities from our Nation's Cold War nuclear weapon production and research sites. Ines, a Cuban-born immigrant who earned her Ph.D. in chemistry, has worked at DOE for 24 years, rising from her position as a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory to Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, a Presidentially nominated, Senate-confirmed position. During her tenure as Assistant Secretary, she has led the largest, most diverse, and technically complex environmental cleanup program in the world. One of Ines' greatest successes came after Congress invested $6 billion in the Environmental Management Program. Ines led the effort to accelerate important cleanup projects to reduce the Environmental Management footprint across the country. The success of this investment has been, by all measures, incredible--Ines and her team were able to reduce the footprint of the entire Environmental Management complex by 50 percent. For the past several years, I have worked closely with Ines and I have seen firsthand her commitment to making sure the federal government meets its obligations to protect the health of our communities at Hanford and around the country. Her professionalism, passion and knowledge has contributed significantly to the successes of the Environmental Management Program in recent years, and I will miss working with her and her staff on a daily basis. On behalf of all Washingtonians, and on behalf of our country, I thank Ines for her dedication to the mission of the Environmental Management Program, for her passion and expertise, and for her commitment to the safety and well-being of the people working at Hanford and at Environmental Management sites around the country. Ines will be difficult to replace. I congratulate Dr. Triay on all of her successes as Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management and wish her the best of luck moving forward.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment today to recognize the success of recent efforts at the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, to reduce Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, infections by more than 60 percent in intensive care units. This initiative by VA was highlighted in a New England Journal of Medicine article this year. MRSA is a nationwide problem. It is estimated that it kills 20,000 U.S. residents a year and hospitals remain an important source of this infection. Three years ago, VA launched this initiative to ensure that it leads the way on eradicating MRSA infections from their facilities. The success of this initiative has created a culture that promotes infection prevention by adding patient screening programs for MRSA, precautions for hospitalized patients found to have MRSA, and hand hygiene reminders with readily available hand sanitizer stations throughout VA medical centers. Every day thousands of veterans visit VA health facilities to receive care. VA provides care for more than 6 million veterans each year. In the first 3 years of this initiative, more than 1.7 million screening tests for MRSA were given to veteran patients at VA medical facilities throughout the United States. Screening tests such as these help our veterans stay safe from deadly antibiotic-resistant infections, a threat no American should face when they visit a hospital. Since the initiative's start in 2007, VA has increased the amount of MRSA screenings to 96 percent of all admitted patients. This newly instituted culture that promotes infection prevention has been so successful that infection rates for MRSA have decreased by 62 percent over the past 3 years within VA intensive care units and by 45 percent in other areas of the hospital. The success of VA's work on MRSA prevention is proof that with dedication and strong leadership, VA can make significant improvements in their ability to control infections and deliver high quality health care. It is my hope that these results will be replicated across the healthcare system nationwide and that success achieved by VA in improving the safe delivery of care through the reduction in MRSA infections will be mirrored in their efforts in other areas, like the sterilization and reprocessing of reusable medical equipment. As the chairman of Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the daughter of a disabled World War II veteran, I know firsthand the need for quality health care for our veterans. No one who has made sacrifices to serve our Nation should ever struggle to find quality, timely health care, which is why I am so pleased today to highlight this successful initiative and commend VA on their efforts to eradicate MRSA from their health care facilities and continue to provide care for our Nation's heroes.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I would like to recognize the accomplishments of the 24 participants in the Department of Veterans Affairs' Mentor-Protege Program who are working to help veteran small business owners. In these hard economic times, it is more important than ever to provide this critical support to our veteran entrepreneurs. The goal of the Mentor-Protege Program, which was started in 2010, is to bring together established companies with service-disabled and other veteran-owned businesses. Through these partnerships with established regional businesses, veteran business owners receive guidance on financial and organizational management, business planning and technical aid. They also develop long-term business relationships with their mentor partners. Veterans hire veterans because they know what they are getting. Veterans are well trained, disciplined team players who can deliver results in challenging conditions. At a time when the Department of Labor reports almost 10 percent of all veterans are unemployed, and 27 percent of veterans between the ages of 20 and 24 are unemployed, it is imperative we do everything in our power to tackle this issue. The Mentor-Protege program holds the promise of fostering an environment where veteran-owned businesses can succeed in helping to revitalize our economy while hiring veterans in the process. These veteran-owned small businesses are exactly what our Nation needs to continue on the road to economic recovery while getting our country's heroes the jobs they deserve. While I am optimistic about the potential of the VA's Mentor-Protege Program, I have heard from several companies participating in the program who have expressed concerns with delays in VA's verification process. I urge VA's Center for Veterans Enterprise to expedite the verification process so that these companies can get to work in repairing our economy as quickly as possible. Businesses in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, New Mexico, and California are serving as a model of just how successful a program of this nature can be. The names of the businesses that are participating in the program, both as mentors and proteges, are: ASM Research, Inc. of Fairfax, VA, and Coley & Associates of San Antonio, TX, AUI Contractors, LLC of Fort Worth, TX, and Unified Services of Texas, of South Lake, TX, Bear Construction Company of Rolling Meadows, IL, and Opcon Inc. of Chicago, IL, Booz Allen Hamilton of McLean, VA, and MBL Technologies, Inc., of Rockville, MD, Creative Computing Solutions, Inc. of Rockville, MD, and CPS Professional Services of Fairfax, VA, EMJ Corporation of Sacramento, CA, and 347 Group Construction of Roseville, CA, The George Solitt Construction Co. of Wood Dale, IL, and Industria, Inc. of Chicago, IL, The GRD Contractors, Inc. of Costa Mesa, CA, and Hubzone Corp. of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Harris Corporation GCSD of Melbourne, FL, and Delta Corporation of Fulton, MD, Health Net Federal Services of Rancho Cordova, CA, and Three Wire Systems of Vienna, VA, ICF Incorporated of Fairfax, VA, and Nova Technology Solutions of Fairborn, OH, JOB