[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16566-16569]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             109TH CONGRESS

  Mr. REID. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

       Very difficult thing to get anything out of this . . . 
     Congress. They don't want to do anything for the people. They 
     are awful anxious to do things to the people, and they have 
     done a lot of things to the people . . . and it's beginning 
     to hurt.

  That is a quote of Harry Truman.
  Again:

       Very difficult thing, to get anything out of this . . . 
     Congress. They don't want to do anything for the people. They 
     are awful anxious to do things to the people, and they have 
     done a lot of things to the people . . . and it's beginning 
     to hurt.

  Those are the words of Harry Truman in 1948. He was referring to the 
80th Congress, but those remarks are directly in tune with the 109th 
Congress.
  Like the ``do-nothing Congress'' of 1948, it is ``very difficult'' to 
get anything out of this Republican Congress. The things they are doing 
are ``beginning to hurt.''

[[Page 16567]]

  Look at national security. The majority's rubberstamping of President 
Bush in Iraq has made America less safe and emboldened our enemies such 
as Iran, North Korea, and al-Qaida. For the third week in a row, Iraq 
and the Middle East are plunging further into crisis, and what is the 
response of this Republican Congress? The estate tax, repeal of the 
estate tax.
  Look at our economy. The majority's reckless fiscal policies have 
created a $9 trillion debt, placing a birth tax on our children and our 
children's children. In recent years, the poor have gotten poorer and 
the rich have gotten richer, and the middle class have been squeezed.
  What is the response of the Republicans? Repeal the estate tax--
hundreds of billions of dollars to go to a small group of Americans, a 
very small group of Americans, a country with 300 million people. This 
repeal of the estate tax may affect 10,000 people--less than two-tenths 
of 1 percent of the American people.
  Look how divided America has become. The majority's focus on issues 
such as marriage and flag desecration has divided our country and 
distracted this body from more pressing concerns, problems in health 
care, ignoring global warming, energy and gas prices.
  I appreciate the distinguished majority leader saying he believes we 
should move to energy independence--and we certainly should. I support 
this drilling bill. President Clinton supported it. It allows drilling 
in the gulf coast. And it is important because it allows coastal 
restoration--and money goes to that. But it has little to do with 
energy independence.
  With energy and gas prices and the rising cost to the middle class, 
what is the response of the Republicans? Repeal the estate tax.
  There are just 15 legislative days left this year. Everyone knows 
that Mondays and Fridays are not voting days in this Republican Senate. 
That leaves us with 3 days this week and 12 when we return. What is the 
response of the Republicans today in the U.S. Senate? Move to repeal 
the estate tax. Fifteen days ahead of us, and behind us 19 wasted 
months. The truth is this Republican Congress is actually worse than 
the famous ``do-nothing Congress'' of 1948. That Congress worked almost 
a month longer than we have.
  Republicans ought to be ashamed of their dismal record, but it is 
clear from press reports that they are not. I got up to read the 
Washington Post yesterday morning and was really appalled when I read a 
quote from the House Republican leader in which he actually bragged 
about how little this Congress has done.
  I quote:

       Republican leaders shrug off the ``do-nothing'' charge.
       ``You get used to hearing that nonsense,'' said House 
     Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH).

  He went on to say:

       As for beating the 1948 Congress' record for lethargy, he 
     joked, ``Most Americans will be pretty happy with that.''

  I don't know what his congressional district is like and how people 
feel there, but in the rest of the country, that is not how they feel. 
Americans aren't ``happy'' that they are paying hundreds of dollars 
more for gasoline--sometimes every month--because this Republican 
Congress refuses to pass relief measures and won't investigate the 
surging profits of big oil. Exxon is going to make $40 billion net 
profit this year--$40 billion; British Petroleum, the best year they 
have ever had.
  They will not be investigating the surging profits of big oil because 
this administration is the most oil-friendly administration in the 
history of the country.
  This Congress doesn't have the political will necessary to rapidly 
make us more energy independent. And what is the Republican response? 
Repeal the estate tax for two-tenths of 1 percent of the American 
people, the richest of the rich.
  Americans aren't ``happy'' that our troops are in the middle of a 
civil war in Iraq because the Republican Congress won't demand the 
President change course.
  That is the law which passed on a bipartisan basis. The law, as we 
speak, is there should be a change of course in Iraq. The law says that 
the year 2006 will be a year of significant transition in Iraq. Not 
happening.
  I get a report on my way to work every morning from my stalwart 
staffers. I talked to Nathan this morning on the way to work. He said:

       Senator, I don't know where to start with Iraq. We know at 
     least four American soldiers have been killed, as mentioned 
     on page A10 of the Washington Post. It doesn't make the front 
     page anymore.

