[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 310-312]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        LEGISLATION TO BE PASSED

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we did have a meeting with the President 
yesterday. It was one where we talked about the things that need to be 
done. The people who were at the meeting are experienced and understand 
the legislative perils we face on a daily basis. But we also recognize 
there are things that need to be done for the country, and we have to 
work toward that.
  I want to just briefly mention today that Senator Daschle introduced, 
on behalf of the Democratic caucus, bills that we believe are extremely 
important to pass. These are not necessarily in the order of 
importance, but the first bill introduced was S. 6, the Comprehensive 
Homeland Security Act.
  Basically, this bill builds on legislative initiatives that were 
passed in the 107th Congress. It would authorize funding for important 
programs. We have big holes in our security blanket. We have to do 
something about chemical security, domestic nuclear plants. We have to 
do something about rail security, security of water treatment works, 
and border security efforts to combat terrorism generally. This 
legislation is, in my opinion, a must-do piece of legislation.
  Prescription drugs has been talked about endlessly, with nothing 
having been done. It is so important that we pass legislation that 
makes Medicare a more meaningful, modern piece of legislation for our 
senior citizens.

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  When the Medicare legislation passed in 1965, there was really no 
need for prescription drugs because they were not used as they are 
today to make people more comfortable, to save lives, and to prevent 
disease. But now that is part of the basic treatment that seniors have.
  The average senior has 18 prescriptions filled every year. As a 
result, they pay large amounts out of their pocket for prescription 
drugs. What we have to do is provide a prescription drug benefit as 
part of Medicare. We need to do that and also in the process preserve 
Medicare. Medicare is not a perfect program, but it is a good program. 
People are saying it is about to go broke. Medicare is not about to go 
broke. And always remember that Medicare is a pay-as-you-go program. We 
continually have to refund and figure out ways to finance Medicare. 
That is the way it is. It is different than Social Security.
  So a prescription drug benefit is important for Medicare. Also, it is 
important we get ahold of prescription drug prices generally for 
everybody. Prescription drugs in this country are tremendously 
expensive, more expensive than in any other country, even though we 
develop and manufacture and produce most of them. It is not fair we 
spend more on prescription drugs than other countries. It is not fair 
they are cheaper in Canada and cheaper in Mexico than they are in the 
United States.
  The Leave No Child Behind Act is something that is an important piece 
of legislation, but the problem now is that it is not funded. We have 
to provide full funding for this No Child Left Behind Act. We have to 
hold States accountable for ensuring that all students have access to 
educational resources.
  We have to guarantee full funding of the Individuals With 
Disabilities Education Act.
  The Senator from New Hampshire has been a loud advocate for doing 
something to fund that program. We have to, as part of S. 8, help 
communities modernize public schools, and there are other things we 
need to do included in S. 8 that we need to debate and pass this year.
  S. 9 is the protection for pensions. This is a buildup of last year's 
corporate scandals and the 3-year stock market decline. They have 
simply highlighted the need to strengthen pension protections. That is 
what S. 9 is all about.
  S. 10 deals with the more than 40 million people who have no health 
insurance. There are many other people who have inadequate health 
insurance. We have to do something to provide some way of these people 
getting decent medical care. Over 40 million people with no health 
insurance says it all. That is what S. 10 is all about.
  As to the Equal Rights and Equal Dignity for Americans Act, we 
believe that we have to expand hate crimes protection, strengthen 
enforcement of existing civil rights laws, support legal representation 
for indigent Americans, and respond to the injustice of racial 
profiling. That is what S. 16 is all about. It is important legislation 
that needs to be passed.
  Global warming is S. 17. There is no question, there is no debate--
sensibly, logically, intellectually--that global warming is taking 
place. It is. The question is, what are we going to do about it? That 
is the key.
  We as Democrats talk about the minimum wage. We do it because most 
people have the stereotype that people who draw the minimum wage are 
kids flipping hamburgers at McDonald's. That is not the case. In fact, 
60 percent of the people who draw the minimum wage are women; for 40 
percent of those women, that is the only money they get for them and 
their families. So it is really important that we do something to 
increase the minimum wage. The minimum wage act would in two steps 
raise the minimum wage by $1.50: 75 cents when we pass the legislation; 
75 cents after that. It is important we do that.
  Many people who work two and sometimes three jobs, most of them part 
time, are paid the minimum wage. We need to increase that. That is the 
right thing to do.
  I was very happy the leader included in his package of must-do 
legislation for the Democratic caucus this year the Veterans and 
Military Personnel Fairness Act. Among other provisions, this includes 
expanding full concurrent receipt of military retirement. We have made 
a little bit of progress over the last couple years. Last year we made 
the most progress, but we are still lacking.
  If you retire from the military and have a medical disability, you 
cannot draw both pensions. Prior to last year, no one could. Last year 
we provided that people who are Purple Heart recipients basically can. 
We need to expand that. I was very happy the leader included this 
legislation that I authored and have worked on very closely with 
Senators Levin and Warner. It has taken years to get where we are now. 
We will continue to try to expand until people who retire from the 
military and have a disability can draw the same pension as somebody 
who retires from Sears and Roebuck and the Department of Interior and 
has the military disability. They should be able to draw the pension 
just the same. We want that to happen.
  S. 21, the Emergency Disaster Assistance Act, addresses severe 
drought and floods, natural disasters farmers and ranchers face all 
over the country. We need to do more to take care of these desperate 
people. Time magazine had their pictures of the year. I looked at that 
last night before going to bed. It is interesting to note that a number 
of those pictures deal with the drought that has taken place. One 
picture is of a 67-year-old farmer. For the first time in his career, 
he has nothing. He said: Farmers know what to do when it rains; we 
don't know what to do when it doesn't rain.
  That is what this legislation is all about. I hope in the spirit of 
what the majority leader talked about today and the President talked 
about at the White House yesterday we can work together to pass this 
legislation.
  The majority has pieces of legislation that they believe are 
important to pass. What we should do is work together. They have pieces 
of our legislation. Maybe we can work together. That is what we should 
do to pass the legislation. I don't think there would be many who would 
disagree that this legislation is important. They may not agree with 
every part of it, but that is what legislation is about. Legislation is 
the art of compromise. I hope we can move forward and do some 
compromising and some legislating.
  Before the Senator takes his 40 minutes, I would say to my friends on 
the Democratic side, prior to their arriving, Senator Gregg asked for 
40 minutes of the hour that the Republicans have set aside. He will do 
that now. Do you want to lock in a time for the two Senators now?
  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I would need 5 minutes.
  Mr. REID. You are entitled to 10. So following the remarks of the 
Senator from New Hampshire, the Senator from Arkansas will speak. The 
Senator from Minnesota?
  Mr. DAYTON. If I may have 15.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following the 
statement of the Senator from New Hampshire, the Senator from Arkansas 
be recognized for up to 10 minutes and the Senator from Minnesota for 
up to 15 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. GREGG. I have no objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from New Hampshire.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I will speak for about 40 minutes. I 
understood the Senator from Arkansas only needed about 5 minutes. I am 
happy to yield to her now as long as it does not impact my 40 minutes, 
if the Senator from Arkansas wishes to proceed.
  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I might 
proceed as in morning business for 5 minutes and that it not take 
anything out of the time of the Senator from New Hampshire.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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