Paul Sarbanes

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and commend those who make up our Nation's workforce and who now, more than ever, make a vital contribution to the success of our Nation. This week, from May 6th to the 12th, is Public Service Recognition Week, organized by the Public Employees Roundtable. The Public Employees Roundtable was formed in 1982 as a non-partisan coalition of management and professional associations representing approximately 1 million public employees and retirees. The mission of the Roundtable is to educate the American people about the numerous ways public employees enrich the quality of life throughout our Nation and advance the country's national interests around the world. I am indeed proud to join the Public Employees Roundtable in their ongoing efforts to bring special attention to the dedicated individuals who have chosen public service as a career. This past year has demonstrated the crucial role of our Nation's public employees, and has highlighted the brave men and women who make up the public service workforce. On September 11th, it was the public employees of New York, Washington and Pennsylvania who responded to the tragic events of that day. And since September 11th, we have seen public employees playing a vital role in the fight against terrorism and in protecting our national security. The response of our Nation to the attacks of September 11th demonstrates the true value of our public servants. President Kennedy once stated: Let the public service be a proud and lively career. And let every man and woman who works in any area of our Nation's government, in any branch, at any level, be able to say with pride and honor in future years: ``I served the United States Government in that hour of our Nation's need.'' September 11th was an hour of our Nation's need and our public servants rose to challenge. The first responders on the scene in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania didn't hesitate to put their own lives in jeopardy in the hopes of saving others. Many firemen died in the World Trade Center rushing in to help. Postal employees, too, continued to deliver the mail despite the loss of several of their number to the anthrax attacks last fall. And as our hour of need continues, public servants are everyday making our skies safer, investigating the acts of September 11th, and working to prevent further terrorist attacks. The remarkable bravery of these public servants is a testament to the character of our Nation's public workforce, of whom we can be infinitely proud. The total impact of the work of public employees is impossible to measure. However, I believe very much that the United States will only continue to be a first-rate country if we have first-class public servants. On September 11th our public servants demonstrated that they were more than first-rate, they were heroic. It gives me great pleasure to extend my appreciation to such a worthy and committed group of men and women and encourage them to continue in their efforts on behalf of all Americans.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I rise to recognize and congratulate the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. An organization composed of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, representatives of principle State agencies, and representatives of private non-profit organizations, the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council has been at the cutting edge of national disability policy. The Council's many achievements stem from an unwavering commitment to the inclusion of all people with developmental disabilities in community life. The Council has worked diligently to promote self determination so that people with disabilities and their families are able to make decisions that impact their lives and are fully involved in the implementation of services and the support they receive in the community. I am pleased that this decade has seen the expansion of family support, which enables families to stay together and assists in meeting their unique needs. The strong leadership of the Council has brought about more opportunities and greater empowerment for people with disabilities and their families in Maryland. Many Council initiatives and partnerships for the developmentally disabled have proven successful, including efforts to expand availability and accessibility of public transportation and homeownership, advocacy for children with developmental disabilities to be educated in the least restrictive environment in their neighborhood schools, access to assistive technology, and the creation of partnerships between special education personnel, service providers, students, families, and schools. Supported employment programs assure that people with disabilities have real work of their choice and receive the support they need to succeed. Since it's beginning, the Council has worked with many other Maryland organizations and government agencies to implement successful and innovative initiatives effecting systemic change and improved public policies. As the Council celebrates its 30th anniversary, I want to again recognize its dedicated members for their tireless commitment. The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council plays a central role in many critical initiatives and will continue to be at the forefront of efforts to encourage community inclusion and support of all citizens.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, earlier today, I had a press conference with a number of my colleagues, Senators Schumer, Stabenow, Corzine, and Clinton, as well as Mayor DeStefano of New Haven, CT, Mayor McCollum from Richmond, VA, Wade Henderson, Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and Tess Canja, a member of the Board of AARP, to announce the introduction of the ``Predatory Lending Consumer Protection Act of 2002.'' When I took over as Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs last year, I made it clear that one of my highest priorities would be to use the Committee as a way to shine a bright light on the deceptive and destructive practices of predatory lenders. We then held a series of three hearings, starting in July of 2001 and continuing through January of this year, at which the Committee heard from housing experts, community groups, legal advocates, industry representatives and victims of predatory lending in an effort to determine how best to address this problem. The bill I am introducing this afternoon, along with 14 of my colleagues, represents the result of the recent work of the Committee, as well as efforts from the previous Congress. In particular, this legislation builds on the excellent work of my colleagues in the Senate and Representative LaFalce, with whom I introduced legislation on this topic in the last Congress. Homeownership is the American Dream. We say this so often that there is a danger of the idea becoming almost trivial, or devoid of real meaning. But it pays to step back for a second and understand how true and fundamental this is. Homeownership is the opportunity for Americans to put down roots and start creating equity for themselves and their families. Homeownership has been the path to building wealth for generations of Americans, wealth that can be tapped to send children to college, pay for a secure retirement, or simply work as a reserve against unexpected emergencies. It has been the key to ensuring stable communities, good schools, and safe streets. Common sense tells us, and the evidence confirms, that homeowners are more engaged citizens and more active in their communities. Little wonder, then, that so many Americans, young and old, aspire to achieve this dream. The predatory lending industry plays on these hopes and dreams to cynically cheat people out of their wealth. These lenders target lower income, elderly, and, often, uneducated homeowners for their abusive practices. And, as a study released today by the Center for Community Change so clearly indicates, they target minorities, driving a wedge between these families and the hope of a productive life in the economic and financial mainstream of America. We owe it to these hardworking families to provide protections against these unscrupulous pirates. Let me share with you one of the stories we heard at our hearings in July. Mary Ann Podelco, a widowed waitress from West Virginia, used $19,000 from her husband's life insurance to pay off the balance on her mortgage, thus owning her home free and clear. Before her husband's death, she had never had a checking account or a credit card. She then took out a $11,921 loan for repairs. At the time, her monthly income from Social Security was $458, and her loan payments were more than half this amount. Ms. Podelco, who has a sixth grade education, testified that after her first refinancing, ``I began getting calls from people trying to refinance my mortgage all hours of the day and night.'' Within two years, having been advised to refinance seven times, each time seeing high points and fees being financed into her new loan, she owed $64,000, and lost her home to foreclosure. Ms. Podelco's story is all too typical. Unfortunately, most of the sharp practices used by unscrupulous lenders and brokers, while unethical and clearly abusive, are perfectly legal. This bill is designed to address that problem by tightening the interest rate and fee triggers that define a high cost loans; the bill improves protections for borrowers receiving such loans by prohibiting the financing of exorbitant fees, ``packing'' in of unnecessary and costly products, such as credit life insurance, and limiting prepayment penalties. Finally, it protects these consumers' rights to seek redress by prohibiting mandatory arbitration, as the Federal Trade Commission proposed unanimously in 2000. We cannot extol the virtues of homeownership, as we so often do, without seeking at the same time to preserve this benefit for so many elderly, minority, and unsophisticated Americans who are the targets of unscrupulous lenders and brokers. This legislation will help achieve this important goal. Before closing, let me say that, in addition to the aforementioned AARP, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and Center for Community Change, CCC, this bill has been endorsed by the National Consumer Law Center, ACORN, the National League of Cities, National Consumer Reinvestment Coalition, Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, NAACP, the Self-Help Credit Union, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Finally, I ask unanimous consent to print in the Record the Executive Summary of the new CCC study entitled ``Risk or Race? Racial Disparities and the Subprime Refinance Market.'' While predatory lending is not by any means exclusively a problem of racial discrimination, this study demonstrates how much more minorities are forced to rely on subprime lending as a source of mortgage credit. Because predatory lending is concentrated in the subprime market, this study provides new evidence on why the protections provided by the Predatory Lending Consumer Protection Act are so important.