Mark Udall

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, just a month ago, I joined fellow Coloradans, my colleagues in the U.S. Congress, and others across the country to celebrate and acknowledge the many accomplishments and contributions of the Hispanic community in the United States and Colorado. I am particularly proud to highlight the long history of Hispanics in Colorado, as they established some of Colorado's oldest communities, irrigation systems, and earliest businesses. I am equally proud that this community continues to be a vibrant part of the fabric of our great State. Throughout this month, my colleagues and I have been hard at work to move forward on many policy concerns that are vitally important to Colorado's Hispanic community. From the confirmation of America's first Latina Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, to progress on health insurance reform, and continued support for efforts to create and save jobs, I have been working with the best interests of Colorado in mind. Still, there is much to be accomplished. We must come together to find opportunities to improve the quality of life of all Coloradans. In doing so, it is important to keep in mind that certain populations, such as Latinos, are disproportionately affected by many of the challenges we face as a State and country. At a national level, Latinos face an unemployment rate that is 3 percent higher than the national rate. In Colorado, Latinos face a poverty rate that is 12 percent higher than the State's overall poverty rate. Latinos also face other challenges--40 percent of Hispanics in Colorado are uninsured, approximately 24 percent higher than the State average, according to a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment report. Though these issues are not a concern for Latinos in Colorado alone, they undoubtedly raise heightened concerns for the Hispanic community, given these statistics. These are just a few reasons I have continued to support and develop policies that provide both quality jobs and help reduce the costs of hard-working Coloradans. Most notably, we have made significant progress toward reforming our health insurance system so that it better meets the health needs of all Americans. Making our health system more efficient, fiscally manageable, and accessible is vitally important to making health insurance more affordable for Hispanic and non-Hispanic families alike. As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I have also been working to develop new ways to help low-income and working families afford to make their homes more energy efficient. By improving access to energy-saving technology and making homes more energy efficient, families can reduce their energy costs, while helping to make our environment and communities better places to live. This is just one part of a new energy economy that can bring more jobs to our State. We have had much to celebrate during this year's Hispanic Heritage Month, but we also have much to do, and I understand there are many more goals that we have yet to achieve. So while we have enjoyed the celebration of Hispanic heritage and the contributions Latinos make in our communities over the last month, I will continue my efforts to improve the quality of life for Coloradans of all backgrounds in every month of the year.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam President, it is great to be here with you this evening. I see Senator Durbin is still on the floor, and I know he may want to speak to the issue that was just raised. We are here discussing the public option. I hope Senator Durbin has a minute or two to talk about that.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I rise tonight to announce that I am introducing legislation designed to help promote the cleanup of abandoned and inactive hard rock mines that are a menace to the environment and public health throughout the country, but especially to the West. In previous sessions of Congress when I was a Member of the House of Representatives, I introduced similar bills. Following the introduction of those previous bills, revisions were made to incorporate a number of changes developed in consultation with a wide range of interested parties. These parties included representatives of the Western Governors' Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, the hardrock mining industry, and environmental groups. The bill I am introducing today is also the product of further consultations. It represents years of effort to reach agreement on establishing a program to advance the cleanup of polluted water from abandoned mines. For over one hundred years, miners and prospectors have searched for and developed valuable hardrock minerals, such as gold, silver, and copper. Hardrock mining has played a key role in the history of Colorado and many other States. The resulting mineral wealth has been an important aspect of our economy and the development of essential products that we all take for granted. However, as all westerners know, this history has too often been marked by a series of ``boom'' times followed by ``busts,'' when mines were no longer profitable. When these busts came, too often the miners would abandon their work and move on, seeking riches over the next mountain. The resulting legacy of unsafe open mine shafts and acid mine drainages can be seen throughout the country and especially on the Western public lands where mineral development was encouraged to help settle our region. The problems caused by abandoned and inactive mines are very real and very large. They include acidic water draining from old tunnels; heavy metals leaching into streams, killing fish and tainting water supplies; open vertical mine shafts; dangerous highwalls; large open pits; waste rock piles that are unsightly and dangerous; and hazardous dilapidated structures. Unfortunately, many of our current environmental laws, designed to mitigate the impact from operating hard rock mines, are of limited effectiveness when they are applied to abandoned and inactive mines. As a result, many of these old mines go on polluting streams and rivers and potentially risking the health of people who live nearby or downstream. Right now, there are two serious obstacles to progress. One is a serious lack of funds for cleaning up sites for which no private person or entity can be held liable. The other obstacle is legal. While the Clean Water Act is one of the most effective and important of our environmental laws, as applied to abandoned hard rock mines, it can mean that someone undertaking to clean up an abandoned or inactive mine will be exposed to the same liability that would apply to a party responsible for creating the site's problems in the first place. As a result, would-be Good Samaritans understandably have been unwilling to volunteer their services to clean up abandoned and inactive mines. The Governors of our Western States have recognized the need for action to address this serious problem. They have adopted bipartisan resolutions on this subject, such as the position adopted in the 2007 resolution entitled ``Cleaning Up Abandoned Mines.'' In this resolution, the Governors urged Congress to take action to address liability issues and funding concerns. The Governors sent a letter in November 2007 expressing support for the previous version of the bill I am introducing today. The bill I am filing today will help address this impediment and make it easier for volunteers, who had no role in creating the problem, to help clean up these sites and improve the environment. It does so by providing a new permit program whereby volunteers can, under an approved plan, reduce the water pollution flowing from an abandoned mine. At the same time, volunteers will not be exposed to the full liability and ongoing responsibility provisions