January 15, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S591 

natural treasures is managed in an environmentally responsible and sustainable way. With the passage of S. 22, and 

in particular, with the extension of 

Congress’s authorization of the 

Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor, I believe that we have taken an important 

step toward achieving that goal. 

The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers 

Valley National Heritage Corridor, 

QSHC, was established in 1994 as the 

fifth National Heritage Corridor. National Heritage Areas are designated 

by Congress to preserve distinctive 

landscapes of historic, cultural, natural, and recreational resources. The 

QSHC is commonly known as ‘‘The 

Last Green Valley,’’ a rare and beautiful rural landscape in the populous 

Northeast. In fact, the Valley stands 

out in night images from space for its 

absence of lights. It contains aboriginal and colonial archaeological sites, 

mills and mill villages that preserve 

the history of the early industrial revolution, and traditional farming communities. The QSHC nonprofit management entity has restored 

architecturally and historically important buildings, developed conservation 

and open space plans, and fostered cooperation among businesses in the region that rely on the natural resources 

and beauty of the land. It has consistently leveraged an average of $19 for 

every $1 of appropriated Federal 

money. 

The QSHC has developed a plan to become a self-sustaining entity by 2015, 

as laid out in ‘‘The Trail to 2015: A Sustainability Plan for the Last Green 

Valley.’’ The plan calls for replacing 

Federal funds with fees for services, 

private and corporate support, and income from a permanent fund. In the interim, Federal funds are necessary for 

capacity-building, awareness programs, 

and ongoing education of land-use decision-makers. 

The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers 

Valley National Heritage Corridor has 

created a collaboration of 35 municipalities dedicated to preserving a 

unique slice of our American heritage. 

With the extension of its authorization, this preserve will be able to exist 

in perpetuity. Again, I would like to 

thank my Senate colleagues for their 

support of the QSHC and the numerous 

other sites of great natural and cultural significance that will be protected as a result of the passage of this 

important legislation. 

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VOTE EXPLANATION 

Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I 

would like to briefly explain my vote 

against final passage of S. 22, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 

2009. I would like to be clear that I do 

not oppose every aspect of this bill, nor 

do I oppose the notion that our Nation’s most unique and precious natural features should be protected for 

the use and enjoyment of future generations. As with many large omnibus 

bills, there are a number of provisions 

that enjoy strong support in the Senate. However, taken as a whole, this 

bill represents an enormous commitment of federal resources in perpetuity 

that we simply cannot afford at this 

time. For years, our existing national 

parks, wildlife refuges, and other public lands have been faced with a backlog of much-needed maintenance 

projects because we have not had the 

resources to do everything that needs 

to be done along with competing budget priorities. Now, in the midst of an 

economic downturn and on the eve of 

considering an historically large economic stimulus package, the strain on 

Federal budgets has rarely been greater. In light of this fact, it is intellectually dishonest to promise to the American people that the Federal Government will protect and maintain additional Federal lands when we know 

that we are not even able to fully keep 

our current commitments. For that 

reason, I felt it necessary to vote no on 

this bill at this time. 

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COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, RULES 

OF PROCEDURE 

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the 

Standing Rules of the Senate, I submit 

for publication in the CONGRESSIONAL

RECORD the revised rules of the Committee on Finance for the 111th Congress, adopted by the committee on 

January 15, 2009. I ask unanimous consent that the rules be printed in the 

RECORD. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the 

RECORD, as follows: 

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE 

I. RULES OF PROCEDURE 

(Adopted January 15, 2009) 

Rule 1. Regular Meeting Days.—The regular 

meeting day of the committee shall be the 

second and fourth Tuesday of each month, 

except that if there be no business before the 

committee the regular meeting shall be 

omitted. 

