[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 110 (Wednesday, August 10, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND 
                  RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT

  The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill.


                       vote on amendment no. 2478

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question occurs, under the previous order, 
on a motion to table amendment No. 2478 offered by the Senator from 
Florida [Mr. Graham].
  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I request the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There is a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays are ordered, and the clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Dorgan). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 66, nays 34, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 269 Leg.]

                                YEAS--66

     Akaka
     Baucus
     Biden
     Bingaman
     Bond
     Breaux
     Bryan
     Bumpers
     Byrd
     Campbell
     Chafee
     Coats
     Cochran
     Cohen
     Conrad
     Danforth
     Daschle
     Dodd
     Dorgan
     Exon
     Feingold
     Ford
     Glenn
     Gorton
     Gregg
     Harkin
     Hatfield
     Heflin
     Helms
     Hollings
     Inouye
     Jeffords
     Johnston
     Kassebaum
     Kerrey
     Kerry
     Kohl
     Leahy
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lugar
     Mathews
     Metzenbaum
     Mikulski
     Moseley-Braun
     Murray
     Nunn
     Packwood
     Pell
     Pryor
     Reid
     Riegle
     Rockefeller
     Roth
     Sarbanes
     Sasser
     Shelby
     Simon
     Simpson
     Smith
     Specter
     Stevens
     Thurmond
     Warner
     Wellstone
     Wofford

                                NAYS--34

     Bennett
     Boren
     Boxer
     Bradley
     Brown
     Burns
     Coverdell
     Craig
     D'Amato
     DeConcini
     Dole
     Domenici
     Durenberger
     Faircloth
     Feinstein
     Graham
     Gramm
     Grassley
     Hatch
     Hutchison
     Kempthorne
     Kennedy
     Lautenberg
     Lott
     Mack
     McCain
     McConnell
     Mitchell
     Moynihan
     Murkowski
     Nickles
     Pressler
     Robb
     Wallop
  So the motion to lay on the table the amendment (No. 2478) was agreed 
to.
  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. METZENBAUM. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.


                          disaster assistance

  Mr. NUNN. Mr. President, I rise to address two amendments offered by 
Senator Coverdell and myself that provide additional disaster 
assistance to areas of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama that were hit by 
Tropical Storm Alberto in July.
  The first of these amendments adds $35 million in fiscal year 1995 to 
the appropriation for the public health and social services emergency 
fund. The existence of this fund reflects the broad range of human 
resources needs created by natural disasters, especially floods. 
Community life is disrupted--local health and human resource services 
are disrupted--and families are disrupted. The money provided under 
this amendment can help to meet these needs.
  The floods associated with Alberto struck hardest at some of the 
lowest income areas of Georgia's lowest income region. Not 
surprisingly, these same areas have the highest rate of public 
assistance and the greatest dependence on public health and social 
services. The bulk of the appropriation made in this amendment to go 
into four categories--substance abuse and mental health services, 
services for children and families, disease control and prevention, and 
services for the elderly.
  The Alberto disaster has created a particular threat to public 
health. The sanitation problems accompanying any flood are serious and 
in Georgia this has been compounded by widespread breakdown in water 
and sewer systems. The Centers for Disease Control needs additional 
money to help monitor disease outbreaks related to the disruption. 
Public health services need funds to help treat individuals with flood 
related injuries and illnesses. This appropriation will provide money 
for the CDCP to identify public health threats and to community and 
migrant health centers to treat a surge of patients seeking medical 
treatment.
  All spending made possible by this amendment will be strictly 
contingent on a future request by the administration for an emergency 
appropriation. From the experience of the midwestern States last year, 
it is clear that the administration will require extremely detailed 
documentation before making a request, and that the actual figure 
requested may well be less than the amount provided through this 
amendment.
  The second amendment sets aside $10 million in the Department of 
Education's impact aid account to assist school districts affected by 
the floods. Several school districts in Georgia saw their property tax 
bases reduced or eliminated by flood damage. These impact aid funds 
will assist these districts in replacing the lost revenues. This 
amendment is not a new appropriation. I am informed by officials at the 
Department of Education that there is over $20 million in unobligated 
funds in the impact aid account. This amendment sets aside up to $10 
million of the existing account for damage associated with Tropical 
Storm Alberto.
  Mr. President, I thank Senator Harkin and Senator Specter and their 
staffs for their assistance in getting these amendments cleared and 
adopted.