of the Clean Water Act. Unlike other bills that have been introduced on this topic, my bill only addresses Clean Water Act liability and does not waive any other environmental law. This is because I do not believe we have to go that far. There are administrative avenues and options available to Good Samaritans to address compliance without other environmental laws that may apply at these sites. However, such administrative options are not available for Clean Water Act liability. So my bill only addresses this restriction on moving forward on projects to clean up water releases. The new permit proposed in my bill would help address problems that have frustrated Federal and State agencies throughout the country. As population growth continues near these old mines, more and more risks to public health and safety are likely to occur. We simply must begin to address this issue, not only to improve the environment but also to ensure that our water supplies are safe and usable. Let me be clear, the bill does not address all the concerns some would-be Good Samaritan may have about initiating cleanup projects. I am committed to continue working to address those additional concerns through additional legislation and in other ways. But the bill I am filing today can make a real difference, and I think it deserves approval without unnecessary delay. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a longer version of my statement.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I rise tonight to announce that I am introducing legislation designed to help promote the cleanup of abandoned and inactive hard rock mines that are a menace to the environment and public health throughout the country, but especially to the West. In previous sessions of Congress when I was a Member of the House of Representatives, I introduced similar bills. Following the introduction of those previous bills, revisions were made to incorporate a number of changes developed in consultation with a wide range of interested parties. These parties included representatives of the Western Governors' Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, the hardrock mining industry, and environmental groups. The bill I am introducing today is also the product of further consultations. It represents years of effort to reach agreement on establishing a program to advance the cleanup of polluted water from abandoned mines. For over one hundred years, miners and prospectors have searched for and developed valuable hardrock minerals, such as gold, silver, and copper. Hardrock mining has played a key role in the history of Colorado and many other States. The resulting mineral wealth has been an important aspect of our economy and the development of essential products that we all take for granted. However, as all westerners know, this history has too often been marked by a series of ``boom'' times followed by ``busts,'' when mines were no longer profitable. When these busts came, too often the miners would abandon their work and move on, seeking riches over the next mountain. The resulting legacy of unsafe open mine shafts and acid mine drainages can be seen throughout the country and especially on the Western public lands where mineral development was encouraged to help settle our region. The problems caused by abandoned and inactive mines are very real and very large. They include acidic water draining from old tunnels; heavy metals leaching into streams, killing fish and tainting water supplies; open vertical mine shafts; dangerous highwalls; large open pits; waste rock piles that are unsightly and dangerous; and hazardous dilapidated structures. Unfortunately, many of our current environmental laws, designed to mitigate the impact from operating hard rock mines, are of limited effectiveness when they are applied to abandoned and inactive mines. As a result, many of these old mines go on polluting streams and rivers and potentially risking the health of people who live nearby or downstream. Right now, there are two serious obstacles to progress. One is a serious lack of funds for cleaning up sites for which no private person or entity can be held liable. The other obstacle is legal. While the Clean Water Act is one of the most effective and important of our environmental laws, as applied to abandoned hard rock mines, it can mean that someone undertaking to clean up an abandoned or inactive mine will be exposed to the same liability that would apply to a party responsible for creating the site's problems in the first place. As a result, would-be Good Samaritans understandably have been unwilling to volunteer their services to clean up abandoned and inactive mines. The Governors of our Western States have recognized the need for action to address this serious problem. They have adopted bipartisan resolutions on this subject, such as the position adopted in the 2007 resolution entitled ``Cleaning Up Abandoned Mines.'' In this resolution, the Governors urged Congress to take action to address liability issues and funding concerns. The Governors sent a letter in November 2007 expressing support for the previous version of the bill I am introducing today. The bill I am filing today will help address this impediment and make it easier for volunteers, who had no role in creating the problem, to help clean up these sites and improve the environment. It does so by providing a new permit program whereby volunteers can, under an approved plan, reduce the water pollution flowing from an abandoned mine. At the same time, volunteers will not be exposed to the full liability and ongoing responsibility provisions of the Clean Water Act. Unlike other bills that have been introduced on this topic, my bill only addresses Clean Water Act liability and does not waive any other environmental law. This is because I do not believe we have to go that far. There are administrative avenues and options available to Good Samaritans to address compliance without other environmental laws that may apply at these sites. However, such administrative options are not available for Clean Water Act liability. So my bill only addresses this restriction on moving forward on projects to clean up water releases. The new permit proposed in my bill would help address problems that have frustrated Federal and State agencies throughout the country. As population growth continues near these old mines, more and more risks to public health and safety are likely to occur. We simply must begin to address this issue, not only to improve the environment but also to ensure that our water supplies are safe and usable. Let me be clear, the bill does not address all the concerns some would-be Good Samaritan may have about initiating cleanup projects. I am committed to continue working to address those additional concerns through additional legislation and in other ways. But the bill I am filing today can make a real difference, and I think it deserves approval without unnecessary delay. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a longer version of my statement.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam President, I yield the floor. (Mr. UDALL of Colorado assumed the Chair.)

