July 25, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5367 

technology such as drought-resistant 

crops. Farmers buy crop insurance. In 

my State of Iowa, about 92 percent of 

the farmers have crop insurance. Livestock farmers help animals manage 

heat by building climate-controlled 

buildings. But when faced with weather 

conditions such as we are currently 

dealing with, even the best laid plans 

may not keep the farming operation 

afloat. That is where the Federal Government comes in. We help provide a 

safety net. 

Let me say just how that drought affects crops. I just read in the newspaper something put out by some government agency that said about 55 percent of the landmass of the United 

States is in a drought condition right 

now. In my State of Iowa and many 

other Midwestern States, on an average of about 22 years, we face drought 

situations that are catastrophic for 

crops. Actually, the last one was in 

1988, so now we are having one in my 

State of Iowa and that is 24 years. But, 

on average, it happens about that long. 

So we see the need for something that 

is beyond farmers’ control. We can’t do 

anything if it doesn’t rain when it is 

supposed to rain, and right now is one 

of those most important times when 

crops need rain. So why do we provide 

the safety net? Because the American 

people understand how important the 

production of food is to our food supply 

and farmers doing that production. 

It is a matter of national security. It 

has been said we are only nine meals 

away from a revolution. If people were 

without food, this argument goes, they 

would do whatever it takes to get food 

for themselves and their families. It 

has only been 3 years, I believe, in 

some places in the world where they 

had riots that were national problems—not just local problems but national problems—because of a shortage 

of rice. That is a staple in many countries; I suppose particularly of Asia. So 

we have to have a stable food supply if 

we are not going to have social upheaval. 

The need for food can also be illustrated by looking at military history. 

In other words, a food supply is very 

important for our national security. It 

may be a joke, but Napoleon supposedly said ‘‘an army marches on its 

stomachs.’’ But we also know from 

modern history, if we consider World 

War II on this very day, 60 or 70 years 

after World War II, why the Japanese 

and the Germans protect their farmers 

so much with safety nets of various 

sorts. Because they know what it was 

like during wartime not to have adequate food as a part of national security. A well-fed military is one ready to 

fight and to defend. 

There is nothing more basic than 

making sure the Nation’s food supply 

is secure, whether it is to prevent social upheaval or for our national security or maybe for a lot of other reasons. In order to have stability in our 

food system, we need to have the safety 

net available to assist farmers through 

the tough times so they can keep producing food. 

I have not always agreed with the 

policies set in each and every farm bill 

Congress has passed—of the eight I 

have been involved in. In fact, there 

have been times in which I voted 

against individual farm bills because I 

didn’t agree with the policy being set. 

However, I support, to a large extent, 

what we accomplished in the Senatepassed farm bill last month. Obviously, 

I didn’t agree with everything, particularly with the lack of savings we captured from the nutrition title. But, for 

the most part, we passed a bill that 

embraced real reform in the farm program that still provides an effective 

safety net. 

Whether it is the Senate bill that cut 

back $23 billion from the present farm 

program or whether it is the House bill 

that seems to cut back $35 billion, I 

will bet this is the only piece of legislation that can possibly get to the President’s desk this year that is going to 

save money rather than if it had just 

been simply extended. I would think 

people who want to set a record of fiscal conservatism for the upcoming 

election would be very anxious to take 

up a bill the Congressional Budget Office says saves either $23 billion or $35 

billion. 

So I say mostly to the other body, 

because right now that is where the action is and where we hope it will take 

place, we should not delay any longer. 

The farm bill is too important to all 

Americans to leave it in limbo. We 

need to get a farm bill to the President. The farm bill is approximately 80 

percent nutrition programs. Most of 

the people who benefit are not farmers. 

Then, the other 20 percent is a safety 

net for farmers but also for all the programs the Department of Agriculture 

administers. 

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll. 

The legislative clerk proceeded to 

call the roll. 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I 

ask unanimous consent that the order 

for the quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. 

BEGICH). Without objection, it is so ordered. 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, 

before I go into the closing business, 

let me say I had the pleasure of presiding in this body during the remarks 

that were just made by the distinguished chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Senator LIEBERMAN

of Connecticut, the distinguished ranking member of that committee, Senator COLLINS of Maine, and the distinguished chairman of the Commerce 

Committee and, until recently, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, 

Senator ROCKEFELLER of West Virginia. 

