[Pages S6465-S6469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

                           EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session 
to consider Calendar No. 486.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the motion.
  The motion was agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the nomination.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of Steven 
J. Menashi, of New York, to be United States Circuit Judge for the 
Second Circuit.


                             Cloture Motion

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination 
     of Steven J. Menashi, of New York, to be United States 
     Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.
          Mitch McConnell, John Hoeven, Steve Daines, James E. 
           Risch, Roger F. Wicker, Pat Roberts, John Thune, Mike 
           Rounds, Roy Blunt, Mike Crapo, John Boozman, John 
           Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, Thom Tillis, David Perdue, 
           Chuck Grassley, Rick Scott.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum 
calls for the cloture motions be waived.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                           Order of Business

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
notwithstanding rule XXII, the cloture motions ripen at 5:30 p.m. on 
Tuesday, November 12.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Ohio.


                              Barker House

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to 
talk about something positive that is happening in Ohio with the help 
of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  The Army Corps is involved with some civic-minded community 
volunteers in something that will help preserve our history in Ohio. It 
wouldn't be happening but for the vision of the head of the Army Corps, 
Mr. R.D. James, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. It 
is a good-news project regarding the preservation of an important piece 
of the history of the Northwest Territory and my home State of Ohio. It 
is called the Barker House. It is a historic home that dates back 
almost 200 years. It was built by the owner's father, who was a 
Revolutionary War officer and a famous early settler and pioneer 
architect in Ohio. A number of historic homes of his were built along 
the Ohio River, and this is one of them that is still left standing. 
Colonel Joseph Barker, Sr., was his name, and he is one of our most 
famous early pioneers in Ohio.
  The House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 
1979 for its historic significance. In fact, Joseph Barker, Sr., and 
the houses he built play an important role in a new, award-winning book 
by the great historian David McCullough, ``The Pioneers,'' and it tells 
the story of the Northwest Territory and the founding of Ohio in the 
wake of the Revolutionary War. In ``The Pioneers'' book, Colonel 
Barker's stately homes were an anomaly out on the frontier. His own 
home was described as ``a large, brick house in the Federal style, with 
a handsome front door, flanked by recessed side windows and an 
elliptical fanlight overhead. . . . [O]nce completed the whole house 
was painted white, and soon became, as intended, a `distinguished seat 
of hospitality.'''
  This also describes the historic Barker House we are trying to 
preserve.
  These houses brought a level of architectural refinement that stood 
in sharp contrast to the log cabins on the rugged landscape where these 
pioneers were settling.
  The Barker House is currently owned by the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers. It is owned by them because it sits right next to the Willow 
Island Locks and Dam on the Ohio River. The house was used as office 
space by the Corps back in the 1960s, and today, the house is still 
standing. It is vacant, in bad shape, and unsafe to enter, but it is 
savable.
  I visited this historic Barker House back in September of 2018. I 
learned then that the Corps was proposing to demolish the Barker House. 
They then considered a proposal to move it brick by brick to a new 
location off of Army Corps' land. Neither made sense.
  That is when I met Jack Haessly, who led a group--along with Wesley 
Clarke, Bill Reynolds, Bob Ferguson, and others--a local Barker House 
friends group who said they would be willing to raise the money to 
restore this home on its historic site overlooking the Ohio River. They 
wanted to make sure it would be accessible to visitors there and made 
into a museum.
  I immediately called the Secretary, Mr. R.D. James of the Army Corps, 
and

[[Page S6466]]

asked if he would reconsider the decision to demolish this historic 
home. After hearing the story of the house and the details of the 
group's plan to preserve it and after getting an assessment from the 
Army Corps, Mr. James agreed to reverse the Corps' decision and to work 
with us on preserving the home. He deserves great credit for that.
  Congressman Bill Johnson, who represents the area, has also been an 
excellent partner in pursuing these sensible solutions.
  Right now, we are working on developing legislation that I hope to 
introduce soon to convey the house and the surrounding land to the 
friends group. We have made a lot of progress so far. Just last week, 
the Corps completed drawings of the specific parcel proposed to be 
conveyed, which also includes the creation of an access road so that 
the house can be visited and enjoyed by the public. We appreciate the 
Ohio Department of Transportation and Director Jack Marchbanks for 
working with us on the road access. The road access issue was critical, 
and ODOT was very helpful. The Ohio State Historic Preservation Office 
has also jumped in and played a constructive role.
  This is an example of a true public-private partnership, made 
possible by Secretary James. I want to thank him, the Army Corps, his 
team, the Barker House friends group, the Ohio Historic Preservation 
Office, and ODOT. All of them are partnering with us to ensure that 
this historic structure remains standing so it can tell the story of 
our rich history for generations to come.