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, earlier today, I had a press conference with a number of my colleagues, Senators Schumer, Stabenow, Corzine, and Clinton, as well as Mayor DeStefano of New Haven, CT, Mayor McCollum from Richmond, VA, Wade Henderson, Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and Tess Canja, a member of the Board of AARP, to announce the introduction of the ``Predatory Lending Consumer Protection Act of 2002.'' When I took over as Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs last year, I made it clear that one of my highest priorities would be to use the Committee as a way to shine a bright light on the deceptive and destructive practices of predatory lenders. We then held a series of three hearings, starting in July of 2001 and continuing through January of this year, at which the Committee heard from housing experts, community groups, legal advocates, industry representatives and victims of predatory lending in an effort to determine how best to address this problem. The bill I am introducing this afternoon, along with 14 of my colleagues, represents the result of the recent work of the Committee, as well as efforts from the previous Congress. In particular, this legislation builds on the excellent work of my colleagues in the Senate and Representative LaFalce, with whom I introduced legislation on this topic in the last Congress. Homeownership is the American Dream. We say this so often that there is a danger of the idea becoming almost trivial, or devoid of real meaning. But it pays to step back for a second and understand how true and fundamental this is. Homeownership is the opportunity for Americans to put down roots and start creating equity for themselves and their families. Homeownership has been the path to building wealth for generations of Americans, wealth that can be tapped to send children to college, pay for a secure retirement, or simply work as a reserve against unexpected emergencies. It has been the key to ensuring stable communities, good schools, and safe streets. Common sense tells us, and the evidence confirms, that homeowners are more engaged citizens and more active in their communities. Little wonder, then, that so many Americans, young and old, aspire to achieve this dream. The predatory lending industry plays on these hopes and dreams to cynically cheat people out of their wealth. These lenders target lower income, elderly, and, often, uneducated homeowners for their abusive practices. And, as a study released today by the Center for Community Change so clearly indicates, they target minorities, driving a wedge between these families and the hope of a productive life in the economic and financial mainstream of America. We owe it to these hardworking families to provide protections against these unscrupulous pirates. Let me share with you one of the stories we heard at our hearings in July. Mary Ann Podelco, a widowed waitress from West Virginia, used $19,000 from her husband's life insurance to pay off the balance on her mortgage, thus owning her home free and clear. Before her husband's death, she had never had a checking account or a credit card. She then took out a $11,921 loan for repairs. At the time, her monthly income from Social Security was $458, and her loan payments were more than half this amount. Ms. Podelco, who has a sixth grade education, testified that after her first refinancing, ``I began getting calls from people trying to refinance my mortgage all hours of the day and night.'' Within two years, having been advised to refinance seven times, each time seeing high points and fees being financed into her new loan, she owed $64,000, and lost her home to foreclosure. Ms. Podelco's story is all too typical. Unfortunately, most of the sharp practices used by unscrupulous lenders and brokers, while unethical and clearly abusive, are perfectly legal. This bill is designed to address that problem by tightening the interest rate and fee triggers that define a high cost loans; the bill improves protections for borrowers receiving such loans by prohibiting the financing of exorbitant fees, ``packing'' in of unnecessary and costly products, such as credit life insurance, and limiting prepayment penalties. Finally, it protects these consumers' rights to seek redress by prohibiting mandatory arbitration, as the Federal Trade Commission proposed unanimously in 2000. We cannot extol the virtues of homeownership, as we so often do, without seeking at the same time to preserve this benefit for so many elderly, minority, and unsophisticated Americans who are the targets of unscrupulous lenders and brokers. This legislation will help achieve this important goal. Before closing, let me say that, in addition to the aforementioned AARP, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and Center for Community Change, CCC, this bill has been endorsed by the National Consumer Law Center, ACORN, the National League of Cities, National Consumer Reinvestment Coalition, Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, NAACP, the Self-Help Credit Union, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Finally, I ask unanimous consent to print in the Record the Executive Summary of the new CCC study entitled ``Risk or Race? Racial Disparities and the Subprime Refinance Market.'' While predatory lending is not by any means exclusively a problem of racial discrimination, this study demonstrates how much more minorities are forced to rely on subprime lending as a source of mortgage credit. Because predatory lending is concentrated in the subprime market, this study provides new evidence on why the protections provided by the Predatory Lending Consumer Protection Act are so important.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Will the Senator yield for a question?

Mr. SARBANES. The fact is that no other advanced country places as much of the burden of obtaining a college education on the individual student and the family as we do. We in the Congress have been trying to ease that burden through a combination of grants and loans, although we have been shifting from grants to loans increasingly over the years. Other countries do not do the same thing. Why not? Because they recognize the society and the nation benefit from developing the talents and the capacities of their young men and women; that it is not only the individual who gets the benefit but society gets a benefit from educating these people. As my colleague from Illinois pointed out, if they walk out of college with this huge burden on their back, then obviously they are motivated to go to lucrative professions in order to pay off the debt. I have talked to young people who have said: I really would like to teach but I cannot afford to teach because I have this debt burden that I have to pay off. Therefore, they are looking to go into some profession where they can make a lot of money. They are lost to the teaching profession. Now that we have a system in place, we knock out one aspect. My understanding is the consolidation of loans has been in effect since the Reagan years. I understand it first went into place in 1986, the consolidation of loans. It makes good sense. We are always telling people they ought to consolidate their loans and we put it into place. Now we are taking away from people another support to try to help with higher education.

Mr. SARBANES. Will the Senator yield?

Mr. SARBANES. Age 21, I might add, or 22, and they are already walking out, after getting their education, with a $16,000 average debt. A lot of them, as the Senator points out, have more.

Mr. SARBANES. I must say, when I saw that article, the first thing I thought to myself was: They must have figured out some sort of unique way to achieve some savings in the college loan program which will not affect the beneficiaries of the program. It never occurred to me until I read the article, to which the Senator has referred, that they were intending to take this money right out of the hide of the beneficiaries. As I understand it, we have had this program where people can consolidate their loans and lock them into place with a fixed interest rate. That has helped, as I understand it, to significantly reduce the default rate on college loans, if I am not mistaken. I think 10 years ago we had a default rate at about 22 percent, and now we have cut that rate to, what, about 5 percent?

Mr. SARBANES. Five point six percent.

