[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 117 (Tuesday, September 19, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9726-S9728]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Mr. Specter):
  S. 3910. A bill to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to 
accept the donation of a bust depicting Sojourner Truth and to display 
the bust in a suitable location in the Capitol; to the Committee on 
Rules and Administration.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President it gives me pride and pleasure to 
introduce revised legislation that will enable the Joint Committee on 
the Library to display a bust depicting Sojourner Truth in the Capitol 
Building.
  I began this effort with legislation I introduced 2 years ago during 
the 108th Congress. Because my colleagues in the other body and I were 
not able to enact our bill that time, we return in the 109th Congress 
with new legislation which would direct the Joint Committee on the 
Library to accept the donation of a bust depicting Sojourner Truth and 
to display the bust in a suitable location in the Capitol. I now lay 
down this version of the bill that reflects bipartisan support among 
leaders who share the goal of honoring this important figure in our 
Nation's and New York State's history.
  Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in New York's Hudson Valley in 
1797, She moved to New York City after gaining her freedom in 1826 and 
by 1843 had changed her name to Sojourner Truth, traveling the country 
preaching for human rights. After attending the 1850 National Woman's 
Rights Convention, Truth made women's suffrage a focal point of her 
speeches, portraying women as powerful, independent figures. Her most 
famous speech, ``Ain't I a Woman,'' given at the 1851 Women's Rights 
Convention in Akron, OH, has become a classic text on women's rights.
  Because of her great, advocacy on behalf of women, despite all of the 
hardships she faced, Sojourner Truth deserves to be represented along 
with the suffragists depicted in the United States Capitol Building. I 
ask that the Senate come together and honor this visionary American for 
her service to our Nation.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Alexander, and Mr. Frist):
  S. 3911. A bill to amend the Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939 to 
revise the requirements for labeling of certain wool and cashmere 
products; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3911

       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 ``Wool Suit Fabric Labeling 
     Fairness and International Standards Conforming Act''.

     SEC. 2. LABELING OF WOOL AND CASHMERE PRODUCTS TO FACILITATE 
                   COMPLIANCE AND PROTECT CONSUMERS.

       (a) In General.--Section 4(a) of the Wool Products Labeling 
     Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. 68b(a)) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following new paragraphs:
       ``(5)(A) In the case of a wool product stamped, tagged, 
     labeled, or otherwise identified as--
       ``(i) `Super 80's' or `80's', if the average diameter of 
     wool fiber of such wool product does not average 19.75 
     microns or finer;
       ``(ii) `Super 90's' or `90's', if the average diameter of 
     wool fiber of such wool product does not average 19.25 
     microns or finer;
       ``(iii) `Super 100's' or `100's', if the average diameter 
     of wool fiber of such wool product does not average 18.75 
     microns or finer;
       ``(iv) `Super 110's' or `110's', if the average diameter of 
     wool fiber of such wool product does not average 18.25 
     microns or finer;
       ``(v) `Super 120's' or `120's', if the average diameter of 
     wool fiber of such wool product does not average 17.75 
     microns or finer;
       ``(vi) `Super 130's' or `130's', if the average diameter of 
     wool fiber of such wool product does not average 17.25 
     microns or finer;
       ``(vii) `Super 140's' or `140's', if the average diameter 
     of wool fiber of such wool product does not average 16.75 
     microns or finer;
       ``(viii) `Super 150's' or `150's', if the average diameter 
     of wool fiber of such wool product does not average 16.25 
     microns or finer;
       ``(ix) `Super 160's' or `160's', if the average diameter of 
     wool fiber of such wool product does not average 15.75 
     microns or finer;
       ``(x) `Super 170's' or `170's', if the average diameter of 
     wool fiber of such wool product does not average 15.25 
     microns or finer;
       ``(xi) `Super 180's' or `180's', if the average diameter of 
     wool fiber of such wool product does not average 14.75 
     microns or finer;
       ``(xii) `Super 190's' or `190's', if the average diameter 
     of wool fiber of such wool product does not average 14.25 
     microns or finer;
       ``(xiii) `Super 200's' or `200's', if the average diameter 
     of wool fiber of such wool product does not average 13.75 
     microns or finer;
       ``(xiv) `Super 210's' or `210's', if the average diameter 
     of wool fiber of such wool product does not average 13.25 
     microns or finer;
       ``(xv) `Super 220's' or `220's', if the average diameter of 
     wool fiber of such wool product does not average 12.75 
     microns or finer;
       ``(xvi) `Super 230's' or `230's', if the average diameter 
     of wool fiber of such wool product does not average 12.25 
     microns or finer;
       ``(xvii) `Super 240's' or `240's', if the average diameter 
     of wool fiber of such wool product does not average 11.75 
     microns or finer; and
       ``(xviii) `Super 250's' or `250's', if the average diameter 
     of wool fiber of such wool product does not average 11.25 
     microns or finer.
       ``(B) In each case described in subparagraph (A), the 
     average fiber diameter of the wool product may be subject to 
     such other standards or deviations as adopted by regulation 
     by the Commission.
       ``(6)(A) In the case of a wool product stamped, tagged, 
     labeled, or otherwise identified as cashmere, if--
       ``(i) such wool product is not the fine (dehaired) 
     undercoat fibers produced by a cashmere goat (capra hircus 
     laniger);
       ``(ii) the average diameter of the fiber of such wool 
     product exceeds 19 microns; or
       ``(iii) such wool product contains more than 3 percent (by 
     weight) of cashmere fibers

