Gary Peters

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise to express my support for the Export-Import Bank and to encourage my colleagues in the Senate to take up and pass bipartisan legislation scheduled for consideration in the House next week that would reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank until September 30, 2019. The Export-Import Bank helps American companies export their goods and services across the globe, helping businesses grow and creating more demand for American manufactured goods and agricultural products. Over its 80-year history, the Ex-Im Bank has provided loans to help businesses start exporting, open new markets, and access new customers. The Bank provides insurance to help businesses protect their bottom lines if a foreign buyer fails to pay and works with private lenders to fill gaps in financing that helps close deals that simply would never happen without its support. Most importantly, the Ex-Im Bank does all of this at no cost to the taxpayers. In fact, it makes money. Just last year, the Bank generated a $675 million surplus to help reduce the deficit. The Ex-Im Bank helps level the playing field for American companies in a tough global market. Last year it supported more than $27.4 billion in U.S. exports and 164,000 jobs. More than $10 billion of that total--nearly 40 percent--represented exports by small businesses. The Ex-Im Bank is dedicated to serving small businesses in Michigan and across the country. Ninety percent of its overall transactions directly supported small businesses, including many that served suppliers for large companies. In 2013, I was proud to attend the opening of Ex-Im Bank's regional export finance center in Detroit with Governor Snyder and my colleague Senator Stabenow and Congressman John Dingell. In Michigan alone, the Bank has supported 229 exporter businesses selling $11 billion worth of goods to places such as Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Canada. This support is particularly important for our manufacturing industry, including motor vehicles and parts, machinery and chemicals--all vital sectors to our economy. Over the summer, I had the opportunity to visit a Michigan business, Mill Steel Company in Grand Rapids, which works with the Ex-Im Bank to export its products. Mill Steel is one of North America's premier flat- rolled steel companies. It is also a family-owned business that wanted to make Michigan products and hire Michigan workers. Mill Steel sells and ships its steel to auto suppliers in Mexico and Canada. The loan guarantees provided by the Ex-Im Bank reduce Mill Steel's risk when exporting to foreign buyers, providing certainty and allowing them to continue hiring new employees and providing good-paying jobs in Michigan. Unfortunately, over the summer, despite bipartisan support for reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank, a small, ideologically driven minority in Congress allowed the charter for the Export-Import Bank of the United States to expire, risking billions of dollars in exports, hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and putting our country at an economic disadvantage in a competitive global marketplace while also increasing the Federal deficit. The failure of Congress to act on this commonsense Federal program endangers jobs in Michigan and is simply unacceptable. General Electric has a plant in Michigan that employees 1,400 Michiganians. Over the summer, GE announced that it plans to relocate over 300 jobs from Wisconsin to Canada as a result of the Ex-Im Bank closing its doors. When this happened, my office was flooded with inquiries from a number of constituents concerned about what would happen to their communities and their own job security if a similar decision was made in Michigan. In the months since Ex-Im Bank's authorization has lapsed, GE has signed deals with export credit agencies in competitor foreign nations, creating jobs abroad instead of right here in the United States. As a Senator from a State with world-class engineering and manufacturing talent, I am frankly appalled by these developments, especially when we have already seen the benefits that the Bank has produced for Michigan's economy and workers in my State as well as across the country. The work done by the Ex-Im Bank is especially critical to Michigan manufacturers who fight to compete with countries using extreme and unfair measures such as direct subsidies or currency manipulation to boost their own manufacturing sectors. According to Ex-Im Bank's most recent annual report, there are 85 other competing foreign-sponsored export credit agencies helping their own domestic companies better compete on the global stage. Other countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany, use their own export credit agencies to boost their country's exports. China, in fact, provided more financing through its export credit agency in the last 2 years--approximately $670 billion--than our own Ex-Im Bank has offered in its entire 81-year history. These export financings are expected to significantly increase in coming years, which means that American firms and workers could fall further behind if we do not act now. Without our own Export-Import Bank, American businesses will struggle to compete overseas and our economy will suffer. As global competition intensifies, it simply makes no sense to engage in unilateral disarmament. We must stop the self-inflicted wounds on our economy. We must pledge to our constituents that we will first do no harm, and we must stop letting ideology impair our economic growth. I am pleased that a bipartisan, bicameral group of Senators and Representatives are saying that enough is enough, and are working to move a reauthorization forward. I am looking forward to working with them to get this done as soon as possible. Too much time has already been wasted, and too many jobs have already been jeopardized. We have to get back to the business of working together to find commonsense solutions to help, not hamper, our economic growth in America. Passing a long-term reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank is a great way to start. Once the House passes the reauthorization next week, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to schedule a vote as soon as possible. We know we have the votes. The legislation the House will soon consider is identical to an amendment passed by the Senate with a vote of 64 to 29 in July while considering the long-term highway bill. We should do this now because there is not a moment to lose. American jobs hang in the balance. Thank you, Mr. President. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the 175th Anniversary of Berkley Schools. I appreciate the opportunity to recognize this truly significant milestone in the history of the Berkley School District and the city of Berkley, MI. I am proud of Berkley's enduring commitment to providing quality public education and wish it many more decades of successful service to its students and their families. Throughout its history, the Berkley School District has set the benchmark in public education, ensuring its students are prepared for success, both as individuals and leaders in an increasingly global community. The district's continued dedication to academics is apparent in its recognition by North Central Accreditation, as well as the many honors its students have received in marketing, communications, literacy and poetry, robotics, and video production. Berkley High School boasts 21 advanced placement and college level courses--more than any other traditional high school campus--and provides the highest math curriculum of any high school in Michigan's Oakland County. Additionally, the district's Norup International School is the United States only K-8 International Baccalaureate program housed on one campus. It is no surprise Berkley High School enjoys a 98 percent graduation rate, with nearly 100 percent of those graduates enrolling in colleges and universities. In addition to ensuring its students' success in the classroom, the Berkley School District provides an opportunity for students to participate in a wide variety of varsity sports, clubs, and student organizations. From football and softball, to rugby and skiing, students can compete for the Berkley Bears throughout the year. Students also entertain as members of the high school's marching band, symphonic band, concert band, and jazz band, as well as with its three choirs and theater program. I applaud the Berkley School District for providing opportunities for students to explore art, music, and literature. Berkley had been associated with education for nearly a century when the city was incorporated in 1932. The Berkley School was mentioned as part of the Royal Oak Township School District No. 7 in 1840. It was housed in the Blackmon School, at the corner of Coolidge and Catalpa, from 1840 until a new school building was established in 1901. The new building, named South School, was located at the northeast corner of Coolidge and 11 Mile Road until it was converted into a dormitory for teachers in 1920. The district's growth was swift. In 1921, the district built Angell School, a four-room building, on Bacon Street. Four years later, in 1925, the district added two more schools, Pattengill and Burton, which were occupied before they were even completed. Despite its success, the Berkley School District was not immune to the hardships of the Great Depression. In January 1930, all pupils were placed on half days, half of the faculty was dismissed, bus service was eliminated, and the gym was closed. The following year, the district was forced to close Burton and Pattengill schools. Fortunately, both schools were reopened in time for the ``baby boom'' that followed the end of World War II. As the district's population grew, Berkley High School opened in 1949, followed by Tyler and Oxford Schools in 1951; Hamilton School in 1952; and the district's two junior high schools, Anderson and Norup, in 1956 and 1957. Today, the Berkley School District continues to be a leader in providing excellent public education in the State of Michigan. It serves as an example of how community-driven, quality education can not only enrich the lives of students, but also drive the growth and quality of life in the surrounding community for generations. I am pleased to help celebrate the 175th Anniversary of Berkley Schools and wish it many more decades of successful service to its students and their families.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, this week I was pleased to hear some good news about a very special place in the Great Lakes. On the bottom of Lake Michigan, right off the shores of Wisconsin, lies an incredible collection of shipwrecks. People across the Great Lakes region, especially in Wisconsin but also in my home State of Michigan and elsewhere, recognize that this stretch of Lake Michigan is a national treasure because of its historical significance and its great beauty. Through a bottom-up community-driven process, many people teamed up to put together a proposal to protect this area as a National Marine Sanctuary. The Obama administration listened, and this week they announced they will be moving forward to establish a Wisconsin-Lake Michigan National Marine Sanctuary. A National Marine Sanctuary designation, as Michiganders know from firsthand experience, helps to improve access and resources for special maritime places in order to enhance visitor access and preserve irreplaceable resources for future generations. The Wisconsin-Lake Michigan sanctuary proposal would preserve an 875- square-mile area of Lake Michigan with waters extending from Port Washington to Two Rivers. As Michiganders watch a pure Michigan sunset over Lake Michigan on beaches from Ludington south to Muskegon, the Sun would set over the new sanctuary directly across the lake. The new sanctuary has 29 known shipwrecks, 15 of which are listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, with many of those wrecks almost completely intact--a very rare occurrence. Research shows the proposed sanctuary includes 123 reported vessel losses, so there are many more wrecks to discover in these waters. Local community leaders in Wisconsin deserve much of the credit for building the support needed to move this proposal forward, but it would not have made it to this point without the tireless work of my friend and colleague Senator Baldwin of Wisconsin. In 2013, Senator Baldwin urged the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, to reopen the public nomination process for the first time in 20 years, and she continues to advocate for additional funding for national marine sanctuaries through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Earlier this year, I was pleased to introduce a bill with Senator Baldwin and my good friend Senator Stabenow called the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Assessment Act, which would require NOAA to review maritime heritage resources in the Great Lakes and suggest areas worthy of designation. In addition, I teamed up with Senator Baldwin to introduce the Waterfront Community Revitalization and Resiliency Act, which can work hand in hand with marine sanctuaries to boost the local economies of waterfront communities across the Great Lakes and the country. The bill would improve areas along the water to increase access to public space, grow business development, and create a new vision for waterfronts that can boost tourism, recreation, and small business. The administration also identified another new potential sanctuary, the Mallows Bay--Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, which is a 14-square-mile stretch of the tidal Potomac River with the largest ``ghost fleet'' of World War I wooden steamship wrecks and one of the most ecologically