[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 43 (Monday, April 20, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3277-S3292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEARS 
                    1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, AND 2003

  The text of Senate Concurrent Resolution 86, the Congressional Budget 
for the United States Government for Fiscal Years 1999, 2000, 2001, 
2002, and 2003, as agreed to by the Senate on April 2, 1998, reads as 
follows:
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring)

     SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL 
                   YEAR 1999.

       (a) Declaration.--Congress determines and declares that 
     this resolution is the concurrent resolution on the budget 
     for fiscal year 1999 including the appropriate budgetary 
     levels for fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 as 
     required by section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
     1974 and revising the budgetary levels for fiscal year 1998 
     set forth in the concurrent resolution on the budget for 
     fiscal year 1998 as authorized by section 304 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this 
     concurrent resolution is as follows:

Sec. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 1999.

                      TITLE I--LEVELS AND AMOUNTS

Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts.
Sec. 102. Social Security.
Sec. 103. Major functional categories.

             TITLE II--BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS AND RULEMAKING

Sec. 201. Tax cut reserve fund.
Sec. 202. Tobacco reserve fund.
Sec. 203. Separate environmental allocation.
Sec. 204. Dedication of offsets to transportation.
Sec. 205. Adjustments for line item veto litigation.
Sec. 206. Extension of Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund.
Sec. 207. Exercise of rulemaking powers.

              TITLE III--SENSE OF CONGRESS AND THE SENATE

Sec. 301. Sense of the Senate regarding passage of the Senate Finance 
              Committee's IRS restructuring bill.
Sec. 302. Sense of Congress regarding the sunset of the Internal 
              Revenue Code of 1986.
Sec. 303. Sense of Congress on the tax treatment of home mortgage 
              interest and charitable giving.
Sec. 304. Sense of the Senate on preservation of Social Security for 
              the future.
Sec. 305. Sense of the Senate on annual statement of accrued liability 
              of Social Security and Medicare.
Sec. 306. Sense of the Senate on full funding for IDEA.
Sec. 307. Sense of the Senate on Social Security.
Sec. 308. Sense of the Senate on School-to-Work programs.
Sec. 309. Sense of the Senate regarding taxpayer rights.
Sec. 310. Sense of the Senate on National Guard funding.
Sec. 311. Sense of the Senate on Medicare payment.
Sec. 312. Sense of the Senate on long-term care.
Sec. 313. Sense of the Senate on climate change research and other 
              funding.
Sec. 314. Sense of the Senate on increased funding for the Child Care 
              and Development Block Grant.
Sec. 315. Sense of the Senate on the formula change for Federal Family 
              Education Loan.
Sec. 316. Sense of the Senate regarding the deductibility of health 
              insurance premiums of the self-employed.
Sec. 317. Sense of the Senate on objection to Kyoto Protocol 
              implementation prior to Senate ratification.
Sec. 318. Sense of the Senate on price increase on tobacco products of 
              $1.50 per pack.
Sec. 319. Findings; sense of Congress.
Sec. 320. Sense of the Senate concerning immunity.
Sec. 321. Sense of Senate regarding agricultural trade programs.
Sec. 322. Sense of the Senate supporting long-term entitlement reforms.
Sec. 323. Sense of Congress regarding freedom of health care choice for 
              Medicare seniors.
Sec. 324. Sense of the Senate regarding repair and construction needs 
              of Indian schools.
Sec. 325. Sense of the Senate on Social Security personal retirement 
              accounts and the budget surplus.
Sec. 326. Sense of the Senate regarding the elimination of the marriage 
              penalty.
Sec. 327. Findings and sense of Ccongress regarding affordable, high-
              quality health care for seniors.
Sec. 328. Sense of Congress regarding permanent extension of income 
              averaging for farmers.
Sec. 329. Sense of the Senate to maintain full funding for the Section 
              202 Elderly Housing program.
Sec. 330. Sense of the Senate regarding outlay estimates of the 
              Department of Defense budget.
Sec. 331. Sense of the Senate regarding outlay estimates for the 
              budgets of Federal agencies other than the Department of 
              Defense.
Sec. 332. Sense of the Senate regarding an evaluation of the outcome of 
              welfare reform.
Sec. 333. Sense of the Senate regarding the establishment of a national 
              background check system for long-term care workers.
Sec. 334. Sense of the Senate on expanding Medicare benefits.
Sec. 335. Sense of the Senate on battlefield preservation.
Sec. 336. A resolution regarding the Senate's support for Federal, 
              State and local law enforcement.
Sec. 337. Sense of the Senate on analysis of civilian science and 
              technology programs in the Federal budget.
Sec. 338. Sense of the Senate on civilian science and technology 
              programs in the Federal budget.
Sec. 339. Sense of the Senate on long-term budgeting and repayment of 
              the public debt.
Sec. 340. Sense of the Senate regarding President's budget.
Sec. 341. Sense of the Senate regarding the value of the Social 
              Security system for future retirees.
Sec. 342. Sense of the Senate on the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Sec. 343. Sense of the Senate on education goals.
Sec. 344. Findings and sense of the Senate.
Sec. 345. Sense of the Senate on INS circuit riders in the former 
              Soviet Union.
Sec. 346. Sense of the Senate regarding funding for the airport 
              improvement program.
Sec. 347. Sense of the Senate that the One Hundred Fifth Congress, 
              Second Session should reauthorize funds for the farmland 
              protection program.
Sec. 348. Sense of the Senate on health care quality.
Sec. 349. Sense of the Senate regarding wasteful spending in Defense 
              Department acquisition practices.
Sec. 350. Sense of the Senate regarding the United States response to 
              the changing nature of terrorism.
Sec. 351. Sense of the Senate on economic growth, Social Security, and 
              Government efficiency.
Sec. 352. Sense of the Senate regarding a supermajority requirement for 
              raising taxes.
Sec. 353. Sense of the Senate on health care quality.
Sec. 354. Sense of the Senate on the use of budget surplus for tax 
              relief or debt reduction.
Sec. 355. Use of budget surplus to reform Social Security.
Sec. 356. Sense of the Senate on Colombian drug war helicopters.
Sec. 357. Sense of the Senate on funding for medical care for veterans.
Sec. 358. Sense of the Senate on objection to the use of the sale of 
              public lands to fund certain programs.

[[Page S3278]]

Sec. 359. Sense of the Senate regarding a multinational alliance 
              against drug trafficking.
Sec. 360. Sense of the Senate regarding legislation that increases 
              complexity of tax returns.
Sec. 361. General prohibition on the use of marijuana for medicinal 
              purposes.
Sec. 362. Sense of the Senate regarding Amtrak funding.
Sec. 363. Sense of the Senate regarding market access program.
Sec. 364. Sense of the Senate regarding the National Institutes of 
              Health.
Sec. 365. Sense of the Senate regarding display of Ten Commandments.
                      TITLE I--LEVELS AND AMOUNTS

     SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS.

       The following budgetary levels are appropriate for the 
     fiscal years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.
       (1) Federal Revenues.--For purposes of the enforcement of 
     this resolution--
       (A) The recommended levels of Federal revenues are as 
     follows:
       Fiscal year 1998: $1,262,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999: $1,300,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000: $1,325,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001: $1,369,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002: $1,431,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003: $1,486,900,000,000.
       (B) The amounts by which the aggregate levels of Federal 
     revenues should be changed are as follows:
       Fiscal year 1998: $0.
       Fiscal year 1999: $0.
       Fiscal year 2000: $0.
       Fiscal year 2001: $0.
       Fiscal year 2002: $0.
       Fiscal year 2003: $0.
       (C) The amounts for Federal Insurance Contributions Act 
     revenues for hospital insurance within the recommended levels 
     of Federal revenues are as follows:
       Fiscal year 1998: $117,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999: $123,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000: $129,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001: $135,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002: $141,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003: $148,100,000,000.
       (2) New Budget Authority.--For purposes of the enforcement 
     of this resolution, the appropriate levels of total new 
     budget authority are as follows:
       Fiscal year 1998: $1,374,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999: $1,425,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000: $1,471,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001: $1,513,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002: $1,547,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003: $1,615,800,000,000.
       (3) Budget Outlays.--For purposes of the enforcement of 
     this resolution, the appropriate levels of total budget 
     outlays are as follows:
       Fiscal year 1998: $1,358,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999: $1,408,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000: $1,450,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001: $1,490,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002: $1,507,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003: $1,579,200,000,000.
       (4) Deficits.--For purposes of the enforcement of this 
     resolution, the amounts of the deficits are as follows:
       Fiscal year 1998: -$95,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999: -$108,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000: -$124,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001: -$120,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002: -$75,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003: -$92,300,000,000.
       (5) Public Debt.--The appropriate levels of the public debt 
     are as follows:
       Fiscal year 1998: $5,482,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999: $5,668,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000: $5,868,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001: $6,064,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002: $6,220,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003: $6,392,700,000,000.

     SEC. 102. SOCIAL SECURITY.

       (a) Social Security Revenues.--For purposes of Senate 
     enforcement under sections 302, 602, and 311 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the amounts of revenues of 
     the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and 
     the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund are as follows:
       Fiscal year 1998: $417,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999: $438,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000: $457,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001: $477,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002: $497,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003: $520,700,000,000.
       (b) Social Security Outlays.--For purposes of Senate 
     enforcement under sections 302, 602, and 311 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the amounts of outlays of 
     the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and 
     the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund are as follows:
       Fiscal year 1998: $313,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999: $212,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000: $331,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001: $344,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002: $355,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003: $369,400,000,000.

     SEC. 103. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES.

       Congress determines and declares that the appropriate 
     levels of new budget authority, budget outlays, new direct 
     loan obligations, and new primary loan guarantee commitments 
     for fiscal years 1998 through 2003 for each major functional 
     category are:
       (1) National Defense (050):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $267,700,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $268,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $270,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $265,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $274,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $268,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $280,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $269,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $288,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $272,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $296,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $279,800,000,000.
       (2) International Affairs (150):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $15,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $14,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $14,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $14,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $14,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $14,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $15,100,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $14,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $15,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $14,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $15,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $14,400,000,000.
       (3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $18,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $17,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $18,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $17,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $17,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $17,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $17,700,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $17,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $17,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $17,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $17,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $17,000,000,000.
       (4) Energy (270):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $1,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $0.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$400,000,000.
       (5) Natural Resources and Environment (300):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $24,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $23,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $23,400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $23,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $23,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $23,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $23,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $23,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $22,900,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $23,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $22,900,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $22,900,000,000.
       (6) Agriculture (350):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $11,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $10,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $12,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $10,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $11,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $9,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $10,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $8,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $10,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $8,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $10,400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $8,800,000,000.
       (7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $7,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $4,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $3,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $15,100,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $10,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $15,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $11,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $15,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $11,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $14,900,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $11,700,000,000.
       (8) Transportation (400):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $46,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $42,500,000,000.

[[Page S3279]]

       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $51,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $42,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $51,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $44,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $52,100,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $45,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $51,400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $45,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $52,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $46,900,000,000.
       (9) Community and Regional Development (450):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $8,700,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $11,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $8,700,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $10,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $7,900,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $9,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $7,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $8,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $7,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $8,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $7,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $8,100,000,000.
       (10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services 
     (500):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $61,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $56,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $63,050,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $61,006,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $63,350,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $62,740,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $64,550,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $63,849,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $64,950,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $63,750,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $68,450,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $67,150,000,000.
       (11) Health (550):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $136,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $132,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $145,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $143,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $152,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $151,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $161,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $160,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $170,100,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $169,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $181,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $181,100,000,000.
       (12) Medicare (570):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $199,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $199,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $210,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $210,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $221,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $221,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $239,400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $242,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $251,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $248,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $273,400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $273,600,000,000.
       (13) Income Security (600):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $229,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $234,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $243,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $248,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $257,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $259,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $268,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $266,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $279,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $274,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $289,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $282,400,000,000.
       (14) Social Security (650):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $12,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $12,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $12,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $12,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $13,100,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $13,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $12,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $12,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $14,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $14,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $15,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $15,300,000,000.
       (15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $42,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $42,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $42,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $43,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $43,400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $44,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $44,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $45,200,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $46,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $46,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $48,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $48,600,000,000.
       (16) Administration of Justice (750):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $25,100,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $22,500,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $25,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $24,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $24,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $24,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $24,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $24,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $24,700,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $24,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $25,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $24,200,000,000.
       (17) General Government (800):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $14,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $14,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $14,400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $13,400,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $13,900,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $13,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $13,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $13,800,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $13,400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $13,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $13,500,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $13,500,000,000.
       (18) Net Interest (900):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, $291,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $291,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, $300,100,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $300,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, $301,700,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $301,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, $302,100,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $302,100,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, $302,600,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $302,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, $304,900,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, $304,900,000,000.
       (19) Allowances (920):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, -$0.
       (B) Outlays, -$0.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, -$300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$1,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, -$1,200,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$4,600,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, -$2,700,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$3,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, -$3,800,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$7,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, -$5,400,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$5,000,000,000.
       (20) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950):
       Fiscal year 1998:
       (A) New budget authority, -$36,700,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$36,700,000,000.
       Fiscal year 1999:
       (A) New budget authority, -$36,300,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$36,300,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2000:
       (A) New budget authority, -$36,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$36,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2001:
       (A) New budget authority, -$37,900,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$37,900,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2002:
       (A) New budget authority, -$45,000,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$45,000,000,000.
       Fiscal year 2003:
       (A) New budget authority, -$35,700,000,000.
       (B) Outlays, -$35,700,000,000.
             TITLE II--BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS AND RULEMAKING

     SEC. 201. TAX CUT RESERVE FUND.

       (a) In General.--In the Senate, revenue and spending 
     aggregates may only be reduced and allocations may be reduced 
     only for legislation that reduces revenues by providing 
     family tax relief (including relief from the ``marriage 
     penalty'' and support for child care expenses incurred by all 
     parents), and incentives to stimulate savings, investment, 
     job creation, and economic growth (including community 
     renewal initiatives) if such legislation will not increase 
     the deficit or reduce the surplus for--
       (1) fiscal year 1999;
       (2) the period of fiscal years 1999-2003; or
       (3) the period of fiscal years 2004-2008.

[[Page S3280]]

       (b) Revised Allocations.--Upon the consideration of 
     legislation pursuant to subsection (a), the Chairman of the 
     Committee on the Budget of the Senate may file with the 
     Senate appropriately revised allocations under section 302(a) 
     of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and revised 
     aggregates to carry out this section. These revised 
     allocations and aggregates shall be considered for the 
     purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as 
     allocations and aggregates contained in this resolution.

