November 20, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10709 

the loan. Again, I say park those corporate jets. How about announcing 

that you are willing to take $1 a year 

for the sake of trying to repair what is 

wrong with your company and trying 

to put that company back on track? 

I understand it wasn’t their fault 

that sales dropped 30 percent. They are 

victims, as are all Americans, of this 

economic crisis. It is not their fault 

that sales dropped 30 percent. So if 

they need some help to save 3 to 5 million jobs, I think most Americans 

would say: Let’s save those jobs. But 

most Americans would also ask the 

question: Where is the self-sacrifice on 

the part of those folks who are running 

these companies? Let’s see a little and 

let’s hear a little self-sacrifice from 

people who say: I will own up to this. I 

will put something significant on the 

table in terms of trying to turn this 

economy and these companies we run 

around. 

Let me finally say, there are a whole 

lot of folks across the country who are 

doing business the right way, Main 

Street businesses, community banks. 

They come to work in the morning. 

They turn the key. They open the lock 

on that door. They are at risk. They 

are just trying to make a living. Yet 

they, too, are victims, not because 

they got engaged in the kind of behavior in which some of the biggest companies in this country were engaged. 

Some of the biggest financial companies were engaged in reckless behavior. 

When the Financial Modernization Act 

passed the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate nine years ago, an 

act that was a devastating piece of legislation that led us down this path to a 

financial collapse, I said back then 

when I voted against it—and I was one 

of eight Senators to vote no—I said: If 

you want to gamble, go to Las Vegas. 

No, instead they were allowed to gamble by creating holding companies and 

merging bank enterprises with securities and with real estate and other 

risks. 

We knew you shouldn’t do that. We 

learned it in the Great Depression. It 

caused the closure of massive numbers 

of banks. Some of my colleagues 

brought a bill to the Congress and got 

almost everybody to agree to it that 

said: These lessons are old-fashioned. 

Let’s let these financial institutions 

merge and fuse together risky things 

with banking, securities, and real estate. What an unbelievably ignorant 

thing to do. We had learned that lesson 

before and forgot it. 

Guess what. From that day on we 

began to see the kind of inherent risk 

established in financial enterprises 

that someday most of us believed 

would create the house of cards that 

would collapse. And it has. Now the 

question is, how do we put this back 

together? 

Let me say this: If I didn’t have great 

hope for the future of this country, I 

would hardly be able to get up and go 

to work, but I think this is a resilient, 

wonderful place. We have made very 

big mistakes. A lot of people have 

made very big mistakes, perhaps all of 

us. But this country is a great place. 

Think about what America has been 

through: the Civil War, the Great Depression, beating back the forces of fascism and nazism. We have done so 

much in this country to prevail. This 

generation of Americans is not about 

to lose. This generation of Americans, 

too, will prevail. But it is going to require all of the effort of every one of 

us. 

This isn’t about politics. It is certainly not about Republicans and 

Democrats. It is about creating good 

public policy that gives the American 

people confidence and hope in the future. That is what will get us out of 

this rut. Those who caused the financial wreckage, who drove this economy 

into the ditch, are not going to get us 

out. It is good public policy by 

thoughtful people that will begin mirroring what happens on Main Streets 

and community banks all across the 

country, doing business the right way. 

When that happens, we will put this 

country back on track. I hope that is 

sooner rather than later. I hope the 

American people do not lose hope because we believe, all of us believe, in 

the great promise of this country. 

It is true that we face great challenges, but we are turning a page. We 

will have a new Congress. We will have 

a new President and a new determination to try to fix what is wrong and put 

this country on a better path. 

I yield the floor. 

f 

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE 

MONTH 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am 

pleased that the President has proclaimed November as National American Indian Heritage Month and the 

Congress has designated November 28, 

2008, as Native American Heritage Day. 

This is the time when our country 

traditionally offers thanks for the 

bounty and protections we enjoy. This 

year, Congress and the President have 

chosen to specifically acknowledge and 

be thankful for the contributions and 

achievements of American Indians, 

Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. 

Together, we have called on Federal, 

State, and local governments, tribal 

governments, and others to come together to celebrate and share with one 

another the cultures, traditions, and 

languages of more than 500 tribes. 

In my home State of Nevada, our 

tribes represent three distinct cultures 

and languages Paiute, Shoshone, and 

Washoe. Throughout my career, I have 

promoted programs and education efforts to preserve these native languages and others and expand cultural 

programs for children, young adults 

and elders. Nevada’s tribal leaders and 

youth tell me this cultural exchange 

with tribal members and with those in 

their school and local communities 

bridges differences and leads to individual successes. Nevadans can be 

proud of our State’s diversity. 

