Patty Murray

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety of the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 12, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. in Dirksen 406 to conduct a hearing entitled ``Federal Efforts to Protect Public Health by Reducing Diesel Emissions.''

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence 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 the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on May 12, 2011, at 9:30 a.m., in SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct an executive business meeting.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 12, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Ten Years After 9/11: Is Intelligence Reform Working?''

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet, during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Endangered Middle Class: Is the American Dream Slipping Out of Reach for American Families?'' on May 12, 2011, at 9:15 a.m., in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 12, 2011, at 9:15 a.m., to hold a hearing entitled ``Assessing the Situation in Libya.''

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 12, 2011, at 9 a.m., in room SD-215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Oil and Gas Tax Incentives and Rising Energy Prices.''

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 12, 2011, at 9:30 a.m.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 12, 2011, at 9 a.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Carol Bruce and Brian Solarz, with the Senate Ethics Committee, be granted the privilege of the floor during today's session.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I come to the floor today to support the Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act and to talk about the devastating effect that high prices at the pump are having on families in my home State of Washington. Middle-class families and small business owners are still struggling. Our economy is just starting to turn around, but so many families are still fighting to stay in their homes, so many small business owners are still struggling to keep their doors open, and so many workers are still desperately trying to get back on the job. All of this is happening while we are here debating in Congress about the best ways to cut spending responsibly and rein in the deficit. This is a serious issue. We need to get it done. But I feel very strongly that before we make budget cuts that slash support for our middle-class families, we should look at ways to responsibly reduce the deficit that do not hurt the families who are struggling the most. To me, one of the most commonsense actions we can take is to end the wasteful subsidies that we, the taxpayers, are forced to hand over to the big oil companies every year. It is a no-brainer. Anyone who is serious about reducing the deficit should support this effort. It is as simple as that. The big oil companies are already making billions of dollars in profits from families in America who are paying now sky-high prices at the pump. In fact, the five biggest oil companies have made nearly $1 trillion in profits--$1 trillion in profits--in the last decade and $36 billion in the first 3 months of this year alone. But the big oil companies are not just making money hand over fist from families paying sky-high prices at the pump. They also have the gall to come back to those same taxpayers and demand billions more in subsidies that add directly to their profits. It does not make any sense, and it has to end. I think my colleagues in the Senate who oppose this legislation need to explain to the American people why they think big oil companies need even bigger profits and why they think American taxpayers should continue to pad their coffers with unwarranted subsidies at the very time we are fighting to rein in the deficit. But in addition to ending those wasteful subsidies to the big oil companies, we also have to act to end the speculation that is a big part of what is pushing prices at the pump higher and higher. At a time when our household budgets are already stretched so thin, speculators continue to drive up those prices and volatility in the oil markets. That is one of the reasons I was so angry and disappointed that the House Republican budget proposal slashed the funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. That is the very agency that is charged with protecting consumers from excessive speculation in the markets. How can they do their job and protect consumers if they are not there? I think that says a lot about our very different priorities in Congress. The House majority has pushed to slash spending by crippling agencies that middle-class families depend on for basic protections, while Democrats are here trying to reduce the deficit responsibly by ending subsidies to the big oil companies that do not need them. I urge our colleagues to put taxpayers in the middle class ahead of Big Oil, to end those wasteful giveaways to oil companies, and to use that money to pay down the deficit in a responsible way. I thank Senators Menendez, McCaskill, Tester, and Brown for their great work on this issue. Once again, I support the Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act. I am going to keep fighting to end the oil and gas speculation that is hurting so many families in my home State of Washington and across the country. