[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 113 (Wednesday, August 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S10235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SPECTER (for himself and Mr. Santorum):
  S. 1493. A bill to establish a John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program 
to advance the development of public policy with respect to issues 
affecting senior citizens; to the Committee on Rules and 
Administration.


                the John Heinz senate fellowship program

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to introduce a 
bill reauthorizing the John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program. This 
Congressional fellowship program, created in 1992, is a fitting tribute 
to my late colleague and dear friend, United States Senator John Heinz. 
Senator Heinz dedicated his life and much of his Congressional career 
to improving the lives of senior citizens. He believed that Congress 
has a special responsibility to serve as a guardian for those who 
cannot protect themselves. This fellowship program, which focuses on 
aging issues, honors the life and continues the legacy of Senator John 
Heinz.
  During his 20 years in the Congress, John Heinz compiled an enviable 
record of accomplishments. While he was successful in many areas, he 
built a national reputation for his strong commitment to improving the 
quality of life of our nation's elderly. Pennsylvania, with nearly 2 
million citizens aged 65 or older--over 15% of the population--houses 
the second largest elderly population nationwide. As John traveled 
throughout the state, he listened to the concerns of this important 
constituency and came back to Washington to address their needs through 
policy and legislation.
  Senator Heinz led the fight against age discrimination by championing 
legislation to eliminate the requirement that older Americans must 
retire at age 65, and by ensuring full retirement pay for older workers 
employed by factories forced to close. During his Chairmanship of the 
Senate Special Committee on Aging from 1981-1986 and his tenure as 
Ranking Minority Member from 1987-1991, Senator Heinz used his position 
to improve health care accessibility and affordability for senior 
citizens and to reduce fraud and abuse within Federal health care 
programs. Congress enacted his legislation to provide Medicare 
recipients a lower cost alternative to fee-for-service medicine, as 
well as his legislation to add a hospice benefit to the Medicare 
program.
  John also recognized the great need for nursing home reforms. He was 
successful in passing legislation mandating that safety measures be 
implemented in nursing homes and ensuring that nursing home residents 
cannot be bound and tied to their beds or wheelchairs.
  Mr. President, the John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program will help 
continue the efforts of Senator Heinz to give our nation's elderly the 
quality of life they deserve. The program encourages the identification 
and training of new leadership in aging policy by awarding fellowships 
to qualified candidates to serve in a Senate office or with a Senate 
Committee staff. The goal of this program is to advance the development 
of the public policy in issues affecting senior citizens. Administered 
by the Heinz Family Foundation in conjunction with the Secretary of the 
Senate, the program allows fellows to bring their firsthand experience 
in aging issues to the work of Congress. Heinz fellows who are 
advocates for aging issues spend a year to help us learn about the 
effects of Federal policies on our elderly citizens, those who are 
social workers help us find better ways to protect our nation's elderly 
from abuse and neglect, and those who are health care providers help us 
to build a strong health care system that addresses the unique needs of 
our seniors.
  As fellows, senior citizen advocates and aging policy experts not 
only have the opportunity to use their expertise to facilitate national 
debate about issues concerning senior citizens, they also prepare 
themselves to make future contributions to their local communities. The 
Heinz fellowship enables us to train new leaders in senior citizen 
advocacy and aging policy. The fellows return to their respective 
careers with a new understanding about how to work effectively with 
government, so they may better fulfill their goals as senior citizen 
advocates.
  The John Heinz Fellowship Program has been a valuable tool for 
Congress and our communities since its establishment in 1992. The 
continuation of this vital program will signal a sustained commitment 
to our nation's elderly. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
cosponsoring this resolution, and urge its swift adoption. I ask 
unanimous consent that the text of the legislation be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1493

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``John Heinz Senate Fellowship 
     Program''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Senator John Heinz believed that Congress has a special 
     responsibility to serve as a guardian for those persons who 
     cannot protect themselves.
       (2) Senator Heinz dedicated much of his career in Congress 
     to improving the lives of senior citizens.
       (3) It is especially appropriate to honor the memory of 
     Senator Heinz through the creation of a Senate fellowship 
     program to encourage the identification and training of new 
     leadership in aging policy and to bring experts with 
     firsthand experience of aging issues to the assistance of the 
     Congress in order to advance the development of public policy 
     in issues that affect senior citizens.

     SEC. 3. FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--In order to encourage the identification 
     and training of new leadership in issues affecting senior 
     citizens and to advance the development of public policy with 
     respect to such issues, there is established a John Heinz 
     Senate Fellowship Program.
       (b) Senate Fellowships.--The Heinz Family Foundation, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of the Senate, is authorized 
     to select Senate fellowship participants.
       (c) Selection Process.--The Heinz Family Foundation shall--
       (1) publicize the availability of the fellowship program;
       (2) develop and administer an application process for 
     Senate fellowships; and
       (3) conduct a screening of applicants for the fellowship 
     program.

     SEC. 4. COMPENSATION; NUMBER OF FELLOWSHIPS; PLACEMENT.

       (a) Compensation.--The Secretary of the Senate is 
     authorized, from funds made available under section 5, to 
     appoint and fix the compensation of each eligible participant 
     selected under this Act for a period determined by the 
     Secretary.
       (b) Number of Fellowships.--No more than 2 fellowship 
     participants shall be so employed. Any individual appointed 
     pursuant to this Act shall be subject to all laws, 
     regulations and rules in the same manner and to the same 
     extent as any other employee of the Senate.
       (c) Placement.--The Secretary of the Senate, after 
     consultation with the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of 
     the Senate, shall place eligible participants in positions in 
     the Senate that are, within practical considerations, 
     supportive of the fellowship participants' areas of 
     expertise.

     SEC. 5. FUNDS.

       The funds necessary to compensate eligible participants 
     under this Act for fiscal year 1999 shall be paid from the 
     contingent fund of the Senate. Such funds shall not exceed, 
     for fiscal year 1999, $71,000. There are authorized to be 
     appropriated $71,000 for each of the fiscal years 2000 
     through 2004 to carry out the provisions of this Act.
                                 ______