`[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 121 (Tuesday, September 11, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6075-S6083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           VETERANS JOBS CORPS ACT OF 2012--MOTION TO PROCEED

  Mr. REID. I move to proceed to Calendar No. 476, S. 3457.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the motion.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 476, S. 3457, a bill to 
     require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a 
     veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes.


                                Schedule

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, the first hour will be equally divided 
between the two leaders or their designees. The majority will control 
the first half and the Republicans will control the final half. At 11 
a.m. there will be a moment of silence in observance of the 11th 
anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001. The Senate will 
recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. for the weekly caucus meetings. 
At 2:15 p.m. there will be a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to 
S. 3457, the Veterans Jobs Corps Act.


       Measures Placed on the Calendar--H.R. 8, S. 3522, S. 3525

  Mr. President, I am told there are three bills at the desk due for a 
second reading.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will read the titles of 
the bills for a second time.

       A bill (H.R. 8) to extend certain tax relief provisions 
     enacted in 2001 and 2003, and to provide for expedited 
     consideration of a bill providing for comprehensive tax 
     reform, and for other purposes.
       A bill (S. 3522) to provide for the expansion of affordable 
     refinancing of mortgages held by the Federal National 
     Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage 
     Corporation.
       A bill (S. 3525) to protect and enhance opportunities for 
     recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting, and for other 
     purposes.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I object to all three bills that were read 
for the second time.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The objection having been heard, 
the bills will be placed on the calendar.


                       Commemorating September 11

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, just a short way from this Chamber, in S-
209, we have been meeting for many years as a Senate Democratic 
leadership to discuss the issues of the week. We just finished a 
meeting there, and part of the discussion today in that meeting was 
what happened 11 years ago at the exact same time we were meeting 
there. I can remember that so clearly. I will never, ever forget that. 
It is implanted in my mind so clearly. I was the first one to get to 
that meeting, and Senator Breaux from Louisiana came in and said: There 
is something going on in New York. Let's turn on the TV. And we did. 
Senators started coming in. It appeared an airplane hit one of the 
towers, and we were wondering why it would have done that. Something 
was obviously wrong.
  Senator Daschle was the leader at the time. He started the meeting, 
and the TV was off. The meeting was just getting started, and someone 
came in to take Senator Daschle out of that meeting. He came back very 
quickly and said: There is a plane headed for the Capitol, and we all 
have to evacuate the Capitol--everybody. The alarm went out and people 
were rushing down these halls leaving. I can remember leaving that room 
over here and looking out the window and seeing the smoke billowing 
from what we

[[Page S6076]]

learned is now the Pentagon. It was on fire; a plane had hit it. There 
was still one plane in the air, and that was headed for the Capitol. As 
I have indicated, even though that was 11 years ago, I remember the 
sight as if it were yesterday. We have many meetings in that room, and 
I often think of what transpired that morning as I looked out toward 
the Pentagon.
  Over the last decade, our country has begun to heal from the wounds 
of that terrible, terrible attack. It was attacks by terrorists. The 
scars remain. The scars are deeper with some than others, but no matter 
how many years pass, we will never forget the thousands of innocent 
people who died in New York, Pennsylvania, and across the river here in 
Virginia. There were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers 
and sisters, spouses and friends. All they were doing was their jobs, 
and others were just catching a plane to go visit loved ones or on a 
business trip. It is good that we pause each year to pay tribute and to 
remember, and that will occur here on the Senate floor, as I previously 
announced. There will also be a ceremony out in front of the Capitol.
  The memories of that dark day in our shared history are painful, but 
they give me hope as well. They give me hope because on September 11 
and during the difficult months that followed, Americans showed the 
world that our unified Nation can fight back against darkness and fear. 
Democrats were not alone in fighting back. Republicans were not alone 
in fighting back. We were all fighting back together in the face of 
great evil, and that is what it was. There were so many who rushed 
forward to show great courage, enormous dignity, and kindness.
  Today we pause to remember the firefighters who rushed into the World 
Trade Center knowing they might never come out, and a lot of them 
didn't come out. We pause to remember the police officers and rescue 
workers who hurried to the scene, combed through the debris, and 
shepherded New Yorkers to safety. Some of them gave their lives that 
day. We pause to remember the bravery of the members of our Nation's 
Armed Forces, our intelligence community, and Foreign Service, as well 
as the sacrifices of their families. They have borne the burdens of war 
for more than a decade. They have given their blood, sweat, and too 
often their lives in the effort to crush al-Qaida, bring Osama bin 
Laden to justice, and keep America safe. We pause to remember the 
unbreakable spirit of those valiant people and certainly the United 
States of America.


                   Recognition of the Minority Leader

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Republican leader is 
recognized.


                            9/11 Remembrance

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, in the course of a lifetime, one always 
remembers those moments of national grief and anxiety. They don't 
happen very often. From my parents' generation, it was: Where were you 
when you heard about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? When I was a 
young man and my friend the majority leader was a young man, it was: 
Where were you when you heard about the assassination of President 
Kennedy? For the current generation, it was, of course: Where were you 
when you heard about 9/11?
  As the majority leader has indicated, it was for us here at the 
Capitol kind of close up and personal, if you will. I recall being late 
that morning, and as a result of not yet having gotten to work, I saw, 
as millions of Americans did, the second plane go into the second 
building in real time. As the majority leader has indicated, the 
building was subsequently evacuated. People scattered around town, and 
at the end of this horrendous and frightening day, we all gathered on 
the steps of the Capitol to sing ``God Bless America.'' It was one of 
the most uplifting and unifying moments in the history of our country. 
I think it is safe to say that we are, as a nation, even though we have 
our political differences, together and stronger in the wake of what 
happened.
  In what is now a time-honored tradition, later this morning we will 
gather on the Capitol steps to mark a solemn anniversary of the 9/11 
attacks. It is fitting that we remember the thousands of innocent men 
and women who died that morning 11 years ago and that despite our 
political differences, we remember the unity and resolve we all felt 
that day. In the days and weeks that followed the horrific attacks on 
our homeland, we were united by a common grief and outrage. Some 
wondered what the future would bring, but 11 years later I think I can 
say that America is stronger than it was on 9/11.
  Today we honor the sacrifice of those who died that day and the 
millions who have stepped forward to defend the Nation in the Armed 
Forces and intelligence services in the years since, especially those 
who have given their lives in that service. On 9/11 we showed the world 
that America does not shrink from a challenge, and every day since 
courageous men and women have humbled us through their courage and 
sacrifice on our behalf. Today is the day to show them our deep 
gratitude and to renew our commitment to live lives worthy of their 
sacrifice.