valuable waterscapes and landscapes in Maryland. These two sanctuary proposals, if finalized, would be the first sanctuaries established since 2000 and would be just the 15th and 16th additions to the national marine sanctuaries network. The last addition to the network was in 2000, and that was Michigan's very own Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve, located in Lake Huron, with the main NOAA office based in the great city of Alpena. The Thunder Bay sanctuary is a remarkable maritime treasure. It is known as Shipwreck Alley. Throughout history, it has been one of the most highly traveled and dangerous parts of the Great Lakes system. Nearly 100 shipwrecks have been discovered within the sanctuary, with a wide range of vessel types that makes the collection nationally significant. The cold, clean, fresh water of the Great Lakes keeps shipwrecks in excellent condition, and the archaeological research that is conducted at Thunder Bay is world class. Pictured here is the helm of the F.T. Barney, a two-masted schooner located at a depth of 160 feet near Rogers City. On October 23, 1868, the F.T. Barney was en route from Cleveland to Milwaukee with a cargo of coal when it was run into by the schooner T.J. Bronson. The ship sank in less than 2 minutes in very deep water. The wreck is one of the most complete you will find anywhere, with masts and deck equipment still in place. Another impressive wreck, lying at a depth of only 18 feet near Alpena, is the wooden steam barge Monohansett. On November 23 of 1907, the ship burned at the water's edge at Thunder Bay Island. Today, the Monohansett's wreck lies in three sections. The stern portion has hull features, propeller, and shaft all in place, and the boiler is nearby. You can still go up to Alpena and take a glass-bottom boat to tour these wrecks and see the crystal waters of Lake Huron, and you can even snorkel or scuba dive amongst some of the most well-preserved ships. It is truly a one-of-a-kind and once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not only is Thunder Bay the only freshwater marine sanctuary among the 14 marine-protected areas--at least until these two new proposals-- but it is unique in that it is also a State underwater preserve. It is jointly managed by NOAA and the State of Michigan. A joint management committee makes major policy, budget, and management decisions, and an advisory council represents the community's interests. It is part of the local community up north, and it is refreshing to see local, State, and Federal officials all working together to protect a national treasure. The Thunder Bay sanctuary is a major tourist draw and economic driver for the area, and the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena attracts out-of-State visitors and educates school groups. Over the last decade or so, the benefits of preserving Thunder Bay were widely recognized, and a process was set in motion to expand the boundaries of the sanctuary. In September of 2014, after holding many meetings and completing a thorough environmental impact statement, Thunder Bay was expanded from 448 square miles to 4,300 square miles, driven by strong public and congressional support. This map shows the original boundaries and the new expanded boundaries. The process was successful in part because of the work of Senator Stabenow, and, of course, my predecessor, Senator Carl Levin, who was a champion for the Great Lakes every day of his long service here in the Senate. As we move forward to protect the Great Lakes and other valuable marine resources in the Great Lakes and across the country, we must devote robust resources to these deserving places. Many agencies, including NOAA, are operating on shoestring budgets. While their work is impressive as they stretch their funding, the benefits these designations bring to communities such as Alpena and the surrounding area are sustainable and provide a foundation for the local economy. As a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, with jurisdiction over NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuary System, I am committed to working every day on protecting the Great Lakes and the fantastic waters and marine places within the boundaries of the United States of America. I yield the floor.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. I do, indeed.

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

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about an issue that is of particular importance in my State of Michigan--preventing an oilspill in the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes are a part of our way of life in Michigan, supporting our multibillion dollar agricultural, shipping, and tourism industries. An oilspill on this precious resource would be catastrophic for Michigan and for all surrounding Great Lakes States. The Great Lakes are a critical drinking water source for 40 million people, and they contain 84 percent of North America's surface freshwater. Vessels moving through the Great Lakes carry goods and passengers across the region, and tourists in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York take in their beautiful coastlines each year. Unfortunately, Michiganders know all too well the devastating consequences of a pipeline break and what it can do to an economy and to its natural resources. Five years ago we experienced one of the largest inland oilspills in U.S. history with a 6-foot break in the Line 6-B pipeline in Marshall, MI. Oil flowed for nearly 17 hours before it was eventually shut off, spilling more than 800,000 gallons of heavy crude, contaminating 35 miles of the Kalamazoo River, and ultimately racking up a cleanup cost of $1.2 billion. An independent investigation after the spill concluded that the pipeline operator's inadequate procedures, as well as ``weak Federal regulations,'' all played a major role in this disastrous spill. The Kalamazoo disaster, along with several other devastating pipeline explosions and spills, prompted a sweeping pipeline safety bill to be signed into law in early 2012. Unfortunately, many of those rules and regulations have yet to be finalized by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or PHMSA. I am very concerned about the potential for future spills in Michigan, especially from a pair of 60-year old pipelines carrying oil and natural gas liquids through the Straits of Mackinac, the place where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. The Straits of Mackinac have been called the ``worst possible place'' for an oilspill in the entire Great Lakes Basin. The strong currents in the straits tend to reverse direction every few days, and they move water at a rate at over 10 times greater than the flow over Niagara Falls. A professor at the University of Michigan used computer modeling to estimate that a worst case scenario oil slick moving east through the Straits could reach the shores of Mackinac City and Mackinac Island--our number one tourist attraction--in just 3 hours. Even more troubling is the fact that Coast Guard officials have acknowledged that current oilspill response techniques are not adequate for open freshwater, let alone freshwater with heavy, thick ice--the ice we find every season in the Straits of Mackinac. To make matters worse, response plan requirements for pipelines overseen by PHMSA at the Federal level are seriously lacking. The information related to safety procedures, inspection reports, and worst case scenarios are unavailable to the public. Even local emergency responders have been left in the dark. That is why I, along with my Michigan colleague and good friend Debbie Stabenow, introduced the Pipeline Improvement and Preventing Spills Act, which includes several commonsense provisions to prevent pipeline accidents and protect the Great Lakes from catastrophic crude oil spills. Our bill requires the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies to independently assess oilspill response and cleanup activities and techniques for the Great Lakes, specifically taking into account the cleanup response of an oilspill under solid, thick ice or ice-choke waters. My legislation requires the Department of Transportation and the National Academies to examine risks associated with pipelines in the Great Lakes and other waterways in the region, including an analysis of alternatives to the Straits oil pipeline. This bill would also increase transparency by ensuring residents are notified about pipelines near their property and compels operators and regulators to make information publicly available. My legislation will also expand safety features to pipelines in high- consequence areas--creating jobs for pipefitters and other professions--while protecting dense population centers, drinking water, and environmentally sensitive areas. Finally, this bill will eliminate the future risk of a disastrous crude oil spill from tanker vessels on the Great Lakes. Currently crude oil is not shipped by tankers on the Great Lakes. However, it is increasingly being looked at as an option. Given the difficulty of cleaning up heavy oil in open freshwater, my bill will take that option off the table to ensure that we will not jeopardize our $7 billion Great Lakes fishing industry. The Pipeline Improvement and Preventing Spills Act is endorsed and supported by a number of groups, including the Michigan League of Conservation Voters; the Pipefitters, Plumbers and HVAC Techs Local 111; Traverse City Tourism; the Great Lakes Fishing Commission; Michigan Steelhead and Salmon Fishermen's Association; National Wildlife Federation; and the Alliance for the Great Lakes--to name a few. The Senate committee on commerce, which has jurisdiction over pipeline safety, will be considering pipeline legislation in the next few weeks. I look forward to building support for provisions in my bill. Our country continues to record record highs in domestic energy production, but we must remain vigilant when it comes to energy transportation. Through strong oversight, leadership from the industry, and technological innovation, I firmly believe that we can and we must continue to meet our energy needs in the safest way possible while preserving treasures such as the Great Lakes for future generations. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the outstanding work of the Police Officers Association of Michigan, the largest organization of law enforcement officers in the State of Michigan, representing over 14,000 frontline crime fighters, law enforcement officers, and first responders throughout the State. POAM officers are in every jurisdiction in Michigan--every precinct, ward, city, township, county, and congressional district--and are truly a strong voice for the Michigan law enforcement community. POAM recently met for its annual conference in Grand Rapids, MI. During that conference, POAM recognized outstanding police officers for exceptional law enforcement work. This year's POAM conference highlighted some of the countless acts of bravery and community- strengthening that the thousands of law enforcement officers throughout Michigan perform on a daily basis. I applaud POAM's commitment to the communities that they serve. I join POAM and all of my fellow Michiganders in recognizing these incredible public servants and all of the brave men and women of Michigan's law enforcement community who are responsible for keeping our streets safe.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Madam President, earlier this week I announced that I will reluctantly support the Comprehensive Joint Plan of Action and oppose the resolution of disapproval, despite some very serious reservations. I did not reach this position easily or quickly. Although there are many positive aspects to this deal, this agreement also has flaws that I believe need to be addressed in the months and years ahead. The congressional review period has served a very useful purpose. