Ken Salazar

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. I ask unanimous consent to speak for an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. SALAZAR. I thank my friend and colleague from Massachusetts, Senator Kerry, for being patient. We need to move forward to start walking the talk, and the first step is for President Bush, when he comes before the Congress for the State of the Union Address, to talk about energy independence, but to make sure the budget that is put on the table for Congress to consider is a real budget that is robust in terms of how it will move us forward with respect to renewable energy, with respect to alternative technologies, and with respect to investments in a greater energy-efficient economy. This is an imperative for the United States of America, and unless we move forward aggressively in a bipartisan fashion, bringing conservatives and progressives, Democrats and Republicans, together on this initiative, we will be compromising the national security of the United States in a manner that is absolutely inexcusable. I look forward in the days ahead to working with my colleagues as we move forward with a robust energy package that will get us to energy independence. I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I join my colleague Senator Thune today in introducing S. 331, the Thune/Salazar Alternative Fuel Grant Program. I am proud that Senators Hagel and Conrad are also joining us in this effort. This morning I spoke about the dire threat that our dependence on foreign oil poses to our energy security and our national security. We are simply too vulnerable to oil shocks, supply disruptions, and the whims of oil-rich and democracy-poor countries. It is time to build a new, clean energy economy that runs on biofuels, wind, solar, and alternative energies. This clean energy economy will move us out of the shadows of our oil dependence. Our farmers, ranchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs should play a lead role in this clean energy revolution, and Congress should do more to help them. The bill that Senator Thune and I are introducing today, S. 331, is a straightforward bill that will help expand the availability of alternative fuels at our Nation's filling stations. It aims to solve a key problem that is slowing the growth of alternative fuels in the transportation sector. Although our farmers and ranchers are producing more and more biofuels each year, and our car manufacturers are building more and more vehicles that run on E-85, consumers still have a difficult time finding anything but gasoline at their filling station. Our alternative fuel infrastructure is woefully behind the times. At last count, only a few hundred filling stations around the country carried E-85 fuel, while more than 6 million flexible fuel vehicles are on the road. Consumers should have the choice of whether to fill their car with biofuels or with gasoline. Unfortunately, most of them do not. The bill we are introducing is simple. It would provide grants to eligible gas station owners, farmers, and businesses that install pumps to deliver alternative fuels, such as natural gas or E-85. The bill uses funds collected through CAFE penalties--approximately $20 million--for grants of up to $30,000. The funding would still be subject to annual appropriations and is budget neutral. This bill will dramatically improve the availability of alternative fuels to consumers. It will allow those with E-85 vehicles to finally use the fuel they dream of using. It will also put in place the infrastructure we need for cellulosic ethanol, which is expected to come to market in just a few years. I urge my colleagues to take a serious look at this bill--it is common sense, straightforward, fills a clear need, and is fiscally responsible. I again thank my colleague from South Dakota for his leadership on this matter.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I join my colleague Senator Thune today in introducing S. 331, the Thune/Salazar Alternative Fuel Grant Program. I am proud that Senators Hagel and Conrad are also joining us in this effort. This morning I spoke about the dire threat that our dependence on foreign oil poses to our energy security and our national security. We are simply too vulnerable to oil shocks, supply disruptions, and the whims of oil-rich and democracy-poor countries. It is time to build a new, clean energy economy that runs on biofuels, wind, solar, and alternative energies. This clean energy economy will move us out of the shadows of our oil dependence. Our farmers, ranchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs should play a lead role in this clean energy revolution, and Congress should do more to help them. The bill that Senator Thune and I are introducing today, S. 331, is a straightforward bill that will help expand the availability of alternative fuels at our Nation's filling stations. It aims to solve a key problem that is slowing the growth of alternative fuels in the transportation sector. Although our farmers and ranchers are producing more and more biofuels each year, and our car manufacturers are building more and more vehicles that run on E-85, consumers still have a difficult time finding anything but gasoline at their filling station. Our alternative fuel infrastructure is woefully behind the times. At last count, only a few hundred filling stations around the country carried E-85 fuel, while more than 6 million flexible fuel vehicles are on the road. Consumers should have the choice of whether to fill their car with biofuels or with gasoline. Unfortunately, most of them do not. The bill we are introducing is simple. It would provide grants to eligible gas station owners, farmers, and businesses that install pumps to deliver alternative fuels, such as natural gas or E-85. The bill uses funds collected through CAFE penalties--approximately $20 million--for grants of up to $30,000. The funding would still be subject to annual appropriations and is budget neutral. This bill will dramatically improve the availability of alternative fuels to consumers. It will allow those with E-85 vehicles to finally use the fuel they dream of using. It will also put in place the infrastructure we need for cellulosic ethanol, which is expected to come to market in just a few years. I urge my colleagues to take a serious look at this bill--it is common sense, straightforward, fills a clear need, and is fiscally responsible. I again thank my colleague from South Dakota for his leadership on this matter.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Madam President, just days before the start of the 110th Congress, I had the great honor of traveling to Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador in South America with our majority leader, Harry Reid, as well as four of my other colleagues: Senator Judd Gregg from New Hampshire, Senator Bob Bennett from Utah, Senator Kent Conrad from North Dakota, and Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. It was a great and wonderful trip for me for a number of reasons. First, my own view is that over the last decade, and perhaps even more, this country has not paid enough attention to our relationship with Latin America and South America. For me, there is a special bond and relationship because of my own history in the Southwest of the United States. My family founded the city of Santa Fe, NM, now 409 years or four centuries ago. So before Plymouth Rock was founded or Jamestown was founded, my family was already living in what is now the northern part of the State of New Mexico. The place I come from still bears the same names that were put on those places by the Spaniards who settled northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. There is our ranch in the San Luis Valley. When you look around to the mountains to the east, those mountain