[[Page S9727]]

     with average diameters that exceed 30 microns.
       ``(B) The average fiber diameter for each product described 
     in subparagraph (A) may be subject to a coefficient of 
     variation around the mean that does not exceed 24 percent.''.
       (b) Applicability Date.--The amendments made by this 
     section apply to wool products manufactured on or after 
     January 1, 2007.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. ENSIGN (for himself, Mrs. Lincoln, Ms. Collins, Mr. Hatch, 
        and Mr. Talent):
  S. 3912. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
extend the exceptions process with respect to caps on payments for 
therapy services under the Medicare program; to the Committee on 
Finance.
  Mr. ENSIGN. I am pleased to introduce the Securing Effective and 
Necessary Individual Outpatient Rehabilitation Services Act, the 
SENIORS Act, to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries who rely on 
medically necessary therapy services continue to have access to the 
services they need. The bill would allow exceptions to therapy caps for 
certain medically necessary services in 2007.
  An exceptions process for Medicare patients who exceed the therapy 
cap was authorized in legislation last year. A Medicare patient may now 
obtain an exception if the service is deemed medically necessary and 
then receive covered therapy services above the cap. The exceptions 
process expires at the end of this year, so Congress must extend it for 
the 2007 calendar year.
  I started the fight to eliminate the annual cap on outpatient 
rehabilitation services in its entirety when I was in the House of 
Representatives. I brought this fight to the Senate where I introduced 
legislation to completely repeal the annual Medicare cap on 
rehabilitation therapy services. I recognize that a complete repeal is 
not politically or financially viable at this time. However, an 
extension of the exceptions process should be possible.
  Action is needed to address the therapy caps this year. This is not a 
Republican issue or a Democrat issue. At its heart, this issue is a 
patient issue. Forty-four of my Senate colleagues have joined me in 
legislation to repeal the therapy caps once and for all. In addition, 
almost 260 of members of the United States House of Representatives and 
more than 40 groups representing patients and providers support 
legislation efforts to repeal the caps or extend the current exceptions 
process. And, in May of this year, 47 Senators signed a letter to 
Senate leadership urging an extension of the exceptions process 
authorized in the Deficit Reduction Act beyond its current expiration 
of January 1, 2007.
  Ensuring access to needed outpatient physical therapy, occupational 
therapy and speech language pathology services for Medicare 
beneficiaries in a fiscally responsible manner is essential. Denying 
access by an arbitrary cap will only shift costs as patients will delay 
rehabilitation, seek more costly interventions, or be admitted 
inpatient settings.
  As a member of th1e Senate Budget Committee, I realize the serious 
budgetary constraints that are upon Congress. I also understand that we 
need to prioritize spending. I believe that extension of the exceptions 
process beyond 2006 should be a priority. I look forward to working 
with my colleagues to ensure that senior citizens continue to have 
access to high-quality rehabilitation services.
                                 ______
                                 
