[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 11143-11144]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I will use leader time this morning to 
comment about a number of matters.
  I return, as most Members have, from our home States, and I feel a 
new sense of optimism about what we can accomplish in America for the 
remaining months of this Congress.
  I had the opportunity to visit with South Dakotans of all ages when I 
was home. I was reminded during those conversations of the hope and 
resilience that characterize Americans, even in difficult times. The 
people I talked with spoke frankly about the serious challenges we are 
facing, but they also expressed a belief that together we can overcome 
those challenges. And they are right. Their sense of resolve is a great 
reminder for us all.
  When we left Washington for Memorial Day recess, the Senate had ended 
5 weeks of procedural wrangling that left many of us frustrated. We 
accomplished much less than we should have in those 5 weeks. What we 
did accomplish, though important, took far too long. Remarkably, when 
we finally did reach agreement on a couple of key issues, some 
influential voices actually complained. Why? Because bipartisan 
progress does not suit their political strategy. They would actually 
prefer Congress do nothing between now and November because they want 
to blame Democrats for inaction.
  When we left for the recess, I was seriously concerned that such 
political gamesmanship in the Senate could result in a lot of name-
calling and finger-pointing this summer but very little progress for 
the American people. We owe our country more than that.
  On Memorial Day, I spoke at a ceremony at a veterans cemetery in my 
hometown where my father is buried. There were veterans there from my 
father's war, World War II, from Vietnam, Korea, and the Persian Gulf 
conflict. There were guests who have friends and family members today 
serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  Yesterday I spoke to about 500 young men who were attending Boys 
State in South Dakota. This is the 35th anniversary of my own week at 
Boys State. The young men who are part of Boys State this weekend are 
among the best and brightest in my State. They are there because they 
are natural leaders. They care deeply about the future of our country. 
Some of them will no doubt join the military. From the oldest veterans 
at the cemetery to the youngest delegates at Boys State, the people I 
talked with at home reminded me Americans have always done what was 
needed to be done to make a better future.

[[Page 11144]]

  Congress can do the same now. These are difficult times economically 
for the middle class. The last time we found ourselves in the situation 
like this was in 1992. Then, as now, the monthly bills were getting 
bigger but wages were not keeping up. Then, as now, we were told the 
economy was getting better. But whatever ``recovery'' there was did not 
seem to be reaching the middle class. Then, as now, there was a feeling 
that leadership was out of touch with what was going on in most of 
America.
  But then, over the next few years, the leadership in Washington, our 
Government, started putting the interests of the Nation ahead of 
special interests. We focused on creating jobs and reducing crime and 
balancing the budget. With the help of the American people we did all 
three.
  Between 1992 and 2000, 22 million new jobs were created. We lowered 
the crime rate and turned record deficits into surpluses. We restored 
strength to America's economy and strengthened America's leadership 
position in the world. We worked with our allies and NATO to confront a 
ruthless dictator in Europe who was engaged in ethnic cleansing and 
ended his brutal reign. A victory in Kosovo proved how successful we 
can be with our friends when we work together and share the burden 
confronting global threats.
  The situation today may be a little tougher and the solutions may be 
more complex, especially on the international front, but the 
fundamental truth remains. Americans still know we can work our way out 
of this. That is the sentiment I heard back in South Dakota. We have 
done it before; we can do it again.
  I am confident the American people will rise to the challenges of 
today as well. And we need to meet those challenges with them. We must 
make the needs of hard-working Americans a higher priority than passing 
more tax breaks. Congress must put the well-being of patients ahead of 
the profits of HMOs and drug companies so we can finally address the 
health care crisis in a meaningful way. We must return to a foreign 
policy that recognizes the value of listening to military leaders and 
working with all of our allies.
  These are commitments the American people want from this Congress. In 
recent weeks, we have gotten a glimpse of what we can accomplish if we 
put aside politics and focus on the larger task at hand.
  Two weeks ago, for example, we had a promising bipartisan development 
regarding the transportation bill. After several disappointing 
experiences with conference processes last year, we have reached a 
good-faith agreement on how we can proceed with the transportation 
conference. I am hopeful we can get a good bill to the President soon.
  There are some people who think Congress should do little or nothing 
more of any consequence before we adjourn in October. They see 
political advantage in gridlock. We need to reject cynical calculations 
such as these. Doing nothing may be good for some people's political 
campaigns, but it does not do good for America. It is not good for the 
millions of middle-class families looking to Congress for help with 
real and every-day needs. We cannot wait until the new Congress is 
sworn in next January. We need to be working together now.
  Last week I participated in my fourth annual Technology Summit, which 
has become now an annual event in Sioux Falls. Bill Gates and other 
technology industry leaders spoke. About 1,000 people came to hear how 
new discoveries in science and technology can help solve even the most 
seemingly intractable problems.
  One of the people at that summit was a brilliant 29-year-old 
neuroscience researcher who got his Ph.D. at the University of South 
Dakota and is doing breakthrough work unlocking the secrets of the 
human mind. If he can learn how the human mind works, surely we can 
find a way in this Senate to work together on the challenges facing 
America.
  If young people are willing to go to war for America, surely we can 
agree to call a political truce in the Senate for at least the next 
several months so we can deal with some of the real problems facing 
middle-class families.
  As my fellow South Dakotans reminded me over and over again last 
week, we have met the challenge of difficult times before. Together we 
must do so again.
  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. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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