Mr. SARBANES. That is one of the benefits of providing a rational framework for students and their families to address these college loans. First of all, we have to understand these students are taking on a tremendous burden as they move through college in order to get a college education. There are many people who argue we are not doing enough to help lift that burden. But the notion that we should now add to it in this significant manner that the head of the OMB is talking about I find outrageous. How are these people going to afford this college education? We have set up a system which seems to be working pretty well. If anything, we ought to provide more assistance, not less. I certainly commend the Senator for taking to the floor to underscore this problem. I gather they want to try to do it in the supplemental appropriations bill, with very little consideration of its impact or an opportunity to affect what is happening.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, today I am introducing the ``FHA Downpayment Simplification Act of 2002'' with a number of my colleagues. As the list of original cosponsors indicates, this piece of legislation has broad, bipartisan support. This is because the Federal Housing Administration, FHA, has long been a tool to increase homeownership in America. Since its inception in 1934, the FHA has helped millions of American families achieve the dream of homeownership. Currently, FHA accounts for about 20 percent of the mortgage market. However, FHA is even more important to first time homebuyers, buyers with lower incomes, and minority homebuyers, many of whom have not been well served by the traditional marketplace. For these borrowers, FHA is the ticket to the American dream. Indeed, the very strong economy helped raise overall homeownership rates through the 1990s to historically high levels, both for the population as a whole and among underserved buyers. By 1999, homeownership increased to 66.8 percent. But it was the FHA that helped ensure those benefits were widely available. For example, according to data provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, first time homebuyers accounted for 82 percent of all FHA loans in the year 2000; almost half of FHA-insured loans went to low-income borrowers in metropolitan areas; and over one- third of FHA loans went to African-American and Hispanic borrowers. In each case, FHA played a more significant role than the conventional market. The role played by FHA in spreading the benefits of homeownership to a broader range of Americans is the central reason my colleagues and I believe it is important to renew and make permanent the law authorizing the streamlined downpayment calculation for all FHA single family insured loans. The streamlined downpayment, which is current law, was initially tried as a pilot in Hawaii and Alaska in 1996 before being extended nationwide in 1998. It was subsequently reauthorized again until the end of this year. Without Congressional action, the law will expire, resulting in higher costs for millions of Americans seeking the benefits of homeownership. The streamlined downpayment process, as its name implies, is relatively simple and straightforward. The buyer puts down at least 3 percent of the acquisition cost of the home. The acquisition cost includes both the sales price and the closing costs. The old system required different downpayment rates for each portion of a mortgage. This approach is complex, multi-step calculation that often confused consumers, realtors, and lenders alike, and resulted in higher overall closing costs for the consumer. For example, for a property with a sales price of $150,000 and $3,000 in closing costs, the streamlined approach that would be continued by this legislation would save the borrower almost $2,200 in closing costs. For a more modest home costing $100,000 with $2,000 in closing costs, the savings would be about $350 over the old system. The streamlined FHA downpayment process has been working extremely well. That is why both the National Association of Realtors and the Mortgage Bankers Association of America support this legislation. Promoting homeownership is an important value that all of us have supported through the years. Passing this legislation is one way to help more and more Americans achieve this important goal. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, today I am introducing the ``FHA Downpayment Simplification Act of 2002'' with a number of my colleagues. As the list of original cosponsors indicates, this piece of legislation has broad, bipartisan support. This is because the Federal Housing Administration, FHA, has long been a tool to increase homeownership in America. Since its inception in 1934, the FHA has helped millions of American families achieve the dream of homeownership. Currently, FHA accounts for about 20 percent of the mortgage market. However, FHA is even more important to first time homebuyers, buyers with lower incomes, and minority homebuyers, many of whom have not been well served by the traditional marketplace. For these borrowers, FHA is the ticket to the American dream. Indeed, the very strong economy helped raise overall homeownership rates through the 1990s to historically high levels, both for the population as a whole and among underserved buyers. By 1999, homeownership increased to 66.8 percent. But it was the FHA that helped ensure those benefits were widely available. For example, according to data provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, first time homebuyers accounted for 82 percent of all FHA loans in the year 2000; almost half of FHA-insured loans went to low-income borrowers in metropolitan areas; and over one- third of FHA loans went to African-American and Hispanic borrowers. In each case, FHA played a more significant role than the conventional market. The role played by FHA in spreading the benefits of homeownership to a broader range of Americans is the central reason my colleagues and I believe it is important to renew and make permanent the law authorizing the streamlined downpayment calculation for all FHA single family insured loans. The streamlined downpayment, which is current law, was initially tried as a pilot in Hawaii and Alaska in 1996 before being extended nationwide in 1998. It was subsequently reauthorized again until the end of this year. Without Congressional action, the law will expire, resulting in higher costs for millions of Americans seeking the benefits of homeownership. The streamlined downpayment process, as its name implies, is relatively simple and straightforward. The buyer puts down at least 3 percent of the acquisition cost of the home. The acquisition cost includes both the sales price and the closing costs. The old system required different downpayment rates for each portion of a mortgage. This approach is complex, multi-step calculation that often confused consumers, realtors, and lenders alike, and resulted in higher overall closing costs for the consumer. For example, for a property with a sales price of $150,000 and $3,000 in closing costs, the streamlined approach that would be continued by this legislation would save the borrower almost $2,200 in closing costs. For a more modest home costing $100,000 with $2,000 in closing costs, the savings would be about $350 over the old system. The streamlined FHA downpayment process has been working extremely well. That is why both the National Association of Realtors and the Mortgage Bankers Association of America support this legislation. Promoting homeownership is an important value that all of us have supported through the years. Passing this legislation is one way to help more and more Americans achieve this important goal. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, as a strong supporter of Federal programs to strengthen and protect libraries, I am pleased to recognize April 14--20 as National Library Week. This is the 44th anniversary of this national observance and its longevity is evidence of the great importance our Nation places on libraries, books, reading and education. National Library Week grew out of 1950's research that showed a troublesome trend--Americans were spending more money on radios and television and less on buying books. The American Library Association and the American Book Publishers joined forces and introduced the first National Library Week in 1958 in an effort to encourage people to read and to use their libraries. When the free public library came into its own in this country in the 19th century, it was, from the beginning, a unique institution because of its commitment to the principle of a free and open exchange of ideas, much like the Constitution itself. Libraries continue to be an integral part of all that our country embodies: freedom of information, an educated citizenry, and an open and enlightened society. I firmly believe libraries play an indispensable role in our communities. They promote reading and quench a thirst for knowledge among adults, adolescents, and children. More importantly, they provide the access and resources to allow citizens to obtain timely and reliable information that is so necessary in our fast-paced society. In this age of rapid technological advancement, libraries are called upon to provide not only books and periodicals, but many other valuable resources as well audio-visual materials, computer services, Internet access terminals, facilities for community lectures and performances, tapes, records, videocassettes, and works of art for exhibit and loan to the public. Libraries provide a gateway to a new and exciting world for all the place where a spark is often struck for disadvantaged citizens who for whatever reason have not had exposure to the vast stores of knowledge and emerging technology available to others. In this information age, they play a critical role in bridging the digital divide. Many families cannot afford personal computers at home, yet the role of computers has become almost necessary to a basic educational experience. The children of these families would suffer without the access to emerging technology that libraries provide to all patrons regardless of income. In addition, special facilities libraries provide services for older Americans, people with disabilities, and hospitalized citizens. During National Library Week, I wish to salute those individuals who are members of the library community and work so hard to ensure that our citizens and communities continue to enjoy the tremendous rewards available through our libraries. Library staff, volunteers and patrons work to ensure existing libraries run smoothly and have adequate resources, as well as advocate for increased funding and new libraries. I am proud that Maryland is a State of readers. Recent statistics show that Maryland citizens borrowed more public library materials per person than those of almost any other State, nearly 9 per person. In addition, 67 percent of the State's population are registered library patrons. We are lucky to have 24 public library systems, providing a full range of library services to all Maryland citizens and a long tradition of open and unrestricted sharing of resources. The State Library Network that provides interlibrary loans to the State's public, academic, special libraries and school library media centers has enhanced this policy. Marylanders have responded to this outstanding service by showing their continued enthusiasm and support for our public libraries. I have worked closely with members of the Maryland Library Association, colleges and universities and others involved in the library community throughout the State, and I am very pleased to join with them and citizens throughout the Nation in this week's celebration of ``National Library Week.'' I look forward to continuing this relationship with those who enable libraries to provide the unique and vital services available to all Americans.