January 6, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S45 

S. 4 

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 ‘‘Comprehensive Health Reform Act of 2009’’. 

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

It is the sense of Congress that Congress 

should enact, and the President should sign, 

legislation to guarantee health coverage, improve health care quality and disease prevention, and reduce health care costs for all 

Americans and the health care system. 

By Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mr. KERRY, Mr. HARKIN, 

Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. BEGICH, Mrs. 

BOXER, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mrs. 

SHAHEEN, Mr. CASEY, Ms. 

STABENOW, Mrs. MCCASKILL, 

Mr. DODD, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mrs. 

CLINTON, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. SCHUMER, and Ms. MIKULSKI): 

S. 5. A bill to improve the economy 

and security of the United States by 

reducing the dependence of the United 

States on foreign and unsustainable energy sources and the risks of global 

warming, and for other purposes; read 

the first time. 

Mr. REID. 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. 5 

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 ‘‘Cleaner, 

Greener, and Smarter Act of 2009’’. 

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

It is the sense of Congress that Congress 

should enact, and the President should sign, 

legislation to improve the economy and the 

security of the United States by reducing the 

dependence of the United States on foreign 

and unsustainable energy sources and the 

risks of global warming by— 

(1) making and encouraging significant investments in green job creation and clean 

energy across the economy; 

(2) diversifying and rapidly expanding the 

use of secure, efficient, and environmentallyfriendly energy supplies and technologies; 

(3) transforming the infrastructure of the 

United States to make the infrastructure 

sustainable and the United States more competitive globally, including transmission 

grid modernization and transportation sector electrification; 

(4) requiring reductions in emissions of 

greenhouse gases in the United States and 

achieving reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases abroad; 

(5) protecting consumers from volatile energy prices through better market oversight 

and enhanced energy efficiency standards 

and incentives; and 

(6) eliminating wasteful and unnecessary 

tax breaks and giveaways that fail to move 

the United States toward a more competitive 

and cleaner energy future. 

By Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. 

DURBIN, Mr. KERRY, Mr. LEVIN, 

Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, 

Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. BEGICH, Mrs. 

BOXER, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. 

BINGAMAN, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. 

CASEY, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Ms. 

STABENOW, Mrs. MCCASKILL, 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. SCHUMER, 

and Ms. MIKULSKI): 

S. 6. A bill to restore and enhance the 

national security of the United States; 

read the first time. 

Mr. REID. 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. 6 

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 ‘‘Restoring 

America’s Power Act of 2009’’. 

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

It is the sense of Congress that Congress 

should enact, and the President should sign, 

legislation to restore and enhance the national security of the United States by— 

(1) strengthening America’s military capabilities and recognizing the service of United 

States troops and the commitment of their 

families by ensuring our Armed Forces receive proper training and equipment prior to 

deployment, support and medical care when 

they return home, and adequate dwell time 

between deployments; 

(2) addressing the threat posed by Al Qaeda 

and other terrorist groups with a comprehensive military, intelligence, homeland security and diplomatic strategy and refocusing 

on Afghanistan and Pakistan as the United 

States transitions in Iraq; 

(3) defeating extremist ideology by increasing the effectiveness of United States intelligence, diplomatic, and foreign assistance 

capabilities; restoring the United States 

standing in the world and strengthening alliances; and addressing transnational humanitarian and development challenges; and 

(4) reducing the threat posed by unsecured 

nuclear materials and other weapons of mass 

destruction (WMD) and effectively addressing the security challenges posed by Iran and 

North Korea. 

By Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mr. DODD, Mr. KENNEDY, 

Mr. KERRY, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. 

LIEBERMAN, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. 

BOXER, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. 

BINGAMAN, Mr. CASEY, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Ms. STABENOW, Mrs. 

MCCASKILL, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, 

Mrs. CLINTON, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. 

SCHUMER, and Ms. MIKULSKI): 

S. 7. A bill to expand educational opportunities for all Americans by increasing access to high-quality early 

childhood education and after school 

programs, advancing reform in elementary and secondary education, 

strengthening mathematics and 

science instruction, and ensuring that 

higher education is more affordable, 

and for other purposes; read the first 

time. 

Mr. REID. 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. 7 

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 ‘‘Education 

Opportunity Act of 2009’’. 

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

It is the sense of Congress that the Senate 

and the House of Representatives should 

pass, and the President should sign into law, 

legislation to expand educational opportunities for all Americans by— 

(1) increasing access to high-quality early 

childhood education and expanding child 

care, after school, and extended learning opportunities; 

(2) improving accountability and assessment measures for elementary and secondary school students, increasing secondary 

school graduation rates, and supporting elementary and secondary school improvement 

efforts; 

(3) strengthening teacher preparation, induction, and support in order to recruit and 

retain qualified and effective teachers in 

high-need schools; 

(4) enhancing the rigor and relevance of 

State academic standards and encouraging 

innovative reform at the middle and high 

school levels; 

(5) strengthening mathematics and science 

curricula and instruction; and 

(6) increasing Federal grant aid for students and the families of students, improving 

the rate of postsecondary degree completion, 

and providing tax incentives to make higher 

education more affordable. 

By Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mr. KERRY, Mr. BEGICH, 

Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. 

MENENDEZ, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. 

CASEY, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Ms. 

STABENOW, Mrs. MCCASKILL, 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mrs. CLINTON, 

Mr. SCHUMER, and Ms. MIKULSKI): 

S. 8. A bill to return the Government 

to the people by reviewing controversial ‘‘midnight regulations’’ issued in 

the waning days of the Bush Administration; read the first time. 

Mr. REID. 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. 8 

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 ‘‘Returning 

Government to the American People Act’’. 

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

It is the sense of Congress that— 

(1) the Bush Administration should not 

rush into effect major new controversial regulations in its closing days; 

(2) the incoming Administration, working 

with the Congress, should review and, if appropriate revise or reject such ‘‘midnight 

regulations’’; and 

(3) if legislation is necessary to ensure the 

new Administration has this opportunity, 

that Congress should enact, and the President should sign, such legislation. 

By Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mr. KERRY, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. DURBIN, 


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