                             re tarkio, mo

  Mr. BOND. For some time now I have been working with officials from 
the Heartland Educational Institute in Tarkio, MO, on a project to 
utilize the former Tarkio College campus, create new job and stimulate 
a depressed economy in Atchison County, near our border with Iowa.
  Officials from the city of Tarkio have requested a Department of 
Education write-down on their debt and release of the liens against the 
Tarkio college property. The Department of Education opposes this, 
believing that it can recoup some of the funds owed on the facilities' 
loans by a sale.
  I would like to ask the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee if 
he would be willing to work with me, and with officials from Tarkio and 
from the Department of Education on finding a solution to this problem 
that will satisfy all the parties involved and permit the local 
community to move forward on generating economic development through a 
new youth rehabilitation facility.
  Mr. HARKIN. I too am concerned about the situation in Tarkio, and 
believe that economic development there would help my own State of 
Iowa. I plan to work with my friend from Missouri and the Department to 
develop a plan that will work for the local community as well as for 
U.S. taxpayers.


                 tribally controlled community colleges

  Mr. CONRAD. Will the Senator from Iowa, the chairman of the Labor, 
Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, 
yield for a question?
  Mr. HARKIN. I would be pleased to yield for a question.
  Mr. CONRAD. First, I want to thank the chairman, Senator Harkin, and 
the ranking member, Senator Specter, for including language in the 
committee report to expand the telecommunications-telemedicine 
infrastructure to provide education and training to medical, psychology 
and nursing students in the four-State area of North Dakota, South 
Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota. This project will link the four 
community-based campuses of the University of North Dakota's School of 
Medicine, 67 rural community-based hospitals in North Dakota, 
Minnesota, and Montana, and 16 tribally controlled community colleges 
in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota.
  I would like to speak in more detail about one particular component 
of this project: the linkage to the 16 tribally controlled community 
colleges. The primary and initial purpose of this linkage is to allow 
Indian students to receive their first 2 years of education toward a 
degree in psychology in a reservation setting--an approach proven 
successful through other Indian educational programs such as the 
Indians into medicine program. The University of North Dakota's 
Department of Psychology is nationally recognized by the American 
Psychological Association for its education and training of native 
Americans. This telecommunication linkage will facilitate the 
recruitment and training of native Americans in the field of 
psychology.
  Of the estimated total projected cost of $1,560,000, $160,000 will be 
available to purchase equipment for 16 downlink sites at the tribal 
colleges, and up to $50,000 of the administrative funds for this 
project could be used for tuition, fees, and stipends for the native 
Americans enrolled in the field of psychology.
  Does the chairman concur that this level of funding is consistent 
with the language included in the Senate report on telecommunications-
telemedicine infrastructure?
  Mr. HARKIN. Yes, I do, and I thank the Senators from North Dakota for 
bringing this important issue to my attention.
  Mr. CONRAD. Just for further clarification, I would like to ask the 
chairman if he concurs with the spending totals for the other elements 
of this package. It is my hope that the total for the project could be 
allocated as follows: equipment for the digital video system--$500,000; 
equipment for 25 downlink sites in Montana--$250,000; equipment for 10 
downlink sites in Minnesota--$100,000; transmission costs for both 
fiber and satellite--$370,000; and administrative costs--$200,000.

