[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 136 (Wednesday, October 16, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10557-S10559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--H.J. RES. 123
Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the
Senate receives a continuing resolution from the House, provided it is
identical to H.J. Res. 123, the Senate proceed to consider the
resolution, that it be read three times and passed, and the motion to
reconsider be laid upon the table, all without intervening action or
debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. REID. I now ask unanimous consent that a copy of the resolution
be printed in the Record upon the granting of this consent.
There being no objection, the joint resolution was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
H.J. Res. 123
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That Public
Law 107-229 is further amended by striking the date specified
in section 107(c) and inserting in lieu thereof ``November
22, 2002''.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, as we all know, Congress has not yet
completed action on 11 appropriations bills. These bills fund such
important domestic priorities as homeland security, education, and
veterans medical care.
In order to keep these important functions of Government up and
running, we have already worked with the House to pass two continuing
resolutions, the last of which expires on Friday.
The House of Representatives has just passed and sent to the Senate a
third continuing resolution. House Republicans are now proposing that
we leave town and let the Government run on autopilot until November
22.
Why November 22? By picking a Friday a week before Thanksgiving,
House Republicans are signaling they are not serious about completing
the appropriations bills in November either. It will be extraordinarily
difficult, in the several days before Thanksgiving, for us to get all
the parties together to settle all the issues that have been insoluble
for the past several months.
The House Republican proposal seems designed to be an auto-pilot
until next year, a recipe for a CR that starves basic Government
programs essential to the health and well-being of millions of
Americans. Indeed, several leading Republicans have indicated this is
really their preference.
Senators should not be under any illusion: a long-term CR will do
just that. It will starve vital functions of Government. And you don't
have to take my word for it. According to Representative Bill Young,
the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, a long-
term CR, ``would have disastrous impacts on the war on terror, homeland
security, and other important Government responsibilities.''
Chairman Young wrote that sentence in a memo he sent to Speaker
Hastert. The memo went even further, detailing the impact of a CR on a
host of important domestic programs. Here is a sampling of what
Chairman Young said will be cut: FBI, funding to hire additional agents
to fight terrorism and to continue information technology upgrades
would be denied; bioterrorism, no funding for President's $800 million
initiative to increase funding for new basic bioterror research, to
develop and test a new improved anthrax vaccine, and to assist
universities and research institutions; first responders, no funding
for President's $3.5 billion initiative to provide assistance to local
law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency response teams; SEC/
corporate responsibility, insufficient funding to support current
staffing requirements let alone significant staff increases needed to
monitor corporate behavior; veterans medical care, long-term CR would
leave veterans medical health care system at least $2.5 billion short
of expected requirements; firefighting, $1.5 billion taken from other
Interior Department programs to pay for firefighting costs will not be
replaced; Pell grants, a freeze in this program will result in a
shortfall of over $900 million; Medicare claims, no funding for the
President's $143 million increase to ensure that the growing number of
claims are processed in a timely manner; Special Supplemental Feeding
Program for WIC, funding would be reduced by $114 million below current
levels, meaning less will be available for families that depend on this
program; Social Security claims, no funding for the President's
increase to process and pay benefits to millions of Social Security
recipients.
In addition to the program cuts listed by Chairman Young, the House
CR omits assistance for thousands of farmers all over this country who
are confronting the worst drought in more than 50 years.
This is the wrong way to do business. We should be completing our
work on the bipartisan appropriations bills, not cutting education,
veterans affairs, homeland security and other important priorities.
Each of these bills properly funds key priorities. And, most
importantly, each enjoyed the unanimous support of the Democrats and
the Republicans on the Committee.
There is no reason why the full Senate cannot do the same. Passage of
these bills would fund Government for a year, with no need for any more
stopgap, starvation diet CRs.
Regretfully, our Republican colleagues in the House have refused all
year to consider appropriate funding levels for crucial functions of
Government, even though all Senators on the Senate Appropriations
Committee, Democrats and Republicans, were able to agree on all 13
bills.
The difference between the aggregate total of spending for the
bipartisan Senate bills and the aggregate total proposed by the House
Republican budget resolution is roughly $9 billion in budget authority.
That's a tiny fraction of the $5.6 trillion 10-year surplus that's been
squandered since the current administration came to office.
To hold up funding for all the non-defense areas of Government in
order to claim credit for fiscal responsibility over such a tiny
proportion of overall spending is the height of irresponsibility.
Unfortunately, it is crystal clear that is precisely what our
Republican colleagues would like to see happen. They want to run the
Government on a starvation diet into next year. Because the House
resolution is now the only way to keep the Government operating, it
will be passed by voice vote. But I want to be very clear that, if
there had been a recorded vote on this measure, I would have voted no.
Mr. REID. Madam President, basically what we have just done is pass a
continuing resolution until November 22. This is done with some
trepidation and really with the complete understanding that this is not
the right way to run Government. It would have been so much better had
we been able to pass our appropriations bills. We have not been able to
do that. We have 13 appropriations bills we should pass every year. I
don't have the exact number, but I think following the passage of the
Defense appropriations bill, we have
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passed four bills, maybe only three, leaving tremendous work that
should have been done in committee.
