John Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of a resolution honoring a longstanding landmark of Virginia's southwest, Barter Theatre. Located in Abingdon, VA, Barter Theatre first opened in June of 1933 and remains open to this day, having never closed its doors in its 75 years of history. The roots of Barter Theatre are found in what it calls ``a unique beginning,'' during a time in our Nation's history when many Americans, including Virginians, were focused on financial woes. It was the Great Depression, and a young man named Robert Porterfield was inspired by providing theater tickets to the many and not just to those who could afford them. It was the idea of bartering goods for services that served as the foundation for this successful endeavor and earned Porterfield's theater its name. By trading goods for theater tickets, Porterfield was able to fill the seats of his theater. The price of admission was 40 cents, but if you had no money to spare, you could bring the equivalent in produce. Whether it was vegetables, dairy products, or a chicken, if it was worth 40 cents, it was worth entrance. The idea of bartering goods for services is by no means a unique idea, but it is an idea that allowed many Virginians the opportunity to enjoy the arts. The idea of trading ``ham for Hamlet,'' as Barter Theatre calls it, was a success, a success that allowed the theater to endure to today. In 1946, the Virginia General Assembly designated Barter Theatre as the State Theatre of Virginia, the first theater in the Commonwealth of Virginia to receive this distinction, and rightly so. The excellence of Barter reaches far beyond the lengthy list of famous actors who have graced its stage throughout its years and touches more on its efforts to enrich and enhance the culture of our Commonwealth. The impact of this historic theater does not go unnoticed in southwest Virginia, as it has continually aimed to increase levels of artistic development in the region. Each year, Barter Theatre's Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights showcases and honors Appalachian history and culture for all to see upon its stage. I also want to recognize the efforts of Barter Theatre as they continue educational outreach programs to Virginia's youth. Several programs, such as the Young Playwrights Festival, the Internet Distance Learning Program, the Student Matinee Program, and the theatre's touring company, are in place and continue to foster creativity through playwrighting and theatrical performances. I must note that Barter Theatre remains true to its humble beginnings and pays homage to its history. At least one performance a year celebrates the Barter heritage by accepting donations for an area food bank as the price of admission. An endeavor rooted in the ideals of community continues to give back to that community today. I am pleased by the passage of H. Con. Res. 416, and I thank my colleagues in joining me in support of this resolution.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I see the Senator is desiring to speak. But those two things remind me that this great ship of State will sail on and you will be at the helm. I wish you the best.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank the gracious Senator from New Jersey. I appreciate those remarks. Although it has been short-lived, we have had a good, strong working relationship; not always on the same side on several issues, but that is what democracy is all about. I thank the Senator.

Mr. WARNER. No. I have been very honored to be on the floor in connection with certain tributes, and I just by coincidence am here. But I am hopeful that the distinguished chairman could maybe tell us, the Senate--I am quite anxious; I have been here throughout the day, most of it--what is the state of the resolution of this very important problem that faces our Nation here today?

Mr. WARNER. I thank the distinguished chairman of the Senate Banking Committee for those remarks. I found the work product that you and others produced and which was distributed yesterday to be of great value. I was prepared to move forward and add my voice in support. But I yield now, of course, to the circumstances as the consequence of the House's action last night. I think the leadership on both sides is very diligent; that is, the leadership--our Senate distinguished majority leader, Senator Reid, and Senator McConnell, the minority leader--is working on this, and I do hope we can bring this to some sort of a resolution tomorrow. You know, it is interesting, as I sit here to talk to the Senator from Connecticut, our friendship goes back almost the full 30 years I have been in the Senate. And last night, when I went home with a bit of a heavy heart for fear that this situation was of such consequence as to almost every single American, I was trying to reflect, as I so often do, on other chapters of history which confronted our great Republic and other nations, because this is a global problem, as the chairman knows. I put together some remarks that I thought something of giving on the floor at some point in time. But I went back to a very famous letter. And the reason I raise this, I think my good friend, the Senator from Connecticut, and I have discussed many times the chapter of history during World War II and the role your father played at the conclusion of that war in terms of the Nuremberg Trials. You yourself have written eloquently on this period. So just by coincidence, I went back and I thought about the year 1941 and, in particular, January of 1941 when Great Britain at that time was undergoing the full wrath of all of Hitler's military might. It was one of the darkest hours in the long history of the British Empire. You recall that Roosevelt penned a short note, a letter, to Churchill, and it was hand delivered to Churchill by Wendell Willkie, who was coincidentally in London. Roosevelt chose the first five lines of that famous poem of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: THOU, too, sail on, O Ship of State! Sail on, O UNION, strong and great! Humanity, with all its fears, With all the hopes of future years, Is hanging breathless on thy fate! And I simply say to those, the leadership of our body and the leadership of the House, they might read that because that is how serious this problem is. It may have some parallels. That was a war, but in a sense we are in an economic titanic struggle to regain, in the United States, the confidence among our citizens--I am not talking about Wall Street or Main Street, I am talking about every citizen--a sense of confidence and how we must henceforth conduct our business for the better, the greater betterment for all Americans, whether they are rich or poor. I just thought of that stanza. I found a great deal of encouragement and fell off to sleep thinking maybe tomorrow will be a better day. Thus far it seems to me it has been productive. I thank the Senator. I enjoy always talking history with my friend from Connecticut.