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, on April 23, in Alexandria, Egypt, the Library of Alexandria (Bibliotheca Alexandrina) will be formally and joyfully inaugurated. This is a signal event in the history of world culture. The new library has been built on the site of the ancient Library of Alexandria, not in imitation of its renowned predecessor but rather, as its first Chief Librarian, Dr. Ismail Seragaldin, has observed, to recapture the spirit and emulate the ideals, scholarship and research of the Ancient Library. It is also, significantly, the first major library to open anywhere in the world in the third millennium. From the time of its establishment in the 4th century B.C.E. until its destruction by fire some 1,600 years ago, the Ancient Library stood as a preeminent center of learning. It brought together the Pharaonic and Hellenistic cultures, reflecting and reinforcing Egypt's pivotal role as a cradle of civilization. Alexandria was a magnificent city, a great center of both commerce and intellectual endeavor, and the library was its anchor indeed, the library was emblematic of the city. With its collection of some 700,000 manuscripts and its phalanx of scholars, Euclid and Archimedes among them, it was also, effectively, the world's first university. And although the library was lost many centuries ago, it has remained a lustrous symbol of scholarship and intellectual inquiry. A clear and steady vision, intense dedication, and many years of planning and hard work have brought the new library into being. In 1990, under the leadership of Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, a group of distinguished men and women from many different countries came together to sign the Aswan Declaration for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria, which proclaimed the Library's mission to be, in part, to ``bear witness to an original undertaking that, in embracing the totality and diversity of human experience, became the matrix for a new spirit of critical inquiry, for a heightened perception of knowledge as a collaborative process.'' Now, 12 years after the signing of the Aswan Declaration, the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a reality. It will provide scholars and researchers with unique collections and facilities focusing on the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Alexandria as well as on contemporary subjects. It will house resource materials in science and technology to assist in studies of Egypt and the Mediterranean region, and it will sponsor studies of the region's historical and cultural heritage. At the same time, it will serve as a major depository library, and it will take its place alongside the world's major scholarly institutions, like the Library of Congress, in using technology to make available to scholars the whole range of information resources, wherever they may be found. The stunning architectural design of the building that houses the library is congruent with the library's mission. It is, as Mrs. Mubarak has put it, ``a great dazzling building,'' ``a fourth pyramid,'' its ``inclined round shape similar to the sun rising at dawn.'' Yet it is simple in concept: a circle sloping toward the Mediterranean Sea, partly submerged in water. A wall of Aswan granite, with calligraphy representing inscriptions from the world's civilizations, surrounds the building, which is connected to Alexandria's famous Corniche by an elevated passageway. This magnificent project could not have been completed without the generous support and leadership of President Hosni Mubarak, Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, and the Egyptian people, and it has benefited enormously from the support of UNESCO, of many governments and non- governmental organizations, and of committed men and women around the world. I am especially pleased that the sister-city partnership joining Baltimore and Alexandria has contributed to the library through a committee called the Baltimore Friends of Bibliotheca Alexandrina; under the chairmanship of Dr. Raouf Boules, who came to this country from Alexandria and who serves as Assistant Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at Towson University in Maryland, the committee has been very successful in collecting books and raising funds for the Library. The Ancient Library of Alexandria ``was and is one of the greatest and most inspiring creations of the human intellect,'' as Mrs. Mubarak has observed. The New Library of Alexandria will surely carry forward that tradition. On the day of its inauguration we celebrate the New Library, we pay tribute to those who have made its establishment possible, and we express deep gratitude for the contributions it will surely make to greater knowledge and understanding worldwide.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, one of Aesops fables tells of the race between the tortoise and the hare. As the story goes, the hare took off at the start of the race at a very swift pace but soon tired, stopped and fell fast asleep. The tortoise, on the other hand, maintained a slow and steady pace and passed the sleeping hare en route to a victory. The moral of the story is ``slow but steady wins the race.'' Such was the pace to the 2002 NCAA Basketball Championship for the University of Maryland Terrapins. Following a Final Four appearance in last year's NCAA Tournament, expectations were high for this year's team. From the first tip-off last October during Midnight Madness to the final buzzer of this year's championship game, the entire Terrapin team, led by head coach and University of Maryland alumnus Gary Williams, pursued a deliberate and determined course. Their journey culminated on the night of April 1, 2002, when the team won the NCAA Men's Division 1 Basketball Championship. It is with a deep sense of Maryland pride and pleasure that I rise as the chairman of the Maryland congressional delegation to submit a resolution congratulating the University of Maryland Terrapins for winning the 2002 NCAA National Basketball Championship. My Maryland colleague, Senator Barbara Mikulski, is joining me in this effort and the Maryland House delegation, led by University of Maryland alum, Steny Hoyer, is also submitting a similar resolution. As our resolution highlights, this has been a remarkable run for the men's basketball team. The team won a school record 32 games. They went undefeated at home, including their impressive win over Duke University by a score of 97-73. This year was the last year that the team will play in historic Cole Field House and the season was a fitting tribute to a building that has witnessed so many remarkable games over the years. This year's team continued its home court dominance over non- conference opponents, extending its winning streak to 84 wins, the current longest winning streak in the Nation. Madam President, please join me in congratulating the Maryland Terrapin team members: senior guard Juan Dixon, the 2002 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, the ACC Player of the Year, a First-Team All-American, and a member of the ACC All-Defensive Team; senior center Lonny Baxter, Most Valuable Player of the East Region, Second Team All-ACC, honorable mention All-American, and a member of the ACC All Defensive Team; senior forward Byron Mouton, Honorable Mention All-ACC; senior guard Earl Badu; junior guard Steve Blake, named to the Third Team All-ACC, and Honorable Mention All-American; junior forward Tahj Holden; junior guard Drew Nicholas; junior center Ryan Randle; junior guard Calvin McCall; sophomore forward Chris Wilcox, named to the Third Team All-ACC; freshman guard Andre Collins; and freshman forward Mike Grinnon. On behalf of the State of Maryland, the Maryland congressional delegation and the University of Maryland, I ask my colleagues to join me in acknowledging the outstanding efforts of this amazing group of basketball players, coaches and staff.