Options, Inc. of San Diego, CA, and VETSUSA, LLC. of Falls Church, VA, Leopardo Companies, Inc. of Hoffman Estates, IL, and Segovia Group Corporation of San Antonio, TX, Lockheed Martin Corporation of Fairfax, VA, and Fulcrum Vets, LLC of Fairfax, VA, Marous Brothers Construction of Willoughby, OH, and Northstar Contracting, Inc. of North Olmstead, OH, McKesson Corporation of San Francisco, CA, and The Stay Safe Store of El Dorado Hills, CA, Metters Industries of McLean, VA, and Global Technology Solutions, LLC. of Corrales, NM, Northrup Grumman Corporation of Rockville, MD, and Heitech Services, Inc. of Landover, MD, Reva, Inc. of Newark, NJ, and M.E.R.I.T. Inc. of Newark, NJ, The Robins and Morton Group of Birmingham, AL, and Coburn Contractors of Montgomery, AL, Roy Anderson Corp. of Gulfport, MI, and the Bacik Group, LLC. of Columbus, GA, Sargent Electric Co. of Pittsburg, PA, and SGT LLC. Of Pittsburgh, PA, Secom Technical Services of Oak Ridge, TN, and Clauss Construction of Lakeside, CA, Simplex Grinnel of Columbia, MD, and Emergency Planning Management of Stafford, VA, Swinerton Government Services of Arvada, CO, and R.E.M. Engineering Company, Inc. of Pasadena, CA. By fostering an environment where veteran entrepreneurs can grow their businesses, we affirm our commitment to those who have sacrificed so much. I encourage VA to strengthen the growing Mentor-Protege Program and look forward to working with them to achieve their goals.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, there is no question that we are at a point where we have to take substantial and painful steps to get our Nation's fiscal house in order. That is why we are rightfully working to tighten our Nation's belt at a time when American families are doing the same. I am here to talk about one major difference in the way Republicans have proposed to go about addressing our budget and the way American families, who understand shared sacrifice and equal burden, have done it. I will point out one glaring omission in the Republicans' plan amid all their tough talk about fiscal responsibility. I am here to ask Republicans why they are asking everyone to sacrifice except those who can afford it the most? I am here to ask them why they are willing to risk not only defaulting on our Nation's debt but also the health care and benefits our veterans rely on, pay for our troops, Social Security benefits, and the Medicare system our seniors are counting on--all to defend tax breaks for oil and gas companies, sweetheart deals for corporations, and the most generous tax rates wealthy Americans have enjoyed in 60 years. Sometimes it is hard for me to listen to some of my Republican colleagues talk at length about their newfound fiscal sensibilities on the Senate floor and in the press. It is difficult because, like many of them, I was here in 2000. I remember when President Clinton left office. We were on a course to completely pay down the $5.6 trillion debt by 2012. I remember the projection of surpluses. I remember the efforts by many of us to safeguard that funding for our seniors and to pay down that debt. But I can also remember at that time many Republicans could not wait to get their hands on the Nation's credit card. When they did--when President Bush took office--they spent lavishly. A lot of that spending went to some of our Nation's wealthiest individuals and companies. Throughout the Bush years--and particularly in the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003--trillions of dollars in tax breaks went to the very wealthiest Americans. There were capital gains tax rollbacks, tax breaks designed to benefit corporate giants, and a new tax bracket that provided wealthy Americans the lowest tax rates they have enjoyed since World War II. These tax breaks were all unpaid for, all handed out to those who could most afford to pay, and they were all put on the Nation's credit card. Now that that credit card bill has come due, guess who will not be asked to pay their fair share? Unfortunately, under the Republican plan, it is the wealthy companies and individuals who have benefited the most from their spending. It is corporations such as ExxonMobil that despite reporting a profit of over $10 billion in the first quarter of this year--at the same time, by the way, that gas prices for families across this country are rising--they are being protected from a rollback of tax subsidies for oil and gas giants. It is corporate CEOs who are lobbying against closing the tax loophole that they enjoy for private jets and yachts. It is companies that all too often ship American jobs overseas but still enjoy offshore tax havens. Guess who has drawn a line in the sand to protect these corporations and wealthy individuals? It is the very same Republicans who were so quick to break out the Nation's credit card when we were running a surplus, the same Republicans who have repeatedly pledged to block any new revenue--even as we have met them far beyond halfway in these negotiations. Finally, guess who it is who is left to pick up the credit card tab under the Republican plan? Unfortunately, it is everybody else. It is seniors who, under the Republican budget, will lose access to Medicare as we know it; it is students who will be asked to pay more even as tuition rises; it is family farmers and those who can't afford health care for their children; it is the middle-class families who have found themselves living paycheck to paycheck. If Republicans get their way, it will be everybody but those who can afford it most who will be left to sacrifice alone. Unfortunately, the Republican approach is something that has become all too common in the aftermath of this recession. While the effect of this recession is being felt profoundly by working families in lost jobs, lower wages, and less financial security than ever before, the very wealthiest Americans seem to be doing pretty darn fine. On Sunday I picked up the New York Times and noticed they ran an article that showed that the salaries of CEOs at America's largest companies grew by an average of 23 percent over last year's mark. However, the same article noted that over the past year, the pay for average workers had declined. It didn't even mention the thousands of layoffs at the same companies where those bonuses have skyrocketed. Unfortunately, that is the same economic theory that Republicans are bringing to the budget negotiations. For those who can't afford it, their budget provides all the perks, none of the sacrifices; all of the tax breaks, none of the revenues; all of the benefits, none of the pain. It doesn't have to be this way. We can have a plan that works for middle-class families and invests in our Nation's future, a plan that balances tough but necessary spending cuts with new revenues that ensure corporations and wealthy Americans are also paying their fair share; that restores fairness to this process by making sure that in these difficult times we are not balancing our budget solely on the backs of seniors and students and middle-class families; and, most importantly, a plan that recognizes that, yes, we have a budget deficit and we need to address that, but we also have an infrastructure deficit, and we have an education and a skills deficit and, most importantly, we have a jobs deficit. The only way that we will address those deficits is to invest in education, energy, and infrastructure--areas that will produce jobs both now and in the future. Workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own don't just want to hear about cuts, cuts, cuts. They want to hear about how we are going to create jobs. A small business owner who had to shut her doors when the recession hit and customers stopped coming in doesn't want to hear about debt ceilings. She wants to hear about how we are going to get the economy back on track. It cannot just be about slashing; it also has to be about investing in jobs and