[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6157-6161]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY THE 
                  NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD--VETO

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
resume consideration of the veto message to accompany S.J. Res. 8, 
which the clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       Veto message to accompany S.J. Res. 8, a joint resolution 
     providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of 
     title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the 
     National Labor Relations Board relating to representation 
     case procedures.

  Mr. REID. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. HEITKAMP. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


 Honoring Vietnam Veterans and North Dakota's Soldiers Who Lost Their 
                            Lives in Vietnam

  Ms. HEITKAMP. Madam President, today I rise to continue an effort to 
honor the memory of the 198 North Dakotans who died while serving our 
country in Vietnam. As I have said in the past, we are in a period of 
13 years of recognition of the sacrifices of those Vietnam vets based 
on a proclamation signed by the President. I think it is only 
appropriate that we recognize not only those who were killed in action 
but also our living Vietnam vets who add so strongly to the fabric of 
our society and our culture.
  First, I would like to recognize a Vietnam veteran who is making a 
difference each and every day, my good friend Rick Olek. He served in 
the U.S. Army in Vietnam. He spent 20 years in the National Guard and 
over 30 years as a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier. He served on 
North Dakota's Administrative Committee on Veterans Affairs and as 
president of the North Dakota

[[Page 6158]]

Veterans Coordinating Council. Today, he grills a top-notch steak at 
the AMVETS.
  I also want to again thank the Bismarck High School 11th graders and 
their teachers for helping me to research these fallen heroes and to 
reach out to their families. These students contacted the family of 
George Valker III as part of their project and shared their research 
with my office. I know that this experience for these students has 
enriched not only my efforts here but enriched their lives as well.
  I want the family members, friends, and fellow veterans of the men I 
honor today to know that it is not easy to narrow the facts of each 
man's life. In fact, I believe a book could be written about every one 
of them. I am touched that so many family and friends have opened up to 
us to talk about their loved ones.


                            Gerald Coulthart

  We are going to start with Gerald Coulthart. Gerald was from 
Hamilton. He was born June 5, 1947. He served in the Army's 1st Cavalry 
Division. Gerald was 21 years old when he died on April 28, 1969. He 
was the youngest of six children. His brother Raymond also served in 
the Army.
  In high school, Gerald participated in wrestling. After graduation, 
he attended the Hanson Trade School in Fargo. Before leaving for 
Vietnam, Gerald shared a premonition with his sister Serene that he 
would not be alive the next time they would be together. Despite his 
feeling, Gerald was glad to go, saying it was better it be he than a 
guy with kids and a family and a wife.
  Gerald's fellow soldier, Michael Matthews, recounted that Gerald died 
6 weeks into his tour in Vietnam, when Firebase Carolyn came under 
rocket attack.


                          Stephen Eichelberger

  Stephen Eichelberger was from Fargo and was born September 26, 1946. 
He served in the Marine Corps in the 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines. 
Stephen died on May 16, 1967. He was 20 years old. He was one of five 
children. Stephen's brother Richard served in the Army.
  Stephen's siblings remember him teaching them about the real world. 
They say Stephen was the best brother anyone could ask for. They 
appreciated his dedication to them, including attending their sporting 
events and even buying them a bike.
  In addition to his parents and siblings, Stephen left behind his wife 
Janet and one son John.


                         Francis ``Ed'' Geiger

  Francis ``Ed'' Geiger was from Dickinson. He was born on December 23, 
1936. He served in the Air Force as a pilot. Ed was 28 years old when 
he died on July 23, 1965. He was the eighth of 10 children. Only three 
of them are living today: Monica, Florence, and Leonard.
  Ed became an Air Force captain and flight instructor who was very 
careful about deciding whether or not to certify other officers to fly. 
He was a stickler for the rules.
  Ed left behind his wife Joan and daughter Lynn.
  Faith was very important to Ed. While in Vietnam, he worked with the 
chaplain to provide a daily Catholic mass for those who wished to 
attend.
  Two Air Force memorials honor Ed: Geiger Hall at Minot Air Force Base 
and a memorial wall at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs for forward 
air controllers killed in action.


                           Stephen Groth, Jr.

