[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 151 (Friday, October 24, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13194-S13205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO THE LATE SENATOR PAUL WELLSTONE

  Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I want to thank the distinguished majority 
leader for setting aside time today for those of us who wish to share 
our tributes and thoughts regarding our colleague who, 1 year ago 
tomorrow, passed away in a tragic plane crash, Senator Paul Wellstone.
  Paul was a friend of mine for over 20 years and my colleague, mentor, 
and partner here for the first 2 years of my term. It is hard to 
believe it was a year ago now that he boarded a small charter plane to 
go up to northern Minnesota and somehow, impossibly and horribly, it 
crashed as it was trying to land there. It was demolished by the impact 
and by a fire that killed all eight people on board--Senator Wellstone; 
his wife and partner of 39 years Sheila; his daughter Marcia; the 
associate chair of the Minnesota Democratic Party, Mary McEvoy; and two 
of Paul's trusted aides, Tom Lapic and Will McLaughlin; as well as the 
plane's two pilots.

  I have felt deep sadness and futile anger many times as I have 
entered this Chamber during the past year and as I walk by Paul's 
desk--which to me will always be Paul's desk. I have always felt his 
absence at caucus lunches, committee hearings, and policy debates. 
Always I miss his courage, his eloquence, his passion, and his deep 
caring for other people and their well-being, especially for all the 
people who have most often been ignored or forgotten in the stampedes 
of the rich and powerful, which occur regularly around here.
  Thousands of Minnesotans and other Americans have felt similar grief, 
despair, anger, hopelessness, and profound loss during this past year. 
No one in my lifetime has meant so much to so many people in Minnesota 
as Paul and Sheila Wellstone.
  Paul once wrote that politics is not about left, right, or center; it 
is about speaking to the concerns and circumstances of people's lives. 
Paul practiced what he preached. He was both by gut instinct and by 
reasoned conviction a man of the people. The rich and the famous held 
no special sway over him. Senatorial trappings, perks, and offerings 
did not appeal to him.
  Instead, he was drawn to the real people, everyday Americans going 
about their business in their homes, schools, farms, offices, and union 
halls. They were the people who aroused his personal passions and 
instructed his political purposes. Their misfortunes became his causes. 
Their injustices forged his remedies. Their hopes and dreams inspired 
his orations. He was their Senator, their champion, and their hero.
  Paul liked to say he was the Senator for the little fellows, as he 
jokingly pointed at his own height. He may have been short, but he was 
in every other respect a big, big man, with a big heart, big ideas, big 
courage.
  He became a towering political leader. His popularity and prestige 
were enormous in Minnesota, and they were growing nationwide, 
especially with people who were hungry for real leadership. Had he 
lived and had he won reelection, his star would be shining even more 
brightly than ever before, which is why the darkness surrounding his 
absence is so hard to bear for his family, his friends, and his 
followers.
  His best was still to come. He understood, as he said, that people 
yearned for a politics that speaks to and includes them and that offers 
them something real. As Paul admonished his colleagues, especially 
those of us in his own caucus, the question is not how to communicate 
our agenda but whether we have an agenda worth communicating. Paul did.
  Nothing illustrated better his greatness, his unfailing ability to 
rise up to the challenge, to summon his courage, and to act rightly 
than one of his last votes in the Senate a year ago. The Senate was 
about to begin its consideration of a resolution authorizing the 
President to initiate military action against Iraq. Paul was in the 
final weeks of a very tough reelection contest against my distinguished 
colleague from Minnesota who is presiding at this moment, and many of 
his friends and political advisers were urging Paul to support this 
resolution. Doing so, they said, would assure his victory. Voting 
against it, they warned, could seal his defeat.

  Paul was still wrestling with this decision when an article appeared 
in one of the Capitol press reports which quoted an unnamed Senate aide 
as saying the Democratic caucus was trying to devise a political cover 
to help Paul and others in close reelections finesse this tough vote.
  At a caucus meeting later that day, Paul was as furious as I had ever 
seen him. He wasn't seeking anyone's cover, he fumed. He had never 
tried to duck a difficult vote, and he refused to do so now. He 
finished by saying: Whether Minnesotans agree with my decisions or not, 
they know I am doing what I believe is right. If I lose that trust, I 
have lost everything.
  He left the meeting and went straight to the Senate floor and gave a 
powerful speech announcing he would vote against any resolution which 
gave the President complete and unilateral authority to start the war 
in Iraq.
  In the following days, his last days on Earth, Paul was the most 
relaxed and upbeat I had seen him since his reelection campaign began. 
He was, of course, delighted with what he said were poll numbers which 
had boosted his standing after making that speech but, more 
importantly, he knew he had done what he believed was right. Principle 
had again prevailed over expediency. His integrity, his courage to 
stand up for his convictions, and his inspiring eloquence in speaking 
the truth were the essence of what he offered to the voters of 
Minnesota, and he knew

[[Page S13195]]

he had reestablished that connection, that special bond that he and 
only he had with so many Minnesotans.
  He boarded that plane a year ago tomorrow, hopeful and optimistic of 
a victory in 11 days. That we will never know. But I say: Paul, you 
were right. You were and you always will be a winner.
  Ernest Hemmingway, in his book ``Farewell to Arms,'' wrote:

       Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their 
     fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their 
     society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in 
     battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential 
     vital quality of those who seek to change a world which 
     yields most painfully to change.

  The Senate body recognized Paul's rare greatness last year by 
authorizing $10 million for a project selected by Paul and Sheila's two 
surviving sons, David and Mark Wellstone, the Neighborhood House in St. 
Paul. Mr. President, $8.9 million was appropriated for fiscal year 2003 
through the good efforts of my colleague, Senator Coleman. He and I 
share the hope that the remaining $1.1 million, to fulfill the Senate's 
commitment, will be appropriated for fiscal year 2004. It is a 
wonderful project, and it will benefit many people in Paul and Sheila's 
name for many years to come.
  We can do something even more significant, even more befitting Paul's 
memory. We can pass the legislative initiative that was closest to his 
heart and to which he devoted himself in the last 5 years of his life, 
and that is mental health parity.
  Senator Domenici, whose personal dedication to this just cause equals 
Paul's, has carried that torch forward. He has been joined by Senator 
Kennedy who, like Paul, has also championed so many efforts to help 
those among us who are most in need. Senator Domenici informed me this 
week he is optimistic the bill will be considered by the Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee within the next 2 weeks, and 
hopefully will be passed out of that committee and put on the Senate 
calendar where it might even be taken up and acted upon this year.
  That is incredibly good news for Paul and Sheila's families for whom 
this means so much. It is incredibly good news to the many 
organizations throughout the country that have joined to help support 
and enact this critically important and needed legislation. It is most 
incredibly good news to the many Americans who will benefit from it, 
who will finally have access to the health care they need at prices 
they can afford.
  Even then, however, the bill faces major obstacles. The House 
leadership is reportedly opposed to it; the White House is supposedly 
against it; the insurance companies hate it; and many health care 
providers would also prefer that it just not be passed.
  So nothing has changed down here, Paul. It is the same battle: 
Profits for the bigger fellows versus services for the little fellows. 
Only this time, Paul Wellstone will not be able to champion the cause 
for the little fellows. He cannot come to this Senate floor every 
month, week, or even every day, if necessary, to remind us, to 
challenge us, to cajole us, to do what is best for most of our 
constituents. So all of us must do it without him and do it for him. 
Surely we can find it within ourselves to vote once for something to 
which Paul gave his entire life, and his life itself.
  So, my friend and colleague, we will go on missing you. We will do 
our best without you to advance the causes which you have championed.
  Somehow saying ``rest in peace'' does not seem to fit your style. So 
instead, I hope there is a great debating hall up in heaven, that you 
are seated with other great Senate voices such as Daniel Webster and 
Henry Clay. I hope your microphone cord is long enough for you to roam 
while you speak and that there are no time agreements limiting debate. 
Please keep your eye on the rest of us down here and, if you can, send 
us a little of your wisdom and your inspiration, especially when we 
face the choices between principles and expediency, profits and people, 
between what is easiest for us and what is best for everyone else, the 
people we are elected to serve. Keep reminding us, if you will, that as 
once said, inasmuch as ye have done so unto the least of these thy 
brethren, ye have done so unto me.
  I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Dole). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
friend and former colleague, Paul Wellstone. I know we have just heard 
from the distinguished Senator from Minnesota, and I listened carefully 
to his message. He conveyed so much of what we all feel.
  The Senator from Minnesota had the privilege of knowing Paul 
Wellstone very well, and that was indeed a privilege because everybody 
with whom he worked knew what an unusual and--I will use a trite word--
fantastic fellow he was as a person.
  It hardly seems possible that a year has passed since we received the 
terrible news that Paul and Sheila, his beloved wife--they were a great 
team--their daughter Marcia, and loyal staff members Tom Lapic, Mary 
McEvoy, and Will McLaughlin were also lost in that tragic plane crash. 
The crash also claimed the lives of the two pilots, Richard Conry and 
Michael Guess.
  This weekend marks the first anniversary of this immeasurable loss to 
our country, and we pause for a moment to honor the memory of these 
extraordinary individuals. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their 
families and their loved ones.
  Paul and Sheila Wellstone devoted their lives to giving a voice to 
the voiceless. He saw his mission in the Senate and his life as 
comforting the afflicted and, when necessary, afflicting the 
comfortable. That was Paul Wellstone in a nutshell. In social justice 
circles, it is called speaking truth to power.
  Everyone admired Paul for the fact that he spoke from his heart. He 
cast his votes in this Chamber based on his deep beliefs. He had a 
strong moral compass, unwavering in his convictions, never changing his 
message to please any particular audience. One of his favorite 
expressions in that connection was an old Jewish proverb that you 
cannot dance at two weddings at the same time. He was always answering 
to the mission that he believed could mean something to most people.
  He conformed his style somewhat after coming to the Senate, but he 
never sold out. He always had that kind of impish look, a half smile on 
his face, but often at the same time with a deeply furrowed brow. He 
never joined the establishment. He just had diplomatic relations with 
it.

