[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 173 (Wednesday, December 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10994-S10995]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, the Executive Calendar of the Senate 
notes, on page 5, Calendar No. 1002, James Michael Cole, of the 
District of Columbia, nominated by the President of the United States 
to be Deputy Attorney General. That was reported by the Senate 
Judiciary Committee, his nomination, on July 20 of this year. We are 
now into December, and this year is coming to an end. This has taken 
long enough.
  I ask that the No. 2 spot in the Department of Justice be filled, 
that we not continue to have this vacancy and imperil the important 
mission of that Department.
  I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session 
and to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 1002, James Michael 
Cole, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Attorney General; that 
the nomination be confirmed and the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, with no interviewing action or debate; that any statements 
be printed in the Record, the President be immediately notified of the 
Senate's action, and the Senate then resume legislative session.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, reserving the right to object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, the Department of Justice is well aware 
of some issues that have been raised by the intelligence community, 
particularly the Senate Intelligence Committee, with respect to this 
nominee; therefore, I must object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from Colorado.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, if I might, I would like to 
yield to Senator Barrasso from Wyoming to discuss the important bill 
that was just objected to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.
  Mr. BARRASSO. It was a privilege for me to cosponsor this piece of 
legislation with the distinguished Senator from Colorado. My colleague 
Senator Enzi and I have long been advocates of allowing an additional 
opportunity for jobs and for economic development into the wonderful 
ski areas around Rocky Mountain West, which is the intent of this bill. 
It really is aimed at increasing summer activities so that a number of 
these locations, if you will, on Forest Service land can use that land 
for an extended season, which would then work toward full-time, year-
round employment for the folks in those areas, putting in things such 
as zip lines and opportunities for recreational advancements to 
increase the amount of tourism, the amount of visitors to these 
wonderful places people like to enjoy. We think additional 
opportunities and enhancements would allow for additional employment. 
That is why Senator Enzi and I joined with Senator Udall in support of 
his efforts on this important piece of legislation.

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I thank both Senators from 
Wyoming for their support. I know we will go back to work in the next 
Congress because, as the Senator pointed out, this bipartisan bill 
would provide clear authority for the Forest Service to allow 
additional summertime use of ski areas which would help create jobs and 
grow sustainable economies in ski country. It is no cost. It is common 
sense, as the Senator pointed out. That is why it not only has support 
from the two Wyoming Senators but also Senators Risch, Ensign, Bennett, 
and Gregg. It was favorably reported out of the Energy and Natural 
Resources Committee in September. The CBO projects it will actually 
generate revenue for the Federal budget and will help improve the 
economy in a lot of hard-hit mountain communities.
  Mr. President, we passed a number of other bills out of the Energy 
and Natural Resources Committee that, unfortunately, will not receive 
votes in this Congress. I want to touch on a couple of them.
  I begin with the National Forest Insect Disease Emergency Act. I have 
been working on this concern for the entire time I have served in the 
Congress, whether in the Senate or the House. We have an enormous bark 
beetle epidemic in our Western forests. Those who study our forests say 
that because of climate change and drought and human activity, these 
epidemics will become more and more common. What the bill would have 
done is provide the tools and resources to the Forest Service to help 
address this serious natural disaster. It is slow moving but 
nonetheless a natural disaster. That disaster is the deaths of millions 
and millions of acres of trees due to insect infestations.
  Senators Crapo and Risch were cosponsors. It is a very significant 
disappointment that we didn't move to consider this bill. I know it 
would have passed the Senate.
  Another bill is the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel Act, commonsense 
legislation that would directly benefit a community in Colorado and, 
indeed, the entire Arkansas River Valley, one of the significant 
watersheds in the State of Colorado. This mine drainage tunnel near 
Leadville, in 2008, was backed up with a large volume of contaminated 
water which then created a safety hazard to the community, but it was 
unclear whether the Bureau of Reclamation or the Environmental Protect 
Agency was responsible for addressing it.
  My bill would clarify that the Bureau of Reclamation has the 
authority to treat this backed-up water and is responsible for 
maintaining the tunnel so that in the future these kinds of threats 
will not arise and, if they do, it is clear who is responsible to 
mitigate them. It is a straightforward bill. It doesn't cost anything. 
It would give the people of Leadville the certainty they have needed 
for years.
  Finally, I wish to mention the Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District 
Land Exchange Act. This would help protect public safety. It 
facilitates a fair exchange of lands on the Arapaho-Roosevelt National 
Forest near Boulder between the Forest Service and the Sugar Loaf Fire 
District. The fire district is seeking this exchange so they can 
upgrade and maintain fire stations which serve this community which has 
been subjected to wildland/urban fires. We

[[Page S10995]]

want to protect the homes and the built structures and people who live 
in those areas. The exchange would reduce costs related to forest 
boundary maintenance as well as provide better service to the residents 
of the fire district, neighbors of the district, and individuals who 
travel through.
  I appreciate the patience of my colleagues. The point I wish to make 
is, we had tens and tens of bills in the Energy and Natural Resources 
Committee that this body should have considered. It would have been 
important to give these commonsense bills an up-or-down vote. Almost 
all of them were bipartisan in nature. It is a disappointment to me 
that we have not done the will of the people in the Senate.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.

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