ranges are called the Sangre de Cristo Mountains or the Blood of Christ range. The mountain ranges in the west at 14,000 feet are named after John the Baptist, the San Juan Mountains, and the river that runs through our ranch is called the Rio San Antonio, the Saint Anthony River. That history has always created a very special bond with our neighbors to the south in Mexico and Central America and Latin America. When Senator Reid and the delegation of six Senators went to South America, it was important for me because what we were doing as a collective group was making a strong statement to Latin America that they are our friends and that we will be working closely with Latin America to make sure that the bond and the relationship between the United States of America and those countries to the south is a bond that is strong and one that will continue. I also was very pleased with the fact that it was a bipartisan delegation. As we met in those countries with the Presidents of Bolivia and Ecuador, it was important that we were one voice, telling the leaders of those countries that we would find ways in which we would strengthen the relationship between the United States and those countries. That signalled a friendship and mutual interest on the part of the U.S. Government to those countries, and it was very important. I believe we need to recommit ourselves to strengthening our relationships with Latin America. I also believe our failure to do so will imperil the U.S. strategic interests in fighting terrorism, combating drugs, and helping democratic governments throughout Latin America. Over 45 years ago, there was another Senator taking on a new role in our Nation's history in this city, and at that time he reached out to Latin America with a program that he called the Alliance for Progress. On March 13, 1961, as the Cold War was beginning to mushroom, President John Kennedy launched the Alliance for Progress--known in Spanish throughout Latin America as la Alianza del Progreso--with a vision to create a strong and united Western Hemisphere of nations. On that momentous day, President Kennedy spoke with remarkable clarity about our country's connection with Latin America. He said: We meet together as firm and ancient friends, united by history and experience and by our determination to advance the values of American civilization. This world of ours is not merely an accident of geography. Our continents are bound together by a common history. And our people share a common heritage--the quest for the dignity and the freedom of man. The effort of the Alliance for Progress was not as successful as President Kennedy wished. Indeed, over the next half century, we witnessed political upheaval in many of the Latin American countries, and we saw strained relationships between the United States and some of these nations. But the Alliance for Progress did work to establish good will among the people of the Americas, and we can learn from its shortcomings as we continue to move forward. As we enter 2007, I hope our six Senators have begun to shine a spotlight on our strategic alliance with Latin America. Under that spotlight, you will find the difficult and complex issues of international trade, immigration, and the battles we wage together against the awful scourge of drugs which affects the populations of those countries as well as ours. We also face the challenge of increasing economic opportunity and eliminating poverty in that part of the world. Our first stop in South America was in Bolivia, which is one of the poorest countries in this hemisphere, with one of the largest indigenous populations in Latin America. We met with Bolivia's President, Evo Morales, who was sworn in in 2006 as the country's first indigenous President in its history. We spoke with President Morales about his concerns relating to coca production and our concerns about coca production in Bolivia. We also spoke to him about the interest of Bolivia in extending the Andean trade preferences agreement. I believe it was a productive dialog, but we must continue the dialog if we are to build a stronger relationship with the country of Bolivia and keep Bolivia from going down a path which ultimately will end up in opposition to the interests of the United States. We also there met with the U.S. Agency for International Development and learned about the scope and impact of their projects in Bolivia. USAID is working to create economic opportunities and alleviate poverty, which is so important to improving the lives of the Bolivian population. In Ecuador, we met with President Correa, who was busy preparing for his January 15 inauguration. He took time to meet with us, assembling his Cabinet and talking about the importance of the relationship between Ecuador and the United States. President Correa pledged to shut down the drug trafficking that is occurring in and around Ecuador and also raised the need to extend the Andean trade preferences program. When we visited the LatinFlor flower farm, we saw firsthand the impact of this trade program. It is creating thousands upon thousands of jobs for the people of Ecuador and keeping people there from being recruited by drug traffickers or from having to flee poverty through illegal immigration into the United States. In Peru, we met with President Alan Garcia. The United States and Peru have long had a strong and lasting relationship. In fact, during World War II, as Senator Reid reminded the President of Peru, Peru provided our country with the strategic materials that were necessary to carry on the war and allowed the United States to set up military bases in Peru and take the fight on in the South Pacific. President Garcia is very interested in seeing the U.S.-Peru free trade agreement approved by the U.S. Congress. While questions have been raised about this agreement, I am hopeful and confident that we will work through those issues. I look forward to learning more about this agreement and some of the issues that have been raised by some Members about the labor and environmental provisions of the agreement. I admire President Garcia's interest in formulating fundamental and long-lasting change for the poor people of Peru, to improve education, nutrition, and basic health services. I hope Democrats and Republicans can work together to lift all of the peoples of the Western Hemisphere to a place of hope and opportunity, including those who live in the margins to the south of us. So now it is time for the United States of America to meet the eyes of our Latin American neighbors and to ensure that the many countries sharing our hemisphere will bequeath to our children a common land and future for the people of all the Americas. I yield the floor.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 81, as Modified

