[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3829-3840]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 
                                  2007

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
resume consideration of S. Con. Res. 83, which the clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 83) setting forth the 
     congressional budget for the United States Government for 
     fiscal year 2007 and including the appropriate budgetary 
     levels for fiscal years 2007 and 2008 through 2011.

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the time from 9 
a.m. to 10:30 a.m. shall be evenly divided between the Senator from New 
Hampshire, Mr. Gregg, and the Senator from North Dakota, Mr. Conrad.
  Pending:

       Specter amendment No. 3048, to increase the advance 
     appropriations allowance in order to fund health, education 
     and training, and low-income programs.
       Reid (for Clinton/Reid) amendment No. 3115, to increase 
     funding in fiscal year 2007 by $347 million to restore 
     funding or provide increased funding over fiscal year 2006 
     for programs and policies that support the delivery of 
     contraceptive services and medically accurate information in 
     order to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, 
     including Title X of the Public Health Service Act, and to 
     restore funding or provide increased funding over fiscal year 
     2006 for programs that help women have healthy pregnancies 
     and healthy children, including the Child Care Development 
     Block Grant, Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, Healthy 
     Start, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for 
     Women, Infants, and Children paid for by closing corporate 
     tax loopholes.


                   Recognition of the Majority Leader

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized.


                                Schedule

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning we are returning to the budget 
resolution for what we hope will be the final day. Chairman Gregg and 
Senator Conrad will be managing the time until 10:30 a.m. At 10:30, we 
have an order for a series of four stacked votes. The first two are on 
the debt limit extension, and the last two votes are in relation to the 
avian flu amendments to the budget resolution. The two managers will 
then control the remaining time until 1:30 this afternoon when all time 
expires.
  At 1:30 today, we begin disposing of the pending amendments and any 
additional amendments that are offered. This is the beginning of the 
so-called vote-arama. This is a difficult process. These votes will 
likely continue for a while today and possibly into the evening. I urge 
my colleagues to remain in or around the Chamber.
  I was talking to the Democratic manager, and we both agreed, as does 
the Republican manager, that our colleagues must and we encourage them 
to show restraint during the day and recognize not every amendment 
needs to be offered. Yesterday, Senators missed some votes because they 
did not show up on time. The managers will be very clear in terms of 
how much time is allowed for each vote. We encourage Members to stay 
close to the Chamber so they do not miss the votes. The only way to 
finish the budget is to have that discipline and not to drag the votes 
on for 15 minutes or more. I also encourage Members to rethink whether 
they need to offer their amendments, as I stated earlier.
  Finally, I note that we have some nominations to consider before we 
adjourn. On the list of nominations are two district judges we will 
finish. If votes are needed, then we will need to schedule those votes 
with the budget votes as well. However, I hope we can work on a 
nominations list that will be agreed to by unanimous consent.
  I thank Senator Gregg and Senator Conrad for their efforts so far. I 
thank everyone in advance for their patience during this budget 
process.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                           Amendment No. 3133

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I am offering an amendment on avian flu. I 
offered this same amendment in the committee because after testimony by 
Secretary Leavitt before the Committee on the Budget, we are clearly 
still unprepared to meet any potential pandemic.
  Here is what the U.N. said on March 9:

       ``Bird flu is likely to spread to birds in the United 
     States within six months and could produce an epidemic among 
     humans `at any time,' said a U.N. official. The prediction by 
     David Nabarro was the first by a top global health official 
     pinpointing when birds carrying the flu will arrive in the 
     lower 48 States.''

  He went on to say, and I hope my colleagues and their staffs are 
listening:

       ``There will be a pandemic sooner or later,'' Nabarro said. 
     ``It could start any time. We have a virus capable of 
     replicating inside humans. We have a virus that humans are 
     not resistant to. We have a virus about which we don't 
     understand everything.''

  The administration's assessment of what could happen if there were a 
pandemic is truly sobering. I will discuss the Bush administration 
estimates of possible consequences from avian flu pandemic. In terms of 
illness, if it were severe, 90 million people could be affected in this 
country. The requirement for outpatient medical care: 45 million 
people.
  Colleagues, we are totally unprepared for something of this 
magnitude.
  Hospitalization, if it were severe, 9.9 million people in this 
country would require hospitalization. ICU care--that

[[Page 3830]]

is intensive care--almost 1.5 million people would need intensive care. 
We do not have the ventilators, we do not have the facilities, and we 
do not have the beds to accommodate that level of illness. Mechanical 
ventilation, almost 750,000 people would require ventilation. Again, we 
simply are not prepared for that.
  And most sobering of all are the deaths. They anticipate in this 
country alone almost 2 million people could die.
  Right now, the death rate is running far above that. We know, for 
everyone who has been diagnosed with this illness, roughly half are 
dying. Because these viruses tend to burn out, we would not get that 
same effect if we have a widespread outbreak, but nonetheless the 
potential is truly sobering. Again, we are not prepared.
  Local communities will require Federal assistance if a pandemic 
strikes. This is from the director of public health in Seattle in King 
County, WA, as quoted in the USA Today on February 21, of this year:

       Our hospitals and our public health system are funded for 
     normal levels of operation . . . but have always relied on 
     the federal government should we have need for more 
     ventilators, for example, in the event of an earthquake or 
     other mass-fatality event. ``What the federal planners are 
     not getting,'' she says, ``is that if there is a pandemic, 
     every community will be asking for ventilators from the 
     national stockpile at the same time.''

