September 11, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6101 

PO1 Patrick D. Feeks, 28, of 

Edgewater, MD, died August 16, in a 

helicopter crash northeast of 

Kandahar, Afghanistan. Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer First Class 

Feeks was assigned to a west coastbased naval special warfare unit. 

PO2 David J. Warsen, 27, of 

Kentwood, MI, died August 16, in a helicopter crash northeast of Kandahar, 

Afghanistan. Special Warfare Operator 

Petty Officer Second Class Warsen was 

assigned to a west coast-based naval 

Special warfare unit. 

LCpl Alec R. Terwiske, 21, of Dubois, 

IN, died September 3, while conducting 

combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Lance Corporal 

Terwiske was assigned to 1st Combat 

Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, 

Camp Pendleton, CA. 

f 

PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT 

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, like others in this body, including Senator 

UDALL of Colorado and my fellow senator from Vermont, Senator SANDERS, I 

support extending the production tax 

credit for wind energy. This extension 

is critical to maintaining America’s 

leadership in green energy development and can directly increase domestic job growth. Vermont has already 

seen the positive results of the production tax credit for wind energy, but the 

wind industry impacts our entire country. Every American has a stake in the 

extension of this tax credit. 

I am proud that Vermont is a leader 

in green energy. My State has set ambitious, yet achievable, goals to develop renewable energy resources and 

technology. We are doing our part to 

promote job growth, national security, 

and environmental benefits that tap 

into local, renewable energy sources. 

Yet despite these efforts, Vermont has 

already experienced negative consequences from the uncertainty that 

surrounds the extension of this tax 

credit. 

I frequently hear the success stories 

in the renewable energy industry coming out of Vermont, and from industry 

leaders there about the exciting new 

projects they are developing. But this 

summer, the stories have been different. One such company, NRG Systems in Vermont, has been a global 

leader in wind measurement. The company’s CEO, Jan Blittersdorf, and her 

team of dedicated employees take 

great pride in delivering precise, reliable and proven wind measurement and 

turbine control equipment. Jan is an 

industry leader who has been recognized as a Champion of Change by 

President Obama and who has been 

praised for her renewable energy work 

and efforts to advance the role of 

women in the green energy sector. 

During the recession, as jobs were 

being cut in many sectors across the 

country and in Vermont, NRG bucked 

the trend by hiring new workers, and 

the company continued to innovate 

and look for ways to grow their business. Today, you can find their products in more than 144 countries. Now, 

however, due to the uncertainty surrounding the extension of the production tax credit, companies like NRG 

are putting new projects on hold, and 

for the first time in its 30 year history 

NRG Systems has been forced to lay off 

workers—a devastating prospect for a 

business in a rural state that has 

prided itself on its ability to adapt to 

changing market conditions and its 

strong support for its workers. 

These are skilled and dedicated employees losing vital domestic jobs. 

American workers cannot afford a 

delay in the extension of the production tax credit. At a time when manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas, the wind energy sector has done 

the opposite: it has added manufacturing jobs here in America. Wind energy companies, like NRG Systems, are 

entrepreneurs who are doing the kind 

of groundbreaking work that drives our 

economy. 

We have a chance to invest in jobs for 

America, rather than subsidizing the 

oil industry to the tune of billions of 

dollars every year. Our continued dependence on fossil fuels ensures that 

we will have more of the extreme 

weather events that have long been a 

predicted consequence of global warming, such as the drought that is devastating our Nation’s farmers this 

summer and the terrible flooding from 

Hurricane Irene last summer. It is time 

to say goodbye to the big oil tax subsidies and usher in a new era of wind 

energy. The benefits are clear: wind energy has propelled a sustainable and 

domestic energy source, increased jobs 

for Americans, and strengthened our 

domestic energy security. 

These are jobs we cannot afford to 

lose. In Vermont, and for the wind industry across the country, NRG Systems is the canary in the coal mine— 

an early indicator of the crisis that the 

wind industry is headed toward if the 

production tax credit is not extended. 

This crisis is something we have seen 

every time this tax credit has lapsed. 

Each time the production tax credit 

has been allowed to lapse, revenues in 

the wind industry fall precipitously, 

businesses shutter their doors, and 

workers lose their jobs. There are ways 

to avoid this catastrophe. 

We must continue the production tax 

credit now or we will most certainly 

cede these jobs to other countries. I 

urge all Senators to join me in supporting these important credits. They 

support American jobs, American companies, American ingenuity, and American energy security. We should extend 

the production tax credit for wind and 

continue America’s leadership in this 

growing energy sector. 

f 

OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS 

MONTH 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I 

rise to express my support for women 

and families affected by ovarian cancer. In 2012, it is estimated that approximately 22,280 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 15,500 

will die of the disease. In my State of 

Minnesota, an estimated 260 women 

will die from ovarian cancer this year. 

Too many American women—sisters, 

daughters, nieces, wives, friends, neighbors, and coworkers—are losing their 

lives to this disease. 

Because no ovarian cancer screening 

or early detection test exists, organizations such as the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance stress that ‘‘until 

there’s a test, awareness is best.’’ I 

commend the Ovarian Cancer National 

Alliance for its steadfast commitment 

to make women aware of the risk factors, signs, and symptoms of ovarian 

cancer and for its advocacy on behalf of 

women and families touched by this 

devastating disease. I also would like 

to commend the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance’s Partner Member 

groups in my State, including the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance, which 

is one of the largest funders of research 

for ovarian cancer in the country. 

Experts recommend that women see 

a gynecologist if they experience any 

of the often subtle symptoms of ovarian cancer daily for more than a few 

weeks. Four major symptoms of ovarian cancer include bloating, pelvic or 

abdominal pain, difficulty eating or 

feeling full quickly, and frequent or urgent need to urinate. I ask all of my 

colleagues to become familiar with 

these symptoms and to share the information with their friends, family, staff, 

and constituents. 

Ovarian cancer is the ninth most 

common cancer among women and the 

fifth leading cause of cancer-related 

deaths, making it the deadliest of 

gynecologic cancers. If ovarian cancer 

is treated before it has spread outside 

the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is 93 

percent. Currently, only 15 percent of 

ovarian cancers are found at such an 

early stage and overall the relative 5- 

year survival rate is 46 percent. I urge 

my colleagues to help make women 

aware of the potential warning signs to 

prevent future deaths. Experts acknowledge that symptoms can be 

vague and may be associated with 

other medical conditions. However, as 

the saying goes, it is better to be safe 

than sorry. 

September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month—an important 

time during which ovarian cancer organizations, advocates, and others will be 

helping to raise awareness about the 

disease and its symptoms. I urge my 

colleagues and their staff to join me in 

recognizing September as National 

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and 

to join with us in wearing teal 

throughout September to increase public knowledge about this deadly disease. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO ROSAIRE LONGE 

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, it is an 

honor to recognize Rosaire Longe, a 


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