[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 19, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5774-S5780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. BUNNING:
  S. 2643. A bill to repeal the sunset of the Economic Growth and Tax 
Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 with respect to the expansion of the 
adoption credit and adoption assistance programs; to the Committee on 
Finance.
  Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to 
make the adoption tax credit permanent. Last year, Congress passed and 
President Bush signed into law the Economic Growth and Tax Relief 
Reconciliation Act. This act contains many and much needed tax relief 
provisions for the American people. However, because of procedural 
rules in the Senate, this new law sunsets and expires after December 
31, 2010.
  The legislation I introduce today makes permanent a tax provision in 
that law, that being the adoption tax credit. If we do not pass this 
extension, and the adoption tax credit sunsets, then this tax credit 
will be cut overnight from a maximum of $10,000 to $5,000. Families who 
adopt special needs children will no longer receive a flat $10,000 
credit, and instead, they will be limited to a maximum of $6,000. As 
well, families claiming the credit may be pushed into the AMT, 
Alternative Minimum Tax. And the income caps will fall from $150,000 to 
$75,000 so that fewer families will be eligible for the credit.
  There are over 500,000 kids in publicly funded foster care right now 
waiting to be adopted. And there are even more in the private system. 
Let's help them find loving homes. Let's make it easier for families to 
adopt, not throw up barriers. If the adoption tax credit is cut to the 
prior law level of $5,000, many families will not be able to afford 
adoptions. And therefore less children will be welcomed into what they 
want the most, a real family. And adoptions are not cheap. Some 
licensed private adoption agencies charge fees ranging anywhere from 
$4,000 to $30,000.
  Earlier this month, on June 4, the House of Representatives passed 
this permanent extension of the adoption tax credit by a vote of 391 
yeas to 1 nay. I am hopeful that my colleagues in the Senate recognize 
the importance of moving on any legislation to permanently extend this 
tax credit, whether it be the House's bill we consider or this bill I 
am introducing today. Those kids without parents, and those parents 
without kids deserve to see this adoption tax credit set into law for 
good. We owe it to them all.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. FITZGERALD:
  S. 2644. A bill to amend chapter 35 of title 31, United States Code, 
to expand the types of Federal agencies that are required to prepare 
audited financial statements; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text 
of the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2644

       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 ``Accountability of Tax 
     Dollars Act of 2002''.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS RELATING TO AUDITING REQUIREMENT FOR 
                   FEDERAL AGENCY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

       (a) In General.--Section 3515 of title 31, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking ``Not later'' and inserting ``(1) Except as 
     provided in paragraph (2), not later'';
       (B) by striking ``each executive agency identified in 
     section 901(b) of this title'' and inserting ``each covered 
     executive agency'';
       (C) by striking ``1997'' and inserting ``2003''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) A covered executive agency is not required to prepare 
     an audited financial statement under this section for any 
     fiscal year for which the total amount of budget authority 
     available to the agency is less than $25,000,000.'';
       (2) in subsection (b) by striking ``an executive agency'' 
     and inserting ``a covered executive agency'';
       (3) in subsection (c) and (d) by striking ``executive 
     agencies'' each place it appears and inserting ``covered 
     executive agencies''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) The term `covered executive agency'--
       ``(1) means an executive agency that is not required by 
     another provision of Federal law to prepare and submit to the 
     Congress and the Director of the Office of Management and 
     Budget an audited financial statement for each fiscal year, 
     covering all accounts and associated activities of each 
     office, bureau, and activity of the agency; and
       ``(2) does not include a corporation, agency, or 
     instrumentality subject to chapter 91 of this title.''.
       (b) Waiver Authority.--
       (1) In general.--The Director of the Office of Management 
     and Budget may waive the application of all or part of 
     section 3515(a) of title 31, United States Code, as amended 
     by this section, for financial statements required for the 
     first 2 fiscal years beginning after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act for an agency described in paragraph 
     (2) of this subsection.
       (2) Agencies described.--An agency referred to in paragraph 
     (1) is any covered executive agency (as that term is defined 
     by section 3515(e) of title 31, United States Code, as 
     amended by subsection (a) of this section) that is not an 
     executive agency identified in section 901(b) of title 31, 
     United States Code.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 2645. A bill to establish the Director of National Intelligence as 
head of the intelligence community, to modify and enhance authorities 
and responsibilities relating to the administration of intelligence and 
the intelligence community, and for other purposes; to the Select 
Committee on Intelligence.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to offer the Intelligence 
Community Leadership Act of 2002. This legislation creates the position 
of Director of National Intelligence to lead a true intelligence 
community and to coordinate our intelligence and anti-terrorism efforts 
and help assure that the sort of communication problems that prevented 
the various elements of our intelligence community from working 
together effectively before September 11 never happen again.
  While this bill will certainly not solve every problem within the 
intelligence community, I believe it to be a necessary first step 
towards getting our intelligence house in order.
  The National Security Act of 1947, which created the bulk of our cold 
war era national security apparatus, created both the Director of the 
Central Intelligence Agency and the Director of Central Intelligence, 
of which the CIA is but one component, as two positions occupied by one 
person.
  As Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the person in this 
position is the CEO of the Agency charged with collecting human 
intelligence, centrally analyzing all intelligence collected by the 
U.S. government, and conducting covert action.
  As head of the intelligence community, which also includes the 
Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the National 
Reconnaissance Office, National Imagery and Mapping Agency, and the 
intelligence-gathering elements of the FBI, as well as others, this 
person is responsible for coordinating a multitude of agencies and 
harnessing their efforts to secure the overall needs of U.S. national 
security.
  Although this structure served as well enough in the cold war, it is, 
in my view, far from perfect, and, put