  Clearly she has that right. We are not prepared.
  The Secretary said in his testimony before the Committee on the 
Budget that what is different about a pandemic is that it happens 
everywhere at once. You do not have the option of dealing with a few 
hotspots.
  It is very clear we need more resources. What we most need additional 
resources for is to develop vaccines. We also need antivirals and more 
resources for public health. But clearly the top priority has to be 
developing vaccines that can safeguard people against this illness.
  Here is the summary of our situation with respect to vaccines. We 
have limited vaccine production capacity, relying on only three 
companies. The bird flu virus is mutating, making current vaccines less 
effective. Current vaccine production is egg based and could be 
threatened by bird flu itself. That is a very important point. The way 
they make vaccine now, they use eggs, but of course the eggs are in the 
bird population. This is a bird flu. The population we would currently 
count on to produce vaccine may itself be threatened.
  Finally, we need alternative technologies, since companies have few 
incentives to build expensive cell-based production facilities.
  Mr. President and colleagues, it is very clear we cannot rely on 
eggs. Currently, there is not the production of the number of eggs to 
produce a max vaccine in a rapid way. So we have to move to a cell-
based technology. But companies have few incentives to build these 
expensive cell-based production facilities unless they are guaranteed 
there is going to be a market.
  The amendment I am offering would increase funding by $5 billion to 
combat an avian flu pandemic and increase local preparedness. The 
amendment would distribute that money as follows--this is based on 
testimony before the committee and our own outreach to the scientific 
community--an additional $1.5 billion to increase the stockpile of 
antivirals and necessary medical supplies, including masks, gloves, 
ventilators, antibiotics, and ongoing medical treatment needs for 
chronic-care patients.
  With respect to antivirals, we know by the end of this year we are 
slated to have some 20 million courses of treatment of Tamiflu. The 
administration's goal is 80 million. So we are well short of having the 
necessary stockpiles of the antiviral Tamiflu. Clearly, we need more 
resources there. Clearly, we need more resources for ventilators. We 
already heard public health officials say that will be one place where 
there will be an extreme shortage should we face a pandemic.
  Next, the amendment provides $2.5 billion to accelerate vaccine 
research, development, and manufacturing. And finally, it provides $1 
billion to increase State and local preparedness. The amendment also 
ensures that the additional funding is fully offset, completely paid 
for.
  I hope very much my colleagues will support this amendment. I know 
there is a resistance on the other side to increasing the top-line 
spending number. If there were ever a time to make an investment in 
protecting America, this is it. We could face the tragedy of our time.
  I am reading a book called ``The Great Influenza.'' It is about the 
1918 flu epidemic in which they estimate 50 to 100 million people died 
in this world. We have not had a pandemic since. Pandemics typically 
occur every 50 years or so, so we are well overdue. We did have a 
widespread, very severe flu in 1968.
  The Secretary says we are not prepared, says we are not ready. Local 
health officials say we are not ready. International health officials 
say we are not ready. I hope very much we get ready and make this 
investment.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Obama, Senator 
Clinton, Senator Durbin, and Senator Schumer be added as cosponsors of 
this amendment.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CONRAD. Finally, the Senator from North Carolina, Mr. Burr, will 
have an amendment that will be considered at the same time as mine. His 
amendment is an empty vessel. Mr. President, let me send my amendment 
to the desk. I am sensing they do not have a copy there.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from North Dakota [Mr. Conrad], for himself, 
     Mr. Obama, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Schumer, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3133.

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of 
the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

   (Purpose: To increase funding to combat avian flu, increase local 
 preparedness, and create a Manhattan Project-like effort to develop a 
   vaccine to inoculate the U.S. Population against a pandemic by $5 
billion in FY 2007 paid for by requiring tax withholding on government 
               payments to contractors like Halliburton)

