David Vitter

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I have one request for a committee to meet during today's session of the Senate. It has the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committee is authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, whether it is our food, architecture, or drawl, New Orleans is undoubtedly home to one of the more unique cultures across America. However, while we are not necessarily known for our contributions to the fashion industry, one young entrepreneur is changing that with his popular Crescent City- inspired eyewear line Krewe du Optic. I would like to recognize Stirling Barrett's Krewe du Optic as Small Business of the Week. Barrett's artistic designs have earned him not only tremendous success in the last 3 years, but they have also caught the attention of the national fashion industry, helping to develop New Orleans' role and reputation in national and international fashion. New Orleans native Stirling Barrett is an artist, designer, and entrepreneur who launched Krewe du Optic in 2013. The unique eyewear line combined Barrett's love of art, fashion, and the Crescent City and has been embraced by the fashion industry across the United States and around the world. Two years after his initial investment into the New Orleans-inspired eyewear concept, Barrett cemented his commitment to the industry and his hometown by opening a flagship brick and mortar store on the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's historic landfall. Despite the geographical challenges of running a designer line from New Orleans, Barrett has been quoted as saying, ``Krewe is about doing something from somewhere no one expected.'' This philosophy rings true since New Orleans, which certainly serves as a hub for entrepreneurship, has not been historically associated with the fashion industry. Earlier this year, Krewe expanded its operation by opening a second store in Savannah, GA. Most recently, the growth of the Krewe brand has reached historic proportions, becoming the first New Orleans-based top-10 finalist for the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund. Krewe received the runner-up award for technological creation of sunglasses that double as a camera and are able to capture memories in a natural way. For their unique creativity and commitment to community, Stirling Barrett and the entire team at Krewe du Optic have made New Orleans proud. Congratulations for being named Small Business of the Week, and I wish you continued growth and success.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, during the month of November, our Nation comes together to honor and commemorate the service and sacrifices of our veterans. The week of October 31 through November 4, 2016, is officially National Veterans Small Business Week. When our brave men and women in uniform return to civilian life, some turn to entrepreneurship. In fact, there are more than 2,500,000 veteran-owned small businesses, employing nearly 6,000,000 individuals, in the United States. This week, I would like to recognize the veteran-owned Ruston Animal Clinic as Small Business of the Week. The Ruston Animal Clinic first opened its doors in 1970 to provide preventative medicine, dental care, orthopedic surgery, bathing, and boarding for animals in north Louisiana and over the decades has become an integral part of the local community. Following a 4-year stint in the U.S. Marine Corps, Marion Sewell moved to Louisiana to earn an undergraduate degree from Louisiana Tech University and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine. In 2007, Dr. Sewell moved to Ruston, began working at the Ruston Animal Clinic, and 2 years later took ownership of the small business. In the dual role of small business owner and veterinarian, Dr. Sewell has taken a leadership role in the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association and currently serves as president-elect. Worthy of recognition is Dr. Sewell's work during the deadly, historic August flooding disaster in south Louisiana. In the wake of one of the Nation's worst natural disasters over the last decade, Dr. Sewell traveled across the State to lend her time and talents to assist in animal evacuation and rescue efforts. Today Ruston Animal Clinic has established a strong social media presence in order to update north Louisiana pet owners and animal lovers with pet adoption notices, missing animal alerts, and helpful information on proper pet care. Congratulations to Dr. Sewell and the entire team at Ruston Animal Clinic for being selected as Small Business of the Week. I look forward to your continued success.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, the city of New Orleans has served as an economic engine since its founding in 1718. Its location at the mouth of the Mississippi River, influential and innovative population, and unique accessibility to natural resources have allowed the Big Easy to prosper, but it wasn't until recently that New Orleans has become a hub of new technology and entrepreneurship. A major part of that success is due to Idea Village, an independent nonprofit organization that is dedicated to driving economic growth in and around New Orleans. In 2000, a group of New Orleans-based technology entrepreneurs came together to discuss how to spark economic growth for small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Crescent City, in order to make New Orleans the hub of entrepreneurship in the South. Allen Bell, Sally Forman, Sam Giberga, Darin McAuliffe, Michele Reynoir, Tim Williamson, and Robbie Vitrano all agreed that in order to see a lasting change, they should create a business accelerator program that partners with the local community in order to reinvest in New Orleans-based businesses. Idea Village was officially established in 2002 and immediately went to work in identifying, supporting, and retaining local entrepreneurs. That year, each founder contributed $2,000 to the first business plan competition and successfully raised a total of $125,000 to award to the winning business. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of southeast Louisiana and parts of Mississippi. Several New Orleans businesses were damaged and closed, putting an enormous strain on the local economy. In 2006, Idea Village launched IDEAcorps in partnership with local universities, including Tulane University, to help New Orleans businesses rebuild and reopen their doors. Following the success of IDEAcorps, Idea Village since has launched over 25 initiatives to provide strategic guidance and resources to access capital to local businessowners, including IDEApitch, IDEAinstitute, among others. One of its most successful ventures is the annual New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, NOEW, a festival celebrating innovation, entrepreneurship, and new thinking and which awards thousands of dollars to several entrepreneurs through various pitch competitions and challenges. Each year NOEW engages thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, professionals, students, and community members to showcase regional startup ventures in industries important to New Orleans, including technology, water, education, energy, healthcare, and food. Going into its 10th year, NOEW has become an important part of New Orleans' festival season. Since its inception, Idea Village has provided direct support to more than 5,794 entrepreneurs and invested $25 million in New Orleans businesses. Currently, entrepreneurial activity in New Orleans is 64 percent higher than the national average, and much of that success can be attributed to the efforts of Idea Village. I would like to recognize the entire team at Idea Village and look forward to their continued leadership and success in supporting New Orleans entrepreneurs and our economy.