I simply want, briefly, to add my 

voice to theirs and echo the three 

points they emphasized: One, we absolutely must take action on cybersecurity; two, it is a genuine and undeniable matter of our American national 

security; and, three, we cannot claim 

to have done the job, we cannot claim 

to even have attempted the job seriously if we do not address the question 

of the critical infrastructure on which 

American life and our economy depend 

that is in private hands and, therefore, 

cannot be protected under the existing 

regime in place protecting our government and military networks. We have 

to solve that problem. Anything that 

does not solve that problem is a clear 

failure of our duty, as national security experts from Republican and 

Democratic administrations alike have 

very clearly explained. 

f 

MORNING BUSINESS 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I 

ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning 

business, with Senators permitted to 

speak therein for up to 10 minutes 

each. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

REMEMBERING SALLY RIDE 

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I know 

that you and all of our colleagues will 

want to join me today in paying tribute to Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, who died 

peacefully on Monday at her home in 

San Diego, CA. Sally Ride was 61 years 

old. 

Dr. Ride was a physicist, an astronaut, a science writer, and the president and CEO of Sally Ride Science, a 

nonprofit company dedicated to realizing her lifelong passion for motivating young people to stick with their 

interests in science and to consider 

pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. 

Sally Ride was born and grew up in 

Encino, CA. As a young girl, she was 

encouraged by her parents to pursue 

her two passionate interests: science 

and sports. At Stanford University, she 

studied physics, astrophysics, and 

English literature while becoming the 

school’s number one women’s tennis 

player. When asked what had made her 

choose science over tennis, she joked, 

‘‘A bad forehand.’’ 

In 1977, as she was about to complete 

her Ph.D. in physics, Sally read that 

NASA was looking for astronauts and, 

for the first time, was allowing women 

to apply. From a group of 8,000 applicants, NASA selected 29 men and 6 

women—including Sally Ride—as astronaut candidates in January 1978. 

The following year, she qualified for 

assignment on a space shuttle flight 

crew. 

On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride made history as the first American woman in 

space, part of a 147-hour mission 

aboard the shuttle Challenger. She later 

said, ‘‘The thing that I’ll remember 

most about the flight is that it was 

fun. In fact, I’m sure it was the most 

fun I’ll ever have in my life.’’ 


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S5368 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 25, 2012 

Sally Ride’s historic space flight riveted the Nation and made her a household name—a symbol of women’s ability to break barriers and achieve any 

goal, no matter how lofty. She immediately understood and appreciated her 

place in history, crediting the women’s 

movement of the 1970s with paving her 

way into the space program. 

Dr. Ride made another space flight in 

1984 and was preparing for a third when 

the Challenger exploded shortly after 

takeoff on January 28, 1986. She served 

on the Presidential commission investigating the Challenger tragedy and 

worked at NASA headquarters as special assistant to the administrator before retiring from NASA in 1987. 

After serving as a science fellow at 

Stanford’s Center for International Security and Arms Control, Dr. Ride 

joined the faculty at the University of 

California, San Diego as a physics professor and director of the California 

Space Institute. 

In 2001 she founded Sally Ride 

Science to create educational programs 

that entertain, engage, and inspire 

young people. She served on the President’s Committee of Advisors on 

Science and Technology, the National 

Research Council’s Space Studies 

Board, and the boards of the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, the Carnegie Institution of 

Washington, and the NCAA Foundation. 

Sally Ride pushed the limits of 

knowledge, courage, and accomplishment for all Americans, especially for 

girls and young women. As a pioneer in 

the final frontier of space, she showed 

millions of American girls that there 

was truly no limit on what they can do 

or where they can go. 

On behalf of the people of California, 

who have been so moved and inspired 

by Sally Ride’s life and legacy, I send 

my deepest appreciation and condolences to her partner of 27 years, Tam 

O’Shaughnessy; her mother, Joyce; her 

sister, Bear; her niece, Caitlin; and her 

nephew, Whitney. 

f 

CHRISTENING OF THE USS 

SOMERSET 

Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. President, this 

Saturday, July 28, 2012, the U.S. Navy 

will perform a christening ceremony in 

New Orleans for the future USS Somerset. The USS Somerset is a special 

ship, bearing the name of the Southwest Pennsylvania county where 

United Airlines Flight 93 crashed on 

September 11, 2001. 

On that infamous day, a group of defiant and determined Americans challenged a group of al-Qaida hijackers 

hell bent on crashing the plane into the 

U.S. Capitol, the White House, or another sensitive DC-area target. The 

terrorists’ goal was not achieved, 

thanks to the bravery of the Americans 

onboard. We will never forget their actions in the face of horror. 

The USS Somerset will serve as an ongoing emblem of their heroism as it 

races to the aid of our friends and defends American liberty against our 

foes. This ship also embodies the American spirit local Pennsylvanians demonstrated shortly after the crash, when 

they raised the Stars and Stripes atop 

a dragline near the crash site as an unforgettable symbol of our country’s resolve during a time of national sorrow. 

