Mark Warner

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Colorado. We are hearing a common theme. These freshman Members all care about driving down cost, and they see health care reform as stimulative to the American economy and recognize that ensuring the growth of our economy means we have to get the deficit under control. That means driving health care costs down. I yield 4 minutes to my colleague from New Mexico.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank our colleagues on the other side of the aisle for the additional time. I appreciate the opportunity we have had to make our statements.

Mr. WARNER. I thank my colleague, the Senator from New Hampshire, on her very excellent comments. We are running a little behind. I do want to come back, if we have time, to talk about the costs to State budgets, something both she and I experienced. I yield 5 minutes of our time to the distinguished Senator from Delaware.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise with a group of my freshmen colleagues to discuss an issue that is on all our minds and on the minds of many Americans and that is the issue of health care reform. The subject most of us are going to address today is what happens if we do nothing on this critically important issue because we, as recent additions to this body, are united by a simple but important truth: the rising cost of health care is hobbling American business, stressing family budgets and, if we do nothing and it is left unchecked, it will explode our national debt. While many of my colleagues have raised important and valid questions about some of the health care proposals, one of the things I hope all my colleagues will realize is that doing nothing to reform our health care system is a policy choice. It would be a misguided choice, an irresponsible choice, but it is a choice nonetheless. Today, health care costs in America consume nearly 17 percent of our GDP. This is projected to grow to one-third of our GDP by 2040 if we do nothing. This chart shows this ever-escalating cost of health care and its percentage of our GDP. Here we see the cost in actual dollar amounts, $2.4 to $2.5 trillion spent on health care in the past year. Our per capita health care cost is double that of virtually every other developed nation in the world--nations we compete against every day. As we come out of this recession and American business has to compete against these countries around the world, our economy is hobbled by costs that, on average, include $3,000 more per employee due to our higher health care costs than our competing nations. If we look at an issue that is equally important and one that I know our colleagues, especially my freshmen colleagues, continue to raise-- but we hear concerns about from our friends on the other side of the aisle--that is the concern about our Federal deficit. The primary cause of our Federal deficit and our overall debt is the increasing per- person costs of Medicare and Medicaid. We pay more and more dollars in the Federal budget each year to basically pay for the same level of care. As this chart shows, increasing Medicare and Medicaid costs alone will exceed all other Federal spending. Clearly, this situation is not sustainable. In my home State of Virginia, since 2000, insurance premiums have increased nearly 90 percent, while wages have only increased 27 percent. If we do nothing, and this was reaffirmed by the Business Roundtable report just last week, nationwide insurance premiums are projected to double by 2016. This is of particular concern to small businesses. Today, small businesses are the only group that still pay retail for their health care services. Their size makes their bargaining power weak and makes them susceptible to enormous increases in health care premiums. Once again, it is a policy choice. Doing nothing means exploding our Federal debt and deficit. Doing nothing means doubling health care premium costs for American families. Doing nothing means American companies will be less competitive in a global market and our small businesses will continue to pay retail for health care. Mr. President, I think I speak for all my freshmen colleagues when I say we were not elected to do nothing. We did not run for office because we were satisfied with the direction of our Nation. We were elected to work together with willing Republicans and Democrats to help turn this country around. I hope this will be the first of a series of statements from the freshman class, who are not only here to point out the challenges we face but to join Senators from both sides of the aisle who are committed to getting things done. I would now like to yield 5 minutes to my colleague, the distinguished Senator from New Hampshire.