  During his time in the Senate, Paul led legislative battles to make 
health care more accessible, protect seniors' pensions from corporate 
raiders, and authored historic ethics and lobbying reform legislation 
that is now the law of the land. He has forever changed how we do 
business here on Capitol Hill.
  He and Sheila were leaders in combating the scourge of domestic 
violence. Sheila was a working member of Paul's office and became a 
respected national voice in her own right as she traveled the country, 
dedicating herself to this important cause. In the year 2000, Paul 
teamed with his colleagues on the other side of the aisle to pass 
historic bipartisan legislation to prevent the international sex 
trafficking of women and girls, establishing the first ever penalty for 
those so despicable as to enslave and traffic in other people.
  He teamed with our colleague, Senator Domenici, to require health 
insurance companies to provide more equitable coverage and benefits to 
people suffering from mental illness. It was the right thing to do, it 
was the fair thing to do, and he prevailed.
  It is my hope that before the end of this Congress we are going to 
honor Paul Wellstone's fighting, fair-minded spirit by passing the Paul 
Wellstone Mental Health Parity Act into law. It would also be the right 
thing to do.
  Paul Wellstone deeply loved his country and, speaking from my view of 
Paul Wellstone, his country loved him. Many people who did not know him 
as we had the privilege of doing, would so much respect him from 
hearing his

[[Page S13196]]

fiery oration about what was right. And he stood up to anybody. He was 
willing to be the odd person out when it came to issues of 
significance. He wanted them always to be right.
  He demanded that we be the best that we can be and was never more 
passionate than when he was trying to right a wrong, holding up a 
mirror to a government that has not always kept its promises--
especially to its veterans. Paul worked tirelessly on behalf of 
veterans, helping to pass legislation to aid homeless veterans and to 
secure compensation for atomic veterans suffering from cancers due to 
radiation exposure during their military service.
  In Paul's words:

       I am very proud that atomic veterans and their families 
     will finally get the VA benefits and compensation they 
     deserve, and also the recognition of the terrible personal 
     sacrifices that they made on behalf of the nation, so long 
     denied to them.

  He continued:

       This has been a long fight, but one that was well worth it. 
     This was a victory, not only for atomic veterans, it was a 
     victory for justice, and for all of our Nation's citizen-
     soldiers. America is a safer place because of it.

  One of the last votes Paul cast in this Chamber was for a 
multilateral approach to our situation in Iraq. During the debate, he 
argued as follows:

       Acting now on our own might be a sign of our power. Acting 
     sensibly and in a measured way, in concert with our allies, 
     with bipartisan congressional support, would be a sign of our 
     strength.

  Paul Wellstone will long be remembered for his strength: for his 
strength of mind, strength of spirit, and the steely tenacity and 
strength of his convictions. What gifts he gave to us all. He will 
forever be missed.
  I yield the floor. 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. REED. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REED. Madam President, I rise today to commemorate the life of 
Senator Paul Wellstone and to urge the Senate Republican leadership to 
pave the way for the expeditious passage of the Paul Wellstone Mental 
Health Parity Act.
  Earlier this week, I joined a number of my colleagues in sending a 
letter to the majority leader, urging him to set aside other business 
yesterday so we could take up and pass this very important legislation. 
I regret that could not be accomplished yesterday.
  This Saturday, October 25, marks the 1-year anniversary of the tragic 
death of our dear colleague, Paul Wellstone, his lovely wife Sheila, 
and six others: his daughter Marcia; Mary McEvoy of St. Paul, a 
professor of educational psychology at the University of Minnesota and 
also the associate chairwoman of the State Democratic-Farmer-Labor 
Party; Tom Lapic, of Eden Prairie--Tom was Senator Wellstone's deputy 
State director and long-time associate and aide, and William 
McLaughlin, a 23-year-old who was Senator Wellstone's personal 
assistant and driver.
  All of these individuals were dedicated, passionate public servants 
who shared Paul Wellstone's vision, his dedication and commitment to a 
better America, a place where opportunity was the heritage of all. For 
anyone who had the honor to serve with Paul and to see him here, his 
image and his memory still linger in this Chamber. To see him 
passionately and fearlessly fight for people--and not the wealthiest, 
but poorest, those who needed an opportunity to move ahead--that image 
of him stays with me and stays with so many of my colleagues.
  Many times we would not agree. Many times we would differ. But no one 
in this Chamber doubted his passion, his commitment, and his selfless 
dedication to this country. He challenged us. In fact, Paul probably 
challenged his colleagues more than any other Member.
  He would speak here when it was inopportune and inconvenient for him, 
but he would do it because he felt a commitment and a need to speak, to 
give voice to those who were voiceless in this country.
  He believed the Government had not only the obligation but also the 
ability to help people--not just to cradle them from birth through 
their lives but to give them opportunities and skills so they could use 
these skills to better themselves and better the Nation.
  He was enthusiastic about helping people lift themselves out of 
poverty, about bringing justice to those who had been victimized, and 
hope to those who were desperate.
  He cared about all the issues that are before us in the Senate. But 
one issue he cared so much about, for which he advocated so strenuously 
and which he articulated so passionately, was the fact that our mental 
health system needs additional improvement; that there is disparity 
between the treatment given to those with physical pain and treatments 
given to those individuals with mental anguish.
  He also was passionate in denouncing the stigma we attach to mental 
illness too often in this country. He fought effectively, and his 
efforts culminated in 1996 with the original Mental Health Parity Act. 
It was thought that this historic bill that would put mental health 
services on the same level as physical health services by essentially 
telling insurers whatever you do in terms of physical health problems 
you must also do in terms of mental health problems. However, it was 
discovered after passage of the Act that insurance companies and others 
were able to find ways to circumvent the law, so additional efforts 
would be necessary.
  He stood up, along with our colleague and our friend Senator Pete 
Domenici of New Mexico, to lead the fight to make the parity law of 
1996 even better, more effective, and stronger.
  Last summer it appeared we were on the verge of a breakthrough when 
President Bush indicated he supported this concept of a mental health 
parity standard. Yet we are still without effective action.
  I was very pleased to join Senator Domenici, Senator Kennedy, and 
others to sign on to the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable 
Treatment Act in honor of our esteemed colleague. But today, despite 
having 66 cosponsors, this legislation has not been brought to the 
floor of the Senate. We are indeed seeing tremendous strains on our 
health care system, but this is one of the most critical problems. 
There are those who say it is going to cost too much if we address 
mental health parity seriously. My argument is the costs today are 
immense, and if we don't deal with these mental health issues, it will 
continue to grow.
  In my State of Rhode Island, we have a very active community mental 
health system. I suggest we probably have saved dollars over the course 
of the last couple of decades. But we can't do this unless we have a 
commitment to parity between physical health issues and mental health 
issues.
  The majority leader has indicated that his preference is to do this 
through the committee process. We have a markup scheduled for next 
Wednesday on health care issues. That would be the ideal opportunity to 
schedule the Paul Wellstone legislation and do our best to pass it. 
Working with the majority leader and the chairman of the HELP 
committee, I hope we can do that, or certainly at the earliest possible 
opportunity have committee action to take up the Paul Wellstone bill.
  There is one other area which Senator Wellstone was passionate about. 
In fact, I can hear him now. His desk was right behind me. He would 
prowl up and down the corridor, and go as far as the cord would let him 
go. He would speak out. One issue on which he spoke so eloquently was 
the issue of funding education--the No Child Left Behind Act. He was 
one of the few dissenters. He said prophetically this might be a good 
plan, but without resources it wouldn't work. Ironically, today we 
struggle to get those resources. He would say, we can't reform 
education on a tin cup. Unfortunately, we still seem to be passing 
around that tin cup rather than funding education robustly as we must.
  I hope we can move aggressively on the Paul Wellstone Mental Health 
Parity Act. I hope also we can find those resources to fund education 
and the No Child Left Behind Act. In doing that, we will pay tribute to 
a Senator who honored us and honored his country with his public 
service.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa is recognized.

