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FORM.
MR. PRESIDENT.
THE
SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO.
TIME.
THEY'RE NOT READY.
QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
THE
[INAUDIBLE [.
WITHOUT
[INAUDIBLE]
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT THERE BE TWO
MINUTES FOR DEBATE BETWEEN THE
TWO VOTES EQUALLY DIVIDED AND
CONTROLLED BETWEEN THE TWO
LEADERS OR THEIR DESIGNEES.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
ASK FOR THE YEAS AND
NAYS.
IS THERE
A SUFFICIENT SECOND?
THERETHERE APPEARS TO BE.
THE YEASNAYS ARE AND NAYS ARE ORDERED.
THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
VOTE:
ARE THERE
ANY SENATORS IN THE CHAMBER
WISHING TO VOTE OR CHANGE THEIR
IF NOT, ON THIS VOTE, THE YEAS
ARE 5, THE NAYS ARE 2.
THE NOMINATION IS CONFIRMED.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THERE
WILL NOW BE TWO MINUTES OF
DEBATE EQUALLY DIVIDED PRIOR TO
A VOTE ON THE RICE NOMINATION.
THE
SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON IS
RECOGNIZED.
MR. PRESIDENT.
NOMINATION.
HE IS ONE OF OUR STATE'S RISING
LEGAL STARS AND HAS LEFT HIS
MARK DEFENDING THE COMMUNITY HE
WAS BORN IN.
FOR NEARLY 25 YEARS HE'S SERVED
IN THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE IN EASTERN WASHINGTON AND
IN THAT TIME HE SUCCESSFULLY
PROSECUTED A VARIETY OF CRIMINAL
CASES TO PROTECT OUR EASTERN
WASHINGTON COMMUNITIES AND HE
HAS WIDE SUPPORT FROM HIS PEERS
AND NUMEROUS ACCOLADES.
SO I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL
SUPPORT HIS NOMINATION, MAKING
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY'S ALMA MATER,
SPOKANE, AND THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON PROUD OF HIS
NOMINATION.
IS THERE
FURTHER DEBATE?
NOMINATION.
THE YEAS AND NAYS HAVE BEEN
ORDERED.
THERE IS A SUFFICIENT SECOND.
THE YEAS AND NAYS HAVE BEEN
ORDERED.
THE ROLL.
VOTE:
VOTE:
VOTE:#
VOTE:
ARE
THERE ANY -- ARE THERE ANY
SENATORS WISHING TO VOTE OR TO
CHANGE HIS OR HER VOTE?
THERE BEING NONE, THE -- IT IS
93 AYES, 4 NAYS, AND THE
NOMINATION IS CONFIRMED.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE
MOTIONS TO RECONSIDER ARE
CONSIDERED MADE AND LAID ON THE
TABLE.
THE PRESIDENT WILL IMMEDIATELY
BE NOTIFIED OF THE SENATE'S
ACTION, AND THE SENATE WILL
RESUME LEGISLATIVE.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY.
MR. PRESIDENT,
TO A
FRIEND FROM, A LONGTIME FRIEND
FROM NEW JERSEY.
IT'S A SAD DAY FOR ALL OF US
FROM NEW JERSEY WHO KNEW
CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE FROM
NORTH JERSEY.
AND I PAY TRIBUTE TO MY
COLLEAGUE, NEW JERSEY
CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE DIED
THIS MORNING AFTER A BATTLE WITH
COLON CANCER.
CONGRESSMAN PAYNE WAS THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN FROM NEW JERSEY
TO BE ELECTED TO CONGRESS.
HE WAS A TRAILBLAZER AND A FINE
LEADER AND ONE OF THE FINEST OUR
STATE HAS EVER KNOWN.
FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES
CONGRESSMAN PAYNE SERVED NEW
JERSEY WITH DISTINCTION, BUT THE
WHOLE WORLD BENEFITED FROM HIS
LEADERSHIP.
HE WAS A PROUD SON OF NEWARK AND
BECAME AN EXPERT ON FOREIGN
RELATIONS, LED EFFORTS TO
RESTORE DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN
RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD,
PLACES AS FAR AWAY
FROM ONE ANOTHER AS NORTHERN
IRELAND AND SUDAN.
PRESIDENT CLINTON CHOSE
CONGRESSMAN PAYNE TO ACCOMPANY
HIM ON HIS HISTORIC TOUR OF
AFRICA IN 1998.
THE CONGRESSMAN ALSO WORKED
HARD.