                       Reservation of Leader Time

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 
leadership time is reserved.


                            Morning Business

  Under the previous order, the next hour will be equally divided and 
controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with the 
majority controlling the first half.
  The Senator from Illinois.


                            Remembering 9/11

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, it is difficult to come to the floor of 
the Senate on this anniversary of 9/11 and not reflect on your own 
experience. I was in the same room as the majority leader, Harry Reid, 
just a few steps from the Senate Chamber when we witnessed the second 
plane on television crashing into the World Trade Center and realized 
it was no accident, and then the black smoke billowing over the Mall 
from the Pentagon suggested we were under attack.
  As we evacuated this building and rushed outside, standing, the crowd 
around, not knowing which way to turn, was looking for a safe place to 
go. No one knew. Some tourists came up to me and said: We are new here. 
Where are we supposed to go next? There was no place to tell them to 
go. We knew Union Station was nearby and the Metro station not far 
away, but there was no other place to turn.

  I might add parenthetically that the decision was made shortly 
thereafter to build the Visitor Center. It took us years to do it. It 
is an underground facility which is safe and I am glad we have it. It 
has been used every single day and is an important addition to the 
Capitol.
  President George W. Bush faced that extraordinary challenge as 
Commander in Chief and President of the United States to deal with 9/
11. There were some aspects of his response which I may have disagreed 
with, but I certainly commend him still for his leadership in that 
anxious moment after the tragedy of 9/11. I especially wish to thank 
him and commend him for reminding us time and time again when he was 
President that our enemies are not the people of the Islamic religion 
nor those of the Sikh religion; our enemies are those who corrupt 
religion in the name of terrorism.
  Many people of the Muslim faith in America--good, patriotic 
Americans--face discrimination simply because those who were 
perpetrators of 9/11 claim to have shared that religion. It is a good 
day to be reminded of the thoughtful leadership of George W. Bush in 
telling us our enemy is not Islam; our enemies are those who corrupt 
the religion in the name of terrorism.
  I also received a note over August from two friends of mine who live 
in New Bern, NC, Ed and Beth Edmundson. I met them several years ago in 
Chicago when their son Eric, who is a veteran of the U.S. Army and 
served in Iraq, was hospitalized in that city. What a story. Eric 
Edmundson had been serving our country and was injured. During the 
course of his injuries and subsequent treatment, he became 
quadriplegic. After months and months of effort, the Veterans' 
Administration basically told his family there was no place to turn. 
They said to his father: You are going to have to buy him a wheelchair 
and find a place for him in a nursing home facility. Eric was a young 
man, obviously, and married with a little baby at home. His dad and mom 
showed the kind of courage and love which touches our hearts.

[[Page S6077]]

  Ed Edmundson said: My son, in his twenties, is not going into a 
nursing home. I will not let it happen. I am going to find a place that 
will treat him.
  He ended up finding on his own the Rehabilitation Institute of 
Chicago, which is one of the best hospitals in the world. Eric was a 
patient there, going through rehabilitation from his injuries he 
suffered in Iraq. That is when I met his parents. They invited me to 
come see him. I did, and I promised I would return. I did a few weeks 
later just to visit, and they said: Eric has a gift for you. Eric, who 
would smile but didn't speak, was sitting in his wheelchair. His father 
and mother came over to his side, each grabbed an elbow, stood him up, 
and Eric took three steps. It was an amazing, emotional moment without 
a dry eye in that hospital room. They put him back in his wheelchair 
and his dad said: My son is going to walk out of this hospital in his 
full dress uniform. He said: Can you make it? We would like to have you 
there. I said: I wouldn't miss it. Many of us were there. The mayor of 
the city of Chicago, many elected officials, and all the news cameras 
were there to watch this heroic young man walk out of the Rehab 
Institute of Chicago--just a few steps--but in his full dress uniform 
with a smile on his face. He went home to New Bern, NC. His father 
literally left his business, the father and mother moved in with Eric, 
his wife, and baby and tried to make a life for him. The wonderful 
organizations and people in that community built a home that was 
wheelchair accessible for the whole family. I went to visit him there 
in North Carolina. They were taking Eric hunting. He was involved in 
many things in rehabilitation. They sent a card, a family card with 
pictures of all of them, and it is a joy to see it.
  One of the last things Eric's father asked me to do was to look at a 
piece of legislation Hillary Clinton introduced but was not passed. It 
was called the Caregivers Act. The Caregivers Act said if a disabled 
veteran comes home and has the loving care of a member of the family 
and can stay home, we should try to help that member of the family by 
providing them with the training they need to take care of their 
disabled vet at home, give them a respite with visiting nurses or 
people from the VA so they can have some time to themselves, and if 
there is an economic hardship on the family, give them a monthly 
stipend so they can continue in their home.
  I called Senator Clinton and asked her if I could take up the bill 
now that she was off to the State Department. She said: Please do. I 
did. Thanks to the great support of Senator Danny Akaka and Senator Pat 
Murray, we passed it. The Caregivers Act is now helping literally 
hundreds of family caregivers across the United States care for their 
disabled veteran at home. It is helping the Edmundson family and other 
families I have met in Illinois.
  I tell that story because when we talk of the real cost of 9/11, it 
is not only the massive tragedy of the lives that were lost on that day 
and the families affected by those lives and those wonderful first 
responders who risked and gave their lives, but it is also the lives of 
the men and women in uniform who served us well, many of whom are 
carrying the scars of war for the rest of their lives--a lifetime--who 
still will always need our commitment and further devotion to make sure 
they are taken care of. The Edmundson family in North Carolina comes to 
mind immediately and so many others just like them as a reminder of 
what we need to do, the obligations we have as a government to the 
people who have served us so well in the military.
  We have a bill that is coming up and I hope we can, in that same 
spirit, consider it on a bipartisan basis and pass it. It is an effort 
to give returning veterans a better chance to get a job. It is a 
disappointment--more than that, it is a disgrace--that many of these 
veterans come home and find themselves unemployed and sometimes even 
homeless. This Veterans Job Corps Act, which is coming before the 
Senate this afternoon, should pass with an overwhelming vote. This bill 
is fully paid for, and it is a bill Senator Murray has brought to the 
floor along with the leadership of Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, who 
has been especially dedicated to this proposal.
  President Obama first mentioned it in his State of the Union Address. 
It includes several veterans employment initiatives such as the 
improved one-stop shop centers for job searching and smoother State 
certification and licensing. It authorizes $1 billion for the Veterans 
Job Corps over 5 years and $900 million to employ 20,000 veterans in 
conservation resource management, historic preservation projects and 
public lands, and $100 million for COPS and SAFER grants to hire 
veterans to serve in capacities as police and firemen. Iraq and 
Afghanistan veterans are given preference for all these positions.