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to eight young men from Fort Carson in Colorado who perished last weekend in Afghanistan. This was the heaviest U.S. loss of life in a single battle since July 2008, when nine American soldiers were killed in Afghanistan. In highlighting the lives of these young soldiers, I do not want to diminish the loss of other brave servicemen and women who have given their lives for our country. Before last weekend, Fort Carson alone had lost 270 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we must continue to honor the courage of our fallen, our wounded, and those who continue the fight. But I hope the stories of these eight young men today speak to the loved ones of all the brave men and women who have lost their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq in recent years. I honor their service, their courage, their dedication, their love of country and family. I thank their wives, husbands, children, parents, and other family members and friends for their support of these brave servicemen and women. And I want to express my deepest sympathy to them as they mourn their loss. These eight soldiers were all from the same platoon--Bravo Troop of the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cav, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson. The 4th BCT has worked since May to secure territory throughout a four-province region near Jalalabad in some of Afghanistan's most rugged terrain, training in the nearby hills to prepare for high- altitude battle. A major achievement included providing security for Afghanistan's presidential election in August, enabling local Afghans to go to the polls. I met with the 4th BCT commander, COL Randy George, back in April in Colorado, before Colonel George and his soldiers departed for Afghanistan. I know how hard Colonel George worked to get these soldiers ready for the fight, and they were ready. These eight young men and their fellow soldiers fought valiantly, taking on about 200 insurgents in their remote outpost in Afghanistan's Nuristan province. As MAJ Daniel Chandler, the rear detachment commander for the 4th BCT, said: ``They were attacked, the unit fought bravely, and in the end, they won the day.'' I would like to say a few words about each of these men. SPC Michael Scusa of Villas, NJ, was 22 years old. He joined the Army after graduating from high school and was on his second tour in Afghanistan. A former teacher said: He was a boy any mom would be proud to have. He leaves behind his wife and 1-year-old son in Colorado, as well as immediate family in New Jersey and Nebraska. SPC Christopher Griffin was 24 years old. He grew up in the small town of Kincheloe, MI. A high school classmate said that the ``whole town'' knew that Christopher would enlist someday. The Army was his calling--and he was very proud of it. He leaves behind his family in Michigan. PFC Kevin Thomson of Reno, NV, was 22, and joined the Army in April 2008. Friends said that he could make anyone smile, that he valued friendship, and that he had a strong relationship with his mother. His photo hangs in Scolari's grocery store in southeast Reno, where he used to work. He leaves behind his family in Nevada and California. SGT Vernon Martin of Savannah, GA, was 25 years old, and leaves behind a wife and three children and family in Georgia and New York. He joined the Army 6 years ago and had served in Iraq before being shipped to Afghanistan. His wife said that he hoped to work with kids someday-- and that Vernon was the best thing that ever happened to her and their children. SPC Stephan Mace of Lovettsville, VA, was 21 years old, and is survived by his family in West Virginia and Virginia. His mother said that he loved sports, wildlife, and the outdoors, and that he always had a smile on his face. He learned about patriotism from his grandfather, who served in the CIA during the Vietnam war, and had a strong love of his country and the military. Stephan's youngest brother just graduated from boot camp at Fort Sill--he wants to join the Army like his brother. SGT Joshua Kirk--originally of Bonners Ferry, ID--was 30 years old. He leaves behind his wife and 2-year-old daughter in Colorado and mother in Idaho. SGT Joshua Hardt of Applegate, California, was 24 years old, and was an outgoing and athletic young man--so talented at high school football that his helmet was retired. When Joshua was stationed at Fort Carson, he and his wife moved to Colorado together. Joshua leaves behind his wife and immediate family in California. SGT Justin Gallegos of Tucson, AZ, was 27 years old. His friends called him ``a man of excitement, courage, leadership, and kindness,'' and a strong man, a go-getter. He leaves behind family and friends in Tucson. There is so much more to say about each one of these soldiers--and about each of the men and women who have given their lives in the service of our country. Now is a time to honor their memories and pay tribute to them for their tremendous sacrifice and dedication to our Nation. We will not forget you.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, today I congratulate the city of Louisville, CO, for being named recently as the top place to live in the Nation by Money Magazine. I know that Colorado is home to many amazing towns, cities and communities. It would be nearly impossible to choose which among them is the top place to live, but I am proud that Louisville received this prestigious honor. Every 2 years, Money Magazine releases a ranking of cities under 50,000 residents. In compiling these rankings, the editors consider factors such as economic opportunity, schools, affordability of homes, crime rates, and entertainment options for families. This year marks the third consecutive time Louisville has made the list, ranking fifth in 2005 and third in 2007. In addition to the usual factors, this year's survey had an added component. People from around the nation said that the availability of great jobs was the most important factor to them when deciding where to live. This does not come as a surprise to any of us, but makes Louisville's ranking all that much more impressive for Colorado. While Louisville has certainly seen the effects of the economic downturn, it has been able to continue to support and attract cutting-edge businesses. ConocoPhillips is an example of just one business that has recently decided to put down roots in Louisville, where it plans to build a renewable energy and new technologies research facility. The businesses located in Louisville's Tech Center continue be at the forefront of Colorado's high-tech development, and those located on Louisville's historic Main Street support jobs while continuing traditions started generations ago. But more than its ability to attract businesses and jobs, the heart of Louisville and what makes it the top place to live is its solid community and commitment to the outdoors. Louisville supports a vibrant summer farmers' market and Friday night Street Faire, which brings to town musical acts from across the West. Earlier this summer, the annual Louisville Fourth of July celebration included the traditional fireworks show and a giveaway of 4,000 hot dogs and bratwursts cooked by the mayor and city council, part of a long-standing tradition. Money Magazine also remarked on Louisville's share of the legendary Colorado sunshine and beautiful open spaces. In a town of 18,000 residents, Louisville has over 2000 acres of open space, 26 parks and nearly 30 miles of trails, most with panoramic views of the Front Range Mountains. I congratulate both Louisville and the town of Superior, CO, which earned a ranking of 13th on the list. We know that Coloradans are proud of their outstanding communities, and it is only appropriate that Colorado is home to the ``Best Place to Live'' in the Nation. Congratulations again to the residents of Louisville.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, due to family-related reasons, I was unable to cast a vote for rollcall vote No. 306, the nomination of Thomas Perez to be Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' to confirm the nominee.