[[Page S13197]]

  Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, I join with my colleagues here on the 
Senate floor today to mark the 1-year anniversary of the tragic death 
of our friend and beloved colleague, Paul Wellstone, and his wife 
Sheila.
  As I look around the Chamber here in the Senate today, I see men and 
women of remarkable talents and ability. It is kind of a family here in 
the Senate. Regardless of our ideological beliefs or party preferences, 
we all understand what we went through to get here and how we work and 
what we have to do. We have our differences. We meet, we argue, and we 
vote. But underneath it all, the Senate is kind of a family. That is 
good. Like all families, we may have our squabbles, but like a family, 
I have a strong sense there is kind of a void in our midst. A very 
special Senator, a Member who played a unique role in this body, is 
missing. It is as though we are suffering from the phantom-limb 
syndrome. The phantom-limb syndrome is when a person loses a limb, and 
even as time goes on, sometimes it feels like it is there. When an 
issue of moral urgency and an issue of conscience comes to the Senate 
floor, I still expect to see Paul standing over there chopping the air 
with his hands, speaking with his own unique special passion, and 
urging us to do the right thing. Yes, it is like we have the phantom-
limb syndrome. Once in a while, you expect to hear Paul speaking out 
here. He was truly the soul of the Senate.
  No one wore the title of Senator better or used it less. He loved 
ordinary folks. Strangers would come up to him and call him Paul. I 
can't tell you how many times I would walk off the Senate floor and 
down the steps with him. We would go together back to the Hart Building 
or someplace. Policemen would come up. They might say Senator Harkin, 
but they always called him Paul. People working on the grounds called 
him Paul. He took that as a sign that ordinary people knew he was one 
of them; that he was approachable; that he cared, all of which was Paul 
Wellstone to the core.
  Paul had so many friends in my State of Iowa. Iowans knew him 
personally, and many more Iowans felt they knew him personally. I often 
said before his death and after that he was one of my best friends in 
and out of the State. But in truth, Paul Wellstone was one of those 
rare souls who so many saw as their best friend.
  He had a powerful authenticity about him that made a miner on the 
Iron Range know he was as important to Paul as the President of the 
United States. Paul never had to proclaim his decency. It shone forth 
in great acts of political courage and in small acts of human kindness. 
He never had to say he cared. He never had to proclaim his compassion. 
We saw these qualities in him every day in dozens of ways--from his 
passionate speeches here on the Senate floor, standing up for those who 
otherwise had no voice, to the countless people he reached out to hug 
and to hear and to help all across Minnesota and all across the Nation.
  Thirty years later, he retraced Robert Kennedy's journey to places of 
hunger and hurt in the heart of America. The hard-working folks he 
cared about most didn't have lobbyists or influence or money. But they 
had Paul Wellstone, and he truly was their best friend.
  Paul always had a great sense of humor and a sense of perspective. He 
never took himself too seriously. One of his favorite stories, which I 
heard him tell many times, was the story of one of his early Senate 
speeches which he thought was rather eloquent and passionate. You can 
read about it in his book, ``Conscience of a Liberal.'' Our friend, the 
senior Senator from South Carolina, who sits across the aisle from me, 
Fritz Hollings, approached him after the speech and said, ``Young man, 
you remind me of Hubert Humphrey.'' Paul, as he told the story, swelled 
up with pride and thought this was wonderful until Senator Hollings 
said, ``You talk too much.'' Paul would love to tell that story. He 
would get that big grin and his eyes would squint and he would roar 
with laughter. As I said, he never took himself seriously.
  Paul may have talked a lot, but he meant every word. He showed us 
that way to lead is by following your conscience. When injustice was 
proposed or unfairness was advancing or selfishness was on the march, 
Paul would go into battle. It was OK with him if he went into battle 
all by himself. Paul Wellstone may have suffered from a bad back, but 
he had a spine of steel.
  Paul was the soul of the Senate. He believed politics could truly be 
a noble profession, putting principle above polls. Sometimes he cast 
votes that even some of his friends disagreed with--on war, welfare, 
education. And when he did, he was the mirror in which we, his 
colleagues, looked at ourselves and searched our own hearts as to the 
correctness of our own positions.
  So 1 year later, we remember this political science professor whose 
measure of truth was never in political theory but in the impact our 
decisions have on real people. We remember the community organizer, the 
farm organizer, who understood how to bring people together, rural and 
urban, environmentalists and labor, Republicans and Democrats and, as I 
have often said, even Minnesotans and Iowans. We remember a leader, a 
proud Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, a liberal who constantly reminded 
those who are Democrats that the real center of gravity of our party, 
the progressive ground of our being, is everyone should have a chance 
to reach their full potential.
  We remember a man of principle who for all his convictions also had 
the rarest of gifts in politics: Paul actually sometimes came to the 
conclusion that the other person was right. He could partner with Ted 
Kennedy or Pete Domenici. He could fearlessly oppose Senator Jesse 
Helms' views yet become Jesse Helms' friend. It was all perfectly 
consistent with his guiding star. The decency Paul Wellstone demanded 
of society was the decency he lived out in his own life.
  Paul once said politics is about what we create about what we do, 
what we hope for, and what we dare to imagine. Paul Wellstone did not 
just dare to imagine a better America, he helped to build one. Sure, he 
was willing to fight the lonely fight if he thought it was the right 
thing to do, but he also knew how to turn idealism into ideas and ideas 
into actions to improve people's lives: investing in education, 
expanding health care, fighting killer diseases like Parkinson's, 
helping homeless veterans and veterans exposed to radiation. Thanks to 
his hard work in the Senate, farmers have a better future. Because of 
what he demanded, mental illness will some day be treated equally in 
our health care system. Because of who he married, Sheila, and because 
of Sheila's passionate charge, more women and children will find safe 
harbor from the scourge of domestic abuse.

  Paul was a hopeful man. His campaign colors were always green. I 
always thought that was the color of springtime. It is also the color 
of hope. This picture captures Paul and Sheila Wellstone, standing on 
that green bus with all kinds of people around him, smiling, with 
Sheila standing by his side, and the American flag over his head waving 
proudly, with a big smile on his face. That was Paul Wellstone.
  He bought this bus 13 years ago and used it in his campaigns time and 
time again. I often said he got that bus on his journey to build a 
better America. But he never wanted to be on the bus by himself. He 
never meant it to be a solo voyage. He wanted us all on board that bus.
  Although Paul is no longer with us, we all must get on that bus, the 
bus of hope, the bus leading to a better America, a bus that is on a 
journey for justice, equality, a bus that is on a journey to ensure 
every individual in our society, no matter the circumstances of birth, 
has the potential to reach his or her full potential.
  As we listen to the tributes this morning, it is clear our memories 
of Paul Wellstone remain rich and warm. His spirit is still very much 
with us. He still inspires us. He still calls us to conscience. He 
still makes us smile when we think of his puckish humor.
  Today, 1 year later, let's agree that our period of grieving has 
passed. The darkness has dissipated. What remains is the light Paul 
radiated every day in this Chamber. He was truly the finest of human 
nature.
  In addition to Paul and Sheila, six other wonderful people died in 
that plane crash 1 year ago. Paul would not want us 1 year later to 
just remember him or to just remember him and Sheila, because as he 
always said, we are all

[[Page S13198]]