  Stephen Groth, Jr., was from Enderlin and was born January 12, 1945. 
He served in the Army's 4th Infantry Division. Stephen was 22 years old 
when he went missing July 12, 1967.
  In high school, Stephen was well liked. He enjoyed golf and baseball. 
He attended both North Dakota State University and the State School of 
Science in Wahpeton before joining the service.
  His sister Kathy remembers how Stephen spent his last days before 
leaving for Vietnam visiting the people he loved. Kathy has always 
believed he was using this time to say good-bye. Throughout the years, 
people have left photos, letters, and other memorials at his grave in 
Enderlin.


                             Melvin Lembke

  Melvin Lembke was from Grand Forks and was born March 23, 1944. He 
served in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division. On December 11, 1968, Melvin 
died. He was 24 years old.
  Melvin was one of four boys, and three of them served in the military 
at the same time. One brother, Raymond, also served in the Army, and 
another brother, William, served in the Marine Corps.
  Melvin was an accomplished wrestler, earning second in the State high 
school championship, and later made the wrestling team at the 
University of North Dakota.
  Melvin's brothers remembered how he excelled in math and science and 
loved life. Melvin was survived by his wife, son, brothers, and 
parents.


                              Thomas Narum

  Thomas Narum was from Amidon and was born on May 13, 1946. He served 
in the Army's 1st Infantry Division. He was only 20 years old when he 
died on January 18, 1967.
  Thomas was 1 of 11 children. His sister closest in age, Margaret, 
remembers Thomas as a kind, gentle young man. She told of how he would 
often scrub the floors in their home to help his mother.
  Thomas was such an important part of the sports teams in high school 
that after he fell off a scaffolding while working on the family's 
house, the school superintendent was upset that Thomas chose to have 
surgery for the chipped bone in his arm and wouldn't be able to play.


                             Richard Orsund

  Richard Orsund was from Grafton and was born on July 19, 1947. He 
served in the Army's 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Richard died on 
March 27, 1968. He was 20 years old.
  Richard was the second of four children. His father served in the 
Army in World War II, and his older brother served in the North Dakota 
National Guard.
  Richard's sister Shirley remembers him as a well-respected young man. 
He was the president of the student council, and he was an outstanding 
athlete in track and football. He worked a part-time job after school. 
So, in order to practice for track, he woke up early every morning and 
ran 4 miles around the family's section of land.
  Richard believed he would eventually be drafted. So after 1 year of 
college, he enlisted in the Army.
  At Richard's funeral, the church and basement were both overflowing, 
with some people standing outside listening.


                      Ronald ``Ronnie'' Stoltenow

  Ronald ``Ronnie'' Stoltenow was from Hankinson and was born on June 
29, 1947. He served in the Army's 1st Infantry Division. Ronnie was 20 
years old when he died on November 7, 1967.
  His family and friends say he was respectful, loyal, humble, 
compassionate, friendly, hardworking, willing to learn, and 
spontaneous.
  Ronnie served as a medic in Vietnam. During an ambush, he was wounded 
but he continued to give aid to his fellow soldiers until he was 
eventually shot and killed.
  His family believes his bravery, deep sense of duty to his country, 
and compassion for others led Ronnie to become a fallen hero.


                             George Tongen

  George Tongen was from Walhalla and was born on August 7, 1947. He 
served in the Army's 25th Infantry Division. George died May 21, 1968. 
He was 20 years old.
  George was the middle child of seven children. Three of George's 
brothers also served our country. Robert served in the Marine Corps, 
and Daniel and John served in the Army.
  George's father was not able to finish high school, so he made sure 
his children understood the importance of education. George was the 
only child in their family who didn't earn a college degree because he 
chose to enlist after his sophomore year of college. George's siblings 
completed their college education, some earning master's and doctoral 
degrees.
  George's family remembers him as a bright, avid reader and music 
lover. He was a positive role model to the kids he encountered while 
working as a lifeguard and camp counselor.


                        Richard ``Dick'' Triske

  Richard ``Dick'' Triske was from Fargo. He was born on January 3, 
1949.

[[Page 6159]]

He served in the Marine Corps' India Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th 
Marines. Dick was 19 years old when he died on June 2, 1968.
  Dick had two brothers and two sisters. His siblings remember that 
Dick was a fun-loving person who always enjoyed making jokes. He loved 
boxing and fixing cars.
  Dick enlisted before graduating from high school. Three of his 
friends also died while serving in Vietnam, two of them before Dick and 
one after.