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I rise in tribute to John Robson, the President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, who passed away yesterday morning. John had a truly remarkable career in both the public and private sectors. Prior to becoming President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank last year, he most recently had been a senior adviser with the San Francisco investment banking firm of Robertson Stephens. He served as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury under former President Bush from 1989- 1992, and was Dean of the Emory School of Business from 1986-88. From 1978-85 he was President and Chief Executive Officer of the pharmaceutical company G.D. Searle. He served as Chairman of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board from 1975-77, and was Under Secretary of Transportation from 1967-69. He was a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School. I first worked with John during the crisis in the savings and loan industry in the 1980's. As Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, he served as the Administration's point person in dealing with one of the most serious financial crises since the Great Depression. During that experience, I came to know John as a very tough and determined leader who helped restore stability to an important segment of the U.S. financial system. Most recently, I worked closely with John in his role as President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank. In my view, the Bank and the Administration were very fortunate to get an individual of John's experience and stature for that challenging job. The Export-Import Bank has a crucial role to play in helping U.S. exporters to compete in international markets against foreign companies who receive export subsidies from their governments. However, the Eximbank is often criticized from both the left and the right as providing unnecessary subsidies to U.S. exporters. In addition, the Eximbank also often receives internal challenges within the Administration from the Treasury Department and OMB, who try to assert control over the Bank. John was extraordinarily well suited to provide the leadership to defend the important role the Export-Import Bank plays in U.S. trade policy within the Administration, and to explain that role to the Congress and the public. I was privileged to work closely with John in crafting S. 1372, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act, which was just passed by the Senate last week. I am hopeful that the Congress will soon complete action on that legislation and send it to the White House for the President's signature. It would be a fitting tribute to John's leadership of the Eximbank. I would like to extend my condolences of John's wife, Margaret, and his son, Douglas. Our country will miss John's outstanding leadership and dedicated service.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I rise today in observance of the 181st anniversary of Greece's independence and to pay tribute to the heroic Greek patriots who, against tremendous odds, ended nearly 4 centuries of oppressive foreign domination of their homeland. This arduous struggle continued for eight years, until 1829, when independence was secured and the first steps were taken toward the establishment of the modern Greek state. Just as the founders of the new American nation looked to ancient Greece for inspiration and instruction, barely a generation later, Greek patriots took inspiration from the American Revolution, seeing in its success a promise of their own future. The reigning monarchies of Europe were universally skeptical of the uprising in Greece, but in the newly independent United States, it won overwhelming sympathy. For nearly 200 years, the American and Greek peoples have shared a profound commitment to democratic principles, and both have worked to create societies built on these values. In the two World Wars that devastated the last century, Greece fought heroically in the allied struggles for freedom and democracy. Similarly, during the cold war, Greece was a bulwark against totalitarian aggression and emerged as a democratic nation with a vigorous economy, a strong partner of the United States, and a full member of both NATO and the European Union. This progress is manifested by the fact that Greece will host the 2004 Olympic Games. Likewise, Greece's presence in the Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean, as the only member of the European Union in those regions, enables it to play a stabilizing role and serve as a model for other nations in that area as they seek to establish stable democratic institutions and modern economic systems. The U.S.-Greece partnership has also been strengthened many times over by the distinctive contributions which Greek Americans have made to every aspect of life in our nation--in the arts, in business, in science, and in scholarship. As Greek Americans have made this remarkable progress, they have also preserved important traditional values of hard work, education, and commitment to family and church-- principles that strengthen and invigorate our communities. Greek Independence Day therefore provides us with an appropriate moment to reflect on the many ways in which the past and the future are knitted together. As we recall the long ago events of March 25, 1821, we are mindful of the courage and sacrifice of those who worked and struggled to build the democratic institutions that are the guarantors of freedoms for not only the Greek, but for peoples throughout the world. We both rejoice in and revere these institutions, and we take this occasion to commit ourselves once again to preserving and strengthening them for generations yet to come.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, last spring, after years of debate and delay, a majority of the Senate agreed with the American public that our system of campaign financing needs repair and passed a significant campaign finance reform bill. Last month, the House of Representative passed similar campaign finance reform legislation. Now the Senate has taken up this House bill, and today this body will pass a comprehensive campaign finance reform bill. This legislation is long overdue. With every passing election cycle, money plays a greater and greater role, and we run the risk of weakening the public's trust in our democratic system of government. In short, our constituents are losing faith in our ability to serve their interests over the interests of those who contribute to our campaigns. People are growing cynical about public life. They are staying away from the polling place in increasingly large numbers, in large part due to the perception that money, rather than the popular will, drives electoral outcomes. Under these circumstances, meaningful campaign finance reform becomes necessary to protect our system of government and our way of life. While no legislation can completely solve the problems in our campaign system, this campaign finance reform bill makes real progress in the fight against corruption. I wish to express my dismay that this issue requires a cloture vote. The Senate debated this legislation for two weeks last year, and voted 59-41 to pass it. Yet, some Republican Senators still seem bent on derailing this bill, a bill that is clearly the will of the House of Representatives, the Senate, and most importantly, the American people. After the cloture vote, the Senate will be able to do what it should have done long ago, pass meaningful campaign finance reform legislation.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I rise in support of S. 1372, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act. This legislation, which was reported out of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs by a 21-0 vote, would reauthorize the Export-Import Bank through September 30, 2006. The Export-Import Bank of the United States was created in 1934 and established under its present law in 1945 to aid in financing and promoting U.S. exports. The Bank operates under a renewable charter, the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945, and was last authorized in 1997 through September 30, 2001. A short-term extension through March 31, 2002 was contained in the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill enacted last year. It is thus urgent for the Congress to act on this reauthorization in order for the Eximbank to remain open and able to assist U.S. exporters to compete in international markets. In order to ensure that the Ex-Im Bank will be able to continue to function until this reauthorization bill is enacted, I am also seeking consent today on a short-term extension of the authorization of the Ex-Im Bank until April 30, 2002. In my view, there are two compelling market-based reasons for the existence of the Ex-Im Bank. First, the Ex-Im Bank has a critical role to play in leveling the playing field for U.S. exporters by matching the public financing made available by foreign governments. In addition, the Ex-Im Bank provides leverage to U.S. negotiators seeking to achieve international agreements to limit the use of government export subsidies. U.S. exporters are able to compete effectively in international markets on the basis of price and quality. When foreign governments provide subsidized financing for their exporters, U.S. exporters are placed at a competitive disadvantage. Second, emerging market economies can pose credit risks of such magnitude that commercial banks are reluctant to finance U.S. exports to those countries even though they may present extraordinary opportunities for U.S. exporters. The Ex-Im Bank has the difficult but important task of weighing the project in light of the country risk rating and determining if a guarantee should be provided for a commercial export loan that would make possible an export deal that otherwise would not occur. For these reasons, the Export-Import Bank has traditionally enjoyed strong bipartisan support in the Congress. That support is reflected in the unanimous 21-0 vote in the Banking Committee in support of this legislation. I would like to thank Senator Bayh, Chairman of the International Trade and Finance Subcommittee, and Senator Hagel, the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, for their strong support and leadership on this legislation. I would also like to thank Senator Gramm, the Ranking Member of the Banking Committee, for his cooperation in moving this important legislation forward. There are four key issues addressed in this legislation: the term of the reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank; the competitive challenge posed to the Bank by foreign market windows; Ex-Im Bank financing for small business; and the collection of information on the activities of foreign export credit agencies as part of the Ex-Im Bank's annual report. Following is a brief discussion of these issues, as well as a discussion of an amendment that will be offered on the floor by Senator Allard to establish an Inspector General for the Eximbank. The legislation intentionally provided an authorization until September 30, 2006 in order to take the reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank out of the Presidential election cycle. When the reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank falls in the first year of a President's term, it runs the risk that a new President will be taking office, as occurred last year. In that case, a new Administration must struggle not only to put in place a new Chairman of the Ex-Im Bank but also cope with providing leadership for the reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank as well. The Banking Committee believed that it makes more sense to put the reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank in the second year of a President's term to assure that a new Ex-Im Bank Chairman has been put in place and has been on the job with sufficient time to provide leadership for the reauthorization of the Bank. The second issue addressed in the legislation is the competitive challenge to the Ex-Im Bank posed by foreign market windows. In hearings held in the International Trade and Finance Subcommittee last year, witnesses from industry, academia, and the Administration commented on the growing challenges to U.S. exporters posed by foreign market windows. Market windows are government-sponsored enterprises (for example, government owned or directed financial institutions) which provide export financing at below market rates. However, the foreign governments--notably Germany and Canada--which support them claim that these enterprises are not official export credit agencies, and thus not subject to the disciplines of the OECD Arrangement. Currently, two government entities operate very active market windows. They are the German market window KfW and the Canadian market window, the Export Development Corporation (EDC). The result is that these foreign market windows can provide subsidized export financing outside the OECD Arrangement and give their exporters a competitive advantage over U.S. exporters. Also, because these foreign market windows are not subject to the OECD disciplines, there is often a transparency problem--it is difficult to find out the terms of the financing they provide. The Ex-Im Bank Act currently authorizes the Ex-Im Bank to ``provide guarantees, insurance, and extensions of credit at rates and on terms and other conditions which are fully competitive with the Government- supported rates and terms and other conditions available for the financing of exports of goods and services from the principal countries whose exporters compete with the United States.'' Since market windows are government-supported entities, the Ex-Im Bank views its current statute as providing Ex-Im Bank authority to match windows financing (but not to create its own market windows institutions). The Bank Committee agreed with that view. However, the Banking Committee believed it would be helpful to make this authority explicit so as to remove any question about Ex-Im Bank's authority and also to send a message to the foreign market windows of U.S. concern about their operations. As a result, the legislation contains two provisions which address market windows. The first provision directs the executive branch to seek increased transparency over the activities of market windows in the OECD Export Credit Arrangement. If it is determined that market windows are disadvantaging U.S. exporters, the U.S. would be directed to seek negotiations in the OECD for multilateral disciplines and transparency for market windows. The second provision authorizes the Ex-Im Bank to provide financing on terms and conditions that are inconsistent with those permitted under the OECD Export Credit Arrangement to match financing terms and conditions that are being offered by market windows if such matching advances negotiations for multilateral disciplines and transparency within the OECD, or when market windows financing is being offered on terms that are more favorable than available from private financial markets. Ex-Im Bank could also match market window financing when the market window refuses to provide sufficient transparency to permit Ex- Im Bank to determine the terms and conditions of the market window financing. The Banking Committee understood that Ex-Im Bank has the authority to match market windows financing that is consistent with the terms of the OECD Arrangement. In addition, the Banking Committee held the view that increased information was needed on the activities of foreign market windows. As a result, the bill specifies that the Bank's annual report to Congress on export credit competition should include information on export financing available to foreign competitors through market windows. The Banking Committee believed that it was very important to make clear that Eximbank has the authority to match market windows financing in order to allow U.S. exporters to compete on a level playing field, and to direct the executive branch to seek negotiations in the OECD for multilateral disciplines and transparency for market windows financing. The third issue is small business financing by the Eximbank. The Banking Committee has strongly supported the Ex-Im Bank's efforts to provide financing for small business. The Ex-Im Bank Act currently requires that ``the Bank shall make available, from the aggregate loan, guarantee, and insurance authority available to it, an amount to finance exports directly by small business concerns which shall not be less than 10 percent of such authority for each fiscal year.'' The legislation increases the requirements to 18 percent. According to the Ex-Im Bank, in FY 2000 small business comprised 18 percent of the total value of all Ex-Im Bank financing authorizations and 86 percent of all transactions supported by Ex-Im Bank. In FY 1999 these numbers were 16 percent and 86 percent respectively. In FY 1998 they were 21 percent and 85 percent respectively. The Banking Committee believed that the requirement for Ex-Im Bank small business financing could reasonably be raised to a level of 18 percent without causing disruption to Ex-Im Bank's lending programs. Ex-Im Bank remains free to go above this level, as it has in the past, but the Committee was concerned the requiring a higher level could have the unwanted effect of tying up available Ex-Im Bank resources if the Ex-Im Bank could not achieve higher levels of small business financing in a given year. The legislation makes a number of changes to Ex-Im Bank reporting requirements to ensure more timely and complete reporting of the activities of foreign export credit agencies. The legislation requires the Ex-Im Bank to submit its annual competitiveness report to Congress not later than June 30 of each year. Currently, the annual competitiveness report comes to Congress in late summer/early autumn, too late to be used for any oversight or legislation in any given year. Also, with the current submission date, the Advisory Committee's annual recommendations, completed in December each year, are 8 to 9 months old. Finally, by moving the reporting date to June 30, the Ex-Im Bank will have ample time to include data on other export credit agencies, in light of the fact that the Berne Union reports on global export credit agency activity come in 45 days after the close of each quarter. As previously mentioned, the legislation also specifies that the Bank's annual competitiveness report to Congress should include information on export financing available to foreign competitors through market windows. The legislation also requires the Ex-Im Bank to estimate the annual amount of export financing available from the government and government-related agencies and include that information in Ex-Im's annual competitiveness report. Finally, during the Banking Committee markup on the legislation, Senator Allard offered an amendment that would have established an Inspector General for the Ex-Im Bank. Members of the Banking Committee agreed in principle that Ex-Im Bank could benefit from having an Inspector General, but concerns were raised about how an Inspector General provision should be structured. Senator Allard withdrew his amendment with the understanding that an effort would be made to reach an agreement so that this issue could be addressed on the Senate floor. An agreement has been reached on an amendment by Senator Allard, which he will offer on the floor, to establish an Inspector General for the Eximbank that is acceptable to the members of the Banking Committee. I believe that S. 1372, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act, is a very balanced piece of legislation which will assure that the Export-Import Bank will be able to continue to provide critically needed export financing to U.S. exporters to compete in foreign markets. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, I rise today in recognition of Women's History Month. This time has been appropriately designated to reflect upon the important contributions and heroic sacrifices that women have made to our Nation and to consider the challenges they continue to face. Throughout our history, women have been at the forefront of every important movement for a better and more just society, and they have been the foundation of our families and communities. In Maryland, we are proud to honor those women who have given so much to improve our lives. Their achievements illustrate their courage and tenacity in conquering overwhelming obstacles. They include Margaret Brent, who became America's first woman lawyer and landholder, and Harriet Tubman, who risked her own life to lead hundreds of slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad. Dr. Helen Taussig, another great Marylander, developed the first successful medical procedure to save ``blue babies'' by repairing heart birth defects. Her efforts laid the groundwork for modern heart surgery. We are all indebted to Mary Elizabeth Garrett and Martha Carey Thomas who donated money to create Johns Hopkins Medical School on the condition that women be admitted. And jazz music would not be complete without the unforgettable voice of jazz singer Billie Holiday who also hailed from Baltimore City. Their accomplishments and talent provide inspiration not only to Marylanders, but to people all over the globe. My good friend and colleague from Maryland, Senator Barbara Mikulski, is a tremendous example of the commitment and dedication women give to public service. From her background as a social worker to her election to the U.S. Senate, Senator Mikulski, who has served longer than any other woman currently in the Senate has always worked to ensure all people are treated fairly. She appropriately played a key role in establishing this month when in 1981, she cosponsored a resolution establishing National Women's History Week, a predecessor to Women's History Month. Today, I wish to honor her dedication and service to the people of Maryland and this Nation. While we recognize famous women, it is important that we acknowledge the contributions of others who