[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 20, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S663-S667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXECUTIVE SESSION
NOMINATIONS
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to executive session to consider nominations received today:
Steven Chu to be Secretary of Energy; Arne Duncan to be Secretary of
Education; Janet Napolitano to be Secretary of Homeland Security; Peter
Orszag to be Director of OMB; Kenneth Salazar to be Secretary of
Interior; Eric Shinseki to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Thomas
Vilsack to be Secretary of Agriculture. I ask consent that the Senate
proceed to their consideration en bloc; that the nominations be
confirmed, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en
bloc; that no further motions be in order, and that any statements
relating to the nominations be printed in the Record.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection?
Without objection, it is so ordered.
The nominations considered and confirmed en bloc are as follows:
Department of Agriculture
Thomas J. Vilsack, of Iowa, to be Secretary of Agriculture.
Department of Education
Arne Duncan, of Illinois, to be Secretary of Education.
Department of Energy
Steven Chu, of California, to be Secretary of Energy.
Department of Homeland Security
Janet Ann Napolitano, of Arizona, to be Secretary of
Homeland Security.
Department of the Interior
Kenneth Lee Salazar, of Colorado, to be Secretary of the
Interior.
Department of Veterans Affairs
Eric K. Shinseki, of Hawaii, to be Secretary of Veterans
Affairs.
Executive Office of the President
Peter R. Orszag, of Massachusetts, to be Director of the
Office of Management and Budget.
(At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was ordered to
be printed in the Record.)
NOMINATION OF ARNE DUNCAN
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On page S663, January 20, 2009, the Record reads:
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS (At the request . . . ) NOMINATION OF ARNE
DUNCAN
The online Record has been corrected to read: (At the request .
. . ) nomination of arne duncan
========================= END NOTE =========================
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I am pleased to voice enthusiastic
support for the nomination of Arne Duncan to serve as Secretary of
Education, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting his
nomination. Mr. Duncan brings inspiration, dedication, and ability to
the field of education, and I am confident that his leadership will
help move America forward to tackle the challenges present in our
educational system.
Last week, Mr. Duncan appeared before our Education Committee for his
confirmation hearing. He was met with broad bipartisan support from
members across our committee for his vision and his commitment to move
American education forward at all levels--from early education through
college.
Mr. Duncan shared with us his very personal connection to the field
of education, which first developed with his work alongside his mother
in an afterschool tutoring program for needy students. Since then, he
has worked to confront challenges and advance reforms as head of
Chicago's schools. We
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are all aware of the demands on superintendents of large city school
systems, which is why the average tenure of an urban school chief is
less than 3 years. In Chicago, Arne Duncan has given 7. In each of
those years, he focused with relentless determination on closing
achievement gaps, improving teacher quality, reducing dropout rates,
and better engaging communities in schools.
Throughout his career, Arne Duncan has brought an impressive, can-do
pragmatism to the complex challenges present in our education system.
He is a leader who will bring people together, put children first,
support teachers and focus on results. Each of those traits will serve
all of us well as he takes the helm of the U.S. Department of
Education.
Today's nomination should also remind us all of the importance of
education to America's future.
Education is the key to opportunity and a strong economy, and
America's schools and teachers are the catalysts for change. The
ability of each of our young people to compete and succeed in this new,
global economy depends on our ability to ensure that they receive a
high-quality education.
Education is also key to our national security. Skills and knowledge
are the pathway to protecting America and maintaining our progress in
the world.
Most of all, education is key to maintaining America's greatest
ideals and values, and to ensuring the vitality of our democracy.
My friend and colleague, the late Claiborne Pell, used to say that
the real strength and security of our nation lies in the education and
character of our people. Our Founding Fathers agreed, and so did many
school reformers after them, from John Dewey to Horace Mann. As
Americans, we have an obligation to provide everyone--regardless of
their background, economic means, disability, or language skills--with
the best possible education that enables them to develop their talents
and participate fully and actively in their communities and in their
country.
In order to achieve this goal, we need a new, major effort to
confront and address the persistent challenges that are present in our
educational system. This effort must span from the early years through
high school, into college and beyond, and it must focus on building
outstanding schools and institutions that deliver opportunity for every
American to learn and succeed. Today's inauguration of our President-
Elect marks our chance to write a new and better chapter in American
education--one that will harness innovation, cultivate solutions, and
invest wisely toward reaching our goals.