part of his family, the campaign workers, the people who flew him 
around. So we remember them, too: Their daughter, Marcia; Tom Lapic, 
who died, and was Paul's long-time trusted aide and served many years 
in Paul's Senate offices here in Washington and St. Paul. We remember 
and miss Tom today. He was also a member of our Senate family. We 
remember Mary McEvoy, a professor of early childhood education at the 
University of Minnesota, always by Sheila Wellstone's side; Will 
McLaughlin, 23 years old, Paul's driver. Again, Paul always reached out 
to bring young people into politics. We remember the two pilots, 
Richard Conry and Michael Guess, of that ill-fated plane.
  Finally, there is one piece of Paul's legacy that is not complete, 
and it has been spoken of by the Senator from Minnesota, Mr. Dayton, 
and I just heard Senator Reed speak about it, and I know Senator 
Lautenberg spoke about it: the issue of mental health parity. Paul 
worked tirelessly to overcome the barriers to mental health treatment. 
Specifically, he championed legislation that would require group health 
plans to treat mental health benefits as generously as they do surgical 
or medical benefits. If Paul were here this morning, he would remind us 
how crucially important this is to millions of Americans. He and Sheila 
never faltered on this issue.
  I can think of no better way to honor Paul's memory and to complete 
his legacy than to pass the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable 
Treatment Act in this Congress. This bill passed the Senate 
overwhelmingly in the last Congress. It was attached to the 
appropriations bill in Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education 
Subcommittee. We took it to conference and the conferees would not 
agree to adopt it, but we were given assurances this would be 
addressed. Paul Wellstone was given assurances this would be addressed, 
that we would pass it in a form--maybe not in an appropriations bill--
but pass it in a form that would then go to the House.
  The bill today is supported by an overwhelming number of Senators. 
Madam President, 67 Senators now are supporting this bill, Republicans 
and Democrats, including 18 Republicans--at least that is my count on 
it anyway. So with that many supporting the bill, you would think we 
would not have much problem getting it through. The American people 
want this bill desperately. They have waited too long for its passage.
  According to the Surgeon General's report, mental disorders 
collectively account for 15 percent of the overall burden of disease 
from all causes, and it is even more than the burden associated with 
all forms of cancer in our society. And yet, how many people burdened 
with mental disorders cannot get the help they need because their 
insurance carrier does not cover it and they cannot afford it?
  We all know what happens. We know what happens when people have 
mental problems and they are not treated--things degenerate, families 
break up, domestic abuse happens, people lose their lives. Sometimes 
people are thrown in prison for long periods of time because in the 
beginning they did not get mental health treatment.
  I have seen some figures that indicate that close to half of the 
people serving long-term prison sentences today are there because they 
have mental disorders--depression, schizophrenia, bipolar illnesses--
which led them through a series of stages that culminated in probably 
some heinous crime. But in the beginning they did not get the mental 
health they needed.
  So we have waited too long. It is critical we find an opportunity to 
bring up this bill and pass it before we adjourn this year.
  Next week, the HELP Committee, of which I am a member, will be 
marking up legislation that will provide for parity in insurance 
coverage for recreational activities, such as riding a motorcycle or 
skiing. In other words, your insurance carrier has to give you the same 
coverage for any kind of injury that would happen to you if you were 
skiing or riding a motorcycle, or something like that, as if it 
happened purely accidentally some other way. It begs credulity that 
somehow we can cover that but cannot give mental health parity to 
people who, through no fault of their own, are suffering from mental 
illness in our country.
  It is this Senator's intention to try to attach this bill to this 
piece of legislation. We have waited too long. I have been hearing all 
year that soon we are going to bring up this bill. We have 67 Senators 
on it. We have waited too long. It is the legacy of Paul Wellstone. We 
are going to get it passed. And yet, days go by, weeks go by, months go 
by, and nothing happens.
  Now, I am too respectful of the Senate and of the agreements that are 
reached here to ask unanimous consent that we bring it up and pass it 
today. Some have suggested we do that in honor of Paul Wellstone, but I 
know that most Senators are not present. We are not voting today.
  But I will say this. There will be some time before we leave this 
year when I intend to bring up the Mental Health Equitable Treatment 
Act and seek a vote on it, either through committee or on the floor, 
and somehow try to get it into a conference with the House before the 
year ends.
  President Bush said last spring that he supported mental health 
parity. So if the White House supports it and the President supports 
it, and we have so many Senators and Members of the House support it, 
what is stopping us?
  I know some of the big insurance companies and others are kind of 
opposed to it, but all of the studies we have seen show this is cost-
effective. According to SAMHSA, undertreated and untreated mental 
disorders are costing this Nation over $200 billion a year in lost 
work, crimes, and incarceration. It is a huge impact on our society, 
and we have to respond. That is why we have to bring up this bill and 
get it passed.
  I can think of no better time in which to talk about it--and to 
state, unequivocally, we are going to have a vote on this bill this 
year--than on this the first anniversary of the death of our beloved 
colleague, Paul Wellstone, his wife, and those who were with them on 
that tragic day.
  Madam President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, a number of us have come to the floor 
today to remember and celebrate someone most of us knew and many of us 
loved. Paul Wellstone believed that politics is about more than money; 
it is about more than power. As he said so often, in the last analysis 
politics is what we create by what we do, by what we hope for, by what 
we dare to imagine. Paul Wellstone dared to imagine so much.
  There is a quote he loved from the famous abolitionist, Wendell 
Phillips. One day, after Phillips had given a speech, a friend told 
him: Wendell, you were on fire.
  Phillips replied: Brother, I'm on fire because I have mountains of 
ice before me to melt.
  Paul Wellstone saw good in everyone, including people whose politics 
he disagreed with strongly and who disagreed just as strongly with him, 
but Paul also saw injustice and he had the fire and the conviction to 
end it.
  He used his wit, his charm, his astonishing organizing abilities and 
every ounce of his hyperkinetic energy to fight for people with few 
champions in places of power. He fought for family farmers on the edge 
of foreclosure. He fought for workers facing layoffs, for older people 
trying to decide which prescription to fill this month. He and Sheila, 
his indispensable partner, fought for women and children threatened by 
violence. He fought for teachers and coal miners, for Vietnam veterans. 
He fought for immigrant parents who work at less than minimum wage jobs 
and who worry about not being able to give their children what they 
need. He listened to them and looked them in the eye, and when he did 
he used to say he saw his own parents. He gave voice to the voiceless. 
He demanded fairness for those to whom life had been unfair. He gave 
people hope and courage.
  He himself had that rarest sort of courage. It was a moral courage. 
Even when he knew the vote was likely to be

[[Page S13199]]

99 to 1, he was not afraid to speak and vote his conscience. It was a 
reflection of his respect for the people who elected him, that he 
trusted they would respect him for doing what he believed was right.
  Saturday we mark the 1-year anniversary of the plane crash on the 
Iron Range that claimed the lives of Paul and Sheila Wellstone, their 
beloved middle child, Marcia Wellstone Marcus, their campaign aides and 
friends, Mary McEvoy, Tom Lapic, Will McLaughlin, and their pilots, 
Richard Conry and Michael Guess.
  To keep their parents' work alive, Paul and Sheila's other two 
children, Mark and David, have started a progressive democracy 
organization. Through their advocacy, which they call, appropriately, 
Wellstone Action, the spirit of Paul and Sheila is very much alive.
  If you go to the Wellstone Action Web site, you can read hundreds of 
messages from people the Wellstones inspired. One is from John Nichols, 
the editorial page editor of The Capital Times newspaper in Madison, 
WI, and the Washington correspondent for The Nation magazine. Mr. 
Nichols was in rural Wisconsin at a conference of family farm 
advocates. He had just finished giving the keynote address about the 
need for activists to go into politics when the news came. When he told 
the audience, he wrote:

       Cries of, ``No'' and ``My God, my God'' filled the room. 
     Grown men felt for tables to keep their balance. Husbands and 
     wives hugged one another and everyone began an unsuccessful 
     effort to choke back tears. People wept in silence until 
     finally a woman began to recite the Lord's Prayer for the son 
     of Russian Jewish immigrants who had touched the lives and 
     heart of solid Midwestern Catholic and Lutheran farmers who 
     do not think of themselves as having many friends in 
     Congress.''

  Another message is from a man who was a junior at St. Cloud State 
University in Minnesota. When he volunteered to help on Paul's first 
and improbable Senate campaign in 1990, they met when Paul visited the 
campus for a Fourth of July parade. He writes:

       It was stifling hot that day in St. Cloud--at least 95 
     degrees with stick-to-your-shirt humidity. The plan was for 
     the two staffers and me to hand out Wellstone literature 
     while Paul would walk along and wave to the crowd. Much to my 
     amazement, Paul proceeded to run--not walk, not even jog, but 
     to run from left to right, for the entire two-mile route, 
     which took about an hour to complete--trying to shake the 
     hand of every single parade-goer.
       Almost no one knew who he was--and most probably weren't 
     likely Wellstone voters, anyway. Didn't matter. He even said 
     that to people . . .
       ``Vote for me or vote for someone else. Just make sure you 
     vote in November.'' He was always moving, always smiling, 
     always talking.

  This former campaign volunteer wrote that when he got back to his 
dorm room he called a few friends and told them: You wouldn't believe 
the guy I just met. I don't think he has a prayer of winning but, by 
God, it is not going to be for lack of effort.
  In the last few years Paul didn't run much. He had that pronounced 
limp that he and his doctors first attributed to old wrestling injuries 
but that turned out to be a symptom of multiple sclerosis. Even though 
he was in pain most of the time, his illness never dulled his sense of 
humor. He joked that at least he had gotten a progressive disease.
  His efforts never flagged. Until the end he gave every ounce of 
energy he had to try to bring hope and help to others.
  I have been told there is a tradition in Judaism, on the first 
anniversary of the death of someone you love, you pray his soul will 
find proper rest. Well, I loved--I loved Paul Wellstone. But it is 
still hard to imagine him at rest. I know, with absolute certainty, he 
would not want us to mark this first anniversary by resting or by 
talking. How many times did we hear Paul say:

       Intentions are good. But it's not intentions that count. 
     What counts is action.

  One of the injustices that made Paul Wellstone the most angry, that 
offended him the most deeply, was the stigma attached to mental illness 
and the discrimination and suffering people with mental health problems 
suffer as a result of that stigma. He thought it was cruel that people 
with mental health problems very often received lesser care than those 
with physical health problems. He was outraged by the terrible toll 
such discrimination often takes on the people with mental illness, and 
their families.


