[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 81 (Monday, June 14, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6737-S6740]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. PRYOR:
  S. 2516. A bill to recognize the sacrifices of the members of the 
Armed Forces who are injured in combat, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I come to the Chamber today to discuss a 
reality of today's world in Iraq and elsewhere that I think has not 
received the appropriate attention. I am referring to the thousands of 
men and women who have been seriously wounded in recent U.S. combat 
missions. The numbers wounded in Iraq have soared in recent weeks. 
Fatalities have risen likewise to a total of 817 yesterday. Of the 
latest data I have been able to find, 5,015 military personnel have 
been injured in Iraq, 2,049 have been able to return to action within 
72 hours, and 2,964 could not, and many of these injured troops will 
face months, if not years, of rehabilitation. Many of these troops will 
suffer lifelong disabilities.
  I am told Walter Reed Army Hospital is close to being filled to 
capacity. I have been to Walter Reed twice this year, and while I 
talked with soldiers who were wounded in the Iraqi theater, I can tell 
you that coming face to face with our soldiers in a hospital ward is a 
sobering event. It makes you think about the costs of war and the 
sacrifices these men and women have made for our Nation, for each of 
us.
  Memorial Day has just passed, and I have tried to think how best to 
recognize the sacrifices of our wounded service men and women. I am not 
sure that I ever can appropriately and fully recognize their sacrifice, 
but I want to try. That is why I introduce today the Service Act for 
Care and Relief Initiatives for Forces Injured in Combat Engagement 
Act, or the SACRIFICE Act. The SACRIFICE Act addresses the commitment 
shown by our troops injured in combat and attempts to reciprocate in 
kind.
  My bill does three things. First, it would recognize the sacrifice of 
American military personnel killed and injured in combat and the heroic 
efforts of our medical teams through a sense of the Senate.
  Second, it would aim to ease the stress of families who are 
attempting to follow the whereabouts of a loved one injured by combat 
by establishing a tracking system for wounded personnel being 
transported out of a combat zone.
  Third, it would call for a $10 million authorization to modernize 
medical combat equipment, treatment, and combat care triage for our 
medics in their fight to save lives.
  Let me tell my colleagues how I came to write this bill.
  Arkansas is a relatively small State with a relatively high 
enrollment of Arkansans serving our Nation in Active Duty and in the 
National Guard and Reserve. In March of this year, we said goodbye to 
3,000 fellow Arkansans who were deployed to Iraq as part of the 39th 
Infantry Brigade of the first Cavalry.
  It was hard for me to witness separation of families as soldiers 
prepared for year long war zone deployment. It has been painful to 
receive news of the 8 Arkansans who have fallen since the beginning of 
that deployment and the additional 44 who have been seriously injured 
and transported out of theater.
  In honor of this sacrifice, the first section of my bill is a sense 
of the Senate regarding the American military personnel killed and 
injured in combat and the heroic efforts of our medical teams.
  The second section of the bill, the tracking portion, is an easy, no-
cost provision to ease emotional stress of families whose loved ones 
have been listed as seriously injured or very seriously injured and are 
being transported out of theater.
  As I mentioned before, 44 Arkansas members of the 39th Infantry 
Brigade have thus far been listed as seriously injured or very 
seriously injured and evacuated out of theater. Although Congress does 
not receive notification of the wounded, I continuously receive calls 
from families who are distraught and worried because of failures in the 
current family notification system.
  The Defense Department has a computer tracking system that is 
designed to help keep families of fallen soldiers informed of their 
whereabouts, but the system is not without glitches. For example, some 
families who have contacted my office have been distraught after 
hearing from military that they are not exactly sure where the soldiers 
were at the time. This has made it difficult for families to make plans 
to travel to the hospitals where their loved one are being cared for.
  Also, when a soldier is upgraded from seriously injured or very 
seriously injured to not seriously injured, the Department of the Army 
closes out their case in the computer tracking system, making it 
particularly difficult for families to keep track of their loved ones. 
We can and should do more for families of loved ones during such trying 
times.
  I want to recognize SPC Henry Austin Phillips of Charlie Company of 
the 153rd Infantry, 39th Brigade out of DeQueen, AR.
  For example, some families that have contacted my office have been 
distraught after hearing from the military that they were not sure 
exactly where the soldiers were at that time. This has made it 
difficult for families to make plans to travel to the hospital where 
their loved ones are being cared for.
  Also, when a soldier is upgraded from ``seriously injured'' or ``very 
seriously injured'' to ``not seriously inured,'' the Department of the 
Army closes out their case in the computer tracking system, making it 
particularly difficult for families to keep track of their loved ones. 
We can--and should--do more for the families of loved ones during such 
trying times.
  I want to recognize SPC Henry Austin Phillips of the Charlie Company, 
1-153d Infantry, 39th Brigade out of DeQueen, AR. He did a great job in 
the field, and the communication problems that ensued following his 
injury are not a reflection of him or the military.
  He was proud to serve his country, and his State and country are 
proud of him. I know that if he could return, he would.
  As I understand it, this is the situation that Pam Phillips endured 
when her husband was wounded in Iraq, losing his lower right leg.
  After suffering his injury, Specialist Phillips requested that he 
deliver the news to Pam regarding the seriousness of his condition.
  He talked with Pam on Wednesday, May 19, asked her to join him as 
soon as possible at the Landstuhl Hospital in Germany, where Specialist 
Phillips understood he would be receiving critical treatment. 
Naturally, Pam told her husband that she would be there.
  I can only imagine that call but it should come as no surprise that 
Pam and Specialist Phillips both assumed that the Army would assist Pam 
in joining her husband as soon as possible. That was Specialist 
Phillips's wish.
  But that did not happen.
  The nature of Specialist Phillips's injuries required that he be 
heavily sedated following this phone call so he was unable to speak 
directly with his wife for several days.
  After talking with her husband on May 19, Pam assumed that someone in 
the Army would assist her in getting to Germany and advise her of her 
husband's health status. For the record, we do indeed provide spouses 
with Invitational Travel Orders to transport immediate family members 
of the seriously wounded. I have encountered several problems with 
those orders, too.