HE SECURED MORE THAN $100
MILLION TO TREAT VICTIMS OF
MALARIA, TUBERCULOSIS, H.I.V.
AND AIDS AND STOP THE SPREAD OF
THESE DISEASES IN AFRICA'S
POOREST NATIONS.
THREE YEARS AGO, AGAINST THE
STATE DEPARTMENT'S ADVICE,
CONGRESSMAN PAYNE WENT TO
SOMALIA TO SEE THE TURMOIL THERE
FOR HIMSELF, NARROWLY ESCAPING
WITH HIS LIFE WHEN INSURGENTS
LAUNCHED A MORTAR ATTACK NEAR
HIS AIRPLANE AS HE WAS LEAVING.
THE CONGRESSMAN ALSO HELPED WIN
PASSAGE OF A RESOLUTION
KILLINGS IN DARFUR
AS GENOCIDE, RAISING GLOBAL
AWARENESS OF THESE TRAVESTIES.
AT HOME, CONGRESSMAN PAYNE WAS A
TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR HIS
CONSTITUENTS, BROUGHT
SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
TO COUNTIES IN NEW JERSEY,
ESSEX, HUDSON AND UNION.
DONALD PAYNE WAS A FORMER
SCHOOLTEACHER, WAS A LEADER ON
EDUCATION ISSUES.
HE WORKED HARD TO CLOSE THE
ACHIEVEMENT GAP, MAKING COLLEGE
MORE AFFORDABLE AND BRINGING
MORE EQUITY TO SCHOOL FUNDING.
CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE WAS A
MAN OF CONSCIENCE AND
I KNEW HIM FOR MANY YEARS, AND I
WAS ALWAYS STRUCK BY A
SOFT-SPOKEN DEMEANOR, AND THAT
KIND OF MADE HIM A RARITY IN
POLITICS, AS WE KNOW HERE.
BUT CONGRESSMAN PAYNE KNEW HE
DIDN'T HAVE TO RAISE HIS VOICE.
HIS IDEAS WERE POWERFUL ENOUGH.
THE CONGRESSMAN PUT IT BEST WHEN
HE SAID -- AND I QUOTE HIM
HERE -- KPW-GS THERE'S A LOT OF
DIGNITY IN BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE
THINGS WITHOUT HAVING TO CREATE
DONALD PAYNE WAS A TEACHER AND,
AS I MENTIONED, IN NEWARK'S
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
NEWARK IS A POVERTY-STRICKEN
CITY.
HIS MISSION WAS TO INSPIRE YOUNG
PEOPLE TO USE EDUCATION IN THEIR
LIVES TO ACHIEVE OPPORTUNITY.
THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY SENT
HIM TO WASHINGTON FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN 1988, AND THEY CONTINUED
SENDING HIM BACK BY WHOEFRPLG
MAJORITIES FOR THE -- BY
OVERWHELMING MAJORITIES FOR THE
NEXT 22 YEARS.
HE BECAME AN INSPIRATION TO
MANY, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF HIS
FAMILY, WHO FOLLOWED HIM IN
CAREERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
BUT MOST OF ALL, DONALD PAYNE
WAS AN INSPIRATION TO THE PEOPLE
HE SERVED.
HE GAVE THEM HOPE.
HE GAVE THEM SOME IDEAS OF WHAT
OF THEIR LIVES,
AND HIS VOICE SOUNDED IMPORTANT
AND DELIBERATE ENOUGH TO
CONVINCE PEOPLE TO TRY HARDER.
SUCCESSES.
IN 1988, DURING HIS FIRST
CAMPAIGN FOR THE HOUSE,
CONGRESSMAN PAYNE TOLD A
REPORTER -- AND I QUOTE HIM
AGAIN -- "I WANT TO BE A ROLE
MODEL FOR THE KIDS I TALK TO ON
THE STREET CORNERS."
HE USED TO SEE A LOT, HE WORKED
HARD WITHIN HIS CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT.
AND HE SAID, "I WANT TO SEE
THERE ARE NO BARRIERS TO
ACHIEVEMENT."
MR. PRESIDENT, DONALD PAYNE
ACHIEVED THIS GOAL.
AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF NEW
JERSEYANS HAS COME OF AGE
KNOWING AND RESPECTING
CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE.
HE HAS UNDOUBTEDLY INSPIRED MANY
YOUNG NEW JERSEYANS TO ENTER
AND I EXPECT
THAT WE WILL ONE DAY SEE SOME OF
THEM WALKING THE HALLS OF
CONGRESS FOLLOWING IN DONALD
PAYNE'S FOOTSTEPS.
