Richard Shelby

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Nevada and recognize the importance of the basic research done through NSF. I share his interest in basic research funding and look forward to working with him to strengthen our Nation's capabilities through basic research.

Mr. SHELBY. I agree with the Senator from Florida. NOAA's National Weather Service has the unique expertise and responsibility to provide the nation with general weather and flood warnings and forecasts to protect life and property. The National Weather Service shall have the continued flexibility to disseminate these warnings and forecasts in all formats necessary to ensure timely delivery to the taxpayers. Furthermore, I want to commend the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for their exceptionally accurate Katrina forecasts.

Mr. SHELBY. I thank my colleague for his interest in this legislation and his work on this issue.

Mr. SHELBY. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I will try to be brief. We are getting toward the end. I am pleased we have completed consideration of this 2006 Commerce- Justice-Science appropriations bill. This is not an easy bill, as everyone knows. With such broad jurisdiction, this bill attracts a lot of attention--sometimes too much--on the Senate floor and throughout the process. It is our job--Senator Mikulski's and mine, with the help of leadership on both sides--to ensure the bill addresses my colleagues' concerns and effectively supports the operations of its Federal agencies. We have tried to do this. I think we have. I thank my colleagues for understanding this and for working with us to ensure the viability of this bill, both here in the Senate and in conference. I believe overall this is a good bill. It reflects the priorities of this body, and it addresses the needs of the Nation. Some needs are now more urgent than others, as we know in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and we have and will continue to make adjustments in the Small Business Disaster Loan Program, the Economic Development Administration's Public Works Grants, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's hurricane-related programs. We will take this bill to the House of Representatives in conference. We have only a short time left in the year, as the leader keeps telling us. We will do our best to get a conference report to the President as soon as we can. I also offer my thanks to the distinguished Senator from Maryland, Ms. Mikulski, for all of her work and the work of her staff. We have worked together for years. Without us working together in a bipartisan spirit, we would not be where we are today. She and her staff have worked with our side of the aisle in a truly bipartisan manner, and it is reflected in the bill. I also thank Senator Cochran, chairman of the full committee, for all of his work and advice. It has been appreciated. I also thank the leaders, Senators Frist and Reid, and the floor staff, especially Dave Schiappa, Bill Hoagland, and my staffer, Katherine Hennessey, and others. They did an excellent job helping us move this bill along, and we are in their debt. I thank the Chair.

Mr. SHELBY. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, we have three additional amendments that have been cleared on both sides of the aisle. I send those amendments to the desk, and I ask unanimous consent that the amendments be considered and agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table. This has been cleared with the distinguished Senator from Maryland.

Mr. SHELBY. For the information of my colleagues, we are now down to one or two outstanding issues. That is good news in the Senate on a Thursday afternoon. During the next vote, we will try to finalize those amendments. Senator Mikulski and I, the managers of the bill, have been working with everybody in the Senate to try to move the bill forward. It is our expectation that we will quickly proceed to passage of the bill. I, therefore, alert all Senators now that they should remain close to the Chamber, following this upcoming vote, hopefully for final passage. I yield to my colleague.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a vote on or in relation to Snowe-Kerry amendment No. 1717, with no second-degree amendments in order prior to the vote.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I understand Senator Allen has had a long- time interest in this issue and appreciate the point he is making with regard to the benefit of aeronautics research and development to our national defense and our economy.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that following the disposition of the Lieberman amendment, the bill be read a third time, and the Senate proceed to a vote on passage of the bill with no intervening action or debate; provided further that the amendment to the title then be agreed to, the Senate then insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House, and the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate. I further ask unanimous consent that following the first vote there be 2 minutes equally divided between the votes.

Mr. SHELBY. I would like to thank the Senator from Texas and my colleague from Alabama for their willingness to work with me to resolve their concerns. This program, as with many programs for which we struggle to find adequate funding, is important. This program received no appropriation in the fiscal year 2005 conference report. I understand related funding has been appropriated in the House CJS bill and I will work to address the concerns of my colleagues as the appropriations process moves forward.

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

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues from Colorado and Maryland and recognize the importance of their interest in funding science education. I share their interest in supporting education funding at NSF and will work to find opportunities for science education funding during conference.

Mr. SHELBY. I would tell my colleague I agree that we must find ways to support sciences and disciplines that contribute positively to the United States trade relationship with its partners. Mr. ALLEN. Yet, even as our national security and economy are dependent on the breakthroughs in aeronautic research and developments, in recent years, NASA has significantly reduced its investment in this vital science. The administration's 2006 budget proposes to cut over $700 million out of NASA's aeronautics budget over the next 5 years. That will reduce the effective levels of NASA's aeronautic investment to about half the level it is today--and today's level is about half the level which existed--adjusted for inflation--that the U.S. made just a decade ago. Moreover, the President's budget called for eliminating NASA's entire ``vehicle systems'' program--the very initiative that over the last five decades has provided major technology advances that have been used on every major civil and military aircraft over that period of time. The last two administrations have consistently reduced NASA's aeronautics funding and allowed a valuable competency and the human resource to atrophy and now the U.S. is second to the Europeans in aircraft sales. I would like to point out that there have been a number of well researched, thoughtful reports on the importance of aeronautics research to our economic and national security. The National Institute of Aerospace recently released a comprehensive study that outlines priorities and funding requirements to meet the challenges we face from foreign competition and realize the innovations and breakthroughs of the future. Specifically, the report finds that NASA's aeronauts budget requires an average 5-year increase of $885.5 million over the fiscal year 2005 levels. This proposed budget would bring NASA's aeronautics programs back to 1998 levels when factoring inflation. Further, the NIA report finds that NASA is uniquely suited to carry out this kind of research, given its vast infrastructure and world-class. Importantly, the report follows by noting that the outcome of aeronautics research adds to the nation's wealth, not to any particular aviation company. I understand we are not going to make those types of commitments in the fiscal year 2005 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill. However the House version of this measure includes some additional funding for aeronautics programs within NASA. The House provision would appropriate $54 million above what the President requested in his fiscal year 2006 budget recommendation to the Congress. This relatively small increase would maintain aeronautics funding at levels appropriated in fiscal year 2005.

Mr. SHELBY. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. SHELBY

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

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the Grassley amendment No. 1713 be modified to be a first-degree amendment and that at 11:45, the Senate proceed to a vote in relation to the Grassley amendment No. 1713, as modified, to be followed by a vote in relation to the Dorgan amendment No. 1665, with no amendments in order to the amendments prior to the votes and with 2 minutes of debate equally divided prior to the second vote.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, what is the regular order?

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays on the Grassley amendment.

Mr. SHELBY. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the managers' amendments I now send to the desk be considered and agreed to en bloc. These amendments have been cleared on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be dispensed with.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.