[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 96 (Friday, July 21, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT A. WEYGAND

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 20, 2000

  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, during House consideration of H.R. 1102, 
the Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act, I regret 
that I missed rollcall votes 410 and 411. I was unavoidably detained 
returning from the funeral of Senator John O. Pastore in Rhode Island.
  Had I been here I would have voted ``yea'' on both votes. Rollcall 
vote No. 410, the Democratic substitute, offered by Representative 
Neal, would have added provisions to H.R. 1102 that would have offered 
tax credits to small businesses to set up pension plans for their 
employees. The substitute would also have provided refundable tax 
credits for low and middle income workers to encourage them to save for 
their retirement. As a former small business owner, I understand both 
the importance of providing pensions to the employees of small 
businesses and the difficulties small businesses often face as they 
attempt to establish these plans. I believe that the provisions of the 
substitute would have made a good bill even better and I regret that 
the substitute was not agreed to.
  I would also have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 411. This motion to 
recommit H.R. 1102 would have sent the bill back to Committee with 
instructions to include additional language requiring that there must 
be an on-budget surplus and prescription drug coverage for Medicare 
beneficiaries through the Medicare program before the tax and pension 
relief provisions of the bill could be enacted. Maintaining our hard-
won surplus and providing prescription drug coverage to our senior 
citizens are critically important and must be given the highest of 
priorities. I regret that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle 
do not share our belief in keeping the federal budget in surplus and 
providing vital prescription drug coverage to our elderly.