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Madam President, I rise today to speak in support of amendment No. 71, which was offered and cosponsored by myself and Senator Ben Nelson from Nebraska. The essence of the amendment we offered last night is to try to make sure that as we move forward with ethics reform in Washington, DC, a spotlight not just be on the Senate or the House of Representatives but that the ethics standards we are moving forward with in this legislation, which will be a hallmark piece of legislation for Washington and for our Nation's Government, that those same kinds of high ethical standards should also apply to the senior executive officials of the executive branch of Government, as well as to the judicial branch of Government. The essence of our amendment is to say, as we clean up Washington, DC, that we ought not to stop simply by cleaning up the affairs of the Congress; that what we ought to do is adopt a set of ethical standards that will also apply to the executive branch and to the judicial branch of Government. As we move forward with that principle, what we have tried to do in this amendment is very simple. Let me discuss three important aspects of this legislation. First, our amendment would apply to the gift and travel ban--which will become the rules of this Senate on passage of this bill--to senior and very senior executive and judicial branch personnel. After passage of this bill, we in the legislative branch will operate under a stringent set of rules which will ban gifts and travel from lobbyists, among other things. Currently, executive branch personnel can, with few exceptions, accept gifts, except from a few so-called prohibited sources. Simply put, there is no reason why lobbyists should be able to give gifts--no matter how small--to senior employees of the executive and judicial branches. Second, the amendment would ban all executive branch personnel from lobbying their former agency for 1 year after leaving Government service. Currently, the revolving door rules in the executive branch apply only to senior and very senior personnel. That means junior employees of any executive branch agency are permitted to go directly from a Government job to a position of lobbying their former office. That, in my view, is an unethical thing to do. Meanwhile, here in the Senate, all Members and staff are subject to at least some form of a revolving-door rule, and the bill we are debating would strengthen those rules for the Senators as well as for staff. Simply put, there is no reason the executive branch personnel, no matter how junior, should be permitted to lobby their former office immediately upon leaving Government service. Third, the amendment would require senior and very senior executive branch personnel to disclose to the Office of Government Ethics any negotiation for private employment within 3 business days. The bill we are now debating would require Senators and senior Senate staff to disclose to the Ethics Committee that they are negotiating for private employment within 3 business days. There is no principled reason this rule should not apply equally to senior executive branch employees as well. This is a narrowly drafted attempt to apply some of the key provisions of this bill to other branches of Government. It is based on both principle and practical concerns. The principle is that ethics rules should apply uniformly across the Government of the United States. The practical concern is that key Government personnel should not accept any gifts from parties seeking action by the Government, that all legislative and executive employees should adhere to minimum revolving-door standards, that senior officials should not negotiate for future employment in secret, and that negotiations should be fully disclosed. I support Senator Nelson's amendment, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to accept this amendment as we move forward in an effort to try to clean up Washington, DC. At the end of the day, this is much more than just about dealing with the ethics issues of the Senate and the House of Representatives; this should be an effort from all of us to send a loud and clear signal to the people of America that we are taking ethics seriously and that we are going to bring a new standard of conduct, a new standard of ethics across all the branches of our Nation's Government. Madam President, I yield the floor, and I note the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, today Senator Grassley and I, along with our colleagues Senators Harkin, Lugar, Obama, Hagel, and others, are submitting Senate Concurrent Resolution 3, the ``25x'25'' Resolution, as we did last year, 25x'25 is a critical vision for our energy future that will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil by building a new energy economy here at home. Our resolution establishes a national goal of producing 25 percent of America's energy from renewable sources-- like solar, wind and biofuels--by 2025. The ``25x'25'' vision is widely endorsed, bold, and fully attainable. If implemented, it would dramatically improve our energy security, our economy, and our ability to protect the environment. I am pleased that more than 20 of my colleagues in the Senate, from both sides of the aisle, are cosponsoring this resolution. In addition, the ``25x'25'' vision has been endorsed by 22 current and former governors and several State legislatures across the country. The Big Three automobile manufacturers--Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors--are all behind ``25x'25'' So are many agricultural organizations, environmental groups, scientists, and businesses, ranging from the Farm Bureau and Farmers' Union to the Natural Resources Defense Council and John Deere. The breadth of support for the ``25x'25'' vision speaks to the extraordinary economic, environmental, and national security benefits that its implementation will yield. In all, nearly 400 organizations have embraced this vision and are working together on a plan to implement it. The resolution that Senator Grassley and I are submitting makes the ``25x'25'' vision a policy goal for our Nation. It sets a challenging but realistic target for our legislative and budgetary work on energy. Our resolution says that the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of the American people should be the engine for a new, clean energy economy. I urge every American to join with me and the roughly 400 partner organizations that are part of the 25x'25 Alliance to make this goal a reality. Results from a recent study conducted by the University of Tennessee shows that reaching the 25x'25 goal is achievable. The study also shows that 25x'25 would: increase net farm income by $180 billion and, including multiplier effects, could result in $700 billion in economic activity annually; create approximately 5 million new jobs here at home in 2025; save as much as $15 billion in government payments. America's working people can and should be at the center of our energy revolution. Farmers and ranchers in my native San Luis Valley, in Sterling, CO, and elsewhere are already leading the way; they are building biodiesel plants and ethanol refineries that help power cars, tractors, and trucks. They are building wind turbines in Prowers County and biomass generators in Jackson County. And they are searching for new technologies that will allow them to make even greater contributions to our energy supply. These Americans understand that we cannot continue to import 60 percent of our oil from foreign countries, many of which are hostile to the United States, if we aim to be strong and secure in the world. They know that we will have to build a clean energy economy if we are to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. A clean energy economy will take root in our farms and fields. It will help revitalize a rural America that has been forgotten for too long. It will spur our engineers to new developments and designs, and it will help establish the U.S. as the world leader in clean energy technologies. It is time for Congress to take a more active role in our clean energy future. Establishing a national goal--``25x'25'' is the first step. Today, with this resolution, we articulate a common vision for our energy policy. It is a target we can hit. It is a target that Governors, Senators, Representatives, state legislators, farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, scientists, and automakers, all wish to achieve. I am proud to be working with Senator Grassley and others to establish ``25x'25'' as our Nation's shared goal for our energy security and I look forward to working on a legislative agenda in this Congress that will help us reach that target.

Mr. SALAZAR

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

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I understand that S. 287 is at the desk and due for a second reading.