                   Unanimous Consent Request--S. 486

  So, Madam President, now, in the name of Paul Wellstone, I ask 
unanimous consent that the HELP Committee be discharged from further 
consideration of S. 486, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable 
Treatment Act, the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration, and 
the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
  I am told at the request and on behalf of the majority leader and 
others on the Republican side, there is an objection to this 
legislation. I acknowledge that and I present that objection on behalf 
of the majority leader at this time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Words alone are just not a fitting tribute to Paul 
Wellstone, It is the action that counts. I was deeply moved by Senator 
Domenici's beautiful eulogy for Paul last fall at the memorial for the 
Wellstones in Washington. In that eulogy Senator Domenici vowed to do 
everything he could to pass the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable 
Treatment Act this year. He has worked very hard to keep that promise 
and we thank him for it. He and Senator Kennedy introduced the Paul 
Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act 8 months ago in the 
early days of this session. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of 
Senators Domenici and Kennedy and many others, despite the support of 
66 Senators, two-thirds of this Senate, including the distinguished 
Presiding Officer, despite the fact that the Senate voted 
overwhelmingly last year to pass this measure as an amendment to the 
Labor-HHS appropriations bill, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health 
Equitable Treatment Act remains stuck in committee today because of 
opposition from the insurance industry and its backers.
  The insurance industry claims incorrectly that requiring insurers to 
treat mental illness the same way as they treat physical illness will 
drive up premiums so high that more people will lose their health 
insurance. That is not true. Those are the same kinds of scare tactics 
we have heard from that industry on other occasions.
  As another of our departed friends, Senator Moynihan, used to say, 
everyone is entitled to their own opinion but they are not entitled to 
their own set of facts.
  The truth is, two highly respected organizations have analyzed the 
Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act. The private 
accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts the bill would 
increase health insurance premiums by 1 percent--1 percent. That works 
out to $1.32 per month. I think most families would think that was a 
very good deal. The Congressional Budget Office predicts an even 
smaller increase, nine-tenths of 1 percent.
  We also know from experience that requiring mental health parity in 
insurance has a negligible, if any, effect on premiums.
  In 1999, President Clinton signed an executive order giving the 8 
million Federal workers in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan 
the same protections the Wellstone bill would extend to others.
  On the website of the Federal Office of Personnel Management, there 
is a list of ``frequently asked questions'' about mental health and 
substance abuse parity under the Federal Employees Health Benefits 
Plan. This is what that website says:

       Recent advancements in the treatment and management of 
     mental illness have left no justifiable rationale for 
     disparate treatment of mental illness. The National 
     Institutes of Mental Health informed us that most diagnoses 
     have well-established biological bases, diagnoses are 
     reliable, and treatment is effective and affordable.

  The website goes on to say:

       A growing body of research and actual industry experiences 
     indicate that parity can be implemented without substantially 
     increasing premiums, as long as it is coupled with efforts to 
     manage the benefits.

  Those are the facts.
  In 1996, Congress passed the Mental Health Parity Act, which was also 
sponsored by Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici. The 1996 act says that 
group health plans sponsored by employers with 50 or more workers 
cannot place annual or lifetime dollars limits on mental health 
benefits that are more restrictive than their limits for physical 
health care.

[[Page S13200]]

  Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici may have seemed like unlikely allies 
to some, but they shared a deep bond. They had both seen close family 
members struggle with serious mental illness.
  So have many others. Fifty-four million Americans suffer from mental 
illness.
  They include Republicans, Democrats and people who don't care a whit 
about party labels. No family is untouched by mental illness.
  Four days ago I received an email from a man in Sioux Falls. His name 
is Jamie Snyder.
  His wife Bonnie suffered severe abuse in her first marriage and, as a 
result, she suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. Nine years 
ago, her doctor and two other doctors--including the head of the 
American Psychological Association in South Dakota--said she needed to 
be hospitalized.
  Unfortunately, a doctor who worked for Jamie Snyder's employer, which 
was self-insured--a doctor who was hundreds of miles away in another 
State and who never laid eyes on Bonnie Snyder--ruled that she didn't 
need to be hospitalized. So the Snyder's were left with an $8,000 
hospital bill.
  Jamie Snyder tried for years to resolve this dispute with his 
employer. When that failed, he hired an attorney and went to court--
only to be told that he couldn't bring a claim because too much time 
had passed.
  Then he started getting calls from bill collectors. In desperation, 
he signed an agreement with a collection agency that charges exorbitant 
interest rates. If he misses a payment for any reason, the agency 
garnishes his wages and adds huge penalties.
  Since 1996, Jamie Snyder has paid $8,000 on his initial $8,000 bill. 
Yet today, he still owes the collection agency $15,950.
  Bonnie Snyder still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, and 
now, on top of that, depression and agoraphobia. But she doesn't want 
to get counseling because she doesn't want to add to her family's debt.
  The irony is that she has been on full disability since 1992. The 
government would rather pay her disability every month than see that 
she gets the help she needs to return to work and a full life.
  Another family in Sioux Falls has a daughter who was always outgoing, 
socially active--a straight-A student. When she was a freshman in high 
school, she won debate competitions.
  When she was a sophomore, she told her mother, ``I'm a failure'' and 
admitted she had thought about suicide. It took 4 months to get an 
appointment with a psychiatrist. Eventually, the young woman received 
treatment in another State. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
  Despite that diagnosis, the insurance company refused to pay for her 
treatment, so her mother was forced to take out a $20,000 mortgage on 
their home. After a long fight, the insurance company finally paid the 
bill.
  Today, that young woman is a freshman in college. Medications help 
her control her illness. But they cost $3,000 a month.
  She will probably need to take the medications for the rest of her 
life.
  She is covered under her mother's health plan--for now. But that 
won't always be the case.
  She and her mother worry about what will happen when she has to leave 
her mother's policy. Will she be able to get affordable insurance on 
her own?
  If so, will it pay for the mental health care she needs to stay 
healthy?
  That young woman knows about the Paul Wellstone Mental Health 
Equitable Treatment Act. She tracks its progress on the Internet.
  She is counting on us to do the right thing and help end the stigma 
and discrimination that makes it even harder for her to live with a 
tough disease.
  There is another young woman in college who is watching what we do on 
this bill. I know her. Her name is Erica Gitis-Miles. She is a junior 
at South Dakota State University, my alma mater.
  Erica's birth mother drank heavily during her pregnancy and Erica has 
fetal alcohol syndrome as a result. Erica was neglected by her birth 
mother and severely abused by her birth mother's boyfriend. She was in 
and out of 13 foster care placements by the time she was 4 years old. 
She was adopted into a loving home when she was 7.
  Fetal alcohol syndrome causes serious brain damage. Most people 
struck with that illness also have serious mental health problems.
  Erica suffers recurrent depression. A year ago, during a serious 
depression, Erica cut herself. The doctors who treated her decided that 
she might be a danger to herself, so Erica was ordered held in a mental 
health unit for 72 hours.
  Her parent's insurance company refused to pay for the 
hospitalization. They said Erica chose to hurt herself, so it was not 
their responsibility to pay for her care. So Erica and her parents are 
stuck with the bill.
  She says she is fortunate. Her father is a medical doctor. But she 
worries about all the families who aren't able to help themselves as 
they helped her. Who, she asks, will help them?
  The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 was an important step forward. 
But we know that discrimination persists. Insurers have found new ways 
to restrict mental health benefits.
  They continue to discriminate by limiting visits, and requiring 
higher co-pays and deductibles. And some even continue to impose lower 
annual and lifetime spending limits for mental illness--and make little 
effort to deny it.
  The results can be devastating: unemployment, broken homes, shattered 
lives, poverty, poor school performance--even suicide.
  A report earlier this year by the GAO showed that at least 12,000 
parents a year are forced to give up custody of their children because 
they cannot get them the mental health care they need. What family 
values is that?
  Wellstone Action has made passing the Paul Wellstone Mental Health 
Equitable Treatment Act its sole legislative priority for this year.
  The Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act also has the 
support of 274 national organizations, including the American Academy 
of Pediatrics, the Alzheimer's Association, the National PTA, the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Catholic Charities, The 
National Association of Counties, the American Medical Association, the 
American Nurses Association, the American Association of Pastoral 
Counselors, The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, the National 
Rural Health Association, the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol 
Syndrome and many other groups.
  I ask unanimous consent that the complete list be printed in the 
Congressional Record at this time.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

  274 Organizations Supporting the Wellstone Mental Health Equitable 
                             Treatment Act

     Advocates for Youth
     Alliance for Aging Research
     Alliance for Children and Families
     Alliance For Mental Health Consumers Rights
     Alzheimer's Association
     American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
     American Academy of Family Physicians
     American Academy of Neurology
     American Academy of Pediatrics
     American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
     American Academy of Physician Assistants
     American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
     American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
     American Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation
     American Association of Children's Residential Centers
     American Association of Pastoral Counselors
     American Association of Practicing Psychiatrists
     American Association of School Administrators
     American Association of Suicidology
     American Association on Mental Retardation
     American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work
     American College of Medical Genetics
     American College of Mental Health Administration
     American College of Nurse-Midwives
     American College of Physicians
     American Congress of Community Supports and Employment 
         Services (ACCSES)
     American Counseling Association
     American Diabetes Association
     American Family Foundation
     American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
     American Federation of Teachers

[[Page S13201]]