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle have raised very important points about this deal as we were briefed by experts and administration negotiators. I commend Senators Cardin and Corker for their bipartisan efforts to establish this review and for affirming Congress's role in shaping our Nation's foreign policy. After this debate is over, it is my hope that moving forward the Senate will forge bipartisan consensus and act with unity of purpose. We must work together and take action against Iran if they fail to live up to their obligations under this agreement, and we must work on legislation and multinational and lateral efforts to combat Iran's sponsorship of terrorist activities, arms smuggling, and hegemonic ambitions. We need to look no further than the humanitarian crisis emanating from Syria to see the havoc and chaos that Iran and its proxies are wreaking on an already troubled region. We need to provide robust oversight and work together to stem the proliferation of nuclear material, especially from nascent nuclear states and from Iran in particular. Nearly 20 countries produce safe nuclear power without domestic enrichment. America's longstanding policy is that the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty does not provide the right to enrich uranium. While in the short term this agreement helps reduce Iran's capacity to enrich and eliminates the vast majority of their Iranian stockpile, I am concerned that in the long term other nations will view this agreement as a precedent that will lead to increased proliferation of nuclear enrichment and the potential for other nations to emerge as threshold nuclear states. Just a few years ago, the United States signed and ratified a 123 Agreement with the United Arab Emirates that would help them build nuclear power capabilities while explicitly preventing them from enriching uranium on their soil. The United States must take a leadership role in setting a threshold of acceptable levels of enrichment of uranium for the safe production of nuclear energy. As more nations look to meet growing energy needs while minimizing carbon output, a comprehensive policy to ensure only safe levels of uranium enrichment with strong international safeguards is critical to global security. No nation faces a more severe threat than Iran's nuclear ambitions than the State of Israel. For decades, the Iranian regime has made it their mandate to eliminate the Jewish State. We must be united in ensuring that this never happens. We must always be ready to act to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and smuggling arms to its proxies in the region. As the Middle East falls deeper into chaos, our alliance with Israel, a nation that shares so many of our values, has never been more important. America must reaffirm our longstanding commitment to Israel's security by renewing our memorandum of understanding, providing Israel with defense capabilities in order to cement its qualitative military edge in the region, and bolstering Israel's ability to initiate deterrence against Iran. The JCPOA is not the end of our multilateral efforts against Iran and its illicit behavior. America must work with our allies to initiate multilateral sanctions against Iran for its terrorist activities, especially its funding of Hezbollah and Hamas. We also need to set clear understandings of how Iran will be sanctioned for minor violations of this agreement that will not initiate the snapback of full sanctions. We must continue working in a coordinated fashion to ensure unity in purpose against Iran's nuclear ambitions, terrorist activities, and efforts to destabilize the region. We must also continue pressing for the release of all U.S. hostages currently imprisoned in Iran, including Amir Hekmati. Congress must address these issues. In 2009 Congress debated whether to pursue sanctions or diplomacy with Iran first, with military force always being the last resort but a necessary final deterrent. I was proud to cosponsor the effort to pass sanctions in 2009 and help pass additional sanctions in the years since. As a new Member of the Senate, I joined a group of bipartisan Senators ready to pass additional sanctions against Iran as they continued to drag out negotiations. Iran needed to know that the patience of the United States was not limitless. The JCPOA is a product of complex negotiations and painstaking compromises. But let's be clear. Either rejecting or accepting this deal comes with a set of distinct risks. However, those who oppose this deal have been accused of supporting war over diplomacy, and those who support this deal have been likewise portrayed as supporting containment and capitulation. Foreign policy is rarely so simple, and it is certainly not so simple in this case. As leaders of this great Nation, we owe it to our citizens and the men and women in uniform to never let ourselves become so fractured by partisan politics on issues of such importance to national security. I look forward to working with Senators on both sides of the aisle to protect the interests of our allies and the safety and security of this great Nation and to ensure that the United States of America remains both united in our goals and indivisible in our purpose. I yield the floor.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the 50th Anniversary of L. Mason Capitani CORFAC International. It is a pleasure to commemorate this wonderful milestone in the history of a family- owned Michigan business. Founded by L. Mason Capitani in 1965, L. Mason Capitani was a one-man operation until his son, Mason E. Capitani, joined the company. Mason displayed an affinity for industry, which helped the company blossom into the full-service brokerage and property management firm it is today. Mason E. still serves as the company's chairman, but a third generation of the Capitani family--Jason Capitani and Mason L. Capitani--are now managing most of the day-to-day operations of L. Mason Capitani. Mason E. Capitani credits tenacity and careful planning as two of the keys to L. Mason Capitani's success over the past five decades. From its modest beginning, the company has grown into a global organization, with a reach that extends far beyond the State of Michigan. The company has followed a careful path of natural growth, where an honest understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the dynamics of a global market, have allowed L. Mason Capitani to thrive in a volatile industry. The success of L. Mason Capitani is rooted in more than diligent planning. It is a reflection of the company's dedication to customer service, as well as its commitment to supporting a knowledgeable and talented workforce. The brokers, agents, and support staff at L. Mason Capitani are encouraged to provide high-quality customer service without jeopardizing their ethics, integrity, or dignity. An emphasis on integrity has allowed L. Mason Capitani to build relationships based on trust and experience. As a family business, its employees understand the company's success and the family's reputation are inseparable. I applaud the employees of L. Mason Capitani for demonstrating the hard work and dedication to service required for 50 years of success. Family businesses like L. Mason Capitani are the main drivers of the economy in Michigan and across the United States. L. Mason Capitani is well aware of its role in supporting economic opportunity and quality of life in communities across the State of Michigan, including Detroit, where the company embraces the opportunity for it to grow while contributing to efforts to rebuild one of America's great cities. Again, I congratulate L. Mason Capitani CORFAC International on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary. I appreciate its contributions to quality of life and economic vitality throughout the State of Michigan and wish it and its employees many more decades of success.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Madam President, yesterday Republicans in the Senate put forward legislation to defund Planned Parenthood. Unfortunately, this bill was a clear partisan attack on access to health care for women, and especially women in rural and underserved areas. One in five American women have relied on Planned Parenthood health centers at some point in their lifetime. Often, Planned Parenthood is the woman's only option for basic, preventive health care, including prenatal care, physicals, and cancer screenings. For example, take Mary, a 20-year-old student in my home State of Michigan, who went through her campus health center when she found a lump on her breast. They told her it was nothing and not to worry. When she visited Planned Parenthood a year later for an unrelated matter, the clinician expressed concern that the lump was still there. Through Planned Parenthood she got referred to a program for low-income women with breast cancer, and she received the treatment that she needed. Today, Mary is thankfully cancer free. Planned Parenthood provides upward of a half million breast cancer exams every year and can save the lives of women just like Mary across the Nation. Planned Parenthood also provides about 400,000 potentially lifesaving cervical cancer screenings annually. Katie, another young woman from Michigan, went in for her annual exam at a Michigan Planned Parenthood center. Her exam revealed that she had cervical cancer, and Planned Parenthood helped her weigh options to cover the biopsy and subsequent surgery. Today she, too, is thankfully cancer free. The doctors and nurses at these facilities provide affordable, potentially lifesaving health care to 2.7 million people per year. Michigan has 21 Planned Parenthood health centers, 11 of which are located in rural or medically underserved areas. These numbers mirror national numbers, with over half of their 700 health care centers located in areas with limited access to medical care. Federal funding for Planned Parenthood supports access to treatment at these health centers for women like Mary and Katie in States all across this country. Let's be clear. Federal funding for Planned Parenthood or any other organization is not used for abortion. Let me say this again because it is a very important fact. Federal funding for Planned Parenthood or any other organization is not used for abortion. This has been settled Federal law for decades. Despite this fact, we have seen the adoption of extreme measures that restrict a woman's fundamental right to make her own decisions about her reproductive health, including in Michigan. A woman should have access to reproductive health services and the freedom to make her own decisions about her health care, and I will fight to protect this right each and every day that I serve here in the U.S. Senate. Yesterday evening I voted to stop the Senate from moving forward with legislation to defund Planned Parenthood. This bill would have jeopardized access to health care for 2.7 million men and women who rely on Planned Parenthood for their health care needs. While I am pleased that the Senate did not move forward with the bill, it is clear that we have not seen the end of these types of partisan attacks on Planned Parenthood. I urge my colleagues to move away from efforts to restrict access to health care and, instead, focus on crafting bipartisan agreements to fund our government, provide certainty to American employers and workers, support small businesses, and grow our middle class. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I wish to recognize David Walker of Fenton, MI, as he nears the end of his term as the 110th chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, also known as the Big ``I.'' Mr. Walker was installed as chairman of the Big ``I'' in September 2014, and has been a strong and thoughtful leader for independent insurance agents across the country throughout his term. Mr. Walker is president of the Hartland Insurance Agency which is headquartered in Hartland, MI. Throughout his career, he has been an active leader at both the State and national level. He previously served as president of the Michigan Association of Independent Agents, president of the Genesee County of Independent Agents, and as the Michigan director on the Big ``I'' national board. Mr. Walker has also held numerous leadership positions within the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents, including chairman of the education committee and as a member of the Michigan Legislative Affairs Committee. In all his roles, David has sought to promote an environment where independent insurance agents in Michigan and across the country can thrive by providing excellent customer service. As I recognize Mr. Walker, I would also like to acknowledge his active involvement in his community. He has served on the board of directors for the Hartland Area Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Walker has also worked as a trustee and president of the Fenton Area Public Schools. He currently serves as a Tyrone Township trustee and sits on the board of the Michigan Basic Property Association. He is also a founding member of the Hartland Rotary. I am pleased to join Mr. Walker's colleagues from across Michigan and the United States in congratulating him as he finishes his term as chairman of the Big ``I.'' I, along with his family and friends, appreciate all that he has accomplished.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, the United States is a world leader in new technological advancements, and in no sector is that better illustrated than the auto industry. We find ourselves at a critical juncture in terms of vehicle technology. Advancements such as super-lightweight materials and vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications are rapidly coming to market and changing the way Americans get to work, travel on vacation, and move goods and services across the country. With a shared goal in maximizing the potential of these technologies, we must get ahead of the curve and think strategically about how to seamlessly weave them together in a way that will best increase public safety, fuel efficiency, and vehicle performance. That is why I am excited to be leading two bills that will provide the tools researchers, engineers, manufacturers, and others need to create the next generation of cars and trucks built in Michigan and in States all across the country. The Vehicle Innovation Act builds on the Department of Energy's innovative work to improve vehicle fuel economy and minimize petroleum use. The Vehicle Innovation Act is bipartisan, with strong support from my lead cosponsors, Senator Alexander and Senator Stabenow. Thanks to a team effort, it passed as an amendment to a bipartisan energy bill in the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources yesterday by a vote of 20 to 2. The need for this legislation is clear. Oil dependency is driven by transportation, particularly cars and trucks. Transportation is responsible for 66 percent of U.S. petroleum usage and 27 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. America's dependence on oil poses significant economic, energy, and environmental risks to the United States, and the Department of Defense has recognized that our reliance on oil puts our men and women in uniform at greater risk. We have 240 million light-duty vehicles on the roads in the United States, and it will take decades of sustained effort to turn over that fleet. It is absolutely critical that we develop the advanced technologies now in order to achieve fuel savings in the future and become truly energy independent. The Vehicle Innovation Act establishes a consistent and consolidated authority for the Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program, which promotes partnerships with the public and private