and my home as a matter of fact is in tornado ale down in southern illinois. and we just had a big storm to come through a few weeks ago and it wasn't quite at the tornado level they called it a dur aido or something that they come up with this new name for it. but it's high winds that reaches about 75 miles an hour. is that correct? >> that's one term. you also may hear it called a microburst. my experience has been if you lose your roof, it's kind of academic. >> well, and we had quite a bit of damage and of course our governor has asked for some assistance. and i'm just hoping that that assistance will be forth coming because unfortunately in southern illinois there's a lot of poverty and it's just not that much resources. so i'm hoping we can get some assistance on that. are you familiar with that request that's been put in for southern illinois? >> no, sir. we will research that. it could still be at the region. >> it was about six weeks ago. >> it may have come through. i've been on the job for about two weeks and three days. if i haven't seen it, i'll f

my home, as a matter of fact, is in tornado alley down in southern illinois. and we just hand in a big storm that came through a few weeks ago that it wasn't quite as the tornado leveled that caused who a tehran were some new name they call for the high rent that reaches 70 miles per hour -- is that correct mr. fugate, is that what they call it? >> that is a one-term, yuma, i also hear a microburst. my experience has been if you lose your roughead is kind of academic paths. >> is a hell of a storm. [laughter] i am hoping this sissons will be forthcoming because unfortunately in southern illinois there is a lot of party -- party and does not that many resources so i hope we can get assistance on that and are you familiar with that request for southern illinois at? >> no, sir, i am not, it could still be at the region. >> it was about six weeks ago. >> and may have already been through, i've been on the job two weeks and three days so if i haven't seen it i will find out or is that can i check it out for us, in general, i was down one at my national guard and hu

are you familiar with that request that's been put in for southern illinois? >> no, sir, i am not. it could still be at the region i haven't seen. >> it's about six weeks ago. >> it may have come through. i've been on the job about three weeks. >> check it out for us. general, i was down in my national guard facility at camp lincoln the other day and we were talking about coordination of the disasters with the national guard does. we also have another issue called flooding over the mississippi river that in south and new orleans, but it comes down through illinois roaring like a mack truck doing 90 down highway 55 and leaves in its way a lot of flooding and i was just wondering how does north comm. coordinate with the national guard in terms of the disaster coordination? does it go through the national guard first or who is in charge? >> senator, to answer your question, our coordination as with national guard bureau but the first response will always be with national guard supporting state and local officials. we've go immediately upon indications that there is a disaster pending

southern illinois draws visitors to its garden of the gods. it is the gateway to the shawnee national forest. summer visits to quincy, illinois, feature historic architecture and a lot of enjoyment along the mighty mississippi river. we have our unusual tourist attractions in illinois. near my old hometown of east st. louis, you can see the world's largest ketchup bottle or the two-story outhouse in gaze, illinois, or the home of superman, including a 15-foot superman statue and a six-foot popeye statue in chester, illinois. a lot of photographs have been taken in front of them. every state has these historic, amazing places to visit and those curiosities that draw people from all over the united states and all over the world. illinois offers the international visitor a truly american experience. in fact, in illinois, tourism adds $2.1 million. in 2008, there were about 1.4 million international visitors to my state. these traveler spent $2 billion in all sectors of the economy -- transportation, lodging, food service, entertainment. these intj

just the week before last i went to the prison in southern illinois. it was once our maximum security prison in the united states before the super maximum facility was opened at florence colorado. it was interesting as i met with the corrections officer in the lockup of the mary and federal prison, and after a little bit of a tour i asked what do you think of this notion that we hear from senators on the floor like senator kyl and senator mcconnell that we cannot safely incarcerate guantanamo detainees in the presence of the united states? the one corrections officer said senator, in salted by the comment. at this facility we are now incarcerating members of colombian drug terrorist gangs and have had serial murderers and we have incarcerated john gotti, we've incarcerated some of the most dangerous people convicted, brought into the country from overseas where the opposing a threat to america and the united states we brought them here. we know how to handle these prisoners. we are up to this task. we've proven it over and over again. this very senator

the emergency management agency reported that a drainage district in southern illinois was denied reimbursement as a direct result of this new policy. i've contacted fema to urge them to reverse the policy and continue assisting levee districts with these to avoid further gaps. and, mr. chairman, i understand that fema and the corps are working on this issue, but if there's no resolution by the time this bill heads to conference i may need the assistance of the chair to resolve this matter. mr. price: i thank the gentleman from illinois for raising this important shoot much the fema policy on levee assistance was intended to clarify the roles and responsibilities of federal agencies in providing critical flood recovery work. i understand that the gentleman and other members of the illinois delegation have concerns that the policy may not be accurate in its accounting of federal responsibility and may have the unintended consequence of leaving gaps in assistance for local communities and levee districts. fema and the army corps are reevaluating the policy to make sure there are no gaps in disast

illinois, judge robert get willman took senior status this month. judge david core will do so in august. -- david ashman will take senior status in june and all will continue to serve. in the southern district of illinois, bankruptcy judge kenneth myers took senior stat news february but continues to serve as -- continues to serve as a recall judge. i already mentioned the senior status of judge mckinney in the southern district of indiana, and the senior status actual or pending of both chief judge crab and shabaz in the western district of wisconsin. . judge crab and shabaz in the western district of wisconsin. one other change in western wisconsin, peter op is the new clerk and david blackwelder is the new clerk in the -- please join me in a round of appreciation. [applause] >>ly turn the program over now to the chief justice and i'll to the chief justice and i'll see you all chicago. [applause] >> you're watching c-span's america and the courts. next u.s. district judge royce lambert on salaries of federal judges and the confirm, process. he spoke at the u.s. district courthouse in washington, d.c. last march. this is a portion of the discussion. >> i really do want to talk abo