     SEC. 202. TOBACCO RESERVE FUND.

       (a) In General.--In the Senate, revenue aggregates may be 
     increased for legislation which reserves the Federal share of 
     receipts from tobacco legislation only for the Medicare 
     Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.
       (b) Revised Aggregates.--Upon the consideration of 
     legislation pursuant to subsection (a), the Chairman of the 
     Committee on the Budget of the Senate may file increased 
     aggregates to carry out this section. These aggregates shall 
     be considered for the purposes of the Congressional Budget 
     Act of 1974 as the aggregates contained in this resolution.
       (c) Application of Section 202 of H. Con. Res. 67.--For the 
     purposes of enforcement of section 202 of H. Con. Res. 67 
     (104th Congress) with respect to this resolution, the 
     increase in receipts resulting from tobacco legislation shall 
     not be taken into account.

     SEC. 203. SEPARATE ENVIRONMENTAL ALLOCATION.

       (a) In General.--In the Senate, revenue and spending 
     aggregates may be increased and allocations may be increased 
     only for legislation that reauthorizes and reforms the 
     Superfund program to facilitate the cleanup of hazardous 
     waste sites if such legislation will not increase the deficit 
     or reduce the surplus for--
       (1) fiscal year 1999;
       (2) the period of fiscal years 1999-2003; or
       (3) the period of fiscal years 2004-2008.
       (b) Revised Aggregates.--In the Senate, after the Committee 
     on Environment and Public Works reports a bill (or after the 
     submission of a conference report thereon) to reform the 
     Superfund program to facilitate the cleanup of hazardous 
     waste sites that does not exceed--
       (1) $200,000,000 in budget authority and outlays for fiscal 
     year 1999; and
       (2) $1,000,000,000 in budget authority and outlays for the 
     period of fiscal years 1999 through 2003;

     the chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate may 
     increase the appropriate aggregates and the appropriate 
     allocations of budget authority in this resolution by the 
     amounts provided in that bill for that purpose and the 
     outlays flowing in all years from such budget authority. 
     These revised allocations and aggregates shall be considered 
     for the purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as 
     the allocations and aggregates contained in this resolution.

     SEC. 204. DEDICATION OF OFFSETS TO TRANSPORTATION.

       (a) Spending Reserve.--In accordance with section 312(a) of 
     the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and for the purposes of 
     title III of that Act, the Chairman of the Committee on the 
     Budget may reserve the estimated reductions in new budget 
     authority and outlays resulting from changes in legislation 
     affecting the programs specified in subsection (b), if 
     contained in the Department of Transportation and Related 
     Agencies Appropriations Act, for the purpose of offsetting--
       (1) additional outlays not to exceed $1,300,000,000 in 
     fiscal year 1999 and $18,500,000,000 for fiscal years 1999 
     through 2003 for discretionary highway programs as called for 
     in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 
     1998; and
       (2) additional budget authority not to exceed 
     $1,000,000,000 in fiscal year 1999 and $5,000,000,000 for 
     fiscal years 1999 through 2003 for discretionary transit 
     programs as called for in the Intermodal Surface 
     Transportation Efficiency Act of 1998.
       (b) Offsets.--The following reductions in mandatory 
     spending are reserved in function 920, Allowances, for 
     purposes of subsection (a):
       (1) For reductions in programs in function 350, 
     Agriculture: For fiscal year 1999, $107,000,000 in budget 
     authority and $107,000,000 in outlays; For fiscal years 1999-
     2003, $603,000,000 in budget authority and $598,000,000 in 
     outlays.
       (2) For reductions in programs in function 370, Commerce 
     and Housing Credit: For fiscal year 1999, $242,000,000 in 
     budget authority and $242,000,000 in outlays; For fiscal 
     years 1999-2003, $1,195,000,000 in budget authority and 
     $1,195,000,000 in outlays.
       (3) For reductions in programs in function 500, Education, 
     Training, Employment, and Social Services: For fiscal year 
     1999, $471,000,000 in budget authority and $424,000,000 in 
     outlays; For fiscal years 1999-2003, $3,182,000,000 in budget 
     authority and $3,079,000,000 in outlays.
       (4) For reductions in programs in function 550, Health: For 
     fiscal year 1999, $250,000,000 in budget authority and 
     $250,000,000 in outlays; For fiscal years 1999-2003, 
     $1,900,000,000 in budget authority and $1,900,000,000 in 
     outlays.
       (5) For reductions in programs in function 600, Income 
     Security: For fiscal year 1999, $260,000,000 in budget 
     authority and $260,000,000 in outlays; For fiscal years 1999-
     2003, $1,700,000,000 in budget authority and $1,700,000,000 
     in outlays.
       (6) For reductions in programs in function 700, Veterans 
     Benefits and Services: For fiscal year 1999, $500,000,000 in 
     budget authority and $500,000,000 in outlays; For fiscal 
     years 1999-2003, $10,500,000,000 in budget authority and 
     $10,500,000,000 in outlays.
       (c) Sense of the Senate on VA Compensation and Post-Service 
     Smoking-Related Illnesses.--
       (1) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (A) the President has twice included in his budgets a 
     prohibition on the entitlement expansion that the Department 
     of Veterans Affairs (referred to as the ``VA'') is proposing 
     to allow post-service smoking-related illness to be eligible 
     for VA compensation;
       (B) Congress has never acted on this entitlement expansion;
       (C) the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of 
     Management and Budget have concluded that this change in VA 
     policy would result in at least $10,000,000,000 over 5 years 
     and $45,000,000,000 over 10 years in additional mandatory 
     costs to the VA;
       (D) these increased number of claims and the resulting 
     costs may present undue delay and hardship on veterans 
     seeking claim review;
       (E) the entitlement expansion apparently runs counter to 
     all existing VA policy, including a statement by former 
     Secretary Brown that ``It is inappropriate to compensate for 
     death or disability resulting from veterans' personal choice 
     to engage in conduct damaging to their health.''; and
       (F) Secretary Brown's comment was recently reaffirmend by 
     Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Togo West, who stated 
     ``It has been the position of the Department and of my 
     predecessor that the decision to use tobacco by service 
     members is a personal decision and is not a requirement for 
     military service. And that therefore to compensate veterans 
     for diseases whose sole connection to service is a veteran's 
     own tobacco use should not rest with the Government.''.
       (2) Sense of the senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the function totals and assumptions underlying this 
     resolution assume the following:
       (A) The support of the President's proposal to not allow 
     post-service smoking related illnesses to be eligible for VA.
       (B) The study and report required by subparagraph (C) will 
     be completed.
       (C) The Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
     the Office of Management and Budget, and the General 
     Accounting Office are jointly required to--
       (i) jointly study (referred to in this section as the 
     ``study'') the VA General Counsel's determination and the 
     resulting actions to change the compensation rules to include 
     disability and death benefits for conditions related to the 
     use of tobacco products during service; and
       (ii) deliver an opinion as to whether illnesses resulting 
     from post-service smoking should be considered as a 
     compensable disability.
       (D) The study should include--
       (i) the estimated numbers of those filing such claims, the 
     cost resulting from such benefits, the time necessary to 
     review such claims, and how such a number of claims will 
     affect the VA's ability to review its current claim load;
       (ii) an examination of how the proposed change corresponds 
     to prior VA policy relating to post-service actions taken by 
     an individual; and
       (iii) what Federal benefits, both VA and non-VA, former 
     service members having smoking-related illnesses are eligible 
     to receive.
       (E) The study shall be completed no later than July 1, 
     1999.
       (F) The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall report their finding to the 
     Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and the chairmen 
     and ranking minority members of the Senate Budget and 
     Veterans' Affairs Committees.

     SEC. 205. ADJUSTMENTS FOR LINE ITEM VETO LITIGATION.

       If the Supreme Court rules that the Line Item Veto Act is 
     unconstitutional, the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget 
     may make appropriate adjustments to the allocations and 
     aggregates in this resolution to reflect the effects of the 
     President's cancellations becoming null and void.

     SEC. 206. EXTENSION OF VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION TRUST FUND.

       (a) Discretionary Limits.--In the Senate, in this section 
     and for the purposes of allocations made for the 
     discretionary category pursuant to section 302(a) of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the term ``discretionary 
     spending limit'' means--
       (1) with respect to fiscal year 1999--
       (A) for the defense category: $271,570,000,000 in new 
     budget authority and $266,635,000,000 in outlays;
       (B) for the nondefense category: $255,450,000,000 in new 
     budget authority and $289,547,000,000 in outlays; and
       (C) for the violent crime reduction category: 
     $5,800,000,000 in new budget authority and $4,953,000,000 in 
     outlays;
       (2) with respect to fiscal year 2000--
       (A) for the discretionary category: $532,693,000,000 in new 
     budget authority and $558,711,000,000 in outlays; and
       (B) for the violent crime reduction category: 
     $4,500,000,000 in new budget authority and $5,554,000,000 in 
     outlays;
       (3) with respect to fiscal year 2001--
       (A) for the discretionary category: $537,632,000,000 in new 
     budget authority and $558,415,000,000 in outlays; and

[[Page S3281]]

       (B) for the violent crime reduction category: 
     $4,400,000,000 in new budget authority and $5,981,000,000 in 
     outlays; and
       (4) with respect to fiscal year 2002--
       (A) for the discretionary category: $546,574,000,000 in new 
     budget authority and $556,269,000,000 in outlays; and
       (B) for the violent crime reduction category: 
     $4,500,000,000 in new budget authority and $4,530,000,000 in 
     outlays;

     as adjusted in strict conformance with subsection (b) of 
     section 251 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985 and section 314 of the Congressional 
     Budget Act.
       (b) Point of Order in the Senate.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), it 
     shall not be in order in the Senate to consider--
       (A) a revision of this resolution or any concurrent 
     resolution on the budget for fiscal years 1999, 2000, 2001, 
     or 2002 (or amendment, motion, or conference report on such a 
     resolution) that provides discretionary spending in excess of 
     the discretionary spending limit or limits for such fiscal 
     year; or
       (B) any bill or resolution (or amendment, motion, or 
     conference report on such bill or resolution) for fiscal year 
     1999, 2000, 2001, or 2002 that would cause any of the limits 
     in this section (or suballocations of the discretionary 
     limits made pursuant to section 302(b) of the Congressional 
     Budget Act of 1974) to be exceeded.
       (2) Exception.--This section shall not apply if a 
     declaration of war by the Congress is in effect or if a joint 
     resolution pursuant to section 258 of the Balanced Budget and 
     Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 has been enacted.
       (c) Waiver.--This section may be waived or suspended in the 
     Senate only by the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the 
     Members, duly chosen and sworn.
       (d) Appeals.--Appeals in the Senate from the decisions of 
     the Chair relating to any provision of this section shall be 
     limited to 1 hour, to be equally divided between, and 
     controlled by, the appellant and the manager of the 
     concurrent resolution, bill, or joint resolution, as the case 
     may be. An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members of 
     the Senate, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required in the 
     Senate to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a 
     point of order raised under this section.
       (e) Determination of Budget Levels.--For purposes of this 
     section, the levels of new budget authority, outlays, new 
     entitlement authority, revenues, and deficits for a fiscal 
     year shall be determined on the basis of estimates made by 
     the Committee on the Budget of the Senate.

     SEC. 207. EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWERS.

       Congress adopts the provisions of this title--
       (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate 
     and the House of Representatives, respectively, and as such 
     they shall be considered as part of the rules of each House, 
     or of that House to which they specifically apply, and such 
     rules shall supersede other rules only to the extent that 
     they are inconsistent therewith; and
       (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
     either House to change those rules (so far as they relate to 
     that House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same 
     extent as in the case of any other rule of that House.
              TITLE III--SENSE OF CONGRESS AND THE SENATE

     SEC. 301. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING PASSAGE OF THE SENATE 
                   FINANCE COMMITTEE'S IRS RESTRUCTURING BILL.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2676 on 
     November 5, 1997;
       (2) the Finance Committee of the Senate has held several 
     days of hearings this year on Internal Revenue Service 
     restructuring proposals;
       (3) the hearings demonstrated many areas in which the 
     House-passed bill could be improved;
       (4) on March 31, 1998, the Senate Finance Committee voted 
     20-0 to report an Internal Revenue Service restructuring 
     package that contains more oversight over the Internal 
     Revenue Service, more accountability for employees, and a new 
     arsenal of taxpayer protections; and
       (5) the Senate Finance package includes the following items 
     which were not included in the House bill--
       (A) removal of the statutory impediments to the 
     Commissioner of Internal Revenue's efforts to reorganize the 
     agency to create a more streamlined, taxpayer-friendly 
     organization,
       (B) the providing of real oversight authority for the 
     Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board to help prevent 
     taxpayer abuse,
       (C) the creation of a new Treasury Inspector General for 
     Tax Administration to ensure independence and accountability,
       (D) real, meaningful relief for innocent spouses,
       (E) provisions which abate penalties and interest after 1 
     year so that the Internal Revenue Service does not profit 
     from its own delay,
       (F) provisions which ensure due process of law to taxpayers 
     by granting them a right to a hearing before the Internal 
     Revenue Service can pursue a lien, levy, or seizure,
       (G) provisions which forbid the Internal Revenue Service 
     from coercing taxpayers to extend the 10-year statute of 
     limitations for collection,
       (H) provisions which require the Internal Revenue Service 
     to terminate employees who abuse taxpayers or other Internal 
     Revenue Service employees,
       (I) provisions which make the Taxpayer Advocate more 
     independent, and
       (J) provisions enabling the Commissioner of Internal 
     Revenue to manage employees more effectively.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the assumptions underlying the functional totals in this 
     budget resolution assume that the Senate shall, as 
     expeditiously as possible, consider and pass an Internal 
     Revenue Service restructuring bill which provides the most 
     taxpayer protections, the greatest degree of Internal Revenue 
     Service employee accountability, and enhanced oversight.

     SEC. 302. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE SUNSET OF THE 
                   INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that a simple and fair 
     Federal tax system is one that--
       (1) applies a low tax rate, through easily understood laws, 
     to all Americans;
       (2) provides tax relief for working Americans;
       (3) protects the rights of taxpayers and reduces tax 
     collection abuses;
       (4) eliminates the bias against savings and investment;
       (5) promotes economic growth and job creation;
       (6) does not penalize marriage or families; and
       (7) provides for a taxpayer-friendly collections process to 
     replace the Internal Revenue Service.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the provisions of this resolution assume that all taxes 
     imposed under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall sunset 
     for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2001 (or in 
     the case of any tax not imposed on the basis of a taxable 
     year, on any taxable event or for any period after December 
     31, 2001) and that a new Federal tax system will be enacted 
     that is both simple and fair as described in subsection (a) 
     and that provides only those resources for the Federal 
     Government that are needed to meet its responsibilities to 
     the American people.

