Congressional Record, Volume 149 Issue 83 (Monday, June 9, 2003)

[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 83 (Monday, June 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7511-S7512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[Congressional Record: June 9, 2003 (Senate)]
[Page S7511-S7512]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr09jn03-99]

SCHEDULE

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning there will be an hour of
morning business for Senators to give statements and introduce
legislation. At 1 p.m. today, the Senate will resume consideration of
S. 14, the Energy bill. Chairman Domenici will be here and available
for Members to come to the floor today and to offer their amendments.
Last week, in addition to finishing action on the child tax credit
and the Defense authorization bill, we were able to make progress on
the Energy bill. The Senate worked its will on a number of amendments
relating to ethanol. We conducted six rollcall votes on that issue last
week, and I thank all Members in the energy debate last week and look
forward to their continued participation over the course of this week.
We will continue to move forward on this important legislation to
produce a national energy policy which our Nation so badly needs.
To this end, we will continue to have discussions with the other side
of the aisle in an effort to reach an agreement on the remaining
amendments to the Energy bill. We would like to finish consideration of
the bill this week, so it is my hope that we will have a filing
deadline for amendments to allow the chairman and the ranking member to
work through an amendment list. Again, we are working with the chairman
and ranking member and our colleagues to produce such a list.
As a reminder, there will be a rollcall vote today beginning at 5:45.
That vote will be on the confirmation of the nomination of Michael
Chertoff to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit.
For the remainder of the week, Chairman Domenici will continue to
process amendments on the Energy bill. In addition, we are working on
an agreement for the FAA reauthorization bill. This week, we will be
looking for the appropriate window to consider that reauthorization of
the Federal Aviation Administration.
Also, we will continue to work toward consent agreements on the State
Department authorization bill as well as the bioshield bill so that
they can be placed on the Senate's schedule as well.
This week, we will likely--almost certainly--consider a bill on which
Senator McConnell has been working related to Burma and proposed
sanctions.
Finally with respect to the schedule, I would remind my colleagues
that on Monday of next week--that is, 7 days from today--the Senate
will begin consideration of a Medicare improvement and prescription
drug bill. Members should expect busy sessions during both this week
and the 2 following weeks; that is, the total of the coming 3 weeks
prior to the next scheduled adjournment.
We have had a very productive session thus far. I do want to thank
all Members for their hard work and cooperation.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, if I may, briefly, our leader announced to
the assembled Democrats last Thursday that we were not going to ask for
a filing deadline on amendments but we would request from our folks a
finite list of amendments so that we could get a list of the amendments
people wished to offer. We were confident the Democrats were going to
offer amendments that would be relevant to the bill. I am not sure what
that term means--but anyway, in keeping with the Energy bill. So we can
work, then, with those who have offered amendments.

I have spoken to both managers of the bill. Toward the end of last
week, we had a little problem in that our side had an amendment to
offer and some of our Senators were not here; Senator Domenici wanted
to offer an amendment and some of his Senators were not here. I hope
this week we can just move forward with the amendments. Senator
Domenici has an amendment

[[Page S7512]]

