[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 10145-10150]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. LUGAR:
  S. 838. A bill to provide for the appointment of United States 
Science Envoys; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 838

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The United States is the world's leader in scientific 
     research and discovery.
       (2) The United States has produced more Nobel Laureates 
     than any other nation, including--
       (A) 90 of the 192 Nobel Laureates in Medicine;
       (B) 81 of the 183 Nobel Laureates in Physics;
       (C) 43 of the 62 Nobel Laureates in Economics; and
       (D) 59 of the 153 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry.
       (3) Consistent polling and scholarly research has shown 
     that--
       (A) the nations of the world seek a relationship with the 
     United States that is based on mutual respect; and
       (B) many of these nations, even nations that disagree with 
     some aspects of United States foreign policy, admire the 
     United States for its leadership in science and technology.
       (4) Science and technology provide an external reference 
     around which nations can converge to foster an atmosphere of 
     cooperation and mutual respect based upon the recognition 
     that advances in science and technology are universally 
     beneficial.
       (5) International scientific cooperation enhances 
     relationships among participating countries by building trust 
     and increasing understanding between countries and cultures 
     through the collaborative nature of scientific dialogues.
       (6) The United States' commitment to technological 
     advances--
       (A) displays our Nation's commitment to improving lives 
     throughout the world;
       (B) mitigates some political controversy; and
       (C) offers other countries a tangible incentive to 
     cooperate with the United States to improve the health and 
     well-being of their citizens.
       (7) Short-term visits from renowned and respected American 
     scientists can dramatically affect the standing of the United 
     States among foreign countries.
       (8) International scientific cooperation--
       (A) produced successful engagements between United States 
     and Soviet scientists throughout the 1970s and 1980s; and
       (B) assisted United States outreach efforts with the 
     People's Republic of China before official diplomatic ties 
     were fully established.
       (9) Various nongovernmental organizations in the United 
     States have been engaged in international scientific 
     cooperation programs. These organizations include the 
     American Association for the Advancement of Science, the 
     Richard Lounsbery Foundation, and many major United States 
     academic institutions.

     SEC. 2. EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Under the authority, direction, and 
     control of the President, the Secretary of State, in 
     accordance with the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange 
     Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.), may increase the number 
     of educational and cultural exchange activities involving 
     persons from scientific, medicine, research, and academic 
     sectors by--
       (1) establishing new programs under that Act; and
       (2) expanding the coverage of existing programs under that 
     Act.
       (b) Scientific Envoy.--The Secretary of State shall appoint 
     United States Science Envoys to represent the commitment of 
     the United States to collaborate with other countries to 
     promote the advancement of science and technology throughout 
     the world based on issues of common interest and expertise.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr. Kaufman, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. 
        Sanders, and Mr. Begich):
  S. 839. A bill to assist States in making voluntary high quality 
universal prekindergarten programs available to 3- to 5-year olds for 
at least 1 year preceding kindergarten; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the well-being 
of our children, both now, today, and also into the future. That is why 
today I am reintroducing my bill, Prepare All Kids, along with Senator 
Kaufman of Delaware and Senator Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
  I believe--and I know this is a belief shared by many people in our 
country--every child in America is born with a light inside and it is 
our responsibility to keep that light burning ever brightly. This bill 
will help States to provide at least 1 year of voluntary 
prekindergarten education to children between the ages of 3 and 5. The 
Prepare All Kids Act will also provide funding for important programs 
that serve the needs of children from birth to age 3, a most critical 
time in the development of children.
  The research is irrefutable. Investing in children in their earliest 
years greatly improves their life outcomes, and conservative estimates 
put the savings to our economy at about $7 for every $1 we invest. So 
this is about two