  The bill creates a pilot program to improve veteran job searches by 
providing veterans with access to the Internet and computers to assist 
them. It also provides military transition assistance programs to 
eligible veterans and their spouses at sites outside military 
installations to make it easier to find a job. Rather than the current 
uneven State-by-State approach, the bill requires all States, as a 
condition for receiving veteran employment and training funding, to 
consider military training and experience when granting State 
certifications and licensing.
  How many times have we heard about this? I sure have. Someone who 
served in the military, driven vehicles, been involved in some 
technical capacity, and then they come out and have to start from 
scratch, all over again, in each of our States to qualify for 
certification for a good-paying job. Let's take into account that they 
have been trained by the best military in the world and give them 
credit for the experience and training they have in the military and 
this bill does that.
  Also, the VA will ensure each State receives funding for at least one 
disabled veterans outreach program specialist and one local veterans 
unemployment representative for every 5,000 square miles. That is not 
too much. It is too little, frankly, but it is an important start.
  This bill is paid for and it is a good bill. I hope we can pass it 
this afternoon in the spirit of 9/11, remembering, sadly, the victims 
who lost their lives that day and the first responders who gave 
everything they could give to try to save them; but also remembering 
those men and women, many of whom were inspired by 9/11 to enlist in 
our military, to risk their lives--and many gave their lives--over 
6,500 to date. It is a reminder that we have an ongoing moral 
obligation to stand behind those veterans.
  I might also add there is a lot of talk about the deficit and cutting 
spending, and I know that has to happen. I was on the Simpson-Bowles 
Commission and I understood that if we are going to bring our deficit 
under control, we have to cut spending, look to real entitlement 
reform, and raise revenue. If we don't do all three, then, frankly, we 
will not achieve our goal.
  We have seen a budget proposed by the House Republican budget leader, 
Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the Republican nominee for Vice 
President, which, unfortunately, does not reach that goal because he 
preserves tax cuts for the highest income people in this country 
instead of asking for some sacrifice, some effort that they pay their 
fair share. He extends spending in the Department of Defense at beyond 
wartime levels, despite the fact that President Obama has successfully 
brought the war in Iraq to a close and is doing the same in 
Afghanistan. We can't do those two things and reach real deficit 
reduction in a meaningful way and in a timely way. Unfortunately, 
Congressman Ryan's budget does not pass the basic test of arithmetic.
  When we consider important spending such as this veterans job corps 
bill, I hope we find ways to pay for them to offset, and that when we 
talk about deficit reduction, we never do it at the expense of our 
veterans and we never do it at the expense of our national security. I 
hope we do it honestly, acknowledging the fact that when it comes to 
the Pentagon, there are areas where we can save money and not 
compromise our security in any way whatsoever.
  I thank the Presiding Officer for presiding at this historic moment. 
I will mention that at 11 o'clock the House and Senate Democrats and 
Republicans will gather on the east front for the commemoration of the 
9/11 anniversary. We will be in session on the floor. I will be here 
asking for a moment of

[[Page S6078]]

silence as they will at the same time outside.
  It is a somber day in Washington as we recall this great national 
tragedy, but it is a day of great hope because we saw how America 
responded on a bipartisan basis and the great people who stepped 
forward and showed such extraordinary acts of courage since that day.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