And while Nevada’s 26 tribes are distinct, they share goals common to 

nearly all sovereigns—to care for their 

people, to keep them safe, to help them 

prosper, to protect and use their resources wisely, to engage in the larger 

world while being mindful of their histories. 

During this session, the Senate 

worked with tribal leaders and advocates and our colleagues in the House 

to help tribes achieve these goals. 

Working together, we reauthorized the 

Native American Housing Assistance 

and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act, reauthorized the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, and amended laws to strengthen families and improve the care and development of children in foster care. We passed legislation that helps tribes develop their 

natural resources, expand their commercial activities, and encourage investment in Indian Country. During 

this time of war, we made it a priority 

to help our Native American veterans 

and their families—who continue a 

long history of serving in our Armed 

Forces—by expanding benefits and 

services under the G.I. bill. Under the 

leadership of Chairman BYRON DORGAN

and Vice Chairperson LISA MURKOWSKI

of the Indian Affairs Committee, the 

Congress has worked to honor our first 

Americans and fulfill our promises to 

them. 

During this month especially, we recognize the leadership and efforts of 

tribes and others to improve the lives 

of Native Americans. But our work is 

not finished and we will not rest on the 

accomplishments of the 110th Congress. 

As majority leader, I am committed to 

work with my colleagues to reform 

health care and reauthorize the Indian 

Health Care Improvement Act. I hope 

that the Senate will be able to again 

consider a package similar to one the 

Senate passed earlier this year. 

As we approach the end of this Congress, I am pleased that we take a moment to recognize and celebrate the 

gifts Native Americans and Alaska Natives share with all of us daily. 

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, each 

November we celebrate American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage 

Month to honor the first inhabitants of 

this land and recognize the relationship this country has with American 

Indian people. In that same spirit, I 

would also like to specifically recognize the nine treaty tribes that I am 

honored to represent in South Dakota. 

American Indians are unique among 

other groups in this country because of 

the government-to-government relationship established through countless 

treaties—documents affirmed in article 

VI of our Constitution as the supreme 

law of the land. This special status and 

the strength of these age-old contracts 

have enabled American Indians to 

shape this country’s history in profound ways, as tribal history is deeply 

entwined with America’s. The continued fulfillment of our treaty and trust 

obligations along with a respect for the 


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S10710 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 20, 2008 

tenets of tribal sovereignty are thus essential responsibilities of this country. 

South Dakota’s tribes have a special 

place in this history due to their 

proactive leadership in the Federaltribal relationship. For example, the 

1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie was entered into by Indian tribes in South 

Dakota that desired a peaceful relationship with the United States and a 

mutual recognition of sovereignty. In 

this treaty, like many others, the 

United States entered an agreement to 

end hostilities and for the cession of 

land, in return entering into a contract 

to provide assistance with education, 

health care, farming and other necessities; these responsibilities continue 

today. During this month of recognition and remembrance it is only appropriate to recognize the special status of 

the treaty tribes. 

In addition to this unique governmental relationship, American Indians 

actively enrich the fabric of our Nation’s character in many ways. Tribal 

members have courageously served to 

protect America in every conflict since 

the Revolutionary War, and they have 

served at the highest rate of any group 

in the country. Tribal educational 

models are rapidly gaining respect for 

an approach that stresses the importance of history and culture as well as 

the skills necessary for students to 

prosper in an increasingly global world. 

American Indian and Alaska Native 

Heritage Month falls in the same 

month as Thanksgiving and I hope this 

affords us with the time to give thanks 

for the sacrifices of the first Americans. Once reduced to a population of 

less than 50,000, the American Indian 

population is now some 4.5 million 

strong. Their story, like that of the 

country as a whole, is a proud, resilient 

history and I am committed to supporting tribes as they continue to build 

a strong future. Observance of American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage 

Month honors the unique heritage of 

this country’s first inhabitants, and 

most importantly reaffirms our responsibility to honor Indian treaties. 

f 

RETIREMENT OF MARGO CONNOR 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today 

to recognize Margo Connor, who has retired after 33 years of service to the 

Senate community. During the past 

three decades, Margo Connor has assisted in providing catering for Senate 

functions on Capitol Hill. In a fastpaced environment with a high turnover rate, she remained dedicated and 

personal, with a keen ability to establish close relationships. 