[[Page S5775]]

bluntly, I do not believe that giving both jobs to one person makes 
sense.
  Moreover, just as the particular needs of the superpower rivalry of 
the cold war drove the national security structure and apparatus put 
into place by the National Security Act of 1947, so, too, should the 
intelligence and anti-terrorism challenges that our country now faces 
in the post-9-11 world drive the creation of new national security 
structures adequate to the new challenge.
  The President, in proposing the creation of the Department of 
Homeland Security has addressed part of this challenge. But the 
administration's plan does not do enough to address the need to better 
coordinate our intelligence and anti-terrorism efforts.
  To start to address these problems the Intelligence Community 
Leadership Act of 2002 splits the current position of Director of 
Central Intelligence, currently held by one individual, who is tasked 
with running the CIA and the intelligence community as a whole, into 
two positions: a Director of National Intelligence, DNI, to lead the 
Intelligence Community and a Director of the Central Intelligence 
Agency to run the CIA.
  It may appear somewhat paradoxical to argue that in order to assure 
closer and better coordination within and across our intelligence 
community the current position of the Director of Central Intelligence 
should be split, but this is, in fact, the case.
  As a practical matter, the demands of these two full time jobs on the 
time and attention of any person, no matter how skilled in management, 
are overwhelming.
  Indeed, running the intelligence community and running the CIA are 
both important enough to be full time jobs.
  That was true before September 11, and it is especially true after 
September 11.
  Even if one person could handle both jobs and reconcile the inherent 
conflicts, there would remain the perception that he or she is favoring 
either the community or the Agency.
  That is not a formula which is well-suited to lead to a seamless and 
fully integrated intelligence community providing optimum analytic 
product to national decision makers or assuring that critical 
intelligence missions are properly allocated and resourced.
  Specifically, then, this legislation would create the new position of 
Director of National Intelligence, DNI, a new independent head of the 
intelligence community with the proper and necessary authority to 
coordinate activities, direct priorities, and create the budget for our 
nation's national intelligence community.
  The DNI would be responsible for all of the functions now performed 
by the Director of Central Intelligence in his role as head of the 
intelligence community, a separate individual would be Director of the 
CIA.
  Nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and serving a 
ten-year term, the DNI would be insulated from the vagaries of politics 
and specifically empowered to create the national intelligence budget 
in conjunction with the various intelligence agencies within our 
government.
  The DNI would be able to transfer personnel and funds between 
intelligence agencies as necessary to carry out the core functions of 
the intelligence community, without the need to seek permission from 
individual agency heads.
  The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, DCIA, freed from the 
double burden as head of the intelligence community, would then be able 
to concentrate on the critical missions of the CIA alone: Assure the 
collection of intelligence from human sources, and that intelligence is 
properly correlated, evaluated, and disseminated throughout the 
intelligence community and to decision makers.
  The critical policy and resource decisions of the President's 
proposed Department of Homeland Defense will only be as good as the 
intelligence which informs those decisions.
  Whatever the other preliminary lessons we may draw from the ongoing 
inquiry into the September 11 attacks, one thing is perfectly clear: we 
need to better coordinate our intelligence and anti-terrorism efforts.
  If the new Department, and the President and Members of Congress, are 
going to be able to get the sort of intelligence we need to both 
safeguard our citizens and protect American national security 
interests, we need to address the structural problems that exist today 
with our intelligence community.
  I believe a first step in finding a solution to this problem is 
relatively simple, enact legislation that would require the head of the 
intelligence community and the head of the CIA to be two different 
people.
  That is what this legislation would do, and I urge my colleagues to 
join me both on this legislation, and in considering other reforms 
which may also be necessary to reformulate of intelligence community to 
meet the challenges of the new era.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. BINGAMAN:
  S. 2646. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to 
establish the National Transportation Modeling and Analysis Program to 
complete an advanced transportation simulation model, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
that I believe will go a long way in helping to reduce congestion and 
improve safety and security throughout the Nation's transportation 
network. Today I am introducing the National Transportation Modeling 
and Analysis Program Establishment Act, or NATMAP for short.
  The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Secretary of 
Transportation to complete an advanced computer model that will 
simulate, in a single integrated system, traffic flows over every major 
transportation mode, including highways, air traffic, railways, inland 
waterways, seaports, pipelines and other intermodal connections. The 
advanced model will simulate flows of both passenger and freight 
traffic.
  Our transportation network is a central component of our economy and 
fundamental to our freedom and quality of life. America's mobility is 
the engine of our free market system. The food we eat, the clothes we 
wear, the materials for our homes and offices, and the energy to heat 
our homes and power our businesses all come to us over the nation's 
vast transportation network. Originating with a producer in one region, 
materials and products may travel via any number of combinations of 
truck, rail, airplane and barge before reaching their final 
destinations.
  Today, the Internet connects the world electronically. But it is our 
transportation network that provides the vital interconnections for the 
movement of both people and goods domestically and around the world. 
According to the latest statistics, today our transportation industry 
carries over 11 billion tons of freight per year worth about $7 
trillion. Of the 3.7 trillion ton-miles of freight carried in 1998, 1.4 
trillion went by rail, 1 trillion by truck, 673 billion by domestic 
water transportation, 620 billion by pipeline, and 14 billion by air 
carrier.
  Individuals also depend on our transportation system, be it passenger 
rail, commercial airline, intercity bus, or the family car, for 
business travel or simply to enjoy a family vacation. Excluding public 
transit, passengers on our highways traveled a total of 4.2 trillion 
passenger-miles in 1998. Another 463 billion passenger-miles traveled 
by air carriers. Transit companies and rail lines carried another 50 
billion.
  We are also interconnected to the world's transportation system, and, 
as I am sure every Senator well knows, foreign trade is an increasingly 
critical component of our economy. Our Nation's seaports, international 
airports, and border crossing with Canada and Mexico are the gateways 
through which passengers and cargo flow between America and the rest of 
the world. The smooth flow of trade, both imports and exports, would 
not be possible without a robust transportation network and the direct 
links it provides to our international ports of entry.
  It should be clear that one of keys to our continuing economic 
strength rests on a transportation system that is safe, secure and 
efficient. Today, we are fortunate to have one of the best 
transportation networks in the world, and I believe we need to keep it 
that way. However, we are starting to see signs