[[Page 10146]]

things: It is certainly about our obligation, our abiding obligation to 
our children, but it is also about our economy, the obligation to our 
economy that we have to develop skilled workers to compete in a world 
economy.
  There is no question that for some of the most disadvantaged children 
there is an achievement gap between them and their more privileged 
peers that sometimes never closes. One study shows that before entering 
kindergarten, the average cognitive scores of preschool-age children in 
the highest socioeconomic group were 60 percent above the average 
scores of children in the lowest socioeconomic group. I believe 
investing in children is the right thing to do, and it is the smart 
thing to do. Sometimes the oldest sayings are the truest because years 
of scientific research on early childhood programs has proven without a 
doubt that an ounce of prevention is indeed worth a pound of cure--
certainly when it comes to investing in our children.
  Earlier this year, I was proud to advocate for investments in our 
children in this year's recovery bill and prouder still when those 
investments remained intact with passage. Programs such as Early Head 
Start, Head Start, and childcare programs are receiving desperately 
needed increases right now, as working parents all across the country 
struggle to maintain jobs, keep their homes, and ensure their children 
are well cared for while they take care of their responsibilities. It 
is critical that working families can depend upon these investments in 
the years to come.
  The Presidency, the administration of Barack Obama, has an important 
budget blueprint for further recognizing the wisdom of investing in our 
children. In addition to the recovery bill investments, the President's 
Zero to Five initiative highlights the importance of investments during 
the critical period of time between birth and age 5: investments in 
early learning, nurse home visitation, and creating neighborhoods in 
which low-income and disadvantaged children can receive the help and 
assistance they need to succeed in life.
  I want to emphasize very clearly today as it relates to the bigger 
picture of giving children what they need in the early years, my bill, 
the Prepare All Kids Act, focuses on prekindergarten, but it also 
focuses on programs that serve infants and toddlers. It is also about 
investing in and preparing all kids--not just some but all--who are 
about to enter kindergarten. It is absolutely imperative that we don't 
see children in pieces, that we not create silos as we begin to focus 
on the kinds of investments our children need. We cannot allow that to 
be ``siloed'' that way, not childcare versus Head Start versus 
prekindergarten. These programs should not have to compete with one 
another, and in my bill I make sure they don't.
  We also have to remember that investing in children cannot suddenly 
begin when they are 3 or 4 years old. It must begin from the earliest 
days of a child's life, literally beginning before they are born. The 
Obama administration, in outlining its vision of early childhood, shows 
a wise commitment to streamlining and coordinating a system of early 
childhood programs and investments. I could not agree more with the 
need for such streamlining.
  We are also fortunate indeed to have Secretary Duncan and, hopefully 
very soon, the confirmation of Governor Sebelius as Secretary of Health 
and Human Services--both of whom really get it, as the President said 
to a joint session in speaking of another part of our priorities in 
terms of getting it, understanding what we have to do. When it comes to 
the continuum of early childhood development and education, both of 
these officials, as well as the President and Vice President and their 
team, all get this, and they understand it. That is why they have made 
Zero to Five such a high priority.
  Let me turn to an economic summary of the Prepare All Kids Act. First 
of all, in this bill we assist States in providing at least 1 year of 
high-quality prekindergarten education to children. Under my bill, 
prekindergarten programs must adhere to high-quality standards. That 
includes a research-based curriculum that supports children's 
cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development and individual 
learning styles. Experts tell us that at the preschool stage, social 
and emotional learning can be as important and perhaps even more 
important than cognitive learning. That is where early socialization 
takes place--learning to share, pay attention, work independently, and 
express feelings. All these are critical to successful childhood 
development.
  Classrooms in our bill will have a maximum of 20 children and 
children-to-teacher ratios of no more than 10 to 1. Children need 
individualized and quality attention to thrive, and these requirements 
provide that. The bill helps States that want to expand pre-K programs 
to full-day programs as well as extend their programs year round. This 
supports both children and working parents who need high-quality 
programs for their children during the workday and in the summer.
  Prekindergarten teachers will be required to have a bachelor's degree 
at the time they are employed, but we give them sufficient time, 6 
years, in order to get it. We also allow States to use funds for 
professional development for teachers. But we want highly qualified and 
committed teachers in our pre-K programs.
  States must create a monitoring plan that will appropriately measure 
individual program effectiveness. And, one more point: infant and 
toddler programs will receive a significant portion of the funding--15 
percent. These programs typically receive the lowest dollars of all 
early childhood programs, making it difficult for parents, many of them 
single moms, to find quality childcare for the youngest of our 
children.
  We have to recognize in this bill and other places as well the 
critical role of parents in the education of their young children by 
strongly encouraging parental involvement in programs and assisting 
families in getting the supportive services they may need.
  Children come in families. To truly help children, we have to involve 
and support their parents. We have to involve the whole family. More 
important, children cannot succeed without the active involvement of 
their parents. I believe we have an obligation to our children and to 
our future workforce.
  Compared to children who attend high-quality preschool, those who do 
not attend such programs are five times more likely to be chronic 
lawbreakers as adults and more likely to abuse illegal drugs. Children 
who attend high-quality preschool are more successful in school, more 
likely to graduate from high school, and thus more likely to become 
productive adults who contribute to the U.S. economy.
  But for anyone who needs additional reasons, decades of research on 
life outcomes of children who have attended early childhood programs 
proves the wisdom of this investment. Conservative estimates are that 
we save $7 for every $1 invested--in crime, welfare, and education 
costs. Some studies have shown as much as $17 in savings.
  We must ensure that the light in every child--really, their 
potential--burns brightly. It is my deep conviction that as elected 
public servants we have a sacred responsibility to ensure we invest in 
our children by providing early learning and development, nutrition and 
health care--these three: nutrition, health care, and early learning. 
That is why I am committed to serving the children of this Nation and 
why I am reintroducing the Prepare All Kids Act.
  I look forward to working with President Obama and Democrats and 
Republicans in the Congress who share these priorities. I look forward 
to giving our children the good start they deserve, to keep their light 
shining brightly.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 839