Margo spent 17 years in the special 

functions office for the former Dirksen 

Senate Dining Room. She compiled 

menus and prepared the former Senate 

Dining Room for functions. Meeting 

and interacting with many different 

people were her favorite aspects of her 

service; she was on a first-name basis 

with former Senators such as David 

Pryor, Thomas Eagleton, Gary Hart, 

and Jennings Randolph. Margo’s commitment to providing a pleasant, comfortable, and professional environment 

for Senate functions resulted in close 

friendships. Senator Randolph would 

often call her at home, making requests for a special bread with nuts on 

it. After returning from their honeymoon, Senator JOE BIDEN and his wife 

shared their pictures with her. Instead 

of calling it the Senate Dining Room, 

Senator PRYOR referred to the Senate 

Dining Room as simply ‘‘Margo’s 

Room.’’ 

After working in the Senate Dining 

Room, Margo took a position in the accounting office processing bids for the 

Senate Restaurant. Several years later, 

she moved to the Capitol Senator’s 

Dining Room where she was a hostess. 

After working as a hostess, she worked 

in the Senate catering office, where she 

has been for the last 13 years. 

In her years on Capitol Hill, Margo 

has seen a great variety of events. She 

hosted functions with the NFL, the 

Dalai Lama, and a number of other notable people. Among others, she met 

Paul Newman, whose suitcase she 

watched in the kitchen as he spoke at 

an event. During annual events at 

Union Station commemorating Columbus Day, Dr. David R. Curfman, president of the National Columbus Celebration Association, told her that she was 

the only one who understood what he 

needed. 

Margo will miss the people she works 

with, whom she considers to be like 

family. In turn, I know she will be 

missed greatly by those who have had 

the opportunity to know and work with 

her. In fact, Margo has been such a 

presence in the Senate, and has befriended so many over the years, that 

it is difficult to express how much she 

will be missed. I am pleased to join the 

entire Senate community in thanking 

Margo for her years of service and 

wishing her a happy retirement. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO GENERAL JIM SHANE 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, 

today I rise to salute the service of a 

distinguished Kentuckian. This gentleman recently ended a long career devoted to the service of his country and 

our commonwealth. 

His name is Jim Shane, and I am 

proud to say Jim is a friend of mine. 

Jim recently stepped down as executive 

director of the Kentucky Commission 

on Military Affairs, a post he held 

since 1997. During his tenure, Jim can 

point to many accomplishments, but 

he was particularly instrumental in 

preparing Kentucky for the rigors of 

the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure—BRAC—process. The commonwealth, in particular Fort Knox, was a 

big winner in the BRAC process, and no 

one was more instrumental in this success than Jim. 

Jim had a vision for Fort Knox, one 

in which the installation would again 

be a home to combat troops and to a 

number of major Army commands. He 

then worked tirelessly with Federal 

and State officials, the BRAC Commission and the Department of Defense to 

make that conception of Fort Knox a 

reality. The result was that Fort Knox 

emerged revitalized from the BRAC 

process. Consequently, central Kentucky stands to gain immeasurably 

from the economic benefits stemming 

from the installation’s enhancement, 

and our armed forces will be the better 

for Fort Knox’s improved stature. 

Prior to his service for Kentucky, 

Jim served his country with great distinction. He spent 27 years of commissioned service in the Army, rising to 

the rank of brigadier general. His career highlights include service as Deputy Commanding General, United 

States Recruiting Command, in which 

he was responsible for manning the 

Army’s all-volunteer force. 

Jim also received numerous medals, 

awards and decorations for his efforts 

in the Army including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of 

Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, with three Oak 

Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Parachutist Badge, 

the Ranger Tab, and the Joint Chiefs of 

Staff Identification badge. 

I am proud to say that Jim is also a 

fellow alumnus of the University of 

Louisville. 

Mr. President, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring this fine 

Kentucky patriot for his long and notable career of public service. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO MAJOR JOHN LEE 

MCELROY 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, it is 

never too late to honor great heroism 

and sacrifice. That is why I am proud 

to say that after 40 years, a brave Kentuckian lost in battle will finally return home with honor to American 

soil. 

On May 12, 1968, MAJ John Lee 

McElroy of the U.S. Air Force undertook what would be his final mission. 

Stationed in the Quang Tin province of 

the Republic of Vietnam, he was the 

navigator on a C–130 Hercules aircraft 

when his plane was struck by intense 

enemy fire and crashed. There were no 

survivors. 

‘‘On this particular day [Major 

McElroy] was flying a most important 

mission of aerial evacuation for American and allied personnel,’’ wrote COL 

Marion F. Garuthers, the major’s commander, in a letter to his parents. ‘‘His 

example of Christian living significantly influenced all persons with 

whom he associated.’’ 

Sadly, while the family of Major 

McElroy knew his final fate, they did 

not get to say their final goodbyes. For 

four decades, his remains went unrecovered. His wife, Regina M. McElroy, 

and his parents, Oscar L. and Gladys V. 

McElroy, passed away never knowing if 


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