     SEC. 303. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE TAX TREATMENT OF HOME 
                   MORTGAGE INTEREST AND CHARITABLE GIVING.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) current Federal income tax laws embrace a number of 
     fundamental tax policies including longstanding encouragement 
     for home ownership and charitable giving, expanded health and 
     retirement benefits;
       (2) the mortgage interest deduction is among the most 
     important incentives in the income tax code and promotes the 
     American Dream of home ownership--the single largest 
     investment for most families, and preserving it is critical 
     for the more than 20,000,000 families claiming it now and for 
     millions more in the future;
       (3) favorable tax treatment to encourage gifts to charities 
     is a longstanding principle that helps charities raise funds 
     needed to provide services to poor families and others when 
     government is simply unable or unwilling to do so, and 
     maintaining this tax incentive will help charities raise 
     money to meet the challenges of their charitable missions in 
     the decades ahead;
       (4) legislation has been proposed to repeal the entire 
     income tax code at the end of the year 2001 without providing 
     a specific replacement; and
       (5) sunsetting the entire income tax code without 
     describing a replacement threatens our Nation's future 
     economic growth and unwisely eliminates existing tax 
     incentives that are crucial for taxpayers who are often 
     making the most important financial decisions of their lives.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the levels in this resolution assume that Congress supports 
     the continued tax deductibility of home mortgage interest and 
     charitable contributions and that a sunset of the tax code 
     that does not provide a replacement tax system that preserves 
     this deductibility could damage the American dream of home 
     ownership and could threaten the viability of nonprofit 
     institutions.

     SEC. 304. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON PRESERVATION OF SOCIAL 
                   SECURITY FOR THE FUTURE.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) Social Security is one of the Nation's most important 
     income security programs;
       (2) the preservation of Social Security both for those now 
     retired and for future generations of working Americans is a 
     vital national priority;
       (3) the Trustees of the Federal Old Age and Survivors 
     Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds have reported 
     to Congress that--
       (A) the retirement of the baby boom generation will cause 
     Social Security expenditures to accelerate rapidly beginning 
     around 2010;
       (B) Social Security expenditures will exceed Social 
     Security revenues after 2012 and the trust funds will be 
     depleted of reserves in 2029; and
       (C) after 2029, tax revenues will be sufficient to cover 
     only three-fourths of the benefits promised under current 
     law, and, by the end of the 75 year projection period, the 
     annual deficit in the trust funds will reach 2.1 percent of 
     the GDP;

[[Page S3282]]

       (4) Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, 
     has testified before Congress that Social Security's unfunded 
     liability stands at around $3,000,000,000,000 and advised 
     Congress to move expeditiously to reform the program so that 
     current workers will have sufficient time to adjust to any 
     changes in the program;
       (5) the $124,000,000,000 in new domestic spending programs 
     in the President's budget undermines Social Security by 
     diverting resources from budget surpluses to a bigger 
     government and more spending; and
       (6) the Medicare Hospital Insurance program is projected to 
     become insolvent in 2010 and a study by the National Center 
     on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University 
     estimated that 14 percent of Medicare spending in 1995 was 
     for tobacco-related illnesses.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the provisions of this resolution assume that--
       (1) Congress should use unified budget surpluses to reform 
     Social Security for future generations; and
       (2) Congress should reserve the Federal proceeds from any 
     tobacco settlement for saving Medicare until legislation is 
     enacted to make Medicare actuarially sound.

     SEC. 305. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON ANNUAL STATEMENT OF ACCRUED 
                   LIABILITY OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the provisions of this 
     resolution assume that--
       (1) the concurrent resolution on the budget should include 
     a statement of the current accrued liability of the Federal 
     Government for future payments under the Social Security and 
     Medicare programs; and
       (2) the President's budget should include for fiscal years 
     beginning with 1999 a statement of the current accrued 
     liability of the Federal Government for future payments under 
     the Social Security and Medicare programs.

     SEC. 306. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON FULL FUNDING FOR IDEA.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the budgetary levels in 
     this resolution assume that part B of the Individuals with 
     Disabilities Act (20 U.S.C. 1411 et seq.) should be fully 
     funded at the originally promised level before any funds are 
     appropriated for new education programs.

     SEC. 307. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON SOCIAL SECURITY.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) the Social Security program, created in 1935 to provide 
     old-age survivors, and disability insurance benefits, has 
     been one of the most successful government programs ever;
       (2) in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, 
     Congress created section 13301 of the Congressional Budget 
     Act, which removed Social Security spending and revenues from 
     all Federal budget calculations;
       (3) under current budget law, the Federal budget is still 
     in deficit; and
       (4) in his State of the Union message on January 27, 1998, 
     President Clinton called on Congress to ``save Social 
     Security first'' and to ``reserve one hundred percent of the 
     surplus, that is any penny of the surplus, until we have 
     taken all the necessary measures to strengthen the Social 
     Security system for the twenty-first century''.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the assumptions underlying the functional totals 
     included in this resolution assume--
       (1) Congress and the President should continue to rid our 
     country of debt and work to balance the budget without 
     counting Social Security trust fund surpluses; and
       (2) Congress and the President should work in a bipartisan 
     way on specific legislation to reform the Social Security 
     system, to ensure that it is financially sound over the long 
     term and will be available for all future generations.

     SEC. 308. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON SCHOOL-TO-WORK PROGRAMS.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the budget totals and 
     levels in this resolution assume the President's policy with 
     respect to the School-to-Work program under the Education 
     Reform Account and any such savings as a result should be 
     applied to local initiatives focusing on early childhood 
     development.

     SEC. 309. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING TAXPAYER RIGHTS.

       It is the sense of the Senate that of revenues designated 
     under section 201 for tax relief, a portion be set aside 
     for--
       (1) improvement of taxpayer rights, including protections 
     for taxpayers in cases involving seizure of property by the 
     Internal Revenue Service; and
       (2) reform of the penalty rules under the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986.

     SEC. 310. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON NATIONAL GUARD FUNDING.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds the following:
       (1) The Army National Guard represents 34 percent of total 
     Army forces, including 55 percent of combat divisions and 
     brigades, 46 percent of combat support, and 25 percent of 
     combat service support.
       (2) The Army National Guard receives just 9.5 percent of 
     Army funds.
       (3) A recent military study estimates the average cost to 
     train and equip an active duty soldier is $73,000 per year, 
     while the average cost to train and equip a National Guard 
     soldier is just $17,000 per year.
       (4) The Constitution of the United States provides for a 
     specific role for the National Guard in our national defense.
       (5) The National Guard will play an increasing role in a 
     variety of ongoing worldwide operations by relieving active 
     units and reducing the operational and personnel burdens of 
     the Army's frequent and lengthy deployments.
       (6) The home land defense is a mission of growing 
     importance for our military forces and the National Guard 
     forces will play an increasingly key role in that mission.
       (7) Congress created the National Defense Panel to 
     recommend ways in which to transform United States defense 
     and national security policy for the 21st century and it 
     reached the following recommendations:
       (A) Some portion of the Army National Guard's divisional 
     combat units (including combat support) should become part of 
     active divisions and brigades.
       (B) The National Guard's enhanced brigades should report to 
     an active Army command.
       (C) The Guard should develop selected early-deploying units 
     that would join the active component.
       (D) Some additional reserve or Guard units may be needed to 
     reduce pressure on the active Army.
       (E) The Guard should assume the entire U.S. Army South 
     (USARSO) mission, the Army component of the United States 
     Southern Command (Southcom) based in Panama.
       (F) The National Guard should continue to provide general 
     purpose forces to give prompt military support to civil 
     authorities.
       (G) The National Guard should provide forces organized and 
     equipped for training of civil agencies and the immediate 
     reinforcement of first-response efforts in domestic 
     emergencies.
       (H) New homeland defense missions develop (e.g., National 
     Missile Defense and information warfare), the Guard should be 
     used in lieu of active forces wherever possible.
       (8) The National Guard estimates it was underfunded by 
     $743,000,000 in fiscal year 1998 and by $634,000,000 in 
     fiscal year 1999.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the functional totals in the budget resolution assume 
     that the Department of Defense will give the highest priority 
     to moving toward fully funding the National Guard.

     SEC. 311. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON MEDICARE PAYMENT.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) one of the goals of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 was 
     to expand options for Medicare beneficiaries under the new 
     Medicare+Choice program; and
       (2) the new Medicare payment formula in the Balanced Budget 
     Act of 1997 was intended to make these choices available to 
     all Americans, but because of the low update and specific 
     budget neutrality provisions of the Balanced Budget Act of 
     1997, the blending of rates to create greater equity for 
     rural and other lower payment areas was not implemented in 
     1998 or 1999.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the functional totals underlying this concurrent 
     resolution on the budget assume that funding the blending of 
     local and national payment rates pursuant to the Balanced 
     Budget Act of 1997 should be a priority for the Senate 
     Finance Committee this year within the budget as established 
     by this Committee.

     SEC. 312. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON LONG-TERM CARE.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) our Nation is not financially prepared to meet the 
     long-term care needs of its rapidly aging population and that 
     long-term care needs threaten the financial security of 
     American families; and
       (2) many people are unaware that most long-term care costs 
     are not covered by Medicare and that Medicaid covers long-
     term care only after the person's assets have been exhausted.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that--
       (1) this concurrent resolution on the budget assumes that 
     the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare 
     should, as part of its deliberations, describe long-term care 
     needs and make all appropriate recommendations including 
     private sector options that reflect the need for a continuum 
     of care that spans from acute to long-term care. This is not 
     a specific recommendation that any new program be added to 
     Medicare;
       (2) the Federal Government should take all appropriate 
     steps to inform the public about the financial risks posed by 
     long-term care costs and about the need for families to plan 
     for their long-term care needs;
       (3) the Federal Government should take all appropriate 
     steps to inform the public that Medicare does not cover most 
     long-term care costs and that Medicaid covers long-term care 
     costs only when the beneficiary has exhausted his or her 
     assets;
       (4) the appropriate committees of the Senate, together with 
     the Department of Health and Human Services and other 
     appropriate Executive Branch agencies, should develop 
     specific ideas for encouraging Americans to plan for their 
     own long-term care needs; and
       (5) the upcoming National Summit on Retirement Income 
     Savings should ensure that planning for long-term care is an 
     integral part of any discussion of retirement security.

[[Page S3283]]

     SEC. 313. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH AND 
                   OTHER FUNDING.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the assumptions 
     underlying the functional totals in this resolution assume 
     the following:
       (1) To the extent that funding is made available through 
     grants or other Federal expenditures to reduce emissions of 
     carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases or to increase 
     sequestration of carbon to offset such emissions, such 
     funding shall be made available through competitive, merit-
     based awards designed to select cost-effective methods for 
     reducing, sequestering, or mitigating such emissions. Such 
     awards shall consider all technologies, methods, and research 
     for reducing, sequestering, or mitigating emissions, 
     including sustainable agricultural practices and forest 
     management and conservation strategies. Funding criteria 
     shall be comprehensive in scope, not limited to specific 
     technologies or industries, awarded on a nondiscriminatory 
     basis, and target cost-effectiveness in reducing, 
     sequestering, or mitigating carbon dioxide and other 
     greenhouse gases through natural resource management programs 
     or products. In considering the cost-effectiveness of various 
     reduction, sequestration, or mitigation technologies, other 
     environmental benefits should be considered.
       (2) To the extent any tax credits or other tax incentives 
     are created to stimulate the adoption of technologies or 
     practices that reduce, sequester, or mitigate emissions of 
     carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (``emissions tax 
     incentives''), such emission tax incentives shall also be 
     available to any person that employs an alternative 
     technology or practice that reduces, sequesters, or mitigates 
     emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases as 
     effectively as those technologies or practices for which a 
     tax credit or other incentive is provided. Only payments for 
     technologies or in support of practices not legally required 
     when payment is made shall qualify for tax incentives.

     SEC. 314. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE 
                   CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) 54 percent of women in the labor force have children 
     under 13 and are either single parents or have husbands who 
     earn less than $30,000 per year;
       (2) in 1995, 62 percent of women with children younger than 
     age 6, and 77 percent of women with children ages 6-17 were 
     in the labor force, and 59 percent of women with children 
     younger than 3 were in the labor force;
       (3) a 1997 General Accounting Office study found that the 
     increased work participation requirements of the welfare 
     reform law will cause the need for child care to exceed the 
     known supply;
       (4) a 1995 study by the Urban Institute of child care 
     prices in 6 cities found that the average cost of care for a 
     2-year-old in a child care center ranged from $3,100 to 
     $8,100;
       (5) for an entry-level worker, the family's child care 
     costs at the average price of care for an infant in a child 
     care center would be at least 50 percent of family income in 
     5 of the 6 cities examined;
       (6) 40 percent of children under the age of 5 are taken 
     care of at home by 1 parent;
       (7) a large number of low- and middle-income families 
     sacrifice a second full-time income so that a parent may be 
     at home with the child;
       (8) the average income of 2-parent families with a single 
     income is $20,000 less than the average income of 2-parent 
     families with 2 incomes;
       (9) the recent National Institute for Child Health and 
     Development study found that the greatest factor in the 
     development of a young child is ``what is happening at home 
     and in families''; and
       (10) increased tax relief directed at making child care 
     more affordable, and increased funding for the Child Care and 
     Development Block Grant, would take significant steps toward 
     bringing quality child care within the reach of many parents, 
     and would increase the options available to parents in 
     deciding how best to care for their children.
       (b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that 
     the levels in this resolution and legislation enacted 
     pursuant to this resolution assume--
       (1) that tax relief should be directed at parents who are 
     struggling to afford quality child care, including those who 
     wish to stay at home to care for a child, and should be 
     included in any tax cut package; and
       (2) doubling funding for the Child Care and Development 
     Block Grant will significantly increase the States' ability 
     to deliver quality child care to low-income working families.