[[Page S6738]]

  However, Pam received no additional communication from the Army. Two 
days later, on May 21, I received a call from Arkansas State 
Representative Daryl Pace, Pam's brother. Regrettably, this was not the 
first call I have gotten from families trying to locate their loved 
ones who have been wounded. I have had four such calls since April.
  My staff and the Arkansas National Guard worked tirelessly to track 
down Specialist Phillips. Finally, on Monday, May 24, 5 days later, Pam 
learned that her husband had arrived at Walter Reed on Friday, May 21. 
After 5 days of sheer emotional stress, Pam finally learned that her 
husband was recovering, that he was OK.
  Here is what Daryl Pace has to say about the experience that his 
sister Pam went through:

       There's an empty channel between the field and the 
     hospital. When nobody could find Austin, Pam was horrified 
     that Austin's condition had deteriorated. We were left with 
     the assumption that he was no longer with us.

  I ask my colleagues, can they imagine getting a phone call from their 
son, their daughter, their husband or their wife telling them that they 
had lost their leg and that they wanted my colleagues to be with them 
as soon as possible?
  Can you imagine that their loved one is in the care of the U.S. Armed 
Forces, but nobody in the military calls them? Nobody can answer an 
inquiry about their loved one's whereabouts?
  Again, my bill language is direct, I simply want the Secretary of 
Defense to put into place a uniform policy and procedure that notifies 
families of an injury to a loved one in combat, followed by regular 
updates on the health and location of the wounded member.
  I ask my colleagues to support me in helping families during a time 
of terrible tension and emotional pain by requesting that the Secretary 
review this matter and put into place a policy that supports families 
rather than burdens them.
  The last section of the bill aims to reduce fatalities and disability 
rates by providing medics in theater with tools that they need.
  Like many of my colleagues, I have taken note of the rising 
casualties and the rising wounded count. But I have also taken note of 
a rising number of news articles detailing the conditions that our 
medics must work under while treating our wounded.
  According to a Washington Post article on April 27, 2004: ``So far in 
April, more than 900 soldiers and Marines have been wounded in Iraq, 
more than twice the number wounded in October, the previous high.'' 
While half of those wounded were able to return to duty, ``The others 
arrive on stretchers at the hospitals operated by the 31st Combat 
Support Hospital.
  And I quote, ``These injuries,'' said LTC Stephen M. Smith, executive 
officer of the Baghdad facility, ``are horrific.''
  The article goes on to document the struggles that the medical team 
confronts everyday in meeting their goal to provide ``lightning-swift, 
expert treatment'' and the transfer of the wounded to a military 
hospital.
  An Army survey has documented that the unit with the lowest morale in 
Iraq was one that ran the combat hospitals.
  Another article from the Washington Times dated May 5, 2004, carries 
the headline: ``Casualties of Iraq war can `get to' U.S. Medics.'' The 
article reports that in April 2004, the deadliest month for the U.S.-
led coalition in Iraq, the Baghdad hospital treated more than 500 
wounded Americans.
  The article chronicles the amazing efforts by U.S. medical personnel 
to save the lives of the wounded.
  It details the adverse conditions where ``the emergency room 
overflows with wounded soldiers on stretchers.'' It quotes Major 
Wenner, a family doctor from Fort Sill, OK, as saying that:

       It's not the names I remember as I go to sleep, It is the 
     faces and the injuries. . . . My alarm goes off, and it is 
     time to start all over again. Groundhog Day, we call it.