dealing with Indians he wants to offer right away. We hope that can be
done. He knows there is going to be a second-degree amendment offered
to that. That will take several hours.
I think we are moving down the road on this most important energy
legislation. Once we get the amendments, we can better advise the
majority leader and Senator Daschle as to how long we estimate it will
take. We have acknowledged, in our assembled meetings of Democrats,
that we appreciate your allowing the Senate to work its will, and not,
as has been done in the past on more occasions than we would like to
acknowledge, just filing cloture. You have indicated you are not going
to do that until you believe it is necessary, and I don't think it is
necessary, at this stage.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I appreciate the comments of the assistant
Democratic leader. We are in discussions. The real objective is to have
a list of amendments so we can have the definition to both gather
support on both sides of the aisle and to really give a focus so we can
establish a roadmap by which we can adequately debate, adequately amend
this bill appropriately so. That is the purpose. Again, we are working
on both sides of the aisle, with the two managers of the bill to that
end.
Mr. President, I want to very briefly comment on the last 2 weeks. As
we start each week--at least as I start each week, I can't help but
come in early Monday morning and look at where we have been and project
where we are going. As I laid out the schedule, where we are going is
pretty clear, in terms of how we will spend the next 3 weeks on the
floor of the Senate. I hope the clarity and the specific plan that I
lay out--recognizing it can be modified at any time and should be
modified according to circumstances that arise over the course of the
day, but I hope that outlook, that vision of where we are going, that
agenda setting, does facilitate the overall action, debate, and
amendment process of this body.
It also gives me the opportunity to look back over the last 2 weeks.
Indeed, as I look back over the last 2 weeks, we made huge progress, I
believe, especially for America's taxpayers. That 2003 jobs and growth
bill passed by Republicans in the Senate, signed by President Bush,
will provide an average of $1,786 in tax relief for over 45 million
married couples. Forty million families with children will see their
taxes lowered by over $1,549.
Six million single mothers will receive an average tax cut of over
$550. Twelve million elderly taxpayers will receive an average tax cut
of $1,401. Meanwhile, 3 million individuals and families will be taken
off the tax rolls completely.
Indeed, that is progress. That is action. That is delivery for the
American people. Republicans in the House and Senate worked hard to
provide this substantial tax relief for America's working families.
Indeed, we have delivered.
Democrats spent a lot of time talking about tax relief for minimum-
wage families. But it was the Republicans who took action and got tax
relief done. Thanks to Republicans, the Senate now has provided tax
relief for families at all income levels, including middle-class
families in which both parents work. Working families will now have
extra money in their budgets to pay the bills, to purchase clothes, to
put food on the table, and maybe even take a family road trip.
Last week, we passed a second tax bill that provides additional tax
relief for families with children. This bill included some important
tax reforms as well. This second family tax relief bill in 2 weeks
creates a uniform definition of a child. Instead of five confusing and
even seemingly conflicting and separate definitions, the Tax Code has
been simplified to make it easier for folks to fill out the forms and
get the tax relief to which they are entitled.
Tax simplification has been a longstanding goal of Republicans.
Expect more efforts on the part of Republicans to make the Tax Code
more understandable and less burdensome for America's tax filers.
That family tax relief bill will also accelerate the currently
scheduled increase in the refundability of the child tax credit, and it
will phase in the elimination of a marriage penalty that is built into
that current formulation of the credit. These fixes will allow the
child tax credit to benefit more middle-income families.
Together, just in the last 2 weeks, the 2003 jobs and growth package
coupled with the family tax relief bill provide the third largest tax
relief in the history of the United States. These actions have helped
lift consumer confidence.
Interest rates and inflation remain low. Credit conditions have
improved as long-term interest rates have fallen to their lowest levels
since the 1950s. Families are rebalancing their debt from short-term
consumer credit to longer term credit such as mortgages--a wise and
prudent move. We are seeing declines in energy prices.
We have a lot of reasons to be optimistic. Economic growth increased
1.6 percent in the first quarter of this year, up slightly from 1.4
percent in the last quarter of this year. Many economists expect
continued growth in the current quarter. Consensus forecasts expect
growth to approach 3.7 percent by the final quarter of this year.
I say this in a very optimistic vein as we look to the future. Yet
there are some clouds. We heard last week the unemployment rate has
risen to levels last seen in the economic upturn of 1994. This suggests
the growth in the economy over the last few years has been in large
part due to rapid productivity gains.
In addition, since 1999, the rising cost of health benefits has
exceeded the growth in wages and salaries. As a result, health care
costs are driving up the cost of hiring and employing workers. In other
words, good jobs are becoming more expensive--another important reason
we need to strengthen Medicare, to save and preserve and strengthen and
indeed modernize Medicare and add prescription drug coverage the right
way, not just giving new benefits without consideration that we have an
obligation to make sure whatever we promise can be sustained, not just
in the short term and in the midterm but in the long term.

We need to look at all the ways we can expand the economy, and in
turn increase the supply of good jobs for America's workers.
If we look to the last 2 weeks and project over the next 3 weeks as
we have addressed tax relief and tax reform, a sound sustainable energy
policy as well as strengthening and improving Medicare and adding a
prescription drug benefit, I think the American people and our
colleagues will agree we are moving America forward by doing business
in a sound and productive way.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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