                       Wind Production Tax Credit

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I return to the Senate floor to 
pick up where I left off when Congress adjourned 1 month ago and that 
is to continue with my daily efforts to urge this Congress, our 
Congress, the House and the Senate, to extend the wind production tax 
credit. I rise before the Senate to discuss an industry that has 
created tens of thousands of good-paying jobs for American workers and 
has contributed billions of dollars--literally billions of dollars--to 
our economy.
  I think the Presiding Officer knows this, and all our colleagues 
should know this: This is an industry that will be in grave trouble if 
we in the Congress don't act soon--I actually mean immediately--to 
extend the wind production tax credit.
  We return this week to Congress in the wake of really sobering news 
about recent layoffs of American workers in our wind industry, largely 
due to our congressional inaction on the wind production tax credit.
  I want to be very clear: The wind industry has already begun firing 
American workers because we have failed to extend the wind production 
tax credit. It is that simple. You ask: Why? Well, the PTC has been a 
driver of the wind industry's enormous expansion in the United States, 
as well as the growing investment in American workers that we have seen 
in the last several years. This critical tax credit expires at the end 
of the year, and if we do not vote to extend it, manufacturing 
facilities may shut down, thousands more Americans will lose their 
jobs, and the negative economic ripple effect--this is not a positive 
ripple effect; this is a negative ripple effect--will be felt in 
communities all across our Nation.
  Now, let me be clear in a further way. It has already happened; this 
is not conjecture. In my home State of Colorado, workers who had good-
paying jobs in the wind industry just a month ago when I stood here no 
longer do. That is right. Over 100 Coloradans were let go of their jobs 
in the Colorado wind industry just in the last month. There are more 
job losses projected to follow. That is sobering to all of us.
  On a more upbeat note, I come to the floor to talk about the 
production tax credit, and each time I have come to the floor I focus 
on a particular State because there is good news all across our country 
when it comes to wind energy. Today I want to focus on Vermont where 
the wind industry has grown faster than in many larger States. As a 
matter of fact, Vermont has the second highest rate of new wind 
installations of any State in 2011, growing over 650 percent. That is 
right, 650 percent growth in Vermont.
  Vermont has numerous installed wind projects and wind manufacturing 
sites throughout the State that currently power over 11,000 homes and 
enough wind power potential to provide 160 percent of the State's 
current electricity needs.
  One of America's leading wind energy production companies is NRG 
Systems, which is based in Chittenden County, which is up in the 
northwestern corner of Vermont. For 30 years, NRG Systems has been a 
fixture in Vermont's energy and technology industry, and it serves the 
wind industry in particular by providing developers, utilities, and 
turbine manufacturers with the tools they need to measure the wind. But 
with the looming end of the PTC, NRG's future growth in Vermont is 
uncertain.
  This is very clear because for the first time in their history, NRG 
has had to lay off workers in Vermont, not once but twice this year. 
Their very capable CEO, Jan Blittersdorf, described these firings as 
``deeply unfortunate, though necessary . . . to preserve our future in 
the face of a deeply unstable wind-energy industry.''
  NRG's orders are off 50 percent from just a few years ago because of 
our inaction. The uncertainty about wind energy's future has encouraged 
them to look overseas for new opportunities, which then means we hasten 
the departure of good-paying jobs for skilled American workers who 
already are ready to go.
  So the point I am trying to make--and I see my colleague from Vermont 
has joined me; I look forward to hearing his remarks--the wind industry 
needs certainty. NRG is an example of a company that needs certainty. 
We can lead the world in sustainable, smart energy, but we have to 
extend the PTC to stay on track.
  As I have said for all these weeks I have been coming to the floor, 
this is not just about my home State of Colorado. I love my State of 
Colorado. I think we are the best State in the Union. But our country 
at large is threatened by the broad losses of jobs if we do not extend 
the production tax credit.
  I am not going to stand by idly and observe the outsourcing of 
American jobs. I do not want to cede the leadership in the clean energy 
future to any of our foreign competitors. That is why I keep coming 
back day after day to urge my colleagues to work with me to pass the 
production tax credit.
  It is pretty simple. The production tax credit equals jobs. We ought 
to pass it as soon as possible. It is common sense. We have support 
from both sides of the aisle.
  I mentioned my great friend, Senator Sanders. He has joined me. I 
also want to mention the esteemed chairman of the Judiciary Committee, 
the senior Senator from Vermont, Senator Sanders' colleague, was unable 
to join us this morning, but he is a strong supporter of the PTC, and 
he will be making a statement as well.
  So let me close by urging all of us, as soon as possible, to extend 
the wind production tax credit. Let's not let party affiliation or 
partisan politics interfere with what is right. Without the wind PTC, 
more Americans will be out of work, and we will have further neglected 
our duty to pass commonsense policies that help American workers build 
a better future for themselves and their families. Every day we do not 
act is a day that more companies like NRG Systems in Vermont are forced 
to lay off workers in our country. These companies are then looking 
overseas for better opportunities. That is just flat-out unacceptable.
  Mr. President, I conclude. I want my colleagues to know I will be 
back on the floor tomorrow to talk further about this opportunity but 
also this threat. I will be back to talk about jobs, our economy, the 
need for America to lead in the clean energy space, and the need for 
Congress to take action today.
  I thank the ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore for his attention.
  Again, I want to acknowledge the great leadership of my friend from 
Vermont. I look forward to hearing his remarks on this important 
production tax credit.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Vermont.
  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, let me begin by thanking Senator Mark 
Udall for his continued focus on ensuring that Congress extends the 
production tax credit. Senator Udall has been down on the Senate floor 
time after time after time on this important issue, and we all owe him 
a deep debt of gratitude. I thank the Senator very much.
  I also want to thank him for his very kind words about the NRG 
company. We hope when the Senator visits us in Vermont, he will see it. 
They are a cutting-edge company. They are an extraordinary company, and 
we are very proud of the work they have done and are doing, and we are 
cognizant of the problems they are facing today, the layoffs they have 
had to experience because Congress has not passed the production tax 
credit.
  Mr. President, as you know, this important incentive, the production 
tax

[[Page S6079]]