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am proud to introduce the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011. My colleagues, including Senators Murkowski, Leahy, Baucus, Rockefeller, Akaka, Boxer, Sanders, Brown of Ohio, Casey, Tester, Begich, Coons, and Brown of Massachusetts join me in introducing this important legislation. I appreciate their continued support of our Nation's veterans. I also want to thank the veterans service organizations and their representatives, who have supported this legislation, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Today, we are taking a huge step forward in rethinking the way we treat our men and women in uniform after they leave the military. For too long in this country we have invested billions of dollars in training our young men and women with new skills to protect our nation, only to turn our backs once they have left the military. For too long, at the end of their career we patted these troops on the back for their service and then pushed them out into the job market alone. Where has that left us today? Today, we have an unemployment rate as high as 27 percent among young veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. That is over one in five of our Nation's heroes who cannot find a job to support their family; who do not have an income that provides stability; and do not have work that provides them with the self-esteem and pride that is so critical to their transition home. All too often we read about the results of veterans who come home-- often with the invisible wounds of war--who cannot find the dignity and security that work provides. We read about it in skyrocketing suicide statistics; problems at home; substance abuse problems, and even in rising rates of homelessness among our young veterans. I frequently hear from veterans that we have failed to provide adequate job support. I have had veterans tell me that they no longer write the fact that they're a veteran on their resume because they fear the stigma that employers might attach to the invisible wounds of war. I have heard from medics like Eric Smith, a former Navy Corpsman who returned home from treating battlefield wounds and could not get certifications necessary to be an emergency medical technician or to drive an ambulance. I have heard from veteran after veteran who said that they did not have to go through the military's job skills training program or that they were never taught how to use the vernacular of the business world to describe the benefits of their experience. These stories are as heartbreaking as they are frustrating, but more than anything they are a reminder that we have to act now. The bill we are introducing today allows our men and women in uniform to capitalize on their service, while also ensuring that the American people capitalize on the investment we have made in them. For the first time, it would require broad job skills training for every servicemember as they leave the military as part of the military's Transition Assistance Program. Today, nearly \1/3\ of our servicemembers do not get this training. This bill would also allow servicemembers to begin the federal employment process prior to separation in order to facilitate a truly seamless transition from the military to jobs at the VA, Homeland Security or many of the other federal agencies in need of our veterans. In addition, this bill also requires 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 needed licenses or certifications. Finally, this bill will allow for innovative partnerships with organizations that provide mentorship and training programs that are designed to lead to job placements. All of these are real, substantial steps to put our veterans to work, and all of them come at a pivotal time for our economic recovery and our veterans. I grew up with the Vietnam War and I have dedicated much of my Senate career to helping to care for the veterans we left behind at that time. The mistakes we made then have cost our nation and our veterans dearly and have weighed on the conscience of this nation; yet today we stand on the brink of repeating those mistakes. We cannot let that happen. Our Nation's veterans are disciplined, team players who have proven they can deliver under pressure like no one else. It is time for us to deliver for them. 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 for America's servicemembers as they transition into civilian life. I also ask our colleagues for their continued support for the Nation's veterans. 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 proud to introduce the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011. Effective December 1, 2011, this measure directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the rates of veterans' compensation to keep pace with a rise in the cost-of-living, should an adjustment be prompted by an increase in the Consumer Price Index, CPI. Referred to as the COLA, this important legislation would make an increase available to veterans at the same level as an increase provided to recipients of Social Security benefits. All of my colleagues on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Senators Burr, Rockefeller, Akaka, Sanders, Brown of Ohio, Webb, Tester, Begich, Isakson, Wicker, Johanns, Brown of Massachusetts, Moran, and Boozman join me in introducing this important legislation. I look forward to our continued work together to improve the lives of our Nation's veterans. Last year, Congress passed, and the President signed into law, Public Law 111-247, which would have increased veterans' compensation rates had there been an increase in the CPI. While there was no cost-of- living increase in 2011 due to a decline in the CPI, the 2012 adjustment was projected to be .9 percent in the President's fisal year 2012 budget submission. The COLA affects so many important benefits, including veterans' disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. It is projected that over 3.5 million veterans and survivors will receive compensation benefits in fiscal year 2012. As the daughter of a disabled veteran, I understand the critical nature of these benefits as many recipients depend upon these tax-free payments for their most basic needs, in addition to the needs of their spouses and children. We have an obligation to the men and women who have sacrificed so much to serve our country and who now deserve nothing less than the full support of a grateful Nation. The COLA brings us one step closer to fulfilling our Nation's promise to care for our brave veterans and their families. I ask our colleagues to show their continued support for our Nation's veterans by working together to ensure this benefit remains available and is not diminished by the effects of inflation. 