daily touch our lives: Our favorite teacher who gives us the confidence and knowledge to know that we were capable of success; the single mother or grandmother who toiled at a low-paying job for years to guarantee that the next generation in her family received better education and career opportunities; and the professional women who volunteer the little spare time they have to read to children or speak to student groups, inspiring young people to aim for goals beyond what they may have otherwise imagined. Women's History Month is a fitting time to honor the women of the Armed Services who risk their lives in our fight against terrorism. From the American Revolution and the Civil War through modern day armed conflict, American women have sacrificed next to their husbands, sons, brothers and fathers to preserve the freedom upon which this Nation was founded. Currently, more than 6,000 women in the Armed Services are courageously fighting in our war against terrorism and almost 15 percent of the 1.4 million soldiers volunteering in our military are women. These modern day heroines, giving of their time, knowledge, and lives should not be taken for granted. Women have made great strides in overcoming historic adversity and bias but they still face many obstacles. Unequal pay, poverty, inadequate access to healthcare and violent crime are among the challenges that continue to disproportionately affect women. Working women earn 74 cents to every dollar earned by men. What is more troubling is that the more education a woman has, the wider the wage gap. According to a recent Census Bureau report, the average American woman loses approximately $523,000 in wages and benefits over a lifetime because of wage inequality. Families with a female head of household have the highest poverty rate and comprise the majority of poor families. Women continue to be under-represented in high-paying professions and lag significantly behind men in enrollment in science programs. A recent General Accounting Office study found that, after controlling for education, age and race, women managers still earned less than full-time male managers. Increasing the number of senior level women in all fields begins with encouraging girls' interest and awareness in school illustrating that their options are limitless. As our population ages, we must also address the special challenges of older women. Women live an average of 6 years longer than men. Consequently, their reduced pay is even more detrimental given their increased life expectancy as they are forced to live on less money for a longer period of time. In addition, more women over age 65 tend to live alone at a time when illness and accidents due to decreased mobility are more likely. For these women, it is imperative that we guarantee that Social Security and Medicare remain solvent for future generations. I believe we should use this month as an opportunity to reflect not only on the achievements and challenges of American women, but to recognize those of women internationally. We know that a variety of ills hinder the potential of women in many parts of the world, labor practices that oppress women and girls, the rapid spread of HIV and AIDS, and limited or non-existence suffrage rights. We must broaden access to education, the political process, and reproductive health globally so that girls and women everywhere can maximize their options. To have a credible voice in the international arena, the United States must lead by example, showing that American women enjoy these rights fully. During my service in Congress, I have strongly supported efforts to address women's issues and eradicate gender discrimination and inequality. I have co-sponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would provide more effective remedies to victims of wage discrimination on the basis of sex. I have also supported the Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act, which would prohibit health insurance plans from excluding or restricting benefits for prescription contraception if the plan covers other prescription drugs. In order to build a national repository of the contributions of women to our Nation's history, I co-sponsored legislation to establish a National Museum of Women's History Advisory Committee. In addition, I remain a consistent supporter of an equal rights amendment to the Constitution. I am proud of these efforts and I will continue my commitment to bring fuller equality to all women. While obstacles remain, women have achieved impressive progress. This good news includes a decline in the poverty rate for single women and an increase in those holding advanced degrees. Recent figures show women received approximately 45 percent of law and 42 percent of medical degrees awarded in this country. This is a dramatic improvement from a few decades ago and should continue as more and more women enter professional programs. In my home State of Maryland, as in the Nation, women are a guiding force and a major presence in our national business sector. From 1987 to 1999, the number of women-owned firms in the United States grew by 103 percent. Women were responsible for 80 percent of the total enrollment growth at Maryland colleges and universities throughout the last two decades. Indeed women continue to make great progress. As we highlight their accomplishments in history this month, I believe it is also important to educate present and future generations about gender discrimination so that we do not repeat past mistakes. America must remain vigilant in eradicating these injustices. I am confident that the women of America will lead this journey and continue to exemplify and advocate for those values and ideals which are at the heart of a decent, caring and fair society.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize the nine elementary schools throughout Maryland that were selected as Blue Ribbon School Award winners in 2001. These schools are among only 264 elementary schools nationwide to be honored with this award, the most prestigious national school recognition for public and private schools. According to the Department of Education, Blue Ribbons Schools have been judged to be particularly effective in meeting local, State, and national goals. These schools also display the qualities of excellence that are necessary to prepare our young people for the challenges of the next century. Blue Ribbon status is awarded to schools which have strong leadership; a clear vision and sense of mission that is shared by all connected with the school; high quality teaching; challenging, up-to-date curriculum; policies and practices that ensure a safe environment conducive to learning; a solid commitment to family involvement; evidence that the school helps students achieve high standards; and a commitment to share the best practices with other schools. After a screening process by each State Department of Education, the Department of Defense Dependent Schools, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Council for American Private Education, the Blue Ribbon School nominations were forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education. A panel of outstanding educators from around the country then reviewed the nominations, selected schools for site visits, and made recommendations to the Secretary of Education. The designation as a Blue Ribbon School is a ringing endorsement of the successful practices that enable the students of these schools to succeed and achieve. Over the past few years, I have made a commitment to visit the Blue Ribbons Schools in my State and have always been delighted to see first hand the interaction between parents, teachers, and the community, which strongly contribute to the success of the school. As I complete my visits to each of these schools, I look forward to personally congratulating the students, teachers and staff for this exceptional accomplishment. The nine winning Maryland elementary schools include: Benfield Elementary School. Located in Anne Arundel County, Benfield Elementary was ranked 7th in Maryland on the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program, MSPAP, in 1996 and noted as one of the fastest improving schools in Maryland. The Baltimore Sun recently recognized Benfield's reading program as one of the most effective in the State. The Washington Post also recognized its character-building program, ``No Putdowns,'' as a valuable asset to the school community. Benfield was one of two elementary schools selected to send their experiments aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and also has two award winning after school programs focusing on science and Spanish language. Beth Tfiloh Community School. Beth Tfiloh of Baltimore, MD, has dedicated itself to creating a vibrant educational community that touches the minds and hearts of Jewish children. The school's administration and leadership are committed to meeting the needs of each individual student through continued innovation, both as an institution of learning and as a guarantor of Jewish culture. The school has recently received recognition as a Good Neighbor School, Maryland Character Education School of the Year, and a Baltimore Business Journal Innovation in Technology School. Beth Tfiloh graduates have been accepted by the top colleges, universities, and religious seminaries in the United States and Israel and have assumed Jewish leadership roles on their college campuses and in their communities. Bodkin Elementary School. Bodkin Elementary, located in Anne Arundel County, has had some of the highest test scores in Maryland over the past 2 years. The school has been awarded the Chesapeake Cup for outstanding participation with the Anne Arundel County Public Library and many of its staff members have earned State and county awards for their teaching skills. Bodkin's theme, ``A Recipe For Success,'' accurately reflects that the special ingredients of a supportive school community, enthusiastic teachers and eager learners work to make it an educational star. Charlestown Elementary School. Charlestown Elementary strives to live up to its motto, ``Success for all students, whatever it takes.'' As a title I school, it successfully provides numerous programs for students of its rural community in Cecil County, including after-school enrichment programs, student support programs, and parent/student volunteers. Scores on the MSPAP have increased for the last 5 years. The committed staff, hard working students, and involved community all