                                S. 1431

  Mr. President, I am on the Senate floor today to talk about the 
opportunity we have here in Congress to make substantial reforms to 
address an issue that keeps a lot of Americans up at night, and that is 
whether they are going to have enough money in their retirement.
  I chair the Finance subcommittee that handles retirement and pension 
issues, and I have worked to pass bipartisan legislation with then-
Congressman Ben Cardin, now-Senator Ben Cardin, over the years. That 
legislation has helped people save more in their IRAs and 401(k)s and 
other retirement plans, but we still have a long way to go. In fact, 
according to a recent study by Northwestern Mutual, two-thirds of 
Americans believe they will outlive their retirement savings. People 
are right to be worried.
  Right now, way too many workers don't have access to a retirement 
plan at all, and too many Americans who do have a plan are not saving 
enough. Fewer than half of the employees at businesses with fewer than 
50 workers have access to a plan, and only 34 percent of them 
participate. That is where the major problem is. These are workers at 
mom-and-pop shops, small manufacturers, and countless other employers 
who make up the backbone of our economy.
  We can and should do more to make sure these small business employees 
are set up for retirement so that they can find peace of mind in their 
retirement. What is more, only 22 percent of part-time workers today 
have access to a plan--only 22 percent. More Americans can have access 
to a retirement plan just by our making some simple changes in law.
  A lot of Americans that do have a plan haven't saved enough, so they 
are at risk of having their savings be inadequate for their increasing 
lifespans. People are living longer, so this is a bigger problem.
  Social Security is absolutely essential. It is great that that safety 
net is there. It is necessary to cushion the retirement incomes for 
Americans. But the average payout from Social Security is 1,400 bucks a 
month. Try living on that. It is tough. A lot of people have a hard 
time with that, so they need these extra retirement savings.
  The lack of adequate retirement savings is made worse by the fact 
that we have more and more baby boomers who are retiring, so we have a 
bigger group in this category. And people are living longer. That is a 
good thing, but it creates an additional challenge with regard to 
retirement savings.
  For all these reasons, we need to overhaul the laws governing the 
private retirement system to help more people get access to workplace 
savings plans, encourage savings to help our economy overall, and make 
sure people don't outlive their savings in their retirement.
  The good news is that we have that package before us right now here 
in the Senate. It would go a long way toward making these changes. It 
is called the SECURE Act, and it has already passed the House of 
Representatives 5\1/2\ months ago by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 
417 to 3--that is right, 417 to 3. That never happens around here. This 
is totally bipartisan. It is one of these issues where we would have an 
opportunity to pass it and then send it directly to the President for 
his signature, and he has said he would sign it. We are divided on so 
many issues in Washington today, but this is one where we have a rare 
chance for a truly bipartisan solution to a problem that is affecting 
people in every single State represented in this body.
  Today what was called a live UC was tried. It was an attempt to get a 
vote on the SECURE Act--this legislation I am talking about--with five 
amendments on each side. I support that, and I supported my colleagues 
today who came forward to offer that. The amendments they outlined as 
our five Republican amendments all make sense to me. Then the Democrats 
were told: You should offer five amendments also. You all pick them. 
Unfortunately, it was objected to by the other side. That didn't 
surprise me because for the past 5\1/2\ months, some of us have been 
trying to get this legislation done, and there are big concerns on both 
sides of the aisle, but we are at a point now where we know, having 
raised this live UC, that we continue to have this stalemate. After 
5\1/2\ months, I think it is time for us to move forward on these 
reforms.
  Again, I like the amendments that were proposed today. As an example, 
I agree that allowing 529 plans to be used for homeschooling expenses 
makes sense. It is a reform Congress should take up, but this 
underlying bill that almost every Republican in the House supported, 
even without this provision, is one we also ought to take up. As 
difficult as it is for us to give up on amendments on both sides, if 
that can't be done because it gets blocked, then let's go ahead and 
move the underlying legislation, the SECURE Act.
  It is a worthwhile piece of legislation. It helps in a category where 
we need help badly; that is, small businesses. They have an easier time 
setting up retirement plans under the SECURE Act because the bill 
increases tax credit for small businesses. In general, you get $500 now 
for starting a retirement plan. That would be raised to $5,000. That is 
a tenfold increase. Again, small businesses, where a major gap in 
retirement plans are found, say that would be a significant incentive 
for them to set up a retirement plan.
  Second, it provides an annual tax credit to small businesses that 
introduce automatic enrollment features into their plan. Small business 
employees will have to opt out of saving for retirement as opposed to 
opting in. These autoenrollment features are fantastic. The average 
participation in a 401(k) in a midsize business is about 75 percent of 
the employees. If it is autoenrollment, where you automatically enroll 
unless you opt out, it is about 95 percent. This makes a lot of sense 
to me. That is an innovative change in this legislation.
  Third, it streamlines a lot of the existing regulations associated 
with administering a plan so small business owners who already have a 
lot on their plates can have an easier time focusing on retirement for 
their employees rather than bureaucracy and redtape.
  Perhaps most important to me, the bill allows small businesses to 
participate in what is called open MEPs--open multiple employer defined 
contribution plans. These are plans that allow businesses--some of 
these small businesses we talked about earlier--even if they are not in 
the same industry, they can come together to work together to set up a 
joint plan for their employees. That becomes much more effective for 
small businesses because they can share the administrative costs and 
share some of the liability expenses. It has a lot of benefits for 
these small employers and will result in more people I represent 
getting a retirement plan.
  In all, the Joint Committee on Taxation estimates this reform alone 
would lead to 700,000 new retirement accounts for small business 
workers who need access.