workers in America. That is what we should be working together toward. I understand that time is not on our side in this debate. The truth is, Republicans aren't merely offering their ``everybody pays except the rich'' philosophy up for debate; they are holding our Nation's economy hostage with it. By refusing to accept new revenues from corporate tax loopholes and tying that refusal to the Nation's debt limit, they are rolling the dice on default. In fact, in my 18 years on the Senate Budget Committee, I have never seen anything like what Republicans are willing to risk in these budget negotiations and who they are willing to risk it all for. Last week, the Bipartisan Policy Center put out a report authored by a former Bush Treasury official about what would happen if Republicans continued to play chicken with default and the administration was forced to make desperate spending decisions in August. The scenarios were worse than grim. Potentially at risk are the benefits and health care we owe our veterans, loans for struggling small businesses, food stamps for people who are struggling to buy groceries, Social Security checks for our seniors, unemployment benefits for millions of workers who are desperately seeking jobs, and even Active-Duty pay for our military. Yet by rejecting revenues in this deal, and by not asking everybody to sacrifice, and by dealing in ultimatums rather than compromise, Republicans are willing to put all these Americans at risk; and they are willing to risk it all in order to go to the mat to protect millions of dollars in tax breaks for the wealthiest few. They are willing to chance loans for Main Street businesses in order to defend offshore tax breaks for multinational companies. They are willing to jeopardize troop pay in order to stand up for hedge fund managers. They are willing to gamble default on tax breaks for horse tracks. I believe that is a bet we all lose. Mr. President, we were elected to work for all Americans, not just the privileged few at the top. It is time for our Republican colleagues to come to the table with flexibility. It is time for compromise. It is time for common sense. And it is time to ask everyone to sacrifice to meet a challenge we all face together. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, it is with great privilege that I congratulate COL Anthony Wright, Seattle district engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, on his well-deserved retirement after 30 years with the Army Corps. Colonel Wright has been stationed with the Seattle District for 3 years and my staff and I have had the pleasure of working extensively with him during that time. Western Washington State has suffered several severe storms in the last few years, resulting in devastating floods, major losses of infrastructure, and millions of dollars of damage to homes and businesses. Under Colonel Wright's leadership, the Army Corps responded quickly and efficiently to minimize the threats of rising floodwaters, and for this we are very grateful. His professionalism and expertise helped our region through disasters and undoubtedly lessened the destruction and prevented the loss of life. An example of Colonel Wright's leadership ability was his response to a storm that caused serious damage to the Howard Hanson Dam in King County, raising the flood threat for hundreds of thousands of residents in the Green River Valley, which is home to one of the largest manufacturing and distribution bases on the West Coast. Colonel Wright and the Army Corps reacted quickly and decisively to counter this vulnerability, working with local governments and the public to ensure that the region was prepared until the dam could be repaired. On behalf of all Washingtonians, I thank Colonel Wright for his dedication to the safety and well-being of the people of western Washington. His knowledge, experience, and tireless effort will be sorely missed. I congratulate Colonel Wright and wish he and his family the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the importance of music education in a child's educational journey. As a former music student myself, I believe every student should have access to this valuable area of study. Three quarters of Americans have been involved in a music program during their time in school. Over half of those participants continue their involvement with music after the 12th grade. This is a testament to the positive impact of music education and why we must continue to provide our students with opportunities to pursue these programs. Music education also provides students with the opportunity to express creativity and to develop skills that will benefit them throughout the rest of their lives. In addition to its inherent cultural value, music education provides a variety of unique avenues for intellectual growth. We also know that musical training has a profound impact on other skills including speech and language, memory and attention, and even the ability to convey emotions vocally. I believe music and other arts are among society's most compelling and effective pathways for offering our children rich and fulfilling educational experiences. It is also important that we acknowledge the music educators who have instilled many generations of students with the gift of music. For these reasons, I am proud to introduce a resolution today recognizing June 24, 2011 through June 28, 2011 as National Music Education Week.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, we are going to hear tonight from President Obama about his plans for changes to troop levels in Afghanistan. Last week I joined with a bipartisan group of my Senate colleagues on a letter to the President urging him to begin a sizeable and sustained reduction in troop levels, and I hope he takes the opportunity to do that tonight. But with all the talk about troop levels, I want to make sure we remember this isn't just about numbers. It is about real people with real families, men and women who are fighting to defend our country and are depending on us to do the right thing for them now and when they come home. As chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, I have an inside look into something that too often doesn't make the front pages: the unseen costs of war, the costs that come after our men and women take off that uniform. We all hear about how expensive war is while we are fighting it. But for so many of our servicemembers what happens on the battlefield is just the beginning. We are seeing suicide rates that are much higher among Active-Duty servicemembers and veterans than among civilians. We are finding they are having trouble accessing the mental health care so many of them desperately need. We are watching as these men and women are sent out on tour after tour. Too often they are having a tough time finding a job when they come home. We owe it to them and their families to do everything we can to get them the support and services they need. Far too many of our servicemembers have sacrificed life and limb overseas, and we must honor them and their sacrifices by making sure we take care of them and their caregivers not just today, not just when they come home, but for a lifetime. This is going to be expensive, and I am going to fight to make sure it happens. I think it ought to be considered as we think now about the war in Afghanistan. The enemy we face is real. The Taliban and al-Qaida have demonstrated through their actions and their words they mean us great harm. I was sitting in the Capitol on September 11, 2001, when I saw the smoke rising from the Pentagon. It is a moment and a day I will never forget. As Americans, we know what this enemy is capable of, and we need to do everything we can to make sure something like that never, ever happens again. That is why I believe American forces need to be prepared to fight terror and terrorists wherever they may be. After September 