      BY Mr. ROCKEFELLER:
  S. 3913. A bill to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to 
eliminate funding shortfalls for the State Children's Health Insurance 
Program (SCHIP) for fiscal year 2007; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
to protect the vital health insurance coverage that millions of our 
Nation's children receive through the Children's Health Insurance 
Program (CHIP). As I stand here today, at least 17 States face looming 
Federal funding shortfalls of as much as $900 million, the cost of 
covering more than half a million children.
  Mr. Dingell, the distinguished ranking member of the House Energy and 
Commerce Committee, and I have worked for several weeks to craft a bill 
that reflects the intentions of this program when it was first created 
nearly ten years ago: to provide comprehensive health insurance 
coverage for children. Additionally, this legislation addresses an 
ongoing set of challenges associated with the program's block grant 
financing structure. I am pleased to report that Mr. Dingell and others 
will be introducing companion legislation in the House of 
Representatives today.
  We are introducing the Keep Children Covered Act now because it is 
critically important that we consider and pass this legislation before 
we adjourn this year. No one can dispute the success of the CHIP 
program in enrolling and providing coverage for more then 6 million 
children nationwide. In 2005, West Virginia provided coverage for more 
then 38,000 children, and an expansion to reach additional children is 
currently underway. This is quite an accomplishment. But, the ongoing 
success of this program depends on adequate Federal funding for all 
States.
  It is a sad truth that persistent barriers to health care coverage 
have resulted in annual increases in the total number of uninsured 
Americans. Today, 46 million Americans are uninsured for all or most of 
the year. I am particularly troubled in that, in 2005, the number of 
uninsured children increased for the first time since the CHIP program 
was implemented in 1998. The number of uninsured children now stands at 
8.3 million.
  This is unacceptable. We have taken a significant step back in terms 
of covering children, and this will only get worse if the $900 million 
Federal funding shortfall is not immediately addressed. Children are 
the least expensive group to insure, and our future depends on their 
good health and well-being. There is clear evidence that children with 
consistent access to health care services are more likely to become 
healthy adults and successful members of our communities. Like West 
Virginia, a number of States have expressed their willingness to expand 
the CHIP program, but we must hold up our end of the bargain and supply 
them with the resources necessary to make these positive changes. It 
would be irresponsible for us to allow additional children to go 
without this much needed access to care. It would also run counter to 
the goals Congress set out when we created CHIP in 1997.
  Preserving health care coverage for children is not an objective 
beyond our reach. Although it represents only a temporary fix of the 
larger funding issues facing CHIP, the bill I am introducing today will 
alleviate the fiscal year 2007 shortfalls and ensure that children 
currently enrolled in CHIP do not lose their coverage. I congratulate 
my colleagues on the House side, Congressmen Deal and Norwood, who 
introduced similar legislation at the end of last week. They understand 
this is something we can come together on, pass, and enact into law 
before Congress recesses for the elections. It is my hope that Congress 
will act on a bipartisan basis to more comprehensively address the 
long-term financial challenges facing CHIP when the program is 
reauthorized next year.
  In the meantime, I urge my colleagues to make children's health care 
a priority during the limited time we have left this session. Working 
families depend on this program in order to access the health care 
services--like check-ups and prescriptions--that their children need. I 
hope we will not let them down. We should not.
  I ask unanimous consent that the full text of this bill be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3913

       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 ``Keep Children Covered Act of 
     2006''.

     SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF SCHIP FUNDING SHORTFALLS FOR FISCAL 
                   YEAR 2007.

       (a) In General.--Section 2104 of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1397dd) is amended--
       (1) in each of subsections (a), (b)(1), and (c)(1), by 
     striking ``subsection (d)'' and inserting ``subsections (d) 
     and (h)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(h) Special Rule for Redistribution of Unspent Fiscal 
     Year 2004 Allotments and Additional Allotments To Eliminate 
     Fiscal Year 2007 Funding Shortfalls.--
       ``(1) Special rule for redistribution of fiscal year 2004 
     allotments.--

[[Page S9728]]