credit, moves us forward in a direction that we must go in terms of 
producing safe, sustainable energy by providing a 2.2-cent-per-
kilowatt-hour incentive for wind energy produced.
  Let's be very clear--and I think a lot of people, perhaps, in 
Congress and certainly all over the country do not fully grasp this. I 
think some people still think wind is some kind of cute fringe 
technology which is not very significant in the United States of 
America. So let's be very clear: Wind accounts for 35 percent of all 
new electric-generating capacity installed in our country over the last 
5 years, more new electricity capacity during that time than nuclear 
and coal combined. Let me repeat that. Wind accounts for 35 percent of 
all new electric-generating capacity installed in our country over the 
last 5 years. This is not some untested fringe technology; it is 
mainstream.
  Wind today is producing electricity at very competitive rates. 
According to the Department of Energy, wind is producing electricity 
from between 4 to 7 cents per kilowatt hour. That happens to be far 
cheaper than electricity produced by new nuclear plants. Today the 
United States has over 48,000 megawatts of wind, and Texas alone has 
over 10,000 megawatts. Iowa and South Dakota have achieved the 
milestone of getting 20 percent or more of their electricity from wind. 
Once again, this is not a fringe technology. This is a technology that 
is growing and is cost effective.
  In my State of Vermont, we are home to leading wind companies such as 
Northern Power in Barre and NRG Systems in Hinesburg. These companies 
sell wind energy products globally and create good-paying jobs in the 
State of Vermont. The wind industry supports over 470 manufacturing 
plants nationally and some 78,000 jobs from one end of our country to 
the other.
  If Congress fails to act on the wind tax credit, we could see a 
hemorrhaging of some 37,000 wind energy jobs in the next year. We have 
already seen wind job losses in Vermont due in part to the uncertainty. 
If one opposes the production tax credit, this is what they are saying 
to construction workers who want to build wind farms next year: Sorry; 
you are out of work. In the middle of this severe recession, we should 
not be saying that.
  Those opposing the wind credit say Congress should ``not pick winners 
and losers.'' Unfortunately, for many decades, for better or for worse, 
Congress has picked winners and losers. That is just the simple 
reality. One big winner is the fossil fuel industry, which is set to 
receive over $113 billion in subsidies over the next 10 years. So when 
folks come to the floor and say: We do not want to pick winners and 
losers, we do not want to give tax breaks and tax credits for wind or 
solar, the truth is that in a 10-year period, the fossil fuel industry 
will receive over $113 billion in subsidies.
  These subsidies include rather incredible loopholes, such as allowing 
BP to take a tax writeoff for the cost of cleaning up their disastrous 
oilspill in the gulf. Many of these tax subsidies for Big Oil and coal 
corporations never phase out and never expire.
  Another big winner in terms of support from the Federal Government is 
the nuclear power industry. They get tens of billions of dollars in 
Federal research and development. They get risky multibillion-dollar 
Federal loan guarantees for new plants, and they get the Federal Price-
Anderson liability insurance program, which has been conveniently 
extended for over a half a century.
  I raise these points to suggest that what we are asking for is fairly 
modest compared to what the fossil fuel industry and the nuclear power 
industry receive. It is absurd that Congress continues huge subsidies 
for the fossil fuel industry, for the nuclear power industry, and yet 
is resisting providing support for safe and sustainable energy such as 
wind.
  If we are serious about job creation and putting construction workers 
back to work, if we are serious about reversing global warming and 
cutting back on greenhouse gas emissions, we must be investing in the 
growing sustainable energy sector. At a modest cost compared to the 
huge subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear, an extension of the 
production tax credit can provide wind energy companies the certainty 
they need to invest in job creation in America.
  I wish to congratulate Senator Udall for his excellent work and his 
leadership on this issue. I look forward to working with him and all of 
my colleagues so that we extend the production tax credit and create a 
more level playing field for sustainable energy.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Indiana.


                             Cyber Security

  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, 11 years ago this morning, September 11, 
2001, nearly 3,000 of our citizens lost their lives in a senseless act 
of terrorism that would change the course of America forever. That 
fateful Tuesday morning changed the way we think about life in America. 
It changed the way we travel. It changed the way we govern. It changed 
all of our lives, with some, of course, sacrificing much more than 
others.
  From the first responders who ran into the crumbling buildings and 
wreckage 11 years ago today to the Navy Seals who brought bin Laden to 
justice, to the thousands of men and women in uniform who continue to 
defend our freedom, countless Americans and their loved ones have 
served and sacrificed in the fight against terrorism for now more than 
a decade.
  The tragic events of September 11 have also resulted in a more 
vigilant Nation and a more prepared and proactive defense and security 
operation for the American people. The attack highlighted several 
vulnerabilities across State and Federal Government that had been 
ignored for too long, and many of those have been addressed and 
remedied.
  In the aftermath of this tragedy, Congress put aside political 
partisanship and worked together with the administration and its 
departments to strengthen our national security and intelligence 
efforts. Yet today we face another major potential attack on our 
country different from those we faced before, but just as dangerous and 
threatening.
  It is not a hijacked plane or a bomb, although that remains a 
significant threat, but it is rather a cyber attack, an attack using 
the interconnected Internet that governs some of our most critical 
infrastructure. This type of an attack comes across the wire or through 
the air targeting a system and taking it down, which would have a 
dramatic impact on our country.
  As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I know that the 
threat of a cyber attack is real and far reaching. A major attack on 
our cyber systems could shut down our critical infrastructure, our 
financial systems, our communications systems, our electric grids, 
powerplants, water treatment centers, transportation systems, 
refineries, and other interconnected critical infrastructure that 
allows us to run our economy and protect the safety of Americans.
  Every day American businesses are victims of cyber intrusions. The 
threat and sophistication of these attacks is growing as we speak. 
Earlier this year FBI Director Robert Mueller warned that, in the near 
future, ``the cyber threat will pose the number one threat to our 
country.''
  The reason I came here today, in addition to acknowledging the 
sacrifices of those that were made on September 11 and the sacrifices 
that have been made by tens of thousands if not millions of Americans 
since then and the kind of effort that has been put in place that will 
hopefully prevent us from such an attack in the future, is to address a 
failure on the part of this Congress and administration to respond to 
this most imminent and threatening attack through our cyber network.
  The week before the August recess, particularly in an election year, 
will, of course, be filled with partisanship here in Washington. But we 
hit a low point this year in adjourning for the August recess as we 
rushed to vote to consider a cyber bill, which did not convey the 
wishes of any of us who had worked for weeks and months to try to put 
something together that could gain bipartisanship and consensus.
  I voted to move forward with the bill, despite my concerns with the 
legislation, so we could keep it alive over the August recess and 
return here with this session reopening in September to address this 
threat. With precious few weeks left before the election and the 
precious few weeks left after the election and before the end of the 
year, I