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Louisiana for his very kind remarks. More importantly, I want to thank him for years of great partnership, great work on behalf of Louisiana. I know he will make an outstanding senior Senator. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on the Senate floor for the last time. I am not generally big on nostalgic reminiscences, but I would like to briefly reflect on what is clearly the greatest honor of my professional life--my 12 years in the U.S. Senate and 5\1/ 2\ years in the U.S. House of Representatives and the enormous honor of serving the people of Louisiana to whom I will always be so deeply indebted. In some ways it seems like just yesterday that I was on the floor of the U.S. House being sworn in, surrounded by our very young children, except for Jack, who wasn't born yet. I said then: ``I am honored, humbled, awestruck to stand before you today.'' I stated my simple goal: to become at ease and comfortable as I learn the ways of Congress, as I hopefully become an effective representative and respected colleague and friend, but never to become so at ease and comfortable that I lose these feelings of honor, of humility, of awe, and, believe me, I haven't. My very first year in the Senate was a very memorable one. That year Louisiana was struck by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. After the initial shock of those cataclysmic events, I realized that for quite some time, my priorities as Louisiana Senator would be dominated by the desperate need to rebuild our State, including dramatically improving our hurricane and flood protection and restoring our coastline. Katrina's devastation was hard to imagine, destroying much of Southeast Louisiana and Coastal Mississippi. Less than 1 month later, Hurricane Rita slammed into Southwest Louisiana as another one of the most intense hurricanes in history. I immediately went to work with Senator Landrieu and the rest of our Louisiana delegation as well as my good friends Thad Cochran, Trent Lott, and others to secure the necessary disaster recovery assistance and also to make reforms to the Army Corps of Engineers to better protect our families and communities from future natural disasters. Louisiana has continued to face and survive other major disasters, including Hurricane Gustav in August and September 2008, Hurricane Ike in September of that same year, Hurricane Isaac in 2012, the Red River flooding in Northern and Central Louisiana, and the 1,000-year-flood event in greater Baton Rouge and Acadiana this past August. As if all of that weren't enough, in April of 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana, killing 11 men and devastating our coastline. The disaster, followed by the horribly misguided offshore drilling moratorium President Obama put in place, caused economic and environmental chaos in Louisiana. Once again, I immediately went to work with so many others to increase and improve safety measures and reopen the Gulf of Mexico to energy exploration and put people back to work. We introduced legislation to dedicate a majority of the BP penalties toward restoring coastal ecosystems and economies damaged by the spill. It was an uphill battle to ensure Louisiana was fairly compensated, but we did, and we achieved substantial wins, including passage of that critical RESTORE Act that I described. During the recovery fight following each of these disasters, I found that the most effective leadership involved communicating clearly and employing solutions based on Louisiana common sense, and what always inspired me and kept me going was the unbelievable resilience, faith, and determination of my fellow Louisianans. Their strength and optimism have been oh so powerful reminders of how blessed I have been to serve them. On a host of other important issues, I always sought to further two sets of political values, really modeled after my two favorite Presidents, Ronald Reagan and Teddy Roosevelt. I always strove to further the central American tradition of limited government and individual freedom, and I was never afraid to shake things up, to demand needed reforms to ensure that leaders in Washington served the American people and not the other way around. I have had the honor of protecting Louisiana's traditions and proud heritage while here in the Senate. Louisianans love the outdoors and want strong environmental conservation and sportsmen's policies to maintain that culture, and that certainly includes securing the rights afforded to each American by the Second Amendment, which I have fought to do. Louisianans respect the sanctity of life, which has been one of my top priorities while serving in Congress. I have introduced many bills that end taxpayer funding of abortion and abortion mills and have proudly stood in the defense of life. When it comes to our Nation's immigration policies, I have been an advocate for targeted reforms that fix the immigration crisis, starting with border security and enforcing the immigration laws already on the books. I fought President Obama's unconstitutional attempts to implement Executive amnesty, which only encourages more immigrants to come here illegally and insults the millions of fine immigrants who do follow U.S. law. I was also the first to introduce legislation in 2007 to end dangerous sanctuary city policies and have continued to do so each Congress since. I have also been critical of too big to fail in the banking sector and have found banking reform to be an area in which Republicans can absolutely find common ground with Democrats. That is where I found success in passing into law specific measures that restrict too-big-to-fail and tax-funded bailouts. Also during my time in Congress, I have introduced several important government reform bills so we can get back to the best traditions of our democracy, which includes electing citizen legislators, making sure they don't make themselves into a separate ruling class, and advocating for term limits so individuals don't remain in office for an eternity. Americans of all backgrounds think Washington is on a different planet and Members of Congress just don't get it. That is why I fought to end Congress's automatic pay raises each year. I