[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 109 (Friday, June 30, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9494-S9495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THE RESCISSIONS BILL

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I understand we have morning business until 
10:30, at which time I will ask consent that we turn to H.R. 1944, the 
rescissions bill, and that no amendments be in order; there be 10 
minutes for debate to be equally divided in the usual form; and that 
following the conclusion or yielding back of time, the bill be advanced 
to third reading and passed and the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table.
  I will make that request at 10:30. I hope we can have the cooperation 
of our colleagues. This is something the White House wants. We have a 
statement from the administration. This contains the money for the 
Oklahoma City disaster. It contains money for the earthquakes in 
California. And if my colleagues on the other side do not want to pass 
it, that is up to them.
  We have had a lot of negotiation on the rescissions package. The 
President vetoed it, and we went back and tried to accommodate some of 
the President's concerns. Now I am advised at this last moment there 
may be some other political efforts made to delay the bill or frustrate 
the will of the majority.
  I hope that at 10:30 sharp we can take up the bill under the previous 
considerations.
  Mr. WELLSTONE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from 
Minnesota.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I know we are waiting until the hour of 
10:30, but just for the public record, I now have a copy of this bill. 
This is the first time I have seen this bill.
  I voted for the $16 billion in cuts when it was on the Senate side, 
but I want to make it crystal clear that there have now been additional 
cuts, for example, in low-income energy assistance. I am from a cold 
weather State. I want to talk about that program. I represent people in 
my State. Just because people are low income does not mean they do not 
have representation.
  Just now I received a copy of this bill. There was a program that we 
had that was an important program--the majority leader actually helped 
me on this before--which provided counseling to elderly people so they 
do not get ripped off on some of the supplemental health care coverage 
to Medicare. That came out in the conference committee.
  So, Mr. President, there is also a range of important programs here 
for dislocated people, workers with summer youth employment. I just 
received this bill--just received it. I have not even had a chance to 
look at it. I certainly would oppose any kind of a unanimous-consent 
agreement that said we would have a vote at a time certain. 

[[Page S9495]]

  I want to have an opportunity to offer amendments. I want to have an 
opportunity to talk about this. We are talking about people's lives, 
and there are some serious cuts in here that affect some of the most 
vulnerable citizens.
  I would start, coming from a cold weather State, talking about the 
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, many of whom are elderly, 
many of whom are disabled--we are a cold weather State --many of whom 
depend upon this grant. This was eliminated on the House side. We 
restored the funding on the Senate side, and now there have been 
additional cuts of over $300 million in this program--$330 million in 
cuts in energy assistance for some of the most vulnerable citizens.
  So I think we need to have an opportunity to offer amendments, an 
opportunity to debate and certainly an opportunity to even go through 
this bill. I was not elected from Minnesota to come here and just have 
things rammed through. This is the first time I have had a copy of this 
bill--the first time. Significant changes have been made. I am a 
legislator. We should have an opportunity to evaluate this, and we 
should have a debate on what is in this.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I understand the Low-Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program is the same as in the vetoed bill. There has not 
been any change in that. I do not know where the $400 million figure 
came from.
  I want to include in the Record at this point a statement of 
administration policy, this is the Clinton administration policy, that 
supports H.R. 1944 as it passed the House:

       H.R. 1944 provides an important balance between deficit 
     reduction and providing funds to meet emergency needs. This 
     legislation provides essential funding for FEMA Disaster 
     Relief, for the Federal response to the bombing in Oklahoma 
     City, for increased anti-terrorism efforts, and for providing 
     debt relief to Jordan in order to contribute to further 
     progress toward a Middle East peace settlement. H.R. 1944 
     reduces Federal spending by $9 billion.

  I think the administration statement is in accord with the thinking 
of most individuals.
  This matter did pass the House last night.
   As I understand it, there has been change in the Low Income Home 
Energy Assistance Program since the bill passed the Senate.

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Actually it is true. The bill the President vetoed is 
the same. Many of us voted against that. What we passed out of the 
Senate restored the $1.3 billion for low-income energy assistance. Now 
we have gone back to over $300 million of cuts. That is a very serious 
issue for people in my State. I just received a copy of this. Let us 
take some time and evaluate what is in this rescissions bill.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. 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.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask that the order for the quorum call be 
rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Grams). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I have been discussing H.R. 1944 with the 
Democratic leader, Senator Daschle. I understand now I have consent to 
turn to the consideration of H.R. 1944.
  Mr. DASCHLE. That is correct.

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