Our work must begin in the early years, by recognizing that what we
do for our children in their first years has a profound impact on their
later learning and success. The healthy development of children depends
on the relationships they build with those around them--in any early
learning setting.
Today, 38 States support prekindergarten programs for children, and
invest more than $3.7 billion in such programs. More than a million
children attend State-funded preschool, comprising 22 percent of all 4-
year-olds in the Nation. Nearly 1 million more low-income children are
served by the Federal Head Start and Early Head Start programs. And 12
million children under the age of 5 are in some form of child care
every week--1.7 million of which receive Federal assistance to attend
such programs.
We must focus each of our early learning investments--at the Federal,
State, and local level--on a shared goal of school readiness and
quality, regardless of the child care center, preschool classroom, or
early learning program in which a child participates. In the early
years, quality is the key. We need a new effort to build an early
education system that provides opportunities for every child to arrive
at school ready with the skills necessary to succeed in kindergarten,
and with a strong foundation from which to build and grow in their
later academic experiences.
In elementary and secondary education, we must strengthen and
modernize our public schools, and move quickly to address the
inequities in our system that enable persistent achievement and
opportunity gaps. No Child Left Behind started us down the road of
accountability and high expectations for all students. But we need a
new, national strategy to implement the changes needed to better
achieve the law's goals.
Any effort at improving public education must begin by supporting and
strengthening America's teachers, who reside on the front line of
school reform. We need new avenues to attract talented individuals into
the teaching profession, and better supports to ensure that they remain
in the classroom. We need new ways to encourage our best teachers to
serve in the neediest schools, new mechanisms for recognizing and
rewarding teacher successes, greater chances for teachers to develop
and share their practice, and better opportunities for teachers to
become leaders and decisionmakers in their own schools.
We cannot afford for America's students to be outcompeted and
outpaced in this 21st century economy. We must support new efforts to
increase the rigor and relevance of the school curriculum, more
efficient and effective methods of testing and using school data,
greater supports for disabled students and English learners, and a
better-organized school schedule that maximizes learning time and
provides new connections for students to develop knowledge and skills
in their communities.
Unlocking the doors of higher education is more important today than
ever before, and the dream of a college education should be available
to any student with the talent, desire, and commitment to pursue it.
Yet many of America's students still lack the help and assistance they
need to prepare for college. A dollar sign still bars the doors of
college opportunity for too many. For others, the path to college is
blocked by heavy student loan debt and unmet financial need.
In the 110th Congress, we responded to these challenges by enacting
the College Cost Reduction and Access Act and the Higher Education
Opportunity Act. We committed to provide an unprecedented lifeline of
need-based grant aid to students, to upgrade essential programs that
prepare students for college, to reforming our student loan programs,
and to simplifying the application process for college aid.
Yet far more remains to be done to address college access and
affordability, and to bring the promise of a college degree to many
more students. We must make greater strides in expanding the Pell grant
for America's neediest students. We need new efforts to ensure that our
Federal student aid programs protect students and taxpayers from risk,
new mechanisms to contain and reduce soaring college costs, and new
efforts to bolster the educational pipeline by strengthening community
colleges and investing in college persistence and completion.
In each of these areas--early childhood education, elementary and
secondary education, and higher education--there are great challenges
to be met. We must forge ahead with an urgency to confront each of them
head on, and improve educational opportunities for all Americans.
Today is a great day that reminds us of all that's possible in the
days ahead. Our work to help others achieve the American dream begins
by improving education across our country. We should each dedicate
ourselves to that goal, with a renewed spirit of innovation and a
resolve for change. And I believe that Arne Duncan is just the person
to lead us forward as our next Secretary of Education.
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I support the pending nomination of Mr. Arne
Duncan to be Secretary of Education. I had the opportunity to meet with
Mr. Duncan earlier this month, although I have been aware of his work
in Chicago for a number of years. What struck me the most is his focus
on doing what is best for the children and his belief that every child
can succeed regardless of their background.
During his confirmation hearing in the Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions--HELP--Committee, Mr. Duncan was asked about what he had
accomplished in Chicago as the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools. His
support for charter schools, public school choice, performance pay for
teachers and school leaders was highlighted at the hearing. He
described how he had closed low-performing schools in Chicago because
they were not providing children the education they needed. He
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also spoke of the important role teachers have and how we need not only
to attract but retain quality teachers. He believes that children have
one chance to get a good education, and as adults we need to make sure
they have that opportunity to learn and achieve.
