S10882 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 10, 2008 

state and local law enforcement. What 

more and more cities and towns are 

finding is that the best solutions involve all segments of the community 

coming together with law enforcement 

to find meaningful, community-based 

approaches. Solving these problems as 

they arise is essential, but preventing 

them is even better, and less expensive. 

Unfortunately, for the last eight 

years, throughout the country, state 

and local law enforcement agencies 

have been stretched thin as they shoulder both traditional crime-fighting duties and new homeland security demands. They have faced continuous 

cuts in federal funding during the Bush 

years, and time and time again, our 

state and local law enforcement officers have been unable to fill vacancies 

and get the equipment they need. 

This trend is unacceptable. I intend 

to work with the new administration 

to reverse it. Eric Holder, whom President-Elect Obama has designated to be 

our next Attorney General, focused on 

the importance of state and local law 

enforcement when he was introduced to 

the nation last Monday. He was a local 

U.S. Attorney and understands the 

critical role of state and local law enforcement, our first responders. We 

need to restore the COPS and Byrne 

grant programs to help support local 

law enforcement, and I hope we will do 

a better job when it comes to rural 

communities and rural states. That is 

why I am introducing this bill today to 

bring back the Crime-Free Rural 

States grant program. 

As a former prosecutor, I have always advocated vigorous enforcement 

and punishment of those who commit 

serious crimes. But I also know that 

punishment alone will not solve the 

problems of drugs and violence in our 

communities. Police chiefs from 

Vermont and across the country have 

told me that we cannot arrest our way 

out of this problem. 

Combating drug use and crime requires attention to enforcement, prevention and treatment. The best way 

to prevent crime is often to provide 

young people with opportunities and 

constructive things to do, so they stay 

away from drugs and crime altogether. 

And if young people do get involved 

with drugs, treatment in many cases 

can work to help them to turn their 

lives around. Good prevention and 

treatment programs have been shown 

again and again to reduce crime, but 

regrettably, the Bush administration 

has consistently sought to reduce funding for these important programs. It is 

time to move in a new direction. 

I will work in the next Congress to 

advance legislation that will give state 

and local law enforcement the support 

it needs, that will help our cities and 

towns to implement the kinds of innovative and proven community-based solutions needed to reduce crime. The 

legislation I introduce today is a modest beginning, addressing the urgent 

and unmet need to support our rural 

communities as they struggle to combat drugs and crime. 

By funding planning, training, and 

technical assistance, Crime-Free Rural 

States grants provide an anchor for our 

rural communities as they work to address the devastating problems of 

crime and drugs. It is a first step for us 

to help our small cities and towns 

weather the worsening conditions of 

these difficult times and begin to move 

in a better direction. 

I hope Senators on both sides of the 

aisle will join me in supporting this 

important legislation. 

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed 

in the RECORD. 

There being no objection, the text of 

the bill was ordered to be printed in 

the RECORD, as follows: 

S. 3726 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in 

Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Crime-Free 

Rural States Reauthorization Act’’. 

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF CRIME-FREE 

RURAL STATES GRANTS. 

Section 2989 of Part GG of Title I of the 

Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act 

of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797y–4) is amended by 

striking ‘‘2003, 2004 and 2005’’ and inserting 

‘‘2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012’’. 

By Mr. SANDERS: 

S. 3728. A bill to direct the Secretary 

of Transportation to waive non-Federal 

share requirements for certain transportation programs and activities 

through September 30, 2009; to the 

Committee on Environment and Public 

Works. 

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise 

today with my colleague from 

Vermont, Senator SANDERS, to introduce a bill that will help States struggling with meeting non-Federal match 

requirements for federal transportation 

funding under the Safe, Accountable, 

Flexible and Efficient Transportation 

Equity Act, SAFETEA. Representative 

PETER WELCH from Vermont introduced identical legislation in the 

House today as well. 

Our States are struggling with enormous budget deficits due to the current 

economic crisis. As a result, nearly 

every one of our States has been forced 

to make drastic cuts to their transportation budgets. On top of that, state 

and local governments around the 

country report they do not have the 

necessary funding in their budgets to 

match any new Federal transportation 

money possibly forthcoming in an economic stimulus package. The inability 

of our states to improve roads and 

bridges, support public transit agencies 

facing record demand, and upgrade rail 

lines puts a strain on our already sagging economy. 

Waiving the non-Federal match requirements for all highway, transit, 

and rail projects contained in 

SAFETEA would allow cash-strapped 

states to implement high priority 

transportation projects immediately— 

at no additional cost to the Federal 

Government. Since State and local 

transportation officials have ready-togo projects that simply cannot move 

forward without untying the strings of 

the required match, our legislation 

would waive the non-Federal matching 

requirements of SAFETEA through 

September 30, 2009. 

I hope my colleagues will take a good 

look at our bill and support this important legislation that will stimulate 

needed transportation infrastructure 

investments all across the country. 