  These medics and the wounded that they tend to everyday merit 
immediate attention by this body for the conditions they work under and 
medical equipment they work with.
  The 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital is an example of our current 
combat support hospital system that we use in Iraq. It is basically a 
bunch of tents. I have had the opportunity to tour a model similar to 
that used by the 212th, but that was on the Capitol lawn when it wasn't 
in use.
  According to an Army Lessons Learned Report on the 212th, the reality 
of these medic platforms is frightening. The tents are porous and the 
report sites adverse conditions for medical personnel and the wounded 
they treat due to sand and dirt filtering through the seams, doors and 
floors impacting the medical team's ability to function.
  I think we can do better than this and in fact, so does the Army. The 
Army has a plan to modernize the combat support hospitals into the 
Future Combat Hospital Systems. Let me share with you the Army's view:

       The U.S. Army Medical Department has a continuing 
     requirement to support its deployed medical forces with 
     shelters appropriate to battlefield medical missions. 
     Currently a combination of aged ISO Shelters and TEMPER Tents 
     are being used at Combat Support Hospital (CSHs), and Forward 
     Surgical Teams (FST) are using a composite of less than 
     optimal tents. A formal Operational Requirements Document was 
     drafted by the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School 
     to support an upgrade/modernization to these new platforms. 
     With the recent changeover to the new Joint requirements 
     process, this document will eventually roll into this new 
     format.

  This Army report further states that the U.S. Army Medical Research 
and Material Command placed a requirement into the fiscal year 2006-
2011 Program Objective Memorandum for the development effort. The 
funding requested was $14 million for fiscal year 2005-2006 and $10 
million for fiscal year 2007. However, modernization of the Combat 
Support Hospital System fell below the core funding capability.
  In another report, the modernization, conversion and recapitalization 
for the non-medical equipment components necessary to support the Army 
medical casualty care platform was recognized as a shortfall in the 
organizational structure in the first gulf war, Operation Desert 
Shield/Desert Storm.
  In other words, we have known for more than a decade that the current 
system does not work well in today's battlefields but we didn't fund 
the upgrade. We are basically putting U.S. medical personnel in a 
situation that makes their jobs even harder.
  I am not aware of any objection to this provision, except for the 
offset. It is not the merits, it is the money.
  So I ask my colleagues, what is it worth to save one soldier, one 
Marine? I think it is worth at least $10 million for medical equipment 
that has been identified as a necessary readiness requirement. I think 
$10 million is more than reasonable.
  Medical analysis suggests that each additional dollar spent on 
modernization of medical equipment can produce health gains, including 
reducing death and disability rates.
  Just as important, additional investments in the combat support 
hospital system will send a message to our doctors, nurses and other 
critical medical support personnel in theater. It will tell them that 
we recognize the tremendous job that they are doing and that we back up 
that recognition with real tools that will aid them in their work. 
Given the conditions that these medics are working under, $10 million 
is the least we can do.
  The $10 million for medical equipment and combat casualty care 
technologies would be funded by an offset from a defense-wide reduction 
in travel monies. The General Accounting Office recently found that the 
Department of Defense is losing millions of dollars in fraud, waste and 
improper papers for travel. Fixing this problem is a double victory for 
taxpayers and our Defense priorities.
  In closing, my bill SACRIFICE is a humble act that holds very 
important initiatives. I urge my colleagues to join me in my effort to 
recognize the sacrifice being made by members of the Armed Forces, to 
provide support for their families, and to provide the necessary tools 
to bring them home safely.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. CAMPBELL:
  S. 2517. A bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint 
coins in commemoration of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of 
the United States; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs.
  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I introduce the ``Ronald Wilson

[[Page S6739]]