     American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
     American Group Psychotherapy Association
     American Heart Association
     American Hospice Foundation
     American Hospital Association
     American Humane Association
     American Jail Association
     American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association (AMBHA)
     American Medical Association
     American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association
     American Medical Student Association
     American Mental Health Counselors Association
     American Music Therapy Association
     American Network of Community Options and Resources
     American Nurses Association
     American Occupational Therapy Association
     American Orthopsychiatric Association
     American Osteopathic Association
     American Pediatric Society
     American Political Science Association
     American Psychiatric Association
     American Psychiatric Nurses Association
     American Psychoanalytic Association
     American Psychological Association
     American Psychotherapy Association
     American Public Health Association
     American School Counselor Association
     American School Health Association
     American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry
     American Society of Addiction Medicine
     American Society of Clinical Pharmacology
     American Therapeutic Recreation Association
     American Thoracic Society
     America's HealthTogether
     Anna Westin Foundation
     Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc.
     Anxiety Disorders Association of America
     Association for the Advancement of Psychology
     Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare
     Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc.
     Association for Science in Autism Treatment
     Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations
     Association of Jewish Aging Services of North America
     Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies
     Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
     Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
     Association of University Centers on Disabilities
     Association to Benefit Children
     Attention Deficit Disorders Association
     Autism Society of America
     Barbara Schneider Foundation
     Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
     Brain Injury Association of America, Inc.
     Camp Fire USA
     The Carter Center
     Catholic Charities USA
     Center for the Advancement of Health
     Center for Women Policy Studies
     Center on Disability and Health
     Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
     Central Conference of American Rabbis
     Chicago Public Schools
     Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation
     Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity 
         Disorder
     Children's Defense Fund
     Children's Healthcare Is a Legal Duty
     Children's Hospital Boston
     Child Welfare League of America
     Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation
     Church of the Brethren Washington Office
     Clinical Social Work Federation
     Coalition for Juvenile Justice
     College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists
     Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism
     Corporation for the Advancement of Psychiatry
     Council for Exceptional Children
     Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation
     Council on Social Work Education
     County of Santa Clara, CA
     Cure Autism Now
     Dads and Daughters
     Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
     Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc.
     Disability Service Providers of America
     Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) of the Council for 
         Exceptional Children
     Easter Seals
     Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action
     Employee Assistance Professionals Association
     Epilepsy Foundation
     Families For Depression Awareness
     Families USA
     Family Violence Prevention Fund
     Family Voices
     Federation of American Hospitals
     Federation of Behavioral, Psychological & Cognitive Sciences
     Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
     Freedom From Fear
     Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quaker)
     Harvard Eating Disorders Center
     Human Rights Campaign
     Inclusion Research Institute
     Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research
     International Association of Jewish Vocational Services
     International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation 
         Services
     International Community Corrections Association
     International Dyslexia Association
     International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses
     Iris Alliance Fund
     Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
     Johnson Institute
     Kids Project
     Kristen Watt Foundation for Eating Disorder Awareness
     Latino Behavioral Health Association
     Learning Disabilities Association of America
     Legal Action Center
     Lutheran Ofc. for Governmental Affairs, Evangelical Lutheran 
         Church in America
     Lutheran Services in America
     Medicare Rights Center
     MentalHealth AMERICA, Inc.
     NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals
     National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
     National Alliance for Autism Research
     National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
     National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Affective 
         Disorders
     National Alliance to End Homelessness
     National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health 
         Association
     National Asian Women's Health Organization
     National Assembly of Health and Human Service Organizations
     National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 
         (NAACP)
     National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics & 
         Prosthetics
     National Association for Children's Behavioral Health
     National Association for the Dually Diagnosed
     National Association for Rural Mental Health
     National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated 
         Disorders--ANAD
     National Association of Case Management
     National Association of Children's Hospitals
     National Association of Community Health Centers
     National Association of Counties
     National Association of County Behavioral Health Directors
     National Association of County and City Health Officials
     National Association of Developmental Disabilities Councils
     National Association of Mental Health Planning & Advisory 
         Councils
     National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
     National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems
     National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems
     National Association of School Nurses
     National Association of School Psychologists
     National Association of Social Workers
     National Association of State Directors of Special Education
     National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
     National Center for Policy Research for Women & Families
     National Center on Institutions and Alternatives
     National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
     National Coalition for the Homeless
     National Coalition of Mental Health Consumers and 
         Professionals
     National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
     National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
     National Council of Jewish Women
     National Council of La Raza
     National Council on the Aging
     National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
     National Council on Family Relations
     National Council on Problem Gambling
     National Council on Suicide Prevention
     National Down Syndrome Congress
     National Down Syndrome Society
     National Eating Disorders Association
     National Educational Alliance for Borderline Personality 
         Disorder
     National Education Association
     National Exchange Club Foundation
     National Foundation for Depressive Illness
     National Health Council
     National Health Law Program
     National Hispanic Medical Association
     National Hopeline Network
     National Housing Conference
     National Latino Behavioral Health Association
     National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
     National Leadership on African American Behavioral Health
     National League of Cities
     National Medical Association
     National Mental Health Association
     National Mental Health Awareness Campaign
     National Multiple Sclerosis Society
     National Network for Youth
     National Organization for Rare Disorders
     National Organization of People of Color Against Suicide
     National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
     National Osteoporosis Foundation
     National Partnership for Women and Families

[[Page S13202]]

     National PTA
     National Recreation and Park Association
     National Rural Health Association
     National Schizophrenia Foundation
     National Senior Citizens Law Center
     National Therapeutic Recreation Society
     National Treatment and Research Advancements Association for 
         Personality Disorder
     Native American Counseling, Inc.
     NETWORK, a Catholic Social Justice Lobby
     NISH (National Industries for the Severely Handicapped)
     Northamerican Association of Masters in Psychology
     Obsessive Compulsive Foundation
     Office & Professional Employees International Union
     Older Adult Consumer Mental Health Alliance
     Organization of Student Social Workers
     Partnership for Recovery
     People For the American Way
     Presbyterian Church (USA), Washington Office
     Prevent Child Abuse America
     Rebecca Project for Human Rights
     Renfrew Center Foundation
     Samaritans Suicide Prevention Center
     School Social Work Association of America
     Service Employees International Union
     Shaken Baby Alliance
     Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation
     Society for Adolescent Medicine
     Society for Pediatric Research
     Society for Personality Assessment
     Society for Public Health Education
     Society for Research on Child Development
     Society for Social Work Research
     Society for Women's Health Research
     Society of Professors of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
     STOP IT NOW!
     Suicide Awareness Voice of Education
     Suicide Prevention Action Network USA
     The Arc of the United States
     Title II Community AIDS National Network
     Tourette Syndrome Association
     Treatment and Research Advancements Association for 
         Personality Disorder
     Union of American Hebrew Congregations
     Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
     United Cerebral Palsy Association
     United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministry
     United Jewish Communities
     United Methodist General Board of Church and Society
     Volunteers of America
     Wellstone Action
     Working Assets
     Women of Reform Judaism
     Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program
     Youth Law Center

  Mr. DASCHLE. More than a year and a half ago, in a speech at the 
University of New Mexico with Senator Domenici by his side, President 
Bush said:

       Our country must make a commitment: Americans with mental 
     illness deserve our understanding and they deserve excellent 
     care. They deserve a health care system that treats their 
     illnesses with the same urgency as physical illness.

  In the great consensus-seeking spirit of Paul Wellstone, I must say I 
agree with the President. I appreciate his words. But words alone will 
not solve this problem. We urge the President to join us, help us take 
up and pass the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act 
now, this year.
  Paul was the champion of many causes, but no cause was more dear, 
more personal to him than making sure people with mental illness are 
treated fairly, are treated with dignity. Intentions are fine, but it 
is the actions that count. Millions of American families are counting 
on us to act for mental health parity. Let us agree to do it now as a 
tribute to Paul Wellstone, and let us keep his spirit alive.
  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. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I come to the floor to close this week 
but more importantly to address and continue the comments and remarks 
that have been made with regard to the death on October 25th last year 
of Senator Paul Wellstone.
  Senator Wellstone's plane, the plane he was flying in, was lost in 
the Minnesota wilderness on that day, October 25, with all eight 
passengers aboard, having lost their lives in a tragic accident: 
Senator Wellstone, his wife Shelia, his daughter Marcia, staff members, 
the two pilots.
  Today, on the eve of that sad anniversary, we pause to remember 
Senator Wellstone and his remarkable, his tremendous contribution to 
this body and, indeed, to the United States of America.
  I have tremendous respect for what he demonstrated both on the floor 
of the Senate and the many committee hearings we both attended, 
especially the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee, where 
he focused so much of his attention and energy on mental health. I 
respected his tenacity, his intelligence, his commitment, his humor, 
his integrity.
  He was a kind man, a gentle man, never mean-spirited or one to make 
personal attacks.
  In this body, you look and you categorize certain people in terms of 
impressions. And the one word that summarizes my impression of Paul 
Wellstone is that he was a real idealist in the very best sense of the 
word--principled and tough, a stalwart defender of his ideals.
  In Minnesota and across the country, people will be celebrating Paul 
with a Wellstone World Music Day tribute. Here in the Senate, I think 
it is fitting we also acknowledge Paul's tireless work on behalf of 
those for whom he fought from early in the morning till late at night, 
those people who suffer from mental illness. He was their unflagging 
champion and mightily advanced the concept of the cause which, as a 
physician, I cherish; that is, fairness and equity.
  I share his commitment to this important issue, and I look forward to 
working with Senator Domenici and Senators Daschle and Kennedy; the 
chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, 
Senator Gregg; indeed, all of my colleagues to ensure that mental 
health is appropriately addressed in this Congress.
  I do join with my colleagues and the people of Minnesota in a real 
celebration of the life and the ideals of Senator Paul Wellstone. He 
was a wonderful man, a remarkable man, and an outstanding Senator.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Madam President, Paul Wellstone was an extraordinary 
leader with a common touch. His dedication to the well-being of average 
Americans was unparalleled in Congress. He believed that all of our 
citizens, no matter how humble their beginnings or difficult their 
plight, had an equal right to happy, healthy, and full lives.
  There was no issue more dear to his heart than ensuring access to 
health care for people with mental illness. He spent so much of his 
time here in the Senate working to improve the care and treatment they 
receive. For them, Paul Wellstone was their champion, their Senator. 
And in the Senate, Paul was our conscience, our guiding light.
  Paul worked with Senator Pete Domenici on legislation to end the 
shameful discrimination in our society against mental illness. After 
Senator Wellstone's tragic death one year ago, Senator Domenici has 
continued with great diligence to urge the Senate to act. But the bill, 
the Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act, is 
still being held hostage by the insurance industry and their allies.
  We know that large numbers of Americans across the country with 
mental illness constantly face stigma and misunderstanding because of 
their illness. Even worse, they are often denied the treatment that can 
cure or relieve their debilitating conditions because they are victims 
of discrimination too. It is unacceptable that we continue to tolerate 
actions by insurance companies that deny medical care for mental 
illness, even though the same insurers readily cover treatment for 
physical illnesses that are more costly, less debilitating, and less 
curable. Mental illnesses are often treatable and curable, and it's 
time to end the widespread discrimination against them.
  Equal treatment of the mentally ill is not just an insurance issue. 
It is a civil rights issue, too. Mental health parity is an issue of 
simple justice. The need for action is clear. One in five Americans 
will suffer some form of mental illness this year--but only a third 
will receive treatment. According to a report of the Surgeon General, 
at least 4 million children suffer from a mental illness that results 
in significant impairments at home, at school, and with other children. 
Families must often make impossible choices about how to pay for the 
care their child needs to live a normal life.