Historically, education has been a bipartisan issue. The HELP
Committee has an excellent track record for getting bills passed and
signed into law as a result of a strong bipartisan process. Mr. Duncan
did not hesitate to commit to establishing and maintaining a
cooperative working relationship with all Senators on the HELP
Committee, Democrat or Republican, by promptly responding to any
written or phone inquiries, sharing information as soon as it becomes
available, and directing his staff to do the same. He also agreed that
regulations promulgated under his direction should be based on
legislative authority. Despite the recognition that it is easier to
start something than to end it, he also pledged to target resources on
programs that work and to eliminate those programs that don't. The
members of the committee were impressed with his answers to our
questions, and it was evident from our comments that he enjoys strong
bipartisan support. I am hopeful that support will show itself by our
vote today.
Mr. Duncan is no stranger to the challenges that he will face as
Secretary of Education. He understands the important issues that will
affect every child and every schoolroom throughout the United States.
His track record with a major urban school district is well known.
However, I did caution Mr. Duncan that I will remind him regularly and
often of the unique challenges that rural and frontier schools and
students face. Congress and the Department of Education need to work
together to make sure that every school has the tools and the
flexibility needed to help students develop the knowledge and skills
required to be successful in the 21st century.
We cannot afford to have students leaving high school--and college--
without completing their programs of study. Mr. Duncan and I agree that
we have to build upon the successes of No Child Left Behind, coordinate
efforts across programs including Head Start, career and technical
education and workforce programs under the Workforce Investment Act,
and reduce the barriers nontraditional students face to obtaining
education that will provide the knowledge and skills they need to be
successful in the 21st century. Our country's future depends on our
ability to reach this goal.
It is no secret--good skills lead to good jobs. Maintaining those
skills through a lifetime of learning will lead to a good career. Mr.
Duncan understands this and the fact that the workplace isn't what it
used to be. In this global, technology-driven economy, school is never
out. Today's workplace demands an ever-changing workforce that can
adapt to the requirements and skills of the new high-tech jobs that are
in such high demand. Keeping workers' abilities current will be vital
if they are to continue to find the kind of good jobs they will need to
support their families and maintain a consistently high standard of
living. I was pleased to see that Mr. Duncan supports the role
community colleges can play in providing this education and training
and understands the need to support and accommodate the growing
population of nontraditional students in our postsecondary education
institutions.
I am pleased to be able to join the distinguished chairman of the
committee, Senator Kennedy, in supporting the confirmation of Mr.
Duncan to be the next Secretary of Education. Today, this body has the
opportunity to confirm an excellent nominee with the skills,
experience, and commitment to help students of all backgrounds
throughout their lives achieve their own version of the American dream.
By confirming Arne Duncan as the next Secretary of Education I am
confident that we will have an effective advocate for education and who
will work to meet the lifelong education needs of our children and
students of all ages.
I intend to vote in favor of Mr. Duncan's nomination to head the
Department of Education, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
Nomination of Peter R. Orszag
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to support the nomination of Dr.
Peter R. Orszag to be the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget.
As our Nation wrestles with the economic crisis, the next Director of
the Office of Management and Budget, OMB, must be prepared to tackle
serious fiscal and budgetary crises. The Federal budget is under stress
from the impact of a deep recession and the costs of rescue and
stimulus packages. Spiraling, out-of-control health-care costs are
driving long-term budgetary imbalances. And the next few years will
also see cresting waves of baby boom retirements, with enormous impacts
on Social Security and Medicare expenditures, as well as the Federal
workforce.
Pointing to these trends and to the estimated $1.2 trillion deficit
for the current fiscal year, President Obama has prudently warned that
unless strong measures are taken, the outlook is for ``red ink as far
as the eye can see.'' That is, of course, an unacceptable and
unsustainable scenario for the Government, for the economy, and for the
households and business owners who pay the Government's bills.
OMB is the leading player for the incoming administration as it
formulates policy to deal with a grim present and uncertain future. OMB
also serves as a critical link between Congress and the executive
branch as we work toward a consensus on a sustainable path forward.
Dr. Orszag brings an impressive set of skills and experiences--and
apparently boundless energy--to OMB. As a former Director of the
nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, he is familiar with the
legislative branch and the intricacies of budgets and policy analysis.