sector to improve fuel efficiency in vehicles. Through this program, the DOE will collaborate with light-duty automobile and medium- and heavy-duty commercial truck engineers, manufacturers, and suppliers to conduct cutting-edge research that will help us advance the future of fuel-efficient cars and trucks. DOE's sustainable transportation initiatives are already making great strides in vehicle efficiency, and VIA will continue to strengthen those activities while providing new authorities to expand their work. The SuperTruck Initiative is a great example of this. Industry partners have achieved and exceeded the program goal of a 50-percent improvement in overall freight efficiency on a heavy-duty, class 8 tractor-trailer. Some have even reached over a 100-percent improvement. My bill ensures that the DOE will be able to continue working with the industry on supertrucks. Another example that the Vehicle Innovation Act will build on is the work on multimaterial, lightweight vehicles. Holistic vehicle and manufacturing design improvements for reducing vehicle weight can result in weight reduction and fuel economy gains of over 20 percent. The Vehicle Innovation Act is technology neutral. It develops and strengthens the toolbox for auto experts without picking winners and losers. It also directs the Department of Energy to continue its investment into multiple transformational technologies, such as hydrogen and batteries. DOE research and development has cut costs for fuel cell systems by 50 percent since 2006. My bill will build on this success and expand DOE's focus into the near-term deployments that will result in major savings for the national fleet. The Vehicle Innovation Act also includes new research authorities on vehicle-to-vehicle--or V2V--communications systems. This technology allows cars to talk to one another and recognize dangers that a vehicle's radar, cameras, and other sensors can't detect. As we are working to develop these features in new vehicles, we must also ensure that we are keeping pace with technologies in our infrastructure. Vehicle-to-vehicle infrastructure--or V2I--technology allows vehicles to communicate with the road and has the ability to help prevent collisions, relieve traffic congestion, and reduce unnecessary energy consumption. That is why I introduced another bill to promote investments in V2I technology by authorizing States to use existing surface and highway transportation funding to invest in V2I projects as they upgrade highway infrastructure. An example of V2I in action is a monitor on a bridge that will tell approaching drivers if there is a dangerous ice buildup on it. Other examples include traffic signals that warn vehicles of stopped traffic or sensors that warn of nearby emergency vehicles for work zones. In 2013 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that more than 32,000 people were killed in vehicle crashes. According to NTHSA, V2V and V2I--the two technologies being developed--will be able to eliminate up to 80 percent of vehicle accidents involving nonimpaired drivers once they are fully deployed. I am pleased that my V2I legislation is included in the overall highway bill the Senate is considering this week, and I look forward to working in the fall during the conference to make sure this funding eligibility language remains in the bill. V2V and V2I technologies are part of the auto industry's future, and these technologies will be readily available in the near term. That is why it is so important that we make these investments in our infrastructure now to ensure that we can start using these lifesaving technologies as they become available. Taken together, these two bills represent the type of forward- thinking policymaking that Congress should be focused on every day. Investments in research and development have demonstrated the ability to transform our society for the better, and I am determined to make sure the United States is the country that is driving forward advanced technology instead of putting on the brakes and being left behind. I yield the floor.

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

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Madam President, I rise to express my deep appreciation to my colleagues Senators Stabenow and Brown and to the majority leader for the bipartisan work that was done to remove a harmful and economically costly financing provision from the bill that is currently before this body. I had significant concerns with a provision in the pending highway bill which could have impaired the economic recovery in my home State of Michigan and in States across our country. I am a strong supporter of programming to invest in our Nation's infrastructure, and much of the substance of this bill is absolutely essential. I applaud the work that has been done on a bipartisan basis to achieve a compromise, something that happens too little in Washington. While I believe Congress must make smart investments in our Nation's roads, bridges, and infrastructure, I also believe we must do so in a responsible way that does not hamper the economic recovery occurring in our States. There are numerous financing policy alternatives available to lawmakers to fund infrastructure investments, but the drafters of this legislation originally chose to pay for infrastructure investments, in part, by asking some of the hardest hit communities in our Nation and in my State to bear the burden in order to help pay for the infrastructure investments contained in this bill. I am talking about a provision in the original bill and in the substitute which would have eliminated an important economic recovery program called the Hardest Hit Fund. The Hardest Hit Fund has successfully supported efforts by local lenders to promote economic revitalization and renewal after the deepest and most painful housing and financial crisis in modern history. The Hardest Hit Fund helps States and municipalities invest in their citizens and in their communities. According to the most recent data reported by the State of Michigan, the Hardest Hit Fund has assisted more than 25,000 of my constituents in preserving their piece of the American Dream--their family home. Not only are these funds being used to keep eligible families in their homes, but these dollars have also been put to work improving neighborhoods that have been devastated by urban blight resulting from America's most recent economic challenge. In Michigan, we know the impact abandoned properties can have on economic renewal. Blight is not just ugly, creating eyesores and dragging down surrounding property values, empty homes and buildings also serve as way stations for criminals and drug dealers and further discourages outside investors and homeowners from taking a chance on a neighborhood that has been affected by blight. That is why local leaders have been working with the nonprofit and private sectors to identify and eradicate blight in our communities. Several thousand blighted properties have been demolished or removed thanks to Michigan's partnership with the Hardest Hit Fund, and thousands more are in the pipeline to be addressed in the near term. Thanks to the work done to address blight, homeowners are investing again in neighborhoods. Urban farming and greening and beautification efforts are well underway with businesses, nonprofits, and local schoolchildren transforming their communities one block at a time. Some of the impacted cities have already made investments in this area in anticipation of reimbursement from the Hardest Hit Fund. It would have been an unfair and inappropriate breach of our agreement to pull the rug out from under these cities at this stage in the game. That is why I worked with Senators Debbie Stabenow and Sherrod Brown to offer an amendment to strike this provision in the highway bill that would have rescinded the remaining Hardest Hit Fund money from communities that most desperately need it. Congress must come together and pass a multiyear transportation bill that makes smart investments to upgrade our country's crumbling infrastructure, but it would have been unacceptable to fund this plan at the expense of the communities in Michigan and other States that rely on the Hardest Hit Fund to eliminate blight and improve their local neighborhoods. This proposal not only risked future blight- removal funds, it could have left cities across Michigan on the hook for millions of dollars already outlaid for blight-removal projects. As legislators, it is important that we first do no harm when making policy. In considering this highway bill, it is important for us not to harm the very communities we are aiming to help by advancing infrastructure policies. It was important for us to act to avoid impairing the economic renewal that is underway in places such as Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Pontiac, and other communities across my great State. Elimination of Hardest Hit funding would have been harmful to entire communities that are relying on public-private partnerships to transform their communities. For these reasons, I was prepared to oppose the legislation we are considering today because I believed these changes would do damage to the economic recovery in my State. I could not in good conscience support this legislation under those conditions. But thanks to the unwavering dedication of my colleague, the senior Senator from Michigan, Ms. Stabenow, and the cooperation of the majority leader, we were able to find a way forward that avoids disruption to this important program and avoids devastating economic outcomes in cities across my State. This is what the legislative process should be all about here in the Senate. We were able to come from a point of major disagreement, and through intense and respectful discussion, we were able to agree on a workable solution. This process has demonstrated that colleagues on both sides of the aisle can work together to prioritize the needs of their constituents while also advancing the economic interests of our country. I look forward to further consideration of this important legislation. SBA's 7(a) Loan Program Madam President, I wish to take a moment to express my gratitude to my colleagues in the Senate for prioritizing the needs of our Nation's small businesses. Last night the Senate passed a critical and timely reform of the Small Business Administration's flagship lending program, the 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program. Because of a growing economy and increased demand for small business loans, the SBA's 7(a) lending authority for this fiscal year may have been jeopardized absent the actions we took last night. This bill increased the 7(a) loan program authority from $18.75 billion to $23.5 billion. It also tightened the standards on lenders' determinations of borrower eligibility in order to target the SBA guaranty to promote loans to those who truly need it, and it included robust SBA reporting requirements that will keep Congress updated on the pace of lending going forward. I am glad we were able to act in a bipartisan fashion to address this issue to continue to put the wind at the back of our country's entrepreneurs. We must make sure small businesses continue to receive the resources they need to survive, to compete, and to succeed. I thank Senators Vitter, Shaheen, and Risch for their leadership on this matter. I have been working with them since the spring to increase the lending authority, and I am proud to say we accomplished that for the rest of this fiscal year. Small businesses need to access the capital they need in order to continue growing and creating jobs. The 7(a) program is a true success story that provides small businesses and startups with a versatile financing tool that can be used to support a wide range of business development activities. It is also a promising sign for our economy that demand for the 7(a) loan program is increasing at a faster rate than anticipated just last December when the previous authorization level was set. In last week's semiannual ``Monetary Policy Report'' to Congress, the Federal Reserve indicated that financing conditions for America's small businesses were continuing to improve. In recent months, SBA's 7(a) program has experienced unprecedented demand, approving over 45,000 loans this year totalling more than $16.5 billion--a 25-percent increase over this same period last year. According to a Pepperdine University and Dun & Bradstreet study published this summer, America's small businesses are seeing rises in revenue, with 48 percent of surveyed small firms reporting revenue increases--4 percent growth from 3 years ago. Demand for small business loans increased by 9 percent over the first quarter's study. These are positive signs. We have more work to do, but they are very positive. If these trends continue, we will need to ensure that next year's lending authorization level reflects the still-recovering economy and the growth of small business loan demand so that we will not be up against the cap again next year. The reporting improvements in the bill passed last night will also help Congress perform better oversight and monitor the developments in the 7(a) lending program in a more timely manner. The 7(a) program is a critical tool in the small business policy toolkit because it helps our economy at no cost to the taxpayer. Let me repeat. This is a no-subsidy program, so this increased authorization comes at no cost to taxpayers. