[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 119 (Thursday, September 19, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S8914]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[[Page S8914]]
CHARITABLE GIVING
Mr. SANTORUM. Madam President, I rise to talk about a plan that is
being discussed here in the Halls of the Senate and a very important
plan in this time of economic recovery when we are looking at the 1-
year anniversary a week ago of September 11 and the tragedy that has
befallen so many people.
When we look at a lot of hardships going on in America, and while we
had a great response and outpouring of support from the American public
to the victims of 9/11, if we look at the rest of the charitable world,
charitable giving is off about 20 percent. Part of that is the stock
market, and part of it is because of the funds and worthy causes
supporting the victims of 9/11. A lot of the service needs, artistic
needs, and educational needs in communities all across the country are
doing with a lot less money this time of year--at a time when the need
is very great.
We are looking at a piece of legislation and working on a piece of
legislation in the Senate. The Finance Committee marked up a bill in
June to try to help the situation as part of the President's faith-
based initiative. It is a charitable giving package that will
strengthen the nonprofit sector of our economy--those who help in the
human service area--as I mentioned, education and the arts.
We have been working very hard to try to get this legislation on the
floor. Senator Daschle, I know, has given a commitment to the President
that he will in fact bring this measure to the floor of the Senate and
have a vote before the end of this session. We are winding down to the
final days of the session, and that has yet to happen.
Senator Lieberman, I know, has been working very hard, as have I, to
get this legislation to the floor and do it under a unanimous consent
agreement. Obviously, there are a lot of important issues being
discussed, and we want to have the opportunity to have debate and
amendments offered.
We are willing on our side of the aisle to have a limitation on
amendments and a limitation on debate. We have had a discussion back
and forth. The majority leader has suggested the way he would feel
comfortable bringing this legislation up is to have one amendment on
each side.
I have been working very hard on our side. I thank our leader,
Senator Lott, and our ranking member on the Finance Committee, Senator
Grassley, for getting together as a team and working our side of the
aisle to make sure we get that down to one amendment.
We shared that amendment with the Democratic side of the aisle last
week. So we had that amendment out so everybody would know what our
amendment is. There are two other amendments. One will be an amendment
on the Democratic side. I understand Senator Reed from Rhode Island
will be the offerer of that amendment. And then there will be a
managers' amendment. There will be a managers' amendment because there
are certain issues in the underlying CARE Act that Senator Lieberman
and I worked out with the White House several months ago that are not
under the jurisdiction of the Finance Committee and cannot be reported
out of the Finance Committee. They have to be added on the floor.
Senator Lincoln had concerns about provisions in the act. We worked
diligently. Again, I thank Senator Baucus and Senator Grassley for
working this issue. We now have agreement, I understand, on Senator
Lincoln's provision and that is going to be included in the managers'
amendment.
We had an amendment on our side of the aisle from Senator Hutchison
of Texas which had bipartisan support, as Senator Lincoln's did, and we
put that in the managers' amendment.
We had things pop up, and we have been able to work out compromises
and make this happen.
I was just informed a few minutes ago that the majority committee
staff has actually given us the managers' amendment. I thank them for
moving the ball down the field. We are reviewing that amendment. We can
now, with that managers' amendment, actually go through the process of
hotlining the bill on our side of the aisle.
I am very sanguine about our chances of getting approval on our side
of the aisle for this very important legislation affecting millions of
people in need in our society and the thousands upon thousands of
volunteers, people who are committed to helping those less fortunate in
our society. They are waiting for this legislation to pass.
I know the President in speech after speech has asked the Senate to
move forward on this legislation during this time of economic need. We
are approaching that point. I encourage this work to continue.
I understand there is a good-faith effort ongoing, but we are
reaching the end of the session. We have 3 weeks to go. If we pass this
legislation, we have to get our colleagues in the House to act on it.
We do not know how they are going to act on it, but I am hopeful we can
work out something to get this bill to the President before we adjourn
on the 11th of October.
I wish to report that progress is being made. I am hopeful that, with
this information, we can get approval on our side of the aisle for an
agreement. I am hopeful an agreement also can be reached on the
Democratic side so we can move forward and get this very important
bipartisan legislation passed. Senator Lieberman and I are sponsors of
it. I know Senator Daschle announced publicly he is in support of it.
There is broad support on this side of the aisle for the legislation.
This bill affects the people, the armies of compassion on the front
lines meeting the needs of Americans in every State of the country.
This is something very good we can do. It looks small, but it has a
huge impact on millions of Americans if we do this before we leave.
I encourage all those who have an interest in this legislation to
come forward and make sure a unanimous consent agreement is
accomplished very quickly.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
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