     SEC. 315. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE FORMULA CHANGE FOR 
                   FEDERAL FAMILY EDUCATION LOAN.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds the following:
       (1) Postsecondary students receive critical access to a 
     higher education through student loans made available by 
     lenders in the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program.
       (2) Guaranteed student loan borrowers currently pay an 
     interest rate on their FFEL loans equal to the 91-day 
     Treasury bill rate plus 2.5 percent while the borrower 
     attends school, and the 91-day Treasury bill rate plus 3.1 
     percent during repayment. In addition, the maximum FFEL 
     student loan rate is capped at 8.25 percent.
       (3) As a result of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 
     1993, the new formula for FFEL student loans, effective July 
     1, 1998, will be equal to the 10-year Treasury bond rate plus 
     1 percent. In addition, the same 8.25 percent rate cap would 
     apply to these new loans.
       (4) Lenders in the FFEL program have alerted Congress that 
     the scheduled formula change will make these loans 
     unprofitable. As a result, lenders may withdraw from the FFEL 
     program or significantly reduce their participation in the 
     program after July 1, 1998.
       (5) A July 25, 1997 report by the Congressional Research 
     Service stated that the scheduled formula change ``can result 
     in a greater likelihood that the program will become 
     unprofitable at certain points in the business cycle,'' and 
     ``the result could be a shutdown of the guaranteed delivery 
     system.''.
       (6) In a report by the Treasury Department on February 26, 
     1998, the Clinton Administration concluded that the new 
     formula will provide a rate of return on student loans that 
     is below the target rate of return of for-profit bank lenders 
     in the guaranteed student loan program. Furthermore, the 
     Administration concluded that there are inefficiencies 
     associated with the proposed formula, and joint benefits 
     could be realized to students and lenders from moving back to 
     a short-term index.
       (7) At the time that the proposed formula change was 
     adopted in 1993, the rate of return to lenders would have 
     been higher under the proposed formula than under the 
     existing formula.
       (8) The withdrawal of lenders from the FFEL program, who 
     now account for approximately 70 percent of all student 
     loans, would be devastating to students because, as the 
     Administration has acknowledged, the Federal direct loan 
     program would be unable to absorb the demand for student 
     loans that would arise from the absence of guaranteed 
     lenders.
       (9) A variety of proposals have been put forward to resolve 
     this pending crisis in the FFEL program by modifying the 
     scheduled formula change.
       (b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that 
     the levels in this resolution and legislation enacted 
     pursuant to this resolution assume that the documented 
     problems that will rise from the scheduled formula change for 
     the Federal Family Education Loan program should be resolved 
     in a manner that ensures that students are not harmed by the 
     withdrawal of lenders from this program.

     SEC. 316. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE DEDUCTIBILITY OF 
                   HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS OF THE SELF-EMPLOYED.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) under current law, the self-employed do not enjoy 
     parity with their corporate competitors with respect to the 
     deductibility of their health insurance premiums;
       (2) at present, the self-employed can deduct only 45 
     percent of their health insurance premiums;
       (3) scheduled changes in the deductible amount of health 
     insurance premiums will rise slowly, to only 60 percent by 
     2002;
       (4) only by 2007 will the self-employed enjoy equitable 
     treatment with their corporate competitors with respect to 
     the deductibility of their health insurance premiums;
       (5) the limited deductibility available to the self-
     employed greatly reduces the affordability of their health 
     insurance;
       (6) these disadvantages faced by the self-employed are 
     exacerbated by the fact that the self-employed generally pay 
     higher premium rates because they do not have access to group 
     insurance plans;
       (7) these disadvantages are reflected in the higher rate of 
     lack of insurance among self-employed individuals that stands 
     at 23.6 percent compared with 17.4 percent for all other wage 
     and salaried workers, for self-employed living at or below 
     the poverty level the rate of uninsured is over 57 percent, 
     for self-employed living at 100-150 percent poverty the rate 
     of uninsured is 47 percent, and for self-employed living at 
     150-199 percent the rate of uninsured is 40 percent;
       (8) for some self-employed, such as farmers who face 
     significant occupational safety hazards, this lack of health 
     insurance affordability has even greater ramifications; and
       (9) this lack of full deductibility is adversely affecting 
     the growing number of women who own small businesses.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the assumptions underlying the functional totals in this 
     resolution assume that legislation implementing this 
     concurrent resolution on the budget should include 
     accelerated movement toward parity between the self-employed 
     and corporations with respect to the tax treatment of health 
     insurance premiums, while maintaining deficit neutrality.

     SEC. 317. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON OBJECTION TO KYOTO PROTOCOL 
                   IMPLEMENTATION PRIOR TO SENATE RATIFICATION.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The agreement reached by the Administration in Kyoto, 
     Japan, regarding legally binding commitments on greenhouse 
     gas reductions is inconsistent with the provisions of S. Res. 
     98, The Byrd-Hagel Resolution, that passed the United States 
     Senate unanimously.

[[Page S3284]]

       (2) The Administration has pledged to Congress that it 
     would not implement any portion of the Kyoto Protocol prior 
     to its ratification in the Senate.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     funds should not be provided to put in effect the Kyoto 
     Protocol prior to the Senate ratification in compliance with 
     the requirements of the Byrd-Hagel Resolution and consistent 
     with Administration assurances to Congress.

     SEC. 318. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON PRICE INCREASE ON TOBACCO 
                   PRODUCTS OF $1.50 PER PACK.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) smoking rates among children and teenagers have reached 
     epidemic proportions;
       (2) of the 3,000 children and teenagers who begin smoking 
     every day, 1,000 will eventually die of smoking-related 
     disease; and
       (3) public health experts and economists agree that the 
     most effective and efficient way to achieve major reduction 
     in youth smoking rates is to raise the price of tobacco 
     products by at least $1.50 per pack.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that comprehensive tobacco legislation should increase the 
     price of each pack of cigarettes sold by at least $1.50 
     through a per-pack fee or other mechanism that will guarantee 
     a price increase of $1.50 per pack within 3 years, not 
     including existing scheduled Federal, State, and local tax 
     increases, with equivalent price increases on other tobacco 
     products, and should index these price increases by an 
     appropriate measure of inflation.

     SEC. 319. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       (a) Congress finds that--
       (1) studies have found that quality child care, 
     particularly for infants and young children, requires a 
     sensitive, interactive, loving, and consistent caregiver;
       (2) as most parents meet and exceed the criteria described 
     in paragraph (1), circumstances allowing, parental care is 
     the best form of child care;
       (3) a recent National Institute for Child Health and 
     Development study found that the greatest factor in the 
     development of a young child is ``what is happening at home 
     and in families'';
       (4) as a child's interaction with his or her parents has 
     the most significant impact on the development of the child, 
     any Federal child care policy should enable and encourage 
     parents to spend more time with their children;
       (5) nearly \1/2\ of preschool children have at-home mothers 
     and only \1/3\ of preschool children have mothers who are 
     employed full time;
       (6) a large number of low- and middle-income families 
     sacrifice a second full-time income so that a mother may be 
     at home with her child;
       (7) the average income of 2-parent families with a single 
     income is $20,000 less than the average income of 2-parent 
     families with 2 incomes;
       (8) only 30 percent of preschool children are in families 
     with paid child care and the remaining 70 percent of 
     preschool children are in families that do not pay for child 
     care, many of which are low- to middle-income families 
     struggling to provide child care at home;
       (9) child care proposals should not provide financial 
     assistance solely to the 30 percent of families that pay for 
     child care and should not discriminate against families in 
     which children are cared for by an at-home parent; and
       (10) any congressional proposal that increases child care 
     funding should provide financial relief to families that 
     sacrifice an entire income in order that a mother or father 
     may be at home for a young child.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the functional totals in this concurrent resolution on the 
     budget assume that--
       (1) many families in the United States make enormous 
     sacrifices to forego a second income in order to have a 
     parent care for a child at home;
       (2) there should be no bias against at-home parents;
       (3) parents choose many different forms of child care to 
     meet the needs of their families, such as child care provided 
     by an at-home parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, neighbor, 
     nanny, preschool, or child care center;
       (4) any quality child care proposal should include, as a 
     key component, financial relief for those families where 
     there is an at-home parent; and
       (5) mothers and fathers who have chosen and continue to 
     choose to be at home should be applauded for their efforts.

     SEC. 320. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING IMMUNITY.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this 
     resolution assume that no immunity will be provided to any 
     tobacco product manufacturer with respect to any health-
     related civil action commenced by a State or local 
     governmental entity or an individual or class of individuals 
     prior to or after the date of the adoption of this 
     resolution.

     SEC. 321. SENSE OF SENATE REGARDING AGRICULTURAL TRADE 
                   PROGRAMS.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the functional totals in 
     this concurrent resolution assume the Secretary of 
     Agriculture will use agricultural trade programs established 
     by law to promote, to the maximum extent practicable, the 
     export of United States agricultural commodities and 
     products.

     SEC. 322. SENSE OF THE SENATE SUPPORTING LONG-TERM 
                   ENTITLEMENT REFORMS.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that the resolution assumes 
     the following--
       (1) entitlement spending has risen dramatically over the 
     last thirty-five years;
       (2) in 1963, mandatory spending (i.e. entitlement spending 
     and interest on the debt) made up 30 percent of the budget, 
     this figure rose to 45 percent by 1973, to 56 percent by 1983 
     and to 61 percent by 1993;
       (3) mandatory spending is expected to make up 68 percent of 
     the Federal budget in 1998;
       (4) absent changes, that spending is expected to take up 
     over 70 percent of the Federal budget shortly after the year 
     2000 and 74 percent of the budget by the year 2008;
       (5) if no action is taken, mandatory spending will consume 
     100 percent of the budget by the year 2030;
       (6) this mandatory spending will continue to crowd out 
     spending for the traditional ``discretionary'' functions of 
     Government like clean air and water, a strong National 
     defense, parks and recreation, education, our transportation 
     system, law enforcement, research and development and other 
     infrastructure spending;
       (7) taking significant steps sooner rather than later to 
     reform entitlement spending will not only boost economic 
     growth in this country, it will also prevent the need for 
     drastic tax and spending decisions in the next century.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the levels in this budget resolution assume that 
     Congress and the President should work to enact structural 
     reforms in entitlement spending in 1998 and beyond which 
     sufficiently restrain the growth of mandatory spending in 
     order to keep the budget in balance over the long term, 
     extend the solvency of the Social Security and Medicare Trust 
     Funds, avoid crowding out funding for basic Government 
     functions and that every effort should be made to hold 
     mandatory spending to no more than seventy percent of the 
     budget.

     SEC. 323. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING FREEDOM OF HEALTH CARE 
                   CHOICE FOR MEDICARE SENIORS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Medicare beneficiaries should have the same right to 
     obtain health care from the physician or provider of their 
     choice as do Members of Congress and virtually all other 
     Americans.
       (2) Most seniors are denied this right by current 
     restrictions on their health care choices.
       (3) Affording seniors this option would create greater 
     health-care choices and result in fewer claims being paid out 
     of the near-bankrupt Medicare trust funds.
       (4) Legislation to uphold this right of health care choice 
     for seniors must protect beneficiaries and Medicare from 
     fraud and abuse. Such legislation must include provisions 
     that--
       (A) require that such contracts providing this right be in 
     writing, be signed by the Medicare beneficiary, and provide 
     that no claim be submitted to the Health Care Financing 
     Administration;
       (B) preclude such contracts when the beneficiary is 
     experiencing a medical emergency;
       (C) allow for the Medicare beneficiary to modify or 
     terminate the contract prospectively at any time and to 
     return to Medicare; and
       (D) are subject to stringent fraud and abuse law, including 
     the Medicare anti-fraud provisions in the Health Insurance 
     Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     seniors have the right to see the physician or health care 
     provider of their choice, and not be limited in such right by 
     the imposition of unreasonable conditions on providers who 
     are willing to treat seniors on a private basis, and that the 
     assumptions underlying the functional totals in this 
     resolution assume that legislation will be enacted to ensure 
     this right.

     SEC. 324. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING REPAIR AND 
                   CONSTRUCTION NEEDS OF INDIAN SCHOOLS.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) many of our Nation's tribal schools are in a state of 
     serious disrepair. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) 
     operates 187 school facilities nationwide. Enrollment in 
     these schools, which presently numbers 47,214 students, has 
     been growing rapidly. A recent General Accounting Office 
     report indicates that the repair backlog in these schools 
     totals $754,000,000, and that the BIA schools are in 
     generally worse condition than all schools nationally;
       (2) approximately 60 of these schools are in need of 
     complete replacement or serious renovation. Many of the 
     renovations include basic structural repair for the safety of 
     children, new heating components to keep students warm, and 
     roofing replacement to keep the snow and rain out of the 
     classroom. In addition to failing to provide adequate 
     learning environments for Indian children, these repair and 
     replacement needs pose a serious liability issue for the 
     Federal Government;
       (3) sixty-three percent of the BIA schools are over 30 
     years old, and 26 percent are over 50 years old. 
     Approximately 40 percent of all

[[Page S3285]]

     students in BIA schools are in portable classrooms. 
     Originally intended as temporary facilities while tribes 
     awaited new construction funds, these ``portables'' have a 
     maximum 10 year life-span. Because of the construction 
     backlog, children have been shuffling between classrooms in 
     the harsh climates of the Northern plains and Western States 
     for 10 to 15 years;
       (4) annual appropriations for BIA education facilities 
     replacement and repair combined have averaged $20,000,000 to 
     $30,000,000 annually, meeting only 4 percent of total need. 
     At the present rate, one deteriorating BIA school can be 
     replaced each year, with estimates of completion of nine 
     schools in the next seven years. Since the new construction 
     and repair backlog is so great and growing, the current focus 
     at BIA construction must remain on emergency and safety needs 
     only, without prioritizing program needs such as increasing 
     enrollment or technology in the classroom; and
       (5) unlike most schools, the BIA schools are a 
     responsibility of the Federal Government. Unfortunately, the 
     failure of the Federal Government to live up to this 
     responsibility has come at the expense of quality education 
     for some of this Nation's poorest children with the fewest 
     existing opportunities to better themselves.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the assumptions underlying the functional totals in this 
     budget resolution assume that the repair and construction 
     backlog affecting Bureau of Indian Affairs school facilities 
     should be eliminated over a period of no more than 5 years 
     beginning with fiscal year 1999, and that the President 
     should submit to Congress a plan for the orderly elimination 
     of this backlog.