BUT TODAY THESE HALLS FEEL
EMPTYER WITHOUT HIS PRESENCE.
I'M GOING TO MISS DON PAYNE.
WE'LL MOURN HIS ABSENCE FROM OUR
LIVES, BUT WE'LL ALSO TAKE
COMFORT IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT
HIS LEGACY WILL ENDURE FOR A
LONG TIME TO COME WAY BEYOND HIS
AND WE THANK HIM AT THIS TIME
FOR ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS HE
STATE.
WITH THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, I
YIELD THE FLOOR AND NOTE THE
ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE
CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
I'M
SORRY.
THE SENATOR FROM INDIANA.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT, I
ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE
QUORUM CALL BE VITIATED.
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT, I'D
LIKE TO SPEAK AS IF IN MORNING
BUSINESS ON A MATTER THAT
AFFECTS A LOT OF HE SHAOURS.
I -- HOOSIERS.
I DO THAT WITH CONDOLENCES TO
ALL WHO SUFFERED FROM THE TRAGIC
STORMS, TORNADOES THAT SWEPT
ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PART OF OUR
STATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
GRATITUDE FOR ALL THOSE WHO
RESPONDED IN SUCH A WONDERFUL
WAY TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION,
AND DEEP PRIDE FOR THE PEOPLE OF
INDIANA IN TERMS OF HOW THEY
RESPONDED TO THIS.
MOTHER NATURE'S UNFORGIVING
FORCE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CHANGED
THE LIVES OF BEING HOOSIERS.
IMAGINE, IF YOU COULD, A STRETCH
OF LAND EXTENDING FOR NEARLY 50
MILES, BETWEEN A QUARTER OF A
MILE AND A HALF-MILE WIDE, AND A
STORM THAT TOUCHES DOWN AT THE
BEGINNING OF THAT 50-MILE
THROUGH THAT
WITH FORCE AND DESTRUCTION THAT
IS ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE.
MOST OF US FROM THE MIDWEST ARE
USED TO HURRICANES -- EXCUSE
ME -- TO TORNADOES, AND THEY
USUALLY JUMP AROUND AND BOUNCE
DOWN AND TAKE OUT A SHED HERE
AND A BARN THERE AND PERHAPS A
HOME THERE AND DO WRECK -- OR
SPACE.
BUT NOTHING THAT I'VE EVER SEEN,
AND MOST HAVE NOT EVER SEEN IS A
TORNADO THAT TOUCHES DOWN AND
STAYS DOWN WITH 175 MILE-AN-HOUR
WINDS, CRUSHING EVERYTHING IN
ITS PATH.
AS WE FLEW OVER AND DOWN THAT
PATH AND LOOKED DOWN AND SAW
THAT TOTAL DESTRUCTION, EVERY
HOME, EVERY BUSINESS IN THAT
PATH DESTROYED, LIKE KINDLING.
EVERY OPEN FIELD STREWN WITH
DEBRIS, SOME CARRIED FOR MILES
BEFORE IT WAS DEPOSITED.
TREE STRIPPED BARE AND
FLATTENED.
EVERY CAR OR TRUCK WITHIN THAT
PATH DAMAGED EITHER BY
SOFTBALL-SIZED HAIL OR TURNED
UPSIDE DOWN BY 175 MILE-AN-HOUR
WINDS.
A HOUSE STILL MIRACULOUSLY
INTACT, PICKED UP OFF ITS
FOUNDATION AND MOVED 100 YARDS
EAST AND PLOPPED, PUT BACK DOWN.
SEVERAL RURAL TOWNS, SMALL RURAL
TOWNS IN SOUTHERN INDIANA
DESTROYED, TOTALLY DESTROYED BY
THE FORCE OF NATURE.
A HIGH SCHOOL OF MORE THAN 1,100
STUDENTS NOW LIES IN TOTAL
SHAMBLES.
BUSES STATIONED AT THE SCHOOL
AND CARS HURLED INTO BUILDINGS
ACROSS THE STREET.
AN ENTIRE FAMILY -- GRANDPA,
GRANDMA, MOM, DAD, CHILD -- ALL
KILLED JUST BECAUSE THE STORM
HIT JUST SECONDS BEFORE THEY
TO REACH THE STEPS
LEADING DOWN TO THE BASEMENT.
