[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18992]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



               AVIATION SECURITY AND THE STIMULUS PACKAGE

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I was actually thinking about reading 
some of the descriptions and testimony of some of the people who spoke 
yesterday.
  Let me just say one more time that on this one, we don't budge until 
we get the help for the employees. That is all there is to it. If that 
is the difference between Democrats and Republicans, so be it. That 
would make me proud to be a Democrat. If it does not end up being the 
difference between Democrats and Republicans and we do it in a 
bipartisan way, all the better. But we are not waiting any longer. I am 
not going back home again this weekend trying to explain to people how 
in the world the Senate could not provide them some support.
  My final point is, the truth is, we need to be doing this business 
and more because, frankly, we have something else that is ahead of us, 
which is all the other people in Minnesota and in the country who have 
been affected, all of the other people who are losing their jobs, 
whether it be in the tourism industry, hotel/restaurant, related to 
tourism, whatnot, whether it be small businesses, or whether it be 
people in high-tech. There are a lot of people right now who are out of 
work. A lot of small businesses lost some of their business, and they 
never had a lot of capital to rely on in the first place.
  So I just say to colleagues that we are in a serious recession in our 
country. These are hard economic times. We need to put a stimulus 
package together next week. We need to have the stimulus package large 
enough to make a difference. It has to be something that focuses on 
getting money into the hands of consumers--those who will make 
purchases right away. It has to take effect within the next couple of 
months, frankly, to really make a difference. There are a lot of people 
who, A, could use the help and, B, this would put purchasing power back 
into the economy. Unemployment benefits need to be extended and 
improved. There is the health care coverage for people and child care 
expenses, and there is the workforce development and work training that 
is so important. There are ways in which we can invest in rebuilding 
crumbling schools and affordable housing and creating jobs at the same 
time. There is a whole lot we need to do, and we need to do it now. 
That is part of the crisis that is staring us in the face. Yet we are 
in morning business for another 2 hours this afternoon.
  I just wanted to make it clear that--and I think I am speaking for 
other Democrats--we are not giving any ground on getting help to the 
aviation employees and others, and we are going to do it this week on 
this bill. We are not going to give any ground on safety, and we are 
going to pass this bill this week. We are also going to move on and get 
serious about an economic stimulus package as well.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  Because of the unanimous consent agreement, I ask that the time 
continue to run on the motion to proceed because it is the same morning 
business we asked it to run against; is that right?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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