Reagan Commemorative Coin Act of 2004.''
  This bill is the same as one I introduced in the 107th Congress, and 
would accomplish two worthy goals. First, it would help honor Ronald 
Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, and the many 
worthy contributions he made to this nation. Second, it would also help 
raise much needed resources to help families across the United States 
provide care for their loved ones who have been stricken by Alzheimer's 
disease.
  This legislation's timeliness is obviously without question, as we as 
a nation honor Ronald Reagan this week and mourn his passing. The 
worthiness of the bill also goes without question. Most of us have seen 
Nancy Reagan discuss her husband's illness. Watching Mrs. Reagan as she 
has so openly and eloquently shared touching insights about their 
struggle with Alzheimer's disease has always been very moving. There is 
no doubt about the truly deep bonds that united Ronald and Nancy Reagan 
and that we need to continue to do what we can to fight the disease 
that slowly took it's terrible toll on the Reagans and so many other 
American families.
  Ronald Reagan wore many hats in his life, including endeavors as a 
sports announcer, actor, governor and President of the United States. 
He was first elected president in 1980 and served two terms, becoming 
the first president to serve two full terms since Dwight Eisenhower.
  His boundless optimism and deep-seated belief in the people of the 
United States and the American Dream helped restore our Nation's pride 
in itself and brought about a new ``Morning in America.'' His challenge 
to Gorbachev to ``tear down this wall,'' his successful revival of our 
economic power, his determination to rebuild our armed forces in order 
to contain the spread of communism, and his international summitry 
skills as seen at Reykjavik, Iceland, combined to help bring an end to 
the Cold War. Ronald Reagan left our Nation in much better shape than 
it was in when he took office.
  As Alzheimer's sets in, brain cells gradually deteriorate and die. 
People afflicted by the disease gradually lose their cognitive ability. 
Patients eventually become completely helpless and dependent on those 
around them for even the most basic daily needs. Each of the millions 
of Americans who is now affected will eventually, barring new 
discoveries in treatment, lose their ability to remember recent and 
past events, family and friends, even simple things like how to take a 
bath or turn on lights. Ronald Reagan, one of the most courageous and 
optimistic Presidents in American history, was no exception.
  Shortly after being shot in an assassination attempt, Ronald Reagan's 
courage and good humor in the face of a life threatening situation were 
evident when he famously apologized to his wife Nancy saying ``Sorry 
honey. I forgot to duck.'' Unfortunately, once Alzheimer's disease 
takes hold, it delivers a slow mind destroying bullet that none of us 
can duck to avoid. As Ronald Reagan wrote shortly after learning of his 
diagnosis ``I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from 
this painful experience.'' From the moment of diagnosis, it's ``a truly 
long, long, goodbye,'' Nancy Reagan said.
  Fortunately for all of us, when Ronald Reagan courageously announced 
in such an honest and public manner that he had Alzheimer's, rather 
than covering it up, he did a great deal to help alleviate the negative 
stigma that has long faced those suffering from this terrible disease. 
Much of the shame and pity traditionally associated with Alzheimer's 
was transformed almost overnight into sympathy and understanding as 
public awareness suddenly shot up and those suffering from Alzheimer's, 
and their families, knew that they were not alone.
  While Ronald Reagan's health didn't deteriorate right away, according 
to Mrs. Reagan, he had his good days and bad days, ``just like 
everybody else.'' In recent years, however, Reagan's condition 
completely deteriorated--and quickly. ``It's frightening and it's 
cruel,'' Nancy said, speaking of the disease and what it has done to 
her husband and family. ``It's sad to see somebody you love and have 
been married to for so long, with Alzheimer's, and you can't share 
memories,'' Mrs. Reagan said.
  In the introduction to a recently released book based on the touching 
love letters exchanged between herself and Reagan, Nancy elaborated on 
her sense of loss when she wrote, ``You know that it's a progressive 
disease and that there's no place to go but down, no light at the end 
of the tunnel. You get tired and frustrated, because you have no 
control and you feel helpless.'' She also said, ``There are so many 
memories that I can no longer share, which makes it very difficult.''
  Nancy Reagan has earned our Nation's admiration for her steadfast and 
loving dedication to her husband as she watched her beloved husband 
slowly fade away. Likewise, families all across our Nation, day in and 
day out, choose to personally provide care for their loved ones 
suffering from Alzheimer's, rather than putting them in institutions. 
They deserve our respect and support.
  Fortunately, Mrs. Reagan has had access to vital resources that 
helped her care for her husband. This is how it should be. 
Unfortunately, there are many American families out there who do not 
have access to these resources. This bill will help alleviate that by 
raising money to help American families who are struggling while 
providing care for their loved ones.
  Funding for Alzheimer's research has increased significantly over the 
past several years. Ronald Reagan's courage in coming forward and 
publicly announcing his condition played an important role in raising 
public awareness of Alzheimer's and paved the way for the recent 
increases in research funding. But much more needs to be done and this 
bill would complement these efforts.
  Once again, the legislation I am introducing today authorizes the 
U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Ronald W. Reagan 
while raising funds to help families care for their family members 
suffering from Alzheimer's disease. I urge my colleagues to support 
passage of this legislation.
  Ronald Reagan's eternal optimism and deep seated belief in an even 
better future for our Nation was underscored when he said. ``I know 
that for America, there will always be a bright future ahead.'' In 
honoring him this week, and in honoring his struggle, this bill, in 
keeping with this quote's spirit, will help provide for a better future 
for many American families.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2517

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Ronald Reagan Commemorative 
     Coin Act of 2004''.