[[Page S13203]]

  It is tragic when a child is diagnosed with any illness. It is heart 
wrenching for parents to watch their children suffer. The tragedy is 
even greater when insurance companies deny treatment for a child solely 
because the illness is a mental illness. It's wrong for insurance 
companies to apply modern medicine to physical diseases, but leave 
mental health in the dark ages.
  Earlier this year, we received petitions signed by 30,000 young 
people asking Congress to provide affordable coverage for mental health 
treatment. The petitions were signed at concerts held across the 
country to raise awareness for suicide prevention.
  It is long past time to end insurance discrimination, and guarantee 
all those with mental illness the coverage they deserve. The American 
people should not have to wait any longer. Paul's committed family 
members should not have to wait any longer. The Senate should not 
continue to delay action on this bill. It is time to pass it, and bring 
first class medicine to millions of Americans who have been second 
class patients for too long.
  Mr. CORZINE. Madam President, exactly 1 year ago tomorrow, October 
25, our Nation lost Senator Paul Wellstone, a truly great American and 
a hero to many. I remember that tragic day as if it were yesterday. The 
initial shock and pain of losing Paul has been transformed into a 
profound sadness akin to losing a parent--a brother. You never forget 
what they meant to your life. A year ago and to this day, millions of 
Americans still grieve and share this deep sense of loss.
  I served with Paul for only 2 short years, but in that brief time, he 
became one of my closest friends. His enthusiasm was infectious, his 
values, uncompromised and his honor, unquestioned. His loss was a 
personal and painful one for me, and I miss him every day.
  Indeed, Paul's loss was a tragedy for the entire United States 
Senate. As most would agree, there was no Senator quite like Paul 
Wellstone. He was unique. He left a void in this body that no one will 
ever fill.
  What was it about Paul that made him so unique? It's hard to point to 
any one thing.
  Perhaps it was his sincerity. Paul was a real, genuine person who 
never tried to be someone other than who he was. He said what he 
thought. He was the same man in the back rooms as under the glaring 
lights of the Senate floor. Paul was Paul.
  Perhaps it was his humility. To say that Paul didn't put on airs 
would be an understatement. There simply wasn't an ounce of pretense to 
Paul--none. He wasn't trying to impress anyone. He wasn't impressed 
with himself. He should have been, but he wasn't.
  Perhaps it was his empathy. Paul cared about other people, and he 
cared deeply. He spent his life helping others. It's what made him 
tick. It's what drove his politics. It's how he lived his life.
  Perhaps more than his sincerity, more than his humility, and even 
more than his empathy, what made Paul--Paul was his passion.
  To this day, Paul Wellstone was the most passionate public servant I 
have ever met. In a day and age when it is difficult to reconcile a 
public servant's actions with their statements, Paul was truly unique. 
His stirring words--``We should never separate the lives we live from 
the words we speak'' were the compass by which he set his course. He 
didn't just speak about helping others, he did it. He didn't just 
preach about righting wrongs, he did it. He wasn't just talking about 
the need for social justice, human rights, civil rights, workers' 
rights, health care, education, environmental protection, and political 
reform. Paul was the most committed, compassionate, and tireless 
advocate for these causes I have ever met.
  Paul's passions defined him as a human being, and you could not be 
around this Chamber for long without witnessing those passions first 
hand. He would come to this Chamber to speak, and it wouldn't be long 
before his voice would rise, his fist would pound the desk, and his 
finger would jab the air. When Paul spoke, he dominated the Chamber, 
and we listened.
  No, we will not see another person like Paul Wellstone for a very 
long time. And this body, and our Nation, will be the worse for it.
  In many ways, Paul was the conscience and soul of the Senate. When he 
saw something that wasn't right, he would speak out. He didn't wait for 
a cadre of his colleagues to approve. Often, that meant he upset some 
of us. Frequently, it meant he upset lobbyists and special interests. 
But, for millions of working Americans, Paul was the one voice on which 
they could always depend. And, they were grateful for him. Sometimes, 
all it took was Paul Wellstone to raise a wrong--to bring it into the 
sunlight for all to see--for it to be made right. He truly was our 
conscience and our soul, and he made a difference.
  That is why I wanted to come to the floor to honor Paul's memory. 
These speeches are not what he would have sought. He probably would 
have been embarrassed. That said, he would have hoped we would come to 
advocate his causes--none more personal, none more passionate, than his 
quest for mental health parity.
  Paul Wellstone was not only a hero. He was a model for all of us who 
are representatives of all the people. It's only right that we honor 
him here in this Chamber--where he stood for so many. Remembering who 
he was and what he stood for can only make us better Senators.
  Sadly, unavoidably, it also reminds us of the terrible loss that this 
Senate and our Nation suffered on that heartbreaking day 1 year ago.
  Paul--like all of us--I was blessed to know you and will always 
remember that you said, ``Politics is what we create by what we do, 
what we hope for and what we dare to imagine.'' Thank you for daring to 
hope and imagine. I miss you. We all do.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, I rise today to speak in honor of 
our late friend and colleague, Senator Paul Wellstone, and to remember 
his wife, Sheila, their daughter, Marcia, the campaign staff and the 
pilots who died in a plane crash one year ago.
  I speak today to praise Paul's work and to praise his passion, to 
praise his vision, and to praise his legacy. He was truly a great 
Senator and a great human being. His love of all people was his guiding 
principle. He is very much missed in the Senate, in this country, and 
especially in the great State of Minnesota.
  Born in Washington, D.C., Paul began a journey that would take him 
from Virginia, to North Carolina, to Minnesota, and back to Washington, 
D.C. to serve in the United States Senate. His life experiences along 
the way back here developed and defined his political vision. Seeing 
his father cope with Parkinson's gave him insight into the failures of 
our health care system, and the struggle with his brother's mental 
illness fueled his desire to raise awareness and expand care for mental 
illness.
  From the beginning of his service in the Senate, Paul left an 
impressive legacy. In his first Senate campaign in 1990, Paul was the 
only candidate to beat an incumbent Senator. During this campaign, he 
was the underdog. He was an unknown candidate challenging an incumbent; 
he was outspent 6-to-1 and he had never held elected office in his 
life.
  Despite these odds, however, Paul battled, town by town, to be 
elected Senator from Minnesota. He traveled throughout the State on an 
old green school bus, making stump speeches and inspiring grassroots 
organization. In many ways, his campaign for Senate is an allegory for 
his entire political life. He was often viewed as the underdog, 
fighting for the little guys, against moneyed and powerful special 
interests, refusing to give up or accept defeat.
  Paul once stated ``I still believe Government can be used as a force 
for good in people's lives.'' A simple but profound statement, it 
guided him in his journey in public service. Whether he was advocating 
for universal healthcare, or fighting for victims of domestic violence, 
he truly believed that he, and the United States Senate, could do good 
in people's lives.
  One need only listen to the tributes from the Members of this body to 
truly see that Paul himself was also a force of good in people's lives. 
Many people that were opposed to Paul politically and philosophically 
still respected him very much. Last year, Senator Domenici, an ally of 
Paul's in the fight for mental health parity, made a beautiful 
statement when he found out Paul had

[[Page S13204]]

died. Senator Lott, too, gave a wonderful tribute to Paul, praising his 
compassion and his optimism. It is truly a tribute to the character of 
Paul Wellstone that he was so respected, even by people who disagreed 
with him.
  Paul loved the Senate and the Senators with whom he served. He was a 
master at delivering moving speeches, usually speaking when there were 
no Members in the Chamber to hear him speak. I remember that as he 
would speak, he would start to speak at his desk, not far from my own 
desk, and would walk back and forth behind the desks, up and down the 
aisle. He could not contain his excitement or his passion.
  In his book, ``Conscience of a Liberal,'' Paul wrote this about Diane 
Feldman, a member of his campaign staff:

       She told me that Minnesotans did not agree with me on every 
     issue, but many of them admired my courage and integrity. I 
     hope and pray that Minnesotans will always feel this way 
     about me.