  Mr. HARKIN. The Senator has presented what seems to be a very 
realistic package. I am certainly hopeful that the Health Care 
Financing Administration will respond favorably.
  Mr. DORGAN. I also want to thank Senator Harkin and Senator Specter 
for their assistance in this very important project.
  Mr. INOUYE. I want to compliment my colleagues on developing this 
creative approach to addressing the critical health and mental health 
needs of American Indians in the Northern Plains region. The American 
Indian population served by this program will total more than 120,000 
in a part of the country that experiences some of the highest levels of 
morbidity and mortality in accidents, suicide, and infant mortality, 
amongst any population group in the United States.
  I am particularly pleased that the tribally controlled community 
colleges, at least half of which are located in this region, are an 
integral part of this effort. Section 115 of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act (P.L. 94-437, as amended by P.L. 100-713) was enacted 
to assist these institutions in providing opportunities for Indian 
students to enter the health professions. The appropriation which we 
are discussing today will certainly provide the infrastructure 
necessary to carry out the purposes of the act.
  In closing, I have visited the Northern Plains and understand the 
profound health care needs of the tribes in this region. I am, 
therefore, very encouraged by the efforts of my colleagues in the 
development of health care education by use of telecommunications.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, the Senate has just completed action on the 
fiscal year 1995 Labor/HHS appropriations bill, the 12th of the 13 
regular appropriation bills, leaving only the Defense appropriations 
bill remaining. I commend the chairman of the subcommittee, Senator 
Harkin, as well as the ranking member, Senator Specter, for their 
outstanding efforts on this very important appropriations bill.
  As members are aware, the Labor/HHS appropriations bill contains 
funding for numerous critical programs designed to address many of the 
social problems facing our Nation. This bill seeks to provide 
educational opportunity for our Nation's young people. In addition, 
this bill seeks to make further progress in the area of biomedical 
research through appropriations to the National Institutes of Health, 
as well as appropriations to the Department of Labor to ensure a safe 
workplace for all Americans.
  The managers of the bill deserve particular recognition for their 
efforts to balance these many competing demands and to do so while 
remaining within the subcommittee's very tight 602(b) allocation.
  Senators Harkin and Specter have served on the Labor/HHS Subcommittee 
for a number of years and have worked together in their capacities as 
chairman and ranking member. The Senate and the Nation owe them a debt 
of gratitude for their dedication and their commitment to excellence in 
carrying out their responsibilities on their subcommittee.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. President, I rise to speak concerning this amendment 
which would appropriate $100 million to reimburse states for the cost 
of educating immigrants. The money would be distributed under the 
Emergency Immigration Education Act of 1984.
  This amendment and the underlying Emergency Immigration Education Act 
do not differentiate between legal and illegal immigrants, which very 
much concerns me. The Commission on Immigration Reform recently issued 
an excellent interim report making recommendations to the 
administration and the Congress on a variety of immigration issues, 
including that of providing Federal financial aids to the States for 
the costs of immigration.
  The Commission recommended a ``short-term authorization of financial 
aid to offset at least a portion of certain identifiable costs to 
states and localities resulting from unlawful immigration.''
  I have seen no solid evidence that it is even possible to accurately 
identify either the number or cost of illegal immigrants. One reason 
for this is that--believe it or not--many State and local government 
agencies are prohibited by law, ordinance or rule from even 
``communicating'' with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
  The Commission on Immigration Reform recommended that if there is to 
be such Federal reimbursement to State and local governments that there 
also be ``a requirement that the state and local governments cooperate 
with Federal authorities to enforce the immigration laws of the United 
States.''
  If this appropriation were to reimburse impacted States for the cost 
of educating illegal alien children, then taking $100 million from 
other programs to fund this amendment might well be justified--if those 
costs can be identified.
  However, since many State and local governments prohibit their 
officials from communicating with the Immigration Service, I do not 
know how they can identify those costs attributable to illegal 
immigration. Cooperation with the INS should be a condition of any such 
amendment.
  If this appropriation is to reimburse States for the costs of 
educating legal immigrant children, then this amendment is not the 
proper approach to reduce those costs.
  If legal immigration is so high it is placing an unreasonable 
financial burden on the States, the answer is to reduce immigration, 
rather than provide Federal reimbursement. Also, States could rethink 
some of their very expensive bilingual education programs.
  It has been the policy of the United States for more than 100 years 
that newcomers should ``pay their way'' after immigrating to the United 
States.
  Personally, I believe that legal immigrants do pay their way, and 
that the impacted States probably benefit from legal immigrants, if 
they are coming in reasonable numbers. Some studies have found that 
legal immigrants more than pay their way, although there have also been 
contradictory studies.
  If the numbers are unreasonable, and if immigrants are causing a 
burden the states cannot bear, then we should be discussing reducing 
admissions until the economies of the impacted states have had an 
opportunity to recover.
  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I rise in support of H.R. 4606, the 
fiscal year 1995 Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education 
appropriations bill. I want to congratulate my colleagues, Senator 
Harkin and Senator Spector, for their diligent work on this bill.
  I rise to lend my support to language included in the report that 
accompanies this legislation. This language deals with the extramural 
construction funds provided under the National Center for Research 
Resources. The mission of the Center is to support the research 
technologies and shared resources that are critical to maintaining the 
health of all Americans. As such, the National Center supports 
construction programs which directly assist the Center in achieving its 
goals and mission.
  One such project mentioned in the report is the National Center for 
Primary Health at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Since 
its founding, the Morehouse School of Medicine has dedicated itself to 
the primary health care needs of the American people, with a particular 
emphasis on minorities. As a result of this dedication, the Morehouse 
School of Medicine leads the Nation in the percentage of graduates who 
enter the primary care specialities. And, despite the fact that the 
school is less than 20 years old, its faculty has successfully competed 
for more research funding than one-third of all of the medical schools 
in the country. The National Center for Primary Care will build upon 
this foundation.
  The National Center for Primary Care will be a national resource that 
will conduct, sponsor and participate in academic, clinical, and health 
services research. To achieve this mission, the center will accomplish 
the following goals:
  To increase significantly the number of primary care physicians.
  To create a national health and social policy center focused on 
identifying and analyzing the complex social, education, psychological, 
behavioral, economic and historical factors which contribute to current 
problems of diminished health status, access and quality in the 
provisions of both preventive and acute health care.
  To augment both outreach and community-based clinical networks with 
new communications technologies to form a solid base for its expanded 
research and health policy efforts.
  To create a new set of collaborative linkages focused on medical 
education, health and social policy and the dissemination of basic and 
applied research supported by expanded on-site teleconferencing 
capabilities and computer support.
  I cannot think of an institution better suited to undertake this 
challenge than the Morehouse School of Medicine. The school, under the 
stewardship of its president, Dr. Louis Sullivan, already possesses the 
elements that are necessary to ensure that the National Center for 
Primary Care will be a national model for basic biomedical and applied 
research.
  For example, the school has established an outstanding program of 
medical education. The Morehouse School of Medicine also possesses a 
fundamental understanding of the complexities and challenges involved 
in the provision of primary care services to individuals and families 
in low-income urban neighborhoods and rural communities. As a result, 
the school has built a long-standing and solid base of trust within 
many underserved communities. Finally, the Morehouse School of Medicine 
has developed an excellent program of basic applied research with an 
increasing emphasis on community-based research related to the 
environmental, economic, and social factors affecting health status.
  I want to thank the chairman for recognizing the contribution the 
Morehouse School of Medicine has made in the area of primary health 
care. The inclusion of report language is testimony to the success and 
respect the school has achieved. I want to urge the Assistant Secretary 
for Health and the director of the National Center for Research 
Resources to carefully review and consider the Morehouse School of 
Medicine's application for extramural construction funds for the 
National Center for Primary Care.