     SEC. 2. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

       (a) Denominations.--The Secretary of the Treasury 
     (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') 
     shall mint and issue the following coins:
       (1) $5 Gold coins.--Not more than 100,000 $5 coins, which 
     shall--
       (A) weigh 8.359 grams;
       (B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
       (C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
       (2) $1 Silver coins.--Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, which 
     shall--
       (A) weigh 26.73 grams;
       (B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
       (C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
       (b) Bimetallic Coins.--The Secretary may mint and issue not 
     more than 200,000 $10 bimetallic coins of gold and platinum 
     instead of the gold coins required under subsection (a)(1), 
     in accordance with such specifications as the Secretary 
     determines to be appropriate.
       (c) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be 
     legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United 
     States Code.

     SEC. 3. SOURCES OF BULLION.

       (a) Platinum and Gold.--The Secretary shall obtain platinum 
     and gold for minting coins under this Act from available 
     sources.
       (b) Silver.--The Secretary may obtain silver for minting 
     coins under this Act from stockpiles established under the 
     Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act and from 
     other available sources.

     SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.

       (a) Design Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this 
     Act shall--
       (A) be emblematic of the presidency and life of former 
     President Ronald Wilson Reagan;

[[Page S6740]]

       (B) bear the likeness of former President Ronald Reagan on 
     the obverse side; and
       (C) bear a design on the reverse side that is similar to 
     the depiction of an American eagle carrying an olive branch, 
     flying above a nest containing another eagle and hatchlings, 
     as depicted on the 2001 American Eagle Gold Proof coins.
       (2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted 
     under this Act, there shall be--
       (A) a designation of the value of the coin;
       (B) an inscription of the year ``2005''; and
       (C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We 
     Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus 
     Unum''.
       (b) Design Selection.--The design for the coins minted 
     under this Act shall be--
       (1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the 
     Commission of Fine Arts; and
       (2) reviewed by the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory 
     Committee.

     SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.

       (a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be 
     issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
       (b) Mint Facility.--Only one facility of the United States 
     Mint may be used to strike any particular combination of 
     denomination and quality of the coins minted under this Act.
       (c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins 
     minted under this Act only during the period beginning on 
     January 1, 2005 and ending on December 31, 2005.

     SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.

       (a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this Act shall be 
     sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
       (1) the face value of the coins;
       (2) the surcharge provided in subsection (d) with respect 
     to such coins; and
       (3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including 
     labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, 
     marketing, and shipping).
       (b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the 
     coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
       (c) Prepaid Orders.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders 
     for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of 
     such coins.
       (2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders 
     under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
       (d) Surcharges.--All sales of coins issued under this Act 
     shall include a surcharge established by the Secretary, in an 
     amount equal to not more than--
       (1) $50 per coin for the $10 coin or $35 per coin for the 
     $5 coin; and
       (2) $10 per coin for the $1 coin.

     SEC. 7. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.

       (a) In General.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, 
     United States Code, the proceeds from the surcharges received 
     by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act 
     shall be paid promptly by the Secretary to the Department of 
     Health and Human Services to be used by the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services for the purposes of--
       (1) providing grants to charitable organizations that 
     assist families in their efforts to provide care at home to a 
     family member with Alzheimer's disease; and
       (2) increasing awareness and educational outreach regarding 
     Alzheimer's disease.
       (b) Audits.--Any organization or entity that receives funds 
     from the Secretary of Health and Human Services under 
     subsection (a) shall be subject to the audit requirements of 
     section 5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with 
     regard to such funds.

     SEC. 8. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.

       (a) No Net Cost to the Government.--The Secretary shall 
     take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that minting 
     and issuing coins under this Act will not result in any net 
     cost to the United States Government.
       (b) Payment for Coins.--A coin shall not be issued under 
     this Act unless the Secretary has received--
       (1) full payment for the coin;
       (2) security satisfactory to the Secretary to indemnify the 
     United States for full payment; or
       (3) a guarantee of full payment satisfactory to the 
     Secretary from a depository institution, the deposits of 
     which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance 
     Corporation or the National Credit Union Administration 
     Board.

                          ____________________