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, let me start by thanking my colleague, the Senator from Oregon, for holding this important gathering on the floor of the Senate this morning. Mr. President, as my fellow freshmen have stressed, health insurance reform is essential in helping us lower spending, chip away at our Federal deficit, and strengthen our economy. While the reform proposals before us would contain costs across the board, I wish to focus on a particular area of health care reform near and dear to nearly 45 million Americans, and that is Medicare. Reforming how we pay for Medicare and how we spend those valuable taxpayer dollars is one of the biggest cost-containing tools we can include in health care reform, and it will also improve the health of seniors. Coloradans have rightly asked me and Senator Bennet how health care reform can reduce government spending on Medicare while at the same time strengthen benefits and improve their health. They want to know how they can be getting more as the government spends less. The answer is that health insurance reform can make our government and us smarter consumers. Because right now, 30 to 50 percent of spending on health care does not make a patient healthier. That is a lot of room for savings. Let me give you an example. Today, Medicare actually pays doctors and hospitals more to amputate a leg than it does to treat early diabetes and actually prevent that amputation. Our government should be paying for quality outcomes, not writing checks that encourage expensive care that could have been prevented in the first place. Let me give you a couple of examples of how reform can change these incentives, help improve care for our seniors, and also decrease costs for all of us, the taxpayers. First, reform can lower the rate of unnecessary hospital readmissions. Right now, one-quarter of all Medicare patients who are discharged from a hospital end up going back into that hospital for the same problem. Health reform would reward hospitals such as Saint Mary's in Grand Junction, CO, which coordinates care and followup to make sure patients do not end up back in the hospital. Second, reform can hold hospitals accountable if they are not doing enough to reduce the number of patients who develop infections in their facility. Such infections cause seniors to stay in the hospital longer, cost tens of thousands of additional dollars to treat, and--in the worst cases--they are life threatening. Health care reform would also invest in and encourage innovative ways to deliver more efficient care to seniors. So-called patient-centered care can prevent seniors from being admitted to the hospital in the first place. You will notice a theme here: The government would be paying less when we pass health reform, and seniors would be healthier for it. I have not even touched on the billions of dollars per year in waste, fraud, and abuse that health insurance reform will help wring out of the system. I also have not discussed the tough cost-controlling mechanisms, such as a new Medicare payment advisory body to ensure Medicare dollars are being spent efficiently to improve patient care and balance our Federal checkbook. The reforms we are considering are critical to changing the way the government pays for Medicare so we can ensure its long-term sustainability. The reality is, if we do not act, as was mentioned early this morning--if we keep spending as we do today--Medicare will be bankrupt by 2017, just 8 years from now. That is a sobering thought. If we take the step to reform our health care system, it will have the immediate effect of extending the life of our Medicare trust fund for 5 more years, and at the same time we will lay down a foundation that will keep costs down in the long term so we can make Medicare sustainable for generations to come. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, today I praise Dr. Carolyn Porco, a professor at the University of Colorado, senior researcher at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, CO, and leader of the imaging team for the Cassini mission. In this last role, she has a front row seat on some of the most exciting scientific discoveries of today coming from the Cassini spacecraft, which for 5 years has been orbiting and studying Saturn and its Moons. I have submitted for the Record an article about Dr. Porco from the September 21, 2009, edition of the New York Times. In Colorado, we are extremely proud of our science and technology enterprise. We have 16 Federal laboratories, top-flight research universities and a vibrant private sector pushing the limits on everything from biomedical research to space exploration. But even in this crowded field, Dr. Porco stands out as an exemplary Colorado scientist. She has repeatedly been recognized as one of the top scientific leaders to watch this century both for her scientific accomplishments and her leadership within the scientific community. As the Times article shows, she has come a long way from her humble Bronx upbringing. Thinking about Dr. Porco, I am reminded that great scientists are not born. They are made. They are made through the hard work and determination of the young boy who rejects the stigma that somehow being smart is not cool and the young girl who refuses to take a back seat to any boy. They are made through the guidance and support of countless teachers and mentors who receive far too little credit for the service they give to this country. And perhaps most importantly for this body, they are made through the investments we make in research, development and education. If we want the Carolyn Porcos of the future to be here in the United States--and believe me, we do--we must invest now in our research agencies, and we must have well-paid, high-quality teachers in the classroom. Dr. Porco is a stellar example of what we can accomplish as individuals and as a nation with focus and a little bit of tenacity. I congratulate her on her accomplishments and well-deserved recognition. I, for one, will be following her progress and expecting many more great things from her in the future. I ask that the New York Times article to which I referred be printed in the Record. The information follows. an Odyssey From the Bronx to Saturn's Rings (By Dennis Overbye) It is twilight time on Saturn. Shadows lengthened to stretch thousands of miles across the planet's famous rings this summer as they slowly tilted edge- on to the Sun, which they do every 15 years, casting into sharp relief every bump and wiggle and warp in the buttery and wafer-thin bands that are the solar system's most popular scenic attraction. From her metaphorical perch on the bridge of the Cassini spacecraft, which has been orbiting Saturn for five years, Carolyn Porco, who heads the camera team, is ecstatic about the view. ``It's another one of those things that make you pinch yourself and say, `Boy am I lucky to be around now,' '' Dr. Porco said. ``For the first time in 400 years, we're seeing Saturn's rings in three dimensions.'' On Monday, Dr. Porco and the Cassini team released a grand view of the rings in all their shadowed glory, including clumps, spikes, undulations and waves two and a half miles high on the edge of one ring. ``We always knew it would be good; instead, it's been extraordinary,'' Dr. Porco said of the cascade of results that have placed her in a spotlight to which she has become increasingly accustomed. ``I feel I'm on a great human adventure,'' she said. The work may be carried out by robots, Dr. Porco said, ``but we are all explorers.'' ``It's thrilling,'' she added, ``and I want everyone to know how thrilling it is.'' Dr. Porco, 56, a senior researcher at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo., may be the leader of the camera team on the $3.4 billion Cassini mission, an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado and one of Wired magazine's 15 people who should be advising the president. But she is also a proud child of the 1964os who has never let go of the exuberance of that era when President John F. Kennedy ``said that the sky isn't even the limit,'' as she puts it, and ``things were