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I object to any further proceedings with respect to the bill.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate today, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m., Wednesday, January 17; that on Wednesday, following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and there then be a period for the transaction of morning business for 60 minutes, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the first half under the control of the Republicans and the second half under the control of the majority; that at the close of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of S. 1; that all time during the adjournment count postcloture; that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. in order to accommodate the respective party conferences and that time count postcloture also.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, the Senate has voted on two amendments relating to earmarks that were approved unanimously by a vote of 98 to 0. Plus, the Senate voted to invoke cloture on the Reid amendment regarding travel and corporate jets. I understand there are several second-degree amendments that were filed, and we hope to address any germane second-degree amendments prior to disposing of the travel amendment. Once we dispose of the travel amendment, then we will have a cloture vote on the substitute amendment.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss amendment No. 15, which is being offered by myself and the Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama. The amendment is a very simple amendment but a very important one as we undertake our effort to revise the ethics rules of the Congress. The amendment simply requires that each Senate committee and subcommittee make available on the Internet either a video recording, an audio recording or a transcript of every meeting that is open and that those documents be made public within 14 days of the meeting's adjournment, unless a majority of the committee members decide otherwise. I was surprised, frankly, to realize how difficult it is for all of our constituents to learn about the work we do in this Senate and Congress because most of that work occurs in the committees of our legislative Chamber. Most of those committee meetings are not broadcast. There are a few occasionally that get broadcast on C-SPAN or that are picked up by one of the networks, but that is a rare occurrence. It is an exception to receive that kind of broadcast. So, as far as the public of the United States is concerned, most of the work we do in committees--which is where most of the work actually occurs for our legislative activity--is work that actually occurs in the dark. While Senate rules require that committee meetings be open to the public and that each committee prepare and keep a complete transcript or electronic recording of all of its meetings, it still remains very difficult for citizens to figure out what actually goes on in our committee rooms. According to one estimate, a transcript or electronic recording is available online for only about one-half of all Senate committee and subcommittee hearings. Only for one-half of those hearings is there made available a transcript that the public can actually access. That number is far too low. There is no reason why, in this day of modern technology and communications, we should not be able to achieve a goal of 100 percent. I know we often refer to Justice Brandeis because he was one of those great jurists who really illuminated our times with some of his wisdom, his jewels that have become almost cliches that captured the moment. I remember Justice Brandeis's famous line where he said, ``Sunshine is said to be the best of disinfectants.'' Those words are as true now as ever. We have seen an unprecedented level of secrecy in the legislative process. We have seen one-party conference committees where, just because you happen to be of the other party, you were not allowed to participate in the conference committee or you were not even notified that a conference committee was, in fact, meeting. We have seen provisions that are slipped into conference committee reports that were not passed by either Chamber. Those kinds of procedures and tactics are often used. That kind of secrecy is part of what has caused a lack of confidence of the American people in our institutions in Washington, DC. The time for secret government is over. This legislation we have been considering over the last several days, and hopefully will bring to conclusion this week or next week, will be a great first step in making sure we are returning government back to the people and integrity back to the processes which we oversee in the Congress. I hope my colleagues can join us as we move forward with this amendment. I will quickly add that the amendment will create no serious burden for the committees of our Senate. First, our committees will have until October 1 of 2007 to adjust their practices. Second, they have three options: They can do audio, they can do video, they can do transcript--whichever option they choose--in order to comply with the provisions of my amendment. Third, many of the committees are already posting this information online. One central purpose of this bill is to improve transparency in the legislative process. My amendment is an important step in that direction. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I thank Senator Obama for his support of this amendment and I yield the floor.

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

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, what is the pending business?

Mr. SALAZAR. I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be set aside so that I can offer amendment No. 15.

Mr. SALAZAR. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I would like to recognize Cortlandt Dietler, a great Coloradan who tonight is receiving the National Western Stock Show's 2007 Citizen of the West award. This is an honor befitting a man whose life and career exemplify the Western values of independence, hard work, and humility. A native Coloradan, Cort is a pioneer in the oil industry and has helped make Denver an energy center for our Nation. He began his career with ARAMCO in Lebanon in 1947, and has been involved with more than 30 energy companies since, many of which he has led or has founded. Today, he is the chairman of TransMontaigne Inc, a petroleum product distribution and marketing company which he founded. He is so respected in his industry that his peers have honored him repeatedly; in 1976 the Denver Petroleum Club named him the Oil Man of the Year, in 1986 the Colorado Petroleum Association named him the Pioneer Oil Man of the Year, and in 2003 the Independent Petroleum Association of the Mountain States selected him as the Wildcatter of the Year. I have known Cort to be a spirited contributor to his community. He lends his expertise to organizations like the Denver Art Museum, the El Pomar Foundation, and the Buffalo Bill Memorial Association. He is generous as a philanthropist and has a candid voice on the shared challenges we face. While Cort has worked primarily in the oil industry, he has also worked in ranching and with the National Western Stock Show for many years. He and a partner ran a cattle operation in the Eagle River Valley, near Vail, and bred thoroughbreds for racing. He is being honored today because he epitomizes the values which are so central to Western life--he has worked hard, acted ethically, and served his community with humility and honor. Cort belongs among the select group of leaders who have received this award, and I congratulate him on this honor.