contribute to Charlestown's success. Darnestown Elementary School. Darnestown Elementary is committed to an educational program that recognizes the unique value, needs, and talents of the individual student. Located in Gaithersburg, MD, Darnestown is a school with steadily increasing test scores. Over the past 4 years, Darnestown's composite MSPAP score has increased from 60 percent to 82 percent. The school has received Maryland's Recognition School monetary award for 2 consecutive years. The staff and community are also proud to be the first recipient of the Marriott ``Spirit to Serve'' award, recognizing Darnestown's involvement in numerous community service projects to support the homeless. Fort Foote Elementary School. At Fort Foote Elementary, outstanding MSPAP test scores validate the academic achievement of the students, parents, and teachers. The children of this Fort Washington, MD, school embrace the concept of a Community of Caring through the school's nationally recognized character education program. With a 97 percent minority population, the school coordinates a kindergarten through Grade 6 program with an early childhood special education program and Head Start. Combining innovative assessment techniques such as the Comer School Development Program, team instructional planning, shared decisionmaking, and community partnerships have proven effective for total school success. Ocean City Elementary School. Ocean City Elementary is located close to the resort town, for which it was named, in Ocean City, MD. the teachers and community strongly believe it is their responsibility to expand the number of life choices a child has upon graduation from high school. Ocean City has an excellent reputation of having high behavioral standards as well as reaching academic achievements that have been recognized statewide. The vision behind the school is to make all students academically successful, as well as productive members of society. The dedication of the students, teachers, and parents of Ocean City Elementary truly represents their school motto: I can be anything, I can learn anything if I believe in myself and work hard. Saint Bernadette School. Saint Bernadette School, founded in 1947 by the parishioners of St. Bernadette Church, is located in Silver Spring, MD. Saint Bernadette's aims to educate the child completely, recognizing and nurturing the spiritual, intellectual, personal, social, physical, and cultural development of its students. The teachers realize that parents are the primary educators of their children and work with them for the well being of each child. The parents do an exemplary job of participating by volunteering in excess of 10,000 hours per year. Saint Bernadette's parents and students continue to distinguish themselves year after year, demonstrating that their dedication and commitment is a true formula for success.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, this month, Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, will celebrate its 90th Anniversary. Hadassah is a unique organization, which has distinguished itself in many arenas over nearly a century. With priorities that range from women's advocacy to developmental health care, Hadassah has consistently made significant contributions around the globe. I take great pride in the Baltimorean, Henrietta Szold, who founded Hadassah in 1912. Henrietta Szold was a remarkable woman, a person not only of high principles, great intelligence and inexhaustible energy, but someone with the rare and precious ability to translate principles into reality. It was she who set out for Jerusalem in 1918 with staff and supplies for a 50-bed hospital. Today that hospital is known as the Hadassah Medical Organization in Jerusalem; it cares annually for more than 600,000 patients, sets standards for excellence in health care, teaching and research both in Israel and around the world, and opens its doors to everyone in need. Henrietta Szold's greatest contribution may not have been her own devotion to her community, but the framework she instituted for Hadassah members under which they could carry on the principles that inspired her--service, generosity of spirit, human kindness, and commitment. Hadassah members have acted on these principles, over the past nine decades turning Hadassah into the largest women's group and largest Jewish membership organization in the United States, with nearly 1,650 chapters and a membership of over 300,000. In Baltimore alone, Hadassah has contributed to health education and community outreach through a number of award-winning programs. These include Check it Out, a program to increase breast cancer awareness and prevention; Act Against Osteoporosis, a campaign to teach prevention and promote the early detection of osteoporosis; Prostate Cancer Awareness Program, a program to educate men about early detection and awareness of prostate cancer; and the 5K Race for Research, an annual race for breast and prostate cancer research. Hadassah has also contributed greatly to education and advocacy in Baltimore through programs like Reach Out and Read, a program in which volunteers read aloud to children in the pediatric offices at Sinai Hospital, Read, Write, Now! an elementary school tutoring program, and Lunch and Learn, a weekly women's study group. Baltimore Hadassah also offers a number of programs for Jewish youth, including Al Galgalim (Training Wheels), Wheeling On and Young Judaea, exceptional programs designed to foster an interest and devotion to Zionism and Jewish heritage. The welcome evidence of Hadassah's efforts is everywhere around us. The work of Hadassah has contributed very significantly to the vibrancy and vitality of Jewish life in America and Israel and has strengthened the bonds between our two countries. It has done this by expanding educational opportunities, funding advanced research and health care facilities, establishing youth programs and activities and defending democratic freedoms and social justice around the world. It would be impossible to pay adequate tribute to all of Hadassah's achievements contributions over the years. But as Hadassah enters its tenth decade, I want to commend this organization for its broad and abiding commitments. In areas from humanitarian relief, education and women's health, to their partnership with Israel, Hadassah is always ready to lend a hand, open a door, or inspire a young mind. I look forward to celebrating many more years of Hadassah's impressive achievements.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, I am pleased to join with my colleagues today in paying tribute to Senator Kennedy on the occasion of his 70th birthday. A champion of working people, Senator Kennedy has clearly understood, from the very beginning of his tenure in the Senate, the importance of a meaningful job in the lives of our citizens. He has consistently worked for programs that promote full employment, and that enable Americans to support their families. Senator Kennedy has championed training programs, summer job programs, and the Summer-to-Work Opportunities Act--all designed to enhance the skills of our citizens. He has been our most eloquent advocate for the collective bargaining rights of American workers, rights that ensure that our workers are among the best trained, the best paid, and the most productive in the world. And, Mr. President, I am pleased to stand with Senator Kennedy as he continues to lead the effort for an increase in the minimum wage, which holds out the promise of a decent living to men and women who, through hard work, seek to climb the ladder of opportunity. If there is any hallmark of Senator Kennedy's career, I think it is his drive for the full participation in American life for all of our citizens. He has distinguished himself as a champion of civil rights and of the neediest and most vulnerable members of our society, who often are without a voice in Government. For 40 years in the U.S. Senate, he has spoken for working Americans, for the unemployed, for the sick, for the elderly, and for young people. The Women and Infants Program, the Child Nutrition Program, Head Start, and so many education programs have Ted Kennedy's imprimatur upon them. He has led the successful drive for passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act. Today, Senator Kennedy is fighting for a meaningful Patients' Bill of Rights and for a prescription drug benefit for our senior citizens. One could go on and on enumerating all of these programs. I want to add one dimension to this. What distinguishes Senator Kennedy the most in the Senate is his tireless advocacy of the causes to which he is committed. He is a tenacious fighter on the floor of the Senate, in the committee room, and behind the scenes. He tackles very difficult issues with courage and commitment. Perhaps most importantly, he has maintained a focus on using our Nation's Government as a tool for good in the lives of all Americans, and as an example for the entire world. Senator Kennedy has seen history made, and he has made history. It is hard to imagine a lifetime of service that has meant more to the citizens of Massachusetts and, indeed, to the people of America. In every fight he has waged to make our Nation more productive, more compassionate, more open to participation, more fair and equitable to all its citizens, he has always appealed to the best in us all. It is an honor to be his colleague in the Senate, and to be his friend. It is with great pleasure that I join with my colleagues in extending best wishes and congratulations on his 70th birthday.

Mr. SARBANES

Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I would like to clarify that it is the intent of this provision to encourage the development of innovative solutions to the nutrient pollution problem in the Chesapeake Bay. The principal focus of the program, as envisioned by Bay-area scientists and organizations, is to create new incentives for farmers to reduce the application of nitrogen by at least 15 percent below what is normally considered best practice and to provide financial protection in the event of reduced yields. In order to implement the provision, it is my expectation that the Risk Management Agency will make available the Nutrient BMP Insurance Endorsement that was approved by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation on December 12, 2001 in the states of the Chesapeake Bay region, with such modifications as necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.