Earlier service as an economics adviser in the Clinton administration,
as a scholar at the Brookings Institution, and as a consultant will
also provide important perspectives.
Dr. Orszag will need to draw on every ounce of his knowledge and
experience as he takes the reins of OMB.
Dr. Orszag has already indicated that the economy and stimulus
measures portend a near-term rise in the deficit. But as he knows,
recent years' outlays and the growth of unfunded entitlements are
unsustainable.
We desperately need a realistic plan to avoid having the Federal
budget become a mammoth drag on opportunities for job growth and higher
personal income--and for people's ability to decide what to do with
their own money. The public also expects aggressive oversight and
careful stewardship of the Troubled Asset Relief Program and of any
future economic-recovery package.
Dr. Orszag will also need to focus intensely on the management
challenges confronting the Federal Government. OMB must provide
sustained leadership to build upon contracting reforms Senator
Lieberman and I championed in the last Congress. Improving transparency
and accountability in Government operations and enhancing agency
performance will also be Dr. Orszag's responsibility.
These and other pressing challenges will confront Dr. Orszag as
Director of Office of Management and Budget. I look forward to working
with him as we confront the financial problems our Nation faces.
nomination of janet napolitano
Mr. President, I also support the nomination of Arizona Governor
Janet Napolitano to be the Secretary of the Department of Homeland
Security.
As the Department nears its sixth anniversary, those of us who
participated in its creation can take some measure of satisfaction in
its progress. The men and women of the Department have helped detect
and prevent terrorist attacks.
Our Nation's ability to prepare for and respond to disasters--whether
natural or manmade--has also improved dramatically with the changes
this committee made in the structure and operations of FEMA.
Nonetheless, constantly evolving terrorist threats and the forces of
nature demand further improvements at the Department and strong and
skilled leadership.
I believe Governor Napolitano will provide that leadership.
I have had the opportunity to closely examine the record of Governor
Napolitano and talk with her about a wide range of issues, including
security at our borders and seaports, cooperation with State and local
law enforcement, and the myriad tests that DHS must confront in the
coming years.
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The Governor's law enforcement background and knowledge of homeland
security issues are impressive.
Her experience as a border-State Governor enables her to bring an
important perspective to the Department. Arizona, like my home State of
Maine, is a border State with extensive cross-border and tourism.
Residents of border communities work, shop, worship, and visit friends
and family on both sides of the boundary, complicating the challenge of
border security.
Governor Napolitano understands that we have to let our friends in,
while keeping our enemies out--enforcing border regulations in a
practical manner that accommodates legitimate trade and travel.
One emerging challenge the new Secretary will face is the need to
enhance security at the Nation's biological laboratories. The recent
report of the Commission on Weapons of Mass Destruction predicted a
terrorist attack with a biological weapon within the next 5 years. The
Commission pointed to lax security at biological labs as one of the
bases for that chilling assessment.
Another threat that the Department must address is the security of
our Nation's cyber-infrastructure. The Department must fully understand
the cyber threat and establish and enforce best practices across the
executive branch, as well as redouble its efforts to work with the
private sector on cyber-security.
We must also continue to focus on the security and resiliency of our
Nation's critical infrastructure. With more than 85 percent of those
assets in private hands, this is a daunting task. Seaports and chemical
facilities have been made more secure through legislation that I
coauthored. In addition to extending these two important programs, the
Department must develop a strategy to promote the best practices
developed through the National Infrastructure Protection Plan.
In the last 6 years, DHS has helped improve our all-hazards
preparedness and response capabilities. Homeland security grant funding
for our State and local first responders has certainly played a key
role in that effort. Funding levels in the last few years, however,
have been under attack from the executive branch, and DHS has not yet
fully complied with the requirement to establish an all-hazards risk
formula. The Department must also improve information sharing and
cooperation with our State and local partners.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency forms the core of the
Department's ability to perform its preparedness, response, and
recovery missions. After Hurricane Katrina, Senator Lieberman and I
authored vital reforms of FEMA. Subsequent disasters like wildfires,
tornadoes, and severe storms and floods have demonstrated FEMA's new
and improved capabilities, bolstered by increased coordination with
State and local governments and military resources.