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, first, let me praise our great majority leader and Senator McConnell, the minority leader, for bringing us together for a good start to the 110th Congress. The idea of a joint caucus, both parties coming together to send a signal that we were going to work together in the 110th Congress as we begin, was a very good step. I believe Senator Reid said we are now entering a season of hope and that we can move forward with hope for positive results in the 110th Congress. Senator McConnell talked about how a government, even though it may be divided by the two parties and the executive branch, can be the kind of government that can bring about good results for the people of America. That was a very good statement as well. Citing what happened in the 1981 Reagan Social Security revision, that was an example of how a divided Government could get a result, as well as his speaking about the 1996 welfare-to-work reform. That was another good example of how we can get things done. I hope this Congress, in fact, gets to be known as the Congress that did, in fact, produce results for the American people and that we can work together to bring about those results. Today, as we begin the consideration of S. 1, it is one of those efforts in which we together are attempting to show results to the American people to restore the confidence of the American people in the institutions that belong to them. It is no coincidence that this is the first bill to come before this new Senate. This bill lays a foundation for everything that we hope to do in the months and years ahead. It does so by addressing three fundamental needs. First, it addresses the need to restore the people's faith in their Government. Indeed, in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal, the conviction of former Congressman Duke Cunningham, and the various other allegations and investigations that have created this problem in Washington, DC, it is clear that the American people have lost faith in their Government. In case we didn't know it beforehand, that message was sent loudly and clearly by the voters in the November elections. With this bill, we have the opportunity to restore that lost faith without which we cannot effectively conduct the business of the people of America. Second, this bill also addresses the need to bring greater transparency to the Government of America. As Justice Brandeis said a long time ago: Sunshine is said to be the best of disinfectants. These words have particular resonance with the American people as we look to end today the practice of holding one-party conference committees; of placing strange and anonymous holds, not knowing where they come from, on legislation and nominations just because someone wants to prevent progress from taking place; and slipping provisions into conference reports that were not passed by either Chamber, some of these provisions being slipped into the conference reports in the dead of night. With this bill, we look to replace these secretive practices with a more open and transparent Congress for the American people. Third, we also need to take on the influence of special interests and to curb those influences of special interests on the Government of America. When the American people see a revolving door between Congress and the K Street lobbying firms, when they see Members of Congress and staff treated to gifts and travel paid by lobbyists, when they see legislation changed at the behest of a special interest, they understandably roll their eyes. With this bill, we look to curb the influence of special interests in favor of the people's interest because all of us were elected to represent the people first. This bill is not a perfect bill, and we will work this week to refine and improve the bill. For example, I would like to see the denial of Federal pensions to Members of Congress who are convicted of certain crimes. I am proud to support an amendment with Senator John Kerry which would do just that in this legislation. The likes of former Congressman Duke Cunningham and the bribery that occurred in that particular case should be the grounds for the denial of pensions to Federal Congressmen and Congresswomen. I would also like to see greater transparency in the committee process, and I will offer an amendment on that issue later this week. I also believe it is important to note that this bill touches on ethics in the executive branch. We know there has been so much focus in the public debate on how this deals only with the legislative branch of Government, but, in fact, this legislation will also end up creating a new program of Government independence and integrity in the executive branch. It will do so by extending the revolving door for very senior executive branch employees from 1 to 2 years and by expressing the sense of the Senate that any applicable restrictions on congressional branch employees should also apply to the executive and judicial branches of Government. We need to make sure that every branch of Government has strong ethics rules. I look forward to working with my colleagues to accomplish that goal in the coming months. It is my hope that the relevant committees address these issues in the near future. Let me make a comment about this issue. The fact is, the House of Representatives is dealing with ethics as their first issue, and the Senate is dealing with ethics as our first issue. We are taking a very important step in the right direction, but at the end of the day, it is the loss of confidence of the people of America in their Government in Washington as a whole that we need to take a look at, and the issues we deal with here are only focused largely on the legislative branch of Government, but there are also a whole host of issues in the executive branch of Government that should require us to take a hard look at what it is that all of our Government officials are doing. At the end of the day, our goal should be to try to make sure the integrity of Government extends to all aspects of the Government and that the confidence of the people we all represent extends to a confidence in all of our Government. The only way we can do that is to make sure we have the highest ethical standards that apply to the Congress as well as to the White House and to the executive branch of Government. It is my sincere hope that the committees of jurisdiction, including the Committee on Governmental Affairs and Homeland Security and other committees that will look at this issue, will also help us bring about that kind of cultivation with respect to how we look at integrity in Government. It isn't enough for us to clean out only a part of the barn in Washington, DC. I am a rancher and a farmer in terms of my upbringing. When you go in, you clean out the whole barn. Our effort is to clean up Washington, DC, and, if it is a committed effort on the part of both Democrats and Republicans, we need to make sure we are cleaning out the whole barn. Finally, it is important to make sure that we all recognize this bill is moving us forward in the right direction in a number of ways. It bans all gifts, and it bans meals and travel paid for by lobbyists. That is a ban that did not exist before this context. It is an important step in the right direction. Second, it requires public disclosure within 3 days of any hold placed on a nomination or on legislation. During the 109th Congress, Democrats and Republicans who were part of legislation we were trying to get through could not find out who was putting holds on legislation. That is not the way to do business. If a Senator has a problem with a bill, if they want to put a hold on a bill, they ought to tell their colleagues what it is they have a problem with, what is the substantive