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and helping them grow and compete should be a bipartisan priority. As a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to explore other small business policy changes in the months and years ahead. Our Nation's small businesses create jobs and help support our local tax bases, which in turn feed education, public safety, and health care priorities. It is not a stretch to say that if small businesses succeed, all of our communities succeed. That is why I was proud to work with Senator Risch as the lead cosponsor on the Small Business Lending Reauthorization Act of 2015 earlier this year, and I was proud to work with the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship to pass this legislation to deliver needed results last night. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the Peters amendment No. 2095. Financial literacy has been defined as the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage financial resources effectively for a lifetime of financial well-being. Unfortunately, too many American families, both parents and their children, lack basic financial skills. Recent studies have shown that future generations are likely to be less financially stable than those who preceded them. Just last year, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation conducted a survey and found that millenials engaged in problematic financial behaviors and expressed concerns about their debt. To address this issue, a number of States have included financial literacy as a core component of high school education. A separate FINRA study found that credit scores significantly improved and delinquency rates on credit accounts were reduced in States with financial literacy education. For example, that study found that credit scores improved by 11 points in Georgia, 16 points in Idaho, and 32 points in Texas. There is a clear need for practical education programming for both parents and students, and we should provide States with the flexibility to provide this programming. That is why I have filed amendment No. 2095. The Peters amendment will include family financial literacy programming as an allowable use for title I parent and family engagement funding. Family financial literacy programming can ensure our Nation's parents and children have the skills necessary to properly utilize credit, finance an education, manage a household budget, and plan for retirement. I believe we must do all we can to help our Nation's parents and students succeed in every aspect of their lives. I thank Senator Murray and Senator Alexander for their leadership on this bill and for their willingness to work with me on this amendment. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting the Peters family financial literacy amendment No. 2095. Mr. President, in addition to my financial literacy amendment, I was happy to work with the chairman and ranking member to include language in the text of the bill that will help us identify and assist our most vulnerable children. The term ``dual status youth'' refers to children who have come into contact with both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. A growing body of research has shown that dual status youth experience poor educational performance, higher recidivism rates, and higher detention rates. Many at-risk children lack stable home lives, and they are frequently funneled through the school-to-prison pipeline. I am glad the Every Child Achieves Act now includes language that would encourage States to identify dual status youth and improve intervention programs in order to reduce school suspensions, expulsions, and referrals to law enforcement. I was also pleased to join Senator Gardner in introducing an amendment to allow title I funds to be used to support concurrent and dual enrollment programs at eligible schools. This amendment would enable high school students to simultaneously receive college credit from courses taught by college-approved teachers in secondary education. With the cost of higher education continuing to grow, helping students get a head start on completing their college courses helps them save money and get ahead. I am proud that this body approved the Gardner-Peters amendment last week. This provision will make the dream of higher education more accessible to students in Michigan and across the country. Working Americans and Overtime Pay Mr. President, I wish to speak at this time in strong support of plans to increase our Nation's overtime pay threshold for the first time in over a decade and restore meaning to a threshold that has significantly eroded over the last 40 years. In 1938, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the bill into law. This landmark legislation represents an important promise that is as true today as it was 77 years ago--that if you work hard and play by the rules, you will have a secure future. Ensuring fair overtime pay for employees is one of the most critical components of the Fair Labor Standards Act. It ensures that hard-working Americans are able to make an honest wage for their hard work. For middle-class families, who are the backbone of our country, and for those families working hard to get there, we must protect the important safeguards put in place by the Fair Labor Standards Act. I personally learned the value of hard work and the importance of protecting labor standards for all Americans from my mother, Madeleine. Born a French citizen, she met my father during World War II, married him, and moved to this country. She later worked as a nurse's aide. While she enjoyed working with her patients, she did not like the way she or her coworkers were treated by their employer, so she fought for a better workplace and ultimately to win union representation. She later went on to serve as a union steward. A strong labor movement nationwide helped build economic opportunity for millions of Americans just like my mother. Standing together to call for fair wages, safer work places, and better hours, American workers and their families helped build the American middle class and make the American dream a reality for regular folks. The strong protections of the Fair Labor Standards Act helped ensure that American workers have a minimum wage, a 40-hour workweek, and overtime pay. Unfortunately, we have allowed these protections to fall behind present-day needs. Today, growing income inequality and stagnant wages are a serious threat to our middle class, to our economy, and to our democracy. Americans are working harder and harder only to fall further and further behind, receiving less and less pay for their long hours. Middle-class families are struggling to stay afloat, and those who aspire to be in the middle class are finding it more and more difficult to achieve. Today, some employees are required to put in 50 or 60 hours or more a week and are not receiving any overtime pay for their efforts. Our Nation's overtime pay rules are long overdue for an update. Decades of inflation have outpaced the current overtime pay threshold of $23,600 and eroded the value of an honest paycheck for millions of hard-working Americans. This means a worker earning only $23,600 gets paid the same whether they are working 40 hours or 60 hours in a week. That is simply unacceptable. This is not a fair wage, and it is not the American dream we fought to secure for generations. If we are truly committed to building a strong American economy, then we have to make sure American families can thrive. Raising the salary threshold for overtime pay will help nearly 5 million workers across the country and as many as 100,000 workers in Michigan earn better wages for their hard work. The pillars used to build and grow our middle class and support our democracy are in jeopardy of crumbling if we do not stand up and protect them. The American middle class and those who aspire to be in it are the heart and soul of our country, and we have an obligation to help every family nationwide realize their version of the American dream. My home State of Michigan is the birthplace of our Nation's auto industry, where American workers and their families helped build the middle class and make the American dream a reality for millions of people. We owe it to our future generations to preserve this legacy. I know there are some who do not believe we should update the overtime pay rules. They will oppose this rule saying it is a harmful attack on our Nation's business community. Well, I strongly disagree with that position. Prior to coming to Congress, I worked in business for more than 20 years and I hired many people. I found that paying employees a fair wage is the best way to ensure a happy and productive workforce. It is good business, and it is the right thing to do. Providing a fair paycheck to hard-working Americans so they can build their family and own a home and help save for their children's college education as well as enjoy a secure retirement is good for business and it is good for our country. Workers who are paid fairly for their work are able to spend their hard-earned money in their communities, creating new customers for local businesses and in the process help our economy grow. If we invest in American workers--the best and brightest in the world--we will get a strong return on that investment. Enforcing the Fair Labor Standards Act gives American workers a fair wage for a fair day's work, and it will help keep the possibility of the American dream alive. We must do what is right for our workers. Updating the overtime pay rule will give millions of Americans a wage increase that they have earned and provide economic stability and security for hard-working families, while boosting our economy. I am proud to support these efforts, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield the floor.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Mr. David Samrick on the occasion of his recognition as the 2014 Service Center Executive of the Year by Metal Center News. Mr. Samrick has worked at Mill Steel since 1965, and was named president in 1976 after his father stepped back from day-to-day management of the family's company. Under his leadership, Mill Steel has grown from a single-location in Grand Rapids, MI into the 23rd largest service center organization selling flat-rolled steel from Canada to the gulf coast. I appreciate the opportunity to recognize Mr. Samrick's success as a business leader, as well as the contributions he has made to communities throughout western Michigan. Mr. Samrick is the heart and soul of Mill Steel, the company founded by his parents in 1959. Its success is a testament to Mr. Samrick's team-building skills and his confidence in the company's leadership. Each member of the six-person leadership team has equity in the company, and all share the responsibility of directing its operations. The team reflects a diversity which is unique in the steel industry, a reflection of Mr. Samrick's belief in attracting the best talent available regardless of age or gender. An example of the breadth and diversity of experience at Mill Steel is the fact that--when you include Mr. Samrick--the company's leadership team includes individuals born in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. The success of Mr. Samrick's approach to management is evident in Mill Steel's track record, especially during the past 5 years. The company's revenue first crossed the $100 million mark in the early 2000s. In 2010, Mill Steel expanded outside the Midwest with the purchase of the former Coated Steel facility in Birmingham, AL. Last year, it added a facility at the Port of Indiana to its holdings. This has allowed Mill Steel to become a prominent player in the flat-roll steel market from Toronto to Texas. It anticipates 700,000 tons of flat-rolled steel will pass through the doors of Mill Steel next year, with revenue expected to exceed $600 million in 2015. Mill Steel's success is due in no small part to the company's hard work and the loyalty displayed between it and its clients. Mr. Samrick's patient and trusting leadership has helped Mill Steel remain flexible during economic downturns. This flexibility is also illustrated in the company's commitment to technology and service. In particular, the company's Rapid Response program allows it to regularly prepare and ship an order within 4 hours of being received. Mr. Samrick's trust in his team allows Mill Steel to address the dynamic needs of its customers, encouraging loyalty and trust across the board. Mr. Samrick's successful approach to leadership is not only rooted in his confidence in the leadership and staff of Steel Mill; it reflects his love for his family and a desire to lead a balanced lifestyle. Mr. Samrick is devoted to his wife, two children and five grandchildren. He also embraces a culture of philanthropy, demonstrated by his role as a national leader on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and his longtime commitment to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Western Michigan and its parent organization, D.A. Blodgett St. John's of Michigan. For almost 20 years, Mill Steel has led the fundraising efforts of Big Brother and Big Sisters of Western Michigan. The company took leadership of the organization's annual golf outing in 1996. Since that time, the event has raised nearly $1.7 million, helping match 11,000 children with mentors. The annual golf outing culminates in a dinner where the Harry Samrick Scholarship, named in honor of Mr. Samrick's father, is awarded. It is one of the many ways Mr. Samrick and Mill Steel supports children, including services projects at group homes and visits to children hospitals. Again, I would like to congratulate Mr. David Samrick on being recognized as the 2014 Service Center Executive of the Year by Metal Center News. I applaud Mr. Samrick's success, as well as his dedication to his family and community. I am confident his leadership will continue to shape the future of Steel Mill and communities throughout western Michigan.