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page 10147]]



     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Prepare All Kids Act of 
     2009''.

     SEC. 2. HIGH QUALITY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS.

       Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating part I as part J; and
       (2) by inserting after part H the following:

            ``PART I--HIGH QUALITY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS

     ``SEC. 1841. FINDINGS.

       ``Congress makes the following findings:
       ``(1) Investments in children and early childhood 
     development education should be a national priority.
       ``(2) State-funded preschool is the most rapidly expanding 
     segment of the United States educational system, but in many 
     States a lack of stable funding poses an enormous threat to 
     the provision or continuation of high quality preschool.
       ``(3) Researchers, educators, and economists have long 
     noted an achievement gap for low-income and minority students 
     as compared to their more advantaged peers that is often 
     already evident when children enter school for the first 
     time.
       ``(4) One study showed that before entering kindergarten, 
     the average cognitive scores of preschool-age children in the 
     highest socioeconomic group are 60 percent above the average 
     scores of children in the lowest socioeconomic group.
       ``(5) For low-income preschoolers, research shows that high 
     quality early education and development is vital to closing 
     the achievement gap between them and their more advantaged 
     peers.
       ``(6) Numerous studies have shown that high quality 
     preschool programs--
       ``(A) improve a number of specific life outcomes for 
     children; and
       ``(B) are cost effective.
       ``(7) The provision of high quality prekindergarten is a 
     cost-effective investment for children and for the Nation. 
     Research shows that for every $1 invested in high quality 
     early childhood programs, taxpayers save up to $7 in crime, 
     welfare, remedial and special education, and other costs.
       ``(8) High quality early education increases academic 
     success for schoolchildren who received that education by--
       ``(A) improving skills in areas such as following 
     directions and problem solving;
       ``(B) improving children's performance on standardized 
     tests;
       ``(C) reducing grade repetition;
       ``(D) reducing the number of children placed in special 
     education; and
       ``(E) increasing high school graduation rates.
       ``(9) High quality early education promotes responsible 
     behavior by teens and adults who received that education by--
       ``(A) reducing crime, delinquency, and unhealthy behaviors 
     such as smoking and drug use;
       ``(B) lowering rates of teen pregnancy;
       ``(C) leading to greater employment and higher wages for 
     adults; and
       ``(D) contributing to more stable families.
       ``(10) High quality prekindergarten programs prepare 
     children to--
       ``(A) succeed in school;
       ``(B) achieve higher levels of education; and
       ``(C) become citizens who--
       ``(i) earn more in adulthood;
       ``(ii) compete in the global economy; and
       ``(iii) contribute to our national prosperity.