Mr. WARNER. I thank my friend from Alaska for pointing out, particularly, with small businesses, that in our current system they are the only people who pay retail for their health care expenses. Reform must rectify that. I yield 4 minutes to the Senator from Oregon.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I commend my colleague and good friend from Delaware for his compassionate interest, not only in what sounds like a very worthy project in Delaware, but his constant commitment to making sure we are always looking over that next horizon, whether it is in education or energy issues he has been involved with as a Member of Congress and as a Governor, and now as the senior Senator from Delaware. The project he describes sounds like a good one, and I hope it gets favorable consideration from the Senate. I welcome the chance to support him. I wanted to take a moment to talk about a project that is already in this very important 2010 Transportation-HUD appropriations bill. I commend the subcommittee chair, the Senator from Washington, and the ranking member for their good work on this bill. There is a certain amount of celebration in this bill for us in the greater Washington region because this Transportation appropriations bill is actually the culmination, in many ways, of an effort that has been ongoing for close to 50 years. Even when your dad served in the other body, one of the things I know he probably experienced was flying into our region, particularly flying into Dulles, and he might have found it difficult to get from Dulles into greater Washington. One of the most remarkable things that has always stunned me as a Virginian, and as a long-time resident of the national capital area is that we have never had rail or metro linkage from our international gateway airport out at Dulles into our Nation's capital. With this legislation, with actions taken earlier this year, we finally have in place a financing arrangement and the beginnings of construction for the long overdue Dulles Metrorail project. The Dulles metrorail project is part of a 50-year plan that started with the construction of Dulles Airport. Throughout that time, there was always a reserve. Anybody who made that drive--and I know the Presiding Officer has made that drive many times--has seen the corridor in the middle of the road. That corridor has been reserved for ultimately building out rail, from the existing Washington metro system, all the way to Dulles. This is a project that my predecessor, John Warner, worked on for years. It was one of his proud accomplishments, finalizing Federal support for this project. I commend his efforts in the past. It is a project I have been involved with for over 20 years, first when I was on the Commonwealth Transportation Board, when we had to preserve that corridor for a metrorail project. I recall, back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, efforts to try to take away that right-of-way so it could be used for additional highway construction. There was always a need to say: No, we have to reserve that. At some point, we will finally get metrorail to Dulles. This has now become a reality. It was a project I worked on as Governor. There were a number of times we tried to put together a very complex financing arrangement in order to make sure all the partners, State and local and Federal, would step to the plate and do what was right but also do what was terribly important to the national capital region: making sure our international gateway airport is linked to the capital. I am proud to report that earlier this year in March, Secretary LaHood and former Senator Warner and myself, Governor Kaine, Congressman Frank Wolf, who has been a long-time supporter, got together and signed the final funding arrangement that committed the Federal Government, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and local communities on this critically important project. It is needed for a variety of reasons. It is needed not only to link international and domestic passengers who come into Dulles to visit our Nation's capital, but this corridor has rapidly become the economic hub of all northern Virginia. Dulles Airport currently serves about 24 million passengers each year. Population in the Dulles corridor is expected to increase by 50 percent and employment to increase by 47 percent by 2030. As someone who I know travels that corridor on a regular basis, you have seen how it has been built up, and there will continue to be the expansion of a great deal of economic activity for all northern Virginia and for the entire Washington area, particularly in the high-tech sector. This past March, the full funding agreement was signed, and $900 million over the period of the whole project was committed from Federal funds. But let me make clear it is not only the Federal Government that is stepping up on this critically important project. The Commonwealth of Virginia has committed to be a major partner in funding. The localities have stepped forward in terms of funding. There have been very creative activities in terms of creating a special taxing district of our local property owners in the region who will benefit from this metrorail extension. They have skin in the game as well. The State is contributing some of the toll revenues from our toll road in the corridor. This is a project, even during these difficult economic times, where the State, the localities, and the Federal Government have stepped up in a major way. It will be enormously beneficial to our whole region. It will be enormously beneficial to the Commonwealth and to our Nation's capital in terms of the millions of visitors who come in from all over the country and the world. They will have the opportunity not only to take one of those increasingly expensive cabs, but also simply to jump on the train and come into Washington. There is also another very important reason for continuing this project. The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is an important multimodal project with critical homeland security implications. Expanding metrorail into the Dulles corridor is terribly important in terms of evacuation opportunities, should the capital ever be under assault. It is obviously terribly important in economic development activities, in terms of tourism activities. This project is crucial to the well-being of the whole national capital region. As a matter of fact, earlier today I was out in Tysons Corner, one of our major development areas on the way out to Dulles rail. Although we were caught in some pretty dreadful traffic, it was a little bit of a mixed blessing. Part of the traffic was because construction has actually started on some of the rail stops in the Tysons area that will ultimately relieve not only traffic congestion but will, obviously, decrease greenhouse gases. So this project has added benefits as well, an issue I know is very important to the Presiding Officer in terms of dealing with climate change. I know there are others in this body who perhaps have raised questions about some of the projects that are included in this 2010 Transportation-HUD appropriations bill. This is one of those projects I can't imagine anyone being critical of. This has been 50 years in the making. Enormous time, effort, and resources have gone into it. The fact that the final funding agreement has now been signed and we actually have broken ground is a time to celebrate. The $85 million included in this year's appropriations funding for the downpayment and first installment of what is going to be a critical Federal funding stream is a very worthy sum that is going to provide benefits for this region and for our capital for many years to come. I, again, commend the chair of the Appropriations subcommittee, my colleague and friend, the Senator from Washington, for her great work on not only this particular Dulles metrorail project, which I believe, as a frequent flier in and out of Dulles, I hope she will be the immediate beneficiary of as well, but to all members of her subcommittee. I thank them for their good work on this bill, this important project, and the many other projects in this legislation. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I ask unanimous consent that the bills be read a third time and passed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bills be printed in the Record.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar items Nos. 150 and 151, H.R. 1275 and H.R. 2938, en bloc.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related thereto be printed in the Record.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 69, S. 713.