Rule 2. Committee Meetings.—(a) Except as 

provided by paragraph 3 of Rule XXVI of the 

Standing Rules of the Senate (relating to 

special meetings called by a majority of the 

committee) and subsection (b) of this rule, 

committee meetings, for the conduct of business, for the purpose of holding hearings, or 

for any other purpose, shall be called by the 

chairman after consultation with the ranking minority member. Members will be notified of committee meetings at least 48 hours 

in advance, unless the chairman determines 

that an emergency situation requires a 

meeting on shorter notice. The notification 

will include a written agenda together with 

materials prepared by the staff relating to 

that agenda. After the agenda for a committee meeting is published and distributed, 

no nongermane items may be brought up 

during that meeting unless at least twothirds of the members present agree to consider those items. 

(b) In the absence of the chairman, meetings of the committee may be called by the 

ranking majority member of the committee 

who is present, provided authority to call 

meetings has been delegated to such member 

by the chairman. 

Rule 3. Presiding Officer.—(a) The chairman shall preside at all meetings and hearings of the committee except that in his absence the ranking majority member who is 

present at the meeting shall preside. 

(b) Notwithstanding the rule prescribed by 

subsection (a) any member of the committee 

may preside over the conduct of a hearing. 

Rule 4. Quorums.—(a) Except as provided 

in subsection (b) one-third of the membership of the committee, including not less 

than one member of the majority party and 

one member of the minority party, shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business. 

(b) Notwithstanding the rule prescribed by 

subsection (a), one member shall constitute 

a quorum for the purpose of conducting a 

hearing. 

Rule 5. Reporting of Measures or Recommendations.—No measure or recommendation shall be reported from the committee 

unless a majority of the committee is actually present and a majority of those present 

concur. 

Rule 6. Proxy Voting; Polling.—(a) Except 

as provided by paragraph 7(a)(3) of Rule 

XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate 

(relating to limitation on use of proxy voting 

to report a measure or matter), members 

who are unable to be present may have their 

vote recorded by proxy. 

(b) At the discretion of the committee, 

members who are unable to be present and 

whose vote has not been cast by proxy may 

be polled for the purpose of recording their 

vote on any rollcall taken by the committee. 

Rule 7. Order of Motions.—When several 

motions are before the committee dealing 

with related or overlapping matters, the 

chairman may specify the order in which the 

motions shall be voted upon. 

Rule 8. Bringing a Matter to a Vote.—If the 

chairman determines that a motion or 

amendment has been adequately debated, he 

may call for a vote on such motion or 

amendment, and the vote shall then be 

taken, unless the committee votes to continue debate on such motion or amendment, 

as the case may be. The vote on a motion to 

continue debate on any motion or amendment shall be taken without debate. 

Rule 9. Public Announcement of Committee 

Votes.—Pursuant to paragraph 7(b) of Rule 

XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate 

(relating to public announcement of votes), 

the results of rollcall votes taken by the 

committee on any measure (or amendment 

thereto) or matter shall be announced publicly not later than the day on which such 

measure or matter is ordered reported from 

the committee. 

Rule 10. Subpoenas.—Witnesses and memoranda, documents, and records may be subpoenaed by the chairman of the committee 

with the agreement of the ranking minority 

member or by a majority vote of the committee. Subpoenas for attendance of witnesses and the production of memoranda, 

documents, and records shall be issued by 

the chairman, or by any other member of the 

committee designated by him. 

Rule 11. Nominations.—In considering a 

nomination, the Committee may conduct an 

investigation or review of the nominee’s experience, qualifications, and suitability, to 

serve in the position to which he or she has 

been nominated. To aid in such investigation 

or review, each nominee may be required to 

submit a sworn detailed statement including 

biographical, financial, policy, and other information which the Committee may request. The Committee may specify which 

items in such statement are to be received 

on a confidential basis. Witnesses called to 

testify on the nomination may be required to 

testify under oath. 

Rule 12. Open Committee Hearings.—To the 

extent required by paragraph 5 of Rule XXVI 


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S592 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 15, 2009 

of the Standing Rules of the Senate (relating 

to limitations on open hearings), each hearing conducted by the committee shall be 

open to the public. 