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 proud to introduce the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011. Effective December 1, 2011, this measure directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the rates of veterans' compensation to keep pace with a rise in the cost-of-living, should an adjustment be prompted by an increase in the Consumer Price Index, CPI. Referred to as the COLA, this important legislation would make an increase available to veterans at the same level as an increase provided to recipients of Social Security benefits. All of my colleagues on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Senators Burr, Rockefeller, Akaka, Sanders, Brown of Ohio, Webb, Tester, Begich, Isakson, Wicker, Johanns, Brown of Massachusetts, Moran, and Boozman join me in introducing this important legislation. I look forward to our continued work together to improve the lives of our Nation's veterans. Last year, Congress passed, and the President signed into law, Public Law 111-247, which would have increased veterans' compensation rates had there been an increase in the CPI. While there was no cost-of- living increase in 2011 due to a decline in the CPI, the 2012 adjustment was projected to be .9 percent in the President's fisal year 2012 budget submission. The COLA affects so many important benefits, including veterans' disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. It is projected that over 3.5 million veterans and survivors will receive compensation benefits in fiscal year 2012. As the daughter of a disabled veteran, I understand the critical nature of these benefits as many recipients depend upon these tax-free payments for their most basic needs, in addition to the needs of their spouses and children. We have an obligation to the men and women who have sacrificed so much to serve our country and who now deserve nothing less than the full support of a grateful Nation. The COLA brings us one step closer to fulfilling our Nation's promise to care for our brave veterans and their families. I ask our colleagues to show their continued support for our Nation's veterans by working together to ensure this benefit remains available and is not diminished by the effects of inflation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I would like to recognize the accomplishments and discoveries of investigators and scientists at the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, who have brought about critical advances in health care delivery and medical knowledge through innovative medical research. These researchers and the veterans that make it all possible will be honored this week by National VA Research Week, which celebrates the historic success of VA research collaborations through this year's theme of ``Discovery and Collaboration for Exceptional Health Care.'' I would like to share some of the amazing breakthroughs that have resulted from VA research and that have advanced the quality of health care for all Americans. At the conclusion of World War I, it was clear that servicemembers returning from a new type of warfare needed innovative medical treatment. VA research began conducting hospital-based medical studies in 1925 and since then has continued to publish significant research studies on a regular basis. While VA research studies have changed dramatically over the years to reflect the needs of veterans of each conflict, the goal of providing quality care has remained paramount. This commitment to quality care has led to a litany of medical breakthroughs and discoveries that are respected and have been utilized around the world. Without the tireless efforts of VA researchers, the medical community would not have lifesaving tools such as the pacemaker and the heart stint. Without the breakthroughs of VA research, the world may never have seen a successful liver transplant, a safer cure for tuberculosis, or genetic mapping that may one day lead to the eradication of Alzheimer's disease. The many successes of VA research continue today as ongoing projects close in on a possible cure for cancer, create new pharmaceutical solutions for serious mental illness, and build new prosthetics and assistive devices that make a return to normal life possible for our wounded warriors. VA research holds the promise to improve treatment and rehabilitation for our Nation's veterans. From developing new prosthetics to understanding and treating traumatic brain injuries, veterans can be certain that VA medical staff will always be prepared to best heal their wounds. Wounds, both visible and invisible, must receive the best care and treatment possible, and I am proud that VA is leading the way on new treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. VA breakthroughs in the treatment of PTSD have not only helped thousands of veterans but have served as an example for both the American and international mental health community. Most recently, VA has been a resource for the people of Japan while they grapple with the mental wounds of the tragic earthquake and tsunami that so violently shook that country earlier this year. Today, while the first responders and the resilient people of Alabama and the areas affected by recent tornado destruction begin physically rebuilding their homes and communities, they can rely on the Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide to provide tips on how to begin the healing process. Medical and scientific advances from VA research have often come through collaboration. VA has the privilege of relying on one of our Nation's greatest assets, the men and women who serve. These veterans understand that oftentimes, their participation in VA Research may not directly benefit their lives. Instead, they continue to serve their fellow Americans by trying to ensure better quality care for those who return from