     SEC. 325. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON SOCIAL SECURITY PERSONAL 
                   RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS AND THE BUDGET SURPLUS.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
       (1) The Social Security program is the foundation of 
     retirement income for most Americans, and solving the 
     financial problems of the Social Security program is a vital 
     national priority and essential for the retirement security 
     of today's working Americans and their families.
       (2) There is a growing bipartisan consensus that personal 
     retirement accounts should be an important feature of Social 
     Security reform.
       (3) Personal retirement accounts can provide a substantial 
     retirement nest egg and real personal wealth. For an 
     individual 28 years old on the date of the adoption of this 
     resolution, earning an average wage, and retiring at age 65 
     in 2035, just 1 percent of that individual's wages deposited 
     each year in a personal retirement account and invested in 
     securities consisting of the Standard & Poors 500 would grow 
     to $132,000, and be worth approximately 20 percent of the 
     benefits that would be provided to the individual under the 
     current provisions of the Social Security program.
       (4) Personal retirement accounts would give the majority of 
     Americans who do not own any investment assets a new stake in 
     the economic growth of America.
       (5) Personal retirement accounts would demonstrate the 
     value of savings and the magic of compound interest to all 
     Americans. Today, Americans save less than people in almost 
     every other country.
       (6) Personal retirement accounts would help Americans to 
     better prepare for retirement generally. According to the 
     Congressional Research Service, 60 percent of Americans are 
     not actively participating in a retirement plan other than 
     Social Security, although Social Security was never intended 
     to be the sole source of retirement income.
       (7) Personal retirement accounts would allow partial 
     prefunding of retirement benefits, thereby providing for 
     Social Security's future financial stability.
       (8) The Federal budget will register a surplus of 
     $671,000,000,000 over the next 10 years, offering a unique 
     opportunity to begin a permanent solution to Social 
     Security's financing.
       (9) Using the Federal budget surplus to fund personal 
     retirement accounts would be an important first step in 
     comprehensive Social Security reform and ensuring the 
     delivery of promised retirement benefits.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that this resolution assumes that the Committee on Finance 
     shall consider and report a legislative proposal this year 
     that would dedicate the Federal budget surplus to the 
     establishment of a program of personal retirement accounts 
     for working Americans and reduce the unfunded liabilities of 
     the Social Security program.

     SEC. 326. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE ELIMINATION OF 
                   THE MARRIAGE PENALTY.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that:
       (1) Marriage is the foundation of the American society and 
     the key institution preserving our values.
       (2) The tax code should not penalize those who choose to 
     marry.
       (3) However, the Congressional Budget Office found that 42 
     percent of married couples face a marriage penalty under the 
     current tax system.
       (4) The Congressional Budget Office found that the average 
     penalty amounts to $1,380 a year.
       (5) This penalty is one of the factors behind the decline 
     of marriage.
       (6) In 1970, just 0.5 percent of the couples in the United 
     States were unmarried. By 1996, this percentage had risen to 
     7.2 percent.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the provisions in this budget resolution assume that the 
     Congress shall begin to phase out the marriage penalty this 
     year.

     SEC. 327. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING 
                   AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY HEALTH CARE FOR 
                   SENIORS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Seniors deserve affordable, high quality health care.
       (2) The Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) has made health care 
     affordable for millions of seniors.
       (3) Beneficiaries under the Medicare program deserve to 
     know that such program will cover the benefits that they are 
     currently entitled to.
       (4) Beneficiaries under the Medicare program can pay out-
     of-pocket for health care services whenever they--
       (A) do not want a claim for reimbursement for such services 
     submitted to such program; or
       (B) want or need to obtain health care services that such 
     program does not cover.
       (5) Beneficiaries under the Medicare program can use 
     doctors who do not receive any reimbursement under such 
     program.
       (6) Close to 75 percent of seniors have annual incomes 
     below $25,000, including 4 percent who have annual incomes 
     below $5,000, making any additional out-of-pocket costs for 
     health care services extremely burdensome.
       (7) Very few beneficiaries under the Medicare program 
     report having difficulty obtaining access to a physician who 
     accepts reimbursement under such program.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the assumptions underlying the functional totals in this 
     resolution assume that seniors have the right to affordable, 
     high-quality health care, that they have the right to choose 
     their physicians, and that no change should be made to the 
     Medicare program that could--
       (1) impose unreasonable and unpredictable out-of-pocket 
     costs for seniors or erode the benefits that the 38,000,000 
     beneficiaries under the Medicare program are entitled to;
       (2) compromise the efforts of the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services to screen inappropriate or fraudulent claims 
     for reimbursement under such program; and
       (3) allow unscrupulous providers under such program to bill 
     twice for the same services.

     SEC. 328. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING PERMANENT EXTENSION OF 
                   INCOME AVERAGING FOR FARMERS.

       It is the sense of Congress that the provisions of this 
     resolution assume that if the revenue levels are reduced 
     pursuant to section 201 of this resolution for tax 
     legislation, such amount as is necessary shall be used to 
     permanently extend income averaging for farmers for purposes 
     of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

     SEC. 329. SENSE OF THE SENATE TO MAINTAIN FULL FUNDING FOR 
                   THE SECTION 202 ELDERLY HOUSING PROGRAM.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds the following:
       (1) The Section 202 Elderly Housing program is the most 
     important housing program for elderly, low-income Americans, 
     providing both affordable low-income housing and supportive 
     services designed to meet the special needs of the elderly.
       (2) Since 1959, the Section 202 Elderly Housing program has 
     funded some 5,400 elderly housing projects with over 330,000 
     housing units, with the current average tenant in Section 202 
     housing being a frail, older woman in her seventies, living 
     alone with an income of less than $10,000 per year.
       (3) The combination of affordable housing and supportive 
     services under the Section 202 Elderly Housing program is 
     critical to promoting independent living, self-sufficiency, 
     and dignity for the elderly while delaying more costly 
     institutional care.
       (4) There are over 1.4 million elderly Americans currently 
     identified as having ``worst case housing needs'' and in need 
     of affordable housing.
       (5) There are 33 million Americans aged 65 and over, some 
     13 percent of all Americans. The number of elderly Americans 
     is anticipated to grow to over 69 million by the year 2030, 
     which would be some 20 percent of all Americans, and continue 
     to increase to almost 80 million by 2050.
       (6) The President's Budget Request for fiscal year 1999 
     proposes reducing funding for the Section 202 Elderly Housing 
     program from the fiscal year 1998 level of $645,000,000 to 
     $109,000,000 in fiscal year 1999. This represents a reduction 
     of over 83 percent in funding, which will result in reducing 
     the construction of Section 202 housing units from some 6,000 
     units in fiscal year 1998 to only 1,500 units in fiscal year 
     1999.
       (7) The full funding of the Section 202 Elderly Housing 
     program as an independent Federal housing program is an 
     investment in our elderly citizens as well as our Nation.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the levels in this resolution assume that the Section 
     202 Elderly Housing program, as provided under section 202 of 
     the Housing Act of 1959, as amended, shall be funded in 
     fiscal years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 at not less 
     than the fiscal year 1998 funding level of $645,000,000.

[[Page S3286]]

     SEC. 330. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING OUTLAY ESTIMATES OF 
                   THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BUDGET.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
       (1) The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 created a new era for 
     Federal spending and forced the Department of Defense to plan 
     on limited spending over the five-year period from fiscal 
     year 1998 through 2002.
       (2) The agreements forged under the Balanced Budget Act of 
     1997 specifically defined the available amounts of budget 
     authority and outlays, requiring the Department of Defense to 
     properly plan its future activities in the new, constrained 
     budget environment.
       (3) The Department of Defense worked with the Office of 
     Management and Budget to develop a fiscal year 1999 budget 
     which complies with the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
       (4) Based on Department of Defense program plans and policy 
     changes, the Office of Management and Budget and the 
     Department of Defense made detailed estimates of fiscal year 
     1999 Department of Defense outlay rates to ensure that the 
     budget submitted would comply with the Balanced Budget Act of 
     1997.
       (5) The Congressional Budget Office outlay estimate of the 
     fiscal year 1999 Department of Defense budget request exceeds 
     both the outlay limit imposed by the Balanced Budget Act of 
     1997 and the Office of Management and Budget's outlay 
     estimate, a disagreement which would force a total 
     restructuring of the Department of Defense's fiscal year 1999 
     budget.
       (6) The restructuring imposed on the Department of Defense 
     would have a devastating impact on readiness, troop morale, 
     military quality of life, and ongoing procurement and 
     development programs.
       (7) The restructuring of the budget would be driven solely 
     by differing statistical estimates made by capable parties.
       (8) In a letter currently under review, the Director of the 
     Office of Management and Budget will identify multiple 
     differences between the Office of Management and Budget's 
     estimated outlay rates and the Congressional Budget Office's 
     estimated outlay rates.
       (9) New information on Department of Defense policy changes 
     and program execution plans now permit the Office of 
     Management and Budget and the Congressional Budget Office to 
     reevaluate their initial projections of fiscal year 1999 
     outlay rates.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the totals underlying this concurrent resolution on the 
     budget assume that not later than April 22, 1998, the 
     Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the 
     Secretary of Defense, and the Director of the Congressional 
     Budget Office shall complete discussions and develop a common 
     estimate of the projected fiscal year 1999 outlay rates for 
     Department of Defense accounts.

     SEC. 331. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING OUTLAY ESTIMATES FOR 
                   THE BUDGETS OF FEDERAL AGENCIES OTHER THAN THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
       (1) The Federal civilian workforce in non-Defense 
     Department agencies shrank by 125,000 employees, or 10 
     percent, between 1992 and 1997.
       (2) The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 assumed over 
     $60,000,000,000 in reductions in nondefense discretionary 
     spending over the period 1998-2002.
       (3) These reductions were agreed to notwithstanding ever-
     increasing responsibilities in agencies engaged in fighting 
     crime, combating the drug war, countering terrorist threats, 
     cleaning the environment, enforcing the law, improving 
     education, conducting health research, conducting energy 
     research and development, enhancing the Nation's physical 
     infrastructure, and providing veterans programs.
       (4) All Federal agencies have worked closely with the 
     Office of Management and Budget to balance much-needed 
     programmatic needs with fiscal prudence and to submit budget 
     requests for fiscal year 1999 that comply with the Balanced 
     Budget Act of 1997.
       (5) Reductions in the President's requests, as estimated by 
     the Office of Management and Budget, to comply with the 
     Congressional Budget Office's estimates could seriously 
     jeopardize priority domestic discretionary programs.
       (6) There is no mechanism through which the Congressional 
     Budget Office and the Office of Management and Budget 
     identify their differences in outlay rates for nondefense 
     agencies.
       (7) Such consultation would lead to greater understanding 
     between the two agencies and potentially fewer and/or smaller 
     differences in the future.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the totals underlying this concurrent resolution on the 
     budget assume that not later than April 22, 1998, the 
     Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the 
     Director of the Congressional Budget Office, in consultation 
     with the Secretaries of the affected nondefense agencies, 
     shall complete discussions and develop a common estimate of 
     the projected fiscal year 1999 outlay rates for accounts in 
     nondefense agencies.

     SEC. 332. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING AN EVALUATION OF THE 
                   OUTCOME OF WELFARE REFORM.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the budgetary levels in 
     this resolution assume that--
       (1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services will, as 
     part of the annual report to Congress under section 411 of 
     the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 611), include data 
     regarding the rate of employment, job retention, and earnings 
     characteristics of former recipients of assistance under the 
     State programs funded under part A of title IV of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) for each such State 
     program; and
       (2) for purposes of the annual report for fiscal year 1997, 
     the information described in paragraph (1) will be 
     transmitted to Congress not later than September 1, 1998.

     SEC. 333. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 
                   A NATIONAL BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM FOR LONG-
                   TERM CARE WORKERS.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
       (1) The impending retirement of the baby boom generation 
     will greatly increase the demand and need for quality long-
     term care and it is incumbent on Congress and the President 
     to ensure that Medicare and Medicaid patients are protected 
     from abuse, neglect, and mistreatment.
       (2) Although the majority of long-term care facilities do 
     an excellent job in caring for elderly and disabled patients, 
     incidents of abuse and neglect and mistreatment do occur at 
     an unacceptable rate and are not limited to nursing homes 
     alone.
       (3) Current Federal and State safeguards are inadequate 
     because there is little or no information sharing between 
     States about known abusers and no common State procedures for 
     tracking abusers from State to State and facility to 
     facility.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the assumptions underlying the functional totals in this 
     concurrent resolution on the budget assume that a national 
     registry of abusive long-term care workers should be 
     established by building upon existing infrastructures at the 
     Federal and State levels that would enable long-term care 
     providers who participate in the Medicare and Medicaid 
     programs (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.; 1396 et seq.) to conduct 
     background checks on prospective employees.

     SEC. 334. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON EXPANDING MEDICARE BENEFITS.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds the following:
       (1) In the 1997 Balanced Budget Agreement, changes were 
     made to Medicare that extended the solvency of the Trust Fund 
     for 10 years.
       (2) The Medicare Commission, also established in the 
     Balanced Budget Agreement, has just started the task of 
     examining the Medicare program in an effort to make sound 
     policy recommendations to Congress and the Administration 
     about what needs to be done to ensure that Medicare is 
     financially prepared to handle the added burden when the baby 
     boomers begin retiring.
       (3) The problems facing Medicare are not about more 
     revenues. The program needs to do more to improve the health 
     care status of retirees and give them more choices and better 
     information to make wise consumer decisions when purchasing 
     health care services.
       (4) Improving the health care status of senior citizens 
     would ensure additional savings for Medicare. Helping seniors 
     stay healthier should be a priority of any legislation aimed 
     at protecting Medicare.
       (5) In order to keep seniors healthier, Medicare has to 
     become more prevention based. Currently, Medicare offers 
     prevention benefits, and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 made 
     a substantial investment in prevention benefits, providing 
     $8,500,000,000 over 10 years.
       (6) Preventing illnesses or long hospital stays or repeated 
     hospital stays will save Medicare dollars.
       (7) Medicare cannot be saved without structural changes and 
     reforms.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the functional totals underlying this resolution assume 
     that the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 directed the National 
     Bipartisan Commission on the future of Medicare to examine 
     Medicare's benefit structure, including prevention benefits, 
     and make recommendations to the Congress on such benefits in 
     the context of an overall plan to extend the solvency of the 
     program.