We have tried on a number of occasions to offer consent resolutions
that we could pass the appropriations bills. Senator Byrd wanted to ask
unanimous consent that we pass them all at once. They passed the
Appropriations Committee unanimously; that is, Democrats and
Republicans approved these bills. So it is just a shame.
In fact, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, a
Republican, sent a resolution to Speaker Hastert, which has been
around. Other people have seen it. It is not very private. It is one of
those things here in Washington that is about as private as going to
Tysons Corner shopping--not very private. It is a memo to the Speaker
from the chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
Among other things, he says:
A long-term continuing resolution (CR) that funds
government operations at FY02 levels would have a disastrous
impact on the war on terror, homeland security, and other
important government responsibilities.
He sets out, in a four-page memorandum, all the things that would be
hurt. He does list those, including Social Security, Pell grants,
Medicare claims, a large number of items. And he leaves out a number of
them that I personally believe and many Democrats believe are as
important as those he lists in this memorandum that should be passed.
Had this matter come before the Senate and there had been a rollcall
vote, there is no question that a significant number of Democrats would
have voted in opposition. That is the way things worked out. We could
not be responsible for shutting down Government, because that is what
it would have amounted to.
We are doing this reluctantly. I hope that when we come back,
Chairman Young prevails and at that time we can sit down and pass the
appropriations bills. It is important to every State in the Union that
we do this.
There is a tremendous need to do things such as Government setup,
such as pass the yearly appropriations bills. This is not the right way
to fund Government.
Some have said, including Senator Pat Moynihan, that this is a plan.
These programs that they want to hurt, they can't do it head on, they
can't do it directly, so they do it indirectly.
I am glad that Government is going to be funded. We went through the
Gingrich years where he and his compatriots shut down the Government.
We are not going to do that. We are going to act responsibly. That is
why we allowed this measure to go forward. But we do it with concern,
reservation, and, as I have indicated, with trepidation.
I ask unanimous consent to print in the Record the memorandum from
Chairman Young and Speaker Hastert to which I referred.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Memorandum
To: Speaker Hastert.
From: Chairman C.W. Bill Young.
Re: Impacts of a Long-term Continuing Resolution.
Date: October 3, 2002.
Pursuant to my October 1st correspondence regarding the
state of the appropriations process, I want to provide you
with further analysis of the potential impacts of a long-term
continuing resolution (CR). These projections assume a
current-rate CR excluding one time expenditures that extends
through February or March.
A long-term continuing resolution (CR) that funds
government operations at FY02 levels would have disastrous
impacts on the war on terror, homeland security, and other
important government responsibilities. It would also be
fiscally irresponsible. It would fund low-priority programs
the President has proposed to eliminate.
Homeland Security--The President has proposed a nearly $40
billion increase for homeland security in his FY03 budget.
None of these funds would be provided under a long-term CR.
Assuming Congress completes work on creating a Department of
Homeland Security, a long-term CR would leave this new agency
with very little resources to carry out its new mission.
Projects--A long-term CR ensures that no Member of Congress
would receive a single project. The Committee has received
tens of thousands of requests for billions of dollars from
almost every Member of Congress.
War Supplemental--It is likely that the first item Congress
will consider when we reconvene after the election is a major
supplemental to fund possible military operations in Iraq. It
would be highly problematic to expect the Congress to
complete work on 11 spending bills while working on an urgent
war supplemental.
Homeland security impacts of long-term CR
FBI--We would not have sufficient funding to hire
additional agents to fight terrorism and to continue IT
upgrades that will help the FBI ``connect the dots'' through
data mining proposals and other information infrastructure
enhancements.
TSA--Efforts to improve aviation, maritime and land
security would be seriously curtailed. Port, cargo, and
trucking security would seriously deteriorate. If emergency
funds are excluded from the CR calculation (which is
historically the case), TSA would be under an annual rate of
$1.5 billion for the life of a long-term CR. This would be
only 28% of their FY03 budget request ($5.3 billion). At this
level, it is unlikely TSA could maintain their current
workforce of 32,000 screeners as well as air marshals. TSA
would likely face personnel RIF's. Most airports would not be
able to meet the deadlines for security improvements
established by Congress last December.
Coast Guard--The Coast Guard is requesting a large ($500
million) budget increase in FY03, and much of this is to hire
additional security personnel, such as Maritime Safety and
Security Teams to patrol harbors and respond to suspicious
activity. It also includes funds to expand the sea marshal
program, which escorts DoD and high-risk commercial ships
into port. Under the FY02 level, these safety expenses would
be deferred, or would require diversion of funds from other
critical missions such as drug interdiction or search and
rescue. Coast Guard ``deepwater'' program is slated to expand
from $500 million in FY02 to $725 million in FY03. The
contract was just signed this past June. Under a long-term
CR, the effort will have to be scaled back due to lack of
funding. This will impact shipyards, design companies,
aircraft manufacturers, and integration companies, all around
the country.