first introduced that language in 2009, and the raises have been successfully blocked each year since. Congress can be an effective representative body only when it lives under the same laws it imposes on the rest of the country, and one major way to support that is through term limits. When I was a member of the Louisiana State legislature, I was successful in establishing legislative term limits there, and I have offered the leading term limits measure for Congress here, as well as imposing it on myself. I fought for commonsense legislation that helps all Americans have access to high-quality and affordable health care. That includes the work to dismantle ObamaCare and replace it with patient-centered health care reform, which I am very hopeful the incoming Trump administration will achieve. In the meantime, I have been fighting to end Washington's exemption from ObamaCare, an illegal Obama administration Executive order that allows Washington elites to avoid the most inconvenient, expensive aspects of the Affordable Care Act by giving themselves taxpayer subsidized health care through an exchange meant solely for small businesses. Also in the health care arena, I was able to pass into law the bipartisan Steve Gleason Act of 2015. It provided immediate relief for patients who have been denied access to lifesaving and life-altering medical equipment. It was about a 2014 Medicare policy change that we had to reverse. Our bill allowed these patients to have access to medical equipment that truly empowers them, that is a true lifeline, and it changes their lives absolutely for the better. I have also fought against large drug manufacturing lobbies to allow for reimportation of safe and approved prescription medicine from other countries, which gives patients, especially our seniors, relief from rising health care costs. I have been honored to serve in the Senate in additional ways as well, including as a top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee and most recently as chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. I am very proud to say that we have accomplished so many of our goals in those two roles. We worked in a bipartisan fashion on EPW to pass several major pieces of legislation, including the Water Resources and Development Act of 2007 and the even more significant WRDA of 2014, several reauthorizations of the highway bill, the bipartisan and historic rewrite of the 40-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act, which began as conversations between Senator Frank Lautenberg and myself, a partnership which Senator Tom Udall continued after Frank's unfortunate passing. We were also able to hold the administration accountable by conducting investigations into some outright corruption within the Obama EPA, and we advanced key transparency initiatives that shed light on government's attempts to implement policies that were not based on sound science or strategic needs. As chair of the Small Business Committee, I have been advocating to make sure the voices and concerns of small business owners across the country are heard in Washington. We have held 23 hearings here, 18 field hearings, numerous roundtable discussions. We have heard testimony from over 175 witnesses, usually about the disastrous negative effects of Obama policies like the new waters of the United States rule, key and disastrous effects on small businesses and job creators and their employees. At the very same time, we found common ground with Ranking Member Shaheen and other Democrats on the committee. During my tenure as chair, we passed 32 bipartisan bills out of the committee, which is 22 more than my predecessors did over a much longer period, and 8 of our bills have passed through the entire legislative process and have been signed into law. These accomplishments are but a fraction of the years of hard work my staff and I have dedicated to the people of Louisiana and, indeed, the American people. I have worked hard to be a champion for them because the government should serve the taxpayer and not the other way around, and that includes by working hard to stay in touch through 398 townhall meetings, at least 5 in each parish of Louisiana, through 231 telephone townhalls, and through active, energetic casework and constituent service. Clearly what I will treasure most about my service here is the people with whom I have been honored to serve; my colleagues, including my fellow Louisianian Senator Bill Cassidy, mentors like former Senator Rick Santorum and Senator Jeff Sessions, and most especially each of the dedicated people who have been part of Team Vitter. I have come to the Senate floor several times this year to thank key departing staff members. That is for a very simple reason. My staff has been the key ingredient--the key--to every success we have enjoyed together in public service. Wendy and I consider them a part of the family. I truly thank my staff again for their tireless, dedicated service to Louisiana. I am so very grateful. Wendy joins me in that. I want to specifically recognize some of our leaders: my chief of staff, Luke Bolar; my legislative director, Chris Stanley; my wonderful finance director, Courtney Guastela; our state director, Chip Layton; and committee staff director, Meredith West; our grants coordinator, Brenda Moore; my media head, John Brabender; and senior infrastructure policy advisor, Charles Brittingham; my senior economic adviser, David Stokes; campaign treasurer Bill Vanderbrook; and communications director, Cheyenne Klotz. I know a few of our other former senior staff members are here or are watching, like Mac Abrams, Joel DiGrado, Bryan Zumwalt, Travis Johnson, and Michael Long. Last, and obviously not least, is my beloved family. My five wonderful brothers and sisters, our children, their children, the extended family, led by the ultimate leader of Team Vitter, my wife Wendy. I can never thank them enough, and certainly I can never ever thank Wendy enough. Through it all, Wendy has been so enormously patient and supportive and understanding, not to mention being the life of every Team Vitter party, leading the rounds--rounds plural--of Fireball shots. She and our daughter Lise are in the Gallery today. I thank them and Sophie, Airey, and Jack for decades of love and support. Lise, up there, was in my arms as a 2-year-old when I was first sworn into the House of Representatives and made those previously quoted remarks: ``I am honored, humbled, awestruck to stand before you.'' She has changed some, but as I said at the beginning of my reflections, those feelings certainly have not. I would like to close as I did that day in the House over 17 years ago; that is, simply by recognizing the wonderful, loving forces that have brought me here today: God, family, led by my parents up above, and my wife Wendy, staff and friends, and of course the wonderful, wonderful people of Louisiana. They are here with me today. They are here with me always. I thank them from the depths of my heart. For the last time, I yield the floor.