[[Page S6080]]

did not believe we could possibly leave here without putting the 
protections in place that are necessary to provide adequate defenses 
against a cyber attack on our critical infrastructure.
  One-fifth of the Senate, both Republicans and Democrats, met every 
day for weeks to iron out our differences on this cyber security 
legislation. We recognized that our national security was at stake. And 
despite some genuine disagreements, we all participated because we 
thought we could find--and had to find--common ground; not just common 
ground among the two political parties, but common ground between 
industry and government as well.
  Industry plays a critical role in this effort. With the active 
participation of 20 Senators representing both parties and key 
committees of jurisdiction, we came close. Unfortunately, politics 
threw a wrench in our plans before a negotiated settlement was reached. 
I remain hopeful, though, and I plan to keep working with my colleagues 
to find the right balance between government and industry, standards 
and incentives, free markets and national security.
  I was frustrated to discover that after sitting on the sidelines 
rather than working with Congress on this critical debate, the 
President had signaled his desire to regulate cyber security by 
executive fiat. No one can do this alone--not one party, not 
government, or industry, and certainly not by executive order, which on 
its best day cannot begin to provide the robust incentives and 
information sharing required to achieve sufficient collaboration.
  Congress must act to add cyber to its to-do list. I recognize that 
Congress and this administration have a long list of remaining items to 
address before the end of the year: the Defense authorization bill, the 
looming so-called Taxmageddon, which includes the scheduled increase in 
the current income tax rates, the alternative minimum tax patch, the 
estate tax, the research and development tax credit, other tax 
extenders, the fix for physician Medicare reimbursement, the impact of 
the across-the-board cuts through sequestration, and another impending 
debt ceiling. All of this is before us with just a little bit of time 
left. But what needs to be near the top or at the top of this list is 
cyber security legislation that provides flexibility, preserves 
personal liberties, and protects our country from a widespread cyber 
attack. Let's learn from the lessons of September 11 and not wait for a 
major strike before we act.
  Let's work together, Democrats and Republicans, Congress and the 
White House, government and the private sector, to make our country a 
safer, more prosperous place. I urge my colleagues to continue to work 
in a bipartisan manner to bring forward a responsible and balanced 
cyber security bill. The responsibility falls on all of us. We know 
this threat is ongoing and real. We know we need to act. And rather 
than acting alone, I call on the President to join with the Members of 
this Chamber and work together to do the right thing, to cast aside 
partisanship and put the security of our country above political 
security.
  There is a lot of focus and emphasis on the election that lies before 
us. That is natural. But when we are facing a threat as imminent and as 
potential and as real as this, we must do everything we can to 
transcend the politics of the day, and to look at the policy that needs 
to be put in place to make our country safer and protect our citizens.
  I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Manchin.) The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


Moment of Silence to Observe the Eleventh Anniversary of the Attacks on 
                          September, 11, 2001

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
observe a moment of silence in recognition of the 11th anniversary of 
the attacks on September 11, 2001.
  (Moment of silence.)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, at this moment, the majority leader, 
Senator Harry Reid, and the Republican leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, 
are gathered on the east front steps of the U.S. Capitol along with 
Members of the House of Representatives. It is a bipartisan gathering 
to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the terrible tragedy of 9/11.
  On that date the gathering was more spontaneous but reflected a 
feeling of unity, which all of us felt in light of that national 
tragedy. Toward the end of that gathering 11 years ago, Senator Barbara 
Mikulski suggested that Members sing ``God Bless America,'' and they 
did. Today, during the course of this ceremony, there will be a moment 
of silence, prayer, as well as the singing of ``God Bless America'' to 
celebrate the great effort that has been made by so many to keep 
America safe and to mourn the loss of those who lost their lives on 9/
11.
  We remember today all of those who were lost and all those who 
suffered in the terrorist attacks on America. In their honor may we 
work to keep alive that sense of unity we felt on that day, and may we 
do our best to serve the loved ones they left and the Nation they 
loved.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HELLER. I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning 
business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, today we come together on the floor of the 
Senate to remember and honor the victims of September 11, 2001.
  Only 11 short years ago on this day, enemies of freedom and equality 
attacked the United States and murdered thousands of innocent people. 
From this attack, our Nation grew stronger. United by our flag and our 
beliefs, America rose to defend the homeland and take the battle to our 
enemies. And it has not been easy. No, it has been a long 11 years of 
combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  But our military and its leaders have brought the mastermind of the 
9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden, to justice. And for a decade, America 
has been safe from the next round of attacks that we all thought were 
imminent 11 years ago.
  None of this could have been accomplished without the brave men and 
women of our Armed Forces.
  On 9/11, the mission of our military changed overnight. Those already 
enlisted knew they would be heading for war, and many more joined our 
military knowing that they too would be headed for combat.
  From the events of 9/11, the best of America was reborn. A new 
generation of Americans dedicated to service and preservation of 
freedom was called to action because of 9/11. These Americans were 
among the first on the ground in foreign countries. They toppled a 
dictator, liberated a nation of women and children from an oppressive 
regime, and brought to justice Osama bin Laden.
  Today our overseas operations fighting the war on terror continue. 
But for many of these soldiers, their tour of duty is over and they are 
coming home. They are coming home to family and friends and those who 
love them, but also to a stagnant economy and record high unemployment.
  Today, unemployment amongst post-9/11 veterans is 9.8 percent; 
192,000 post-9/11 veterans are unemployed, and 443,000 9/11 veterans 
are not even participating in the labor force. The policy of this 
Nation to grow the economy is failing these brave men and women who 
have fought to protect our freedoms--including economic freedoms.
  This week the Senate will take up a bill that will provide $1 billion 
over 5 years to hire 20,000 veterans. I am proud to support this 
measure and hope we will have the opportunity to debate it and other 
job-creating measures before we return home at the end of this work 
period.
  Since coming to the Senate, job creation has been my No. 1 priority. 
I will