issue that causes that Senator a concern that requires him or her to put a hold on a bill. This is a very important procedural positive step forward for this institution, and I look forward to strongly supporting that part of the bill. Third is closing the revolving door between Congress and K Street by extending the cooling off period of Members of Congress and stiffening the rules regarding lobbying activity by senior staff members. It is an important rule that allows us to close that revolving door which has been a part of Washington, DC, for far too long. Fourth, this legislation requires that conference reports be made available to the public at least 48 hours before their consideration by the Senate. That way not only be the public of the United States of America but also the Members of this body will have an opportunity to study what is in the legislation and will be able to react so we do not enact legislation that is passed in the dead of night without people knowing on what they are voting. Fifth, the bill requires a list of earmarks in a bill, the identity of the Senators who propose them, and also identity of their essential Government purpose. For the last year, we have talked about earmark reform and the importance of moving forward with changes in the earmark process, which has been a part of this body probably since its inception, but making sure we know where those earmarks are coming from, who is proposing them, and what is the essential governmental purpose that is being addressed by that particular earmark. It is essential for us to be able to tell the American public what it is we are doing with taxpayers' dollars. I fully support the earmark proposals that are put forth in this legislation. As a member of the Senate Ethics Committee, I am also pleased to join with my colleagues in supporting the aspects of the bill that would do the following: First, it would require the Ethics Committee of the Senate to report on an annual basis with detailed statistics on the number of alleged violations and the status of complaints that are pending before the Ethics Committee of the Senate. Second, it would require the Ethics Committee that it conduct mandatory ethics training not only for Senators but also for all of our staffs who are affected by the decisions and the activities of our office on an ongoing basis. And, third, that we as a Senate move forward in the creation of an independent commission to make recommendations on the effectiveness of congressional ethics rules and lobbying disclosure laws. It is important to note that these changes are necessary, not because there is something inherently wrong or dishonorable about the process of petitioning the Government. They are important and they are necessary because the American people have lost faith in their Government and because our Government should be doing more to have a Government that is transparent and a Government that is responsive to the business of the people. I commend the leadership, Senator Reid and Senator McConnell, members of the Rules Committee, my colleagues and friends from California and Utah who are the managers of this bill, and members of the Governmental Affairs and Homeland Security Committee for their work. This is very important legislation that is taking an important first step in restoring the faith of the American people in the integrity of their Government. I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise to reflect for a moment on the service and sacrifice of Navy Hospital Corpsman Christopher Anderson of Longmont, CO. Corpsman Anderson was killed in Iraq last month in the volatile Al Anbar province in service to this Nation. He was only 24, and was laid to rest late last month in Arlington National Cemetery here in our Nation's Capital. In Longmont, they bade farewell to Hospital Corpsman Anderson with all appropriate honors that this Nation, his community and his family could bestow: A Purple Heart and 21-gun salute, a release of doves, and hundreds lining the streets to pay their final respects to a young man taken from this life all too soon. Serving as a Navy Corpsman with a unit of Marines is no easy task. The job dates back to the Spanish-American War, and is an incredibly dangerous job which entails carrying a loaded weapon along with the tools of your trade: Saving lives. The marines I have had the privilege of knowing are all proud, brave and honorable men whose respect must be earned through hard work. For a Corpsman, the title of ``Doc'' comes only when you have earned the respect of your Marine unit, when they are prepared to risk their lives for you as they would one of their own, because they know with absolute conviction that you would do the same. One fellow Navy Corpsman reflected on the honor of this title, saying of the Marines, ``If they yell, `Corpsman up,' they know Doc is going to be right there. . . . When the Marines call you `Doc,' you know you'll never let them down, you'll never leave their side. That bond between a Marine and a Navy corpsman is something that will last forever. We call them `My Marines'--they call us `My Doc.' '' Navy Hospital Corpsman Christopher Anderson was ``Doc'' to his marines. For Christopher Anderson, service was always in his blood. He was an uncommon young man of steady nerves and a unique ability to inspire others to find greatness in themselves. When he graduated Longmont High School in 2000, he sought a way to make a difference in the world, and had considered becoming a police officer or firefighter. His grandfather observed, ``If he saw a wreck on the side of the road, he was the first to stop and help.'' And then in 2005, a higher calling of service reached out to Christopher: America. When Christopher enlisted in the U.S. Navy in August, 2005, he was the fourth generation of his family to join the service. And he carried on his family tradition with honor and distinction. Throughout training and during his service, Hospital Corpsman Anderson met every challenge with excellence. At his boot camp graduation, Corpsman Anderson was voted by his peers the ``honor graduate'' of his class, the premier member of his class. He sought advanced combat medic training and volunteered for an assignment to the front lines in Iraq. When one of his sergeants was injured by an IED in Iraq, a surgeon commented that Corpsman Anderson's emergency medical treatment was the finest he had ever seen. A marine will tell you that he will always take a bullet for his Doc, because his Doc is the only one who can take it back out. Hospital Corpsman Christopher Anderson sacrificed his life for this Nation because he knew that our Nation needed his service. He accepted these great risks with a smile and extraordinary courage from which all of us can take a lesson. He sacrificed himself for the ideals of his country. It is a debt which we cannot repay, and a loss we cannot replace. And we are all humbled by his service and sacrifice. To Christopher's parents, Rick and Debra, his brother Kyle, I know that no words can describe or assuage the pain you feel. I pray that you can find comfort in the knowledge that Christopher was doing something which he truly loved, and of which he was extraordinarily proud. He will endure in our hearts and prayers. Lance Corporal Nicklas Palmer Mr. President, I rise to commemorate the life and service of a young marine from Leadville, CO: Marine LCpl Nicklas James Palmer. Lance Corporal Palmer was killed last month in Fallujah, Iraq. Nick Palmer was only 19 years old when he was taken from his family in Iraq. But he was serving his Nation with honor and distinction as a marine, something he had dreamed of doing as a high school student in Lake County. Nick Palmer came to the State of