[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 56 (Monday, April 29, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4366-S4367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           DESPITE ITS FLAWS, A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET AGREEMENT

 Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, late last week we finally 
approved a budget for the fiscal year which started 7 months ago. After 
long and heated negotiations, Presidential vetoes, and numerous 
shutdowns of the Federal Government, that budget protected many of the 
priorities that had been identified by the President and by Democrats 
here in Congress, including key investments in education, crime 
prevention, the environment, and other key areas. It also effectively 
removed many of the policy-related riders that would have done so much 
damage to our efforts to protect Americans in the workplace, and to 
protect the environment; major victories for all Americans.
  The bulk of the funding for key education and job training programs, 
which I had fought hard to restore through an amendment on the Senate 
floor, was retained by the conferees. Key Federal investments in the 
skills, character, and intellect of our children must remain our 
highest priority.
  The conferees also preserved funding for the new community policing 
program called COPS, which has provided funding for over 430 new police 
in Minnesota, and over 34,000 nationwide. Ultimately, it is scheduled 
to put 100,000 new police on the streets of our Nation's cities and 
towns. Chiefs of Police and sheriffs from across the country, from big 
cities, small towns, rural areas and suburbs, have supported this 
program because they know that more police make a real difference in 
combatting crime. This is a victory for communities nationwide who are 
struggling to bring down crime and combat fear in their streets by 
strengthening their community policing programs.
  In addition to these major victories, the measure gained overwhelming 
approval here in the Senate because many Senators, including myself, 
believed that we must not allow to continue to go unfunded key Federal 
agencies and departments which protect the environment, provide funding 
for schools, protect the health and safety of Americans in their 
workplaces, provide funding for critical Federal health benefits, or 
support a host of other Federal activities.
  While on balance I believe the bill goes a long way toward protecting 
key priorities, there are some areas where very large budget cuts will 
still be made by this bill. For example, I am very concerned that the 
House conferees insisted on slashing advance funding for the Low Income 
Home Energy Assistance Program, which is critical to thousands of 
Minnesotans who rely on it for heating aid in very cold weather.
  Despite the battles over LIHEAP funding this past winter, and my 
amendment urging the Senate conferees not to accede to House demands to 
scuttle advance funding for this program, passed by a vote of 77 to 23, 
Senate conferees agreed to drop advance funding for next winter. This 
is a major and unwise policy change, and makes it doubly important that 
adequate funding for the entire heating season be provided in the 
fiscal year 1997 Labor-HHS appropriations bill that will be developed 
soon by the Appropriations Committee; I will fight to fully restore 
these funds during that process.
  There are also substantial cuts in programs for the arts, for legal 
service programs which ensure that the constitutionally guaranteed 
rights of even low-income people are secured within our legal process, 
for Federal Indian education efforts, for job training, for homeless 
programs, and for a host of other key public investments in our future. 
While I recognize the need to continue to reduce the deficit, I opposed 
these cuts, and will be working to restore critical funding in these 
areas in the coming months.
  Mr. President, I did not agree with all of the priorities contained 
in the omnibus appropriations bill. It is not the bill I would have 
written. My colleagues know I would restructure Federal spending in 
very different ways, even while securing the same level of savings. But 
this final agreement allowed us finally to move beyond last year's 
funding fights, and to turn our attention to this year's appropriations 
process. That is why I supported it, despite its flaws. I hope we can 
do better this year; Americans deserve a more orderly and responsible 
process, with very different priorities, than Congress delivered this 
year.

[[Page S4367]]



 CONGRATULATIONS TO UNIVERSITY OF UTAH MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SKI TEAM NCAA 
                                 CHAMPS

 Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I am pleased to offer my spirited 
congratulations to the University of Utah Men's and Women's Ski Team on 
their recent NCAA championship. The University of Utah has a lengthy 
tradition of producing competitive, skilled student-athletes and I am 
proud to recognize these champions today.
  I would like to congratulate their individual hard work and 
dedication, as well as their competitive team spirit and unity. Utah is 
proud to be represented by these talented student-athletes and coaches. 
The University of Utah Men's and Women's Ski Team of 1996 are true 
champions and I would like to mention each member of their team 
individually.
  I congratulate Women's Alpine team members: Christi Hager, Heather 
Munroe, Tina Kavcic; the Men's Alpine team members: Alain Britt-Cote, 
Mike Elvidge, Andy Hare; the Women's Cross-Country team: Stine 
Hellerud, Heidi Selnes, Ingvil Snofugl; and the Men's Cross-Country 
team: Tor Arne Haugen, Asle Slettemoen, Kurt Wulff.
  I would also like to congratulate the coaches Mark Bonnell, Kevin 
Sweeney, and John Farra, as well as the trainer Greg Thorpe and the 
Director of Skiing at the University of Utah, Pat Miller. Utah is proud 
of the accomplishments of this team and its coaches.
  In addition to being home to the ``Greatest Snow on Earth'', the U.S. 
Ski Team and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Utah is proud to be the 
home of fine higher education institutions like the University of Utah. 
To the talented and skilled student-athletes and coaches on the 1996 
Men's and Women's Ski Team from the University of Utah, I give my 
heartfelt congratulations on their 1996 NCAA championship and 
confidence we will continue to see their names listed among the 
outstanding athletes in the country and the world.

                          ____________________