     ``SEC. 1842. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In this part:
       ``(1) Full-day.--The term `full-day', used with respect to 
     a program, means a program with a minimum of a 6-hour 
     schedule per day.
       ``(2) Poverty line.--The term `poverty line' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 673(2) of the Community 
     Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) and includes any 
     revision required by that section.
       ``(3) Prekindergarten.--The term `prekindergarten' means a 
     program that--
       ``(A) serves children who are ages 3 through 5;
       ``(B) supports children's cognitive, social, emotional, and 
     physical development and approaches to learning; and
       ``(C) helps prepare children for a successful transition to 
     kindergarten.
       ``(4) Prekindergarten teacher.--The term `prekindergarten 
     teacher' means an individual who
       ``(A) has a bachelor of arts degree with a specialization 
     in early childhood education or early childhood development; 
     or
       ``(B) during the 6-year period following the first date on 
     which the individual is employed as such a teacher under this 
     part, is working toward that degree.
       ``(5) Qualified prekindergarten provider.--The term 
     `qualified prekindergarten provider' includes a provider of a 
     prekindergarten program, a Head Start agency, a provider of a 
     child care program, a school, and a for-profit or nonprofit 
     organization that--
       ``(A) is in existence on the date of the qualification 
     determination; and
       ``(B) has met applicable requirements under State or local 
     law that are designed to protect the health and safety of 
     children and that are applicable to child care providers.

     ``SEC. 1843. PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.

       ``(a) Prekindergarten Incentive Fund.--The Secretary, in 
     collaboration and consultation with the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services, shall create a Prekindergarten Incentive 
     Fund, to be administered by the Secretary of Education.
       ``(b) Grants.--In administering the Fund, the Secretary 
     shall award grants to eligible States based on a formula 
     established by the Secretary in accordance with subsection 
     (c), to pay for the Federal share of the cost of awarding 
     subgrants to qualified prekindergarten providers to 
     establish, expand, or enhance voluntary high quality full-day 
     prekindergarten programs.
       ``(c) Minimum Allotment.--No State shall receive a grant 
     allotment under subsection (b) for a fiscal year that is less 
     than one-half of 1 percent of the total amount made available 
     to carry out this part for such fiscal year.

     ``SEC. 1844. STATE APPLICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.

       ``(a) Designated State Agency.--To be eligible to receive a 
     grant under this part, a State shall designate a State agency 
     to administer the State program of assistance for 
     prekindergarten programs funded through the grant, including 
     receiving and administering funds and monitoring the 
     programs.
       ``(b) State Application.--In order for a State to be 
     eligible to receive a grant under this part, the designated 
     State agency shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
     such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
     the Secretary may reasonably require, including--
       ``(1) an assurance that the State will award subgrants for 
     prekindergarten programs that are sufficient to provide a 
     high quality prekindergarten experience;
       ``(2) an assurance that not less than 25 percent of the 
     qualified prekindergarten providers receiving such subgrants 
     will be providers of community-based programs;
       ``(3) a description of the number of children in the State 
     who are eligible for the prekindergarten programs and the 
     needs that will be served through the prekindergarten 
     programs;
       ``(4) a description of how the State will ensure that the 
     subgrants are awarded to a wide range of types of qualified 
     prekindergarten providers;
       ``(5) a description of how the designated State agency will 
     collaborate and coordinate activities with the State Advisory 
     Council on Early Childhood Education and Care, State-funded 
     providers of prekindergarten programs, providers of federally 
     funded programs such as Head Start agencies, local 
     educational agencies, and child care providers;
       ``(6) a description of how the State will ensure, through a 
     monitoring process, that qualified prekindergarten providers 
     receiving the subgrants provide programs that meet the 
     standards of high quality early education, and use funds 
     appropriately;
       ``(7) a description of how the State will meet the needs of 
     the most disadvantaged students, including families at or 
     below 200 percent of the poverty line;
       ``(8) a description of how the State will meet the needs of 
     working parents; and
       ``(9) a description of how the State will assist in 
     providing professional development assistance to 
     prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides.
       ``(c) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost 
     described in section 1843(b) shall be 50 percent. The State 
     shall provide the non-Federal share of the cost in cash.
       ``(d) Supplementary Federal Funding.--Funds made available 
     under this part may be used only to supplement and not 
     supplant other Federal, State, local, or private funds that 
     would, in the absence of the funds made available under this 
     part, be made available for early childhood programs.
       ``(e) Maintenance of Effort.--A State that receives a grant 
     under this part for a fiscal year shall maintain the 
     expenditures of the State for early childhood programs at a 
     level not less than the level of such expenditures of the 
     State for the preceding fiscal year.