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

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, if the majority leader will yield for one moment, I want to thank the majority leader for his very kind words. Serving in the Senate for two terms has been the highest honor of my professional career. I have enjoyed it so much and have been honored by the relationship with all of my colleagues, certainly including the majority leader. I will have a few more reflections next Monday, but I sincerely thank him and also congratulate him for getting the Senate, particularly in the past 2 years, back to working order and some of its best practices. Not as a Member but as a cheerleader on the outside, I will be very much looking forward to even greater successes this coming Congress.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, known for their resiliency and perseverance, Louisianians possess great strength and determination when facing adversity. This includes the folks who move to Louisiana and build a life there, such as Jairo Alvarez-Botero, a Colombian immigrant, who settled in Baton Rouge to build Alvarez Construction and has spent decades giving back to his community. For its many years of success and community service, I would like to recognize Alvarez Construction of Baton Rouge, LA, as Small Business of the Week. In 1963 Jairo Alvarez-Botero came to the United States to learn English and put himself through college. With the mindset that there is ``no such thing as impossible,'' Jairo graduated from Albany Business College with honors and returned to his home country of Colombia to start a family. However, as the country's political and economic stability continued to waver, in the early 1980s, Jairo and his wife, Anita, decided to immigrate to the United States to provide a brighter future for their three children, Carlos, Ana, and Sebastian. Landing in Baton Rouge, the Alvarez family tried several business ventures before finding success in construction. In 1991, Jairo and his eldest son, Carlos, launched Alvarez Construction. They built three homes that first year, then six more the following year. Starting with individual single-family residential homes, Alvarez Construction eventually expanded its operations to include real estate and residential development. After Hurricane Katrina, Jairo recognized the immediate need for increased construction in Baton Rouge and began developing an affordable subdivision for displaced first-time home buyers. In 2007, Alvarez Construction had several hundred houses under construction and 200 full-time workers. In the years since, the family-owned and operated small business has continued to achieve success, developing the St. Jude Dream Home and entire multiuse communities across the greater Baton Rouge area. Jairo developed cancer in 2005 and spent years battling the disease. He passed away in 2013 as the patriarch of a successful construction and development business that was very involved in the Baton Rouge community. Appreciative of the opportunities the United States had afforded him, Jairo had made it a priority for his firm to participate in various volunteer programs that give back to the community, such as the St. Jude Dream Home Campaign and Wheels to Succeed, a foundation that provides adapted three-wheeled cycles for children with physical disabilities. Today each member of the Alvarez family continues to play a major role in the business's success. Anita and Ana are in charge of administration, including accounting, bookkeeping, and staffing. With a business administration degree from Louisiana State University, Carlos is a licensed broker and responsible for the production, building, and selling aspects of the firm. As an expert in landscape architecture, Sebastian manages the firm's land development and subdivision infrastructure. Congratulations to the Alvarez family and the Alvarez Construction Company for being recognized as Small Business of the Week. I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent all time be yielded back.

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

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, Louisianians have a long history of embracing life and celebrating when the occasion calls for it. In particular, the city of Monroe is home to a paper and party supply store that provides all celebratory essentials. As the holiday season quickly approaches, I would like to recognize The Paper Market of Monroe, LA, as this week's Small Business of the Week. Amy Robinson has always been a celebration enthusiast, and from Mardi Gras to Christmas to crawfish season, she has found several reasons to celebrate every season in Louisiana. In 2010, Amy had an off-the-wall idea to track down the owner of her favorite local paper product shop to see if they would be interested in selling their profitable small business. After months of negotiating, Amy and her husband, Brian, became the proud owners of the popular local stationery store and set out with a new vision to create within the space a place in which members of the Monroe and West Monroe communities could come to plan their celebrations. Today, The Paper Market embodies Amy's personal motto to ``celebrate everything'' and is regionally renowned for providing specialized party supplies for all occasions, in addition to carrying a wide variety of home decor and gift lines with a Louisiana flair. Amy has also employed an in-house graphic designer to provide a one-stop-shop for her customers' celebration-planning needs. As we continue to celebrate National Women's Small Business Month, it is my honor to recognize Amy Robinson, her entrepreneurial efforts, and The Paper Market of Monroe for being selected as Small Business of the Week. Congratulations, Amy, Brian, and the entire Paper Market team. Thank you for your commitment to serving your community, and I look forward to seeing your continued growth and success.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, small businesses come in many different shapes and sizes. No matter their shape or size, one thing remains the same: small businesses are the brainchild of passionate individuals who seek to make their life and the lives of those in their community a better place. In this spirit, I would like to recognize Holly Clegg of Baton Rouge, LA, who took her passion for cooking and healthy eating and turned it into a business that has grown over the past 20-plus years. From an early age, Holly had a keen interest in cooking. Her passion and entrepreneurial spirit drove her to start her own catering company while she was still in high school. As a student at Tulane University in New Orleans, Holly continued to perfect her passion through various cooking classes at the university. Upon graduation, she attended the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in London and then Cordon Bleu in Paris. Following this formal training, Holly would marry unique Louisiana cuisine to the benefits of healthy eating in order to help people dealing with prevalent diseases and also launched and self-published a line of cookbooks. In 1993, after a local retail shop decided to stop selling cookbooks, Holly trailblazed her own road to success by promoting her first cookbook of the ``trim&TERRIFIC'' book series. Shortly after, she partnered with various organizations to develop cookbooks for heart patients, cancer patients, and arthritis patients. Having sold over 1 million cookbooks, her success has helped her gain notoriety, and she has appeared on various national media outlets to share her message of healthy eating. During the month of October, in which we recognize and celebrate women-owned small businesses, I find it fitting to honor a female entrepreneur like Holly Clegg for capturing her God-given talent and building a business that has benefited so many. Her entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to her passion has helped Holly share tasty recipes all across the country and help everyday Americans struggling with crippling diseases to eat better while still enjoying the many flavors of Louisiana cuisine. Congratulations, Holly, and thank you for harnessing your talent and being a role model for all women entrepreneurs. Holly is just one of the many examples of female entrepreneurs taking their interests and talents and cultivating them into successful business opportunities, and for this, we honor her as Small Business of the Week.