     SEC. 335. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the budget levels in 
     this resolution assume that--
       (1) preserving Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil 
     War battlefields is an integral part of preserving our 
     Nation's history;
       (2) the Secretary of the Interior should give special 
     priority to the preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 
     1812 battlefields, by making funds available for the conduct 
     of the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Historic 
     Preservation Study as authorized by section 603 of Public Law 
     104-333 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5 note); and
       (3) the Secretary of the Interior should give special 
     priority to the preservation of Revolutionary War, War of 
     1812, and Civil War battlefields by allocating funds in the 
     Land and Water Conservation Fund for the purchase of 
     battlefield sites the integrity of which is threatened by 
     urban or suburban development.

     SEC. 336. A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE SENATE'S SUPPORT FOR 
                   FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) our Federal, State and local law enforcement officers 
     provide essential services that preserve and protect our 
     freedom and

[[Page S3287]]

     safety, and with the support of Federal assistance, State and 
     local law enforcement officers have succeeded in reducing the 
     national scourge of violent crime, illustrated by a murder 
     rate in 1996 which is projected to be the lowest since 1971 
     and a violent crime total in 1996 which is the lowest since 
     1990;
       (2) through a comprehensive effort to attack violence 
     against women mounted by State and local law enforcement, and 
     dedicated volunteers and professionals who provide victim 
     services, shelter, counseling and advocacy to battered women 
     and their children, important strides have been made against 
     the national scourge of violence against women, illustrated 
     by the decline in the murder rate for wives, ex-wives and 
     girlfriends at the hands of their ``intimates'' fell to a 19-
     year low in 1995;
       (3) recent gains by Federal, State and local law 
     enforcement in the fight against violent crime and violence 
     against women are fragile, and continued financial commitment 
     from the Federal Government for funding and financial 
     assistance is required to sustain and build upon these gains; 
     and
       (4) the Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund as adopted by 
     the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 
     funds the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 
     1994, the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and the 
     Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 without 
     adding to the Federal budget deficit.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the provisions and the functional totals underlying this 
     resolution assume the Federal Government's commitment to fund 
     Federal law enforcement programs and programs to assist State 
     and local efforts to combat violent crime, including violence 
     against women, shall be maintained and funding for the 
     Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund shall continue to at least 
     fiscal year 2003.

     SEC. 337. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON ANALYSIS OF CIVILIAN SCIENCE 
                   AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS IN THE FEDERAL BUDGET.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds the following:
       (1) The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of 
     Engineering, and Institute of Medicine have recommended, in 
     their 1995 report, entitled ``Allocating Federal Funds for 
     Science and Technology'', that the Federal science and 
     technology budget ``be presented as a comprehensive whole in 
     the President's budget and similarly considered as a whole at 
     the beginning of the congressional budget process before the 
     total Federal budget is disaggregated and sent to the 
     appropriations committees and subcommittees''.
       (2) Civilian Federal agencies are supporting more than 
     $35,000,000,000 of research and development in fiscal year 
     1998, but it is difficult for the Congress and the public to 
     track or understand this support because it is dispersed 
     among 12 different budget functions.
       (3) A meaningful examination of the overall Federal budget 
     for science and technology, consistent with the 
     recommendation of the National Academies, as well as an 
     examination of science and technology budgets in individual 
     civilian agencies, would be facilitated if the President's 
     budget request clearly displayed the amounts requested for 
     science and technology programs across all civilian agencies 
     and classified these amounts in Budget Function 250.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the congressional budget for the United States for 
     fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 should 
     consolidate the spending for all Federal civilian science and 
     technology programs in Budget Function 250, and that the 
     President should accordingly transmit to the Congress a 
     budget request for fiscal year 2000 that classifies these 
     programs, across all Federal civilian departments and 
     agencies, in Budget Function 250.

     SEC. 338. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON CIVILIAN SCIENCE AND 
                   TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS IN THE FEDERAL BUDGET.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the assumptions 
     underlying the function totals in this budget resolution 
     assume that expenditures for civilian science and technology 
     programs in the Federal budget will double over the period 
     from fiscal year 1998 to fiscal year 2008.

     SEC. 339. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON LONG-TERM BUDGETING AND 
                   REPAYMENT OF THE PUBLIC DEBT.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) today, there are 34,000,000 Americans over the age of 
     65, and by the year 2030, that number will grow to nearly 
     70,000,000;
       (2) in 1963, mandatory spending represented 30 percent of 
     the Federal budget, while discretionary spending made up 70 
     percent, and by 1998, those proportions have almost 
     completely reversed, in that mandatory spending now accounts 
     for 68 percent of the Federal budget, while discretionary 
     spending represents 32 percent;
       (3) according to the 1997 Annual Report of the Board of 
     Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and 
     Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Fund--
       (A) the difference between the income and benefits for the 
     OASDI program is a deficit of 2.23 percent of taxable 
     payroll;
       (B) the assets in the Trust Fund are expected to be 
     depleted under present law in the year 2029;
       (C) by the time the assets in the Trust Fund are depleted, 
     annual tax revenues will be sufficient to cover only three-
     fourths of the annual expenditures;
       (D) intermediate estimates are that OASDI will absorb 
     nearly 17.5 percent of national payroll by the year 2030; and
       (E) the cost of the OASDI program is estimated to rise from 
     its current level of 4.7 percent of Gross Domestic Product to 
     6.7 percent by the end of the 75-year projection period;
       (4) according to reports by the Congressional Budget 
     Office, the Economic and Budget Outlook: Fiscal Years 1999-
     2008 (January 1998) and Reducing the Deficit: Spending and 
     Revenue Options (March 1997)--
       (A) the Medicare Part A Trust Fund will be exhausted early 
     in fiscal year 2010;
       (B) enrollment in Medicare will increase dramatically as 
     the baby boomers reach age 65;
       (C) between the years 2010 and 2030, enrollment in Medicare 
     is projected to grow by 2.4 percent per year, up from the 1.4 
     percent average annual growth projected through 2007;
       (D) by the year 2030, Medicare enrollment will have 
     doubled, to 75,000,000 people; and
       (E) the increase in Medicare enrollment caused by the aging 
     of the population will be accompanied by a tapering of the 
     growth rate of the working age population, and the number of 
     workers will drop from 3.8 for every Medicare beneficiary in 
     1997 to 2.02 per beneficiary by 2030;
       (5) the demographic shift that is currently taking place, 
     and will continue for the next 30 years, will put a 
     tremendous burden on workers as the cost of programs such as 
     Social Security and Medicare are borne by proportionately 
     fewer workers;
       (6) the current Budget Resolution, which projects revenues 
     and spending only for the next 10 years, does not give 
     Congress a clear picture of the budget problems that confront 
     the United States shortly after the turn of the century;
       (7) currently, 14 percent of the Federal budget is spent on 
     interest payments on the national debt; and
       (8) if projected surpluses are used entirely for debt 
     reduction and current tax and spending policies remain 
     unchanged, the share of Federal income needed to pay interest 
     would drop below 5 percent within 12 years, and in 1997, that 
     10 percentage-point reduction would have amounted to 
     $158,000,000,000 available for other priorities.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the functional totals in this concurrent resolution 
     assume that future budget resolutions and future budgets 
     submitted by the President should include--
       (1) an analysis for the period of 30 fiscal years beginning 
     with such fiscal year, of the estimated levels of total 
     budget outlays and total new budget authority, the estimated 
     revenues to be received, the estimated surplus or deficit, if 
     any, for each major Federal entitlement program for each 
     fiscal year in such period; and
       (2) a specific accounting of payments, if any, made to 
     reduce the public debt, or unfunded liabilities associated 
     with each major Federal entitlement program.

     SEC. 340. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING PRESIDENT'S BUDGET.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the budgetary levels in 
     this resolution assume that the President should submit, as 
     part of the budget request of the President that is submitted 
     to Congress, a study of the impact of the provisions of the 
     budget on each generation of Americans and its long-term 
     effects on each generation.

     SEC. 341. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE VALUE OF THE 
                   SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM FOR FUTURE RETIREES.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
       (1) The Social Security system has allowed a generation of 
     Americans to retire with dignity. Today, 13 percent of the 
     population is 65 or older and by 2030, 20 percent of the 
     population will be 65 or older. More than \1/2\ of the 
     elderly do not receive private pensions and more than \1/3\ 
     have no income from assets.
       (2) For 60 percent of all senior citizens, Social Security 
     benefits provide almost 80 percent of their retirement 
     income. For 80 percent of all senior citizens, Social 
     Security benefits provide over 50 percent of their retirement 
     income.
       (3) Poverty rates among the elderly are at the lowest level 
     since the United States began to keep poverty statistics, due 
     in large part to the Social Security system.
       (4) 78 percent of Americans pay more in payroll taxes than 
     they do in income taxes.
       (5) According to the 1997 report of the Managing Trustee 
     for the Social Security trust funds, the accumulated balance 
     in the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is 
     estimated to fall to zero by 2029, and the estimated payroll 
     tax at that time will be sufficient to cover only 75 percent 
     of the benefits owed to retirees at that time.
       (6) The average American retiring in the year 2015 will pay 
     $250,000 in payroll taxes over the course of a working 
     career.
       (7) Future generations of Americans must be guaranteed the 
     same value from the Social Security system as past covered 
     recipients.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the budgetary levels in this resolution assume that no 
     change in the Social Security system should be made that 
     would reduce the value of the Social Security system for 
     future generations of retirees.

[[Page S3288]]

     SEC. 342. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE LAND AND WATER 
                   CONSERVATION FUND.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the budget levels in 
     this resolution assume that programs funded from the Land and 
     Water Conservation Fund should be funded in the full amount 
     authorized by law.

     SEC. 343. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON EDUCATION GOALS.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the functional totals 
     underlying this resolution assume that the Federal Government 
     should work hand-in-hand with States, school districts, and 
     local leaders--
       (1) to accomplish the following goals by the year 2005:
       (A) establish achievement levels and assessments in every 
     grade for the core academic curriculum; measure each regular 
     student's performance; and prohibit the practice of social 
     promotion of students (promoting students routinely from one 
     grade to the next without regard to their academic 
     achievement);
       (B) provide remedial programs for students whose 
     achievement levels indicate they should not be promoted to 
     the next grade;
       (C) create smaller schools to enable students to have 
     closer interaction with teachers;
       (D) require at least 180 days per year of instruction in 
     core curriculum subjects;
       (E) recruit new teachers who are adequately trained and 
     credentialed in the subject or subjects they teach and 
     encourage excellent, experienced teachers to remain in the 
     classroom by providing adequate salaries; require all 
     teachers to be credentialed and limit emergency or temporary 
     teaching credentials to a limited period of time; hold 
     teachers and principals accountable to high educational 
     standards; and
       (F) require all regular students to pass an examination in 
     basic core curriculum subjects in order to receive a high 
     school diploma; and
       (2) to reaffirm the importance of public schooling and 
     commit to guaranteeing excellence and accountability in the 
     public schools of this Nation.

     SEC. 344. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF THE SENATE.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) while it is important to study the effects of class 
     size on learning and study the need to hire more teachers, 
     each type of study must be carried out in conjunction with an 
     effort to ensure that there will be quality teachers in every 
     classroom;
       (2) all children deserve well-educated teachers;
       (3) there is a teacher quality crisis in the United States;
       (4) individuals entering a classroom as teachers should 
     have a sound grasp on the subject the individuals intend to 
     teach, and the individuals should know how to teach;
       (5) less than 40 percent of the individuals teaching core 
     subjects (consisting of English, mathematics, science, social 
     studies, and foreign languages) majored or minored in the 
     core subjects;
       (6) the quality of teachers impacts student achievement;
       (7) the measure of a good teacher is how much and how well 
     the teacher's students learn;
       (8) teachers should have the opportunity to learn new 
     technology and teaching methods through the establishment of 
     teacher training facilities so that teachers can share their 
     new knowledge and experiences with children in the classroom;
       (9) school officials should have the flexibility the 
     officials need to have teachers in their schools adequately 
     trained to meet strenuous teacher standards;
       (10) knowledgeable and eager individuals of sound character 
     and various professional backgrounds should be encouraged to 
     enter kindergarten through grade 12 classrooms as teachers; 
     and
       (11) States should have maximum flexibility and incentives 
     to create alternative teacher certification and licensure 
     programs in order to recruit well-educated people into the 
     teaching profession.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the functional totals in this concurrent resolution on 
     the budget assume--
       (1) the enactment of legislation to provide assistance for 
     programs that--
       (A) focus on teacher training delivered through local 
     partnerships, with private and public partners, to ensure 
     that current and future teachers possess necessary teaching 
     skills and knowledge of subject areas; and
       (B) focus on alternative certification to recruit 
     knowledgeable and eager individuals of sound character to 
     enter kindergarten through grade 12 classrooms as teachers;
       (2) that the quality of teachers can be strengthened by 
     improving the academic knowledge of teachers in the subject 
     areas in which the teachers teach;
       (3) that institutions of higher education should be held 
     accountable to prepare teachers who are highly competent in 
     the subject areas in which the teachers teach, including 
     preparing teachers by providing training in the effective 
     uses of technologies in classrooms; and
       (4) that there should be recruitment into teaching of high 
     quality individuals, including individuals from other 
     occupations.

     SEC. 345. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON INS CIRCUIT RIDERS IN THE 
                   FORMER SOVIET UNION.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the provisions of this 
     resolution assume that included in the funding for the 
     Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) is $2,000,000 
     for the establishment of INS circuit riders in the former 
     Soviet Union for the purpose of processing refugees and 
     conducting medical examinations of refugees who will enter 
     the United States under the Refugee Act of 1980.

     SEC. 346. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING FUNDING FOR THE 
                   AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the congressional budget 
     for the United States Government as provided for in this 
     resolution should assure that--
       (1) the contract authority level for the Airport 
     Improvement Program (provided for in part B of subtitle VII 
     of title 49, United States Code) not be reduced below the 
     current level of $2,347,000,000; and
       (2) the critical infrastructure development, maintenance, 
     and repair of airports not be jeopardized.

     SEC. 347. SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE ONE HUNDRED FIFTH 
                   CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION SHOULD REAUTHORIZE 
                   FUNDS FOR THE FARMLAND PROTECTION PROGRAM.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings--
       (1) eighteen States and dozens of localities have spent 
     nearly $1,000,000,000 to protect over 600,000 acres of 
     important farmland;
       (2) the Farmland Protection Program has provided cost-
     sharing for 18 States and dozens of localities to protect 
     over 82,000 acres on 230 farms since 1996;
       (3) the Farmland Protection Program has generated new 
     interest in saving farmland in communities around the 
     country;
       (4) the Farmland Protection Program represents an 
     innovative and voluntary partnership, rewards local 
     ingenuity, and supports local priorities;
       (5) current funds authorized for the Farmland Protection 
     Program will be exhausted in the next six months;
       (6) the United States is losing two acres of our best 
     farmland to development every minute of every day;
       (7) these lands produce three quarters of the fruits and 
     vegetables and over one half of the dairy in the United 
     States.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the functional totals contained in this resolution 
     assume that the One Hundred Fifth Congress, Second Session 
     will reauthorize funds for the Farmland Protection Program.