Colorado as a boy, and in 2005 when he graduated from Lake County High School, he was a man prepared to find his place in the world. In high school, Nick was a football player who lettered all 4 years with the Lake County High varsity squad, a lineman to be precise. I have known a few linemen in my day, and it tells us all something about his character and why he was drawn to the Marine Corps: Nick Palmer was a man who knew that there was tough work to be done, that it required leadership, physical skill and courage and that he was the right man for the job. The Marine Corps was a natural fit for Nick Palmer. It was physical and independent, and allowed him the opportunity to become a leader. In fact, Nick prepared for Marine Corps boot camp by taking 10-mile runs with a 40-pound pack on his back, determined to be the finest recruit at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. That is a lineman's mentality, and it is the steel at the very core of the U.S. Marine Corps: Through discipline, one achieves excellence. Nick Palmer was not solely a man of serious character. His family, classmates, teachers, and community all reflected that he was a young man who always had a smile for a friend and saw the laughs to be had in life. He was a loyal friend, an independent young man who was always prepared to lend a hand or take the lead. Lance Corporal Palmer was anxious to get to Iraq, to begin his service to his Nation. His time with the Marine Corps was marked by his continuing leadership: Lance Corporal Palmer's commanding officer in Iraq noted that he was never afraid to step forward and say, ``I'll do it.'' It was that spirit that moved Nick Palmer to serve this Nation in the first place as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. His character, leadership, and courage exemplified that sacred motto of the Marines: Semper Fi. Always Faithful. To Nick's mother and father, Brad and Rachele, and his brother Dustin, know that you and Nick will remain in the thoughts and prayers of an entire Nation. We are honored by his service, we are humbled by his sacrifice, and we are forever grateful for his courage and character. Private First Class Seth Stanton Mr. President, I rise to reflect on the loss of a Coloradan and member of the U.S. Armed Forces, Army PFC Seth Stanton. Private First Class Stanton was fatally wounded late last month in Taji, Iraq, when a roadside bomb exploded beneath his vehicle. He was only 19 years old. In June 2005, after graduating from Coronado High School in Colorado Springs, he enlisted in the Army. At the time the improvised explosive device destroyed the humvee in which he was riding, had been in Iraq for 2 months. Seth Stanton was a young man who, as his uncle noted, lived every minute of his life to the fullest. He was an outstanding student who was skipped all the way up to the 12th grade, ahead of his age, after being home schooled for many years. And he loved off-roading in his prized Jeep Cherokee with its heavy- duty suspension and oversized tires rumbling across our state's rugged terrain. He even bragged to his friends about how four fellow service members told him one day ``how illegal my Jeep is.'' As a man, Seth Stanton had many opportunities ahead of him. But instead of choosing to attend college or join the workforce, Seth Stanton chose a different path: the U.S. Army. Private First Class Stanton knew that his Nation, and the people of Iraq, needed his service and support, and he bravely stepped forward and volunteered for this challenging duty. Private First Class Stanton didn't choose to follow this path, as his grandmother Georgell noted, out of politics or economics or some other motive. He chose it because he knew in his heart it was the right thing to do: dedicate himself to a cause greater than his own. The tragedy of a life of such promise going unrealized affects everyone in this body, and in this Nation, but not as deeply or personally as it will move his parents Stephen and Anna or the rest of his family. Every American mourns your loss with you, and Seth's courage and sacrifice will be honored always. Chapter Five of the Book of Matthew chronicles that, in his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us, ``Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.'' I hope that this brings you solace in the coming days, with the knowledge that He holds Seth close, and blesses his character and sacrifice. Staff Sergeant David Staats Mr. President, I rise to call the Nation's attention to a service member whom we lost late last month in service to our country. Army SSgt David Staats was killed in Taji, Iraq, when a roadside bomb detonated beneath his vehicle. Staff Sergeant Staats epitomized the spirit of service to his Nation. He was only a few weeks into his third tour in Iraq. He was a young man, only 30 years old, with his entire life ahead of him. He leaves behind his wife Meagan, his 8-year-old son Tyler, and stepdaughter, Katie. He heard the call to serve his country early on, enlisting in the Army before he even graduated from high school in 1995. After his second tour, in which he was stationed in Kuwait and Iraq, he briefly left the service. But soldiering was in his blood, the core of who he was, and he reenlisted after only a year away from the Army. In his service in Iraq, Staff Sergeant Staats was upholding the global values of human dignity, freedom and liberty. He did so not for glory or praise, but because he had absolute confidence in his values and his mission to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Staff Sergeant Staats' mother said it best: ``He was doing what he thought he should do.'' David Staats was a loving son, husband and father, too. He treasured the time he spent with his son Tyler and his stepdaughter Katie, and was an adoring husband to his wife Meagan. President Abraham Lincoln famously once said, ``In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.'' The loss of David Staats was sudden, and tragic. It reminds each America of the gravity of that which we ask of our service members, and the brief nature of our time on this Earth. But in his service to our Nation and his family, David Staats lived a life of honor, courage, character and distinction to which every American can look with respect and admiration. To Meagan, Tyler, and Katie, to David's parents Roger and Wanda, and his sister Bethany, I hope that this knowledge can help ease the painful sorrow each of you feel. While your anguish from his loss may never fully pass, I hope that you can take comfort in the knowledge that David's service and sacrifice on behalf of each and every American will be forever honored by a humble and grateful Nation.