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, the path to small business success is different for each person, and every so often, one will stumble across an idea that fulfills a niche, which then benefits both the entrepreneur and the surrounding community. As we continue to celebrate National Women's Small Business Month, I would like to recognize Healthy Image of Lake Charles, LA, as Small Business of the Week for its impressive work in helping neighboring businesses grow and succeed. As a marketing director for a healthcare organization in the Lake Charles area, Kristy Armand recognized the demand for a local marketing agency that catered to medical groups. An entrepreneur at heart, Kristy jumped at the opportunity to utilize her experience in health care and marketing to develop her own small business. Kristy enlisted the help of Christine Fisher, an intern with whom she had worked nearly a decade before, and together the women behind Healthy Image landed their first client in 2002. Five years later, Barbara VanGossen joined the growing business as a partner and the creative director, and within 1 year, Healthy Image outgrew its original location, moved to a new office, and hired several more employees. During this period, the Healthy Image team worked closely with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center, SBDC, at McNeese State University to provide marketing tips, financial consulting, and business advice with local entrepreneurs. Today, Healthy Image is made up of a team of specialists who provide an array of business services, including advertising, event planning, graphic design, social media, and branding to over 100 clients. The success of Healthy Image has earned Kristy, Christine, and Barbara recognition on the national level. In 2013, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce selected Healthy Image as one of its distinguished Blue Ribbon Award winners with the title of being one of the ``Top 100 Small Businesses in the Country.'' I would like to congratulate the inspiring team at Healthy Image and wish them the best in their continued growth and success.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, one of Louisiana's best kept secrets is that our cuisine encompasses far more than oysters, gumbo, and boudin balls. In fact, Louisiana is home to a wide variety of culinary perspectives, often passed down from generation to generation, including this Small Business of the Week, the family-owned and operated Genusa's Italian Restaurant in Monroe, LA. After spending years dreaming of sharing their Italian family recipes with friends and neighbors, Cherry and Francis Genusa took the entrepreneurial leap and opened their namesake restaurant in 1967. Using the original recipes passed down from Francis's mother and aunt, the couple offered up authentic Italian dishes to the Monroe community. For several years, Genusa's Italian Restaurant remained a hidden gem as Cherry and Francis did all the cooking, cleaning, table-waiting, and general management. This was in addition to raising their three children--Rachel, Ann, and Francis--who initially helped by rolling out meatballs and eventually were entrusted with more responsibilities. Over the years, Genusa's Italian Restaurant became a Monroe favorite and has enjoyed such success that it outgrew the original small kitchen and single dining room. Today Genusa's Italian Restaurant has grown to employ several Monroe locals who serve a dedicated clientele and also host celebratory occasions in their multiroom establishment. And Rachel, Ann, and Francis, who now run the restaurant continue with their family's tradition of growing their own herbs and tomatoes for their signature red sauce. Congratulations to the Genusa family for nearly 50 years of small business success, and with that, I would like to formally recognize Genusa's Italian Restaurant as Small Business of the Week.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, Louisiana is known for many great things, not least of which is our unique and delicious cuisine. Whether it is a crawfish boil in the spring or the first fall gumbo pot, our family traditions often center around food. In that spirit, I would like to recognize Sophi P Cupcakes LLC in Lafayette, LA, for sharing a unique take on a traditional dessert in the Acadiana region. Jennifer Melancon studied the art of pastry for several years before she and her husband, Dustin, decided to open Lafayette's first cupcake- centered bakery, otherwise known as a cupcakery. Combining Jennifer's skill and Dustin's business sense, the Lafayette natives launched Sophi P Cupcakes in 2010. Almost immediately, Sophi P Cupcakes became a community favorite and later that year was recognized as the 2010 ``Best New Business'' by the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana. One year later, Jennifer and Dustin were awarded the 2011 ``Rising Young Business Leader'' by the Junior Achievement of Acadiana. Over the next few years, Sophi P Cupcakes continued to grow and succeed and in 2015 expanded their operation to launch multiple Sophi P Express coolers across the campus of the couple's alma mater, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Jennifer and Dustin are now focused on the future of Sophi P's and have their eyes set on expanding their business across Louisiana and the Nation. While hard work and thoughtful planning have played a major role in their success, there is no doubt that Jennifer's leadership as the head pastry chef and owner has helped cement Sophi P's as a local favorite in Acadiana. Catchy cupcake names such as ``the Dude'' and ``Chocolate Thunder'' match the ``sophisticated to punk'' theme that is the inspiration behind the cupcakery. With treats made daily with fresh ingredients and a mission revolving around customer service and appreciation, it is no wonder that Sophi P's is a great success as part of the cupcake craze sweeping the Nation. During the month of October, when we celebrate women-owned small businesses, I want to especially congratulate Jennifer for her role in making Sophi P Cupcakes the resounding success that it is today. Her exceptional culinary skill and artistic mind has helped Sophi P Cupcakes become one of Acadiana's favorite places for sweet treats. Her passion is an example to all aspiring female entrepreneurs, and I applaud her for tapping into her talent and embarking on the endeavor of owning a small business with her husband. Congratulations to Jennifer, Dustin, and the entire team at Sophi P Cupcakes on being named Small Business of the Week. I look forward to your continued confectionary success.