  I believe that Minnesotans do admire and respect him for his courage 
and integrity. Most people that have met Paul Wellstone admire and 
respect him for his courage and integrity.
  Paul was called a number of things in his career as a Senator: ``the 
happy warrior,'' ``the soul of the Senate,'' ``embarrassingly 
liberal,'' ``Senator softie.'' But I am truly honored to be able to 
call him a friend, and I consider myself lucky to have served in this 
distinguished body with such a great human being.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, 1 year ago the Senate, Minnesota, and 
our Nation suffered a great loss. I remember that day clearly. I was in 
Great Falls attending the Montana Farmers Union Convention. I was in 
such disbelief.
  Senator Wellstone, his wife Sheila, daughter Marcia, three of his 
staffers Mary McEvoy, Tom Lapic and Will McLaughlin, and two pilots 
tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in northern Minnesota.
  Senator Wellstone, known to everyone simply as Paul, served his state 
of Minnesota for 12 years. Paul was a special person for whom I had the 
highest personal regard. Though I may not have always agreed with Paul 
on all the issues, I always respected him as he expressed his views 
with such passion and conviction.
  Paul was frequently seen on the Senate floor giving impassioned 
speeches on different issues. He was always fighting for the little 
guy, the underdog. Whether it was providing disaster assistance for 
farmers and ranchers, working mental health parity, or helping the less 
fortunate in our society, Paul was always fighting for what he believed 
in. I was fortunate to sit with Paul on the Senate Agricultural 
Committee. Though Paul may not have sat at the head of the table, he 
made it clear that his message was important and that everyone heard 
it. I was proud and grateful to have Paul on my team fighting for 
natural disaster assistance for farmers in 2001 and 2002. Minnesota, 
Montana, and our Nation's agriculture producers benefited from his 
fight throughout the debate.
  Paul embraced his work the same way he embraced his life and 
relationship with Sheila. With passion, dedication and conviction. I 
admired him greatly.
  Paul loved his State and he loved his job as Senator, but most of all 
he loved his wife Sheila. And in order to understand Paul, one had to 
understand Paul and Sheila's relationship.
  Paul and Sheila were a package deal. She was his world. I often saw 
the two of them walking the halls of the Senate together. And Paul 
always insisted that Sheila get credit for his successes. She was his 
rock. She was his life. She was his everything. It seems most 
appropriate that Paul and Sheila left this life together. He would have 
been lost without her.
  On the 1-year anniversary of his passing, Paul is sorely missed. The 
Senate is not the same without him. The floor is a little quieter. The 
halls are no longer filled with his enthusiasm and passion for life and 
justice. Paul was a good man, a good senator, and a good friend. Paul 
Wellstone is deeply missed.
  (At the request of Mr. Daschle, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)
 Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, it has been a year since we heard 
the terrible news of Paul Wellstone's death and trudged through, with 
broken hearts, the days and months that followed. Kind, compassionate, 
a voice for those without a voice, a bundle of energy, Paul Wellstone 
was unique, he was priceless, he was irreplaceable. When we learned of 
Paul's death, our grief was magnified by the deaths of the two women he 
loved most--his wife Sheila and his daughter Marcia--and by the deaths 
of his devoted aides, Tom Lapic, Will McLaughlin, and Mary McEnvoy.
  Their loss still cuts deep. I vividly remember flying back from 
California to speak in the Senate about Paul, and being overcome by a 
sense of profound loss seeing the black shroud and flowers over the 
desk he loved, the launching pad for his extraordinary, impassioned 
speeches.
  I want to read some of the statement I made that day, as what I said 
then remains true for me now.
  ``Paul was never afraid to speak out when it might be unpopular, nor 
was he afraid to be on the losing side of a Senate vote. He had 
courage. And when you told him that, when you said: `Paul, you have 
courage,' he shrugged it off. He would say something like: `What else 
could I do? It's just not right!' He would say that--determined, brave.
  ``Paul was a powerful man. His power did not come from his physical 
stature. He was strong but he was slight of build. His power did not 
come from generations of family wealth. He was not a man of moneyed 
wealth. His parents were immigrants: Leon and Minnie Wellstone. His 
power did not come from political connections. His connections were 
with regular people.
  ``Let me tell you where his power came. It came from a fierce 
dedication to justice and truth and honesty and righteousness. He gave 
comfort and he gave hope to those he touched. And he gave them some of 
his power--the power to see the possibilities of their own lives. Paul 
died on his way to give comfort and hope to those facing death. He was 
flying to a funeral service.''
  As his staff wrote at the time of his death, ``He was a passionate 
visionary who never gave up hope that we could make the world a better 
place for everyone; a committed fighter for social justice who gave a 
voice to the voiceless; a man with a huge heart who lit up a room--and 
the hearts of others when he walked in. He was a man who valued others 
for who they were, not where they came from, or what they wore, or 
their position or social status. He was dedicated to the little guy in 
a business dominated by the big guys.''
  You cannot speak about Paul Wellstone without speaking about the 
center of his life--his wife Sheila, his children and grandchildren. 
Paul and Sheila were partners in the truest sense, and shared almost 40 
years of love and affection for each other. They were inseparable, and 
it was obvious to anyone who saw them together, they were deeply in 
love. They were also partners in public service, and in their shared 
sense of idealism, values, and purpose. They died as they had lived--
together, even probably holding hands.
  Paul and Sheila adored their daughter Marcia, whose radiant smile 
could light up the darkness, and doted on her very special child and 
their grandson, Joshua. They reveled in their sons David and Mark, and 
were enormously proud of David's entrepreneurial spirit and the gift he 
had at being a good father, and Mark's skill with Spanish and his 
talent as a teacher in the classroom. All of their grandchildren--
Joshua, Cari, Keith, Acacia, Sydney, and Matt--delighted them and 
brought boundless joy to their lives.
  Today we say to Paul again: We will give comfort and hope to those 
you left behind by doing all that we can to continue your legacy and 
your dream. What a gift you gave us all. You are impossible to replace. 
We will always miss you.
  (At the request of Mr. Daschle, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)
 Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I rise today in memory of my dear 
friend and colleague, Senator Paul Wellstone. A year ago today, the 
Senate--indeed, the Nation--suffered the tragic passing of Senator 
Wellstone. With his loss, his efforts to establish full mental health 
parity were cut short. It is now time to

[[Page S13205]]

build on Senator Wellstone's historic achievements in this policy area 
and put an end to the discrimination faced by individuals with mental 
illness once and for all.
  I was a proud cosponsor of the landmark Mental Health Parity Act, 
which Congress passed in 1996 at Senator Wellstone's urging. This law 
establishes parity for annual and lifetime dollar limit coverage for 
mental health treatment. While its enactment marked an important 
victory in the fight to provide greater mental health treatment 
benefits, it is time to take the additional steps needed to truly 
provide mental health parity for all Americans.
  The Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 
2003 (S. 486) requires health insurance coverage to provide equal 
coverage of mental health benefits as it does for medical and surgical 
benefits. This legislation will improve access to care for individuals 
who are living with mental illness by closing the loopholes used by 
insurance companies to limit coverage. I am a proud cosponsor of this 
important legislation. It should be the law. I call on Senate 
leadership to bring this bill up for a vote without delay as a fitting 
tribute to the memory of Senator Wellstone.
  I also urge the Senate to address the current discrimination in 
Medicare that seriously restricts seniors' access to mental health 
benefits. Under Medicare, seniors and people with disabilities pay a 20 
percent copayment for all Part B services except for mental health care 
services, for which patients are assessed a 50 percent copayment. In 
other words, when seniors visit a cardiologist for heart disease, an 
endocrinologist for diabetes treatment, or an oncologist for cancer 
treatment, they pay a 20 percent copayment for the cost of the visit. 
If, however, a senior citizen or a person with disabilities seeks 
treatment for a debilitating and possibly life threatening mental 
illness, they pay for half of the cost of care out of their own 
pockets. Consequently, Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom are on 
fixed incomes, face an insurmountable barrier in seeking treatment that 
could substantially improve or prolong their lives because of a 
discriminatory policy that treats mental health services and medical 
services differently.
  We need to put an end to what is essentially discrimination by 
diagnosis. I, along with my colleague Senator Snowe, introduced 
legislation that phases down the 50 percent copayment for mental health 
care services to 20 percent over 6 years. This legislation, entitled 
the Medicare Mental Health Copayment Equity Act (S. 853), will 
establish parity in the Medicare program and improve access to care for 
our senior and disabled beneficiaries living with mental illnesses.
  In the memory of my dear friend, Senator Wellstone, I urge my 
colleagues to consider this legislation, in addition to the Senator 
Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2003. Together, 
these two bills will eliminate the stigma of mental heath and establish 
mental health parity in both the private and public sectors. I ask for 
your support and hope that together we can fulfill Senator Wellstone's 
passionate vision by ending mental health discrimination for all 
individuals.

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