       ``(A) In general.--In the case of a State that expends all 
     of its allotment under subsection (b) or (c) of this section 
     for fiscal year 2004 by the end of fiscal year 2006 and is an 
     initial shortfall State described in subparagraph (B), the 
     Secretary shall redistribute to the State under subsection 
     (f) of this section (from the fiscal year 2004 allotments of 
     other States) the following amount:
       ``(i) State.--In the case of one of the 50 States or the 
     District of Columbia, the amount specified in subparagraph 
     (C)(i) (less the total of the amounts under clause (ii)), 
     multiplied by the ratio of the amount specified in 
     subparagraph (C)(ii) for the State to the amount specified in 
     subparagraph (C)(iii).
       ``(ii) Territory.--In the case of a commonwealth or 
     territory described in subsection (c)(3), an amount that 
     bears the same ratio to 1.05 percent of the amount specified 
     in subparagraph (C)(i) as the ratio of the commonwealth's or 
     territory's fiscal year 2004 allotment under subsection (c) 
     bears to the total of all such allotments for such fiscal 
     year under such subsection.
       ``(B) Initial shortfall state described.--For purposes of 
     subparagraph (A), an initial shortfall State is a State with 
     a State child health plan approved under this title for which 
     the Secretary estimates, on the basis of the most recent data 
     available to the Secretary as of the date of the enactment of 
     this subsection, that the projected Federal expenditures 
     under such plan for such State for fiscal year 2007 will 
     exceed the sum of--
       ``(i) the amount of the State's allotments for each of 
     fiscal years 2005 and 2006 that will not be expended by the 
     end of fiscal year 2006; and
       ``(ii) the amount of the State's allotment for fiscal year 
     2007.
       ``(C) Amounts used in computing redistributions for fiscal 
     year 2004 allotments.--For purposes of subparagraph (A)(i)--
       ``(i) the amount specified in this clause is the total 
     amount of unspent fiscal year 2004 allotments available for 
     redistribution under subsection (f);
       ``(ii) the amount specified in this clause for an initial 
     shortfall State is the amount the Secretary determines will 
     eliminate the estimated shortfall described in subparagraph 
     (B) for the State; and
       ``(iii) the amount specified in this clause is the total 
     sum of the amounts specified in clause (ii) for all initial 
     shortfall States.
       ``(2) Additional allotments to eliminate fiscal year 2007 
     funding shortfalls remaining after redistribution of unspent 
     fiscal year 2004 allotments.--
       ``(A) In general.--In addition to the allotments provided 
     under subsection (b) and (c) for fiscal year 2007, the 
     Secretary shall allot to each remaining shortfall State 
     described in subparagraph (B) such amount as the Secretary 
     determines will eliminate the estimated shortfall described 
     in such subparagraph for the State.
       ``(B) Remaining shortfall state described.--For purposes of 
     subparagraph (A), a remaining shortfall State is a State 
     (including a commonwealth or territory described in 
     subsection (c)(3)) with a State child health plan approved 
     under this title for which the Secretary estimates, on the 
     basis of the most recent data available to the Secretary as 
     of the date of the enactment of this subsection, that the 
     projected federal expenditures under such plan for such State 
     for fiscal year 2007 will exceed the sum of--
       ``(i) the amount of the State's allotments for each of 
     fiscal years 2005 and 2006 that will not be expended by the 
     end of fiscal year 2006;
       ``(ii) the amount of the State's allotment for fiscal year 
     2007; and
       ``(iii) the amount, if any, of unspent allotments for 
     fiscal year 2004 that are to be redistributed to the State 
     during fiscal year 2007 in accordance with subsection (f) and 
     paragraph (1).
       ``(C) 1-year availability; no redistribution of unexpended 
     additional allotments.--Notwithstanding subsections (e) and 
     (f), amounts allotted to a remaining shortfall State pursuant 
     to this paragraph shall only remain available for expenditure 
     by the State through September 30, 2007. Any amounts of such 
     allotments that remain unexpended as of such date shall not 
     be subject to redistribution under subsection (f) and shall 
     revert to the Treasury on October 1, 2007.
       ``(D) Appropriation; allotment authority.--For the purpose 
     of providing additional allotments to remaining shortfall 
     States under this paragraph there is appropriated, out of any 
     funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums 
     as are necessary for fiscal year 2007.''.
       (b) Extending Authority for Qualifying States to Use 
     Certain Funds for Medicaid Expenditures.--Section 
     2105(g)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1397ee(g)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ``or 2005'' and 
     inserting ``2005, or 2006''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     apply to items and services furnished on or after October 1, 
     2006, without regard to whether or not regulations 
     implementing such amendments have been issued.
       (d) Period of Effectiveness.--Section 2104(h)(2) of the 
     Social Security Act (as added by subsection (a)) shall 
     terminate on September 30, 2007, and shall be considered to 
     have expired notwithstanding section 257 of the Balanced 
     Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 
     907).

                          ____________________