  The death and destruction of Iraq, as Nathan said, is hard to keep up 
with. In the past 24 hours, scores dead. Today, there were a dozen 
Iraqis beheaded. In the last month alone, 1,200 Iraqis have been 
killed, murdered. We tried to offer the military in Iraq a strategy for 
success, but Republicans chose instead to rubberstamp the President.
  What is the response to date to all these problems? Repeal the estate 
tax. We have spent more time on repealing the estate tax than any other 
one issue for the entire Congress, in this Senate. It should be clear 
who the majority favors. We have spent all this time on less than .2 
percent of the American people, costing the country hundreds of 
billions of dollars.
  Americans are not happy this President has worn down, exhausted, 
overstretched our military. In a paper I don't read very often, the 
Washington Times today reported that the military is in a state of 
disrepair. If you are not on the front lines, you are using equipment 
that does not work, equipment that is in need of repair. As Senator 
Jack Reed has said for months and months, we have a military 
infrastructure that is failing. The soldiers are fighting valiantly. 
The Washington Times reports our military is showing the wear of 5 
years of war.
  Rather than doing the Defense appropriations bill, we are going to 
work on the estate tax repeal. Think about that. The Defense 
appropriations bill should take a few days. Readiness levels for the 
Army are at lows not seen since Vietnam as virtually no active 
nondeployed combat brigade is prepared to perform its wartime mission. 
The Army has asked for $17 billion in emergency funds, but the 
President has not submitted that. His military leaders in the field 
have said $17 billion is what we need.
  We do not hear anything from the President on this except ``repeal 
the estate tax.'' Can anyone imagine that? Rather than doing what we 
should do to help our valiant soldiers, we are going to move this week 
to repealing the estate tax. Talk about dangerous incompetence from the 
administration and Congress, as well as making us less safe.
  America is not happy with our borders remaining unsecure 6 years 
after September 11, but this Republican Congress cannot pass 
comprehensive immigration reform. Rather than the President pushing on 
this--he says he is in favor of it--we still have this bill in the 
House that makes a felon of everyone, including health care workers, 
preachers, Catholic priests, and undocumented people in this country.
  What is the answer to that in the Senate today? Repeal the estate 
tax, giving hundreds of billions of dollars to a few of the richest 
people in the world.
  Contrary to Majority Mr. Leader Boehner, Americans are not happy with 
this Republican Congress which has bowed to the radical right and 
refused to override a Presidential veto of legislation to allow our 
best and brightest scientists to explore the promise of stem cell 
research. On the news today it was reported Prime Minister Blair is 
going to California to do a deal with the State of California to do 
stem cell research in Great Britain. We have farmed out hope for the 
most desperate of the sick, people who have suffered injuries, who are 
paralyzed from the neck down, the waist down.
  And what is the answer of this Congress, this Senate? Repeal the 
estate tax. Contrary to what my friend says, the majority leader in the 
House, Americans are not happy. This Republican Congress has 
concentrated all its efforts on the well-off, well-connected few and 
done nothing to assist America's middle-class families who are 
struggling to pay the rising costs of health care, education, energy, 
with paychecks that keep shrinking. If you

[[Page 16568]]