Rule 13. Announcement of Hearings.—The 

committee shall undertake consistent with 

the provisions of paragraph 4(a) of Rule 

XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate 

(relating to public notice of committee hearings) to issue public announcements of hearings it intends to hold at least one week 

prior to the commencement of such hearings. 

Rule 14. Witnesses at Hearings.—(a) Each 

witness who is scheduled to testify at any 

hearing must submit his written testimony 

to the staff director not later than noon of 

the business day immediately before the last 

business day preceding the day on which he 

is scheduled to appear. Such written testimony shall be accompanied by a brief summary of the principal points covered in the 

written testimony. Having submitted his 

written testimony, the witness shall be allowed not more than ten minutes for oral 

presentation of his statement. 

(b) Witnesses may not read their entire 

written testimony, but must confine their 

oral presentation to a summarization of 

their arguments. 

(c) Witnesses shall observe proper standards of dignity, decorum and propriety while 

presenting their views to the committee. 

Any witness who violates this rule shall be 

dismissed, and his testimony (both oral and 

written) shall not appear in the record of the 

hearing. 

(d) In scheduling witnesses for hearings, 

the staff shall attempt to schedule witnesses 

so as to attain a balance of views early in 

the hearings. Every member of the committee may designate witnesses who will appear before the committee to testify. To the 

extent that a witness designated by a member cannot be scheduled to testify during the 

time set aside for the hearing, a special time 

will be set aside for the witness to testify if 

the member designating that witness is 

available at that time to chair the hearing. 

Rule 15. Audiences.—Persons admitted into 

the audience for open hearings of the committee shall conduct themselves with the 

dignity, decorum, courtesy and propriety 

traditionally observed by the Senate. Demonstrations of approval or disapproval of any 

statement or act by any member or witness 

are not allowed. Persons creating confusion 

or distractions or otherwise disrupting the 

orderly proceeding of the hearing shall be expelled from the hearing. 

Rule 16. Broadcasting of Hearings.—(a) 

Broadcasting of open hearings by television 

or radio coverage shall be allowed upon approval by the chairman of a request filed 

with the staff director not later than noon of 

the day before the day on which such coverage is desired. 

(b) If such approval is granted, broadcasting coverage of the hearing shall be conducted unobtrusively and in accordance with 

the standards of dignity, propriety, courtesy 

and decorum traditionally observed by the 

Senate. 

(c) Equipment necessary for coverage by 

television and radio media shall not be installed in, or removed from, the hearing 

room while the committee is in session. 

(d) Additional lighting may be installed in 

the hearing room by the media in order to 

raise the ambient lighting level to the lowest 

level necessary to provide adequate television coverage of the hearing at the then 

current state of the art of television coverage. 

(e) The additional lighting authorized by 

subsection (d) of this rule shall not be directed into the eyes of any members of the 

committee or of any witness, and at the request of any such member or witness, offending lighting shall be extinguished. 

Rule 17. Subcommittees.—(a) The chairman, 

subject to the approval of the committee, 

shall appoint legislative subcommittees. The 

ranking minority member shall recommend 

to the chairman appointment of minority 

members to the subcommittees. All legislation shall be kept on the full committee calendar unless a majority of the members 

present and voting agree to refer specific legislation to an appropriate subcommittee. 

(b) The chairman may limit the period during which House-passed legislation referred 

to a subcommittee under paragraph (a) will 

remain in that subcommittee. At the end of 

that period, the legislation will be restored 

to the full committee calendar. The period 

referred to in the preceding sentences should 

be 6 weeks, but may be extended in the event 

that adjournment or a long recess is imminent. 

(c) All decisions of the chairman are subject to approval or modification by a majority vote of the committee. 

(d) The full committee may at any time by 

majority vote of those members present discharge a subcommittee from further consideration of a specific piece of legislation. 