By Mr. KOHL: 

S. 3730. A bill to expand, train, and 

support all sectors of the health care 

workforce to care for the growing population of older individuals in the 

United States; to the Committee on 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 

Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise 

today to introduce the Retooling the 

Health Care Workforce for an Aging 

America Act, a bill that will address 

the impending and severe shortage of 

health care workers who are adequately trained and prepared to care 

for older Americans. The unfortunate 

fact of the matter is that while our 

country is aging rapidly, the number of 

health care workers devoted to caring 

for older Americans is experiencing a 

shortage—one that will only grow more 

desperate as the need for these caregivers skyrockets. 

We face many challenges. We know 

that few nursing programs require 

coursework in geriatrics and that in 

medical schools, comprehensive geriatric training is a rarity. Currently, 

only 1 percent of all physicians are certified geriatricians, even as the population of older people is on track to 

double by 2030, and less than 1 percent 

of all nurses are certified gerontological nurses. Absent any change, by 

2020, the supply of nurses in the United 

States will fall 29 percent below projected requirements, resulting in a severe shortage of nursing expertise relative to the demand for care of frail 

older adults. 

Ensuring that health care workers 

are properly trained in the provision of 

care to our seniors is vital. For the direct care workforce, which includes 

home health aides and personal care 

attendants, we know that Federal and 

State training requirements vary enormously, despite the fact that studies 

show that more training is correlated 

with better staff recruitment and retention. We also know that family 

caregivers want enhanced education 

and training to develop the necessary 

skills to provide the best possible care 

for an ailing family member. There are 

more than 44 million people providing 

care for a family member or friend nationwide. These caregivers frequently 

do the same work as a professional 

caregiver, but they do so voluntarily 

and with little or no training. To their 

loved one, they are the doctor, the 

nurse, the assistant, the therapist, and 

oftentimes the sole source of emotional 

and financial support. 

December 10, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10883 

Fortunately, knowing what we need 

to change is half the battle. The bill I 

introduce today will expand, train, and 

support the workforce that is dedicated 

to providing care for the older members of our population, incorporating 

the major recommendations for improving the skills and preparedness of 

the health care workforce put forth in 

the Institute of Medicine report, ‘‘Retooling for an Aging America: Building 

the Healthcare Workforce.’’ 

By the year 2020, it is estimated that 

the number of older adults in need of 

care will increase by one-third. The 

United States will not be able to meet 

the approaching demand for health 

care and long-term care without a 

workforce that is prepared for the job. 

Bolstering the health care workforce 

will be an integral part of national 

health care reform, and I look forward 

to working with Finance and HELP 

Committee leaders on incorporating 

this legislation into their policy proposals. 

By Mr. REID: 

S.J. Res. 46. A joint resolution ensuring that the compensation and other 

emoluments attached to the office of 

Secretary of State are those which 

were in effect on January 1, 2007; considered and passed. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the 

joint resolution be printed in the 

RECORD. 

There being no objection, the text of 

the joint resolution was ordered to be 

placed in the RECORD, as follows: 

S.J. RES. 46 

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in 

Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. COMPENSATION AND OTHER EMOLUMENTS ATTACHED TO THE OFFICE 

OF SECRETARY OF STATE. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The compensation and 

other emoluments attached to the office of 

Secretary of State shall be those in effect 

January 1, 2007, notwithstanding any increase in such compensation or emoluments 

after that date under any provision of law, or 

provision which has the force and effect of 

law, that is enacted or becomes effective 

during the period beginning at noon of January 3, 2007, and ending at noon of January 3, 

2013. 

(b) CIVIL ACTION AND APPEAL.— 

(1) JURISDICTION.—Any person aggrieved by 

an action of the Secretary of State may 

bring a civil action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to 

contest the constitutionality of the appointment and continuance in office of the Secretary of State on the ground that such appointment and continuance in office is in 

violation of article I, section 6, clause 2, of 

the Constitution. The United States District 

Court for the District of Columbia shall have 

exclusive jurisdiction over such a civil action, without regard to the sum or value of 

the matter in controversy. 

(2) THREE JUDGE PANEL.—Any claim challenging the constitutionality of the appointment and continuance in office of the Secretary of State on the ground that such appointment and continuance in office is in 

violation of article I, section 6, clause 2, of 

the Constitution, in an action brought under 

paragraph (1) shall be heard and determined 

by a panel of three judges in accordance with 

section 2284 of title 28, United States Code. It 

shall be the duty of the district court to advance on the docket and to expedite the disposition of any matter brought under this 

subsection. 

(3) APPEAL.— 

(A) DIRECT APPEAL TO SUPREME COURT.—An 

appeal may be taken directly to the Supreme 

Court of the United States from any interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order 

upon the validity of the appointment and 

continuance in office of the Secretary of 

State under article I, section 6, clause 2, of 

the Constitution, entered in any action 

brought under this subsection. Any such appeal shall be taken by a notice of appeal filed 

within 20 days after such judgment, decree, 

or order is entered. 