       On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $5,100,000,000.
       On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $100,000,000.
       On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
       On page 3, line 19, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
       On page 3, line 21, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
       On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $5,100,000,000.
       On page 4, line 2, increase the amount by $100,000,000.
       On page 4, line 3, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
       On page 4, line 4, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
       On page 4, line 6, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
       On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $5,000,000,000.
       On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
       On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $2,800,000,000.
       On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $800,000,000.
       On page 5, line 10, increase the amount by $300,000,000.
       On page 5, line 19, increase the amount by $4,100,000,000.
       On page 5, line 21, decrease the amount by $2,700,000,000.
       On page 5, line 23, decrease the amount by $600,000,000.
       On page 5, line 25, decrease the amount by $100,000,000.
       On page 6, line 2, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
       On page 6, line 8, decrease the amount by $4,100,000,000.
       On page 6, line 10, decrease the amount by $1,400,000,000.
       On page 6, line 12, decrease the amount by $800,000,000.
       On page 6, line 14, decrease the amount by $700,000,000.
       On page 6, line 16, decrease the amount by $900,000,000.
       On page 6, line 22, decrease the amount by $4,100,000,000.
       On page 6, line 24, decrease the amount by $1,400,000,000.
       On page 7, line 2, decrease the amount by $800,000,000.

[[Page 3831]]

       On page 7, line 4, decrease the amount by $700,000,000.
       On page 7, line 6, decrease the amount by $900,000,000.
       On page 19, line 24, increase the amount by $5,000,000,000.
       On page 19, line 25, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
       On page 20, line 4, increase the amount by $2,800,000,000.
       On page 20, line 8, increase the amount by $800,000,000.
       On page 20, line 12, increase the amount by $300,000,000.
       On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $5,000,000,000.
       On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.

  Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, on Monday, we heard Secretary Leavitt tell 
us that the avian flu will arrive in the United States by this fall. 
And if our worst fears are realized and it becomes a virus that can 
spread easily from human to human, the avian flu could be here within 
30 days.
  As Dr. Julie Greenberg, Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, has said, ``This is the most important threat we face 
right now.'' We are not talking about hundreds or thousands of lives 
here--we are talking millions. Millions.
  The question, then, is not whether we have taken steps to prepare 
ourselves for the avian flu. Instead, the question is whether we have 
taken every imaginable and necessary precaution--whether we have done 
everything we possibly could do--to combat potentially the greatest 
global health threat in a century.
  I don't believe that we have. But I know that we must. The United 
States cannot afford to have a Katrina-level of preparedness or a 
Katrina-like response to an international outbreak of avian flu. With 
so many warnings and so much knowledge of the threat we face, there is 
no excuse for failure this time around.
  The first thing we need to do is increase our supply of Tamiflu and 
other medications. Countries such as Japan, France, England, and others 
have now stockpiled enough Tamiflu to cover a quarter of their 
populations. The United States has enough to cover just 2 percent.
  If the avian flu mutates and is able to spread between humans, we 
will also need a new vaccine to treat the new virus. But as we saw 
during last year's flu season, our vaccine industry remains fragile and 
even the supply and distribution of something simple like a flu shot 
poses a challenge. This has to change.
  Of course, as Secretary Leavitt has pointed out, the time it takes to 
develop a new vaccine means that we could be without any treatment for 
up to 6 months after the avian flu first breaks out. And that means 
that if we have an outbreak, it is imperative that our public health 
infrastructure be prepared to handle the crisis.
  First, we need a clear chain of command. We can't be wondering who is 
in charge of dealing with an outbreak.
  Second, we need an aggressive outreach campaign to warn and educate 
the American public about what to do in the event of an outbreak.
  Third, it is still unclear how much assistance the Federal Government 
is willing to provide already cash-strapped States to strengthen their 
fragile health infrastructures. Although States such as Illinois are 
rapidly increasing their efforts to prepare, many States will need 
substantial assistance to buy antivirals and other supplies. And our 
hospitals and health professionals still don't have the capacity to 
care for large numbers of sick Americans.
  The devastation wrought by Katrina last year has shown us that we 
cannot stop the forces of nature. But as the wealthiest country on 
Earth, we can prepare, and we can respond in a way that saves as many 
lives as possible.
  We must do that now with the avian flu. The Conrad avian flu 
amendment will provide the necessary funds for Federal agencies, 
working with the States, to prepare for potential pandemic. I am 
pleased to be a cosponsor of the amendment, and I encourage my 
colleagues to vote in favor of it.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, Senator Burr will be offering an amendment 
at the same time as mine. What he is offering is a reserve fund that is 
deficit neutral but has no money attached to it. But later in the 
process, if funding were provided, that reserve fund would provide a 
receptacle. That is an empty vessel. There is nothing there.
  It has value. I will support Senator Burr's amendment. It has value 
because at least there is a receptacle, at least there is a vessel, at 
least there is a way of taking funds that might be provided for later. 
But I want colleagues to know there is no new funding provided for in 
the Burr amendment.
  The only amendment being offered here that is going to have 
additional resources to meet a possible pandemic is this one. So I hope 
colleagues think very carefully before they cast this vote.
  With that, Mr. President, I note that Senator Lieberman is in the 
Chamber. He is next up to offer an amendment on homeland security. 
Senator Lieberman, of course, is the ranking member of the authorizing 
committee. He is, I think all would acknowledge on this floor, a 
leading voice on the question of homeland security.
  Mr. President, I ask the Senator, how much time would he require?
  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, in a tradition that is associated with 
my family, I would ask the Senator from North Dakota, how much time 
does he have to offer?
  Mr. CONRAD. Well, could the Senator do it in 10 minutes?
  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Yes, indeed.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I am happy to yield 10 minutes off the 
resolution to the Senator from Connecticut.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sununu). The Senator from Connecticut is 
recognized for 10 minutes.
  Mr. LIEBERMAN. I thank the Chair.