Mr. VITTER

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

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I rise in strong support of S. 3110, the American Energy and Conservation Act of 2016. This would increase revenue-sharing with the States for offshore oil and gas development. This legislation is scheduled for a vote on the Senate floor tomorrow. I am pleased the Senate is finally voting on this critical legislation, and I thank my colleague from Louisiana, Senator Cassidy, for his lead and his hard work on this crucial issue. Senator Cassidy and I and several of our colleagues have worked hard over the years to bring this issue to the forefront and help both Congress and the American people understand how important revenue-sharing is not only to Louisiana, to other energy-producing States, but to the country and for the good of the country to expand American energy. I also thank Leader McConnell and Chairman Murkowski for working with us to bring this important bill to the floor for a vote. Revenue sharing with oil- and gas-producing States is only fair, for two key reasons: First, energy-producing States incur real costs and real impacts from that production, including environmental, and second, revenue sharing is the most important way we can continue to incent domestic energy production over the long term in this country. It makes it fair and smart for our U.S. energy future. Energy production is essential to job creation and an overall healthy economy. If it weren't for the oil and gas jobs that accompanied the energy sector boom earlier this decade, we would perhaps still be in a technical recession. One point I want to emphasize is that many of those jobs have been created by small firms in the oil and gas sector and support sectors. These small business energy jobs are something I have highlighted in my role as chair of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and they are vital in terms of the impact in this sector. This legislation would increase revenue sharing for the Gulf States that produce energy offshore and would establish revenue sharing for new production off of Alaska and off of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. These are all areas that welcome the opportunity to have this revenue sharing to incent domestic energy production and increase the availability of American energy. Contrary to what some have said, this legislation would not authorize any new offshore drilling. Let me repeat. This legislation does not provide for new or expanded lease sales. This bill is about revenue sharing. Let me be clear on what revenue sharing means for a State like Louisiana, but there are many more. In Louisiana, we spend 100 percent of these revenues on environmental concerns--specifically coastal restoration. We lose about a football field worth of land in coastal Louisiana--just think of the football field you see every Sunday in an NFL game; that amount of land just in coastal Louisiana--every 38 minutes. That is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, no time off for weekends, holidays, nothing. It is a constant loss. It is an environmental disaster. That is the most significant environmental issue by far that we face in our State. Our State is committed to spending all of the money we receive from revenue sharing to restore, rebuild, and protect our coast. That is vitally important for Louisiana, but it is also vitally important for the rest of the country because Louisiana supplies so much energy that is good for America. Let me be clear on what this legislation does. It expands revenue sharing to Alaska and the Mid-Atlantic States, so it has impacts well beyond the gulf in a very positive way. Beginning in 2027, Alaska, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia would begin receiving 37.5 percent revenue sharing from oil and gas production off of their coasts, which is what Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi receive on new production there. It would also increase revenue sharing that those Gulf States receive under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, or GOMESA. Under that law, revenue sharing in those four Gulf States is capped at $500 million per year between all of them, but beginning in 2027, that cap would increase substantially. That cap right now is completely arbitrary and far too low. Revenue sharing is vital when it comes to adequately compensating States that help provide so much U.S. energy. It needs to be adequate if we are going to continue to incent those States to play that very important role in our U.S. economy. This legislation would help bring that objective to reality, and it is a critical component of a robust, strengthened revenue sharing regime for those major energy-producing States. I urge my colleagues to pass this important legislation. Again, I thank everyone who has worked on this, starting with my colleague from Louisiana, Senator Cassidy, who will be speaking on this topic immediately following me. With that, I welcome the Senator's remarks. I yield the floor.