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise to praise the service of a police officer from Colorado Springs: Officer Ken Jordan. Ken Jordan was killed in the line of duty early last month during a traffic stop. He was only 34. As anyone in law enforcement can tell you, there is no such thing as a ``routine'' traffic stop. Every time you pull a driver over, there is the risk that something could go wrong, that this could be the one that proves too much for even your training and judgment. And yet, Ken Jordan, like countless other peace officers around this Nation do every day, set these fears aside and carried out his job with professionalism and courage. In the Colorado Springs Police Department, Officer Jordan was a DUI specialist. His work removed unsafe drunk drivers from our roads, saving lives every time he was on duty. He was an outstanding example of his job, known to sometimes have three or four suspects lined up at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, waiting to be tested for their blood alcohol level. Ken Jordan was a native of Chicago, and graduated from Western Illinois University, where he studied law enforcement. In 2000, he joined the Colorado Springs Police Department and called Colorado his home. Mr. President, I have every confidence that if Ken Jordan were here with us today, he would undoubtedly tell us of his love for the outdoors and adventure sports. He reveled in the joys of life, be it kayaking in Fiji or playing pranks on family members. His smile was as big as all the Rockies and just as ever-present. One Denver police officer summed it up best: ``He was the person you would want to have as a friend.'' Every time we lose a peace officer, our entire Nation grieves for them, and for their families, and loved ones. To Officer Jordan's parents and sister Sue, and to his beloved Heidi, I know that no words can ease the pain you feel at this difficult time. But through your sorrow, I hope that you can find solace in this police officers' prayer: Lord I ask for courage, Courage to face and conquer my own fears, Courage to take me where others will not go. I ask for strength, Strength of body to protect others and strength of spirit to lead others. I ask for dedication, Dedication to my job, to do it well, dedication to my community, to keep it safe. Give me Lord, concern For others who trust me and compassion for those who need me. And please, Lord, Through it all, be at my side. Officer Ken Jordan's service to his community will always be honored and never forgotten. Our entire Nation stands humbled by his sacrifice, in awe of his courage, honor, and character.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in favor of a bill that will be introduced by Senator Allard and myself to name the post office in Vail, CO, after President Gerald R. Ford. I call myself fortunate because I worked with President Ford. In our brief time together, it was obvious to me he was a man of honor, integrity, and courage. Gerald Ford was a man who loved the State of Colorado, who loved its people and its culture. So it is a fitting tribute that the post office in his adopted town of Vail should bear his name. President Ford led a remarkable life--remarkable not only for his great success but for the humility, dignity, and candor which were the hallmarks of his career. And what a career it was: from the University of Michigan to Yale Law School to service in the Navy to a leadership position in the U.S. Congress, and eventually, of course, to the Presidency of these United States, to say nothing of a long and productive post-Presidential career. Of course, it is his time in the White House which people will remember most, and for good reason. It was President Ford who, through his leadership, brought the country together during a time of crisis. He was not only the right man at the right time for a very difficult job, he was a perfect man to deal with circumstances, the likes of which this country had never seen. But I will remember President Ford not only for his good deeds in public office but for his unending commitment to justice and equality well after he left the White House behind. In 1999, when our shared alma mater, the University of Michigan, had its diversity policies challenged in court, President Ford wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times about diversity, and he talked about an inclusive America which was essential to the future and the strength of the United States. In his op-ed piece, which was widely circulated, about which he and I spent time talking one day, he wrote the following: Of all the triumphs that have marked this as America's century--breathtaking advances in science and technology, the democratization of wealth and dispersal of political powers in ways hardly imaginable in 1899--none is more inspiring, if incomplete, than our pursuit of racial justice. President Ford bravely defended the University of Michigan's diversity program with the same elegance and bravery with which he confronted the tribulations of the Watergate era and, in the process, left behind a legacy of tolerance and justice which will not soon be forgotten. Of course, no tribute to President Ford would be complete without mention of his extraordinary family, particularly his wife, Betty, and as President Ford famously said: I am indebted to no man, and only to one woman--to my dear wife. Betty Ford's bravery and her candor has inspired millions upon millions of Americans, and we are grateful for her service, and we wish her and the Ford family the very best. The people of Colorado thank Gerald Ford for his service, and we are proud to move forward in helping the post office in Vail, CO, bear his name.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in favor of a bill that will be introduced by Senator Allard and myself to name the post office in Vail, CO, after President Gerald R. Ford. I call myself fortunate because I worked with President Ford. In our brief time together, it was obvious to me he was a man of honor, integrity, and courage. Gerald Ford was a man who loved the State of Colorado, who loved its people and its culture. So it is a fitting tribute that the post office in his adopted town of Vail should bear his name. President Ford led a remarkable life--remarkable not only for his great success but for the humility, dignity, and candor which were the hallmarks of his career. And what a career it was: from the University of Michigan to Yale Law School to service in the Navy to a leadership position in the U.S. Congress, and eventually, of course, to the Presidency of these United States, to say nothing of a long and productive post-Presidential career. Of course, it is his time in the White House which people will remember most, and for good reason. It was President Ford who, through his leadership, brought the country together during a time of crisis. He was not only the right man at the right time for a very difficult job, he was a perfect man to deal with circumstances, the likes of which this country had never seen. But I will remember President Ford not only for his good deeds in public office but for his unending commitment to justice and equality well after he left the White House behind. In 1999, when our shared alma mater, the University of Michigan, had its diversity policies challenged in court, President Ford wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times about diversity, and he talked about an inclusive America which was essential to the future and the strength of the United States. In his op-ed piece, which was widely circulated, about which he and I spent time talking one day, he wrote the following: Of all the triumphs that have marked this as America's century--breathtaking advances in science and technology, the democratization of wealth and dispersal of political powers in ways hardly imaginable in 1899--none is more inspiring, if incomplete, than our pursuit of racial justice. President Ford bravely defended the University of Michigan's diversity program with the same elegance and bravery with which he confronted the tribulations of the Watergate era and, in the process, left behind a legacy of tolerance and justice which will not soon be forgotten. Of course, no tribute to President Ford would be complete without mention of his extraordinary family, particularly his wife, Betty, and as President Ford famously said: I am indebted to no man, and only to one woman--to my dear wife. Betty Ford's bravery and her candor has inspired millions upon millions of Americans, and we are grateful for her service, and we wish her and the Ford family the very best. The people of Colorado thank Gerald Ford for his service, and we are proud to move forward in helping the post office in Vail, CO, bear his name.