Mr. WARNER. The Presiding Officer is a man who is a great student of history. We shared a few words earlier today about this situation. I think I best yield the floor so you can get down to it. I wish you great luck in all of your work, and good fortune, because it is so vitally important not just at home but indeed for the whole world. John Warner

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my friend. I must say to you that John Stennis, if I had to name five individuals in this institution--I think I have served with 272 Senators--John Stennis would be one. He was a magnificent man. As a matter of fact, I have his old desk. In his final days here he called me in one day and he said: I want you to have this desk. Of course, it was a long story, but there it is. I still have it in my office. He was a great teacher. Scoop Jackson was another great teacher. I hope some of the young Senators, that maybe they have learned from you and me. Who knows. But in those days, those were men of formidable strength intellectually, command presence, and they were great teachers. Stennis was foremost among them all. I thank my dear friend for his comments.

Mr. WARNER. We finally solved the submarine problem by, I think you built part of the ship--we call them ships now rather than boats--and we built the other part. They are put together in the yards of the two. They are sailing the seven seas today. That program is running on, and our sole production of submarines now is in Connecticut and in Virginia, putting the parts together.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank our distinguished colleague. Mr. President, I see the distinguished majority leader.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I think sometimes Senators should be seen and not heard from. That might be this moment for me. I am deeply moved and humbled by your comments, my dear friend and leader of this body, at this time. As I was talking with Senator Dodd about history and how both of us have an interest in the great events of our Nation, we talked about the challenges facing America tonight and how fortunate we are to have leaders such as yourself and Senator McConnell on this side of the aisle to lead our Nation out of this situation. I am glad we didn't dwell on those heavy matters. We touched on the light ones as we talked together. How well I remember you as the chairman of the committee; you remember we worked on batteries. For some reason, the lead battery was the center focus at that time.

Mr. WARNER. That is right. But we got some money and put it into research of batteries, which hopefully might be contributing in the future to our deliverance from the problems we have with reliance on foreign oil and greater use of our motor vehicles operated by natural gas. But I could go on.

Mr. WARNER. I am about breathless at the moment, but if you will spare me a minute to tell a story about that. My mother lived to be 96 years old and she bequeathed this to me. But I can tell you a number of times calls come into my office and people will inquire and ask for the Secretary, not me, and they will say my husband has a bit of a problem, but it can be solved if the Senator would say where he gets his wig. So I am not--that is true. It has happened about a dozen times in my 30 years. So that is one of the great things----

Mr. WARNER. Yes.

Mr. WARNER. But I thank my distinguished leader. I also wish to say, on behalf of my wife, the deep affection our two wives have. They have been privileged to serve the responsibility of shepherding the annual event for the First Lady. When that occurred in my house, everything stopped. I mean all engines, everything. The total focus for weeks was that luncheon. I think my wife succeeded your wife.