[[Page S5776]]

that portions of the system are beginning to strain under a dramatic 
increase in traffic. For example, according to the Department of 
Transportation, from 1980 to 2000, highway travel alone increased a 
whopping 80 percent. Between 1993 and 1997, the total tons of freight 
activity grew by over 14 percent and truck activity grew by 21 percent. 
In the future, truck travel is expected to grow by more than 3 percent 
per year, nearly doubling by 2020.

  Meanwhile, the strong growth in foreign trade is putting increased 
pressure on ports, airports, and border crossings, as well as 
contributing to congestion throughout the transportation network. 
According to DoT, U.S. international trade more than doubled between 
1990 and 2000, rising from $891 billion to $2.2 trillion.
  Congestion and delay inevitably result when traffic rates approach 
the capacity of a system to handle that traffic. I do believe increased 
congestion in our transportation system is a growing threat to the 
nation's economy. Delays in any part of the vast network lead to 
economic costs, wasted fuel, increased pollution, and a reduced quality 
of life. Moreover, in the future new security measures could also cause 
increased delays and disruptions in the flow of goods through our 
international gateways.
  To deal with the ever-increasing loading of our transportation 
network we will need to find ways to use the system more efficiently as 
well as to expand some critical elements of the system. However, in 
planning for any improvements, it is essential to examine the impact on 
the whole transportation system that would result from a change in one 
part of the system That's exactly the goal of the bill I am introducing 
today.
  By simulating the Nation's entire transportation infrastructure as a 
single, integrated system, the National Transportation Analysis and 
Modeling Program will allow policy makers at the state, regional and 
national levels to evaluate the implications of new transportation 
policies and actions. To ensure that all of the possible interrelated 
impacts are included, the model must simulate individual carriers and 
the transportation infrastructure used by each of the carriers in an 
interdependent and dynamic system. The advantage of this simulation of 
individual carriers and shipments is that the nation's transportation 
system can be examined at any level of detail, from the path of an 
individual truck to national multi-modal traffic flows.
  Some of the transportation issues and questions that could be 
addressed with NATMAP include: What infrastructure improvements result 
in the greatest gains to overall system security and efficiency? How 
would the network respond to shifts in population or trade flows? How 
would the system respond to major disruptions caused by a natural 
disaster or another unthinkable terrorist attack? What effect would 
delays in the system due to increased security measures have on traffic 
flow and congestion?
  Preliminary work on an advanced transportation model has been 
underway for several years at Los Alamos National Laboratory. As I'm 
sure most Senators know, Los Alamos has a long and impressive history 
in the development of computer simulations of complex systems, 
including the recent completion of the TRANSIMS model of transportation 
systems in metropolitan areas. The development of TRANSIMS for FHWA was 
originally authorized in TEA-21.
  The initial work at LANL on NATMAP, funded in part by DoT, DoD, and 
the lab's own internal research and development program, demonstrated 
the technical feasibility of building a nation-wide freight 
transportation model that can simulate the movement of millions of 
trucks across the nation's highway system. During this initial 
development phase, the model was called the National Transportation 
Network and Analysis Capability, or NTNAC for short. In 2001, with 
funding from the Federal Highway Administration, LANL further developed 
the model and completed an assessment of cargo flows resulting from 
trade between the U.S. and Latin America.
  These preliminary studies have clearly demonstrated the value to the 
nation of the NATMAP comprehensive modeling system. I do believe that 
the computer model represents a leap-ahead in transportation modeling 
and analysis capability. Indeed, Secretary of Transportation Norm 
Mineta, in a letter to me dated April 9 of this year, had this to say 
about the effort: ``The DOT agrees that NTNAC shows great promise of 
producing a tool that would be useful for analyzing the national 
transportation system as a single, integrated system. We agree that 
NTNAC would provide DOT with important new capabilities to assess and 
formulate critical policy and investment options and to help address 
homeland security and vulnerabilities in the nation's transportation 
network.''
  I ask unanimous consent that a copy of Secretary Mineta's letter be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                              The Secretary of Transportation,

                                    Washington, DC, April 9, 2002.
     Hon. Jeff Bingaman,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Jeff: Thank you for your letter of January 30 
     expressing your strong support to continue the development of 
     the National Transportation Network Analysis Capability 
     (NTNAC). The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Office 
     of Policy and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have 
     been working closely with Los Alamos National Laboratory to 
     develop this tool.
       During 1998, Los Alamos National Laboratory developed a 
     prototype NTNAC with funding provided by the DOT ($50,000 
     from the Office of the Secretary's Transportation Policy 
     Development Office), the U.S. Department of Defense 
     (TRANSCOM's Military Transportation Management Command), and 
     the Laboratory's own internal research and development 
     program. This effort demonstrated the technical feasibility 
     of building a national transportation network that can 
     simulate the movements of individual carriers (trucks, 
     trains, planes, water vessels, and pipelines) and individual 
     freight shippers.
       During 1999, FHWA provided $750,000 to further develop 
     NTNAC and to complete the study ``National Transportation 
     Impact of Latin American Trade Flows.''
       The DOT agrees that NTNAC shows great promise of producing 
     a tool that would be useful for analyzing the national 
     transportation system as a single, integrated system. We 
     agree that NTNAC would provide DOT with important new 
     capabilities to assess and formulate critical policy and 
     investment options and to help address homeland security and 
     vulnerabilities in the Nation's transportation network.
       However, the Department's budget is very limited. It would 
     be difficult to find funding to continue the project this 
     year. If funding should become available, we will give 
     priority consideration to continuing the NTNAC development 
     effort.
       Again, I very much appreciate your thoughts on the 
     importance of continuing the development of NTNAC. If I can 
     provide further information or assistance, please feel free 
     to call me.
           Sincerely yours,
                                                 Norman Y. Mineta.