[[Page S6081]]

support taking up and debating any measure relating to this issue, 
especially those that affect veterans. That is why I was proud to reach 
across bipartisan lines to work to pass the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, and 
know there is more work to be done. However, it is stunning that we are 
at this point.
  After a $1 trillion stimulus, bailout after bailout, a new 
government-run health care program that will raise taxes on all 
Americans, it is time to look our veterans in the eyes and ask: Is this 
working? Are this administration's policies working for thousands of 
unemployed Nevada veterans who have come back from their service to 
find their homes underwater and their jobs lost in this great 
recession?
  It is not working. The bill we are taking up this week is an 
acknowledgement that the policies of the past 4 years have not worked. 
As a result of the failed policies of this administration, Nevada 
veterans cannot find a job.
  Our veterans deserve better. They deserve a good-paying job. That is 
why I will support this measure that we will hopefully take up this 
afternoon. But I also know there is much more we can do to provide 
veterans the opportunities they deserve. In addition to supporting 
cloture on the motion to proceed to this bill, I will also be filing my 
Veterans Small Business Protection Act as an amendment. I introduced 
this legislation, along with Ranking Member Burr of the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee, to ensure that widows and dependents of 
servicemembers killed in action are not alone to run a small business 
while grieving over the loss of a loved one.
  Congress has provided numerous benefits to our Nation's veterans who 
own a small business--sole-source contracting, low-interest loans, and 
other resources, in order to help these small businesses grow and to 
create jobs. My legislation closes a large gap in Federal law that does 
little for those who owned businesses before their activation and were 
killed in the line of duty. As a Member of Congress, we must honor our 
Nation's fallen as well as ensure that the loved ones they leave behind 
have the same economic opportunities as afforded to that veteran. It is 
a small token that we can provide to those who gave the ultimate 
sacrifice for liberty.
  I hope we will have the opportunity to offer amendments this week as 
we debate the veterans job corps legislation and encourage my 
colleagues to support my veterans small business bill.
  In closing, our Nation owes a debt of gratitude to our Nation's 
veterans, and Congress must fulfill the promises and commitments that 
have been made to all of them. This week the Senate will continue to 
work toward providing veterans with a good-paying job, and I support 
that goal. But if we are going to help small businesses create jobs for 
veterans and all Americans, we must change the policies coming from 
Washington, DC, because it is not working.
  I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Tester). The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I want to go ahead on this 
Veterans Jobs Corps bill. I had anticipated I would be speaking after 
the chairman of the committee, Senator Murray, but I will take the 
liberty of going ahead, and then with her comments coming as the 
chairman of the committee, which normally it would be the reverse. And 
I thank Senator Murray for her leadership in all of these veterans 
issues, but particularly the issue of unemployment among veterans when 
they come home from the war. Especially among veterans who are age 24 
and less, the unemployment figure is even higher.
  It is appropriate on this particular day, September 11--11 years ago 
today--with the fact that those terrorists hijacked the four commercial 
airlines, causing the crashes at the World Trade Center, at the 
Pentagon, and in a field in Pennsylvania. What was happening also that 
morning was that police officers and firefighters and emergency 
personnel rushed to respond, and many lost their lives in attempts to 
save others.
  The events of that morning mobilized American forces like we had not 
seen in years. One of the first mobilizations was our U.S. military. 
They were called to serve bravely in remote corners of the globe.
  Eleven years later, the mastermind of 9/11, Osama bin Laden, was 
taken down, we now have an al-Qaida that is severely diminished, and we 
are bringing our troops home from that part of the world.
  But for the troops, when they come home, the fight is not over. There 
is another fight when they get back home to America. It is a different 
type of battle.
  The unemployment rate among veterans returning from Iraq and 
Afghanistan was just under 11 percent in August. It is higher for those 
who are younger. This problem is likely to continue to grow as we draw 
down in Afghanistan, as we have already drawn down in Iraq.
  It is worth noting that there have been steps made in the right 
direction. This past summer we passed legislation that will help 
veterans get Federal occupational licenses when their military training 
matches the civilian requirements. That was a bill I had the privilege 
of sponsoring. It passed the Senate unanimously. It was passed by the 
House overwhelmingly. It was sent down and it was signed into law. Last 
year we passed the bill granting tax benefits to companies that hire 
wounded warriors. But we have to do more.
  So we filed this legislation that the chairman of the committee, 
Senator Murray, will further explain. This legislation is to create a 
Veterans Jobs Corps. It is modeled after the Civilian Conservation 
Corps of the 1930s. The Veterans Jobs Corps would put veterans back to 
work restoring and protecting America's public lands and waters. The 
bill would also create opportunities for veterans to serve as police 
and firefighters and first responders.
  We have had some success on this with smaller scale projects, such as 
the Veterans Fire Corps pilot program at the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, which trains veterans to fight forest fires. In fact, it 
has been so successful that folks who run these programs say they can 
hardly keep trainees in the program because they are picked up for 
full-time employment so fast. So we are expanding this idea from this 
pilot study that has been so successful. We are expanding it now in the 
Veterans Jobs Corps.
  Ten percent of the money in this bill will go to hiring veterans with 
specialties, such as those with the specialty of military police going 
into civilian law enforcement and those with the specialty of medics to 
be firefighters and first responders.
  Not only will this bill help protect our communities, but the 
Veterans Jobs Corps will help address the Federal maintenance backlog. 
The National Park Service has deferred maintenance totaling over $11 
billion. This backlog has been caused by the gradual shifting of 
funding to the operations budgets of the Park Service at the expense of 
everything else.
  For example, at the Civil War battlefield in Fredericksburg, VA, a 
$42 million backlog in maintenance is preventing the upkeep of that 
vital piece of American history.
  I am happy to say that a number of organizations have stepped forward 
to support this bill. The American Legion, the Military Officers 
Association of America, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, 
and the National Association of Police Organizations--all of them 
support this legislation.
  One of the greatest honors I have in this job as Senator is getting 
out to meet and to greet current members of our military all over the 
globe and to thank the veterans back here at home for their service to 
our country.
  When you meet some of these folks, both young and old, they have 
already done the tough, tough job, and then they come home and they 
have tough times as well. These folks are hard working, they are highly 
trained, highly disciplined, extremely skilled. We need to give them as 
many opportunities as possible to succeed when they get back home here 
in America.
  It is up to us to stand by our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, 
and coast