[[Page S6467]]

  In my experience, that security really works. I grew up in a small 
family business. My dad started his own business. When he had five 
employees and my mom was the bookkeeper, he said they were going to set 
up a retirement plan. It was called a profit-sharing plan at the time. 
It was before a 401(k). They had no profit the first few years, so it 
was a little awkward, but when they finally started making money, 
everybody had a stake. Everybody got a little bit in their retirement 
nest eggs. When 401(k)s came in, they immediately started a 401(k) plan 
as well.
  I meet people today whom I have known my entire life who turned a 
wrench their whole careers as a lift truck technician--a lift truck 
mechanic--who have a retirement savings plan now because of that. They 
have a nice nest egg of about $500,000 to $600,000 that they were able 
to accumulate. So I know this works. I know small businesses have the 
opportunity to do more for their workers if we help them more here in 
Washington. I am committed to trying to get this done.
  Another important part of the SECURE Act has to do with older 
Americans. It says we should raise the age limit that forces older 
American workers to start depleting and paying taxes on their 
retirement savings. Currently, at 70\1/2\ years old, you have to start 
taking money out of your retirement plan. You have to do that whether 
you are working or not. Many people at that age are still working. My 
dad was still working at 70\1/2\. It drove him crazy that he had to 
take money out while he was still working. He wanted to keep building 
it up. So in this legislation, we say let's expand that to age 72.
  Then, as important, the bill actually lifts the current prohibition 
on IRA contributions by people over 70\1/2\. That means people can make 
the choice if they want to keep investing in their retirement for as 
long as they see fit. Remember, somebody who makes it to 70\1/2\ is 
likely to live into his or her nineties. So there is still a lot of 
time in retirement where you need to have that funding. That kind of 
flexibility is how we allow people to manage their own retirement 
savings that makes sense.
  The SECURE Act is good for small businesses and good for older 
Americans, but the reforms don't end there. It has a number of other 
good provisions. In fact, one is particularly urgent. It reforms the 
pension nondiscrimination laws I authored alongside my friend Senator 
Ben Cardin. Our legislation is very simple. It says we have a glitch 
right now in current law. We introduced it as separate legislation 
earlier this year, but it has now been made part of the SECURE Act. It 
is a critical piece of legislation to pass because if it doesn't pass--
and pass soon, like by the end of this year--400,000-plus Americans are 
going to have their benefits frozen in their defined benefit plans. It 
will affect 400,000 people through no fault of their own.
  In recent years, many companies have transitioned from the 
traditional defined benefit plans--think of that as a pension plan--to 
a defined contribution plan like a 401(k). Some of them have elected to 
grandfather existing employees by closing down their traditional DB 
plans but allowing those who are there to continue to have the 
benefits. Unfortunately, what happened is, as they build up seniority, 
one of the rules in our current testing under 401(k) and profit-sharing 
plans and defined benefit plans has come into effect. Inadvertently, it 
has resulted in these plans not being able to continue to approve 
benefits. It wasn't meant to work that way, but it has for a lot of 
these people who are in these plans. As a result, again, 400,000 
autoworkers are at risk of losing their benefits through no fault of 
their own. Tens of thousands of other workers have already been 
affected by these flawed rules.
  We have to fix this. We tried to pass this by unanimous consent this 
fall. This provision has no objection on the Republican side or the 
Democratic side. Yet we were not able to get it done because some would 
like to make it remain as part of the SECURE Act and be sure the SECURE 
Act gets passed. The way to do this is let's pass the whole thing. The 
