S596 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 15, 2009 

make sense for them to invest millions 

(probably billions) of dollars in the exploration and production of increased oil supplies so in order to sell us gasoline at $2.50 a 

gallon? Spend money to reduce profits? If 

Ford were selling all the new F-150 pickups 

they could produce for $30,000 each, would 

they spend billions to expand their assembly 

line so they could sell 25 percent more trucks 

for $22,500 each? Of course not, they would 

keep the price at $30,000 and enjoy the increased profits. And the oil companies will 

do the same thing. Increasing oil supplies 

will only give the big oil companies more oil 

to sell at $120 a barrel and will not drive the 

price at the pump down one bit. 

There’s no competition in the oil industry, 

the regulating bodies have allowed too many 

mergers resulting in a few super-companies 

that are all in bed together. The only way 

you could make an idea like dramatically 

expanding domestic production work is if 

you started a completely new, independent 

company to find and extract the new oil, 

then build new refineries to turn it into a usable product, then build an entirely new distribution infrastructure to get the product 

to the consumers. That would cost trillions 

of dollars and it will never happen. 

Gasoline costs $4.00 a gallon because we are 

still buying it at $4.00 a gallon. That is the 

simple truth. Our country’s entire infrastructure depends on gas and diesel engines 

in cars, trucks, planes, and ships to get products and people from Point A to Point B. 

And I will be the first one to admit, I am not 

prepared to quit driving my car, so I am as 

much a part of the problem as anyone. But 

short of a federal cap on consumer gasoline 

and diesel fuel prices, competition and reduced demand are the only things that will 

drive down the price of retail gasoline. Until 

that happens, we are just hosed. 

CARL BLOOMQUIST, Nampa. 

First I would like to thank you for taking 

the time to listen to the people on this subject. 

Our brief story: 6 months ago we had two 

cars and a truck. We could not afford to 

drive the truck any longer so we sold it and 

paid off one of our cars. That helped for a 

while but the gas prices kept creeping up. I 

work downtown and we are fortunate enough 

to live close to a bus route. Now I pay $36.00 

for a monthly Valley Ride pass and I ride the 

bus every day. That takes an additional hour 

of time a day but now we save close to $100.00 

a month in gas by doing that. But the gas 

prices are still climbing and might reach 

$5.00 per gallon. Now we have two cars and 

one sits in the driveway. So now we are 

thinking seriously about selling the car that 

is paid off and paying down the loan on the 

other car. I am also thinking seriously of 

buying a bicycle and gearing up to commute 

on a bicycle to work. This will help me get 

in shape as well as help keep the environment clean. 

So . . . In a matter of a few months we 

went from three vehicles down to (most likely) one vehicle and riding bicycles. We are 

sick and tired of the prices (fuel and food) 

continuing to creep up and refuse to put up 

with it anymore. 

We want to make a trip to Bend Oregon to 

visit our grandchildren but we cannot afford 

to do that this month. We will have to save 

another $100 and do that at the end of next 

month. We all work too hard to ‘‘try’’ and 

make ends meet to have to make decisions 

between gasoline and grandchildren. 

So maybe someone will hear our story and 

something can be done about this. 

Thank you again for listening. 

MICHAEL VISCETTO. 

I strongly disagree with your stand on the 

climate change bill that recently was defeated in filibuster action recently. I was 

very disappointed in your vote. These are 

measures that need to be made for our environment, and for our economy. 

Trying to open federal wildlife reserves to 

more drilling is not the answer. There is not 

enough oil there to make a difference in the 

world price of oil and gas. (And I say this as 

someone who owns lots of stock in oil, gas, 

and oil service industry companies.) We instead need to focus on making alternative, 

non-CO2 emitting fuels. I do agree with your 

support for nuclear energy, solar and wind 

power. With the coming development of electric powered vehicles, these will greatly decrease the use of gasoline, which is the best 

way to bring about a price drop—which will 

make a climate change bill that much more 

important. 

MITCH LONG, Boise. 

Not sure where to begin. It is very hard for 

us to live right now with both the cost of 

fuel rising, and the cost of food rising. My 

husband served this country for 22 years in 

the Military until he became injured, and 

was unable to do his duties anymore as a 

military man. He went back to school, 

thanks to the VA, and is now a board certified respiratory therapist. He is still looking for a job at this point and time. I have 

faith he will find one soon because we live 

payday to payday, and there are times when 

we do not have enough to pay the bills we 

have because I went to the store, or put gas 

in my car. So I also have to make a choice 

as to put gas in the car, or go to the grocery 

store. But you have to have gas in the car to 

get to the store. Living off of potatoes, and 

macaroni cheese is getting old. And every 

where you look there are commercials telling you to eat right. How can a person eat 

right when you can’t afford the food in the 

first place? Plus with all of my doctor bills 

and the amount of medication I am on does 

not help either. I struggle everyday wondering what am I going to feed my family 

today, and I wonder what is really going to 

happen to us. 