                       George ``Greg'' Valker III

  George ``Greg'' Valker III was from Fargo and was born on October 24, 
1946. He served in the Army's 101st Airborne Division. Greg was 21 
years old when he died on August 10, 1968.
  Greg had a younger brother, Bryan, and a younger sister, Vicki. Their 
parents ran a floral shop, and Greg was an important part of that 
flower business. While serving in Vietnam, he helped fellow soldiers 
send floral arrangements to their families on the holidays and made 
sure that moms were remembered on Mother's Day.
  Greg's plans after completing his service was to become a third-
generation florist in the family business.
  His family and friends remember Greg as being fun and full of love 
and kindness. Greg was his brother Bryan's best friend and confidant, 
and his sister Vicki's teacher and protector.
  In talking with the Bismarck High School students and my staff about 
her brother Greg, Vicki found that after all of these long years of 
mourning the loss of her big brother, this opportunity to share what a 
wonderful person he was allowed her to find some closure on a painful 
loss.


                             Murray Vidler

  Murray Vidler was from Canada but enlisted in Fargo. He was born on 
May 6, 1946. He served in the Marine Corps' Mike Company, 3rd 
Battalion, 5th Marines. Murray died on December 19, 1967. He was 21 
years old.
  One of Murray's friends had served in Vietnam, which inspired Murray 
and another friend to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. When he went 
home on leave, he told his siblings of the friendships he had made in 
the U.S. Armed Forces and how much he cared about the children of 
Vietnam.


                             Gordon Wenaas

  Gordon Wenaas was from Mayville and was born on March 2, 1932. He 
served in the Air Force's 314th Tactical Airlift Wing. Gordon was 35 
years old when he went missing on December 29, 1967. While missing, he 
was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
  He was one of eight children. Gordon and all of his four brothers 
served our country in the military.
  Gordon has four children of his own: Kenny, Pam, Ronny, and Ricky.
  His remains were recovered in the 1990s and identified in 2000. He is 
buried in Arlington National Cemetery.


                           Dan Neuenschwander

  Dan Neuenschwander was from Fessenden and was born on October 3, 
1945. He served in the Marine Corps' India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th 
Marines. Dan died on May 15, 1968. He was only 22 years old.
  Dan was the youngest of four children. His oldest sister, Nedra, said 
that the family babied him and that he was a tough, yet sensitive 
person. Nedra is proud of her brother and remembers that while he was 
studying at the University of North Dakota, he had mono but fought to 
get a clean bill of health so he could enlist in the Marines.
  Shortly after Dan's death, his family received a letter he wrote them 
describing why he believed in the Vietnam war.


                            Norman Williams

  Norman Williams was born July 11, 1947. He served in the Army's 1st 
Cavalry Division. Norman was 20 years old when he died on December 6, 
1967.
  He was one of four children. Six of Norman's uncles served in World 
War II.
  Norman's brother Roger said that in high school Norman's friends 
called him Will or Willy. His active high school career included 
playing football and participating in the FFA as a member of the crop 
judging team, a chapter officer, and a member of the parliamentary 
procedure team.
  Norman chose to enlist in the Army in 1966 to serve his country.
  All of these young men--as we think about their lives and their 
sacrifice, we can only imagine what they would have accomplished and 
what they would have done in our country. We are so grateful for their 
sacrifice, and it is so important that we remember this sacrifice 
during this period of remembrance of the Vietnam war.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. COATS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                           Wasteful Spending