11, Afghanistan was providing safe haven for them, and we are absolutely right to go in and take them out. But we know terrorism isn't a country; it is a network and a threat that exists around the world. We have seen that our terrorist enemies are not tied to a specific location. They are not bound by lines on a map. They are in Afghanistan, but they are also in Yemen, in Iraq, in Pakistan, and elsewhere. In fact, our top target in the war against terrorism, Osama bin Laden, was just killed in a brave operation in a safe house in Pakistan. It is absolutely critical we have a military that is prepared to take on our threats wherever they may be. So as we consider the wars we are fighting now in Afghanistan and in Iraq, we need to make sure we aren't overextending the servicemembers we are counting on; that we continue to have the financial resources available to defend ourselves against the very real threat of terrorism that continues to exist; and that the costs and resources of boots on the ground for years on end doesn't inhibit our ability to go after terrorists wherever they are. We need to know our military and intelligence operations are nimble and have the resources they need to keep our Nation safe from all threats. We have been fighting in Afghanistan for 10 years. I voted for that war. It was the right thing to do. Our brave men and women in uniform have done everything we have asked of them, including finding Osama bin Laden. But we need to make sure today that our strategies are adapted to meet the threats of today. Leaving large levels of troops in Afghanistan is not the best use of our resources, especially in these tough economic times. It is time to redeploy, rebuild our military, and focus on the broader war on terror. I am hopeful President Obama will make an announcement tonight that reflects those current realities, and I am going to keep working with this administration, the Pentagon, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and all others so that as we fight to keep America safe and to take care of our servicemembers coming home, we do it right. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today I wish to discuss the importance of summer learning, and to draw attention to the significance of high- quality summer learning opportunities in the lives of young people. The effort to keep kids learning during summer is based on research that shows that without effective summer learning opportunities: students fall more than 2 months behind in math over the summer; low- income children fall behind 2 to 3 months in reading each summer; and that by the end of fifth grade, lower income children can be nearly 3 years behind their higher income peers in reading. Last year, nearly 500 events were held nationwide that highlighted how summer learning programs advance academic growth, support working families, keep children safe and send students back to school ready to learn. I am proud to recognize the importance of summer learning and encourage communities across the country to celebrate and acknowledge the importance of providing all young people with high-quality learning opportunities during the summer months.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, it is crucial that we never forget to honor our veterans for their service and dedication to this nation. As the chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, I would like to recognize and applaud the service of Mr. Francis James Walton and Mrs. Jessie Ruth Walton, both of whom served our Nation during World War II and turn 90 years old this year. Mrs. Jessie Ruth Walton was born in Exeter, VA, on May 31, 1921. Heeding the call to service, she enlisted in the Navy WAVES in 1943 and went on to serve her country during World War II as a pharmacist, dispensing needed medicine for the troops in Washington, DC, and in Long Beach, CA. Mr. James Walton, Jessie's husband, was born in Cadillac, MI, on July 14, 1921. He enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 1941. He served in Carlson's Raiders of the 2d Marine Battalion, an elite unit that was among the first U.S. special operations forces to see combat in World War II. Jim's time in the Marines included deployment to the South Pacific, where he fought in Bougainville and Guadalcanal Island, contributing to a strategic victory that turned the tide for the Allied forces in the Pacific. A valiant warrior, he spent 30 days fighting behind enemy lines, 30 days that must have felt a lifetime. Following World War II, Jim returned to Michigan, where he obtained a college degree and married Jessie Ruth Meade. After his time in the service, Jim began teaching and ultimately found a rewarding career at General Motors, where he worked for 30 years before retiring. Together, Jim and Jessie raised a family of four children--James, Susan, Julie, and Jane--who have picked up the mantle of their parents in service to their communities in a range of capacities. In particular, I am delighted to note that their son Jim serves as president of Centralia College in my home State of Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Walton are also fortunate to have 10 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. I am delighted to extend birthday wishes and gratitude to the Waltons on this joyous occasion. I wish them and their family all the best as they celebrate this wonderful milestone.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that following my remarks, the Senator from Texas, Mr. Cornyn, be recognized.

Mrs. MURRAY. I thank the Chair. (The remarks of Mrs. Murray pertaining to the introduction of S. 1166 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President on behalf of Senator Cantwell and myself, it is with great privilege that I congratulate a hard-working Washingtonian, Mr. David Craig, on his well-deserved retirement on June 23, 2011, after forty seven years of dedicated service to the students of Highline High School. Mr. Craig taught business in classroom 216 at Highline High School for his entire career. To put his extraordinary longevity in perspective, Mr. Craig's first graduating class were 18 years old during the 1964-1965 school year. During that same year, President Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty and signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act; Beatlemania was sweeping the globe, and Muhammad Ali was named the heavy weight champion of the world. Today, those 18-year-old students are now senior citizens. Over the course of five decades, Mr. Craig has touched the lives of over 10,000 students. He had the pleasure, as few teachers do, of having his children, Michael and Shelley, as students. He taught Royce Badley, now his coworker and Academic Dean of Students for the Highline High School, and Shaya Calvo, now senior prosecuting attorney for King County. He has also seen his share of tragedies, including losing students to conflicts in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Yet he is consistently reminded of the joy of teaching, seeing it not only in the young people he continues to help today, but also in the frequent encounters he has with former students in his day-to-day life. It is important moments such as the retirement of a great teacher that we reflect on their impact on their school and community. In assessing the legacy of a teacher like Dave Craig, Henry Adams perhaps said it best: ``a teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.'' The legacy that Dave Craig leaves is one that has positively affected the lives of thousands of young people, giving them one of the greatest gifts America can bestow upon its citizenry: the gift of education. As a teacher, Dave Craig has served his school, his community, his country and most importantly his students with enthusiasm and dedication. We should all be very thankful for his selfless devotion to Highline High School. On behalf of all