            funding for scholar-athlete competitions in 1995

  Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I would like to thank the managers of the 
appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education for their help in providing funding for a 
program that was authorized earlier this week in the Improving 
America's Schools Act which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act. The provision included in the ESEA authorizes the 
Secretary of Education to provide $1 million for scholar-athlete games 
to be conducted in 1995. I am delighted that the appropriators were 
able to provide $500,000 for this program. Of course, we will be back 
next year with the hope of securing the rest of the authorized amount.
  In 1993, the Institute for International Sport at the University of 
Rhode Island conducted the World Scholar Athlete Games. 2,000 students 
from 125 countries and all 50 States participated in the games. Through 
these games, friendships were formed and understanding was developed 
between boys and girls who would otherwise never have crossed paths. I 
believe that through this form of interaction bridges between diverse 
populations are built.
  The Institute for International Sport plans to conduct similar games 
in Rhode Island in 1995. The Rhode Island Scholar-Athlete Games will 
bring together boys and girls from the 5th through 12th grades. These 
students will have a record of academic excellence or have demonstrated 
marked improvement in their school work. The Institute Is dedicated to 
making a special effort to include low income and minority students. 
Rhode Island is a small State with a lot of diversity. These games will 
reflect that diversity and help to develop greater understanding 
between these students.
  The sports activities that are planned include: baseball, softball, 
sailing, basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, swimming and track. 
The cultural activities will include: art, band, debate, choir, 
theater, poetry, and creative writing. The Institute for International 
Sport also plans to hold theme days on the subjects of ethics and fair 
play, the environment and substance abuse.
  Educators and civic leaders from every State will be invited to 
attend and observe the Games. The institute will offer training 
sessions to these individuals to enable them to emulate the Rhode 
Island Scholar-Athlete Games in their home States.
  I greatly appreciate the cooperation of Senator Specter and Harkin in 
providing the funds for this program, and I am delighted that Senator 
Pell has joined me in ensuring funding for scholar-athlete competitions 
in 1995.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on the engrossment of the 
amendments and third reading of the bill.
  The amendments were ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill was read a third time.
  Mr. INOUYE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii.
  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There is a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill having been read the third time, the 
question is, Shall it pass? On this question, the yeas and nays have 
been ordered, and the clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk called the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there Senators in the Chamber wishing to 
change their votes?
  The result was announced--yeas 87, nays 13, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 270 Leg.]