(e) Because the Senate is constitutionally 

prohibited from passing revenue legislation 

originating in the Senate, subcommittees 

may mark up legislation originating in the 

Senate and referred to them under Rule 16(a) 

to develop specific proposals for full committee consideration but may not report 

such legislation to the full committee. The 

preceding sentence does not apply to nonrevenue legislation originating in the Senate. 

(f) The chairman and ranking minority 

members shall serve as nonvoting ex officio 

members of the subcommittees on which 

they do not serve as voting members. 

(g) Any member of the committee may attend hearings held by any subcommittee and 

question witnesses testifying before that 

subcommittee. 

(h) Subcommittee meeting times shall be 

coordinated by the staff director to insure 

that—— 

(1) no subcommittee meeting will be held 

when the committee is in executive session, 

except by unanimous consent; 

(2) no more than one subcommittee will 

meet when the full committee is holding 

hearings; and 

(3) not more than two subcommittees will 

meet at the same time. 

Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3), a 

subcommittee may meet when the full committee is holding hearings and two subcommittees may meet at the same time only 

upon the approval of the chairman and the 

ranking minority member of the committee 

and subcommittees involved. 

(i) All nominations shall be considered by 

the full committee. 

(j) The chairman will attempt to schedule 

reasonably frequent meetings of the full 

committee to permit consideration of legislation reported favorably to the committee 

by the subcommittees. 

Rule 18. Transcripts of Committee Meetings.— 

An accurate record shall be kept of all markups of the committee, whether they be open 

or closed to the public. A transcript, marked 

as ‘‘uncorrected,’’ shall be available for inspection by Members of the Senate, or members of the committee together with their 

staffs, at any time. Not later than 21 business days after the meeting occurs, the committee shall make publicly available 

through the Internet— 

(a) a video recording; 

(b) an audio recording; or 

(c) after all members of the committee 

have had a reasonable opportunity to correct 

their remarks for grammatical errors or to 

accurately reflect statements, a corrected 

transcript; 

and such record shall remain available until 

the end of the Congress following the date of 

the meeting. 

Notwithstanding the above, in the case of 

the record of an executive session of the 

committee that is closed to the public pursuant to Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of 

the Senate, the record shall not be published 

or made public in any way except by majority vote of the committee after all members 

of the committee have had a reasonable opportunity to correct their remarks for grammatical errors or to accurately reflect statements made. 

Rule 19. Amendment of Rules.—The foregoing rules may be added to, modified, 

amended or suspended at any time. 

II. EXCERPTS FROM THE STANDING 

RULES OF THE SENATE RELATING TO 

STANDING COMMITTEES 

RULE XXV 

STANDING COMMITTEES

The following standing committees shall 

be appointed at the commencement of each 

Congress, and shall continue and have the 

power to act until their successors are appointed, with leave to report by bill or otherwise on matters within their respective jurisdictions: 

* * * 

(i) Committee on Finance, to which committee shall be referred all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and 

other matters relating to the following subjects: 

1. Bonded debt of the United States, except 

as provided in the Congressional Budget Act 

1974. 

2. Customs, collection districts, and ports 

of entry and delivery. 

3. Deposit of public moneys. 

4. General revenue sharing. 

5. Health programs under the Social Security Act and health programs financed by a 

specific tax or trust fund. 

6. National social security. 

7. Reciprocal trade agreements. 

8. Revenue measures generally, except as 

provided in the Congressional Budget Act of 

1974. 

9. Revenue measures relating to the insular possessions. 

10. Tariffs and import quotas, and matters 

related thereto. 

11. Transpiration of dutiable goods. 

* * * 

RULE XXVI 

COMMITTEE PROCEDURE

* * * 

Each committee shall adopt rules (not inconsistent with the Rules of the Senate) governing the procedure of such committee. The 

rules of each committee shall be published in 

the Congressional Record not later than 

March 1 of the first year of each Congress, 

except that if any such committee is established on or after February 1 of a year, the 

rules of that committee during the year of 

establishment shall be published in the Congressional Record not later than sixty days 

after such establishment. Any amendment to 

the rules of a committee shall not take effect until the amendment is published in the 

Congressional Record. 

