[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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