     SEC. 348. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON HEALTH CARE QUALITY.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings--
       (1) out of a total 549 plans under the Federal Employees 
     Health Benefits Program, which includes fee-for-service, 
     point of service, and Health Maintenance Organizations, only 
     186 were fully accredited;
       (2) out of a total 549 plans under the Federal Employees 
     Health Benefits Program, which includes fee-for-service, 
     point of service, and Health Maintenance Organizations, 7 
     were denied accreditation.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the assumptions underlying this resolution provide for 
     the enactment of legislation requiring all health plans 
     participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits 
     Program to be accredited by a nationally recognized 
     accreditation organization representative of a spectrum of 
     health care interests including purchasers, consumers, 
     providers and health plans.

     SEC. 349. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING WASTEFUL SPENDING IN 
                   DEFENSE DEPARTMENT ACQUISITION PRACTICES.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) according to the Defense Department's Inspector 
     General, despite efforts to streamline Government purchases, 
     the military, in some cases, paid more than ``fair value'' 
     for many items;
       (2) efficient purchasing policies, in the context of 
     decreasing defense budgets, are more important than ever to 
     ensure Defense Department spending contributes to military 
     readiness.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the provisions of this resolution assume that the 
     Defense Department should continue efforts to eliminate 
     wasteful spending such that defense spending allocated in the 
     fiscal year 1999 budget, and all subsequent budgets, is spent 
     in the manner most efficient to maintain and promote military 
     readiness for United States Armed Forces around the globe.

     SEC. 350. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE UNITED STATES 
                   RESPONSE TO THE CHANGING NATURE OF TERRORISM.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) the threat of terrorism to American citizens and 
     interests remains high, with Americans suffering one-third of 
     the total terrorist attacks in the world in 1997;
       (2) the terrorist threat is changing--while past acts were 
     generally limited to the use of conventional explosives and 
     weapons, terrorists today are exploiting technological 
     advances and increasingly lethal tools and strategies to 
     pursue their agenda;
       (3) on a worldwide basis, terrorists are focusing on 
     afflicting mass casualties on civilian targets through the 
     acquisition of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons of 
     mass destruction;
       (4) chemical and biological weapons in the hands of 
     terrorists or rogue nations constitute a threat to the United 
     States;
       (5) the multifaceted nature of the terrorist threat 
     encompasses not only foreign terrorists targeting American 
     citizens and interests abroad, but foreign terrorists 
     operating

[[Page S3289]]

     within the United States itself, as well as domestic 
     terrorists;
       (6) terrorists groups are becoming increasingly 
     multinational, more associated with criminal activity, and 
     less responsive to external influences;
       (7) terrorists exploit America's free and open society to 
     illegally enter the country, raise funds, recruit new 
     members, spread propaganda, and plan future activities;
       (8) terrorists are also making use of computer technology 
     to communicate, solicit money and support, and store 
     information essential to their operations;
       (9) State sponsors of terrorism and other foreign countries 
     are known to be developing computer intrusion and 
     manipulation capabilities which could pose a threat to 
     essential public and private information systems in the 
     United States;
       (10) the infrastructures deemed critical to the United 
     States are the telecommunications networks, the electric 
     power grid, oil and gas distribution, water distribution 
     facilities, transportation systems, financial networks, 
     emergency services, and the continuity of Government 
     services, the disruption of which could result in significant 
     losses to the United States economic well-being, public 
     welfare, or national security;
       (11) a national strategy of infrastructure protection, as 
     required by the Defense Appropriations Act of 1996, and 
     subsequent amendments, has yet to be issued; and
       (12) we as a Nation remain fundamentally unprepared to 
     respond in a coordinated and effective manner to these 
     growing terrorist threats.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the provisions of this resolution assume that--
       (1) the Federal Government must take the lead in 
     establishing effective coordination between intelligence-
     gathering and law enforcement agencies, among Federal, State, 
     and local levels of Government, and with the private sector, 
     for the purpose of assessing, warning, and protecting against 
     terrorist attacks;
       (2) technical preparedness for the detection and analysis 
     of chemical and biological weapons, and for swift and 
     adequate emergency response to their use by terrorists, must 
     be a near-term continuing priority;
       (3) the United States must seek full international 
     cooperation in securing the capture and conviction of 
     terrorists who attack or pose a threat to American citizens 
     and interests;
       (4) the United States should fully enforce its laws 
     intended to deny foreign terrorist organizations the ability 
     to raise money in the United States, prevent the evasion of 
     our immigration laws and furthering of criminal activities, 
     and curtail the use of our country as a base of operations; 
     and
       (5) a national strategy, adequate to addressing the 
     complexity of protecting our critical infrastructures, and as 
     required by the Defense Appropriations Act of 1996 and 
     subsequent amendments, must be completed and implemented 
     immediately.

     SEC. 351. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH, SOCIAL 
                   SECURITY, AND GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the functional totals 
     underlying this resolution assume that--
       (1) the elimination of a discretionary spending program may 
     be used for either tax cuts or to reform the Social Security 
     system;
       (2) the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Balanced 
     Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, and other 
     appropriate budget rules and laws should be amended to 
     implement the policy stated in paragraph (1).

     SEC. 352. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING A SUPERMAJORITY 
                   REQUIREMENT FOR RAISING TAXES.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) the Nation's current tax system is indefensible, being 
     overly complex, burdensome, and severely limiting to economic 
     opportunity for all Americans;
       (2) fundamental tax reform should be undertaken as soon as 
     practicable to produce a tax system that--
       (A) applies a low tax rate, through easily understood laws, 
     to all Americans;
       (B) provides tax relief for working Americans;
       (C) protects the rights of taxpayers and reduces tax 
     collection abuses;
       (D) eliminates the bias against savings and investment;
       (E) promotes economic growth and job creation;
       (F) does not penalize marriage or families; and
       (G) provides for a taxpayer-friendly collections process to 
     replace the Internal Revenue Service; and
       (3) the stability and longevity of any new tax system 
     designed to achieve these goals should be guaranteed with a 
     supermajority vote requirement so that Congress cannot easily 
     raise tax rates, impose new taxes, or otherwise increase the 
     amount of a taxpayer's income that is subject to tax.
       (b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of Senate that the 
     assumptions underlying the functional totals of this 
     resolution assume fundamental tax reform that is accompanied 
     by a proposal to amend the Constitution of the United States 
     to require a supermajority vote in each House of Congress to 
     approve tax increases.

     SEC. 353. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON HEALTH CARE QUALITY.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
       (1) Rapid changes in the health care marketplace have 
     compromised confidence in the our Nation's health system.
       (2) American consumers want more convenience, fewer 
     hassles, more choices, and better service from their health 
     insurance plans.
       (3) All Americans deserve quality-driven health care 
     supported by sound science and evidence-based medicine.
       (4) The Federal Government, through the National Institutes 
     of Health, supports research that improves the quality of 
     medical care that Americans receive.
       (5) This resolution assumes increased funding for the 
     National Institutes of Health for 1999 of $15,100,000,000, an 
     11-percent increase over current funding levels, which are 7 
     percent higher than in 1997.
       (6) As the largest purchaser of health care services, the 
     Federal Government has a responsibility to utilize its 
     purchasing power to demand high quality health plans and 
     providers for its health programs and to protect its 
     beneficiaries from inferior medical care.
       (7) The Federal Government must adopt the posture of 
     private sector purchasers and insist on high quality care for 
     the 67,000,000 Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and the 
     9,000,000 Federal employees, retirees, and their dependents.
       (8) The private sector has proven to be more capable of 
     keeping pace with the rapid changes in health care delivery 
     and medical practice that affect quality of care 
     considerations than the Federal Government.
       (9) As Congress considers health care legislation, it must 
     first commit to ``do no harm'' to health care quality, 
     consumers, and the evolving market place. Rushing to 
     legislate or regulate based on anecdotal information and 
     micro-managing health plans on politically popular issues 
     will not solve the problems of consumer confidence and the 
     quality of our health care system.
       (10) When health insurance premiums rise, Americans lose 
     health coverage. Studies indicate that a 1 percent increase 
     in private health insurance premiums will be associated with 
     an increase in the number of persons without insurance of 
     about 400,000 persons.
       (11) Health care costs have begun to rise significantly in 
     the past year. The Congressional Budget Office (referred to 
     as ``CBO'') projects that the growth in health premiums will 
     be 5.5 percent in 1998 up from 3.8 percent in 1997. CBO 
     continues to project that premiums will grow about 1 
     percentage point faster than the Gross Domestic Product in 
     the longer run. CBO also warns that new Federal mandates on 
     health insurance could exacerbate this increase in premiums.
       (12) The President's Advisory Commission on Consumer 
     Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry developed 
     the Consumer Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. This 
     includes information disclosure, confidentiality of health 
     information, and choice of providers.
       (13) The President's Commission further determined that 
     private sector organizations have the capacity to act in a 
     timely manner needed to keep pace with the swiftly evolving 
     health system.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the assumptions underlying this resolution assume that 
     the Senate will not pass any health care legislation that 
     will--
       (1) make health insurance unaffordable for working families 
     and increase the number of uninsured Americans;
       (2) divert limited health care resources away from serving 
     patients to paying lawyers and hiring new bureaucrats; or
       (3) impose political considerations on clinical decisions, 
     instead of allowing such decisions to be made on the basis of 
     sound science and the best interests of patients.

     SEC. 354. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE USE OF BUDGET SURPLUS 
                   FOR TAX RELIEF OR DEBT REDUCTION.

       It is the sense of the Senate that this resolution assumes 
     that any budget surplus should be dedicated to debt reduction 
     or direct tax relief for hard-working American families.

     SEC. 355. USE OF BUDGET SURPLUS TO REFORM SOCIAL SECURITY.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the assumptions 
     underlying the functional totals included in the resolution 
     assume:
       (1) The Congress and the President should use any budget 
     surplus to reduce the Social Security payroll tax and to 
     establish personal retirement accounts with the tax reduction 
     for hard-working Americans.
       (2) The Congress and the President should not use the 
     Social Security surplus to finance general Government 
     programs and other spending, should begin to build real 
     assets for the trust funds, and work to reform the Social 
     Security system.

     SEC. 356. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON COLOMBIAN DRUG WAR 
                   HELICOPTERS.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) Colombia is the leading illicit drug producing country 
     in the Western Hemisphere;
       (2) 80 percent of the world's cocaine originates in 
     Colombia;
       (3) based on the most recent data of the Drug Enforcement 
     Administration (DEA), more than 60 percent of the heroin 
     seized in the United States originates in Colombia;
       (4) in the last 10 years more than 4,000 officers of the 
     Colombian National Police have died fighting the scourge of 
     drugs;
       (5) in one recent year alone, according to data of the 
     United States Government, the

[[Page S3290]]

     United States had 141,000 new heroin users and the United 
     States faces historic levels of heroin use among teenagers 
     between the ages of 12 and 17;
       (6) once Colombian heroin is in the stream of commerce it 
     is nearly impossible to interdict because it is concealed and 
     trafficked in very small quantities;
       (7) the best and most cost efficient method of preventing 
     Colombian heroin from entering the United States is to 
     destroy the opium poppies in the high Andes mountains where 
     Colombian heroin is produced;
       (8) the elite anti-narcotics unit of the Colombian National 
     Police has the responsibility to eradicate both coca and 
     opium in Colombia, including the reduction and elimination of 
     cocaine and heroin production, and they have done a 
     remarkably effective job with the limited and outdated 
     equipment at their disposal;
       (9) more than 40 percent of the anti-narcotics operations 
     of the Colombian National Police involve hostile ground fire 
     from narco-terrorists and 90 percent of such operations 
     involve the use of helicopters;
       (10) the need for better high performance helicopters by 
     the Colombian National Police, especially for use in the high 
     Andes mountains, is essential for more effective eradication 
     of opium in Colombia;
       (11) on December 23, 1997, one of the antiquated Vietnam-
     era UH-1H Huey helicopters used by the Colombian National 
     Police in an opium eradication mission crashed in the high 
     Andes mountains due to high winds and because it was flying 
     above the safety level recommended by the original 
     manufacturer;
       (12) in the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and 
     Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1998 (Public Law 105-
     118), amounts were appropriated for the procurement by the 
     United States for the Colombian National Police of three UH-
     60L Blackhawk utility helicopters that can operate safely and 
     more effectively at the high altitudes of the Andes mountains 
     where Colombian opium grows at altitudes as high as 12,000 
     feet;
       (13) the Blackhawk helicopter is a high performance utility 
     helicopter, with greater lift capacity, that can perform at 
     the high altitudes of the Andes mountains, as well as survive 
     crashes and sustain ground fire, much better than any other 
     utility helicopter now available to the Colombian National 
     Police in the war on drugs;
       (14) because the Vietnam-era Huey helicopters that the 
     United States has provided the Colombian National Police are 
     outdated and have been developing numerous stress cracks, a 
     sufficient number should be upgraded to Huey II's and the 
     remainder should be phased-out as soon as possible;
       (15) these Huey helicopters are much older than most of the 
     pilots who fly them, do not have the range due to limited 
     fuel capacity to reach many of the expanding locations of the 
     coca fields or cocaine labs in southern Colombia, nor do they 
     have the lift capacity to carry enough armed officers to 
     reach and secure the opium fields in the high Andes mountains 
     prior to eradication;
       (16) the elite anti-narcotics unit of the Colombian 
     National Police has a stellar record in respecting for human 
     rights and has received the commendation of a leading 
     international human rights group in their operations to 
     reduce and eradicate illicit drugs in Colombia;
       (17) the narco-terrorists of Colombia have announced that 
     they will now target United States citizens, particularly 
     those United States citizens working with their Colombian 
     counterparts in the fight against illicit drugs in Colombia;
       (18) a leading commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces 
     of Colombia (``FARC'') announced recently that the objective 
     of these narco-terrorists, in light of recent successes, will 
     be ``to defeat the Americans'';
       (19) United States Government personnel in Colombia who fly 
     in these helicopters accompanying the Colombian National 
     Police on missions are now at even greater risk from these 
     narco-terrorists and their drug trafficking allies;
       (20) in the last six months four anti-narcotics helicopters 
     of the Colombian National Police have been downed in 
     operations;
       (21) Congress intends to provide the necessary support and 
     assistance to wage an effective war on illicit drugs in 
     Colombia and provide the equipment and assistance needed to 
     protect all of the men and women of the Colombian National 
     Police as well as those Americans who work side by side with 
     the Colombian National Police in this common struggle against 
     illicit drugs;
       (22) the new Government of Bolivia has made a commitment to 
     eradicate coca and cocaine production in that country within 
     5 years;
       (23) the United States should support any country that is 
     interested in removing the scourge of drugs from its 
     citizens; and
       (24) Bolivia has succeeded, in large measure due to United 
     States assistance, in reducing acreage used to produce coca, 
     which is the basis for cocaine production.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the functional totals underlying this resolution assume 
     that--
       (1) the President should, with funds made available under 
     Public Law 105-118, expeditiously procure and provide to the 
     Colombian National Police three UH-60L Blackhawk utility 
     helicopters solely for the purpose of assisting the Colombian 
     National Police to perform their responsibilities to reduce 
     and eliminate the production of illicit drugs in Colombia and 
     the trafficking of such illicit drugs, including the 
     trafficking of drugs such as heroin and cocaine to the United 
     States;
       (2) if the President determines that the procurement and 
     transfer to the Colombian National Police of three UH-60L 
     Blackhawk utility helicopters is not an adequate number of 
     such helicopters to maintain operational feasibility and 
     effectiveness of the Colombian National Police, then the 
     President should promptly inform Congress as to the 
     appropriate number of additional UH-60L Blackhawk utility 
     helicopters for the Colombian National Police so that amounts 
     can be authorized for the procurement and transfer of such 
     additional helicopters; and
       (3) assistance for Bolivia should be maintained at least at 
     the level assumed in the fiscal year 1998 budget submission 
     of the President and the Administration should act 
     accordingly.