SECURE Act makes sense. This particular provision is urgent. Let's not 
wait. Do it now to help those 400,000 Americans representing States all 
over the United States who are represented in this Chamber.
  Let's pass the SECURE Act. It is a bill that does a lot to put us on 
the right path. Does it do everything? No.
  Senator Cardin and I introduced a comprehensive bill called the 
Retirement Security and Savings Act. We go further in a lot of these 
regards than we talked about today. That is a bill that requires more 
hearings and a markup and more consideration.
  In the meantime, let's do what we can. Let's provide more certainty, 
more flexibility, and more retirement savings. I am hopeful we can pass 
this broader legislation I have with Senator Cardin soon. In the 
meantime, let's take advantage of the chance right here in front of us. 
Let's be sure we boost the retirement security to the American people 
through the SECURE Act. I hope my colleagues will all join me in this, 
and we can pass this legislation as the House did--on a strong 
bipartisan basis--and get it to the President for his signature.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.
  (The remarks of Mr. Merkley pertaining to the introduction of S. 2817 
are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Braun). The Senator from Iowa.


                       Violence Against Women Act

  Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, one of my top priorities has been to 
reauthorize and modernize the Violence Against Women Act. A survivor 
myself, I recognize that VAWA provides the right resources to tackle 
head-on domestic violence and sexual abuse in our communities in Iowa 
and throughout the United States.
  My good friend and colleague Dianne Feinstein, ranking member on the 
Judiciary Committee, agreed to work with me on this important topic. 
For months, Senator Feinstein and I and our staffs have worked closely 
and in good faith with one another with this shared goal in mind. We 
have met numerous times, held discussions, and negotiated in a way that 
has produced real progress.
  But just this week, after months of work and mountains of effort 
toward a bipartisan bill, it all came to a screeching halt. Once again, 
the Democrats are putting politics ahead of people and have decided to 
move forward on the House-passed VAWA bill. The House bill is a 
nonstarter and is chock-full of partisan political talking points that 
take us further away from rather than closer to a bill we can get over 
the finish line.
  I am all too aware of how this town works. Election-year politics are 
in full swing, and the grim reality is Democrats cannot afford to be 
seen giving Republicans a win. The far-left agenda of the House has 
hijacked the process. It sounds petty and it sounds unbelievable, but, 
folks, that is the reality.
  You would think that supporting survivors and preventing abuse would 
be placed ahead of petty politics.
  I want to be clear. I remain hopeful that we can continue to work in 
a bipartisan way to get this law reauthorized.
  Soon, I plan to respond with a good-faith proposal of my own. This 
bill will support survivors and hold abusers accountable. It is also a 
bill that I believe can pass the Senate and get the President's 
signature.
  I invite my colleagues across the aisle to join me in this very, very 
important effort.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss an issue that I 
hear from families all across Michigan, the rising cost of prescription 
drugs. Recently, I held roundtables in several communities across 
Michigan to hear directly from families, local health providers, and 
medical professionals about the increasing cost of prescription drugs. 
I want to share a few of those stories.
  I heard from Diane in Grand Rapids, whose son, Jared, suffered a 
severe asthma attack that tragically resulted in his death. He was just 
25 years old. Diane said her son had insurance, but it was not enough 
and he tried stretching out usage of his asthma medication to deal with 
ever-rising costs. Diane shared just how unimaginable her pain was to 
lose her child to a condition