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I am truly blessed to represent the people of Michigan in the Senate. My State was carved out in one era by the ice age and again 200 years ago by the Congress. It is comprised of more than just two beautiful peninsulas bordered by four Great Lakes. Since our Nation's founding, Michigan has been at the frontier of America, helping to build a stronger and more secure country. The Northwest Ordinance, affirmed by the very first Congress, created the midwestern region from which the Michigan Territory would be born. In the 19th century, pioneers moved to what was then the western frontier to settle in Michigan and its neighboring States. The Peters family was among them. My family made the long journey from New York and settled in Rochester, MI, in the early 1840s. They were among the earliest pioneers to settle in my State. From that time on, generations of Michiganders pioneered a State devoted to great public education. While the Northwest Ordinance made primary education a priority and stated that ``schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged'' in the new territory, higher education also had a place that made our State great very early. Twenty years before the founding of the State of Michigan, the University of Michigan was founded, one of the first public universities in the country. Later, Michigan State University would become one of the pioneer land grant universities. While the two schools may be rivals on the gridiron, they have long complimented each other to the benefit of our State. Today, Michigan is home to 93 universities, colleges, and community colleges. Michigan grew rapidly as migrants from across the country and immigrants from around the world were drawn to our supplies of timber, ore, arable land, and abundant fresh water. As a new century dawned across America, Michigan continued to grow with the advent of industrialization and mass manufacturing, from mining and forestry at the western tip of the Upper Peninsula to the booming auto factories of Detroit. Michigan embodied the growing optimism, opportunity, and prosperity that would be America's crowning achievement in the 20th century. Michigan factories would turn into the great arsenal of democracy, building the armadas that would defeat tyranny, win the Second World War, and, in the process, create America's middle class. During World War II, my father, Herb Peters, was a proud solder in Eisenhower's Army, helping free France from Nazi occupation. It was there that he would meet my mother, Madeleine Vignier, a beautiful young French woman. They were married and raised me and my two sisters, Gigi and Jackie, in a typical middle-class home. A few years ago, with my late father, I joined the Sons of the American Revolution. My forefather, William Garrett, was a member of the Virginia militia and served alongside General George Washington at Valley Forge. My great-grandfather, Julian Peters, served with the Michigan infantry during the Civil War. I am proud to follow earlier generations of patriots who served their country and were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom and liberty. But like millions of Americans, I am also the son of an immigrant. America's shores were new to my mother, but they provided an incredible expanse of opportunity that people across the globe continue to dream of. My mother worked long hours as a nurse's aide and fought for a better workplace for herself and her coworkers, helping to organize her workplace and later serving as a union steward. Michigan's strong labor movement and our manufacturing sector helped build economic opportunities for millions of Americans. Standing together to call for fair wages, safer workplaces, and better hours, Michigan workers and their families helped build the middle class and make the American dream a reality for many. I am honored to embody such a uniquely American experience--the descendant of an American Revolutionary War soldier and the son of a foreign-born naturalized citizen--and to carry on these rich traditions that continue to make our Nation proud, diverse, and strong. But while my story is uniquely American, it is not so different from nearly 10 million Michiganders of varied backgrounds who have come together to make our State an extraordinary, special place. Michigan is unique in that we are the only State made up of two peninsulas. Separated for thousands of years by waterways carved by retreating glaciers, our peninsulas permanently united with Michigan statehood and finally connected with the opening of the Mackinac Bridge almost 60 years ago. The Mackinac Bridge is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. It remains an engineering marvel to this day and a symbol of how Michiganders can come together to accomplish great things. Financed with an innovative public-private bond structure, over 10,000 workers contributed to this 5-mile span, implementing the vision and planning of 350 engineers. In our State, it is simply known as ``The Bridge.'' Its construction unleashed economic growth for our State, increasing tourism in the Upper Peninsula and providing a new avenue for goods to be hauled south while agricultural products and manufactured goods flowed north. As Michigan and our Nation transition to a 21st-century economy, we would do well to draw on the engineering know-how, skilled workforce, and boldness to invest in transformative infrastructure that made the Mackinac Bridge possible. Michigan's products move and feed the Nation. We invented the modern automobile, advanced manufacturing, and America's middle class. We are the second most agriculturally diverse State in the Nation. Our blueberries, apples, cherries, and sugar beets are just a few of the 300 crops we grow and ship across the country and the world. Our incredible farmers, growers, and producers use Michigan's unique climate and resources to feed people across our country and around the world. Whether we are talking about our State, our Nation or our successful industries, we cannot rest on our laurels. We are in constant competition. The coming decades will see rapid growth abroad, but I know our Nation will continue to lead the world with our ability to innovate and efficiently align capital and talent to maximize the strengths of our workforce. Today's small business in Grand Rapids or a start-up in Detroit can access consumers across the world. I know that Michigan will be at the cutting edge of this new global economy. Michigan is at the forefront of developing the transformative technologies that will remake America and help our country sustain its stature and prominence. Southeast Michigan has more engineers per capita than any State in the country, which is one of the reasons Detroit is home to the first field patent office outside of Washington, DC. Our automakers, parts suppliers, and advanced manufacturers are constantly innovating--and not just generations of new goods but also intellectual property. If you can make it, we can find a way to make it faster, lighter, more efficient, safer, and more affordable. Incremental innovation meaningfully improves lives, but as a nation we must keep working toward the next big thing. Investments in education and basic scientific research are the downpayment on our future. It is particularly critical that we continue these investments at a time when our country faces so many unique challenges. Growing income inequality is a threat to our middle class, our economy, and our democracy. While globalization is opening new markets for American goods, it is also hollowing out the mid-level jobs that are the foundation of the American middle class. Without a strong middle class we cannot have a strong economy, and without a strong middle class we simply cannot have a strong democracy. There are many ideas about how to deal with these challenges, but history has taught us that increased productivity is the No. 1 driver of economic progress and, in my view, the key to American greatness. Economic historians tell us that after hundreds of years of zero economic growth, groundbreaking innovations changed the face of commerce. In the mid-1700s came the cotton gin, steam engine, and railroads, followed by more breakthroughs in the 1800s, electricity, the internal combustion engine, and even indoor plumbing. Before indoor plumbing, a recent study estimated the average housewife spent nearly 150 hours per year walking back and forth to gather 3.5 tons of water for her family to cook, clean, and drink. The technology of indoor plumbing alone unleashed enormous gains in productivity. Today, we have tablets and smartphones and social media, but if we are going to solve the tough challenges facing the middle-class families and all those who aspire to be in the middle class, we will need to unleash even more productivity and more innovation. We will need to discover the next big thing, and I don't know what that next big thing will be, but I do know the Federal Government must continue investing in the seed corn of basic research and development. From the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State to Wayne State's bioresearch facility, to the University of Michigan's extensive joint projects with NASA, our State's universities are leading the way in research. The research being conducted at our universities is also creating jobs in Michigan as these transformative technologies are commercialized. Students are not just inventing new technologies, they are also inventing their own jobs and companies. For example, using technology developed at the University of Michigan for NASA to measure electric fields resulting from dust storms blowing across Mars, a startup spun off of these efforts is now creating jobs on Earth to help an electric company monitor their utility lines. Innovation is creating new industries in Michigan and is also revolutionizing many of our existing industries. Advanced sensors, robotics, and big data will allow precision agriculture that boosts productivity and conserves natural resources. One industry that has always meant jobs for Michigan is, of course, the automobile industry. We are on the verge of an automotive technological revolution that will allow vehicles to communicate their location, speed, and other data electronically with each other and our transportation infrastructure as well. Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates this technology can reduce accidents by 80 percent, save fuel, and cut congestion at a time when Americans spend an estimated 5 vacation days a year stuck in traffic jams. When more than 30,000 Americans are killed in accidents on our roads and highways every year, the advancements of this kind of technology will literally save thousands of lives. This means active crash-avoidance technology that stops accidents before they happen, and before long, autonomous vehicles that drive themselves. This is truly revolutionary technology packaged with horsepower and torque, my favorite part of the car. But the Federal Government has to do its part to develop and protect this technology. One of my top priorities, as a new member of the Senate commerce committee, is to ensure that vehicles have the wireless spectrum they need to communicate with each other and to make our roads safer. As manufacturing and technology merge, Michigan is prepared to lead the way. What were once separate industries are now merging into complements in a battle for the future that America must win. Federal investment in research and development is just that, an investment that has paid off many times over. Investment in research supports the new technologies and industries of the future, drives job creation, and provides technologies critical to our national security. Necessary Federal investment in infrastructure and innovation is only possible if those of us in Congress take our job seriously as stewards of taxpayer dollars and look for places to avoid unnecessary wasteful spending. We also will not be able to accomplish anything without embracing pragmatism and bipartisanship. We cannot focus on whether ideas come from a Republican or from a Democrat. We need to focus only on whether the idea has merit and is good for the country. This is why I have spent my first 5 months in office the way I intend to spend the rest of my career in public service, reaching across the aisle to find common ground and the practical solutions that will make our government work better, drive innovation and competitiveness, and keep Michigan and America safe and strong. I have introduced legislation with Senator Gardner from Colorado to increase oversight of duplicative spending and force Congress to act on deficit reduction. I worked with Senator Ernst from Iowa to introduce legislation to extend a tax credit for small businesses that support their activated military reservist employees. Senator Lankford of Oklahoma and I worked on a bill that would ensure Federal agencies use remanufactured auto parts when maintaining their fleets, an idea that will save natural resources and taxpayer dollars while supporting our country's remanufactured parts industry. Just 2 days ago, this bill unanimously passed the Senate. I worked with Senator Risch from Idaho to move legislation through the small business committee to extend and preserve the Small Business Administration's 7(a) Loan Program, so our Nation's small businesses can access the capital they need to grow and create jobs. Senator Cornyn, Senator Graham, and I introduced legislation to create a bipartisan commission to examine our Nation's judicial system from the top to the bottom and to make sure it is working for all Americans. Senator Sullivan and I worked together to introduce a bill to cut excise taxes for small craft distillers, a growth industry in Michigan, Alaska, and America. I am also proud to say the legislation I introduced with Senator Cassidy of Louisiana to provide training for medical professionals to identify victims of human trafficking was also signed into law after it passed the Senate as part of a