Mr. WARNER

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

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 171, at the desk, and just received from the House.

Mr. WARNER. I ask unanimous consent the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table and any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 226 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. WARNER. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 244, submitted earlier today.

Mr. WARNER. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, August 6; that following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and that there be a period of morning business until 10 a.m. with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each; that following morning business the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor as provided for under the previous order.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Under the previous order, at 3 p.m. tomorrow, the Senate will proceed to vote on confirmation of the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Upon disposition of the nomination, the Senate will return to the consideration of the supplemental appropriations bill for the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program. Under the agreement, up to seven amendments are in order prior to a vote on the passage of the bill. When we return from the August recess, at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the Dorgan substitute amendment to the Travel Promotion Act.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that S. 1547 be discharged from the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and be referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. I am pleased to learn that, because the Virginia Modeling and Simulation Center--VMASC--at Old Dominion University has extensive experience in modeling, simulation, and visualization of complex systems and events. Its capabilities include a complete suite of visualization software that can incorporate geospatial information with simulation and analysis of energy-related systems and the impact of those systems on various aspects of the environment. It also has extensive experience modeling critical infrastructure components of fossil fuel, electric and natural gas systems. VMASC has also developed capabilities for modeling policy aspects of global warming that can be adapted specifically to fossil fuel systems, and help to identify unconventional oil, natural gas, and coal resources. VMASC has developed capabilities to model the production of unconventional resources using a combination of computational techniques that can be adapted to simulate a wide variety of scenarios associated with the fossil fuel industry and its relationship to environmental impacts.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, during yesterday's consideration of the fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, I noted that the managers included certain report language related to modeling and simulation capabilities for an unconventional fossil fuels program. I would like to ask the chairman and ranking member of the subcommittee if their intent was to improve modeling and simulation for unconventional fossil energy technologies, by working in collaboration with universities and industry to establish joint programs for research and development.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, as the Highway Trust Fund Act moves through the Senate, I would like to take a moment to stress the importance and urgency of reforming our national transportation system. I commend Chairman Boxer for her leadership on this effort to keep the trust fund solvent. But the fact that we needed this emergency infusion indicates a much greater problem with the transportation system and how it is funded. I recognize and appreciate the desire to pass a clean 18-month extension of SAFETEA-LU. However, I think we can all agree that fundamental reform will be needed when the time comes to consider a full 6-year authorization bill. Our Nation's infrastructure is currently inadequate to preserve our global competitiveness and the way we allocate funds for surface transportation lacks true accountability. In short, we do not tie funding to performance. To move to a true performance-based system, there are some immediate steps that should be taken. An 18-month extension provides a unique opportunity to take some of these steps. Without making any policy reforms or adding any programs, we can begin to collect information on how well transportation funds are serving the public, which will ease our transition to a reformed and effective long-term policy. I have drafted an amendment that would direct the Secretary of Transportation to coordinate with states, metropolitan planning organizations and our new chief performance officer to develop metrics to address the following factors: (1) National Connectivity: How have transportation investments improved the connection of people and goods across the Nation? (2) Metropolitan Accessibility: How have transportation investments allowed Americans in metropolitan regions to access their jobs and other activities more reliably and efficiently? (3) Energy Security and Environmental Protection: How have transportation investments reduced carbon emissions and petroleum consumption? (4) Safety: How have transportation investments improved safety by reducing fatalities and injuries associated with transportation? My proposal outlines how States and metropolitan regions can begin to report these measures. The factors above are outcome-oriented, objective and measurable. They are also designed to cut across all modes of transportation, and to measure performance across an entire region as opposed to measuring specific projects in a vacuum. This legislation will help ease the transition to a more performance- based system. Not only will it provide us with actual performance data, but it will help clarify what additional resources states will need to better provide such data in the future. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate on this initiative to ensure its inclusion in any extension of SAFETEA-LU.