unleashed.'' Her entries on the Cassini imaging Web site echo the spirit of the character Capt. James T. Kirk on ``Star Trek'': Captain's Log--March 23, 2009 We are almost there. Saturn and we, its companions, have journeyed together now for nearly five years, in a circumnavigation of the outer solar system. Stanley Kubrick's film ``2001: A Space Odyssey'' is still her favorite movie, and she still loves the Beatles. On a visit to England in 2001, she and her imaging colleagues recreated the album cover picture of the Beatles crossing Abbey Road, with Dr. Porco leading, dressed in white like John Lennon. Dr. Porco was born and raised in a Bronx family with four brothers she partly credits for her subsequent success in astronomy. ``I'm used to fighting and arguing with males,'' she said. Her father, an Italian immigrant, drove a bread truck, and her mother kept house. Dr. Porco attended Cardinal Spellman High School, the same school that Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the Supreme Court attended. She was a studious child and a spiritual seeker--``13 going on 80''--who lived a lot in her head. Later, as a student at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, she said she spent two years as a chanting Buddhist and even went on a two-week pilgrimage to Japan, where she was the majorette in a Buddhist marching band, wearing hot pants. ``Now, THOSE were the days,'' she wrote in an e-mail message. By then, Dr. Porco was pursuing the future she had glimpsed at age 13 when she saw Saturn through a neighbor's rooftop telescope. As a graduate student at the California Institute of Technolgy, she floundered at first but then got a job helping to analyze data from the two Voyager spacecrafts, which toured the outer planets from Jupiter to Neptune from 1978 to 1989. It was there, said Peter Goldreich, her thesis advisor, that she demonstrated a knack for picking out important things. Among them was a discovery that mysterious dark spokes in Saturn's ring system were connected to the planet's magnetic field. She did her thesis on aspects of the rings and how they were shaped by the gravity of tiny moonlets. Dr. Porco also did a lot of dancing, and played a guitar and sang in the Titan Equatorial Band, a pickup group of scientists and science writers named after a feature on Saturn's largest moon, and later for a group in Tucson called the Estrogens. ``Three women and one very brave guy,'' she said. By the time Voyager passed Neptune in 1989, Dr. Porco was a research associate at the University of Arizona and leading a small team trying to make sense of the thin rings around Neptune. ``She was one of the young rock stars of Voyager,'' said David Grinspoon, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, who was a graduate student at Arizona at the time. But it had not been an easy climb in the overwhelmingly male and competitive environment of space science. Dr. Porco once described scientists as ``schoolyard toughs.'' She recalled pumping herself up to be an ``alpha male'' before meetings of her ring team. Even as a graduate student, Dr. Goldreich recalled, Dr. Porco ``was making a deliberate effort to become tough, and she succeeded.'' Dr. Porco found an ally and friend in Carl Sagan, the Cornell astronomer, author and a charter member of the Voyager team, who defended her once when her Voyager colleagues teased her about not being married. Dr. Porco was subsequently hired as a consultant for the movie ``Contact,'' based on Sagan's novel about a feisty astronomer, Ellie Arroway, who discovers a signal from extraterrestrials. Although plans fell through for Dr. Porco to meet Jodie Foster, the actress who played Arroway, she did attend a workshop on the script, where she took strong exception to an idea that the character would sleep with her adviser. ``She's a let-it-ripper, isn't she?'' recalled the movie's producer, Lynda Obst. ``She let it rip.'' Voyager, Dr. Porco said, was the time of her life. ``It had all the elements of Homeric legend,'' she said. ``It was a long 12-year odyssey, punctuated by brief episodes of great discovery and conquest. And then it was back in the boat, oars in the water, until years later we reached our next port of call. It was a defining experience for many of us, and certainly for me.'' The chance to channel Dr. Porco's inner Captain Kirk continued with the $3.4 billion Cassini mission, which was launched on a roundabout course toward Saturn in 1997 and arrived in 2004. Being on the imaging team is like standing on the bridge of the spaceship, she said. ``We have the windows,'' she said. ``That's what we're responsible for.'' Dr. Porco was chosen over more senior astronomers to head the Cassini camera team in 1990, one of 12 team leaders for the spacecraft. The job swallowed her life, she said, and required her hard-won toughness. ``Our experiment has been spectacularly successful,'' she said, ``and that would never have happened if I let people roll over me.'' But Dr. Porco said it had all been worthwhile. ``Between my participation in Voyager and my role in Cassini,'' she said, ``when comes the time, I will die a happy and gratified woman.'' One of the most thrilling Cassini moments was in 2004 when the Huygens probe detached from Cassini and landed on Saturn's largest moon, Titan, a strange, frigid world where rocks are made of ice, and rivers and oceans are formed of what Dr. Porco has described as ``paint thinner.'' Last month, astronomers announced that they had detected methane storms on Titan, a cloudy moon that has an atmosphere denser than that of Earth. They also discovered plumes erupting from the south pole of another Saturn moon, Enceladus, suggesting the presence of underground water and prompting talk about a future mission to cruise through the plumes. ``Should we ever discover that life has arisen twice,'' Dr. Porco said, ``that would be a game-changer.'' The Titan landing, Dr. Porco said in a talk in 2007, should have been celebrated with parades in every major city. That talk led to another movie adventure. J. J. Abrams, the producer of the television series ``Lost,'' was listening and asked Dr. Porco to consult on his ``Star Trek'' movie. On a visit to the set, she suggested that a scene in which the Starship Enterprise materialized inside clouds be set on Titan. The scene made it onto the cover of Cinefex, a magazine about special effects in films. In an interview, Mr. Abrams said: ``She helped us feel connected to what Gene Roddenberry had been trying to do. This is our future,'' referring the creator of ``Star Trek.'' Cassini endures, and Dr. Porco is a member of the team for the New Horizons spacecraft, which is scheduled to arrive at Pluto in 2015. But she said she hoped to spend more of her time popularizing science and hopes to write a book about Cassini. ``To my mind,'' Dr. Porco said, ``most people go through life recoiling from its best parts. They miss the enrichment that just a basic knowledge of the physical world can bring to the most ordinary experiences. It's like there's a pulsating, hidden world, governed by ancient laws and principles, underlying everything around us--from the movements of electrical charges to the motions of the planets--and most people are completely unaware of it. ``To me, that's a shame.''