[[Page S6082]]

guardsmen. I want to urge the Senate, when we vote today at 2:15, to 
grant the motion for cloture so we can take up this bill and quickly 
pass it so those who have fought bravely for our Nation can find 
employment when they come home.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, we just heard the Senator from Florida 
talk about the very important piece of legislation that is in front of 
us. I wish to thank him for being the lead on this and all the work he 
has put in it and the passion he has had to make sure our veterans in 
this Nation have what they need when they come home from these wars.
  Last Friday we were again reminded of the difficult employment 
picture our Nation's veterans continue to face. In the monthly 
unemployment rate for August, we saw across the country there were 
720,000 unemployed veterans. It is a number that includes over 225,000 
post-9/11 veterans, many of them who have served multiple tours in Iraq 
and Afghanistan and have sacrificed time and again for our safety.
  This should not be the case. Our veterans have what it takes to not 
only go out and find work but to excel in the workforce of the 21st 
century. In fact, the characteristics that our veterans have and 
exemplify read like the job qualifications you might find at any major 
company or small business, and that is because they have leadership 
ability, discipline, technical skills, team work, and the ability to 
perform under pressure--no question.
  They have those skills because as a country we have invested in 
training them. We cannot and should not let that training or the 
millions of dollars we have invested in these men and women go to 
waste. In far too many instances, however, that is what is happening. 
Too often on the day our servicemembers are discharged, we as a nation 
pat them on the back, thank them for their service, but we do not give 
them a helping hand in the job market. That has to end.
  The Senate has taken bipartisan action in the past to begin to change 
the way our veterans do transition from the battlefield to the job 
market. We were able to pass the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, which I 
coauthored. That was signed into law last year. Importantly, that law 
transforms the way we provide transition training to our servicemembers 
when they leave the military. It includes a provision that in my home 
State and across the country is providing thousands of dollars in tax 
credits to businesses to hire our vets.
  In addition to that bill, we have also worked to build partnerships 
with the private sector in order to tap into the tremendous amount of 
good will that our companies have for our returning heroes. Sometimes 
this is as simple as working with a company to show them the easy steps 
that can help bring veterans on board, such as ensuring that they are 
advertising their job openings with local veterans service 
organizations and on their local military bases or having veterans in 
their own H.R. department with whom veterans can identify when they 
apply for work or having someone on staff who can help translate the 
experience of veterans into the work that company does.
  Time and again, big companies such as Amazon and Microsoft or a lot 
of smaller businesses I have seen tell me these steps make an impact. 
But beyond those steps, it is very clear more needs to be done, 
particularly when the unemployment rate among young veterans who are 
ages 18 to 24 continues to hover around 20 percent. Action has to be 
taken because 20 percent is one in five of our veterans who cannot find 
a job to support their family; one in five of them who does not have an 
income to provide stability; one in five of them who does not have the 
work to provide them with the self-esteem and pride that is so critical 
to their transition home.
  This a problem that manifests itself in homelessness, in broken 
families, and far too often in our veterans taking their own lives. It 
is a problem that neither the veterans themselves nor government alone 
can solve. But it is also one that we have to do everything we can to 
address.
  Here in the Senate, that means a bipartisan, all-hands-on-deck 
strategy. That is exactly what the Senator from Florida is putting 
forward. Senator Nelson has put forward the veterans job corps bill. 
What this bill does is, over the next 5 years, it will increase 
training and hiring opportunities for all our veterans who are using 
successful job training programs in the country.
  It is going to help hire qualified veterans as police officers and 
firefighters and first responders--by the way, at a time when 85 
percent of law enforcement agencies had to reduce their budgets in the 
last year. It is going to help train and hire veterans to help restore 
and protect our national, State and tribal forests, our parks and our 
public lands--at a time, by the way, when we face a $10 billion 
maintenance backlog for our public lands. It is a backlog I have seen 
at home personally in my home State of Washington.
  Because training and hiring our veterans has never been seen and 
never should be an effort that divides us along partisan lines, the 
veterans job corps bill takes good ideas from both sides of the aisle. 
In fact, our bill will provide veterans with access to the Internet and 
computers to help conduct job searches at one-stop centers and other 
locations. This is an idea championed by Senator Toomey. It is going to 
help guarantee that our rural and disabled veterans have access to 
veterans employment representatives. This is a bill that is championed 
by Senator Tester, who is presiding over the Senate this morning. It is 
a good idea. We put it in this bill.
  It is going to increase transition assistance for eligible veterans 
and their spouses. That is a bill that was introduced by Senator 
Boozman of our committee.
  It will require consideration of a veteran's training or experience 
gained while they are serving on Active Duty when they seek 
certifications and licenses. That is a bill that is cosponsored by 
Democrats and Republicans alike. This bill says all good ideas are 
welcome.
  Our veterans need all the help they can get. It is fully paid for in 
a bipartisan way. It has been endorsed most recently by the National 
Association of Police Organizations. But there are also a lot of 
veterans service organizations that stand behind this bill as well. 
They do so because they know that helping veterans find employment is 
absolutely critical to meeting many of the challenges they face when 
they come home.
  Our veterans do not ask for a lot. Oftentimes, they come home and do 
not even acknowledge their own sacrifice. My own father never talked 
about his time fighting in World War II. In fact, I never saw his 
Purple Heart or knew he had a wallet with shrapnel in it or a diary 
that detailed his time in combat until after he died and my family 
gathered to sort out his belongings.
  But our veterans should not have to ask. We should know to provide 
for them. When my father's generation came home from the war, they came 
home to opportunity. My father came home to a community that supported 
him. He came home to college and a job. It was a job that gave him 
pride and a job that helped him start his family, and one that, of 
course, ultimately led me to starting my own. That is the legacy of 
opportunity this Senate, in a bipartisan way, has lived up to for 
today's veterans.
  I urge our colleagues to build on the successes we have had in 
passing bipartisan veterans employment legislation. Veterans returning 
home from across the country are watching us. They certainly do not 
have time to let politics block their path to a job that will help them 
serve their community. Surely, this is a bill that is something we can 
show them that we can come together on no matter how close or far away 
we are from an election.
  I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. MURRAY. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum 
call be rescinded.

[[Page S6083]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________`