     ``SEC. 1845. STATE SET ASIDES AND EXPENDITURES.

       ``(a) Infant and Toddler Set Aside.--Notwithstanding 
     sections 1842 and 1843, a State shall set aside not less than 
     15 percent of the funds made available through a grant 
     awarded under this part for the purpose of funding high 
     quality early childhood development programs for children who 
     are ages 0 through 3. Funds made available under this 
     subsection may also be used for professional development for 
     teachers and teacher aides in classrooms for children who are 
     ages 0 through 3.
       ``(b) Extended Day and Extended Year Set Aside.--
     Notwithstanding section 1843, a State shall set aside not 
     less than 10 percent of the funds made available through a 
     grant awarded under this part for the purpose of extending 
     the hours of early childhood programs to create extended day 
     and extended year programs.
       ``(c) Administrative Expenses.--Not more than 5 percent of 
     the funds made available through such a grant may be used for 
     administrative expenses, including monitoring.

[[Page 10148]]



     ``SEC. 1846. LOCAL APPLICATIONS.

       ``To be eligible to receive a subgrant under this part, a 
     qualified prekindergarten provider shall submit an 
     application to the designated State agency at such time, in 
     such manner, and containing such information as the agency 
     may reasonably require, including--
       ``(1) a description of how the qualified prekindergarten 
     provider will meet the diverse needs of children in the 
     community to be served, including children with disabilities, 
     whose native language is not English, or with other special 
     needs, children in the State foster care system, and homeless 
     children;
       ``(2) a description of how the qualified prekindergarten 
     provider will serve eligible children who are not served 
     through similar services or programs;
       ``(3) a description of a plan for actively involving 
     parents and families in the prekindergarten program and the 
     success of their children in the program;
       ``(4) a description of how children in the prekindergarten 
     program, and their parents and families, will receive 
     referrals to, or assistance with, accessing supportive 
     services provided within the community;
       ``(5) a description of how the qualified prekindergarten 
     provider collaborates with the State Advisory Council on 
     Early Childhood Education and Care and providers of other 
     programs serving children and families, including Head Start 
     agencies, providers of child care programs, and local 
     educational agencies, to meet the needs of children, 
     families, and working families, as appropriate; and
       ``(6) a description of how the qualified prekindergarten 
     provider will collaborate with local educational agencies to 
     ensure a smooth transition for participating students from 
     the prekindergarten program to kindergarten and early 
     elementary education.