FEMA's documented improvements and the logical combination of all-
hazards prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery in a single
department underscore the need to keep FEMA within DHS. Detaching FEMA
in the vain hope of recapturing mythical halcyon days would weaken its
effectiveness, reduce the ability of DHS to carry out its all-hazards
planning mandate, cause needless duplication of effort, and foment
confusion among State and local first responders during a disaster.
That is why our Nation's leading first responder organizations, like
the International Association of Fire Fighters, the International
Association of Fire Chiefs, the Congressional Fires Services Institute,
the International Association of the Chiefs of Police, and the National
Troopers Coalition, all strongly support keeping FEMA as part of DHS.
As a relatively new Department, DHS still suffers from significant
integration and management challenges. The effective operation of the
Department's 22 legacy agencies requires a strong Departmental culture,
close collaboration between the Department's components, and effective
cooperation with other Federal, State, local, tribal and private-sector
partners. From the Department's program management and resource
allocations, to the basic need for a consolidated headquarters, the
next Secretary must focus intently on removing obstacles to effective
integration and improved performance.
To continue its growth, the Department must have a skilled executive
to lead its dedicated workforce. I believe Governor Janet Napolitano
has the ability to meet these and other challenges facing the
Department of Homeland Security in the years to come. I look forward to
working with her and urge support for her nomination.
nomination of eric shinseki
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to discuss the nomination of GEN
Eric Shinseki for Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
I have three criteria that I use to evaluate all executive branch
nominees: competence, integrity, and commitment to the core mission of
the Department. Based on these criteria, I wholeheartedly support
General Shinseki to be our next Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
In his 38-year Army career, which culminated at Chief of Staff of the
Army, General Shinseki was always first and foremost an advocate for
the soldiers--he was a soldier's general. As a veteran of combat in
Vietnam, during which he suffered life threatening and life altering
injuries, General Shinseki understands firsthand the obstacles our
returning troops face. He knows what it is like to be made whole again
in the military health care system. know General Shinseki will focus on
transforming the Department of Veterans Affairs into an agency for the
21st century with the same fortitude and tenacity he has shown
throughout his military career.
This is a critical time for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Historically high percentages of wounded soldiers are surviving their
wounds. For this we should be thankful. However, many of them are
grievously disabled with debilitating, visible wounds of war, or with
equally debilitating wounds that do not bleed--like post-traumatic
stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Our veterans' health
systems must be updated and adapted to care for this new generation.
Our country has made a 50-year commitment to our wounded warriors to
care for them. We must streamline the red-tape that prevents wounded
warriors from receiving the care they need. We must shorten the months
of waiting for the benefits claims process to unfold. We must better
integrate the DOD and VA health care systems to create a single system
with uniform rating processes and standards. We owe our veterans
nothing less. General Shinseki is the right choice to lead the VA to a
higher state of readiness to care for this new generation of veterans.
The Department of Veterans Affairs challenges don't end with our
immediate obligations to our wounded veterans, but must persist in
addressing our long-term promises to our veterans. This means
maintaining affordable health care for our retired servicemembers.
Making it responsive. Providing the best care. Ensuring our promises
made are promises kept.
The Department of Veterans Affairs challenges also include aiding
members with the transition into civilian life. I am proud of the
recent steps we have taken in Congress to help veterans. Last year we
passed the post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act to make badly
needed updates to the G.I. bill. This legislation will provide
educational benefits to help a new generation of veterans and
servicemembers so they can better themselves through education, better
their ability to serve our Nation as soldiers and citizens, and better
provide for themselves an their families. I am also proud of the
wounded warrior legislative provisions Congress passed in 2007. These
provisions mandated a modernization the military health care system's
approach to post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury
care. I will look to General Shinseki not just to ensure the
implementation of these groundbreaking legislative accomplishments is a
priority, but also to identify meaningful and comprehensive steps to
build on this foundation to ensure that our veterans health care system
delivers the world class care our veterans have earned.
I look forward to working with GEN Eric Shinseki as the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs and have full confidence in his honesty, his
integrity, and his ability to stand up for our veterans. The next
Secretary of Veterans Affairs will face many challenges. I look forward
to meeting those challenges with him as he leads the Veterans Affairs
Department in this time of change.
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Mr. REED. Mr. President, with respect to the nominations confirmed
today, I ask unanimous consent that the President be immediately
notified of the Senate's action and that the Senate return to
legislative session.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
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