Mr. WARNER

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. First, I would like to applaud Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Sessions for conducting a successful confirmation hearing. The hearings lasted 4 days, 15 witnesses testified, and thousands of people attended the hearing in person. The topics of discussion ranged from executive privilege to property rights. In the end, the reviews were that the hearing was constructive and fair. At the same time, millions of Americans all across the country tuned in to the confirmation hearings on television to find out who Justice Sotomayor is. As a U.S. Senator, I had the privilege of meeting with Judge Sotomayor in person and can say that the American people say what I witnessed firsthand, an individual with extensive judicial experience, a clear understanding of the law, and the judicial temperament to be an excellent Supreme Court Justice. Judge Sotomayor's nomination is a historic moment for several reasons. With 17 years as a Federal district and appellate court judge, Judge Sotomayor has more judicial experience than anyone confirmed for the Court in the past 100 years. She is also part of a small group of judges who have been nominated to the Federal judiciary by Presidents of different parties: President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton. With the addition of President Obama, she will become the first person nominated by three Presidents to serve on the Federal judiciary. Judge Sotomayor is also the first Hispanic American nominated to serve on the Supreme Court in its 220-year history. Her family immigrated to the United States from Puerto Rico. The family didn't have a lot of money, but her mother valued education and hard work. Judge Sotomayor would go on to Princeton and Yale Law School, where she excelled academically. Judge Sotomayor did not have the benefit of a family name or wealth but she had ambition. She proved that one can improve their life in a single generation. I am confident many young men and women of all backgrounds are inspired by her example. Perhaps they will hit the books a little harder, practice their craft a little more, and not give up on reaching their own individual dreams. As Governor of Virginia and now U.S. Senator, I have carried out the responsibility of selecting, vetting, and nominating individuals to serve on the bench. It is an enormous responsibility, because the decisions judges make affect people's lives. Much has been said about Judge Sotomayor's judicial philosophy. In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, she made clear to me that she fully understands the role of a judge. In her own words, her judicial philosophy is simple: ``Fidelity to the law'' and a ``rigorous commitment to interpreting the Constitution according to its terms.'' Independent institutions can attest to this. The American Bar Association unanimously found Judge Sotomayor to be highly qualified, its highest rating. A number of other nonpartisan groups have found her constitutional decisions to be solidly in the mainstream. Judge Sotomayor's commitment to public service, extensive judicial experience, and fidelity to the law make her an excellent candidate to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. I look forward to casting my vote in support of Judge Sotomayor and encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.