larger effort to combat human trafficking. I was sent to the Senate to represent the people of Michigan, and they want Congress to work together in a bipartisan way to solve the challenges facing our country. We must focus more on what we have in common and less on our differences. We should work on ideas that are good for our country and good for our States. I have worked to be a practical problem solver in my first few months, and it is what I intend to do in the years ahead. There is much to be done, and I will work tirelessly for the people of Michigan. My weeks in Washington, unfortunately, keep me apart from my wife Colleen and my children, Madeleine, Alana, and Gary, Jr., but their love and steadfast support is with me each and every day. Colleen was raised by her parents Raul and Kathy Ochoa in Oakland County--like me--and together we share a passion for public service. I am so pleased Colleen and Madeleine are here with me today in the Senate Gallery. On the Senate floor, we are standing on the shoulders of giants. This includes our Nation's Founding Fathers and more recent predecessors. My staff and I recently moved into the Hart Senate Office Building, named after Senator Phil Hart from Michigan, a man rightfully known as the ``Conscience of the Senate'' and a role model for all of us. I could not be happier that my office will be right around the corner from my close friend, mentor, colleague, and respected leader in the Senate Senator Debbie Stabenow, and I am honored that Debbie has joined me on the Senate floor for this speech. Of course, I am deeply honored to succeed Senator Carl Levin, another one of my mentors and a man who defined what it means to be a public servant. The careers of Senators Levin, Hart, Riegle, Griffin, and other Michiganders who preceded me provided the foundation on which I hope to build our shared future and create the best Michigan possible-- not only the kind of Michigan we want to live in but the kind of Michigan our children and grandchildren will want to spend their lives in, a Michigan that is a magnet for migration and unbridled opportunity for families and small businesses, and a State that will lead the world in innovation. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate and Michiganders across the State to make a better future for all of us a reality. Together, we will continue to build a State and a country that embody the opportunity, the possibility, and the promise that has made our country a shining beacon for so many around the globe. I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise to urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan legislation I introduced with my colleague Senator Lankford, the Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act. I am pleased the Senate is considering the first bill I introduced as a Senator, which was approved by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on a unanimous vote earlier this year. I appreciate Senator Lankford partnering with me to work on this legislation in committee and as it has moved to the Senate floor. I look forward to continuing to work with him as a member of the subcommittee he chairs, the Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management Subcommittee. I also appreciate that my colleague from Michigan Representative Huizenga has introduced bipartisan companion legislation in the House of Representatives. The Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act is a bipartisan, commonsense measure that will help save taxpayers money and promote conservation by encouraging Federal agencies to use remanufactured auto parts when they are maintaining their fleets of vehicles. In addition to saving money, this legislation also supports remanufacturing suppliers and their employees in Michigan and across the country. Remanufactured parts are usually less expensive than similar parts and have been returned to same-as-new condition using a standardized industrial process. The United States is the largest producer, consumer, and exporter of remanufactured goods. Remanufacturing of motor vehicle parts accounts for over 30,000 full-time U.S. jobs, and our country employs over 20,000 workers remanufacturing off-road equipment. In addition to the cost savings using remanufactured parts, it also has significant environmental benefits. Remanufacturing saves energy by reusing raw materials such as iron, aluminum, and copper. On average, the remanufacturing process saves approximately 85 percent of the energy and material used to manufacture equivalent new products. I urge my colleagues to support S. 565, the Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act, commonsense legislation that is good for taxpayers, our environment, and American manufacturers. Mr. President, I also rise to support the bipartisan Ayotte-Peters amendment to authorize bilateral research and development with Israel on anti-tunnel capabilities. I appreciate Senator Ayotte's efforts to work together on this critical matter of national security. Israel remains our closest ally in the Middle East, and this amendment will further our shared cooperation to increase security for both Americans and Israelis. Our ally Israel faces significant threats from underground tunnels built by terrorists intent on murdering innocent Israelis. Hamas and Hezbollah threaten Israel with an extensive network of sophisticated tunnels which are used to smuggle weapons and carry out kidnappings and attacks against Israeli citizens. These are not simple tunnels dug by hand with shovels. These tunnels cost millions of dollars and are built with thousands of tons of concrete. Often they are built using resources intended for humanitarian purposes in Gaza but are instead diverted to terrorist activity. They are constructed with machinery designed to avoid detection. In some cases, Hamas has filled the tunnels with provisions to last several months. The Israeli Defense Forces called the tunnels underneath Gaza an underground city of terror. Bomb attacks from tunnels dug by terrorist organizations are a growing threat to forward deployed U.S. forces and our diplomatic personnel abroad. Terrorists carry out these attacks by digging tunnels underneath a target and detonating explosives. Earlier this week, the publication Defense One reported that ISIS is also using tunnel bombs as a tactic, detonating at least 45 tunnel bombs in Iraq and Syria over the last 2 years. We face threats from tunnels on American soil as well. Our own Border Patrol and law enforcement on the southern border are up against drug smugglers, human traffickers, and other global criminal organizations using tunnels to sneak drugs, weapons, and people across our border illegally. I serve on the Homeland Security Committee and understand the threat our Border Patrol agents and law enforcement face from transnational criminal organizations using tunnels along our southern border. These criminals flow to the path of least resistance, and as our border security efforts address one threat, they seek other methods to avoid detection and continue their criminal activity. When the U.S. Border Patrol blocked drug smugglers and human traffickers from utilizing existing drainage tunnels, the criminals began digging their own tunnels. We need to stay ahead of these threats, and that is why we must conduct critical research and development so we can detect and destroy these dangerous tunnels. This amendment will authorize joint research and development with Israel on anti-tunnel capabilities. This joint approach will help us work together on research and development against this shared threat. The amendment requires Israel to share in the cost of this research and provides a framework for sharing intellectual property developed together before action is carried out. This amendment will allow the Department of Defense to work with Israel to develop a capability that will be used to protect our homeland and our troops abroad as well as those of our ally. This amendment will make clear that joint research and development on anti-tunnel capabilities can and should be part of our security cooperation with Israel. It will also send a strong message that the Senate recognizes the threat posed by tunnels intended for attacks against Israel, and this cooperation will help us secure our own borders as well. I urge all my colleagues to support the Ayotte-Peters amendment No. 1628. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Rev. Dr. Tellis Jerome Chapman of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit, MI as the congregation and the broader community celebrate his 30th pastoral anniversary. Born and raised in the State of Mississippi, Reverend Chapman is a graduate of Jackson State University and has received honorary doctoral degrees from Natchez College and Dallas Baptist College. Reverend Chapman has served as pastor in churches across the South. On March 31, 1985, Reverend Chapman was called to the pastorate of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church where he has been devoted to serving for the past 30 years. Through his charismatic and dynamic leadership he has left a permanent mark on the congregation and Greater Detroit community. The congregation has steadily grown under Pastor Chapman's leadership. His original vision of a church with classrooms, a daycare, and a senior citizen building came to fruition in 1997. The purchase of the property located on East Outer Drive included 7 acres of land and a building that provided seating capacity for 1,000, with facilities to accommodate all of the church's ministries. The new edifice was inaugurated on Sunday May 31, 1998. Seven years later the church acquired adjacent property and a new building with a new edifice. Reverend Chapman has been called many times to serve in a leadership capacity among his ministerial peers and with Christian associations. He was an advisor on the Faith-Based Advisory Board of Governor Jennifer Granholm, and currently works as a president of the Baptist Missionary and Educational State Convention of Michigan. He has served as vice moderator and vice president of the Michigan District Baptist Association and Congress of Michigan. Respected for his knowledge, he is well versed in parliamentary procedure and served as parliamentarian for the Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention of the State of Michigan. Reverend Chapman has been involved in Detroit's recent growth and the development of mass transit through his work as a board member on the city of Detroit Department of Transportation Commission for several years. Reverend Chapman's community service is not without energetic and influential involvement. He is the founder and president of the Chapel Vision Community Development Corporation, serving greater southeast Detroit. He is also Founder and President of the Mid-West Community Development Corporation, serving greater southeastern Michigan. Reverend Chapman's efforts, both at the pulpit and beyond, have been strengthened by the love and support of his wife Eunice, and their four children, Cecil, Brandie, Candace, and Brannon. It is an honor to recognize the profound impact that Rev. Dr. Tellis Jerome Chapman has made on the congregation of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church for the last 30 years and the larger impact he has made on the Greater Detroit community. I wish Reverend Chapman, his family, and the congregants of Galilee many more rewarding years of spiritual fellowship.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Mr. Stanford Ovshinsky, on the occasion of his induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Mr. Ovshinsky, the eldest son of working-class Jewish parents in Akron, OH, displayed an early conviction to improving the lives of all Americans. This conviction inspired a lifelong dedication to advancing labor rights, civil rights, and civil liberties. Despite no formal education after receiving his high school diploma, Mr. Ovshinsky became one of the 20th century's most prolific inventors. His vision and concern for the greater good led to over 400 patents, including major contributions to flexible solar panels, computer memory, flat-screen TV displays, and the development of the nickel- metal hydride battery. Mr. Ovshinsky's belief in the ability of science and technology to advance environmental stewardship and quality of life was rooted in his experience as a member of the Workmen's Circle, a Jewish fraternal organization committed to community, an enlightened Jewish culture, and social justice since it was established in 1900. The Workmen's Circle inspired Mr. Ovshinsky to pursue science and develop advanced technology dedicated to heightening economic opportunity and improving people's relationship with the environment around the world. After starting his career as a toolmaker in Akron, Mr. Ovshinsky moved to Detroit in 1952, where he was director of research at the Hupp Corporation and established General Automation with his younger brother, Herb Ovshinsky. At General Automation, Mr. Ovshinsky continued his research on intelligent machines, as well as early work on various information and energy technologies. He was invited by Wayne State University to conduct research at the university's neuroscience lab, where he discovered the connection between the amorphous structure of brain cells and amorphous glassy materials. This discovery encouraged Mr. Ovshinsky and his brother to construct the Ovitron, a mechanical model of a nerve cell constructed of thin layers of amorphous material, creating the first nanostructure, and establishing the foundation of his research for decades. Following his experience at General Automation, Mr. Ovshinsky founded Energy Conversion Devices in 1960 with Iris Dibner, who would become his wife and partner for over 50 years. It was at Energy Conversion Devices that he established Ovonics--the process of turning glassy, thin films into semiconductors with the application of low voltage--and developed new electronic and optical switches, including Ovonic Phase Change Memory and the Threshold Switch. These became the basis for the invention of rewritable CDs and DVDs, as well as the cognitive computer. Mr. Ovshinsky's work also revolutionized the construction of solar panels and resulted in the nickel-metal hydride battery, which became an important power source for electric vehicles, consumer electronics, industrial equipment, and telecommunications. Time Magazine celebrated Mr. Ovshinsky as a ``Hero for the Planet'' in 1991. In 2006, The Economist recognized him as the ``Edison of our age.'' At the time of his death in 2012, he was credited on more than 300 publications and had received over 20 major awards and honorary degrees. Throughout his life, however, Mr. Ovshinsky displayed as much vigor for fighting for justice outside his laboratory as within. His efforts contributed to the introduction of affordable housing in his affluent neighborhood in Birmingham, MI, and he was a proud member of the Mechanist's Union, as well as an early supporter of Walter P. Reuther and the United Auto Workers. It is an honor to recognize someone whose work not only helped usher the world into the modern age, but was also based in a belief that each of us has a responsibility to serve our community and leave the world a better place for generations to come.