are college educated in America today, you have lost 5 percent of your 
earning power under this administration. What is the answer of this 
Senate, led by the Republicans? Repeal the estate tax.
  Americans are not happy this Republican Congress has virtually 
ignored the health care crisis. I have talked about stem cell research. 
That is only part of it. Forty-six million Americans have no health 
care. During this administration, 1 million people every month have 
been added to the roll of those who have no health insurance, and 
millions of others have inadequate health insurance. The Republicans 
have sat on their hands for 6 years as millions and millions have lost 
their insurance, while companies such as Ford and General Motors, 
companies that used to drive this economy, staples of the U.S. economy, 
have been crippled by the rising costs. What are we doing to help them? 
We are being asked to repeal the estate tax.
  Americans are not happy with this Republican Congress that has pushed 
its investigation of the President's manipulation of Iraq intelligence 
until after the election. We were promised--promised--we would do all 
five investigations. No way. Nine months after Democrats sent the 
Senate into a closed session over this issue, it has been announced the 
Republican-led Intelligence Committee will not complete its work before 
November. And I bet they don't do it even after that. Vice President 
Cheney will not let them. He runs the Intelligence Committee; we all 
know that.
  The only conclusion to draw is that the investigation is too 
embarrassing to Republicans to make public before the November 7 
election. What is the answer? I repeat, repeal the estate tax.
  Even though my friend Congressman Boehner thinks Americans are happy, 
Americans are not happy with this Republican Congress's cynical plan to 
play politics with minimum wage and pensions later this week. For 10 
years, American workers have waited for the Republican Congress to 
raise the minimum wage. Isn't it interesting, even though it is in a 
convoluted legislative package--and that is an understatement--when we 
said there would be no congressional pay raises until the minimum wage 
is increased, they are suddenly interested? During the 10 years that 
poor Americans have been waiting for a wage increase, Congress has 
given itself $30,000 in pay increases. In that time, the cost of 
everything--from gas to housing to heat--has gone up. And the answer of 
the Republicans? Repeal the estate tax.
  The Federal minimum wage has stayed the same, $5.15 an hour. For 
someone earning $10,000 a year, it is hard to live. Oprah did a story 
on that. Maybe that is one reason--in addition to Congress not further 
getting pay raises--for this bill. This issue is about to catch up with 
them. But they are afraid to come forward on a straight minimum wage 
vote. They stick it in with everything else. To think they have stuck 
the minimum wage package into the estate tax repeal. The majority does 
understand that elections are just around the corner and they are about 
to pay the price for ignoring America's workers. In a most transparent 
and cynical trick, Republicans have offered to give America a raise if, 
and only if, their wealthiest friends also get billions of dollars in 
tax breaks. It is such an unbelievable ploy, let me say it again: 
Republicans are threatening to deny a $2.10 raise for 11 million 
Americans unless they can give away hundreds of billions to less than 
.2 of 1 percent of the American people. The $2.10 raise is over a 
period of years. It should be immediate. The $2.10 an hour raise occurs 
if the richest of the rich get billions of dollars. It is political 
blackmail that reeks of desperation. It should fail. The estate tax has 
been defeated before in the Senate. Democrats have been willing to deal 
with the estate tax and change it. We are willing to do that.
  Now Republicans have backed off and only about 80 percent agree. This 
is the most contemptuous election year trick I have ever seen. It has 
nothing to do with giving workers a raise and everything to do with 
providing Republicans political cover. Everything we have done in this 
Senate has been directed toward repealing the estate tax.
  We had a deal we worked for a year on a conference on pensions. It 
was all done. They were ready to sign the papers. It was a bipartisan 
agreement. It is gone because of the estate tax. Now we have a 
freestanding bill on pensions coming to the Senate.
  To make matters worse, Republicans are willing to put the defense of 
our Nation on the back burner. I talked about the deterioration of our 
military. It was recorded in the news today all over the country. I 
read it in the Washington Times. The Senate has not acted on a Defense 
appropriations bill even though the President's own military leaders 
have said they need an emergency supplemental appropriation of $17 
billion to take care of the equipment that has gone to pieces as a 
result of the war.
  The Defense appropriations bill funds our national security policy 
and includes money for our troops and our equipment and determines how 
we address our national security challenges around the world. What are 
they doing? Not the Defense appropriations bill, but how can they get 
to the meat of repealing the estate tax?
  With all the problems we have in this country, where are their 
priorities? We see what their priorities are. In a time of war, one 
would think this bill would be priority No. 1, that we would do 
everything in our power to ensure the Senate has ample time to debate 
and pass this important legislation, but Republicans are threatening to 
jeopardize Senate passage of this bill so they can focus on their 
million-dollar friends. It is an insult that the American people can 
see through, as they can see through the tricks Republicans are playing 
with the pension bill.
  As I indicated, the conferees have worked to reconcile this House 
pension bill for more than a year. They basically have completed it, 
and now the wealthy few are ahead of the retirement security of 
millions of working Americans, further evidence that America needs a 
new direction. Cry as they might, Republicans cannot escape the record. 
History will record this as the do-nothing Congress of 2006 and it will 
be forever, most likely, the 1948 do-nothing Congress. No one is happy 
about this situation, contrary to what Republican leaders say.
  We have 15 days left. I respectfully suggest to the other side it is 
time to get to work on the real problems, not the estate tax.
  Mr. DURBIN addressed the Chair.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 
Senator from Nebraska is next.
  Mr. REID. I have not yielded the floor. I still have the floor.
  I yield for a question.
  Mr. DURBIN. I see the Senator from Nebraska, and I will not take much 
time, but I would ask a question of the Senator from Nevada.
  The Senator from Nevada has been in the Congress as long as I have. 
We came together in 1982. We have seen a lot of things happen. I ask 
the Senator from Nevada if, in his time in serving in Congress, he has 
ever seen a worse special interest bill than this bill which would 
repeal the estate tax which affects about 2 families out of every 
1,000, families who are the wealthiest in America, that the Republican 
leadership in the House and Senate insist we have to reduce their taxes 
before we can ever consider giving an increase in the minimum wage to 
11 million workers who get up every morning and go to work? For 9 
straight years, the Republican leadership in the White House and 
Congress has said to these hard-working Americans, no pay raise. Now--
now--comes the deal. The Republicans have finally said: OK, all right, 
our conscience has finally gotten to us--or maybe it is the fear of 
losing our congressional pay raise--but now we will consider the 
minimum wage pay raise as long as you will cut the taxes on the 
wealthiest people in America as part of the bargain.
  Has the Senator from Nevada ever seen a worse special interest 
bargain in 24 years?
  Mr. REID. I say to my friend, the distinguished minority whip, the 
time we have spent on this Senate floor dealing with estate tax, think 
what we could