                           Amendment No. 3034

  Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3034, which is at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Connecticut [Mr. Lieberman], for himself 
     and Ms. Mikulski, proposes an amendment numbered 3034.

  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of 
the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

  (Purpose: To protect the American people from terrorist attacks by 
    providing $8 billion in additional funds for homeland security 
government-wide, by restoring cuts to vital first responder programs in 
   the Department of Homeland Security and Justice, by providing an 
  additional $1.2 billion for first responders, $1.7 billion for the 
 Coast Guard and port security, $150 million for chemical security, $1 
   billion for rail and transit security, $456 million for FEMA, $1 
billion for health preparedness programs and $752 million for aviation 
                               security)

       On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $2,151,000,000.
       On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $2,700,000,000.
       On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $1,729,000,000.
       On page 3, line 19, increase the amount by $1,039,000,000.
       On page 3, line 21, increase the amount by $203,000,000.
       On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $2,151,000,000.
       On page 4, line 2, increase the amount by $2,700,000,000.
       On page 4, line 3, increase the amount by $1,729,000,000.
       On page 4, line 4, increase the amount by $1,039,000,000.
       On page 4, line 6, increase the amount by $203,000,000.
       On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $7,977,000,000.
       On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $2,151,000,000.
       On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $2,700,000,000.
       On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $1,729,000,000.
       On page 5, line 10, increase the amount by $1,039,000,000.
       On page 5, line 12, increase the amount by $203,000,000.
       On page 16, line 21, increase the amount by $1,889,000,000.
       On page 16, line 22, increase the amount by $892,000,000.
       On page 17, line 1, increase the amount by $412,000,000.
       On page 17, line 5, increase the amount by $252,000,000.
       On page 17, line 9, increase the amount by $135,000,000.
       On page 17, line 13, increase the amount by $72,000,000.

[[Page 3832]]

       On page 17, line 22, increase the amount by $3,747,000,000.
       On page 17, line 23, increase the amount by $793,000,000.
       On page 18, line 3, increase the amount by $1,350,000,000.
       On page 18, line 7, increase the amount by $959,000,000.
       On page 18, line 11, increase the amount by $646,000,000.
       On page 19, line 24, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
       On page 19, line 25, increase the amount by $125,000,000.
       On page 20, line 4, increase the amount by $540,000,000.
       On page 20, line 8, increase the amount by $185,000,000.
       On page 20, line 12, increase the amount by $100,000,000.
       On page 20, line 16, increase the amount by $20,000,000.
       On page 24, line 24, increase the amount by $1,341,000,000.
       On page 24, line 25, increase the amount by $341,000,000.
       On page 25, line 4, increase the amount by $398,000,000.
       On page 25, line 8, increase the amount by $333,000,000.
       On page 25, line 12, increase the amount by $158,000,000.
       On page 25, line 16, increase the amount by $111,000,000.
       On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $7,977,000,000.
       On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $2,151,000,000.