Wherever the USS Somerset goes, so 

will a piece of southwest Pennsylvania. 

The bow of the ship includes steel from 

the dragline adjacent to the crash site 

in Stonycreek Township, where it was 

a silent witness to an indelible act of 

American courage and strength in defiance of those who would do us harm. 

I wish the U.S. Navy and the future 

crew of the USS Somerset safe travels 

and successful missions defending 

America and freedom worldwide. 

f 

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS 

TRIBUTE TO DR. NEOSHA A. 

MACKEY 

∑ Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, today I 

wish to honor Neosha A. Mackey, who 

retired earlier this summer as dean of 

university libraries at Missouri State 

University after 27 years of service. 

During her years of dedicated service, 

Mackey oversaw the expansion of the 

Meyer Library to meet the needs of the 

academic community with improved 

access to local archives, manuscripts 

and photographs. The MSU library system also improved its access to other 

research materials with a Special Collections and Archives section available 

to internet users that was previously 

only accessible to view at the MSU Library. 

Mackey started at Missouri State as 

the head of reference in 1985. Later she 

served as associate dean of library 

services, 1987–2009; acting dean, 1993– 

1995, and was appointed dean of library 

services in 2009. 

During her tenure, the library enhanced services with a $28 million addition and renovation project. Mackey 

has also been a presence in the classroom teaching both undergraduate and 

graduate level courses while monitoring budgets and coordinating personnel matters. As Missouri State 

reached out to establish programs and 

classes for students in China, Mackey 

and her husband John took a leadership role in the development of those 

programs. 

Mackey also directed an expansion of 

the Meyer Library’s local archives and 

collections with a loan agreement to 

house, preserve, and provide access to 

manuscripts and photographs owned by 

The History Museum for SpringfieldGreene County. The History Museum 

holds a comprehensive collection of 

photographs and personal documents 

capturing decades of history and 

changing cultures in Springfield and 

Greene Counties. The new campus location promises improved access for researchers and the general public as 

well as a safer climate- and temperature-controlled location for these 

priceless archives. 

Before arriving at Missouri State, 

Mackey was at the Ohio State University from 1978–1985 as personnel librarian and head of the home economics library. She served as assistant to the 

dean, 1975–1977, and as head of the Parish Business Library, 1970–1975, at the 

University of New Mexico. Mackey has 

a bachelor of arts in economics and a 

master’s in library science from the 

University of Oklahoma and an MBA 

from the University of New Mexico. 

Mackey’s achievements and her personal commitment to excellence have 

guided the Missouri State Library program to a place of national prominence. I thank her for her efforts and 

wish her well in her well-deserved retirement.∑ 

f 

2012 OLYMPIC GAMES 

∑ Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I rise 

today to commend three Vermonters 

who will be representing the United 

States in the Olympic Games in London. One hundred years ago Albert 

Gutterson of Springfield, VT, won 

Olympic Gold in the broad jump. This 

year, Lea Davison, Trevor Moore and 

Andrew Wheating are the latest in a 

long line of Vermonters to compete in 

the world’s most prestigious athletic 

competition. 

Lea Davison won the first mountain 

bike race she ever entered when she 

was 17 years old. A native of Jericho, 

VT, Lea competed in cross country and 

was a Division I alpine ski racer at 

Middlebury College before becoming 

the youngest woman to join the professional mountain biking tour. Lea has 

become one of the dominant forces in 

professional women’s mountain biking 

but still takes time to give back to the 

community, running a summer camp 

for girls from Vermont who are interested in cycling. 

Trevor Moore began sailing with his 

father and brother at a very young age. 

When he moved to North Pomfret, VT, 

as a teenager his passion for competition led him to play for Woodstock 

Union High’s tennis and soccer teams. 

At Hobart College, Trevor was an accomplished sailor and a three-time All 

American, in addition to being named 

the 2007 College Sailor of the Year. He 

will be competing with Erik Storck in 

the 49er category in London. 

London will mark Andrew 

Wheating’s second Olympic Games. He 

competed for the track team in the 800 

meter race at the Beijing Olympics in 

2008. Andrew is originally from Norwich, VT. Recruited by the University 

of Oregon, he was the NCAA champion 

in the 800 meters in 2009 and 2010 and in 

the 1600 meters in 2010. Andrew is renowned for his ability to come from behind in races and will be competing in 

the 1600 meters in London. 

Vermont is proud of Lea, Trevor, and 

Andrew, and I and the citizens of my 

State wish them the best of luck at the 

2012 Olympic Games.∑ 


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