armed conflicts in the future. By partnering with 1 million veterans, VA is launching the Million Veteran Project, an effort to learn more about how genetics affect health. VA also has the ability to partner with some of the best medical research institutions through their relationship with the Association of American Medical Colleges. This year's theme marks the 65th anniversary of an agreement which allowed VA to join with medical schools and create innovative partnerships directly impacting the quality of care. This partnership is a significant reason for VA research being so successful at finding innovative solutions to health care problems. Because of this collaboration, VA scientists and researchers have access to both VA medical centers and various university medical centers to conduct their research. This partnership brings together the brightest minds of our medical and scientific communities and yields positive results for our veterans. I am proud to have been a long-time, ardent supporter of VA research. I know that VA's world-class researchers could easily work elsewhere, but they continue to work with the Department in fulfilling its obligations to constantly improve the quality of care for our veterans. At a time when more and more veterans are coming home from war and relying on VA for their health care needs, we here in Congress must make sure we can lead the way with a strong investment in our veterans and the high quality care we are committed to providing them.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to talk about the tremendous news our country received last night from President Obama. Almost 10 years ago on September 11, 2001, I too remember looking out a window in the Nation's Capitol and seeing the black smoke billowing in the air over the Pentagon. On that day, America was brutally attacked by terrorists who took aim at the financial, military, and political centers of our country. And although these evil men killed thousands of Americans and caused great devastation, they were unable to do what they wanted to do most: break our country's spirit. We came together as a community. We mourned, we rallied around the families of those who were lost, and we struck back against those who did us harm. Last night's tremendous news is the close of a major chapter in the war on terror. It is a great day for justice and for all Americans to remember the strength and resolve of our Nation. I applaud the superb work of our intelligence communities and the work of this administration that brought the mastermind of the worst attack in our Nation's history to justice. But today I want to pay special tribute to the men and women in uniform who have answered the call to serve after that fateful day 10 years ago. Since the attacks on New York and Washington, DC, more than 2 million American servicemembers have stepped forward to serve our Nation. Nearly half of these servicemembers have done more than one tour of duty abroad. Many who have served have come from the ranks of our National Guard and Reserves and have turned a part-time commitment into a full-time job protecting our Nation. These men and women who chose to join our all- volunteer force come from all walks of life and from every corner of our Nation. In my home State, thousands have come forward to serve while thousands more have come to Washington State to train and make their home at our major military installations. These servicemembers have done everything we have asked of them and more. While it appears that yesterday's raid came without American casualties, that, of course, has not been the case for so many missions in our fight against terrorism. Since 9/11, nearly 6,000 servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and more than 40,000 have been wounded. For many of our servicemembers, the scars of their service are visible and for others they are invisible. Many have lost those closest to them on the battlefield and have come home with a burden that few others know. Others will need a lifetime of care from the Department of Defense and the VA. All have left families behind, who love and miss them, to protect our country. We cannot forget these families and the fact they have sacrificed right by our servicemembers' side. Moving from base to base, giving up jobs, putting their loved ones and their country before their own needs is a gift we must repay. As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, it is my job to ensure that the lifetime of care that these servicemembers and their caregivers need will be delivered. So, today, as we appropriately take pride in the most significant victory yet in our fight against al-Qaida and terrorism, we should also take pause to honor all of the veterans and Active-Duty servicemembers who have paved the way to this day. We must also remember that this tremendous victory has come with a tremendous cost, a cost that we must bear as a nation for many years to come as our servicemembers return home. Mr. President, this is, of course, also a particularly meaningful day for the thousands of Americans who lost a family member or a friend or a loved one on September 11. We know this news can't bring back their loved ones, but our hope is that it can help ease the pain they live with each day. Like many Americans, my first thought last night after this news was of the victims and their families, and my thoughts and prayers remain with them during this time. Going forward we must remain vigilant and focused on the protection of the American people from terrorism wherever it may be, and we must continue to work in the interest of peace and security for all Americans. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I yield back all time and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I yield back all debate time, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MURRAY. I ask the Chair to lay before the Senate H. Con. Res. 35.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following votes be 10-minute votes.