  Mr. BINGAMAN. The bill I am introducing today establishes a six-year 
program in the Office of the Secretary of Transportation to complete 
the development of the advanced transportation simulation model. The 
program will also support early deployment of computer software and 
graphics packages to Federal agencies and States for national, 
regional, or statewide transportation planning. The bill authorizes a 
total of $50 million from the Highway Trust Fund for this effort. When 
completed, NATMAP will provide the nation a tool to help formulate and 
analyze critical transportation policy and investment options, 
including major infrastructure requirements and vulnerabilities within 
that infrastructure.
  Next year Congress will take up the reauthorization of TEA-21, the 
six-year transportation bill. I am introducing this bill today so my 
proposal can be fully considered by the Senate's Environment and Public 
Works Committee and by the Administration as the next authorization 
bill is being developed. I look forward to working with Senator 
Jeffords, the Chairman of EPW, and Senator Smith, the ranking member, 
as well as Senator Reid, the Chairman of the Transportation, 
Infrastructure, and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee and Senator Inhofe, the 
ranking member, to incorporate this bill in the reauthorization of TEA-
21.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2646

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

[[Page S5777]]

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``National Transportation 
     Modeling and Analysis Program Establishment Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Advanced model.--The term ``advanced model'' means the 
     advanced transportation simulation model developed under the 
     National Transportation Network and Analysis Capability 
     Program.
       (2) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the National 
     Transportation Modeling and Analysis Program established 
     under section 3.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Transportation.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

       The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program, 
     to be known as the ``National Transportation Modeling and 
     Analysis Program''--
       (1) to complete the advanced model; and
       (2) to support early deployment of computer software and 
     graphics packages for the advanced model to agencies of the 
     Federal Government and to States for national, regional, or 
     statewide transportation planning.

     SEC. 4. SCOPE OF PROGRAM.

       The Program shall provide for a simulation of the national 
     transportation infrastructure as a single, integrated system 
     that--
       (1) incorporates models of--
       (A) each major transportation mode, including--
       (i) highways;
       (ii) air traffic;
       (iii) railways;
       (iv) inland waterways;
       (v) seaports;
       (vi) pipelines; and
       (vii) other intermodal connections; and
       (B) passenger traffic and freight traffic;
       (2) is resolved to the level of individual transportation 
     vehicles, including trucks, trains, vessels, and aircraft;
       (3) relates traffic flows to issues of economics, the 
     environment, national security, energy, and safety;
       (4) analyzes the effect on the United States transportation 
     system of Mexican and Canadian trucks operating in the United 
     States; and
       (5) examines the effects of various security procedures and 
     regulations on cargo flow at ports of entry.

     SEC. 5. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.

       Under the Program, the Secretary shall--
       (1) complete the advanced model;
       (2) develop user-friendly advanced transportation modeling 
     computer software and graphics packages;
       (3) provide training and technical assistance with respect 
     to the implementation and application of the advanced model 
     to Federal agencies and to States for use in national, 
     regional, or statewide transportation planning; and
       (4) allocate funds to not more than 3 entities described in 
     paragraph (3), representing diverse applications and 
     geographic regions, to carry out pilot programs to 
     demonstrate use of the advanced model for national, regional, 
     or statewide transportation planning.

     SEC. 6. FUNDING.