AND YET, THROUGH ALL THESE,
THESE DEVASTATING IMAGES, I SAW
AND HEARD FIRSTHAND THE STORIES
OF HEROISM AND GENEROSITY AND
RESOLVE THAT I'LL ALWAYS
REMEMBER.
TWO SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS WHO MADE
A SPLIT-SECOND DECISION TO TURN
AROUND AND GET THE KIDS OFF THE
BUS AND INTO A SHELTER.
BOTH THOSE BUSES TOTALLY
DESTROYED JUST MOMENTS LATER.
THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM OUR
FIRST RESPONDERS -- THE LOCAL
POLICE, THE FIRE, THE STATE
POLICE, THE RESCUE TEAMS,
ACCEPTING FOR VICTIMS, HELPING
THE INJURED, DOING EVERYTHING
THEY COULD TO RESTORE SOME
SEMBLANCE OF SUPPORT IN LIGHT OF
THIS TRAGEDY, NEIGHBORS RUSHING
IN TO HELP THE INJURED, CITIZENS
FROM NEARBY TOWNS AND COUNTIES
POURING INTO THE AREA OFFERING
FOOD AND DRINK AND SHELTER,
PEOPLE SAYING, "DO YOU HAVE A
PLACE TO STAY?
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT?
CAN WE DO TO HELP?"
FORMER STRANGERS BECOMING
IMMEDIATE FRIENDS.
ON SUNDAY MORNING AS A WALKED
THROUGH WHAT WAS THE TOWN OF
HENRYVILLE, I WITNESSED A
REMARKABLE SCENE.
DISPLACED HOME ORIENTATION
PICKING THROUGH THE RUBBLE OF
THEIR HOME, TRYING TO RECOVER
LOST MEMORIES AND PRECIOUS
A HOMEOWNER PLANTING AN AMERICAN
FLAG ON THE RUBBLE OF HIS FORMER
HOME.
I WAS DEEPLY MOVED BY THE INCOME
INDOMITABLELY OF THE AMERICAN
SPIRIT, A SPIRIT SO ALIVE AND
WELL IN A TIME OF TRAGEDY.
SOON THE FIRST RESPONDERS WILL
BE RETURNING HOME, IF THEY
HAVEN'T ALREADY, A JOB WELL-DONE
TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT CALL TO
ACTION WHILE THE STATE AND
FEDERAL ASSESSMENT TEAMS BEGIN
THE PROCESS TODAY OF ASSESSING
THE DAMAGE AND THE PROCESS OF
DAY BY DAY,
THE PEOPLE OF INDIANA WILL
REBUILD, THEIR HOMES, THEIR
CHURCHES, THE SCHOOLS, AND THE
COMMUNITIES DESTROYED BY THIS
TORNADO.
ONE WOMAN CAPTURED THE FEELING
OF HOOSIERS BEST WHEN SHE TURNED
TO ME WHILE STANDING ON THE
RMINGS OFREMAINS OF WHAT USED TO BE HER
HOME AND SAID, "WE WILL GO ON,
WE WILL RECOVER, WE WILL MAKE IT
RIGHT AGAIN."
I AM ASKING ALL AMERICANS TO
KEEP HOOSIERS, KENTUCKIANS, ALL
THE VICTIMS OF THE STORMS THAT
RACED THROUGH THE MIDWEST, THE
SOUTHERN PARTS OF IT, TO KEEP
THEM IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND
PRAYERS.
I ASK ALL AMERICANS TO REMEMBER
HOW QUICKLY LIFE CAN CHANGE BUT
ALSO TO REMEMBER THAT AMERICAN
SPIRIT WHICH BRINGS THEM TO
REACHING OUT TO HELP THEIR
NEIGHBORS IN TROUBLE.
I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH GOVERNOR DANIELS, OUR
GOVERNOR, HIS HOMELAND
SECURITY TEAM, THE
ADMINISTRATION, FEMA -- A SHOUT
OUT FOR FEMA.
GREAT STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE
SINCE KATRINA.
THEY'VE BEEN -- THEY WERE RIGHT
ON THE SCENE, AVAILABLE, READY
TO HELP, IN THE PROCESS WORKING
WITH THE STATE AND LOCAL
COMMUNITIES.
WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO REPLACE
THE LIVES OF THOSE LOST TO
MOTHER NATURE'S DESTRUCTION.
BUT HOOSIERS WILL COME TOGETHER
TO REBUILD ONE DAY AT A TIME.
IT'S THE HOOSIER WAY.
THANK GOODNESS IT'S STILL THE
MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE
FLOOR.