[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 24, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S523-S524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              NOMINATIONS

  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise today to comment on several of the 
nominations on which we have voted in the last few days.
  I am pleased the Senate is acting responsibly and quickly to put the 
President's cabinet in place. While I am sure I will not always agree 
with everything proposed by the nominees we have confirmed, I stand 
ready to work with them toward our common goal of the United State's 
best interest.
  I especially want to welcome Governor Tommy Thompson, of my State of 
Wisconsin, to his new position as Secretary of Health and Human 
Services. I had the honor of presenting the Governor at his hearings 
before the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
Committees. As I said there, the Administration is truly fortunate to 
have a man of his energy, creativity, and intelligence in this 
extremely important position.
  I also want to comment on some of the other nominations on which the 
Senate has already acted.
  I am pleased to lend my support to the nomination of General Colin L. 
Powell to be Secretary of State. There are many foreign policy 
challenges facing the next Administration including the proliferation 
of weapons of mass destruction, our peacekeeping commitments abroad, 
instability in the Middle East and in other hot spots, and the 
continued evolution of our relationships with Russia and China. I am 
confident that General Powell brings a wealth of experience, a 
formidable intellect, and a level head to the challenges ahead. I look 
forward to working with Secretary Powell in forging a truly bipartisan 
foreign policy.
  I am also pleased with President Bush's decision to appoint Donald 
Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense. He is an experienced voice on defense 
issues, and one that the Congress has come to rely on for outside 
analysis. He recently addressed the threat of ballistic missiles in a 
special report to Congress that now shapes much of the debate on 
ballistic missile defense. His years of public service and expertise 
will give him the credibility inside the Pentagon to make the tough 
choices that face the new administration, and they will face many. I 
feel confident that Secretary Rumsfeld is qualified to help the 
President shape our armed forces to meet the evolving threats of the 
new century.
  And finally, I support the nomination of Rodney Paige to be the 
Secretary of Education. Dr. Paige has received overwhelming praise 
since his nomination was announced, and in my opinion, there is good 
reason for that. He understands the need to change the system when the 
old programs aren't working like they should. He is willing to work 
with all sides--from teachers to parents to principals to school board 
members. And he brings with him to Washington an important lesson from 
his time in Houston: If you set high standards for students and 
teachers, and require them to meet them, they will strive to succeed.
  Mr. President, there are many worthy nominees who deserve comment and 
support, but I will reserve further remarks until we engage later in 
the year in what I hope will be bipartisan legislating.


                     Nomination of Anthony Principi

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, yesterday the Senate unanimously approved 
the nomination of Anthony Principi to be President Bush's Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs. In my judgment, Secretary Principi is supremely 
qualified to take on the challenges that will face the next Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, and I fully supported his confirmation.
  Secretary Principi will bring a wealth of experience in a broad-range 
of capacities pertaining to veterans and veterans health to his work at 
the VA. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy and decorated 
veteran of the Vietnam War, Secretary Principi is personally aware of 
our veterans needs and concerns. He was appointed deputy secretary of 
Veterans Affairs by President George Bush in 1989 and served as Acting 
Secretary during 1992--providing him with a working knowledge of the 
VA's structure and an understanding of how to make the system work for 
our veterans. Most recently, Secretary Principi served as president of 
a California-based health care contractor. Through a blend of public 
and private service, Secretary Principi has assembled an impressive 
track record and compiled the type of practical experience that will 
serve him well at the VA.
  I was pleased to hear during Secretary Principi's nomination hearing 
that he plans to focus on veterans benefits, among other concerns. I 
agree strongly with this priority. Through dedicated service and 
sacrifice, generations of veterans and their families have answered the 
call to serve this nation in her darkest hours and most shining moments 
alike. They have kept the solemn covenant established by honored 
patriots past and have earned the gratitude of a grateful nation.
  With 139 facilities serving 3.5 million veterans and survivors, 
however, the task at hand is a daunting one. While broadly speaking, 
the VA provides high-quality health-care and services to our veteran 
community, ensuring that such a standard is maintained requires 
constant attention and a firm guiding hand. I am confident that 
Secretary Principi has the leadership and managerial skill, and perhaps 
more importantly, the compassion, to serve well our veterans and their 
families, as they have served our country.
  I commend President Bush for putting forth such a quality and 
qualified nominee. Secretary Principi will be a credit to this 
Administration. I am pleased that the Senate has moved emphatically to 
confirm him as Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I look forward to working 
closely with him on issues of mutual concern, and I wish him well.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I am very pleased to support the 
nomination of Anthony Principi to serve as Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs. Mr. Principi is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, and a 
combat-decorated veteran who commanded a River Patrol Unit in the 
Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War.
  Since completing his service in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Principi has had a 
distinguished career in public service serving as staff director of the 
Senate Committee on Armed Services and Deputy Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs for several years until he was appointed Acting Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs by President Bush in 1992. Now, as Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi will have responsibility for a $48 
billion budget in the Federal Government's second largest department, 
coordinating a nationwide system of health care services and benefits 
to serve America's more than 25 million veterans.
  As we begin the 107th Congress, there are few challenges we face more 
important than ensuring that America's veterans receive the health care 
and benefits that they so justly deserve. The challenges include 
providing adequate funding for veterans health care services, ensuring 
access to VA health care for homeless veterans and veterans living in 
rural areas, providing timely access to specialized medical care, and 
responding to the many concerns of Persian Gulf Veterans as well as 
veterans with service in the Balkans. Secretary Principi, as a combat 
veteran in

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Vietnam, is well aware of these challenges. He has been a strong 
advocate on behalf of veterans during his service in the Senate and as 
Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
  As ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, I look forward to 
working with Secretary Principi to ensure that the FY 2002 budget for 
veterans health care services and benefits are sufficient to meet the 
growing needs of our veterans population, particularly our aging 
veterans. We must also make certain that the Department of Veterans 
Affairs is equipped to meet the many new challenges that are emerging 
as a result of the activities of our military personnel in peacekeeping 
operations and more non-traditional assignments around the world. I 
congratulate Secretary Principi on his appointment and commend him for 
his commitment to serve our Nation's veterans. No individual has a more 
solemn responsibility than the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

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