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, first off, I agree with Senator Brown and Senator Hatch on how important this debate before us is. In fact, because it is so important, I certainly hope we have an opportunity to debate fully its ramifications, especially with issues such as the Ex- Im Bank, which I heard two of my colleagues discuss with some vigor just a few moments ago. Amendment No. 1251 At this time I wish to talk about an amendment that I am offering with Senator Brown to require approval of Congress before any additional countries may join the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The 12 countries currently participating in TPP negotiations encompass about 40 percent of the global gross domestic Product. This would be the largest free-trade agreement since NAFTA, and Members should know that this agreement has the potential to expand to a number of additional countries without congressional approval. The administration has said that they would welcome interest from other nations, including China, in joining TPP. Given the impact that trade deals, such as NAFTA, have had on American businesses and workers, I would argue that it is important that Congress not only be notified of new negotiations but also have the opportunity to vote on whether to move forward with bringing on additional countries into multinational trade negotiations. If Congress were to approve the Trans-Pacific Partnership, it should not and must not be a blank check to bring in additional nations without congressional approval. I am particularly concerned about countries that manipulate the value of their currency and gain an unfair advantage over U.S. workers, steal intellectual property from American innovators, engage in unfair labor practices, damage the environment, and do not abide by existing trade deals. Just yesterday, a Federal grand jury indicted six Chinese citizens for stealing trade secrets. Last year, five Chinese military officers were caught stealing intellectual property from U.S. companies. The United States has brought 16 claims against China at the World Trade Organization, and the Chinese Government has consistently manipulated their currency against our dollar. Despite these serious problems, the administration has said that they would welcome interest from China in joining TPP. If providing fast- track authority makes it easier for countries such as China to join the TPP, robust congressional oversight is critical. Senator Brown and I have offered an amendment to explicitly ensure that this oversight is available and that Congress has the opportunity to vote on the addition of any new countries to TPP negotiations. Our amendment will require the President to notify Congress before entering negotiations with another country seeking to join the TPP. It provides 90 days for Congress to conduct hearings and investigations and ultimately hold any potential new entrant accountable for unfair trade practices. The House and Senate will need to affirmatively pass a resolution of approval for any new country to join TPP negotiations. Nations such as China will not be able to join through unilateral action by a future White House. I urge my colleagues to support the Brown-Peters amendment. Amendment No. 1299 I would also like to urge my colleagues to support the Portman- Stabenow amendment on currency manipulation. A study by the Center for Automotive Research found that the TPP, as currently negotiated, will allow Japan to manipulate its currency, and this practice will likely lead to the elimination of over 25,000 American auto industry jobs. Our workers and manufacturers can compete with anyone in the world, but they deserve a level playing field. Currency manipulation is the most significant trade barrier of our time, and it must be stopped. That is why I am supporting the Portman-Stabenow currency amendment, and I hope my colleagues will join me in standing up for American workers and fighting back against unfair currency manipulation. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the remarkable legacy of A. Alfred Taubman, an innovator whose work shaped the modern retail process for Americans and whose philanthropic endeavors have made an immeasurable impact across metro Detroit. Mr. Taubman's story is an embodiment of the American dream. A first generation American, and the son of immigrants who fled Europe in the Great Depression looking for a chance to build a better life, Mr. Taubman came from humble beginnings. From this foundation, Mr. Taubman sought to follow his father into a career as a builder and quickly became a visionary by setting new trends in the retail shopping industry, which made him one of the most successful businessmen in the State of Michigan. Despite entering the building trade without much formal higher education, he quickly honed his skills and by the age of 25 started his own business. In the wake of World War II, as the construction industry focused on suburban homes and industrial facilities, Mr. Taubman saw another dimension to America's burgeoning middle class, the opportunity for a new type of retail hub for suburban America: the shopping mall. Mr. Taubman was a student of life, and took to heart the adage that learning is a lifelong experience; a principle which was integrated into his work. When he saw the opportunity to change and improve the retail shopping experience, he delved into understanding every facet and physiological component. This was a body of knowledge that he built into a formidable retail acumen. With this knowledge, he became a trendsetter, identifying untapped potential in developing communities and he led many successful endeavors. While renowned for his groundbreaking work in the retail shopping industry, Mr. Taubman was an equally avid and passionate philanthropist, with a deep appreciation for the State of Michigan and the arts. His own work as a watercolorist inspired him to make gifts and donations to the Detroit Institute of Arts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. His charitable giving also extended to the University of Michigan's School of Medicine, where his donations have been used to fund stem cell research, holding the promise to cure degenerative diseases including ALS, as well as the College for Creative Studies and Lawrence Technological University, which are shaping the next generation of artists and innovators. Having suffered from the effects of dyslexia, he also generously supported programs to promote adult literacy, which led to him being recognized as an honorary chair for Reading Works. A. Alfred Taubman's reach was both deep and broad in every endeavor he pursued. From his work in the commercial retail industry to his philanthropic endeavors, Mr. Taubman has left a legacy that will last for generations. His passion, knowledge, and leadership will be greatly missed, but I know they will inspire future entrepreneurs, creative thinkers, and community activists to succeed and make a difference in their communities.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Madam President, I rise today with a heavy heart and with great sadness to commemorate the life of Rachel Jacobs. Rachel was tragically killed in last week's Amtrak train crash. This morning, my wife Colleen and I joined hundreds of mourners who attended her funeral as she was laid to rest in Metro Detroit. Rachel was only 39 years old when her life was so tragically cut short. She had a life filled with love, with accomplishment, and with promise. She was the beloved daughter of my dear friends Gilda and John Jacobs. Rachel was a wife, the mother of a 2-year-old son, and the CEO of an education startup in Philadelphia. While she worked in Philadelphia and lived in New York City, this is a profound loss for the Detroit area, where she grew up but which she never left behind. Rachel was the cofounder of Detroit Nation, an organization to engage former residents of the Detroit area in cities and communities around our great country. Rachel helped to connect people and motivated her friends. She took part in Detroit Homecoming, an event held last fall to engage accomplished leaders across the United States who grew up in the Metro Detroit area and now want to give back to the community they still love and call home. Rachel was a leader in this important work--work that will now need to be carried on by those whom she inspired. I am heartbroken for her many friends and deeply saddened by this tragic loss for the Metro Detroit area. My heart goes out to her young son Jacob, her husband Todd, her wonderful parents Gilda and John, her sister Jessica, and her entire family as they struggle with this painful loss. As parents, we want to give everything to our children. We want to give them a stable home and a loving family. We want to give them a great education and a bright future. But the one thing we cannot give or promise them is a long life. That is in God's hands, and now Rachel is as well. Madam President, we have suffered an incredible loss with the passing of Rachel Jacobs. We have lost a brilliant businesswoman, an active community leader, and a loving mother, wife, sister, and daughter. May her memory be a blessing. I yield back.

Mr. PETERS

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, the amendment that I have just called up that is pending before the Senate deals with what I think is a critical issue for this country; that is, making sure we can continue to move forward with innovation to grow the economy. There certainly are many debates that are going to be held as to how we get the productivity in this country to increase, how we create more middle-class jobs and grow the economy from the top to the bottom. But I think there is broad consensus that what has really driven our economy--really through the centuries but certainly most recently in the United States--has been innovation. It is about innovation, creating the next big thing, the big products that transform people's lives. In order to do that, companies that come up with these ideas need to have patent protection so that the effort they put into that product, the money they put into that product, they are able to protect as they market that product and get a return on their investments. Unfortunately, however, the backlog of patent applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has become completely unacceptable. The America Invents Act made a number of very important changes to our patent system that targeted the reducing of the backlog and driving innovation. At the time that act was passed, there were more than 700,000 patent applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Those applications had an average review time of 3 years or longer before the applications were granted patent protection. Three years is simply an unacceptable amount of time to wait as these inventors who are trying to get their patent protections--they have to wait several years before they can bring those products to the market and have the protections of patents. What makes it even more unacceptable is that these folks who are applying for these patents pay a user fee. They pay a fee in order to have this work done. Yet, with sequestration and other types of budget maneuvering, the patent office actually cannot fully utilize the fees that are generated by the people who are paying these fees. So, in a sense, this is an innovation tax. People who are innovating pay a tax while they are innovating, when what we should be doing is accelerating their ability to bring these products to market, create jobs, and advance the economy. The backlog now, after the passage of the act, still stands at 600,000, with an average review time of 2.3 years. So we have made some progress, but we still have a long way to go. So in order to reduce the patent application backlog, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office needs the ability to access all of the fees it receives in order to hire additional examiners and administrative patent judges. That is what this amendment before us does--it gives the patent office the resources it needs in order to do its job effectively. The end result is a stronger American economy. I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment. Amendment No. 521 Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be set aside and call up Peters amendment No. 521.