Bioterrorism--President has proposed a nearly $800 million
increase for new, basic bioterror research, $250 million to
develop and test a new improved anthrax vaccine, and $150
million to assist universities and research institutions in
upgrading research facilities to conduct secure,
comprehensive research on biolgogical agents. None of these
important initiatives to combat, study and prevent bio-
terrorism would be funded under a long-term CR.
Border Patrol/INS--Efforts to deploy any additional Border
Patrol agents and immigration inspectors at land ports-of-
entry along both the northern and southern borders would be
stalled. Likewise, construction projects that are necessary
to house these additional Border Patrol agents would be
delayed. No funding would be available to continue planning
and implementation of the INS' Entry Exit system, a program
designed to facilitate more secure and controlled access to
this country by non-U.S. citizens.
First Responders--The President has proposed a new
initiative to provide $3.5 billion in assistance to local law
enforcement, fire departments and emergency response teams
across the Nation. No funds would be provided for this
program, one of the highest domestic security priorities for
the President and his Homeland Security advisor, Tom Ridge.
Hospital preparedness--We would not have sufficient funds
to assist hospitals in making the necessary infrastructure
improvements and expansions so that they are prepared to
respond to bio-terrorism emergencies.
Diplomatic security--We would not have the funds to hire
additional State Department security staff for deployment
overseas, or to carry out needed technical and physical
security upgrades.
Office of Homeland Security--The Office of Homeland
Security was funded through the $20 billion supplemental.
Under a clean CR, this office would not be funded.
Programmatic Impacts of Long-term CR
SEC/Corporate Responsibility--We would not be able to fund
current staffing requirements, let alone support significant
staff increases needed to fight corporate fraud and protect
investors.
Veterans--The veterans medical care system will likely be
at least $2.5 billion short of expected requirements.
Veterans would be deprived of significant increases in
medical care proposed by the President and the House budget
resolution.
NIH--We would not be able to scale-up significantly Federal
support for bio-preparedness research and development as
proposed by the President. Anthrax vaccine research and
development also would be slowed. It would forgo the nearly
$4 billion proposed for the National Institutes of Health
which is consistent with Congress commitment to double
funding for NIH over a set period of time.
Foreign Operations--Afghanistan reconstruction, including
the famous Presidential ring road, would stall, increasing
chances that unrest and killings would resume there as the
Iraq matter comes to a head. It will severely cut the U.S.
contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria and reduce by 30% funds for Plan Colombia.
Firefighting--Interior has already spent $1.5 billion on
firefighting above what provided in FY02. This has come at
the expense of other programs including Member
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projects. These bills would not be paid under a long-term CR.
Pay--All agencies would have to absorb Federal employee pay
increases due in January. This will make it much more
difficult for agencies to operate under a current rate and
result in widespread layoffs and furloughs.
Pell Grants--A freeze in the Pell program will result in
the accumulation of a significant shortfall. There will be a
shortfall of over $900 million, even when factoring in the $1
billion supplemental appropriation provided to the program in
fiscal year 2002.
DEA--We would be unable to hire new agents in response to
FBI restructuring, which shifted 400 FBI drug agents to
counter-terrorism. We have proposed to hire hundreds of new
agents to fight the war on drugs. Not a single new agent
would be hired under a long term CR leaving a significant gap
in the federal government's drug enforcement capabilities.
GSA Construction--No new starts for any GSA line-item
construction ($630 million); would delay $300 million for 11
courthouse construction projects, $30 million for 6 border
station construction projects, and $300 million for 5 other
construction projects, including funds for consolidating Food
and Drug Administration facilities, a major Census building,
and the US mission to the UN in New York. Projects would
become more expensive due to inflation.
Campaign Finance Reform--No funding for implementation of
the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act making it difficult for
the Federal Elections Commission to implement the reforms
signed into law by the President.
Federal Prisons--Insufficient activation funds to four
Federal prisons that are scheduled to open in FY 2003,
exacerbating the already overcrowded conditions in the
Federal prison system.
Medicare claims--We would not be able to provide additional
funding, as proposed by the President, to handle the
increased Medicare claims volume in a timely manner. The
President proposed a $143 million increase to adequately
process the growing number of claims. A long term CR would
significantly slow down the claims process and unnecessarily
inconvenience Senior Citizens who depend on Medicare.
Yucca Mountain--A CR at the FY2002 enacted level of $375M
would significantly cut DOE's nuclear waste repository
program by over $200 million. This would cause real delays in
the scheduled opening of the facility.
The Special Supplemental Feeding Program for Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC) would be reduced $114 million
from current levels. This would result in less assistance
being available for families who depend on this important
program, especially in uncertain economic times.
The Food and Drug Administration would be reduced by $138
million which would result in immediate furloughs and RIFs
among newly hired employees responsible for enhanced
availability of drugs and vaccines, and for increased food
safety activities (primarily surveillance of imported food
products, an identified vulnerability).
Social Security--The President also asked for a significant
increase in funds to process and pay benefits to the millions
of Social Security recipients.
Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Dayton). Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, my understanding is we are in a period of
morning business. Is that right?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.
____________________