Washingtonians, we commend David for his many years of commitment to our State. His knowledge, experience, and loyalty to education will be sorely missed. We congratulate David and wish he and his wife Paula the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to talk about our obligation to protect workers across America and to urge my colleagues to support the Protecting America's Workers Act, which I am very proud to introduce today. Mr. President, middle-class families across this country are struggling. So many of them have lost their homes or their jobs and are fighting to keep their heads above water. We are working hard here to create jobs and get the economy back on track, but we also owe it to middle-class families to make sure those jobs are safe and healthy. In 2009 alone there were 4,340 deaths in workplaces across America, and over 3 million more were injured or sickened while on the job. If more than 4,000 Americans were killed in 1 day, it would be on the front page of every newspaper in this country. If an epidemic in this country claimed 4,000 lives, it would lead the nightly news each week. But that is not the way it works with workplace injuries. They happen a few at a time, spread out across the country, in communities such as Anacortes in my home State of Washington, where a fire broke out last year at the Tesoro Refinery and killed seven workers. These were men and women who were taken too young, with so much life to live and with so many people to live it with; workers who took on tough jobs and worked long hours during difficult economic times to provide for their families. They were people who made tremendous sacrifices and who embodied so much of what is good about their communities and their States. They have been dearly missed. Washington State investigators looked into that incident and determined that the tragedy could have been and should have been prevented. The problems that led to what happened were known beforehand. They should have been fixed, but they weren't. That is heartbreaking. Every worker in every industry deserves to be confident that while they are working hard and doing their jobs, their employers are doing everything they can to protect them. That is why I am proud to reintroduce the Protecting America's Workers Act. This legislation is a long overdue update to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, or the OSH Act. Since that groundbreaking law was passed over 40 years ago, we know American industry has changed significantly. Businesses and workplaces have become much more complex, and workers are performing 21st-century tasks, but the government is still using a 1970 approach to regulations to protect employees. It doesn't make sense, and it needs to change. We need to update the way we as a country think about our worker safety regulations, and this law is a very important step in that direction. This is not about adding more regulations, it is about having smarter regulations. It is about having regulations that protect workers and make sense for business. Mr. President, the Protecting America's Workers Act makes a number of key improvements to the OSH Act, but I want to highlight just a few. First of all, it increases protections for workers who blow the whistle on unsafe working conditions. Protecting workers who tell the truth is just common sense. In fact, in other modern laws, such as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010, they do exactly that. But since the OSH Act has not been updated, the vast majority of workers today don't have similar protections. An important part of my bill would make sure a whistleblower's right to protection from retaliation cannot be waived through collective bargaining agreements, and they have the option to appeal to the Federal courts if they believe they are being mistreated for telling the truth about dangerous practices. The Protecting America's Workers Act also improves reporting, inspection, and other enforcement of workplace health and safety violations. It expands the rights of the victims and makes sure employers who oversee unsafe workplaces are pushed to quickly improve them to avoid further endangering worker health and safety. This is a good bill. I am proud to have a number of cosponsors in the Senate, as well as the support of many prominent national groups in our efforts to improve workplace safety. Nothing can bring back the workers we lost in communities such as Anacortes, but we certainly owe it to them to make sure workers everywhere are truly protected on the job. So I urge my colleagues to support the Protecting America's Workers Act and to keep working with us to make workplaces safer and healthier across America.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am pleased to introduce the Veterans Programs Improvement Act of 2011. The bill I am introducing today would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue the important work of ending veteran homelessness, improve the quality of the fiduciary program administered by VA, improve claims processing and make a number of other improvements to VA programs. This statement is not a full summary of all the provisions within this legislation. However, I would like to provide an overview of the major benefits this legislation would provide. The administration recently reported that as many as 76,000 veterans experienced homelessness on a given night in 2009. Many of these veterans face significant challenges such as mental illness, physical disability, and substance abuse. In order to heal and remain in stable housing, these veterans will need a great deal of support. I want to commend the VA for working tirelessly to reduce the number of veterans sleeping in the streets. We are certainly off to a good start, but I recognize that there is still much more work to be done. This bill will extend the life and improve upon several critical programs in the ongoing effort to get homeless veterans off the streets and into secure housing. Current law requires that VA diagnose ``serious mental illness'' or a ``substance abuse issue'' before it can use its authority to contract for emergency shelter services. In the tough economic times this country is experiencing, homeless veterans in need of these services do not always suffer from serious mental illness or substance abuse issues, and would not be eligible. This legislation will ensure that these services are available to all homeless veterans who need them. One of the keys to ending veteran homelessness is VA's Grant and Per Diem program, which was established to assist public and nonprofit private entities in furnishing services to homeless veterans. This bill will enhance this essential program by allowing grant funds to be used for new construction, in addition to currently approved uses such as expansion, remodeling, and acquisition. It will also allow grant funds to be used as a match for funding from other sources, and will require VA to take a hard look at how per diem payments are made in order to recommend improvements. This bill also seeks to include male homeless veterans with minor dependents as an additional population with special needs, for eligibility under VA's special needs grant program. The unemployment rate for returning veterans has reached as high as high as one in five this year. Sadly, we are seeing some of these new veterans appearing in homeless shelters. This is not just a VA problem, nor is it just a HUD problem--we all have an obligation to collaborate and address these unmet needs. To better assist in the effort to end homelessness among veterans, Congress needs more details surrounding the plan to end veteran homelessness. This legislation would require the Administration to expand upon their existing plan and submit a plan that includes details, such as a timeline, benchmarks, and recommendations. We will only be successful if we can work together to