  Mr. COATS. Madam President, today I return to the floor of the Senate 
for my ninth installment of ``Waste of the Week.'' I think the 
Presiding Officer has been here for most of those nine installments.
  My purpose has been straightforward: to highlight waste, fraud, and 
abuse in Federal spending. So far, we have reached a potential taxpayer 
savings of almost $50 billion. I have a chart here which shows the 
ever-increasing amount of red ink, representing waste of taxpayers' 
dollars, caused by fraud and abuse and waste from programs that simply 
haven't proven their effectiveness. We are on the way to $100 billion. 
Today we are going to reach and go over the halfway mark. We are going 
to continue to do this, and, hopefully, we will be extending this chart 
in the future, which now shows just some examples of what we have 
provided before.
  The largest example of waste, fraud, and abuse disclosed was found in 
the refundable child care tax credit to the tune of $20 billion in 
potential savings. These are from people who did not qualify--they were 
ineligible for receipt--yet over a 10-year period of time, they will 
receive $20 billion which they are not entitled to.
  The smallest but by far the most inexplicable--and even laughable and 
ludicrous--example of waste was a $387,000 grant for a study to 
determine whether massages on New Zealand rabbits after strenuous 
exercise would help their recovery time. Now, anybody who has been out 
in the yard, fixing around the house doing strenuous activity, when 
asked if they think a massage would help them recover, probably is 
going to say yes. In fact, the rabbits were getting it four times a 
day. While they couldn't say yes, I think the response clearly was that 
this is a pretty good deal. Unfortunately, it costs the taxpayer 
$387,000 in grant money to prove that, yes, the massages helped after 
strenuous exercises. It is not exactly what the taxpayer had in mind. 
When they sent their tax dollars to Washington. When they paid their 
taxes on April 15 and filed their return--that is not exactly what they 
were sending their money to Washington to do. Is it laughable? Yes. Is 
it tragic? Yes. We are spending significant amounts of money and it is 
going to waste, fraud, and abuse. By the way, the rabbits were all 
euthanized after the results, so they enjoyed the massages, but it 
didn't last and they are no longer with us.
  Perhaps the most important example of waste was to protect Americans 
from identity theft and taxpayers from fraud. By correcting Social 
Security records, we could save at least $2 billion. This is the famous 
Methuselah example. The Social Security Administration had not deleted 
the Social Security numbers of those who had died. The number is 
staggering. It was 6.5 million, I believe--the number of people who 
would have exceeded the age of 112 years. In other words, they applied 
for Social Security back in the early 1930s or mid-1930s when the 
program began, but their numbers were never erased. They were then used 
for fraud. The savings, if we could correct that problem--and I have 
proposed legislation to do so--would be $2 billion.
  This week, I wish to speak about the Department of Agriculture. Now, 
being from a State such as Indiana, agriculture is obviously very 
important and I am a strong supporter of Hoosier

[[Page 6160]]