     SEC. 357. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON FUNDING FOR MEDICAL CARE FOR 
                   VETERANS.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the functional totals 
     underlying this resolution assume that $40,274,000 in 
     additional amounts above the President's budget levels will 
     be made available for veterans health care for fiscal year 
     1999.

     SEC. 358. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON OBJECTION TO THE USE OF THE 
                   SALE OF PUBLIC LANDS TO FUND CERTAIN PROGRAMS.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that the Budget Committee 
     Report accompanying this resolution assumes that the 
     landowner incentive program of the Endangered Species 
     Recovery Act would be funded ``from the gross receipts 
     realized in the sales of excess BLM land: Provided, That BLM 
     has sufficient administrative funds to conduct such sales''.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the functional totals underlying this resolution assume 
     that--
       (1) the landowner incentive program included in the 
     Endangered Species Recovery Act should be financed from a 
     dedicated source of funding; and
       (2) public lands should not be sold to fund the landowner 
     incentive program of the Endangered Species Recovery Act 
     through their proceeds alone, if subsequent legislation 
     provides an alternative or mixed, dedicated source of 
     mandatory funding.

     SEC. 359. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING A MULTINATIONAL 
                   ALLIANCE AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) the traffic in illegal drugs greatly threatens 
     democracy, security and stability in the Western Hemisphere 
     due to the violence and corruption associated with drug 
     trafficking organizations;
       (2) drug trafficking organizations operate without respect 
     for borders or national sovereignty;
       (3) the production, transport, sale, and use of illicit 
     drugs endangers the people and legitimate institutions of all 
     countries in the hemisphere;
       (4) no single country can successfully confront and defeat 
     this common enemy;
       (5) full bilateral cooperation with the United States to 
     reduce the flow of drugs is in the national interests of our 
     neighbors in the hemisphere;
       (6) in addition, victory in the hemispheric battle against 
     drug traffickers requires expanded multilateral cooperation 
     among the nations of the region.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the provisions of this resolution assume that in 
     addition to existing bilateral cooperative efforts, the 
     Administration should promote at the Summit of the Americas 
     and in other fora the concept of a multinational hemispheric 
     ``war alliance'' bringing together the United States and key 
     illicit drug producing and transiting countries in the 
     Western Hemisphere for the purpose of implementing a 
     coordinated plan of action against illegal drug trafficking 
     and promoting full cooperation against this common menace.

     SEC. 360. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING LEGISLATION THAT 
                   INCREASES COMPLEXITY OF TAX RETURNS.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds the following:
       (1) As part of the consideration by the Senate of tax cuts 
     for the families of America, the Senate should also examine 
     the condition of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
       (2) According to the Congressional Research Service, the 
     Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1997 added 1,000,000 words and 
     315 pages to the Internal Revenue Code.
       (3) The Internal Revenue Code continues to grow more 
     complex and difficult for the average taxpayer to understand, 
     and the average tax return has become more time-consuming to 
     prepare.
       (4) The average taxpayer will spend 9 hours and 54 minutes 
     preparing Form 1040 for the 1997 tax year.
       (5) The average taxpayer spends between 21 and 28 hours 
     each year on tax matters.
       (6) In 1995, 58,965,000 of the 118,218,327 tax returns that 
     were filed, almost 50 percent, were filed by taxpayers who 
     utilized the help of a paid tax preparer.
       (7) The average taxpayer spends $72 each year for tax 
     preparation.
       (8) The total burden on all taxpayers of maintaining 
     records, and preparing and filing tax returns is estimated to 
     be in excess of 1,600,000 hours per year.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the budgetary levels in this resolution assume that the 
     Senate should give priority to tax proposals that simplify 
     the tax code and reject proposals

[[Page S3291]]

     that add greater complexity in the tax code and increased 
     compliance costs for the taxpayer.

     SEC. 361. GENERAL PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF MARIJUANA FOR 
                   MEDICINAL PURPOSES.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the provisions of this 
     resolution assume that no funds appropriated by Congress 
     should be used to provide, procure, furnish, fund or support, 
     or to compel any individual, institution or government entity 
     to provide, procure, furnish, fund or support, any item, 
     good, benefit, program or service, for the purpose of the use 
     of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

     SEC. 362. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING AMTRAK FUNDING.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) on November 13, 1997 the Senate unanimously passed the 
     Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997, Public Law 105-
     134, authorizing appropriations of $1,058,000,000 for fiscal 
     year 1999; $1,023,000,000 for fiscal year 2000; $989,000,000 
     for fiscal year 2001; and $955,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, 
     totaling $4,025,000,000 for fiscal years 1999-2002;
       (2) in Public Law 105-134 the Congress declared that 
     ``intercity rail passenger service is an essential component 
     of a national intermodal passenger transportation system'';
       (3) section 201 of the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act 
     of 1997 has now statutorily formalized prior Congressional 
     directives to Amtrak to reach operating self-sufficiency by 
     fiscal year 2002;
       (4) the Congress and the President, through enactment of 
     this legislation, have effectively agreed that Congress will 
     provide adequate funding to permit Amtrak to achieve the goal 
     of operating self-sufficiency;
       (5) capital investment is critical to reducing operating 
     costs and increasing the quality of Amtrak service;
       (6) capital investment is essential to improving Amtrak's 
     long-term financial health;
       (7) the $2,200,000,000 provided to Amtrak through the 
     Taxpayer Relief Act is for the sole purpose of capital 
     expenditures and other qualified expenses and is intended to 
     supplement, not supplant, annual appropriations.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the assumptions underlying the functional totals in this 
     budget resolution assume that Congress and the Administration 
     will fulfill the intent of the Amtrak Reform and 
     Accountability Act of 1997 and appropriate sufficient funds 
     in each of the next 5 fiscal years for Amtrak to implement 
     its fiscal years 1998-2003 Strategic Business Plan, while 
     preserving the integrity of the $2,200,000,000 provided under 
     the Taxpayer Relief Act for the statutory purpose of capital 
     investment.

     SEC. 363. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING MARKET ACCESS 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds the following:
       (1) The Market Access Program (MAP) continues to be a vital 
     and important part of United States trade policy aimed at 
     maintaining and expanding United States agricultural exports, 
     countering subsidized foreign competition, strengthening farm 
     income and protecting American jobs. Further, the Senate 
     finds that:
       (A) The Market Access Program is specifically targeted 
     towards small business, farmer cooperatives and trade 
     associations.
       (B) The Market Access Program is administered on a cost-
     share basis. Participants, including farmers and ranchers, 
     are required to contribute up to 50 percent or more toward 
     the cost of the program.
       (2) The Market Access Program has been a tremendous success 
     by any measure. Since the program was established, United 
     States agricultural exports have doubled. In fiscal year 
     1997, United States agricultural exports amounted to 
     $57,300,000,000, resulting in a positive agricultural trade 
     surplus of approximately $22,000,000,000, and contributing 
     billions of dollars more in increased economic activity and 
     additional tax revenues.
       (3) The Market Access Program has also helped maintain and 
     create needed jobs throughout the Nation's economy. More than 
     one million Americans now have jobs that depend on United 
     States agricultural exports. Further, every billion dollars 
     in additional United States agricultural exports helps create 
     as many as 17,000 or more new jobs.
       (4) United States agriculture, including farm income and 
     related jobs, is more dependent than ever on maintaining and 
     expanding United States agricultural exports as Federal farm 
     programs are gradually reduced under the FAIR Act of 1996.
       (5) In addition to the Asian economic situation and 
     exchange rate fluctuations, United States agricultural 
     exports continue to be adversely impacted by continued 
     subsidized foreign competition, artificial trade barriers and 
     other unfair foreign trade practices.
       (6) The European Union (EU) and other foreign competitors 
     continue to heavily outspend the United States by more than 
     10 to 1 with regard to export subsidies.
       (A) In 1997, the EU budgeted $7,200,000,000 for export 
     subsidies aimed at capturing a larger share of the world 
     market at the expense of United States agriculture.
       (B) EU and other foreign competitors also spend nearly 
     $500,000,000 on market promotion activities. The EU spends 
     more on wine promotion than the United States currently 
     spends on all commodities and related agricultural products.
       (C) The EU has announced a major new initiative aimed at 
     increasing their exports to Japan--historically, the largest 
     single market for United States agriculture exports.
       (7) United States agriculture is the most competitive 
     industry in the world, but it cannot and should not be 
     expected to compete alone against the treasuries of foreign 
     governments.
       (8) Reducing or eliminating funding for the Market Access 
     Program would adversely affect United States agriculture's 
     ability to remain competitive in today's global marketplace. 
     A reduction in United States agricultural exports would 
     translate into lower farm income, a worsening trade deficit, 
     slower economic growth, fewer export-related jobs, and a 
     declining tax base.
       (9) United States success in upcoming trade negotiations on 
     agriculture scheduled to begin in 1999 depends on maintaining 
     an aggressive trade strategy and related policies and 
     programs. Reducing or eliminating the Market Access Program 
     would represent a form of unilateral disarmament and weaken 
     the United States negotiating position.
       (10) The Market Access Program is one of the few programs 
     specifically allowed under the current Uruguay Round 
     Agreement.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) should be 
     fully maintained as authorized and aggressively utilized by 
     the United States Department of Agriculture to encourage 
     United States agricultural exports, strengthen farm income, 
     counter subsidized foreign competition, and protect American 
     jobs.

     SEC. 364. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE NATIONAL 
                   INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) heart disease was the leading cause of death for both 
     men and women in every year from 1970 to 1993;
       (2) mortality rates for individuals suffering from prostate 
     cancer, skin cancer, and kidney cancer continue to rise;
       (3) the mortality rate for African American women suffering 
     from diabetes is 134 percent higher than the mortality rate 
     of Caucasian women suffering from diabetes;
       (4) asthma rates for children increased 58 percent from 
     1982 to 1992;
       (5) nearly half of all American women between the ages of 
     65 and 75 reported having arthritis;
       (6) AIDS is the leading cause of death for Americans 
     between the ages of 24 and 44;
       (7) the Institute of Medicine has described United States 
     clinical research to be ``in a state of crisis'' and the 
     National Academy of Sciences concluded in 1994 that ``the 
     present cohort of clinical investigators is not adequate'';
       (8) biomedical research has been shown to be effective in 
     saving lives and reducing health care expenditures;
       (9) research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health 
     has contributed significantly to the first overall reduction 
     in cancer death rates since recordkeeping was instituted;
       (10) research sponsored by the National Institutes of 
     health has resulted in the identification of genetic 
     mutations for osteoporosis; Lou Gehrig's Disease, cystic 
     fibrosis, and Huntington's Disease; breast, skin and prostate 
     cancer; and a variety of other illnesses;
       (11) research sponsored by the National Institutes of 
     Health has been key to the development of Magnetic Resonance 
     Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning 
     technologies;
       (12) research sponsored by the National Institutes of 
     Health has developed effective treatments for Acute 
     Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Today, 80 percent of children 
     diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia are alive and 
     free of the disease after 5 years; and
       (13) research sponsored by the National Institutes of 
     Health contributed to the development of a new, cost-saving 
     cure for peptic ulcers.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the function totals in this budget resolution assume 
     that--
       (1) appropriations for the National Institutes of Health 
     should be increased by 100 percent over the next 5 fiscal 
     years;
       (2) appropriations for the National Institutes of Health 
     should be increased by $2,000,000,000 in year 1999 over the 
     amount appropriated in fiscal year 1998;
       (3) the budget resolution takes a major step toward meeting 
     this goal; and
       (4) at a minimum, appropriations for the National 
     Institutes of Health should match the recommendations 
     provided in the budget resolution.

     SEC. 365. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING DISPLAY OF TEN 
                   COMMANDMENTS.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (1) the Ten Commandments have had a significant impact on 
     the development of the fundamental legal principles of 
     Western Civilization; and
       (2) the Ten Commandments set forth a code of moral conduct, 
     observance of which is acknowledged to promote respect for 
     our system of laws and the good of society.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the functional totals in this concurrent resolution on 
     the budget assume that--
       (1) the Ten Commandments are a declaration of fundamental 
     principles that are the cornerstones of a fair and just 
     society; and
       (2) the public display, including display in the Supreme 
     Court, the Capitol building, the White House, and other 
     government offices

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     and courthouses across the nation, of the Ten Commandments 
     should be permitted, as long as it is consistent with the 
     establishment clause of the first amendment of the United 
     States Constitution.

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