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I am here with my fellow freshmen Senators because we are united in our determination to pass health insurance reform this year. Our late and giant colleague Senator Ted Kennedy said it best when he called health reform ``the great unfinished business of society.'' We are presented this fall with a historic opportunity to finally succeed, and, for me, failure is not an option. The cost of inaction is too great, both for American families and for our economy. We have a bloated $12 trillion Federal debt which is being fed every day by growing health care costs. Every day, small and large businesses are laying off workers and slashing benefits to their employees. Those Americans who have coverage still do not have the peace of mind that comes from knowing insurance companies will keep their promises. Premiums are rising at three times the rate of wages. The number of uninsured is growing at a faster rate every day. In my State of Colorado, nearly one in four is uninsured in some areas. The Treasury Department recently released a study showing that one out of every two Americans will lose coverage at some point over the next 10 years. We can't allow this to become America's future, but it will if we don't act now. There are many reasons health care reform cannot wait, but there is one that I know strikes a chord with many Coloradans; that is, the lack of freedom our current system provides. Workers across our country are afraid to leave their jobs for fear they won't be able to provide health care to their families. That lack of freedom affects our economy because fostering the growth of small business is one of the keys to economic success. In our current system, Americans are afraid to follow their dreams and start a small business or travel to go to work for a new company. Small businesses run on thinner margins than their big-company counterparts, and they are being hit hardest by the rise in health care costs. In Colorado, we have a disproportionate share of small businesses. As a result, we have more citizens who are uninsured. Those who do offer benefits are finding themselves increasingly facing no-win decisions. They are faced with either hiring fewer employees or slashing benefits or dropping coverage completely or, in some cases, going out of business forever. The proposals in front of us are tailor-made to help small businesses. The ideas in place would provide tax credits and create a simplified, well-regulated, pooled marketplace to help small businesses find cheaper and higher quality coverage. It is estimated that reform will save small businesses more than $500 billion over 10 years or more than $3,500 per worker. That is real money that can be reinvested in business growth and adding additional jobs to fuel our economic recovery. The burden on individuals is only one of the culprits preventing economic growth. Our deepening Federal deficit and long-term fiscal outlook are also closely linked to a broken system. As President Obama said in his address to Congress 2 weeks ago: Our Nation's health care problem is our deficit problem. Just think, we spend $2 trillion on health care per year. That is more than $1 out of every $5 spent in the economy, more than twice what any other industrialized nation spends. I think we would all agree we are not twice as healthy for our money. If this number continues to grow, there is no hope for reining in long- term deficits. Health insurance reform is a golden opportunity to begin to control our deficit. We can and we need to grab this opportunity and make health care the springboard from which we clean up our long-term fiscal mess. The President reminded us that the growth of health care costs, if slowed by one-tenth of 1 percent a year, would help bring down the deficit by $4 trillion. There are many excellent ideas on the table to help us get there--by ensuring Medicare's solvency, reforming Medicare's payment structure to bring down cost growth in the long-term, and discouraging overgenerous health plans which encourage overutilization of the system. As Senator Warner and others have pointed out, many of the proposals being discussed are politically difficult to support. But not facing politically difficult decisions head-on is what has caused so much of the inertia that has brought us to where we are today. We don't all agree on exactly the best way forward, but we do agree it is time for every Member of Congress and every Member of the Senate to think about health insurance reform for what it is: a huge and necessary step to putting our economy back on track and finally providing stability, security, and freedom to the people. If we do this, I know we can find common ground. We must because the cost of inaction is too great.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act. I am introducing this bill with the support of Senator Risch, and I thank my colleague for joining me in this bipartisan effort. This bill would provide funding flexibility to the States to help construct and maintain needed shooting ranges--safe and designated areas where people can sharpen their marksmanship and enjoy recreational shooting. For a variety of reasons, the number of places where people can safely engage in recreational shooting and target practicing has steadily dwindled. This includes areas on our national public lands. In an effort to establish, maintain and promote safe and established areas for such activities, this legislation would allow States to allocate a greater proportion of their Federal wildlife funds for these purposes. Currently, states are allocated funds for a variety of wildlife purposes under the Pittman-Robertson Act. This Act, which established a 10 percent excise tax on sporting equipment and ammunition, distributes these funds to States for specific purposes. One of these purposes includes hunter safety programs and the development and maintenance of shooting ranges. However, the Act currently contains certain limitations on the use of these funds for the purpose of shooting ranges. The Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act would amend the Pittman-Robertson Act by adjusting the funding limitations so that States have more funds available for the creation and maintenance of shooting ranges. Specifically, the bill would do a number of things. First, it would authorize States to charge up to 90 percent instead of the current 75 percent of the costs for acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing a public target range on Federal or non- federal land to its allotted Pittman-Robertson allocations, and therefore States would only need to find 10 percent match, as opposed to 25 percent. Second, it would allow the Pittman-Robertson funds allotted to a State to remain available for 5 fiscal years, instead of the current 1 fiscal year, for use in acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing a public target range on Federal or non-federal land. Third, it would limit the liability exposure to the Federal land agencies, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, regarding the use of Federal land for target practice or marksmanship training. Fourth, it would encourage the Federal land agencies, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, to cooperate with State and local authorities to maintain target ranges on Federal land so as to encourage their continued use. To be clear, the bill would not allocate any new funding to the construction of shooting ranges, it would not raise any fees or taxes, nor would it require States to apply their allocated Pittman-Robertson funds to shooting ranges. Instead, by reducing the State matching requirements--and allowing States to ``bank'' these funds for 5 years, the bill allows States to use their Pittman-Robertson funds as they think best while also allowing them to extend their existing license fee revenue and other State generated funds on other important programs, such as wildlife habitat. I would like to thank the following groups who have expressed support for this legislation: the National Rifle Association, the National Governing Body for the Olympic Shooting Sports, the Colorado Firearms Coalition, the Colorado Wildlife Federation, the Colorado Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society. I believe that hunting and recreational shooting are legitimate activities--activities that also are appropriate where not prohibited on our public lands. This bill is designed to maintain these activities in a save and convenient manner. It is my hope that the public lands agencies continue to work with the States, sportsmen and hunters, the recreational shooting interests, nearby communities, and others so that these opportunities are safe and available. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act. I am introducing this bill with the support of Senator Risch, and I thank my colleague for joining me in this bipartisan effort. This bill would provide funding flexibility to the States to help construct and maintain needed shooting ranges--safe and designated areas where people can sharpen their marksmanship and enjoy recreational shooting. For a variety of reasons, the number of places where people can safely engage in recreational shooting and target practicing has steadily dwindled. This includes areas on our national public lands. In an effort to establish, maintain and promote safe and established areas for such activities, this legislation would allow States to allocate a greater proportion of their Federal wildlife funds for these purposes. Currently, states are allocated funds for a variety of wildlife purposes under the Pittman-Robertson Act. This Act, which established a 10 percent excise tax on sporting equipment and ammunition, distributes these funds to States for specific purposes. One of these purposes includes hunter safety programs and the development and maintenance of shooting ranges. However, the Act currently contains certain limitations on the use of these funds for the purpose of shooting ranges. The Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act would amend the Pittman-Robertson Act by adjusting the funding limitations so that States have more funds available for the creation and maintenance of shooting ranges. Specifically, the bill would do a number of things. First, it would authorize States to charge up to 90 percent instead of the current 75 percent of the costs for acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing a public target range on Federal or non- federal land to its allotted Pittman-Robertson allocations, and therefore States would only need to find 10 percent match, as opposed to 25 percent. Second, it would allow the Pittman-Robertson funds allotted to a State to remain available for 5 fiscal years, instead of the current 1 fiscal year, for use in acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing a public target range on Federal or non-federal land. Third, it would limit the liability exposure to the Federal land agencies, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, regarding the use of Federal land for target practice or marksmanship training. Fourth, it would encourage the Federal land agencies, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, to cooperate with State and local authorities to maintain target ranges on Federal land so as to encourage their continued use. To be clear, the bill would not allocate any new funding to the construction of shooting ranges, it would not raise any fees or taxes, nor would it require States to apply their allocated Pittman-Robertson funds to shooting ranges. Instead, by reducing the State matching requirements--and allowing States to ``bank'' these funds for 5 years, the bill allows States to use their Pittman-Robertson funds as they think best while also allowing them to extend their existing license fee revenue and other State generated funds on other important programs, such as wildlife habitat. I would like to thank the following groups who have expressed support for this legislation: the National Rifle Association, the National Governing Body for the Olympic Shooting Sports, the Colorado Firearms Coalition, the Colorado Wildlife Federation, the Colorado Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society. I believe that hunting and recreational shooting are legitimate activities--activities that also are appropriate where not prohibited on our public lands. This bill is designed to maintain these activities in a save and convenient manner. It is my hope that the public lands agencies continue to work with the States, sportsmen and hunters, the recreational shooting interests, nearby communities, and others so that these opportunities are safe and available. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I rise today to give tribute to Senator Edward Kennedy. It is impossible to sum up Senator Ted Kennedy in words or a speech. His life and work touched so many diverse interests and issues. Senator Kennedy was larger than life. He was a champion for the underdog--those in our society who just needed a hand up. For close to five decades, Senator Kennedy championed policies for American workers, minorities, parents, immigrants, gays and lesbians, people with disabilities and illnesses, among others. And I think I can safely say he was the greatest legislator in the history of the Senate. In the words of Senator John McCain during his presidential bid, ``I have described Ted Kennedy as the last lion in the Senate . . . because he remains the single most effective member . . . if you want to get results.'' While he was known as a champion for liberal causes, Senator Kennedy's hallmark was to reach across the aisle, passing legislation with his Republican friends, such as Orrin Hatch and John McCain. He never let partisanship stop him from doing what is right for the American people. But his most important role was that of the patriarch of the Kennedy family a family that faced tragedy that most of us never will experience and can never fathom. Despite the loss of three brothers, taken long before their time, and the loss of a nephew a rising star, Ted Kennedy rose above the burdens of life and became the rudder of the Kennedy ship, the driving force of the family a family dedicated to public service. Fortunately for all of us, that dedication has been passed on to the next generation and it has influenced families across our Nation, including mine. The Kennedy family and my own family first crossed paths decades ago, and our family stories continue to be intertwined. My dad, Mo Udall, and uncle, Stewart Udall, supported John Kennedy in his race for President. Ted Kennedy was JFK's man on the ground in the southwest states. In fact, the Udalls have been called the ``Kennedys of the West.'' And as my Aunt Elma says, ``we are flattered'' by that comparison. In many ways we are as different as they come. Kennedys are the East. Kennedys are the ocean. Kennedys are Catholic immigrants. Udalls are the West. Udalls are the desert. Udalls are Mormon dirt farmers. But it is true that my family was drawn to the Kennedys' deep commitment to religious freedom and dedication to public service. My family also shares a commitment to public service. My Uncle Stewart served as President Kennedy's Secretary of the Interior. And my father ran for and won in a special election in 1960 Uncle Stewart's congressional seat. Some claim that his race was a referendum on the fledgling Kennedy administration, and that his victory was an affirmation of America's support for the goals of his presidency. Whether that is true, it has proved to be a connection that would keep our families close for decades. And what binds the two families are the friendships that have been fostered over decades since friendships that cross generations and hopefully will continue into the next. In 1971, my father ran for majority leader of the House of Representatives and lost. The same year, Senator Kennedy lost his bid for Senate whip. Soon after came a note to my father from Senator Kennedy which said, ``Mo, as soon as I pull the liberal knives out of my back, I'll help you dig out the liberal buckshot from your