TAMMY. 

Rather than a story I would like to offer a 

suggestion. My suggestion is that Congress 

should put in place requirements for oil companies to begin placing hydrogen fueling options at their stations nationwide. Consumers should be offered incentives for purchasing H cell cars. Oil needs to be used as a 

lubricant not a pollutant. 

Thank you for your efforts. 

f 

CATHY JONES. 

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS 

TRIBUTE TO CARTER INDUSTRIES, 

INCORPORATED 

∑ Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I 

pay tribute to Carter Industries for 

their recent accomplishment. 

Carter Industries was recently 

awarded the Defense Logistics Agency’s, DLA, Business Alliance Award for 

Outstanding Readiness Support in the 

Historically Underutilized Business 

Zone Small Business Category. This 

agency provides logistics support for 

our military as well as other nonmilitary agencies. Carter Industries 

plays a very important role in the 

DLA’s ability to provide clothing to 

our men and women serving domestically and abroad. Specifically, they 

provide coveralls for flyers and combat 

vehicle crewmen, which protect them 

from fire related injuries. Since 1996, 

they have manufactured military 

clothing in a timely fashion have consistently been dependable for our military. Located in Olive Hill, KY, in the 

eastern part of my State, Carter Industries also provides valuable jobs for 

Kentuckians in their efforts to support 

our men and women in uniform. 

I now ask my colleagues to join me 

in congratulating Carter Industries for 

their recent achievement and commitment to our military. They deserve 

proper recognition for their service to 

our great Nation.

f 

∑ 

TRIBUTE TO DR. ROBERT J. 

SMITHDAS 

∑ Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I rise 

to pay tribute to an inspirational New 

Yorker, Dr. Robert J. Smithdas, on the 

occasion of his retirement as Director 

of Community Education at the Helen 

Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind 

Youths and Adults, HKNC, in Sands 

Point, LI. 

At the age of four, Dr. Robert J. 

Smithdas contracted meningitis, which 

resulted in the total loss of his vision 

and, over a short period of time, the 

total loss of his hearing. After graduating Perkins School for the Blind in 

Watertown, MA, in 1945, he was accepted for training at the Industrial Home 

for the Blind, IHB, located in Brooklyn, NY, and received a fellowship to 

attend St. John’s University in New 

York. He received his BA degree cum 

laude in 1950, and 3 years later became 

the first person who is deaf-blind to 

earn a master’s degree, receiving this 

distinction at New York University 

where he specialized in vocational 

guidance and rehabilitation for people 

with disabilities. Dr. Smithdas is also 

the recipient of four honorary Doctoral 

degrees from: Gallaudet University, 

Western Michigan University, Mount 

Aloysius College and, his alma mater, 

St. John’s. 

Dr. Smithdas continued his work 

with important and significant contributions in the field of rehabilitation, 

having successively occupied important management positions at the IHB, 

including that of associate director of 

services for the deaf-blind in charge of 

overall client services. 

Along with Helen Keller and Peter 

Salmon, Dr. Smithdas played a vital 

role in the development of legislation 

enacted as part of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. The act authorized 

the establishment of the Helen Keller 

National Center, which is operated by 

Helen Keller Services for the Blind 

under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation 

Services. 

A true ‘‘Renaissance man,’’ Dr. 

Smithdas’ numerous national awards 

include being named the Poetry Society of America’s ‘‘Poet of the Year,’’ 

1960–61, ‘‘The Handicapped American of 

the Year,’’ 1965, by the President’s 


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January 15, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S597 

Committee on Employment of People 

Who Are Disabled and inducted into 

the National Hall of Fame for Persons 

with Disabilities, 1988. He has served on 

many national committees and boards 

whose emphasis is directed towards rehabilitation services. He and his wife, 

the former Michelle Craig, an instructor at the Helen Keller National Center 

and also deaf-blind, have appeared on 

nationally broadcast television and 

radio programs. 

Dr. Smithdas has lectured widely and 

fascinated countless audiences with the 

recounting of his own adjustment to 

deaf-blindness while working to improve opportunities for others to lead 

full and productive lives. On behalf of 

all New Yorkers, I feel privileged to 

have the opportunity to commend the 

outstanding achievements of Dr. 

Smithdas.∑ 

f 

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 

A message from the President of the 

United States was communicated to 

the Senate by Mrs. Neiman, one of his 

secretaries. 

f 

EXECUTIVE MESSAGE REFERRED 

As in executive session the Presiding 

Officer laid before the Senate a message from the President of the United 

States submitting a treaty which was 

referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Relations. 

