[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 10 (Thursday, January 25, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S357-S358]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A RECESS WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE

  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss what the Senate is 
doing actually tomorrow on a very, very critical and important 
resolution that would put the Senate in recess for 1 month. To my way 
of thinking this could be the most irresponsible vote the U.S. Senate 
has taken in a long, long time. A month--30 days, Mr. President.
  I think that such action would be the height of irresponsibility. If 
we think the American public is losing faith and confidence in our 
legislative institutions, just wait and see how they react when they 
see the Senate is voting to take a 30-day recess with all of the work 
that lies ahead.
  The Senate and the Congress as a whole has much work to do, a lot of 
work to do. The shrinking amount of time in which to do it is something 
that I would like to discuss for a few moments this afternoon.
  The first session of the 104th Congress, Mr. President, was one of 
the busiest that we have ever seen. Unfortunately, however, it was one 
of the least productive. I will cite my friend, Senator Bill Cohen's 
op-ed piece recently in the Washington Post when he said--I think I can 
quote--``There's a great deal of motion, but very little movement.'' I 
think that aptly describes last year.
  That first session of Congress lasted 365 days, 1 whole year. Only 
two other first sessions have lasted 365 days in the course of the 
Republic's history, Mr. President, the 77th Congress in 1941-42 and the 
102d Congress in 1991-92.
  The Senate, for example, was in session for 211 days. We took 613 
rollcall votes. The House was in session 167 days. The House took 885 
rollcall votes. What was the result of all of this movement and action, 
Mr. President? Only 88 bills were signed into law, the smallest number 
of bills becoming law since 1933.

  Mr. President, a 30-day recess, like the one that is being proposed 
tomorrow, is truly unprecedented. A review of the Senate's 
congressional calendar shows the normal pattern for Congress is to 
begin work after the State of the Union. A short recess around the 
President's Day holiday is the norm. However, to simply shut down the 
U.S. Senate, for us not to work until the beginning of March, is a 
remarkable inconsistency.
  So what does that mean for us today? It means that there is a lot for 
us to do in a year already shortened by the Presidential election. Some 
have even suggested that the Senate is arranging its schedule, 
depending upon the primaries in New Hampshire and the special caucuses 
in Iowa. I am not here to argue whether that is true or false, but that 
is being charged.
  There are bills awaiting our attention that must be addressed, not to 
further the Democratic agenda or the Republican agenda, but to help the 
American people and to make their lives better and to live up to our 
responsibility.
  I rise today to talk about some of this imperative legislation that I 
think we should be working on now rather than recessing tomorrow for a 
whole month's period.
  For example, we are in the midst of a crisis in agriculture, and this 
affects all of rural America. In fact, it affects all America.
  On January 1, some 25 days ago, the 1990 farm bill expired. Because 
no Congress in 40 years has failed to pass a farm bill, we are still 
exploring the ramifications of what it means to live under an expired 
farm bill. In short, chaos in rural America could very easily result. 
We need action in this area.
  What we know for sure is that because there is not a farm bill, 
American agriculture is now, in large part, operating under laws 
enacted in the year 1949.
  In the past several weeks, lawyers and staff at the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture began to piece together just what this means for 
farmers, for consumers, and for the taxpayers. For example, while the 
cotton program operates as is until 1997, the rice program, as we know 
it, has now been terminated. Today across our country, there is no rice 
program. There has not been for 25 days. The so-called permanent law, 
or 1949 law, to which we are now reverting, includes provisions for 
commodities, such as wheat or corn; however, no provisions for rice.
  The Secretary of Agriculture has said he would have to use some 
general authority under the CCC Charter Act to run a rice program, but 
research is still underway to see what kind of program he might legally 
operate.
  There is great confusion. Arkansas grows 40 percent of all of the 
rice produced in our country, but other States, such as California, 
Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, are also large rice producers. 
Pulling together some kind of general authority and running a partial 
program could be devastating to the rice industry and to the rice 
farmers in these five States.
  It is not just rice farmers who are very anxious right now. As many 
of my colleagues have pointed out, most farmers cannot even find out if 
they will be able to plant a crop, much less what that crop might be. 
Necessary operating credit, those loans that are so important to the 
American farmer, will not be extended to many farmers unless the 
various lending institutions have some idea of what the rules or 
regulations are in rural America relative to the new farm proposals.
  Mr. President, with all of this uncertainty hanging over us in rural 
America, from producers to millers to ginners to seed salesmen to 
tractor dealers to processors and all the other businesses that serve 
the agriculture sector, it is unconscionable, I think, for this 
Congress to even contemplate recessing for a 30-day period.
  Let me give you another example of how the American people are paying 
as a result of congressional inaction.
  Last year, Congress made a legislative error in the GATT treaty which 
is forcing American consumers to pay millions and millions of dollars 
more for their prescription drugs every day. We had a debate on this 
floor. We had a very close vote on this floor.
  For instance, the world's largest drug company, Glaxo, today is 
gaining $6 million a day in undeserved enrichment--$6 million a day in 
undeserved enrichment and profits. This single company has so far 
gained $300 million, all of it subsidized by the American consumer from 
this congressional mistake. We had a chance to correct it. We did not 
meet that obligation. We must have that opportunity again.
  Instead of acting quickly to fix it, Congress has let it drag on week 
after week after week. If we recess for 30 days, consumers across 
America will be paying another $180 million in unnecessary health care 
costs for their drugs. That is outrageous. But there is no 