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

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Madam President, I rise to bring up two key priorities-- two important unmet needs--which I hope this body and the U.S. House will act on immediately and certainly by the end of the year. The first is the Steve Gleason Act, legislation I drafted which passed last year but for a limited period of time. We need to make that permanent for reasons I will explain. The second even broader need is to ensure that victims of the recent flooding in Louisiana--many families whose lives were devastated in incalculable terms--get the aid they need. We made an important downpayment on that before we wrapped up business before the elections, with the understanding that we would clearly revisit the issue between now and the end of the year. Madam President, first, the Steve Gleason Act. As I said, I am very happy that last year the Senate and the House passed my legislation, the bipartisan Steve Gleason Act of 2015. It provided immediate relief to ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, and other similar patients who needed the help to make sure they had access to important, life-changing medical equipment. I first heard about this need in 2014, when thousands of patients, patient advocates, and others came to Congress in order to bring attention to the devastating consequences of what was then a brandnew Medicare policy. The devices they were concerned with are critical for patients who have lost their ability to speak, to communicate with friends and family and doctors, to call 911 in case of emergency, ALS patients and others with similar debilitating diseases. These patients are locked in, unable to communicate, and it is only because of miraculous, relatively new devices that they can communicate with caregivers and the outside world. In most cases, this involves their using a computer screen and keypad, where they literally make eye contact with the keyboard on a computer screen, type out a message, and then the computer through a computer voice articulates that message to caregivers, family, doctors, and the outside world. Because of a Medicare change--an unprovoked, unnecessary change in Medicare policy--many of these patients were denied access to these life-changing devices. The devices were literally confiscated in thousands of cases. They were not allowed to use this technological miracle to make them more fully independent. Thank goodness, entered Steve Gleason, a superadvocate for the ALS community, an ALS patient himself. Steve is a former player for the New Orleans Saints. He famously blocked a punt during the first game in which the Saints reopened the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina; then, a few years after that, he was diagnosed with ALS himself. Just as he gave the city of New Orleans a rallying point around which to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, through his organization Team Gleason, Steve also gives the ALS community and their families hope and a rallying point with his motto: ``No White Flags.'' I believe Steve's wife Michel summed up the cause of ALS patients like Steve and their loved ones succinctly when she said: What causes me the most pain is the loss of his voice, I love hearing his voice. I want him to talk to me, and to our son Rivers. This disease takes his body; to take his voice just seems unfair. Of course, this is where this life-changing device and this similar medical equipment helps plug the gap. This is why the horrible reversal in Medicare policy caused so many problems. Steve and I worked together on legislation that would reverse that policy change and would give folks with ALS their voices back. Steve was my guest at the State of the Union speech in 2015. That day, we met with Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell and were able to build major momentum, resulting in Members on both sides of the aisle and both houses of Congress coming together and eventually passing my Steve Gleason Act of 2015, which became law on July 30 of last year. Senator Klobuchar from Minnesota and Senator King from Maine were especially supportive and aggressive in getting this bill to the finish line, and I thank them again for their partnership and their support. The act reinstated the longstanding Medicare policy to offer immediate relief for patients experiencing incredible difficulty accessing the important life-changing equipment I described. The Steve Gleason Act of 2015 was a huge win for thousands of ALS patients, their families, caregivers, and others, but we need to make this act permanent. It is of limited duration as it was passed last year. We need to make it permanent. It is as simple as that. We need to do it between now and the end of the year. So I encourage all of my colleagues to come together, as we did last year, to take this commonsense step to empower these patients to be in touch with the outside world and their family and their caregivers-- literally give them voice, literally empower them, as Steve has inspired and empowered so many others with ALS. Funding for Louisiana Flood Victims Madam President, I also rise to talk about another key unmet need that is even of broader scope. As I said a few minutes ago, that is the urgent need between now and the end of the year to pass emergency help for the recent flood victims of Louisiana who were devastated by the consequences of that enormous flood. Unfortunately, because there were lots of other things in the news at the time when that flooding happened in Greater Baton Rouge and Acadiana, a lot of Members and folks around the Nation don't fully appreciate and understand the gravity of that flooding. It was way underreported in the national media. It was way underappreciated and not fully understood by us in the Congress. We have solved some of that in the months since then, but still, to this day, so many Americans don't understand the gravity of that flooding. The flooding I am describing a few months ago in Greater Baton Rouge and Acadiana in Louisiana is the fourth worst natural disaster we have experienced in a decade or more, only behind Hurricane Katrina, Superstorm Sandy, and Hurricane Ike--the fourth worst natural disaster by any reasonable metric, such as FEMA individual assistance. Louisiana had over 114,000 homes--114,000 homes--with a verified loss. Let's do a comparison to understand the scope of that. In 2016, Missouri had horrendous flooding, very serious flooding, and I certainly supported an appropriate response there. That was about 2,500 individual registrations. South Carolina had even greater flooding in 2015. That was 26,000 individual registrations. Northern and Central Louisiana in March of this year had major flooding. That was 40,000 individual registrations. We are talking 114,000 homes with verified loss. That is comparable to the loss in New York State from Superstorm Sandy. In Superstorm Sandy, there were 124,000 homes with verified loss in New York--about the same number. Again, we are talking about 114,000 homes in Louisiana. Now, that was not all of