[[Page S6468]]

that should have been manageable, with affordable life-sustaining 
medications.
  I heard from Rachael from Greenville who has three children with Type 
1 diabetes, but insurance denied coverage for her children's insulin, 
making it simply unaffordable. So Rachael's family drove across the 
border into Canada where she said they were able to purchase insulin 
for $71 per box, compared to about $600 for the exact same insulin in 
Michigan. Rachael is rightfully angry that she needed to travel to 
another country simply to get her children the insulin they need to 
stay alive.
  Sheron from Detroit told me about the financial challenges of 
treating sarcoidosis, a rare disease, while also fighting triple-
negative breast cancer. Sheron said that insurance was going to charge 
her $5,000 for medication she could easily take at home, but it would 
completely cover it only if she went to the hospital. The last thing 
Sheron wanted to do was trek to the hospital as she coped with the side 
effects of chemotherapy.
  And I heard from Jeanette from Burton, who had a nearly $500 co-pay 
for a prescription while undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer, but 
without the help of a charitable patient group, she could not afford 
the medication. While working to get assistance, she went without her 
medication and could have suffered serious complications.
  Unfortunately, these are not isolated stories, and these are not 
isolated individuals. Too many Michiganders are struggling with rising 
prescription drug costs, and the consequences can be literally life-
threatening. Between 2012 and 2018, prices for brand-name drugs in the 
United States have increased 68 percent, making critical medications 
out of reach for most families.
  The list price in 2017 for a 1-year supply of Humira--the No. 1 
selling brand-name drug that treats arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn's 
disease--was over $58,000. That is more than the annual median income 
for people in the State of Michigan.
  The price of insulin has spiked in recent years, growing by 55 
percent since 2014. That is simply outrageous, and it is simply 
unacceptable. Guided by the stories from Michigan families and medical 
professionals, I am working to examine and tackle the rising cost of 
prescription drugs.
  Earlier this week, through my work as ranking member of the Senate 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I announced I am 
conducting an investigation into the skyrocketing costs of prescription 
drugs. I am also investigating the growing shortages of critical 
medications affecting hospitals and patients throughout the country.
  Unaffordable prescription and hospital-administered drugs--and the 
increasing number and length of drug shortages--have become an 
economic, national security, and public health crisis for Michigan, as 
well as for the rest of the country.
  Through my investigation, I am working to: 1, identify solutions to 
address increasing drug costs; 2, evaluate the effect of drug shortages 
on patient care; 3, examine the national security implications of our 
growing reliance on drugs manufactured overseas, primarily in China and 
India.
  This investigation builds on some of my previous efforts, including 
my call for the Food and Drug Administration to share information on 
the Administration's efforts to counter drug shortages--and my bill 
advancing in the Senate to lower healthcare costs for seniors through 
Medicare Part B. For many people in Michigan and across the country, 
being able to afford your medicine is a matter of life and death, and 
we must take action.
  We must allow certainly for safe drug importation from Canada, but 
let me be clear: Going to Canada is not a solution. You need to be able 
to purchase affordable, quality, safe prescription drugs in the United 
States.
  We must improve competition, end price gouging, increase price 
transparency, and hold drug companies accountable.
  We must enable Medicare to negotiate drug prices for seniors. We must 
eliminate drug shortages to ensure that all patients can get the 
medication they need when they need it, and we must work to bring more 
affordable generic medications to the market.
  Families in Michigan and across the country are counting on us. 
Families should never be forced to choose between paying their bills or 
getting the medication they need. But sadly, that is the choice that 
too many families are facing today.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.