Mrs. MURRAY

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

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I thank all of my Democratic women colleagues for coming today and speaking so passionately, as the Senator from Maryland has just done, on issues we feel so deeply about. You will be hearing from all of us because we are outraged that the price tag for a vote on the continuing resolution is to attack votes on women's health. I yield to the Senator from California for 5 minutes.

Mrs. MURRAY. I want to thank my colleague from California for her great statement, and the Senator from Maryland. And you will hear more of us. Frankly we are here today because we are outraged. We strongly oppose the resolution on the floor that slashes health care for women and girls and middle-class families. I have to say as a woman and as a mother, I am angry that women's health care is even up for debate right now. Middle-class families in this country are struggling. When I go home to my State of Washington, I hear about people who are worried about getting a pink slip or how they are going to put food on the table, whether their job is going to be there for them, and if we are making sure our economy is working for them and their children. That is what I hear about. I do not hear about, when are you going to slash health care for women. Not once. We have seen a smokescreen. That is why we are here. Last week under the continuing resolution that was being negotiated between the House and the Senate and the White House, one remaining open item: eliminating title X funding for women's health care. It was not about budget deficits; it was not about the debt; it was not about jobs or the economy. It was about an ideologically driven attack on women's health care. We were able to keep that out of the continuing resolution that we will vote on tomorrow. But the pricetag the Republicans in the House gave us to get to a vote to keep government open and to move our country forward is two votes: one that defunds Planned Parenthood, and one that defunds health care. Both of those are extreme attacks on women's health care. My colleagues have spoken eloquently about Planned Parenthood. This is not about abortion. Federal funds cannot go to abortion. We are frankly tired of having to correct the untruths that continually come out about this funding. But we are not going to give up and we are going to keep fighting and we going to keep correcting them. Planned Parenthood is about providing Federal funds for care, such as mammograms, and cervical cancer screenings, and prenatal care, and family support and counseling. This is about preventive health care services for women, and we take it as a direct attack on every woman in this country and her ability to get the health care she needs. The second vote is an attack to dismantle health care. Well, let's remind all of us why health care finally became an issue that we were strong enough to deal with in this country. I will tell you why. Because women finally said, we have had enough. Let's face it, women are the ones who take their kids to the doctor, they are the ones who see the bills coming in, and they are the ones who fight insurance companies on a daily basis. They said, we have had enough. So we went through a long process here to make sure that we passed health care in a way that protected women. It was women who were denied health care coverage because of preexisting conditions time and time again. We said ``no more.'' Now they want to vote tomorrow to put that back into effect. We heard from women who were denied coverage for health care because they were a victim of domestic violence. We said ``no more.'' Now they attack that again. There are so many reasons why this is the wrong approach. But I will let all of our colleagues know, we are going to defeat these amendments tomorrow. We are going to move on. But the Democratic women of the Senate are now vigilant, and we are here, and we are not going to allow the 2012 budget or further discussions as we go along to be a smoke screen to cover up a real agenda, which is to take away the access for health care and basic rights that women have worked long and hard and fought for in this country. I want you to know you will be hearing more from us, but we are not going away. We are going to defeat these amendments tomorrow, and we are here to fight them until they stop being offered. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor today in shock and anger that, after weeks of negotiations, after pledges from Republicans to come to the table in good faith, after repeated assurances that they want to talk about principles and budget numbers and not politics, after all the hot rhetoric we have heard about concern for our troops and our workers and that the veterans will be hurt, Republicans have decided to hold the Federal budget hostage to their extreme social agenda. It is now clear that this is not a debate in the last hours before this government shuts down about how much to cut. It is about whether women in this country will have access to basic health care services. As a woman, as a mother, as a grandmother, I find that appalling. They can say whatever they want to on the other side, but if they want to say this is about numbers, then I challenge them to say title X is off the table. For millions of women in this country, and men, their only access to preventive health care services, pregnancy diagnosis, counseling, preventive