       (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit 
     Account) to carry out this Act--
       (1) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
       (2) $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
       (3) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
       (4) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
       (5) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
       (6) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.
       (b) Allocation of Funds.--
       (1) Fiscal years 2004 and 2005.--For each of fiscal years 
     2004 and 2005, 100 percent of the funds made available under 
     subsection (a) shall be used to carry out activities 
     described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 5.
       (2) Fiscal years 2006 through 2009.--For each of fiscal 
     years 2006 through 2009, not more than 50 percent of the 
     funds made available under subsection (a) may be used to 
     carry out activities described in section 5(4).
       (c) Contract Authority.--Funds authorized under this 
     section shall be available for obligation in the same manner 
     as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 23, 
     United States Code, except that the Federal share of the cost 
     of--
       (1) any activity described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of 
     section 5 shall be 100 percent; and
       (2) any activity described in section 5(4) shall not exceed 
     80 percent.
       (d) Availability of Funds.--Funds made available under this 
     section shall be available to the Secretary through the 
     Transportation Planning, Research, and Development Account of 
     the Office of the Secretary of Transportation.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. Durbin):
  S. 2647. A bill to require that activities carried out by the United 
States in Afghanistan relating to governance, reconstruction and 
development, and refugee relief and assistance will support the basic 
human rights of women and women's participation and leadership in these 
areas; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill for myself 
and Senator Durbin that would ensure that U.S. funded activities in 
Afghanistan support the basic human rights of women and women's 
participation and leadership in all areas of society, development, and 
governance. Importantly, it also specifies that direct aid should be 
targeted to the Ministry of Women's Affairs, which will play a critical 
role in the new government.
  Women in Afghanistan have made significant progress since the Taliban 
was removed from power last year, but there is still a long way to go 
before women are restored to the place they held in society and 
government before the Taliban took power in 1996.
  As I told Chairman Karzai when I visited the country in February, if 
he is truly to restore the people's faith and confidence in the Afghan 
government, women cannot be excluded from the reconstruction process. 
The recent loya jirga did make some strides in the right direction. 
Eleven percent of the participants were women, although only 20 of the 
180 total women were elected--with the rest being appointed. Also, the 
Minister of the Women's Affairs Ministry, Sima Simar, was one of the 
two Deputy Chairs of the loya jirga. Yet, clearly, much remains to be 
done before Afghan women will fully rebuild their health, their 
education, their welfare, their security, and their self-dignity.
  Before the Taliban, Afghan women enjoyed both stature and freedom. In 
fact, many Americans may be unaware that Afghan women were not only 
well educated, they constituted 70 percent of the nation's school 
teachers, half the government's civilian workers, and 40 percent of the 
doctors in the hospital.
  We are all now aware that with the rise of the Taliban, the lives of 
Afghan women dramatically changed. Women were banished from the 
workforce. They were not allowed to earn an living or to support 
themselves or their family, even if they were the sole family 
breadwinner. Tens of thousands of women widowed by decades of war had 
no option to provide for their families. Many turned to begging and 
prostitution.
  Girls could not attend school and women were expelled from 
universities. In fact, incredibly, women were prohibited from even 
leaving their homes at all unless accompanied by a close male relative, 
even in the event of a medical emergency for themselves or their 
children. These women were under house arrest, prisoners in their own 
home.
  And, if that wasn't bad enough, they were prisoners within 
themselves. The Taliban went to great and inhumane lengths to strip 
women of their sense of pride and personhood. Afghan women were forced 
to wear a burqa, a head to toe covering, to make them invisible to the 
world. And for those who dared tread upon or flout these laws, 
penalties for violations of Taliban law ranged from beatings to public 
floggings and executions--all state sanctioned.
  Of course, the Taliban is gone now. Women are slowly returning to 
school and to work. They are beginning to return to their homes from 
refugee camps. Some are even taking part in the new Afghan government. 
But problems still exist.
  Afghan women still make up 75 percent or more of the refugees and 
internally displaced in camps, urban areas, and villages. Afghan women 
still do not have access to sufficient primary health care services, 
including pre- and postnatal care, leading to one of the highest 
maternal mortality rates in the world. And it is believed that more 
than 90 percent of Afghan women are illiterate, which disqualifies them 
from participation in government.
  Every member of society has a role to play in rebuilding, and the 
role of women is especially important. Throughout Afghanistan's years 
of war, it was women who were responsible for food, shelter, and other 
basic human needs. Now, during Afghanistan's massive redevelopment, 
impowering women is critical to improving education, primary health, 
and overall development. Women must be taught the skills they need and 
be given access to the necessary resources to take control of their own 
lives and in turn foster full redevelopment of their country.
  The United States has been a leader in assisting Afghanistan, in 
fact, the

[[Page S5778]]