provide the appropriate tools to ensure access to medical care, affordable housing, and education and jobs. Committee oversight has identified claims where frustrated families of veterans and survivors with severe dementia, such as those who seek VA pension benefits for home or institutional care see months go by because VA refuses to accept signatures from representatives or family caregivers. The situation is sometimes resolved by having the claimant mark an ``X'' or sign a claims form even when the claimant lacks the ability to understand what is written on the form. In other cases, it appeared that the caregiver gave up and no benefits were paid to otherwise eligible beneficiaries. This is unacceptable treatment for some of our most vulnerable veterans, and my legislation would improve the quality of VA's fiduciary program. This legislation would make a number of additional improvements to VA programs. It would grow certain servicemembers to be eligible for a VA guaranteed home loan. Right now, to satisfy the occupancy requirement for a VA home loan, a veteran or servicemember or their spouse must be living in the home. Under this standard, a servicemember who is a single parent and is away on active duty is not eligible for a guaranteed home loan, even if that veteran's child is living in the home. This is unfair and wrong. Under this bill, a servicemember or veteran's dependent child will now satisfy the occupancy requirement. This change will help our servicemen and women better use their VA home loan benefits. It is important that our disabled veterans face as few barriers as possible when attempting to obtain VA home loans. My legislation would allow an individual to receive a fee waiver if, during a pre-discharge program, he or she receives a disability rating for purposes of VA compensation based on existing medical evidence, such as service medical and treatment records. This change would allow an eligible individual to purchase a home without having to pay a VA funding fee, even if he or she has not undergone a pre-discharge examination or a VA disability evaluation. Specially Adapted Housing assistance provides critical support for our veterans in need. This bill extends VA's authority to provide Specially Adapted Housing assistance to eligible veterans who are residing temporarily with family members. In addition, the assistance provided to such veterans would be annually adjusted based on a cost-of-construction index already in effect for other Specially Adapted Housing grants. By honoring servicemembers who have died while on active duty, we ensure that their sacrifice and service will never be forgotten. Providing a presidential memorial certificate to the survivors of fallen servicemembers is one such way for our country to honor their service. Under current law, survivors of active duty servicemembers who have died are not eligible to receive a presidential memorial certificate. This is because eligibility is limited to survivors of veterans who were discharged under honorable conditions. Because a servicemember who died in active service is not defined by law as a ``veteran,'' his or her survivors are not eligible to receive a memorial certificate. This bill would authorize VA to provide a presidential memorial certificate to the next of kin, relatives, or friends of servicemembers who have fallen while on active duty. In so doing, we express our country's deepest thanks for that servicemember's ultimate sacrifice. Addressing the claims backlog and ensuring veterans receive the benefits they have earned is one of my top priorities. One of the reasons for the unreasonably long delays that occur in VA decision- making is the time it takes, often in excess of one and a half years, for the VA to forward an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. This bill would waive agency of original jurisdiction review over new evidence submitted after a veteran has filed a substantive appeal, unless the veteran requests it. Presuming a waiver of AOJ review would improve the timeliness of processing appeals, while at the same time preserve the veteran's right to request initial review by the AOJ, should he or she so desire. This is not a full summary of all the provisions within this legislation. However, I hope that I have provided an appropriate overview of the major benefits this legislation would provide. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am pleased to introduce the Veterans Programs Improvement Act of 2011. The bill I am introducing today would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue the important work of ending veteran homelessness, improve the quality of the fiduciary program administered by VA, improve claims processing and make a number of other improvements to VA programs. This statement is not a full summary of all the provisions within this legislation. However, I would like to provide an overview of the major benefits this legislation would provide. The administration recently reported that as many as 76,000 veterans experienced homelessness on a given night in 2009. Many of these veterans face significant challenges such as mental illness, physical disability, and substance abuse. In order to heal and remain in stable housing, these veterans will need a great deal of support. I want to commend the VA for working tirelessly to reduce the number of veterans sleeping in the streets. We are certainly off to a good start, but I recognize that there is still much more work to be done. This bill will extend the life and improve upon several critical programs in the ongoing effort to get homeless veterans off the streets and into secure housing. Current law requires that VA diagnose ``serious mental illness'' or a ``substance abuse issue'' before it can use its authority to contract for emergency shelter services. In the tough economic times this country is experiencing, homeless veterans in need of these services do not always suffer from serious mental illness or substance abuse issues, and would not be eligible. This legislation will ensure that these services are available to all homeless veterans who need them. One of the keys to ending veteran homelessness is VA's Grant and Per Diem program, which was established to assist public and nonprofit private entities in furnishing services to homeless veterans. This bill will enhance this essential program by allowing grant funds to be used for new construction, in addition to currently approved uses such as expansion, remodeling, and acquisition. It will also allow grant funds to be used as a match for funding from other sources, and will require VA to take a hard look at how per diem payments are made in order to recommend improvements. This bill also seeks to include male homeless veterans with minor dependents as an additional population with special needs, for eligibility under VA's special needs grant program. The unemployment rate for returning veterans has reached as high as high as one in five this year. Sadly, we are seeing some of these new veterans appearing in homeless shelters. This is not just a VA problem, nor is it just a HUD problem--we all have an obligation to collaborate and address these unmet needs. To better assist in the effort to end homelessness among veterans, Congress needs more details surrounding the plan to end veteran homelessness. This legislation would require the Administration to expand upon their existing plan and submit a plan that includes details, such as a timeline, benchmarks, and recommendations. We will only be successful if we can work together to provide the appropriate tools to ensure access to medical care, affordable housing, and education and jobs. Committee oversight has identified claims where frustrated families of veterans and survivors with severe dementia, such as those who seek VA pension benefits for home or institutional care see months go by because VA refuses to