  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I thank the Chair.
  I thank my friend from North Dakota. I thank him for his leadership 
on these matters of budget and really for his steadfastness.
  Mr. President, I rise today to offer this amendment to the fiscal 
year 2007 budget resolution to strengthen our homeland security efforts 
in the face of the administration's budget, which in this regard--
considering the fact we are in the post-9/11 world, in a long war 
against Islamist terrorism--I consider the administration's budget to 
be shortsighted and short funded, to be ill-considered and inadequate.
  In my capacity as the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security 
Committee, I have worked very closely with our chair, Senator Collins 
of Maine. This year, for the third year, I have worked with my staff, 
with experts from outside of the Government, to construct what I 
believed would be a wartime budget for homeland security. A budget that 
would do what really needs to be done to secure the American people 
against an enemy that has shown it will strike us not on the 
battlefields of conventional war but in our neighborhoods, where we 
live and where we work here in the United States of America.
  The total I would add to the President's budget for homeland security 
is $8 billion. That, of course, is a significant sum, but in the 
overall context of the Federal budget submitted, it is less than one-
third of 1 percent of the Federal budget--and it would be used to 
secure our homeland against an enemy of unprecedented inhumanity and 
against the forces of nature, which struck us badly in Hurricane 
Katrina, and, unfortunately, will again.
  I propose to pay for this additional funding by tightening a number 
of tax loopholes. Therefore, the amendment would not add to the 
deficit.
  Of the $8 billion in additional spending I am proposing, $6.2 billion 
would go directly to the Department of Homeland Security. The remainder 
is divided between the Department of Justice for law enforcement grants 
and the Department of Health and Human Services for public health 
preparedness in the face of a potential biological attack or a 
pandemic.
  The money would restore what I consider to be unjustified cuts for 
first responders who, in the war against terrorism, are also our first 
preventers--hundreds of thousands of eyes and ears, of equipment, to 
detect and stop terrorists.
  It would restore cuts for emergency managers and public health 
officials and make needed new investments in first responder programs. 
It would strengthen rail, transit, port, aviation, and chemical plant 
security, as well as Coast Guard readiness and bioterrorism 
preparedness.
  Let me just look at a few of the details.
  We know our first responders do not have the training, equipment, and 
frequently even the manpower they need to do their jobs properly 
whenever danger strikes.
  Here, shown on this chart, is first responder funding. It is 
unbelievable when you see it charted in this way, in the midst of the 
long war against terrorism, in which our homeland has been struck. And 
we must assume the enemy will try to strike us again.
  First responder funding in fiscal year 2004 was $3.95 billion. On 
this chart, you see a steady line going down, to the proposal here: 
$1.97 billion for the firefighters, the police officers, the emergency 
responders we depend on to protect us.
  The President's budget in this regard would cut preparedness funding 
by 16 percent overall. It would cut $802 million from the first 
responder programs--a 23-percent cut from last year and a 50-percent 
reduction, as shown on the graph, from fiscal year 2004.
  The administration's budget would entirely eliminate the Law 
Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program and the Justice Assistance 
Grant Program--totally eliminate them--in a time of war against 
terrorism, and slash by 78 percent the highly successful, much depended 
upon COPS Program, Community Oriented Policing Services Program, which 
has put police officers on the beat throughout America and by and large 
reduced the incidence of crime.
  For the second year in a row, the administration is also proposing to 
eliminate all funding for the Metropolitan Medical Response System, 
which supports planning and preparedness for potential mass casualties 
in a catastrophe. The administration is also proposing to eliminate 
funding for the SAFER Program, which helps recruit, hire, and train 
local firefighters. The budget given to us cuts grants that State and 
local emergency planners rely on to help them prepare for catastrophe. 
The fact is, without more support, our local communities will remain 
unprepared. That is dangerous in this age.
  My amendment would begin to rebuild that support. It would restore 
$1.6 billion in proposed cuts to first responder programs and add an 
additional $1.2 billion to help improve State and local capabilities, 
especially in the area of interoperable communications. That would 
bring the total funding for first responders to $4.1 billion. Can we 
afford it? Honestly, we cannot afford not to afford it.
  We would also restore funding for the programs I have talked about 
that will be cut in the Justice Department.
  What about port security, because this is a comprehensive homeland 
security budget proposal? Moving on to port security, perhaps the 
silver lining of the Dubai Ports World disagreement is greater public 
recognition of the urgent need for port security. Ninety-five percent 
of all of the goods coming into America flow through our ports. A 
terrorism attack at a port would cause economic havoc, let alone human 
loss. And experts, of course, worry that weapons of mass destruction 
could be smuggled into this country in a shipping container.
  We, therefore, must invest strategically in our defense, which is why 
this amendment would add an additional $1.7 billion for port security 
and for the Coast Guard, which performed so admirably in response to 
Hurricane Katrina but still does not have the capitalized, updated 
equipment it needs to do the job--enormous job--we are asking it to do.
  On chemical security, we know too many facilities remain vulnerable 
and that an attack on one near a high-population center could have the 
same effect as a weapon of mass destruction. The administration's 
proposal is only $10 million. It is inadequate when compared with the 
$102 million the Coast Guard spent in 2005 and the $131 million it will 
spend in 2006 to protect chemical facilities at ports.
  We face, as Senator Conrad has said, the threat and danger of 
bioterrorism and bioterrorist attacks and pandemics, and yet inadequate 
funding is provided. Thus, my amendment would increase the money given 
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, funding for State 
and local