     ``SEC. 1847. LOCAL PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

       ``(a) Mandatory Uses of Funds.--A qualified prekindergarten 
     provider that receives a subgrant under this part shall use 
     funds received through the grant to establish, expand, or 
     enhance prekindergarten programs for children who are ages 3 
     through 5, including--
       ``(1) providing a prekindergarten program that supports 
     children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical 
     development and approaches to learning, and helps prepare 
     children for a successful transition to kindergarten; and
       ``(2) purchasing educational equipment, including 
     educational materials, necessary to provide a high quality 
     prekindergarten program.
       ``(b) Permissible Use of Funds.--A qualified 
     prekindergarten provider that receives a subgrant under this 
     part may use funds received through the grant to--
       ``(1) extend part-day prekindergarten programs to full-day 
     prekindergarten programs and year-round programs;
       ``(2) pay for transporting students to and from a 
     prekindergarten program; and
       ``(3) provide professional development assistance to 
     prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides.
       ``(c) Program Requirements.--A qualified prekindergarten 
     provider that receives a subgrant under this part shall carry 
     out a high quality prekindergarten program by--
       ``(1) maintaining a maximum class size of 20 children, with 
     at least 1 prekindergarten teacher per classroom;
       ``(2) ensuring that the ratio of children to 
     prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides shall not exceed 
     10 to 1;
       ``(3) utilizing a prekindergarten curriculum that is 
     research- and evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, 
     and designed to support children's cognitive, social, 
     emotional, and physical development, and approaches to 
     learning; and
       ``(4) ensuring that prekindergarten teachers meet the 
     requirements of this part.

     ``SEC. 1848. REPORTING.

       ``(a) Qualified Prekindergarten Provider Reports.--Each 
     qualified prekindergarten provider that receives a subgrant 
     from a State under this part shall submit an annual report, 
     to the designated State agency, that reviews the 
     effectiveness of the prekindergarten program provided. Such 
     annual report shall include--
       ``(1) data specifying the number and ages of enrolled 
     children, and the family income, race, gender, disability, 
     and native language of such children;
       ``(2) a description of--
       ``(A) the curriculum used by the program;
       ``(B) how the curriculum supports children's cognitive, 
     social, emotional, and physical development and approaches to 
     learning; and
       ``(C) how the curriculum is appropriate for children of the 
     culture, language, and ages of the children served; and
       ``(3) a statement of all sources of funding received by the 
     program, including Federal, State, local, and private funds.
       ``(b) State Reports.--Each State that receives a grant 
     under this part shall submit an annual report to the 
     Secretary detailing the effectiveness of all prekindergarten 
     programs funded under this part in the State.
       ``(c) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit an 
     annual report to Congress that describes the State programs 
     of assistance for prekindergarten programs funded under this 
     part.

     ``SEC. 1849. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     part such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2010 
     through 2014.''.

     SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

       (a) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking the item relating to the part heading for 
     part I of title I and inserting the following:

                    ``Part J--General Provisions'';

     and
       (2) by inserting after the items relating to part I of 
     title I and inserting the following:

        ``Part I--High Quality Full-Day Prekindergarten Programs

``Sec. 1841. Findings.
``Sec. 1842. Definitions.
``Sec. 1843. Program authorization.
``Sec. 1844. State applications and requirements.
``Sec. 1845. State set asides and expenditures.
``Sec. 1846. Local applications.
``Sec. 1847. Local prekindergarten program requirements.
``Sec. 1848. Reporting.
``Sec. 1849. Authorization of appropriations.''.
       (b) Provisions.--Sections 1304(c)(2) and 1415(a)(2)(C) of 
     the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6394(c)(2), 6435(a)(2)(C)) are amended by striking ``part I'' 
     and inserting ``part J''.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. Specter):
  S. 841. A bill to direct the Secretary of Transportation to study and 
establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides for a means of 
altering blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Pedestrian 
Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 with Senator Specter. This bill is 
designed to ensure that those with limited or no vision are able to 
identify electric and hybrid vehicles as they travel down the road. I 
am a strong supporter of increasing the number of electric and hybrid 
electric vehicles on our roads because they will limit our dependence 
on foreign oil and help limit pollution. However, the silent operation 
of hybrid vehicles has created a potentially hazardous situation for 
some pedestrians with limited or no vision. Too often, vision impaired 
individuals are unable to hear hybrid cars as they pass by them. This 
makes it more difficult for them to get around.
  While I am thankful that there will be less noise on the street, we 
should be fair to those among us who use senses other than sight to 
navigate the streets. The bill directs the Secretary of Transportation 
to study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides 
for a means of alerting vision impaired pedestrians of motor vehicle 
operation. This bill requires that solutions to this problem are 
studied and the best of these solutions is implemented in a timely 
manner.
  I ask all my colleagues to support this legislation.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself, Mr. Reed, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. 
        Schumer, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Levin, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
        Durbin, Mr. Cardin, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Mr. Menendez):
  S. 843. A bill to establish background check procedures for gun 
shows; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise because yesterday marks 10 
years since the shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO, 
and on this 10th anniversary, we need to speak about the problems with 
our Nation's gun laws.
  Whether it is Columbine, Virginia Tech, Mexican gun trafficking or 
the recent killings in Pittsburgh, Binghamton, and Oakland we are 
reminded over and over again that our gun laws are not strong enough, 
and it is time we said--not another day.
  Not another day should we allow the gun show loophole to stand.
  Not another day should we allow gun dealers to sell firearms without 
conducting a background check.