health services, cervical and breast cancer screening, sexually transmitted disease and HIV transmission prevention and education, a broad range of access to contraceptive methods--that is what Republicans now, in the 11th hour, are holding hostage to a government shutdown. I don't think anyone in America thought this election was about that. We heard the promises about the economy, about cutting budgets, about fiscal concerns, but we never heard from anyone that they would be willing to shut down this government and put this country at risk over an ideological debate about women's health care. I have three words for them: Women aren't pawns. We will not be pawns in this debate and we will not give in. The access to these critical services is so important to so many young women in this country. I told the story and I will tell it again. A few days ago I heard from a young woman in my State who, at 18-years-old, had to leave an extremely abusive family situation, out on the street on her own. She had cervical cancer that runs in her family. The only way she was able to get the medication and care she needed was through title X Federal funding through clinics in her State. She and 5 million others in this country depend on that, and we are going to take this away at the 11th hour, in order to get an agreement? Not on my watch. Not on the watch of millions of American families in this country who know that access to women's health care is basic to them and their families and their communities. What kind of country are we, that at the 11th hour on a debate like this, the issue remaining is about women's health care? I find that stunning. Families across my State are hurting. They have lost their jobs, they are worried about getting a pink slip, their home prices have dropped, they are worried about making their mortgage, and this debate now has come to this? An issue of access to title X funding for preventive health care for women? We need to focus on the economy. Yes, there are going to be some budget cuts in this that are going to be extremely hard for me and others who care about investing in education and jobs, but we know we have to come to an agreement. But we will not let women be used as pawns in this debate at this 11th hour. We are not going to allow this debate to end by cutting off funding for health clinics across America that are often the only place for low-income women. In my State of Washington over 100,000 patients depend on these clinics to provide prevention. Over 3 million Americans do nationwide. We are not going to let the threat of a shutdown make us fade away. Women are going to stand tall, and men with them, across the country, to say: Not on our watch. Women are not pawns. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I wanted to take a few minutes to share with my colleagues a success story involving the building of a Federal laboratory project with funds from three separate Federal agencies. Several years ago, as part of the efforts to remediate some of the excess facilities at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in my home State of Washington, the Department of Energy decided to tear down virtually all of the laboratory facilities in the so-called 300 Area to remediate and make the area available for future industrial uses. We all shared the goal of cleaning up the 300 Area--it is an important part of the ongoing cleanup work at Hanford. But because the 300 Area was home to approximately 1,000 scientists, engineers and support staff for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PNNL, we know that we would have to find a new place for them to conduct their work. As I am sure you know, building a replacement laboratory to accommodate 1,000 people is no easy task under any set of circumstances. And the broad spectrum of work being done by these scientists--national security, homeland security, science research-- both increased the challenge and brought a number of Federal agencies together. This unique situation brought together three agencies--the Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security--to create a unique solution, building the Physical Sciences Facility. This arrangement--three separate agencies with funding in two separate appropriations bills--isn't common in the Federal Government and isn't easy to accomplish. But with a lot of hard work, the $225 million Physical Sciences Facility was constructed on time and within budget over 5 years' time. It has allowed the unique capabilities at PNNL to continue to be able to support critical missions for several government agencies. I appreciate the leadership of PNNL Director Len Peters and Mike Lawrence, followed by Director Mike Kluse, who were determined to make the Physical Sciences Facility a reality. I would also like to recognize Carrie Desmond and Doug Clapp, both of whom used to work on my staff, for helping to make this project happen in the face of odds that were unbelievable at times, including budget requests that were not always sufficient to keep the project on schedule. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the dedication of the new laboratory on April 19, but I will be there in spirit. I congratulate all of the people at PNNL, the Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security who have worked to make the Physical Sciences Facility at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory an important asset for the Federal Government.