United States is the largest single provider of assistance to the 
Afghan people, making substantial contributions to emergency relief and 
humanitarian efforts. While we have done much for Afghanistan, 
completing our mission there will require more. Strong and continued 
support from the United States will ensure that the advances made by 
Afghan women since the fall of the Taliban will continue and grow, 
rather than recede.
  By requiring that United States assistance funds to Afghanistan 
promote access for Afghan women to health, education, development, 
governance, and security, this bill will help ensure the prosperity and 
human rights of all Afghan people. As I've said repeatedly, we are 
absolutely right to help Afghanistan build for the future, because as 
we've discovered, we cannot hope for security here until we lay the 
groundwork for stability there. And we cannot have true stability there 
if women are left out of the equation.
  This bill directs that assistance go to support the Ministry of Women 
and Children's Affairs, an important new ministry that is essential for 
reestablishing women's human rights, ensuring that women are included 
in all development efforts, and delivering critical legal, health, 
education, and economic services to women throughout Afghanistan.
  The bill also calls for a portion of United States development, 
humanitarian and relief assistance to be channeled to local Afghan 
organizations so that these organizations, with an already developed 
expertise, can achieve results quickly as time is of the essence. Local 
women's organizations are delivering critical services and have the 
knowledge and experience to assist the United States in delivering 
effective relief aid. These groups need our support.
  The bill also directs financial assistance to build a health 
infrastructure to deliver high-quality comprehensive health care 
programs, and an education infrastructure for primary through higher 
education for Afghan girls and boys, vocational training for women and 
men, and retraining for former combatants. Education is the heart of 
progress and nowhere is this more critical than in Afghanistan.
  Finally, the bill ensures that all United States training of the new 
Afghan police and security forces include training on the protection of 
human rights, especially for women, whose rights have been violated for 
so long. This must end and training for this will give the new 
authorities the training and knowledge to help stop it.
  The potential for prosperity in Afghanistan will only be realized 
when, as in the United States, both men and women have an opportunity 
to participate and contribute. That is what this bill is all about, 
ensuring that women have the access needed to participate and 
contribute in all aspects of rebuilding their country.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. HUTCHINSON (for himself, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. 
        Frist, Mr. Lott, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Gramm, and Mr. Thomas):
  S. 2648. A bill to reauthorize and improve the program of block 
grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families, improve 
access to quality child care, and for other purposes; to the Committee 
on Finance.
  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today with my 
colleague from Alabama, Senator Sessions, to introduce the Personal 
Responsibility, Work and Family Promotion Act of 2002.
  This legislation is based on President Bush's plan to strengthen 
welfare reform, and on the bill already passed by the House of 
Representatives over one month ago.
  The 1996 welfare reform law expires this year, and it is important 
that the Senate work quickly to strengthen one of the most successful 
reforms we have seen in decades. The results are clear: Welfare reform 
has been enormously successful. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 
from 1996 to 2000, the number of mothers participating in TANF, 
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, decreased by about 50 percent; 
2.3 million fewer children live in poverty today than in 1996, Heritage 
Foundation. The poverty rate for African-American children has fallen 
to the lowest point in U.S. history. Employment of young single mother 
has nearly doubled, and employment of single mothers who are high-
school dropouts has risen by two-thirds. And this, amidst arguments 
made in 1996 that this law would seen millions of people into poverty.
  While this is good news, and shows the importance or reforms enacted 
in 1996, we will have work to do. Significant numbers of welfare 
recipients are still not employed and on their way to self-sufficiency. 
That is why I am here today. I join with Senator Sessions to introduce 
the President's welfare reform plan.
  This legislation maintains the important features of the 1996 welfare 
reform law. It emphasizes the themes of work, State flexibility, 
marriage, and child well-being. Our goal for every family on welfare is 
to lead them to self-sufficiency.
  While States have made great improvements in moving recipients to 
work, much more needs to be done. This legislation requires that each 
welfare recipient would have an individual plan devised for them that 
maps out their plan to self-sufficiency. Recognizing that everyone has 
different barriers in gaining employment, these individual plans would 
address the specific needs of each individual and provide opportunities 
for meaningful activity.
  Recipients would be required to participate in activities for 40 
hours per week, simulating the work week of the typical American. This 
40 hours is composed of 24 hours of actual work, and 16 hours of work-
related activities, such as job search, training, education, drug 
treatment, marriage and relationship counseling, and parenting 
education. And states are required to increase their work participation 
rates with modest increases each year. By 2007, States must have 70 
percent of recipients participating in work.
  We have added an important provision in this legislation to ensure 
that the work requirements stay strong. Due to credits that states can 
receive under current law, many work participation rates are 
effectively close to 0 percent. This bill requires that by 2007, states 
have 55 percent of their caseloads working, irrespective of credits 
that the State receives for moving recipients to work. This is an 
important provision that ensures that states are actually focusing on 
work. With the strengthening of these work requirements, we also 
provide significant new flexibility for states. States may apply for a 
new State flex program, allowing them to improve service delivery to 
recipients across various programs.
  TANF is not the only program that benefits low-income persons. Food 
stamps, workforce investment programs, Federal housing programs, and 
adult education programs all serve similar populations, yet program 
requirements are often different. The differences in the administration 
of these programs often deters caseworkers and recipients from knowing 
about all the programs available to them. This state flex program would 
allow a state to apply to the appropriate Cabinet secretaries for 
approval. States must continue to serve the same general population, 
but they could devise a more cohesive approach to delivery of services 
and program eligibility. Waivers could only be granted to proposals 
that are likely to improve the quality of the programs involved, and 
states must have specific objectives in their proposal. Regular 
reporting to Congress is included to maintain proper oversight. This 
new flexibility will provide a real opportunity to serve low-income 
populations seamlessly and without conflicting and cumbersome program 
requirements.

  This bill also provides a modest new investment in supporting healthy 
marriage. A child born and raised outside of marriage will spend an 
average of 51 percent of his childhood in poverty. However, a child 
born and raised by both parents in an intact marriage will spend only 7 
percent of his childhood in poverty.
  While one of the goals of welfare reform is to encourage the 
formation and maintenance of two-parent families, this issue has gone 
largely unaddressed. This legislation authorizes $200 million in 
federal funding to reverse the trend of out-of-wedlock births. States 
may use funds for various purposes, including marital preparation 
programs, high school courses

[[Page S5779]]