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  Not another day should we allow terrorists, criminals, gun 
traffickers and the mentally ill to buy firearms.
  It is as easy as ever for criminals to buy guns--easier, in fact, 
than it is to get a library card.
  What happened at Columbine High School 10 years ago was a tragedy 
none of us can forget.
  Two shooters went on a rampage and killed 12 students and 1 teacher.
  But here is what a lot of people do not realize: all of the firearms 
used by the shooters were bought at gun shows.
  That means, because of the gun show loophole, they were bought 
without a background check, and they were bought ``cash and carry,'' no 
questions asked.
  Those 13 people never should have died because those teenagers never 
should have had those guns.
  Just think: the young woman who bought the guns for the shooters said 
she wouldn't have done it had a background check been required.
  In 1999, I introduced legislation to close the gun show loophole and 
keep guns from falling into the wrong hands.
  In the aftermath of Columbine, the Senate passed my legislation, with 
Vice President Al Gore casting the tie-breaking vote.
  It was a great victory, but it was short lived. The gun lobby 
stripped my legislation in conference.
  Ten years later, this gap in our law still remains.
  We were reminded of that last Thursday when we marked the second 
anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings.
  In that tragedy, a mentally deranged man killed 32 students and 
faculty in the worst mass shooting in American history.
  The Virginia Tech shooter was able to obtain his guns from licensed 
gun dealers because the records of his mental illness were not in the 
background check database as they were supposed to be. But if a 
background check stopped him from buying his guns from a gun dealer, he 
could have walked to a gun show and purchased the guns with no 
background check.
  Yesterday we marked the 14th anniversary of the Oklahoma City 
Bombing--the Nation's worst domestic terrorist attack.
  The men responsible for that despicable act frequently bought and 
sold firearms at gun shows.
  Gun trafficking to Mexico is another reminder of the dangers of the 
gun show loophole.
  We know that as many as 30 percent of the firearms traveling across 
our border into Mexico originate from gun shows.
  We have an opportunity to save lives--and that is why I am 
reintroducing legislation today to close the gun show loophole once and 
for all.
  Closing the gun show loophole will not adversely affect licensed gun 
sellers and it will not place a burden on law-abiding gun owners.
  It simply ends a dangerous, unnecessary exemption so that the Brady 
Law is applied equally.
  But that difference--the difference between buying a gun with a 
background check and not--is everything.
  It is the difference between saving lives and putting more at risk, 
between keeping guns out of the wrong hands and letting terrorists and 
others have easy access to guns, and the difference between upholding 
the rule of law or allowing loopholes to undermine it.
  Specifically, my legislation would take several steps to make gun 
show transactions safer for all Americans: gun shows are defined to 
include any event at which 50 or more firearms are offered or exhibited 
for sale. This definition includes not only those events where firearms 
are the main commodity sold, but also other events where a significant 
number of guns are sold, such as flea markets or swap meets.
  Gun show promoters would be required to register with the Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, ATF, maintain a list of vendors at all 
gun shows, and ensure that all vendors acknowledge receipt of 
information about their legal obligations.
  The bill requires that all firearms sales at gun shows go through a 
Federal Firearms Licensee, FFL. If a nonlicensed person is selling a 
weapon, they would use an FFL at the gun show to complete the 
transaction. The FFL would be responsible for conducting a Brady check 
on the purchaser and maintaining records of the transaction.
  FFLs would be required to submit information including the 
manufacturer/importer, model, and serial number of firearms transferred 
at gun shows to the ATF's National Tracing Center, NTC. However, no 
personal information about either the seller or the purchaser would be 
given to the ATF. Instead, as under current law, FFLs would maintain 
this information in their files. The NTC would request this personal 
information from an FFL only in the event that a firearm subsequently 
becomes the subject of a law enforcement trace request.
  I am proud to be joined in introducing this legislation by Senators 
Reed, Whitehouse, Schumer, Kerry, Kennedy, Durbin, Levin, Cardin, 
Gillibrand, Feinstein, and Menendez.
  Ten years ago we lost 12 students and a teacher to gun violence in 
Littleton, CO.
  One of the best ways to honor those we lost and those who have 
suffered is to make sure a tragedy like Columbine never happens again.
  We owe that--and nothing less--to the young people who died 10 years 
ago and the young people who count on us today.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Casey, 
        Ms. Snowe, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. 
        Bingaman, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Enzi, and Mr. Pryor):
  S. 846. A bill to award a congressional gold medal to Dr. Muhammad 
Yunus, in recognition of his contributions to the fight against global 
poverty; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 846