Superstorm Sandy, just New York. I am not counting New Jersey. That was another significant number, but that gives us a sense of the magnitude we are talking about. I thank all of our colleagues and our colleagues in the House and President Obama for proposing the beginning of an appropriate response. Before we broke for the elections, we did pass significant emergency funding to go beyond the normal help in the Stafford Act and other statutes that pertain to FEMA and related agencies. About $400 million was sent to the flood victims in Louisiana, but by any metric, that can only be the beginning. In fact, President Obama at the time and Congressional leaders at the time pledged that this would be the beginning and that we would come back now and, between now and the end of the year, finish an appropriate response. I mentioned losses in New York caused by Superstorm Sandy. It was just a little more losses on homes flooded than we are talking about in Louisiana, and yet New York received $8.6 billion related to that in emergency CDBG funds. We are not asking for near that amount, but that gives you a sense of the magnitude of the need. Certainly, the request the Governor and others--including myself and Senator Cassidy--have put forward is fully justified by the numbers, by the metrics. I would simply ask all of our colleagues in the Senate and all of our colleagues in the House to do the right thing--to look at the facts, to look at the figures, to look at the numbers, and to make the appropriate response, as we have in every other previous disaster, as we did in the lesser flooding in South Carolina, as we did in Missouri, as we did, certainly, with Superstorm Sandy, with Ike, Katrina, and Rita, et cetera--no special treatment. Just look at the numbers and look at the metrics. Do the right thing. Our request from Louisiana is fully in line with that and fully justified by that precedent. It is a serious natural disaster. It was woefully underreported. So it is important that we all learn more about it, focus on it, understand the magnitude of the loss, and ensure that we respond properly and adequately before the end of the year. I look forward to continuing to work with all of my colleagues, starting with Senator Cassidy, to do just that. With that, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, in my role as chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am fortunate to come across entrepreneurs across the United States who have dedicated so much time and effort to creating jobs and boosting our Nation's economy. This week, I would like to recognize Renaissance Publishing, LLC, located in my hometown of Metairie, LA, as Small Business of the Week. Renaissance Publishing first opened its doors in Jefferson Parish in 2006. In the last 9 years, Todd Matherne has consistently provided folks across Louisiana with exceptional printing and publishing services and today employs over 50 people. With a guiding directive to ``celebrate life'' in each of Mr. Matherne's publishing ventures, Renaissance Publishing has grown from producing custom publishing titles for local organizations to also owning and managing a handful of local magazines and periodicals, including MyNewOrleans.com, New Orleans Magazine, and Louisiana Life. As such, Renaissance Publishing has the latest information on what to do and what is going on in New Orleans. For his many achievements, Mr. Matherne was designated as Small Business Person of the Year by Louisiana Economic Development in 2015. In recognition of their years of dedication to growing jobs and contributing to southern Louisiana's economic development, I congratulate Renaissance Publishing, LLC, for being selected as Small Business of the Week.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, Louisiana is known for serving some of the best seafood in the world, and that includes our locally grown and raised oysters. We are especially lucky in that many Louisianians are putting pen to paper in order to hammer out real solutions that will preserve, protect, and rebuild our vulnerable coastal habitats that also give a boost to some of our richest industries. One such Louisiana-based business is this Small Business of the Week Triple N Oyster Farm. Biology professors at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Dr. Steve Pollock and Dr. Ginger Brininstool took the entrepreneurial leap in 2015 when the Grand Isle community sought new ways to farm oysters in the popular coastal community. The husband and wife team worked together to develop an innovative new way to farm and harvest oysters with minimal damage to Louisiana's vulnerable coastal habitats. By suspending their oyster habitats off the sea floor, Dr. Pollock and Dr. Brininstool experiment with alternative farming techniques that allow oysters to mature more quickly and cleanly than in traditional farming methods. Recently, Triple N Oyster Farm was selected to join a competitive impact accelerator program at Propeller, a popular New Orleans, LA, nonprofit organization whose aim is to help start and grow entrepreneurial ventures in the greater New Orleans area. In this program, Dr. Pollock and Dr. Brininstool will join a small team of local startups to develop additional innovative and entrepreneurial options to improve Louisiana's coastal water management. Congratulations again to Triple N Oyster Farm for being selected as Small Business of the Week. Thank you for your commitment to innovating Louisiana's rich seafood industry while preserving our vulnerable coast, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. VITTER

Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, with the right tools, small businesses have the unique opportunity to drive economic growth and opportunity across the country, providing good-paying jobs in their communities. In energy-rich Louisiana, small oil and gas companies are no exception to this. This week I would like to recognize Toce Energy, LLC, of Lafayette, LA, as Small Business of the Week, for their commitment to spurring economic growth through the State's distressed oil and gas industry. In 1997, after many successful years in the oil and gas industry, Victor and Paul Toce teamed up to found their namesake Toce Energy, LLC, in energy-rich southwest Louisiana. Initially offering services in acquisitions of oil and gas properties, Toce Energy quickly expanded their reach into neighboring parishes, spurring growth in the local communities in which they operate. Today Toce Energy boasts operations in 18 parishes across the southern region of the State. Contracting over 500 vendors to support their operations in geology, geophysics, land, drilling, production, accounting, and legal services, the group provides scores of good- paying jobs both in Louisiana's struggling oil and natural gas industry and across various industries which serve the sector. Congratulations again to Toce Energy for being selected as Small Business of the Week. Thank you for your commitment to Louisiana's energy sector and providing jobs for citizens of Louisiana. I look forward to seeing your continued growth and success.