                         Tribute to Perry Green

  Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, it is Thursday afternoon, and that means 
it is one of my favorite times in the U.S. Senate because I get to come 
to the Senate floor and recognize an Alaskan who has done something 
that is great for our State, great for the community, great for the 
country--you name it. I come here and brag about somebody I represent 
in Alaska, and I call this person the Alaskan of the Week. I know the 
Presiding Officer likes it, and the pages certainly do.
  What I like to do when I am starting this speech each week is talk to 
our visitors in the Gallery and people who are watching on TV to give a 
little update on what is going on in Alaska and encourage a visit. You 
will have the visit of a lifetime, guaranteed, if you come to Alaska.
  Right now, as you can imagine, the great white north winter is coming 
in parts of the State. It has definitely arrived in other parts. Winter 
is a great time to be in Alaska, not just the summer. You can ski, 
snowboard, and at the end of the day sit back, drink something warm, 
and watch the northern lights dance in our sky. So come visit. You will 
love coming to visit Alaska.
  What is really nice to do if you come and visit now is to wear a fur 
in Alaska. We have some great furriers in Alaska, but David Green 
Master Furrier in Anchorage is one of the oldest, most well respected, 
and certainly one of the best in our State and, I think, in the 
country. It is an Alaskan institution, and our Alaskan of the Week, Mr. 
Perry Green, one of the kindest, most generous, most patriotic, hard-
working Alaskans, has worked throughout the decades to keep this great 
institution that way.
  Let me tell you a little bit about Perry Green. His father David was 
from New York. He was enthralled with Alaska, a huge fan of the 
characters that Alaska attracts, as well as Jack London's ``Call of the 
Wild.'' So David moved to Washington State to be close to Alaska, where 
he eventually opened stores many, many years ago.
  Perry Green, David's son, was born in Seattle on March 17, 1936. That 
is St. Patrick's Day. How great is that? I always knew Perry had a 
little Irish in him. He recalled:

       My father would come back from Alaska with such great 
     stories, and all the Alaska sourdoughs would come to visit 
     him. They sat at the dinner table and I was enthralled with 
     their tales.

  Anyone who knows anything about Alaska knows those stories, has heard 
about them, read about them--bear attacks, moose charges, frostbite, 
crossing perilous rivers, traversing vast landscapes under the dancing 
skies, wolves howling in the distance, fires barely starting at 40 
below, and countless stories about being saved by the kindness of 
strangers out on the trail.
  Perry also came of age during World War II. His father made fur ruffs 
for the soldiers' parkas, which set the stage for Perry's enduring 
patriotism and support for our troops. He said:

       I remember watching the troops head overseas, the wonderful 
     parades. It all made me swell up with pride.

  I would say that Perry Green is the most patriotic American I know, 
and we have a lot of patriots in Alaska.
  He met his beautiful future wife, the beautiful Gloria, gracious 
Gloria, when they were both young and began dating as teenagers, and 
they have been together ever since. As a matter of fact, that is 63 
years of marriage. That is something to be celebrated. Perry said that 
marrying Gloria was the best decision he ever made. I know Gloria, and 
I would certainly agree with Perry, and I would certainly agree with 
this: Like me, he definitely married up.
  Like his father, he traveled back and forth to Washington State often 
for work. He went to Alaska to work on the Alaska Railroad in order to 
save enough money to buy Gloria a wedding ring. He served in the U.S. 
Army for 3 years, and eventually he and Gloria

[[Page S6469]]

made their way to our great State to forge a life together. They have 
been there ever since, and what a life they have lived.
  Initially, Perry worked at his father's store in downtown Anchorage, 
but for a time he broke out on his own and started the Anchorage Fur 
Trading Company, which became the largest fur dealer in Alaska, and it 
was wildly successful. He traveled all across the State--300 villages 
in all, some of them multiple times--buying furs from the locals. He 
traveled by dog team, by sled, by snow machine, by bush plane, and 
everywhere he went he was greeted warmly and generously by people in 
rural Alaska in these villages. He said:

       I learned so much from the Alaska Native people. I was in 
     awe of their kindness, their respect for elders, and their 
     rich, cultural heritage.