                                YEAS--87

     Akaka
     Baucus
     Bennett
     Biden
     Bingaman
     Bond
     Boren
     Boxer
     Bradley
     Breaux
     Bryan
     Bumpers
     Burns
     Byrd
     Campbell
     Chafee
     Coats
     Cochran
     Cohen
     Coverdell
     D'Amato
     Danforth
     Daschle
     DeConcini
     Dodd
     Dole
     Domenici
     Dorgan
     Durenberger
     Exon
     Feingold
     Feinstein
     Ford
     Glenn
     Gorton
     Graham
     Grassley
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Hatfield
     Heflin
     Hollings
     Inouye
     Jeffords
     Johnston
     Kassebaum
     Kennedy
     Kerrey
     Kerry
     Kohl
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lott
     Lugar
     Mack
     Mathews
     McCain
     McConnell
     Metzenbaum
     Mikulski
     Mitchell
     Moseley-Braun
     Moynihan
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Nickles
     Nunn
     Packwood
     Pell
     Pryor
     Reid
     Riegle
     Robb
     Rockefeller
     Sarbanes
     Sasser
     Shelby
     Simon
     Simpson
     Specter
     Stevens
     Thurmond
     Warner
     Wellstone
     Wofford

                                NAYS--13

     Brown
     Conrad
     Craig
     Faircloth
     Gramm
     Gregg
     Helms
     Hutchison
     Kempthorne
     Pressler
     Roth
     Smith
     Wallop
  So the bill (H.R. 4606), as amended, was passed.
  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. FORD. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, with that vote, the Senate has 
overwhelmingly approved H.R. 4606, the Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and related agencies appropriations bill for 
fiscal 1995. I want to thank all Senators for their indulgence, for 
bringing their amendments to the floor, and for their support for 
passing this important bill.
  I specially want to thank the staff who have worked so long and so 
hard on this bill. As Senator Specter and I have stated earlier, with 
the tight budget caps, this has been a particularly tough year on this 
subcommittee. In spite of these pressures, we have crafted a good bill, 
with strong bipartisan support. Much of the credit should go to the 
staff.
  On the majority side, I want to recognize our staff director, Ed 
Long, along with Jim Sourwine, Carol Mitchell, Susan McGovern, Bill 
Cordes, Ellen Murray, Ron Yucas, Gladys Clearwaters, and Antonio 
Clinkscales. For the minority, I want to thank Craig Higgins, Bettilou 
Taylor, and Margaret Snyder.
  To all of them, my heartfelt thanks and gratitude for the many hours 
they put into this effort.
  We are now looking forward to conference with the House. Last year, 
conference on the fiscal 1994 bill lasted less than 3 hours. I'd like 
to complete conference on next year's bill in record time.
  Again, I thank all my colleagues for their support.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate insists 
on its amendments, requests a conference with the House, and the Chair 
appoints the following conferees.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Dorgan) appointed Mr. Harkin, Mr. Byrd, 
Mr. Hollings, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Bumpers, Mr. Reid, Mr. Kohl, Mrs. Murray, 
Mr. Specter, Mr. Hatfield, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Gorton, Mr. 
Mack, and Mr. Bond conferees on the part of the Senate.

                          ____________________