* * * 

5. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision 

of the rules, when the Senate is in session, 

no committee of the Senate or any subcommittee thereof may meet, without special leave, after the conclusion of the first 

two hours after the meeting of the Senate 

commenced and in no case after two o’clock 

post meridian unless consent therefor has 

been obtained from the majority leader and 


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the minority leader (or in the event of the 

absence of either of such leaders, from his 

designee). The prohibition contained in the 

preceding sentence shall not apply to the 

Committee on Appropriations or the Committee on the Budget. The majority leader or 

his designee shall announce to the Senate 

whenever consent has been given under this 

subparagraph and shall state the time and 

place of such meeting. The right to make 

such announcement of consent shall have the 

same priority as the filing of a cloture motion. 

(b) Each meeting of a committee, or any 

subcommittee thereof, including meetings to 

conduct hearings, shall be open to the public, 

except that a meeting or series of meetings 

by a committee or a subcommittee thereof 

on the same subject for a period of no more 

than fourteen calendar days may be closed to 

the public on a motion made and seconded to 

go into closed session to discuss only whether the matters enumerated in clauses (1) 

through (6) would require the meeting to be 

closed, followed immediately by a record 

vote in open session by a majority of the 

members of the committee or subcommittee 

when it is determined that the matters to be 

discussed or the testimony to be taken at 

such meeting or meetings— 

(1) will disclose matters necessary to be 

kept secret in the interests of national defense or the confidential conduct of the foreign relations of the United States; 

(2) will relate solely to matters of committee staff personnel or internal staff management or procedure; 

(3) will tend to charge an individual with 

crime or misconduct, to disgrace or injure 

the professional standing of an individual, or 

otherwise to expose an individual to public 

contempt or obloquy, or will represent a 

clearly unwarranted invasion of the privacy 

of an individual; 

(4) will disclose the identity of any informer or law enforcement agent or will disclose any information relating to the investigation or prosecution of a criminal offense 

that is required to be kept secret in interests 

of effective law enforcement; 

(5) will disclose information relating to the 

trade secrets of financial or commercial information pertaining specifically to a given 

person if— 

(A) an Act of Congress requires the information to be kept confidential by Government officers and employees; or 

(B) the information has been obtained the 

Government on a confidential basis, other 

than through an application by such person 

for a specific Government financial or other 

benefit, and is required to be kept secret in 

order to prevent undue injury to the competitive position of such person; or 

(6) may divulge matters required to be 

kept confidential under other provisions of 

law or Government regulations. 

(c) Whenever any hearing conducted by 

any such committee or subcommittee is 

open to the public, that hearing may be 

broadcast by radio or television, or both, 

under such rules the committee or subcommittee may adopt. 

(d) Whenever disorder arises during a committee meeting that is open to the public, or 

any demonstration of approval or disapproval is indulged in by any person in attendance at any such meeting, it shall be the 

duty of the Chair to enforce order on his own 

initiative and without any point of order 

being made by a Senator. When the Chair 

finds it necessary to maintain order, he shall 

have the power to clear the room, and the 

committee may act in closed session for so 

long as there is doubt of the assurance of 

order. 

(e) Each committee shall prepare and keep 

a complete transcript or electronic recording 

adequate to fully record the proceeding of 

each meeting or conference whether or not 

such meeting or any part thereof is closed 

under this paragraph, unless a majority of 

its members vote to forgo such a record. 

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* * * 

TRIBUTE TO SENATORS 

JOHN SUNUNU

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. Presdient, I 

have really enjoyed working with John 

Sununu. 

John Sununu grew up in Salem, NH, 

and is one of eight children. He was 

first introduced to public service at a 

young age, when his mother served as 

chairman of the local school board. 

John attended public schools, graduated from Salem High School, and received bachelor’s and master’s degrees 

in Mechanical Engineering from the 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

John also earned a master’s degree in 

business administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Business. 