accept signatures from representatives or family caregivers. The situation is sometimes resolved by having the claimant mark an ``X'' or sign a claims form even when the claimant lacks the ability to understand what is written on the form. In other cases, it appeared that the caregiver gave up and no benefits were paid to otherwise eligible beneficiaries. This is unacceptable treatment for some of our most vulnerable veterans, and my legislation would improve the quality of VA's fiduciary program. This legislation would make a number of additional improvements to VA programs. It would grow certain servicemembers to be eligible for a VA guaranteed home loan. Right now, to satisfy the occupancy requirement for a VA home loan, a veteran or servicemember or their spouse must be living in the home. Under this standard, a servicemember who is a single parent and is away on active duty is not eligible for a guaranteed home loan, even if that veteran's child is living in the home. This is unfair and wrong. Under this bill, a servicemember or veteran's dependent child will now satisfy the occupancy requirement. This change will help our servicemen and women better use their VA home loan benefits. It is important that our disabled veterans face as few barriers as possible when attempting to obtain VA home loans. My legislation would allow an individual to receive a fee waiver if, during a pre-discharge program, he or she receives a disability rating for purposes of VA compensation based on existing medical evidence, such as service medical and treatment records. This change would allow an eligible individual to purchase a home without having to pay a VA funding fee, even if he or she has not undergone a pre-discharge examination or a VA disability evaluation. Specially Adapted Housing assistance provides critical support for our veterans in need. This bill extends VA's authority to provide Specially Adapted Housing assistance to eligible veterans who are residing temporarily with family members. In addition, the assistance provided to such veterans would be annually adjusted based on a cost-of-construction index already in effect for other Specially Adapted Housing grants. By honoring servicemembers who have died while on active duty, we ensure that their sacrifice and service will never be forgotten. Providing a presidential memorial certificate to the survivors of fallen servicemembers is one such way for our country to honor their service. Under current law, survivors of active duty servicemembers who have died are not eligible to receive a presidential memorial certificate. This is because eligibility is limited to survivors of veterans who were discharged under honorable conditions. Because a servicemember who died in active service is not defined by law as a ``veteran,'' his or her survivors are not eligible to receive a memorial certificate. This bill would authorize VA to provide a presidential memorial certificate to the next of kin, relatives, or friends of servicemembers who have fallen while on active duty. In so doing, we express our country's deepest thanks for that servicemember's ultimate sacrifice. Addressing the claims backlog and ensuring veterans receive the benefits they have earned is one of my top priorities. One of the reasons for the unreasonably long delays that occur in VA decision- making is the time it takes, often in excess of one and a half years, for the VA to forward an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. This bill would waive agency of original jurisdiction review over new evidence submitted after a veteran has filed a substantive appeal, unless the veteran requests it. Presuming a waiver of AOJ review would improve the timeliness of processing appeals, while at the same time preserve the veteran's right to request initial review by the AOJ, should he or she so desire. This is not a full summary of all the provisions within this legislation. However, I hope that I have provided an appropriate overview of the major benefits this legislation would provide. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor to honor and commemorate the men and women who died fighting for our great country. Memorial Day is a day to honor those American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation. It is because of their sacrifice that we can safely enjoy the freedoms our great country offers. It is because of their unmatched commitment that America can remain a beacon for democracy and freedom throughout the world. Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, but it is also a day of reflection. When our brave men and women volunteered to protect our Nation, we promised them we would take care of them and their families when they return home. On this Memorial Day, we need to ask ourselves: Are we doing enough for our Nation's veterans? Making sure our veterans can find jobs when they come back home is an area where we must do more. For too long, we have been investing billions of dollars training our young men and women to protect our Nation, only to ignore them when they come home. For too long, we have patted them on the back and pushed them into the job market with no support. That is simply unacceptable, and it does not meet the promise we made to our servicemembers. Our hands-off approach has left us with an unemployment rate of over 27 percent among young veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. That is 1 in 5 of our Nation's heroes who cannot find a job to support their family and who do not have an income to provide the stability that is so critical to their transition home. That is exactly why earlier this month I introduced the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, which is now cosponsored by 17 Senators and has garnered bipartisan support. This legislation will rethink the way we support our men and women in uniform when they come home to look for a job. I introduced this critical legislation because I have heard firsthand from so many veterans that we have not done enough to provide them with the support they need to find work. I have heard from medics who return home from treating battlefield wounds who cannot get certification to be an EMT or drive an ambulance. I have heard from veterans who tell me they no longer write that they are a veteran on their resume because they fear the stigma they believe employers attach to the invisible wounds of war. These stories are heartbreaking and they are frustrating. But more than anything, they are a reminder that we have to act now. My legislation will allow our servicemembers to capitalize on their service. For the first time, it will require broad job skills training for anyone leaving the military as part of the military's Transition Assistance Program. Today, over one-third of those leaving the Army do not get any of that training. My bill will also require the Department of Labor to take a hard look at what military skills and training should be translatable into the civilian sector and will work to make it simpler to get those licenses and certifications our veterans need. All of these are real, substantial steps to put our veterans to work. All of them come at a pivotal time for our economic recovery and our veterans. I grew up with the Vietnam war. I have dedicated much of my Senate career helping to care for the veterans we left behind that time. The mistakes we made then cost our Nation and our veterans dearly. Today, we risk repeating those mistakes. We cannot let that happen again. Our Nation's veterans are disciplined, they are team players who have proven they can deliver under pressure like no one else. So let's not let another year and another Memorial Day go by without us delivering for them. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to speak on the passage of S. Con. Res. 4, as amended, which would allow for the establishment of a Jewish Chaplains Memorial on Chaplains Hill in Arlington National Cemetery. Since their inclusion in the Chaplain Corps in 1862, Jewish Chaplains have played a vital role in supporting members of the Armed Forces. In Arlington National Cemetery, Chaplains Hill serves as a memorial for military chaplains who have died in service to their country. Chaplains play a critical role in the lives of our Nation's soldiers, providing spiritual guidance and emotional support in their times of need. In addition to their spiritual role, chaplains still remain a part of the military and give their lives in the line of duty. Mr. President, in particular, one story poignantly tells of the service and sacrifice that chaplains make on behalf of their fellow servicemembers. On January 23, 1943, the USAT Dorchester was attacked by an enemy submarine while off the coast of Newfoundland. Four Army chaplains remained on the sinking vessel ensuring that surviving crew members would be able to reach the lifeboats, even surrendering their own lifejackets to crewmembers in need. As the ship began to sink, the chaplains banded together to pray for the safety of the crew. In honor of that selfless act, Congress created the Chaplain's Medal of Honor, also known as the Four Chaplains Medal. One of the chaplains was Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, a lieutenant in the Army, who is one of the 13 Jewish Chaplains who would be honored by the memorial that this Resolution would establish. I would like to thank the many groups and individuals involved in this project. Specifically, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of Rabbi Harold Robinson, RADM CHC USN Retired, Kenneth Kraetzer, Mr. Sol Moglen and Ms. Shelley Rood. Without the work of these dedicated individuals, the sacrifice Jewish Chaplains have made on behalf of this Nation would remain unmemorialized in Arlington National Cemetery.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today I honor Linda Cannon, deputy director of intergovernmental relations for the city of Seattle, who is retiring after serving over 35 years with the city. Ms. Cannon's legacy can be seen throughout the city. She has served for many years as the city's primary contact with the U.S. military as it relates to the base realignment and closure process. The most significant of these projects was her work on the ongoing redevelopment of Sand Point, a former Naval Air Station and later Support Activity Center for the Navy, closed in 1991. Linda served as the key staff person coordinating with the Navy, community members, Native American tribes, and a host of interest groups over the redevelopment of this significant resource. Linda worked to balance all these interests while ensuring that the values of the community were also upheld. The crown jewel of this redevelopment is Warren G. Magnuson Park which honors Washington State's late great Senator Magnuson. Her leadership throughout this process has been critical to its success. Ms. Cannon also served as a mentor and trusted colleague to hundreds of city staff through the years. She is known for her grace under pressure, her clearheaded approach to problems, and keeping everything in perspective. Her attitude and work ethic always served as a model for those around her. Ms. Cannon represents the best of public service in this country. Her professionalism, integrity, institutional knowledge, and understanding of the role of public employees in serving the people have been a huge asset to the city and will be sorely missed. There are hundreds of thousands of public servants around the country like Ms. Cannon who are quietly serving their communities every day. We all should be grateful for their dedication and service. I would like to wish Ms. Cannon the best in her retirement and a heartfelt thank you.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, once again I come to the floor to urge my colleagues to support the Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act. To be honest, I am disappointed this bill is facing so much opposition. All across the country, people are talking about ways to rein in the debt and deficit. In Washington, DC, we are having a vigorous debate about the best ways to do that. I happen to think we should cut spending responsibly while continuing to make investments we need to grow the economy and create jobs for our middle-class workers. There are difficult issues we have to work through, but the bill before us should be an easy one. It says that the biggest oil companies in the country should not be getting subsidies from American taxpayers. It says that the $2 billion a year we send to these hugely profitable companies should be used instead to pay down the deficit. I do not understand why this seems to be so controversial. The big oil companies are already making billions of dollars in profits from families across the country who are paying sky-high prices at the pump. In fact, the five biggest oil companies have made nearly $1 trillion in profits in the last decade and $36 billion in the first 3 months of this year alone. It is not enough they are making money hand over fist from families who are now paying sky-high prices. They then come before Congress and make the outlandish claim that they need to be subsidized by taxpayers as well. It does not make any sense, and it has to end. Budgets are more than numbers on a page. They are about our priorities and our values as a nation. I think before we cut spending in areas that will impact our middle-class families and the most vulnerable among us, we should focus right now on cutting out wasteful subsidies to huge companies that do not need it. That is what this bill does. I also want to talk about the high prices families are paying for gas in my home State and across the country. I was recently at home with Senator Cantwell, and we had the opportunity to meet with some local small business owners who talked about the impact these skyrocketing prices of oil and gas were having on their businesses. They are hurting. These small business owners are already struggling to keep their doors open in these tough economic times. Every time prices go up at the pump, they are pushed one step closer to the edge. That is why I believe as a country we need to move away from our dependence on foreign oil and toward a more secure clean energy future. It is why I called for a crackdown on the speculation that is part of what pushes up gas prices and why I was so disappointed that the House Republican budget slashed funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. That is the very agency that is charged with protecting consumers from the excessive speculation in the markets. I think that gets to a big difference between our two parties today. Democrats are here fighting to rein in the deficit by ending the wasteful subsidies that the biggest oil companies are getting from the American taxpayer; Republicans are fighting to cripple the agency that is charged with protecting middle-class families from being ripped off and preyed upon. These are two additional approaches to tackling the deficit. I am going to keep fighting to make sure middle-class families are protected. I urge our colleagues to support this legislation that will put taxpayers and the middle class ahead of Big Oil. It will end the wasteful giveaways to oil companies and use that money to pay down the deficit in a responsible way. So I, too, wish to thank Senators Menendez, McCaskill, Tester, and Brown for their great work on this issue, and I hope we can finally put this to rest and save taxpayers $21 billion over the next 10 years. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Seapower of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 12, 2011, at 2:30 p.m.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 12, 2011, at 2 p.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Need for National Mortgage Servicing Standards.''