[[Page 3833]]

bioterrorism programs by $500 million and add another $500 million to 
the Health Resources and Services Administration bioterrorism program.
  We have to absorb the painful dual lessons of September 11, 2001, and 
of August 29, 2005, the day Katrina struck. Our enemies are ruthless 
and choose to fight us at points of vulnerability. That is why we have 
to close those vulnerabilities. Nature will strike in unpredictable 
ways year after year. Yet so much of our national homeland security 
structure continues to have gaps. There is no cheap way to provide for 
the common defense, our constitutional responsibility. We have the best 
military in the world, and we have it because we have invested in it. 
We have the best personnel to carry out the protection of our homeland. 
We will never have the homeland defense we need unless we are prepared 
to spend for it. There is no more urgent need the American people have.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
  I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire is recognized.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I appreciate the extraordinary commitment 
of the Senator from Connecticut to national defense, to a responsible 
policy in fighting terrorism. He is clearly one of the leaders in the 
Senate and the Nation on the issue of how we should protect ourselves 
as a nation. I respect him immensely. I admire him. It is good to have 
his voice on the issues of foreign policy and international terrorism 
and how we fight it.
  On this issue, however, I respectfully disagree relative to the need 
for these additional dollars at this time. In this budget, we have 
robustly funded the fight on terrorism. The defense budget will be 
increased in the core budget by $30 billion. A lot of that goes toward 
fighting terrorism. We have set aside $90 billion of additional money, 
the purpose of which is to fight the war on terrorism. That is $40 
billion more than the administration asked for. In addition, within 
those funds we have dedicated an additional $4 billion specifically to 
the issue of port security and border security. Quite honestly, as 
chairman of the committee that has jurisdiction over port security and 
border security, that is probably more money than those agencies can 
handle in 1 year. We will have to be careful to be sure that that money 
is spent effectively and not pushed out the door in purchasing blue 
lights and whistles. We want to make sure it purchases real assets and 
adds real manpower that will assist us in the war on terrorism. We have 
made a huge commitment in this budget to the issue of fighting 
terrorism.
  The Senator from Connecticut correctly points out that first 
responder funds are down in this budget. That is a decision that has 
been made because of the fact there was so much first responder money 
that came so quickly, it simply hasn't been spent effectively yet. 
There was $13 billion that we have put into first responders across the 
country. That is a huge number, so large, in fact, that $5.5 billion of 
it, which has already been appropriated, which is sitting there, has 
not been spent, going back to 2004. There is literally $5.5 billion 
sitting in the pipeline that first responder groups have not spent, in 
part because State planning has not caught up to adequately meet the 
need for using the available funding. As soon as they are, those 
dollars will go out. As soon as that pipeline of $5.5 billion starts to 
get drawn down--remember, we are adding another several billion dollars 
on top of it in this bill--we are going to refill that pipeline to make 
sure that first responder funding is adequate.
  It is not an issue of lack of dollars. It is an issue of lack of 
programmatic and systematic infrastructure, to a large degree--and 
planning, to a large degree. You could put another $40 billion or $8 
billion or whatever billion on top of this, and you would still get 
little improvement in the amount of money flowing out to first 
responders because the necessity of having the money flow in a way that 
actually produces programmatic results has not been resolved yet.
  It should not be our purpose as the Federal Government to be hiring 
people for local police forces and local first responder teams. What 
this money is supposed to be used for primarily is to give them the 
support so they have the necessary interoperability equipment, the 
necessary tactical equipment, and the necessary training to be 
effective as first responders. We should not be taking Federal first 
responder dollars and replacing local dollars that are already being 
used for the purposes of putting people on the street. States are 
making progress. As they come at us, we will put more money out there.
  In addition, in the appropriating process we have taken the view, 
which is a little different than the authorizing committee, that risk 
should be where the money goes first. If a community has a high 
likelihood of risk from a terrorist attack, that community should be 
the place where we put the dollars. This has actually worked to the 
disadvantage of the State of New Hampshire. But my view is strong that 
these dollars, which are being used to basically upgrade the capacity 
of first responders to handle a terrorist attack, should go first to 
those places most likely to be on the front lines. We know where those 
places are. They know who they are. That is why we have basically 
funded it in that manner.
  That is where we stand today. Very simply stated, there is an 
extremely robust commitment to fighting the war on terrorism in this 
bill: a $30 billion increase in defense spending; $90 billion in a 
separate budgeting process for fighting the war on terror, $40 billion 
more than the President asked for; $4 billion of new funds directed 
right at border security and port security; $2.3 billion directed right 
at avian flu and the purchasing of necessary supplies and antitoxins 
and hopefully vaccines, to address that issue. In the pipeline already 
from prior appropriations, there is $5.5 billion of funds out of the 
$13 billion that has been appropriated which is available for first 
responders from prior appropriations onto which we will put another 
chunk of money here.
  The issue is not dollars in almost all these accounts. It is not 
dollars in terms of this budget. In terms of the President's budget, 
there may be a difference of opinion, but in terms of this budget the 
issue is not dollars. The issue is getting those dollars out 
effectively.
  I oppose this amendment. I would have opposed it, anyway, because it 
basically raises taxes and spends money and breaks the caps. I think 
that is bad fiscal policy. I also oppose it on substance.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I yield 5 minutes to the Senator from 
Rhode Island for his amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island is recognized.


                           Amendment No. 3074

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3074.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Rhode Island [Mr. Reed], for himself, Mr. 
     Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Dorgan, 
     Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Levin, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Dayton, Mr. 
     Kohl, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. 
     Johnson, proposes an amendment numbered 3074.