John Sununu first ran for public office in 1996, winning election in New 

Hampshire’s 1st District and serving 3 

terms in the U.S. House. 

In 2002, John defeated both an incumbent Senator and the sitting Governor 

to become the youngest Member of the 

U.S. Senate. 

As a Senator, John distinguished 

himself as an innovative legislator, 

bringing his extensive background in 

science, engineering, and small business to his work in Washington. 

Senator Sununu has been a staunch 

advocate for low taxes, smarter regulation, and civil liberties. 

Since he is still a young man at the 

age of 44, I suspect that we will be 

hearing a lot more from John Sununu 

in the years to come. 

I wish him well in his future endeavors. 

GORDON SMITH

Mr. President, Gordon Smith has 

served the people of Oregon extremely 

well. 

Before coming to the U.S. Senate, he 

served as director of the family owned 

Smith frozen foods company in Weston, 

OR, where he created jobs and spurred 

economic growth. 

Gordon Smith entered politics with 

his election to the Oregon State Senate 

in 1992, and he became president of that 

body in 1995. 

Since winning election to the U.S. 

Senate in 1996, Senator Smith has 

worked with his colleagues on both 

sides of the aisle on critical issues. 

Senator Smith chaired the Special 

Committee on Aging, and he also 

served on the following Senate committees: Commerce, Science and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources, Finance, and Indian Affairs. 

Senator Smith has also courageously 

led the effort to educate Americans on 

ways to prevent the tragedy of suicide 

of young men and women. 

In 2004, I was so proud when President Bush signed the Garrett Lee 

Smith Memorial Act, authorizing $82 

million for suicide prevention and 

awareness programs at colleges. 

Because of his business experience, 

he was a Senate leader on issues and 

regulations that impede economic 

growth. 

Senator Smith also distinguished 

himself by championing rural Oregonians, including the many farmers and 

ranchers throughout the mountains 

and lake areas of his beautiful State. 

I thank Gordon Smith for his dedication and service, and I wish him well. 

TED STEVENS

Mr. Presdient, Senator Ted Stevens 

of Alaska has served in the U.S. Senate 

for 40 years, and is the longest-serving 

Republican Senator in history. 

On a personal note, I have enjoyed 

working with Senator Stevens, and it 

has been a true privilege to collaborate 

with him on some of the most important issues facing our great Nation—including energy, health care, and national defense. 

Senator Stevens’ service to the 

United States didn’t begin when he 

stepped inside this chamber. Rather, 

his service began decades earlier—during some of the most harrowing days of 

World War Two. 

Senator Stevens was part of the 

Greatest Generation who fought and 

won that global struggle for freedom— 

flying a C–47 in the China Burma India 

Theater. 

Incredibly, over 1,000 of Senator Stevens’ fellow airmen died ‘‘flying the 

hump’’ and elsewhere in the Chinese 

Burma India Theater—a sobering reminder of the high price of freedom. 

For his heroic efforts, Senator Stevens later received two Distinguished 

Flying Crosses and two Air Medals, as 

well as the Yuan Hai medal awarded by 

the Republic of China. 

After the war, Senator Stevens completed his education at UCLA and Harvard Law School, and then moved to 

Alaska, which was then a U.S. territory. 

In the city of Fairbanks, Senator 

Stevens practiced law for several years, 

until he came to Washington, DC, to 

serve in the Eisenhower administration, and also to lobby for Alaska’s admittance into the Union—a mission 

that succeeded in 1959. 

When Senator Stevens returned to 

Alaska, he ran for—and won a seat in 

the Alaska House of Representatives, 

and later became House majority leader. 

Then, in December 1968, Governor 

Walter J. Hickel appointed him to fill 

a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. 

In 1970, the voters of Alaska ratified 

that choice by electing Senator Stevens to finish that term in a special 

election, and then re-electing him six 

more times. 

Senator Stevens’ achievements are 

legendary in this chamber—including 

chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, the Appropriations Committee, 

the Commerce Committee and President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate— 

from January 2003 to January 2007. 


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