(The nomination received today is 

printed at the end of the Senate proceedings.) 

f 

REPORT ON THE CONTINUATION 

OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 

THAT WAS ORIGINALLY DECLARED ON JANUARY 23, 1995, 

WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN 

TERRORISTS WHO THREATEN TO 

DISRUPT THE MIDDLE EAST 

PEACE PROCESS—PM 3 

The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 

from the President of the United 

States, together with an accompanying 

report which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

Urban Affairs: 

To the Congress of the United States: 

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides 

for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, prior to the 

anniversary date of its declaration, the 

President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a 

notice stating that the emergency is to 

continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the emergency declared with respect to foreign terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle 

East peace process is to continue in effect beyond January 23, 2009. 

The crisis with respect to the grave 

acts of violence committed by foreign 

terrorists who threaten to disrupt the 

Middle East peace process that led to 

the declaration of a national emergency on January 23, 1995, as expanded 

on August 20, 1998, has not been resolved. Terrorist groups continue to 

engage in activities that have the purpose or effect of threatening the Middle 

East peace process and that are hostile 

to United States interests in the region. Such actions constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the 

national security, foreign policy, and 

economy of the United States. For 

these reasons, I have determined that 

it is necessary to continue the national 

emergency declared with respect to 

foreign terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace process and 

to maintain in force the economic 

sanctions against them to respond to 

this threat. 

GEORGE W. BUSH.

THE WHITE

f 

HOUSE, January 15, 2009. 

2009 NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL 

STRATEGY—PM 4 

The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 

from the President of the United 

States, together with an accompanying 

report; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary: 

To The Congress of the United States: 

I am pleased to transmit the 2009 National Drug Control Strategy, consistent with the provisions of section 

201 of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2006. 

My Administration released its first 

National Drug Control Strategy in 2002 

with the commitment to turn the tide 

against a problem that truly threatens 

everything that is good about our 

country. As we prepare to pass this 

noble charge to a new team of leaders, 

we can look back with satisfaction on 

what we have achieved together as a 

Nation. From community coalitions to 

our international partnerships, we pursued a balanced strategy that emphasized stopping initiation, reducing drug 

abuse and addiction, and disrupting 

drug markets. 

The results of our efforts are clear. 

Together we have helped reduce teenage drug use by 25 percent since 2001. 

This means 900,000 fewer American 

teens are using drugs. The Access to 

Recovery program alone has extended 

treatment services to more than 260,000 

Americans. Through law enforcement 

cooperation and international partnerships, the United States has caused serious disruptions in the availability of 

drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine, reducing the threat such 

drugs pose to the American people, 

while also denying profits to drug traffickers and terrorists. 

Our work is by no means complete— 

we must build on these efforts both to 

further reduce drug use and to rise to 

new challenges. I thank the Congress 

for its support and ask that it continue 

to support this critical endeavor. 

GEORGE W. BUSH.

THE WHITE

f 

HOUSE, January 15, 2009. 

REPORT ON THE CONTINUATION 

OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 

RELATING TO CUBA AND OF THE 

EMERGENCY AUTHORITY RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF 

THE ANCHORAGE AND MOVEMENT OF VESSELS—PM 5 

The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 

from the President of the United 

States, together with an accompanying 

report; which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

Urban Affairs: 

To the Congress of the United States: 

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides 

for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, prior to the 

anniversary date of its declaration, the 

President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a 

notice stating that the emergency is to 

continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent the enclosed notice 

to the Federal Register for publication, 

stating that the national emergency 

declared with respect to the Government of Cuba’s destruction of two unarmed U.S.-registered civilian aircraft 

in international airspace north of Cuba 

on February 24, 1996, as amended and 

expanded on February 26, 2004, is to 

continue in effect beyond March 1, 2009. 

GEORGE W. BUSH.

THE WHITE

f 

HOUSE, January 15, 2009. 

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED 

STATES OF AMERICA AND THE 

GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN 

FEDERATION ON MUTUAL FISHERIES RELATIONS—PM 6 

The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 

from the President of the United 

States, together with an accompanying 

report; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations: 

To the Congress of the United States: 

In accordance with the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et 

seq.), I transmit herewith an Agreement between the Government of the 

United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation Extending the Agreement Between the 

Government of the United States and 

the Government of the Russian Federation on Mutual Fisheries Relations of 

May 31, 1988, with annex, as extended 

(the ‘‘Mutual Fisheries Agreement’’). 

The present Agreement, which was effected by an exchange of notes in Moscow on March 28, 2008, and September 

19, 2008, extends the Mutual Fisheries 

Agreement until December 31, 2013. 


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