about the benefits of healthy marriage, and relationship counseling. 
States will have the flexibility to use the program or programs that 
they determine work best for them.
  Children raised by single parents are 5 times more likely to live in 
poverty, 2-3 times more likely to show behavioral problems, and twice 
as likely to commit crimes or go to jail. Marriage and family formation 
programs will not force anyone into marriage, but will provide people 
with the tools to improve their relationships, both at home, and in the 
working world.
  Finally, important TANF funding would be maintained. Despite an 
unprecedented decline in the caseload, this legislation maintains TANF 
funding at $16.5 billion a year. In addition, the supplemental grants, 
which are important to my home state of Arkansas, are also 
reauthorized.
  This legislation provides an additional $1 billion in child care 
funding. Mandatory funding for the Child Care and Development Block 
Grant would increase to almost $3 billion over the next 5 years.
  While this bill increases mandatory funding for child care, I am 
working with my colleagues in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions Committee to reauthorize and improve the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant. That process is moving forward, and I hope 
that these two both the TANF issues in the Finance Committee, and the 
child care issues in the HELP Committee, will be merged when they are 
considered before the full Senate.
  I hope that the Finance Committee takes this legislation into 
consideration as they work to formulate a plan. I believe that the 
President's plan has strong support, as evidenced by the quick action 
in the House of Representatives, and I encourage my colleagues to join 
me in this effort to improve upon the impressive results in welfare 
reform that we have seen so far. More remains to be done, however, in 
our quest of working towards independence.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President. I rise today along with my colleague, 
Senator Hutchinson, to introduce legislation to reauthorize the 1996 
welfare reform law. Based on the President's welfare improvement 
initiatives, including promoting independence through work, State 
innovation and promoting health marriage and family foundation, this 
bill builds upon the success of the 1996 welfare reforms. Since 
Congress passed welfare reform in 1996, welfare rolls have fallen 
dramatically. Poverty has declined across all categories. Child hunger 
has declined. More single mothers are employed and their income is 
still increasing. Out-of-wedlock births have begun to level off. And 
more children are growing up in married households. By tying welfare to 
work, the 1996 reforms succeeded in making people self-sufficient and 
independent. Yet there is still more that needs to be done.
  Our bill will continue to promote independence through work by 
gradually increasing the work participation standards and allowing 
workers to use up to 16 hours a week for activities to prepare them for 
the workforce including education and training, substance abuse 
treatment, and job readiness assistance. These 16 hours will enable 
welfare recipients to not only find employment, but to open up 
opportunities to become independent and self-sufficient.
  States need the resources and the flexibility that will allow them to 
continue to help families leave welfare for work. This legislation will 
implement the President's ``state flexibility waivers'' which allow 
states to integrate anti-poverty programs from different federal 
departments.
  Senator Hutchinson and I, as members of the Senate Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions Committee will continue to work with our colleagues 
to develop meaningful and comprehensive child care legislation to 
complement the welfare reform bill. I believe that we must work hard to 
create child care programs that focus on school readiness and an end to 
the welfare cycle.
  Part of this legislation includes $200 million in grants to states 
for marriage promotion. One of President Bush's top priorities this 
year has been to remove the financial penalties against marriage within 
the welfare system and to provide services and supports to couples who 
choose marriage for themselves. Our bill will assist them in acquiring 
the knowledge and skills necessary to form and sustain healthy, loving 
and protective marriages. Study after study has shown the 
unquestionable benefits marriage has on our society.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to passing meaningful 
welfare reform legislation that continues to improve upon the welfare 
reforms of 1996 and gives states the resources and flexibility they 
need to help families become stronger and more self-sufficient. I thank 
my colleague from Arkansas, Senator Hutchinson for his work and 
dedication to welfare reform, and I thank President Bush for his vision 
and his dedication to getting this done.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. KENNEDY (for himself and Mr. Frist):
  S. 2649. A bill to provide assistance to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic 
in developing foreign countries; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator Frist in 
introducing this important legislation to help in the international 
battle against the AIDS pandemic. AIDS is the fourth leading cause of 
death in the world. This disease ends lives, destroy families, 
undermines economies, and threatens the stability and progress of 
entire nations.
  We in America know the pain and loss that this disease cruelly 
inflicts. Millions of our fellow citizens, men, women, and children, 
are inflected with HIV/AIDS, and far too many have lost their lives.
  While we still seek a cure to AIDS, we have learned to help those 
infected by the virus to lead long and productive lives through the 
miracle of prescription drugs.
  But this disease knows no boundaries. It travels across borders to 
infect innocent people in every continent across the globe.
  We have an obligation to continue the fight against this disease at 
home. But we should also share what we have learned to help those in 
other countries in this life-and-death battle. And we must do all we 
can to provide new resources to help those who cannot afford today's 
therapies.
  We must carry the fight against AIDS to every corner of the globe, 
and the legislation that I am introducing with Senator Frist today is a 
step in that direction.
  The International AIDS Treatment and Prevention Act provides new 
legal authority and funding to our Nation's strongest health care 
agencies to join the global battle against AIDS. It promotes models of 
community-based care that reach the real people affected by this 
disease; better access to the research and therapies needed to prevent 
transmission of this deadly disease; and most importantly, funds 
research and treatment models to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS from 
mothers to their infants including the family support services 
necessary to stem the orphan crisis.
  Governments can make the difference in battling this epidemic. When 
governments in poor countries have been provided resources to fight the 
spread of AIDS, infection rates have dropped 80 percent. With this 
legislation, the United States will do its part to support countries to 
turn the corner of AIDS on their own.
  I am pleased that the administration is increasing funding for the 
fight against the global AIDS epidemic, and together with this 
legislation, we can truly lead the international community in the fight 
against the greatest public health threat of our times.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator Kennedy today 
to introduce the International AIDS Treatment and Prevention Act. This 
legislation is another important bipartisan step in our global battle 
against AIDS and other infectious diseases. The international crisis of 
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria threatens the entire world. We have 
done much here at home through Ryan White and other programs. We must 
show we can lead the world against these scourges as well. This 
morning, President Bush again underscored this administration's 
commitment, and his personal commitment, to reducing the spread of

[[Page S5780]]