  Mr. REED. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To increase funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance 
 Program by $3,318,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, increasing the funds 
 available to carry out that program to the fully authorized level of 
   $5,100,000,000, to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes)

       On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.
       On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $763,000,000.
       On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $66,000,000.
       On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.
       On page 4, line 2, increase the amount by $763,000,000.

[[Page 3834]]

       On page 4, line 3, increase the amount by $66,000,000.
       On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $3,318,000,000.
       On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.
       On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $763,000,000.
       On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $66,000,000.
       On page 21, line 24, increase the amount by $3,318,000,000.
       On page 21, line 25, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.
       On page 22, line 4, increase the amount by $763,000,000.
       On page 22, line 8, increase the amount by $66,000,000.
       On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $3,318,000,000.
       On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, my amendment is straightforward. It would 
increase funding for the LIHEAP program, the Low-Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program, by $3.318 billion. It is paid for fully by the 
closing of corporate tax loopholes and is cosponsored by Senators 
Kennedy, Kerry, Clinton, Lieberman, Rockefeller, Dorgan, Levin, Dayton, 
Schumer, Kohl, Bayh, Johnson, Leahy, Menendez, and Harkin.
  The President's budget request and the level of funding assumed in 
this budget resolution for LIHEAP is $1.782 billion. That represents a 
$379 million cut from the fiscal year 2006 enacted level. Last week we 
were struggling to pass an additional $1 billion. The question before 
us is, are we going to accept this inadequate funding knowing full well 
it is inadequate today. I hope we don't do that. My amendment, the 
increase of $3.318 billion, would reach the authorized level of $5.1 
billion set by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. On five separate 
occasions during the course of the debate over LIHEAP in the last 6 
months, the majority of the Senate has voted for this full funding 
level. I call upon all of those Members to join me today to ensure we 
have full funding. We understand this year we are short of money. The 
President's budget starts us off with even less.
  This year we benefited from unusually warm temperatures. I don't 
think anyone would bet that next winter's heating season will be as 
mild and as forgiving as this season's. With higher energy prices--and 
we know they are going up--with probably lower temperatures, we are 
going to be in a very serious position unless we adopt this amendment.
  In the course of the debate about LIHEAP, many of our colleagues from 
warmer States pointed out that they are not getting as much as they 
should. If we get to the $5.1 billion level, this will truly be a 
national program. Warmer weather States will have the money in the hot 
season where they need air conditioning to help low-income people. I 
hope we can do so. For example, Alabama will receive $15 million from 
the block grant formula under the President's budget. It would receive 
$87.2 million under my amendment, a 479-percent increase, and so on 
throughout the country.
  I hope we can pass this amendment. I hope we can have the foresight 
to recognize that we can't start off in the hole. We cannot expect warm 
temperatures this next heating season. We have to do more for the most 
vulnerable.
  I yield whatever remaining time I have back to the Senator from North 
Dakota.


                           Amendment No. 3136

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. CONRAD. I thank the Senator from Rhode Island for his amendment. 
I thank him also for his courtesy and graciousness.
  The situation we have is, I have very few minutes left this morning. 
We don't have another Senator. I have asked other Senators to come to 
the floor. While we are waiting, I will do my final amendment. I send 
an amendment to the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from North Dakota [Mr. Conrad] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 3136.

  Mr. CONRAD. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To provide a reserve fund for bold energy legislation that is 
                            deficit neutral)

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC.__. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR ENERGY LEGISLATION.

       The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Budget may 
     revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate 
     levels and limits in this resolution for a bill or joint 
     resolution, or an amendment thereto or conference report 
     thereon, that would reduce our nation's dependence on foreign 
     sources of energy, expand production and use of alternative 
     fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, promote renewable energy 
     development, improve electricity transmission, encourage 
     responsible development of domestic oil and natural gas 
     resources, and reward conservation and efficiency, by the 
     amounts provided in such legislation for that purpose, 
     provided that such legislation would not increase the deficit 
     over the total of the period of fiscal years 2007 through 
     2011.

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, in many ways this may be one of the most 
important amendments we offer on our side. I say that because if I look 
across the horizon at the challenges facing America, energy dependence 
would be right at the top of the list.
  In his State of the Union Message, the President said:

       [W]e have a serious problem: America is addicted to oil, 
     which is often imported from unstable parts of the world.