[[Page S358]]
company in this country today who would love to see the Senate adjourn, 
recess and leave town for the next 30 days more than the company of 
Glaxo. It means another $180 million to them in undeserved enrichment.
  This is not the only important health care issue being held up. A 
bipartisan proposal which would require insurance companies to stop 
dropping people when they change jobs and to prevent insurers from 
denying coverage for preexisting conditions is being blocked today from 
consideration. There was an excellent article in this morning's 
Washington Post related to this situation.

  This legislation, which would help almost 25 million Americans, is 
much too important to let die, it is much too important to let it be 
crowded off the Senate floor schedule simply because we are not in 
session, we are scattered to the four corners of the land and we cannot 
be found to do our legislative duty.
  There are a number of tax credits that have expired. They need to be 
extended. The education tax credit, which encourages employers to help 
their employees improve their education, the research and development 
tax credit, the targeted jobs tax credit, which helps employers who 
hire disadvantaged workers, are just some of the examples. These tax 
credits are helping American business and workers all across this 
country today. But for 30 days, if we vote to go into this recess, they 
will be ignored while the Congress leaves town.
  There are other bills pending that would change tax policy and make 
life simpler and better for Americans. For example, a bill to increase 
the health care deduction for the self-employed lies idle. This 
bipartisan bill would give self-employed Americans more of the tax cut 
that large corporations get for funding full health insurance.
  Also put on hold is legislation introduced by the majority leader, 
myself and 44 other Senators to ease the tremendous burden placed on 
family-owned businesses by the estate tax. This bill would benefit 
farmers and family-owned businesses across our country.
  Another bill on the sidelines is the Church Retirement Benefits 
Simplification Act, which would clarify the rules that apply to church 
retirement and welfare benefit plans and make it easier for churches to 
administer their retirement and benefit programs.
  These bills all try to make the tax system friendlier and fairer, and 
all Americans should not be ignored while the Congress takes a month-
long break.
  Mr. President, in addition to these bills that I have discussed this 
afternoon, and many others that are also very important, there is also 
the issue of the Federal budget. The House, today, is likely to pass a 
30-day continuing resolution to keep the Government running. We hope 
so. The Senate will probably pass it tomorrow. We hope so. And then 
what happens, Mr. President, is we all leave town. We will be doing 
nothing to resolve the basic problems that have prevented us from 
enacting a budget and passing the final six 1996 appropriations bills.
  Mr. President, I am talking about finishing up the spending bills 
that should have been completed last year. I have not even mentioned 
the fact that the work on the 1997 budget should begin in 10 days when 
the President submits his budget to the Congress. In addition, the debt 
ceiling must be lifted by March 1, Mr. President. If we recess and come 
back on the 26th of February, we will be returning with only a precious 
few hours to deal with this most important, very critical issue. 
Moody's has already issued a warning that they may downgrade Treasury 
bonds as a result of this pending uncertainty. The full faith and 
credit of the United States of America rests on our actions. There 
could be possible catastrophic results if we do not take action.
  Finally, the people's business needs to be tended to--it is that 
simple--from rural America to Wall Street, and tomorrow could be the 
most irresponsible time that I have ever known for us to even consider 
beginning a 30-day recess. Rather, we should vote tomorrow to recommit 
ourselves, not to our business, but to the people's business.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.

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