(B) JURISDICTION.—The Supreme Court 

shall, if it has not previously ruled on the 

question presented by an appeal taken under 

subparagraph (A), accept jurisdiction over 

the appeal, advance the appeal on the docket, and expedite the appeal. 

(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This joint resolution 

shall take effect at 12:00 p.m. on January 20, 

2009. 

f 

SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS 

SENATE RESOLUTION 728—DESIGNATING JANUARY 2009 AS ‘‘NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH’’ 

Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. 

MCCAIN, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. SPECTER, Mrs. 

LINCOLN, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. 

LIEBERMAN, Mr. KERRY, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. 

LAUTENBERG, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mr. BAYH, 

Mrs. CLINTON, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. LEVIN, 

Mr. SANDERS, Mr. ENSIGN, and Mr. 

PRYOR) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary: 

S. RES. 728 

Whereas mentoring is a longstanding tradition in which a dependable, caring adult provides guidance, support, and encouragement 

to facilitate a young person’s social, emotional, and cognitive development; 

Whereas continued research on mentoring 

shows that formal, high-quality mentoring 

focused on developing the competence and 

character of the mentee promotes positive 

outcomes, such as improved academic 

achievement, self-esteem, social skills, and 

career development; 

Whereas further research on mentoring 

provides strong evidence that mentoring successfully reduces substance use and abuse, 

academic failure, and delinquency; 

Whereas mentoring, in addition to preparing young people for school, work, and 

life, is extremely rewarding for those serving 

as mentors; 

Whereas more than 4,200 mentoring programs in communities of all sizes across the 

United States focus on building strong, effective relationships between mentors and 

mentees; 

Whereas approximately 3,000,000 young 

people in the United States are in solid mentoring relationships due to the remarkable 

vigor, creativity, and resourcefulness of the 

thousands of mentoring programs in communities throughout the Nation; 

Whereas, in spite of the progress made to 

increase mentoring, the Nation has a serious 

‘‘mentoring gap’’, with nearly 15,000,000 

young people in need of mentors; 

Whereas mentoring partnerships between 

the public and private sectors bring State 

and local leaders together to support mentoring programs by preventing duplication of 

efforts, offering training in industry best 

practices, and making the most of limited 

resources to benefit young people in the 

United States; 

Whereas the designation of January 2009 as 

National Mentoring Month will help call attention to the critical role mentors play in 

helping young people realize their potential; 

Whereas a month-long celebration of mentoring will encourage more individuals and 

organizations, including schools, businesses, 

nonprofit organizations, faith institutions, 

and foundations, to become engaged in mentoring across the United States; and 

Whereas National Mentoring Month will, 

most significantly, build awareness of mentoring and encourage more people to become 

mentors and help close the mentoring gap in 

the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the Senate— 

(1) designates the month of January 2009 as 

‘‘National Mentoring Month’’; 

(2) recognizes with gratitude the contributions of the millions of caring adults and 

students who are already volunteering as 

mentors and encourages more adults and 

students to volunteer as mentors; and 

(3) encourages the people of the United 

States to observe National Mentoring Month 

with appropriate ceremonies and activities 

that promote awareness of, and volunteer involvement with, youth mentoring. 

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am honored to join Senator KENNEDY and others to submit S. Res. 728, which designates January 2009 as National Mentoring Month. Mentoring a child is a 

uniquely rewarding experience for both 

the mentor and the child. Research 

continues to support that building 

these positive relationships helps keep 

children off of drugs, in school and off 

the streets, and out of trouble. 

This month, I brought the Senate Judiciary Committee to St. Albans, VT, 

for a field hearing about ‘‘CommunityBased Solutions to Drug-Related Crime 

in Rural America.’’ Community leaders 

and law enforcement officials testified 

about their efforts to address crime. 

They are on the front lines fighting 

crime each and every day. I have always said that solving these problems 

as they arise is essential, but preventing them is even better. One solution that Vermont’s businesses, 

schools, college students, and retired 

people have continued to recognize is 

that mentoring connects our community to our children. 

Vermont’s mentoring programs 

stretch the length of our great State, 

from the Northeast Kingdom to 

Bennington. Whether it is the Boys and 

Girls Clubs offering healthy alternatives for young people, or organizations such as DREAM, which connects 

college students and children living in 

subsidized housing developments, or 

any of the several mentoring programs 

in the State, these organizations and 

the dedicated people who operate and 

participate in them deserve our special 

thanks. I applaud all the work mentoring programs are doing to help our 

Nation’s children become productive, 

law-abiding teenagers and contributing 

adults. Recognizing those efforts during National Mentoring Month is just 

one way we give our thanks.