HIV/AIDS and demonstrating consistent, compassionate U.S. leadership in 
this global struggle.
  When I first came to the Senate eight years ago, HIV/AIDS was a 
little understood or recognized problem. In that time I have traveled 
far from the Senate floor. I have been on seven different medical 
mission trips to Africa, most recently, in January, to Uganda, Kenya 
and Tanzania.
  The trips have helped reveal to me the impact that one single virus--
HIV--is having on the destruction of a continent. Not a family. Not a 
community. Not a State. Not a country. An entire continent.
  The statistics of this plague are shocking. Each year, three million 
people die of AIDS, one every ten seconds. Twice that many, 5.5 
million--or two every ten seconds--become infected. That is 15,000 
people a day. Even more tragically, 6,000 of those infected each day 
are between the ages of 15 and 24. Ninety percent of those infected do 
not know they have the disease. There is no cure. There is no vaccine. 
And the number of people infected is growing dramatically.
  The disease toll is incalculable. Thirteen million children have been 
orphaned by AIDS. Over the next ten years, the orphan population may 
well grow to 40 million equivalent to the number of American children 
living east of the Mississippi River. I had the privilege of visiting 
with Tabu, a 28-year-old prostitute, who was leaving Arusha to return 
to her village to die. She stayed an extra day to meet with us. I will 
never forget her cheerful demeanor and mischievous smile as we met in 
her small stick-framed mud hut, no more than 12 feet by 12 feet. Her 
two sisters are also infected; a third sister has already died. Tabu 
will leave behind an eleven-year-old daughter, Adija.
  Not only do HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria produce over 50 
percent of the deaths due to infectious diseases each year, they have 
complex disease patterns that result in facilitating each other's 
spread. By weakening the immune system, infection with HIV increases 
susceptibility to both tuberculosis and malaria. Furthermore, the 
increasing number of multi-resistant tuberculosis cases is largely 
attributed to resistance developed in HIV-infected patients. Finally, 
in treating severe anemia that commonly accompanies illness due to 
malaria, untested blood transfusions create a method of HIV/AIDS 
spread.
  At home in Tennessee, or even here in Washington, DC, Uganda and 
Tanzania feel very far away. But the plague of HIV/AIDS and the chaos, 
despair and civil disorder it perpetrates only undermines the chance 
for democracy to flourish. Without civil institutions, there is 
disorder.
  Last year in South Africa, one of every 200 teachers died of AIDS. In 
a recent study in Kenya, 75 percent of deaths on the police force were 
AIDS-related. HIV-related deaths among hospital workers in Zambia have 
increased 13 fold in the last decade. These losses devastate local 
economies. Botswana's economy will shrink by 30 percent in ten years; 
Kenya's by 15 percent. Family incomes in the Ivory Coast have declined 
by 50 percent, while health care expenditures have risen by 4000 
percent.
  Africa has lost an entire generation. In Nairobi, Kenya, I visited 
the Kibera slum. With a population of over 750,000, one out of five of 
those who live in Kibera are HIV/AIDS positive. As I walked the crowded 
pathways sandwiched between hundreds of thousands of aluminum shanties, 
I was amazed that there were only children or elderly individuals. The 
disease had wiped out the parents the most productive segment of the 
population teachers, military personnel, hospital workers, and law 
enforcement officers. African orphans therefore lack teachers, role 
models and leaders. This leaves them vulnerable to criminal 
organizations, revolutionary militias, and terrorists. Terrorism and 
crime could become a way of life for a young generation.
  Africa is not alone. India, with over 4 million cases of HIV/AIDS, is 
on the edge of explosive growth. China is estimated to have as many as 
10 million infected persons. The Caribbean suffers from one of the 
highest rates of infection of any region in the world. Eastern Europe 
and Russia report the fastest growth of AIDS cases. These nations are 
the next generation in the AIDS crisis they present an opportunity for 
intervention and success if we act quickly and decisively.
  Due to the social, economic and political destructive effects of this 
disease, I'm devoting much of my time to this issue, and in particular, 
to the impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Just as our great nation is the 
leader in the war on terrorism, we must continue to lead the fight 
against AIDS in order to build a better, safer world.
  There is perhaps no greater global issue than the spread of deadly 
infectious disease. As President Bush said today, the United States 
must lead the fight in this international crises. We must now provide 
the leadership to confront the global HIV/AIDS, malaria, and 
tuberculosis epidemics. History will record how we respond to the call.
  We fight this battle in two ways: by improving primary prevention and 
expanding access to treatment. Until science produces a vaccine, 
prevention through behavioral change and awareness is the key. And once 
again, cultural stigmas must be overcome. Through a combination of 
comprehensive national plans, donor support and community-based 
organizations, we can make progress. We know that prevention and 
treatment go hand and hand, and that the necessary infrastructure must 
be present in order to delivery care.
  I have already introduced legislation with Senator Kerry--the U.S. 
Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2002. 
This act would direct the President to work with foreign governments, 
the United Nations (UN), the World Bank, and the private sector to 
establish the Global AIDS and Health Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, 
and tuberculosis. This fund would provide grants to governments and 
non-governmental organizations for implementation of effective and 
affordable HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis programs. Additionally, 
this legislation requires a comprehensive American strategy for 
combating these infectious diseases, enhances programs targeted toward 
empowering women, links debt relief to implementation of health 
programs, extends military to military prevention activities and 
establishes an incentive program for American clinicians to provide 
their expertise abroad.
  The legislation I am introducing today with Senator Kennedy and 
others is a companion to the Foreign Relations bill. This bill codifies 
and expands current authorities of the Department of Health and Human 
Services, HHS, to participate in appropriate HIV/AIDS prevention, 
treatment, care, and support activities in resource poor nations that 
are experiencing an HIV/AIDS crisis. Coupled with S. 2525, the United 
States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 
2002, this legislation would provide a better coordinated, enhanced 
U.S. response to the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS.
  Under The International AIDS Treatment and Prevention Act of 2002, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to implement 
HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria prevention, treatment, care and support 
services principally through the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention and, where appropriate, with the assistance and technical 
expertise of the Health Resources and Services Administration, (HRSA) 
the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health 
(NIH). The Secretary is also granted the authority to alter or renovate 
facilities in foreign countries as is necessary to conduct programs for 
international health activities and to establish family survival 
partnership grants for the provision of medical care and support to HIV 
positive parents and their children.
  This legislation, coupled with the S. 2525, represents an important 
step forward in our response to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. 
History will judge how we as a nation--how we as a global community--
address and respond to this most devastating and destructive public 
health crisis we have seen since the bubonic plague ravaged Europe over 
600 years ago.
  The task looms large, but by uniting with leadership and dedication 
from all--we will succeed in counteracting the devastation of HIV/AIDS 
and stop its advance.




                          ____________________