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) Dr. Muhammad Yunus is recognized in the United States 
     and throughout the world as a leading figure in the fight 
     against poverty and the effort to promote economic and social 
     change;
       (2) Muhammad Yunus is the recognized developer of the 
     concept of microcredit, and Grameen Bank, which he founded, 
     has created a model of lending that has been emulated across 
     the globe;
       (3) Muhammad Yunus launched this global movement to create 
     economic and social development from below, beginning in 
     1976, with a loan of $27 from his own pocket to 42 crafts 
     persons in a small village in Bangladesh;
       (4) Muhammad Yunus has demonstrated the life-changing 
     potential of extending very small loans (at competitive 
     interest rates) to the very poor and the economic feasibility 
     of microcredit and other microfinance and microenterprise 
     practices and services;
       (5) Dr. Yunus's work has had a particularly strong impact 
     on improving the economic prospects of women, and on their 
     families, as over 95 percent of microcredit borrowers are 
     women;
       (6) Dr. Yunus has pioneered a movement with the potential 
     to assist a significant number of the more than 1,400,000,000 
     people, mostly women and children, who live on less than 
     $1.25 a day, and the 2,600,000,000 people who live on less 
     than $2 a day, and which has already reached 155,000,000, by 
     one estimate;
       (7) there are now an estimated 24,000,000 microenterprises 
     in the United States accounting for approximately 18 percent 
     of private (nonfarm) employment and 87 percent of all 
     business in the United States, and the Small Business 
     Administration has made over $318,000,000 in microloans to 
     entrepreneurs since 1992;
       (8) Dr. Yunus, along with the Grameen Bank, was awarded the 
     Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts to promote economic 
     and social opportunity and out of recognition that lasting 
     peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find 
     the means, such as microcredit, to break out of poverty; and
       (9) the microcredit ideas developed and put into practice 
     by Muhammad Yunus, along with other bold initiatives, can 
     make a historical breakthrough in the fight against poverty.

     SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate

[[Page 10150]]

     shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on 
     behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design 
     to Dr. Muhammad Yunus, in recognition of his many enduring 
     contributions to the fight against global poverty.
       (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation 
     referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') 
     shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 
     inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.

     SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

       The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of 
     the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2, under such 
     regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price 
     sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 
     materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and 
     the cost of the gold medal.

     SEC. 4. STATUS OF MEDALS.

       (a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this 
     Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 
     31, United States Code.
       (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 
     5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under 
     this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

       (a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There are authorized to 
     be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise 
     Fund, such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs 
     of the medals struck pursuant to this Act.
       (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of 
     duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 3 shall be 
     deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

                          ____________________