  That time in rural Alaska was one of the best times of his life and 
laid the foundation for what has been one of Perry Green's biggest 
loves--our State, the great State of Alaska, which he has given his all 
to.
  His company, David Green Master Furrier, is an iconic business in 
downtown Anchorage because they sell some of the best and most 
beautiful furs around, no doubt, but also because of Perry and his 
extended family, who have done such a great job of running the company 
for decades.
  My daughters and I have a little tradition on Christmas Eve. We head 
over to this great store and look for something to buy my wife, their 
mom. It is a fun, fun tradition that we do.
  Perry has been the face of the store for decades. People still 
remember his quirky commercials featuring tarantulas, huge athletes 
chasing him around, and always the tagline, ``If you don't know your 
furs, know your furrier.''
  It seems that all of Anchorage and so much of Alaska knew their 
furrier. It should be noted that they also know this Alaska furrier in 
Las Vegas as well. Perry Green is a very good poker player and has won 
three World Series of Poker bracelets and has made it to the final 
table of the World Series of Poker main event in Vegas two times. How 
about that for an adventurous life?
  It wasn't just his store and Perry's love of a good poker game that 
has endeared him to so many Alaskans. A man of deep faith, he is one of 
the most generous people in my State and one of the most committed 
Alaskans to public service and helping others.
  ``I never was interested in being rich,'' Perry said. ``I wanted to 
do something positive for other people because that's the greatest 
thing you can do.''
  He has sat on nearly every board there is. You name it--the taxicab 
commission, the insurance board, the planning and zoning board, the 
symphony and opera board, the Rotary board, and a member of the Elks 
Club, the Masons, the Alaska Jewish Campus and Museum. The list goes on 
and on in terms of his service.
  He also raises money for numerous causes. ``I can't think of a 
fundraising effort that his name isn't a part of,'' his longtime friend 
Gordon Glaser said about Perry.
  Perry is especially generous in causes that raise money for our men 
and women in uniform. On the eve of Veterans Day, we can't thank him 
enough for that.
  ``Anyone who's been in Anchorage in the last two generations knows 
that if you need something done, Perry will do it,'' his friend Gordon 
said.
  If you are down on your luck or if you need a job, need a place to 
stay, or need some assistance, Perry will help. Every community, every 
State, has leaders like this. We all know those types of people. They 
are very special, and he is one of them.
  Perry and his wife Gloria are also personally generous with their 
house--a lively, happy place open to people all across our State and, 
really, the world.
  Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, another longtime friend of Perry's, 
credits him for teaching him and so many others ``how to be an 
Alaskan.'' What does that mean? According to Mayor Berkowitz, it means 
that he brought the spirit of Tikkun Olam to Alaska. That is a Hebrew 
phrase meaning healing the world. Perry has brought this to our State 
one generous act at a time, one community at a time.
  Perry and Gloria will be honored at Alaska's Jewish Gala next week--
one of our State's most fun and memorable events. It will be next 
Saturday evening, and I will be there for sure. It is a time when we 
all can gather together, celebrate the vital role the Jewish community 
has played in our great State, and be reminded that Alaska is a place 
where we can all come together and take care of each other the way the 
Greens have been doing for decades.
  Rabbi Yosef Greenberg, a good friend of mine and another extremely 
generous man who has given so much to our State, says that the mission 
of the Alaska Jewish Campus that Perry Green has been so generous to is 
``Warming up Alaska!''
  ``In the 60 years of Alaska's statehood,'' said Rabbi Greenberg, 
``Perry Green has warmed up Alaska, not only with his David Green fur 
coats but even more so with the joys of his life, big heart, and 
lending a hand to ordinary Alaskans and anyone in need.'' That is how 
he has warmed up our great State.
  Perry and Gloria have done so much for Alaska. They are highly 
deserving of this recognition they will be receiving at the Jewish Gala 
next week. Congratulations to them and their 5 children, 13 
grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and all of the extended Green 
family, so many of whom continue to serve our State and country so 
well.
  Perry, from your friend, congratulations on being our Alaskan of the 
Week.
  I yield the floor.

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