Mr. WARNER. My wife learned the meticulous manner in which your wife planned that event. But the wives play a vital role in this institution. While we sit here and have what I call the good old democracy mind and we argue between each other in the quietude of the evening, our wives will put us together and all is forgotten. That is the strength of this institution. I thank my good friend. I do not deserve the rich remarks he made, but I accept them in the sense that he made them.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague for his very thoughtful remarks. Our relationship has been one that included both wives. I recall an event we attended, and immediately the next morning my wife received from you a book which she, being an avid reader, stayed in that book for the evenings that went on for a week or so. That is the way this great institution works. It is not all on the floor before the television cameras. Senator Durbin is a strong leader, a tough adversary. I wish to say how much I have enjoyed working with you through these years. I wish you and my other colleagues well because you have a great challenge in the next few days or two. We have to solve--and you will be part of that leadership team dealing with it, along with colleagues on this side--we have to reach the right solution to restore America's confidence in the lifeblood of this Nation; namely, its economics. I thank the Senator. I wish to add that my mother very proudly always claimed Illinois as her State.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I am very deeply moved by this moment. As a matter of fact, now--this is just a month or so short of 30 years--I can't think of another opportunity or moment in the Senate when I have been so moved and so grateful to a fellow Senator. I have served with five individuals, you being the fifth now, in the Senate to come from Virginia, to form the team we have all had, some different in different ways, but generally speaking, Virginia's two Senators have worked together on behalf of not only the Commonwealth but what is best for the United States. I remember one time so vividly we stood together here at the desk on a rather complex issue, and there were clear political reasons for us to vote in a certain way. But you turned to me and you asked what I was going to do, and I replied, and you said: That is what I will do because that is in the best interest of the country though it may not be politically to our benefit, or possibly to our State. But that is this fine man whom I finished my career in the Senate with as my full partner and, most importantly, my deep and respected friend. Our relationship, as you so stated, started many years ago--over 30--when we worked with the Navy Secretary together. You mentioned Vietnam. To this day, I think about that chapter in my life. I remember John Chafee, whom I am sure you recall very well. He and I one time were asked to go down to the Mall. The Secretary of Defense sent us down there, and we put on old clothes and went down, and there were a million young men and women--over a million-- expressing their concerns about the loss of life, the war in Vietnam, and how the leadership of this country had not given, I believe, the fullest of support to those such as yourself, Senator, and Senator Hagel, who fought so valiantly and courageously in that war. In the years I have been privileged since that time to serve here in the Senate--I might add a footnote that Senator Chafee or then- Secretary of the Navy Chafee, and I was Under Secretary--went back directly to the Secretary of Defense and sat in his office, and that was sort of the beginning of the concept of ``Vietnamization'' when we tried to lay those plans to bring our forces home. But anyway, in the years that passed, I remember so well working with Senator Mathias on the original legislation to establish the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I felt strongly that it would be some tribute fitting to the men and women who served, as you did, so valiantly during that period. I think time has proven that while there was enormous controversy about that memorial, it has in a very significant measure helped those families and others who bore the brunt of that conflict, you being among them. I thank the Senator from Virginia for working together this short period we have been here. As I leave, I leave with a sense of knowing that for our Virginia, but perhaps even more importantly, for the United States of America, there is one man in Senator Webb who will always do what is right for his country and will fear absolutely no one in trying to carry out that mission. Whether it be a vote or a piece of legislation, or whatever it may be, he will persevere. He showed that on the GI bill legislation. I was privileged, as I might say, just to be a corporal in your squad on that, but you led that squad with the same courage that you fought with in Vietnam and that you will fight with today and tomorrow and so long as you are a Member of the Senate. I hope perhaps maybe you might exceed my career of 30 years in the Senate, and that wonderful family of yours will give you the support my family--my lovely wife today and my children--has given me so that I could serve here in the Senate. America will always look down on you as a proud son. I don't know what the future may be, but I know there are further steps of greatness that you will achieve, Senator. I wish you the best of luck from the depths of my heart. I thank you for these words today, similar to words we have shared, both of us, in speaking of our working partnership here in the Senate. I thank you, sir. I salute you. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my long-time friend and colleague in the Senate, the Senator from Texas. For so many reasons she is a real leader on our team, on the team of leadership. But how many times, if I might ask the Senator from Texas, have you taken this bill to the floor of the Senate on behalf of Amtrak, rail safety, Metro? Would you mind telling us how many times?

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, if the Senator would yield, I would just express my appreciation and thanks to the Senator from New Jersey. After 30 years in the Senate, much of that time has been spent working with him on a wide range of issues, many of them international issues of great importance. But I am always happy to come back to the fundamentals of what makes this institution work, and that is our staff and employees and others who are dependent upon this system. I thank the Senator.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I recognize that great contribution, but I wanted it a part of the Record. I say to my long-time friend, Mr. Lautenberg, the distinguished senior Senator from New Jersey, I hope in your remarks you will recite how many times you have gone to the floor on behalf of people seeking the needs of not only Amtrak but the rail safety and the Metro funds which are in this bill this time. These two Senators have been the engine on this very important piece of legislation. The distinguished Acting President pro tempore and I are proud to represent Virginia, one of the beneficiaries of this system. But I have also tried through my many years in the Senate to have a voice for the District of Columbia. This Amtrak as well as the Metro funds in here are the pulse beat, the arteries which feed the Nation's Capital. Some 40 to 50 of the various Government agencies serving our Nation are accessed with Amtrak. I say to my colleagues in the Senate, all 100 Senators--all 100 Senators--have staff members and the families of staff, and ourselves, who very often utilize the Metro system and indeed access part of the Amtrak system. This is a 10-year funding for the Metro for capital improvement and operating.