backside.'' My dad supported Ted Kennedy in his primary bid to become President in 1980. He and Ted were friends for many decades, and in many ways, they were kindred spirits. They loved the outdoors, national parks, skiing in Colorado, and family touch football. We all will remember the photographs of Ted on his sailboat with his family his love of the ocean and boating and sharing it with generations of Kennedy children. A few years after my dad lost his battle with Parkinson's disease, Senator Dennis DeConcini of Arizona sponsored legislation to establish the Morris K. Udall Foundation. Senator Kennedy joined in sponsoring the measure. In speaking about my dad, he noted: ``He will rank as one of the greatest Members of the House of Representatives of all time, and also as one of the most beloved . . . Somehow, for 30 years, whenever you probed to the heart of the great concerns of the day, you found Mo Udall in the thick of the battle, championing the rights of average citizens against special interest pressures, defending the highest ideals of America, and always doing it with the special grace and wit that were his trademark and that endeared him to Democrats and Republicans alike.'' If my dad were alive today, I think he would use the same words to describe Senator Kennedy. They both brought people together to do what is right for our country. Recently, as I have thought about Senator Kennedy's legacy, I have remembered my dad's 1980 speech at the Democratic National Convention. After a tough primary battle, the Democrats were digging in and fighting among themselves. They needed to set aside their differences and join together to win the election. My dad rose to give the keynote address to remind Democrats that they were in this fight together. ``We do fight and we kick and yell and scream and maybe even scratch a bit, but we fight because we are a diverse party and because we've always tried to listen up to new ideas.'' He concluded the speech with these comments: ``This nation that we love will only survive, if each generation of caring Americans can blend two elements: change and the ability to adjust things to the special needs of our times; and second, stability, the good sense to carry forward the old values which are just as good now as they were 200 years ago.'' These elements epitomize Ted Kennedy's legacy. He knew when a person or group of people needed a change in their circumstances. His strong Catholic faith was the compass that guided his life. It was the driving force that led him to fight to make a difference in other people's lives, particularly those who were less fortunate. Ted Kennedy's legislative successes are numerous and unquestionably have changed lives for the better. He fought to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. In the 1990s, he labored to pass the Family and Medical Leave Act. And he and Senator Hatch worked across the aisle to pass the Ryan White CARE Act. And it is his lifelong battle for universal health care coverage for Americans that he is best known for today. The Kennedy and Udall ideals can live on through the younger generation. My cousin Tom and I served in the House of Representatives with Patrick Kennedy. Not only were we colleagues, but we are friends. We grew up in political families and from an early age, public service was a way of life. I was a proud supporter of Patrick's crusade to pass mental health parity legislation in the House. Fortunately, Senator Kennedy lived to see his son's work come to fruition, keeping faith with the special Kennedy credo: aid those who need a helping hand. Tom, Patrick and I, as well as the rest of the Kennedy and Udall family members, have big shoes to fill. Whether we can actually fill them remains to be seen, but we must certainly push the trail blazed by our aunts and uncles, fathers and mothers as far as our endurance allows. Senator Ted Kennedy surely will be missed not only on the Senate floor, but in our lives. I deeply regret I will not serve with him in the Senate. He was a champion, a fighter, and a friend. I want to say ``goodbye'' not only for me, but for my dad his friend. And I send my thoughts and prayers to Vicki, Patrick, and the rest of the Kennedy family.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, today I acknowledge an increasingly popular event that celebrates a truly unique aspect of western history and culture in Pueblo, CO. Fifteen years ago, Pueblo's Chamber of Commerce created a festival highlighting the anthropological significance of regionally important foods: chile and beans. Although one might think that this festival is just a celebration of an agricultural harvest of two crops, it is much more. These foods have been part of southern Colorado's history for centuries. From 1842 to 1854--in the same location this festival takes place today--French and American traders, native peoples, and Spanish and Mexican settlers traded these staples and several other goods, making the lower Arkansas River Valley in Colorado a major trading hub during Western settlement. Now in its 15th year, the 3-day Chile and Frijole Festival celebrates and fortifies a vibrant and rich culture through traditional regional music and distinctive regional dishes, which truly makes Pueblo, CO, a cultural gateway to the American Southwest. It also emphasizes the importance of southern Colorado's agricultural community, which supplies the locally grown green chile and produce that is the center of this event. Pueblo and southern Colorado have historically played an integral role in Colorado's economic and cultural development. From the days when native tribes traded with Hispanic, French and American settlers from Bent's Fort to Fort Pueblo, to more contemporary days as an industrial and agricultural powerhouse of Colorado, Pueblo and southern Colorado continue to evolve and contribute positively to Colorado's growth. The Chile and Frijole Festival in Pueblo is a true testament to the region's continuing contributions to our State. I congratulate the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce and the city of Pueblo for another year of celebrating the region's heritage and future.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that during the period that Senator Mikulski is confined to a wheelchair, a member of her staff be permitted on the floor as is necessary to facilitate the Senator's movement.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, the postcloture debate time expires at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. We hope we will be able to yield back some of the time and vote on passage of the bill before 4:30 p.m. Senators will be notified when that vote is scheduled.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, September 9; that 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 of morning business for 1 hour, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with the majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the second half; that following morning business, the Senate resume consideration of S. 1023, the Travel Promotion Act, postcloture; further, I ask the time during any adjournment, recess or period of morning business count against the postcloture time; finally, I ask that the Senate recess from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus luncheons.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the provisions of S. Res. 255 as a further mark of respect for the memory of our late colleague, Senator Edward Moore Kennedy.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 302, the nomination of George Madison to be general counsel for the Department of the Treasury; that the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that no further motions be in order; that any statements be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.