farming. I fight for family farms as they seek to survive from 
generation to generation. I support cutting redtape and Federal 
mandates that unnecessarily burden Hoosier farmers.
  As a broader issue, I recognize that food production is extremely 
important not only for our own benefit but rises to the level of even 
being an issue of national security. But that is not what I am talking 
about today.
  Today, I wish to speak about taxpayer dollars that are being used to 
fund grants not for farming but for marketing. Let me give some 
examples. U.S. law currently on the books creates a grant program 
requiring that the ``Secretary of Agriculture shall award competitive 
grants in developing a business plan for viable marketing 
opportunities.'' Well, there is a real question as to whether this 
ought to be mandated through the Federal Government; that is, should 
the government select those who apply for grants to develop a marketing 
program. The problem is that very few end up with the grants, but for 
those who do, it is a special deal for them. Winners and losers really 
shouldn't be selected by the Federal Government for a grant that 
doesn't go directly to production but actually goes to marketing of 
agricultural goods.
  Let me give an example. One of the winners was a single farm that 
received a $44,700 grant to increase sales of its pumpkins and squash, 
including pumpkin doughnuts. I am not making this up. The grant was 
there to promote the marketing of pumpkin doughnuts--they probably 
taste pretty good--as a nutritious, locally produced food.
  The farmer down the road didn't get his grant. Maybe he was growing 
corn. The farmer on the other side of the road was growing soybeans, 
another was growing wheat, another might be growing tomatoes, another 
might be growing different types of fruit, and so forth and so on, but 
the one who was growing pumpkins somehow qualified. The government 
said: Hey, that is a winner. Let's put a marketing plan together. Here 
is $44,700 to do so.
  That is one example.
  Through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, taxpayers are funding 
things such as helping to process olives into olive oil. I think that 
is a practice that goes back a few thousand years--just ask the 
Italians. I don't know that we needed a grant to do that. There is a 
grant for helping to develop and market sparkling wine and hard cider. 
We have been drinking wine since the beginning of time. I think the 
French know how to market sparkling wines. Maybe we can read how to do 
it rather than putting a grant together to promote that. There are 
grants for the marketing of goat's milk, cheese, and soaps and 
providing organic chicken meat for restaurants. Look, I am not against 
the agriculture community marketing its products. Every product maker 
markets their products. But do we need all this expenditure of taxpayer 
money to prove whether there can be a better marketing program for a 
select few? What about the many who don't have any basis or ability to 
claim these grants?
  Over the past 10 years, grantees under this program have received 
over $290 million. It is a pretty sweet deal for the grant recipients, 
but it is a pretty expensive deal for the taxpayer. And what does this 
grant process say about the losers, those not selected? In essence, 
what we are doing is promoting a few select products. Why are we 
promoting pumpkin doughnuts over banana nut muffins? What about 
watermelons and not cantaloupes, carrots, turnips--and on and on we go.
  Well, the Federal Government is here to protect farmers and 
entrepreneurs so they can compete in a fair and dependable economic 
climate. But at the end of the day, these government-selected projects 
are not the best use of taxpayer money and are in stark contrast to 
what the government ought to be doing. After all, when taxpayers send 
their hard-earned tax dollars to Washington, they rightly expect their 
leaders to steward those resources responsibly. I would argue that 
taxpayer-funded pumpkin doughnuts are not a good use of taxpayer 
dollars.
  I support agriculture, but let's actually support farming, not just 
pumping up the sales and profits of a select few. We can do better.
  Today, I am adding $290 million to our taxpayer savings gauge, which 
puts us over the halfway mark of $50 billion. That is a small amount 
compared to our budget. That is a small amount in terms of the money 
that comes flowing into Washington from taxpayers. But we have not been 
able to address the larger issue, the issue that has to be addressed 
and is continually pushed down the road, continually pushed back to the 
next election, and that is the unbelievable growth of entitlement 
programs that are squeezing out many essential and necessary things the 
government needs to do, such as health care research.
  This morning, I was listening to a committee meeting with Francis 
Collins, who heads up NIH, who was talking about the medical 
breakthroughs they could have if they just had some more funds and 
weren't being sequestered with less and less money each year. We need 
to always--but particularly in difficult fiscal times--direct 
taxpayers' funding in the most responsible way we can.
  With that, I will add some more money to our gauge, and we will be 
back next week for ``Waste of the Week'' No. 10.
  Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, in Congress we should be working on 
ways to build an economy that works for all of our families--not just 
the wealthiest few. Unfortunately, once again, instead of standing up 
for workers, some of my Republican colleagues are bound and determined 
to defend the biggest corporations that have an interest in keeping 
wages low and denying workers a voice to improve their workplace.
  President Obama vetoed this resolution. I urge my colleagues to 
sustain that veto to ensure workers are able to exercise that right. 
The National Labor Relations Board, the NLRB, helps to ensure that 
workers have a fair up-or-down-vote. Unfortunately, too often big 
corporations take advantage of loopholes in the current election 
process to delay a vote on union representation.
  The NLRB was absolutely right to carry out its mission to review and 
streamline its election process to bring down those barriers for 
workers who want a fair vote. These updates will make modest but 
important changes to modernize and streamline the process. They will 
reduce unnecessary litigation on issues that will not affect the 
outcome of the election. The new process will bring the election 
process into the 21st century by letting employers and unions file 
forms electronically. Instead of attacking workers who just want a 
voice in the workplace, I hope my colleagues will support President 
Obama's veto.
  I truly hope we can break through the gridlock and work together on 
policies that do create jobs and expand economic security and generate 
broad-based economic growth for workers and families--not just the 
wealthiest few.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Coats). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


            Unanimous Consent Agreement--Executive Calendar

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 5:20 p.m. 
the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of 
Calendar No. 76, Willie May to be an Under Secretary of Commerce, and 
that at 5:30 p.m. the Senate vote on the nomination; further, that if 
the nomination is confirmed, the motion to reconsider be

[[Page 6161]]

considered made and laid upon the table, the President be immediately 
notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate resume legislative 
session.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. THUNE. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________