Mr. WARNER. Yes.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wish to add that this system, the Metro system, is a feeder to the Amtrak. It was started in 1960 under President Eisenhower. Each year, the Congress has been a supporter of this system. But key to this--and I compliment my colleagues in the House, Congressmen Moran and Davis--are the matching funds from each State, so the portion of authorization we seek for Metro in this would be matched by the several States and the District of Columbia. Mr. President, I intend to cast a ``yea'' vote on cloture on the motion to concur with the House amendment to the Railway Safety-Amtrak bill. I believe this legislative package is critical for so many reasons. Of highest importance to me, though, is a much-needed authorization of $1.5 billion over 10 years for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, WMATA, the Metro system that probably brought a majority of our staffers to work this morning. WMATA has been one of the Washington, DC, metro area's most successful partnerships with the Federal Government. In 1960, President Eisenhower signed legislation to provide for the development of a regional rail system for the Nation's Capital and to support the Federal Government. Since 1960, Congress has continually reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to Metro by passing periodic reauthorizing bills. Over half of Metro's riders at peak times are Federal employees and contractors, and a large percentage of these riders are Virginia residents. Based on Metro's 2007 Rail Ridership Survey, approximately 40 percent of respondents identified themselves as Federal workers who ride Metrorail to work. 39 percent of that group identified themselves as Virginia residents. We are talking about thousands of cars taken off the major roadways each day because of our area's Metro system. Metro's record riderships have occurred during historic events where people from all over the country flock to the Nation's Capital to honor their Federal Government: President Reagan's funeral, Fourth of July celebrations, Presidential inaugurations. In addition, the Metro system proved indispensable to the Federal Government and the Nation's Capital generally in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Over 50 Federal agencies in the National Capital Region are located adjacent to Metro stations. Federal agencies rely on WMATA to get their employees to and from the workplace year-round, in all types of weather. As I mentioned, the Railway Safety-Amtrak bill includes $1.5 billion in Federal Transit Authority funding over 10 years for capital and preventative maintenance projects for WMATA. This language was added by voice vote to the Amtrak bill by my delegation mate, Congressman Tom Davis, as a floor amendment during the House's Amtrak debate over the summer. These dollars will be matched by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Washington, DC, and the State of Maryland. This critical investment will help provide for much-needed improvements to this stressed transit system. Projects such as station and facility rehabilitation and tunnel repairs will be undertaken. These funds will also allow WMATA to add new rail cars and buses to help congestion during peak hours. This critical legislation, which would authorize much-needed Federal funding, contingent on State and local dedicated matches, recognizes how vital Metro is to the region and the Federal Government. Such legislation is integral to the well-being of the area's transportation system, as we struggle to address traffic congestion, skyrocketing gas prices, global climate change, and the local quality- of-life concerns. From its inception, the Federal Government has played a significant role in funding the construction and operation of the Metrorail system. I hope this Congress will continue to show that support. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' for WMATA today.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I remember that airplane. It flew many missions. Your primary mission was watching the Soviets, I repeat the Soviet Navy, and its submarines operating off the shore and was vital to our security, to track and know where those submarines were because they had missile armaments which could inflict great harm on this country. So I commend you, sir, for your service and I humbly thank you for your remarks.

Mr. WARNER. Would the Senator yield?

Mr. WARNER. I was simply going to rise to say that the portion of the legislation we voted upon relating to the Metro is derivative of your regulation which you, and I was privileged to be a cosponsor, Senator Webb was a cosponsor, Senator Mikulski, the four of us put in. So although it may not be the exact bill number, it is, in fact, building on the foundation you laid. I thank you very much for that, as do all our colleagues, every one of whom have people who utilize this system, the whole Federal Government. But the important thing is, the District of Columbia can look to the Senators from Maryland, Virginia, and indeed the Members of the Congress and the House of Representatives, from time to time, to serve its interests. This is one which is very important, if not vital, to our Nation's Capital. I compliment the Senator for his leadership. As I leave the Senate, whatever modest mantle I have in this area, I convey to you and to Senator Webb and Senator Mikulski.