[[Page 16569]]

have done in energy, health care, education, the debt, but they are 
spending it on this massive debt increase. Hundreds of billions of 
dollars we will increase the debt--this year's deficit--the debt over 
the next 10 years. I have never seen anything like it.
  Mr. DURBIN. I would like to ask the Senator from Nevada this--and he 
goes to the point. It is not just the basic injustice and unfairness of 
saying you will not give the hardest working, lowest paid Americans any 
increase in their hourly wage unless you give the wealthiest Americans 
a tax break that, frankly, only but a few of them have asked for.
  I ask the Senator from Nevada, the outcome of this deal--if they pull 
it off--will increase the debt of America, will increase the money we 
have to borrow from China and Japan and Korea and Saudi Arabia, will 
leave a greater debt for our children so the Republican dream of 
reducing the estate tax for the wealthiest people in America will come 
true. Does the Senator from Nevada think that increasing America's 
debt, cutting taxes in the midst of a war, is sound evidence of fiscal 
conservatism?
  Mr. REID. This increases the national debt by hundreds of billions of 
dollars. I ask my friends on the other side of the aisle, how could you 
let this happen? I say that. I plead: How can you let this happen?
  We will try to stop it. We would like a little help. How can you let 
this happen? I am really troubled. I cannot understand how they would 
even have the audacity to bring this up: a $2.10 increase over 2 or 3 
years--it is not all at once--and a massive, immediate cessation of the 
richest of the rich having to pay basically any taxes on their estates.
  Mr. DURBIN. Last question I would like to ask the Senator----
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The time of the minority in morning 
business has expired.
  Mr. REID. I will use my leader time.
  Mr. DURBIN. I ask the Senator from Nevada to yield for one further 
question. I thank the Senator from Nebraska for his patience.
  We have struggled long and hard over the last several months to ask 
the Republican leadership in the Senate to bring up the issues, the 
bills, the laws that people care about: reducing the cost of gasoline 
for working families and businesses and farmers in Nevada, Illinois, 
Texas, and Nebraska; working on doing something about the 46 million 
uninsured Americans; dealing with the issues that we face when people 
cannot afford to send their kids to college; dealing with the real 
security of America so we live up to the 9/11 Commission 
recommendations to make America safe.
  I will ask the Senator from Nevada, in closing, as we have asked time 
and time and time again, to bring up the real issues that count, such 
as an increase in the minimum wage, is it not a fact that, instead, the 
Republican leadership has pushed aside the real issues, such as money 
for our troops, pushed aside the energy program which we need for 
America, and said, instead: We are going to have a parade of 
constitutional amendments that are extreme--many of them--and then we 
have to always come back to repealing the estate tax? It is a higher 
priority to them than anything I have mentioned.
  Mr. REID. Legislative heaven, obviously, for the Republicans in this 
Congress is the estate tax.
  Mr. DURBIN. I thank the Senator.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Nebraska is 
recognized.
  Mr. HAGEL. Thank you, Mr. President.

                          ____________________