  I think the President has that exactly right.
  We can see in this chart that imports now account for 60 percent of 
total U.S. consumption; that is, of the oil that we are consuming, 60 
percent of it is imported. That creates a vulnerability for America. 
This dependence on imported energy is dramatically adding to our record 
trade deficit; $266 billion of the trade deficit over the last year is 
due to imported petroleum products. We ran a trade deficit during that 
period of about $700 billion. More than a third of it is due to our 
reliance on foreign energy.
  That represents over a third of the total trade deficit. The 
President made very strong statements in the State of the Union about 
the need to reduce our dependence, reduce our vulnerability. But if you 
look at his budget, you see something quite different: the clean coal 
power initiative, cut 90 percent; weatherization assistance grants to 
improve conservation of energy in homes reduced almost a third; 
electricity delivery and reliability, cut 23 percent; fossil energy 
R&D, cut 21 percent.
  Mr. President, several weeks ago, President Bush had a small group of 
Senators to the White House to talk about energy. I told him I was 
going to be introducing legislation that would provide substantial 
incentives to do what Brazil did. It is very instructive to look back 
over the last 30 years. Thirty years ago, Brazil was 80 percent 
dependent on foreign energy. They reduced that to less than 10 percent 
today. If we look at our story, it is just the flip. Back in the 1970s, 
we were 35 percent dependent upon foreign energy; today it is 60 
percent.
  I think the question presents itself: What did Brazil do? Brazil very 
aggressively promoted biodiesel, ethanol, and flexible fuel vehicles. 
In fact, the vast majority of their vehicle fleet in Brazil are now 
flex fuel vehicles. They have very aggressively promoted ethanol and 
biodiesel. We should do the same. Those are the key components of the 
energy plan I will be presenting to our colleagues--aggressive 
promotion of biodiesel and ethanol, alternative fuel vehicles, wind 
energy, and coal-to-liquid fuel technology and energy efficiency in 
conservation.
  Mr. President, my energy reserve fund creates a deficit-neutral 
reserve fund for bold and balanced energy legislation that reduces our 
Nation's dependence upon foreign sources of energy, expands the 
production and use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, 
promotes renewable energy development, encourages responsible 
development of oil and natural gas resources right here in America, and 
rewards conservation and efficiency.
  Mr. President, this is a deficit-neutral reserve fund. Only if we 
find a way to pay for this initiative will it be able to go forward. My 
own view is that this

[[Page 3835]]

is such a high priority for our country and raised, I think, to 
national attention by the President in his State of the Union, but we 
don't have a budget to match bold words. We need bold initiatives to 
match bold words, to really do something to reduce our dependence. It 
makes us vulnerable. It is weakening our economy.
  I said to the President: What a difference it could make. Would it 
not be wonderful if the President could wake up and instead of turning 
to the Middle East for oil, he could look to the Midwest of our own 
country where we could help grow our way out of this crisis by growing 
the feedstock that could produce biodiesel and ethanol, soybeans, corn, 
and canola? We are about to build in North Dakota the biggest biodiesel 
plant in North America. That is going to help us wean ourselves from 
this ongoing dependence upon foreign energy. I hope very much my 
colleagues will support this amendment.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The Legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Who yields time?
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I yield 4 minutes to the Senator from New 
Jersey.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey is recognized for 
4 minutes.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I will soon offer an amendment to 
remove the airline passenger tax increase from this budget. It is 
fundamentally unfair for the President to raise taxes on everyday 
families as he doles out massive tax cuts to the wealthy.
  Hidden among the thousands of pages in this legislation is a proposal 
to double the minimum amount that airline passengers pay as a security 
tax. President Bush wants to increase this tax from $2.50 per flight to 
$5 per flight. That is a 100-percent tax increase.
  The impact on a family of four traveling roundtrip on nonstop flights 
is illustrated by the chart that we have here. An increase in security 
tax for a family of four traveling roundtrip on nonstop flights, 
typically, if it is $20 now, is going to be $40 obviously. That is 
quite a burden.
  The traveling public is already too heavily taxed. Air travelers pay 
an enormous amount of Federal taxes on every airline ticket--nearly 20 
percent of the base fare price now. For example, the tax on the average 
domestic roundtrip flight of $230 is $45. That is a tax rate of almost 
20 percent.
  Air travelers are taxed every time they turn around. They pay the 
Federal excise tax--on top of the Federal segment tax, on top of the 
passenger facility charge, on top of the security tax. Now the 
President wants to double the security tax.
  To make matters worse, this tax increase will hit families the 
hardest. Sixty-three percent of the domestic air trips in this country 
in 2004 were taken for personal purposes, including vacations and 
visits to families and loved ones.
  I am one of the strongest advocates for transportation security 
resources for our country, but we have to provide these necessary 
resources by spreading the tax burdens across this country fairly and 
not targeting everyday Americans while special interests raid the 
Federal Treasury.
  I also want to point out to my colleagues that this amendment is 
offset by closing abusive tax shelters. So when we look at this, if the 
airlines don't pass along this tax increase to the average family, they 
themselves will have to experience further losses. There was $10 
billion in losses in 2005 by the aviation industry. That is on top of 
$32 billion from 2001 to 2004. There were 150,000 jobs lost since 9/11. 
They just cannot handle it.
  So I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and say no to the 
Bush airline passenger tax increases, keeping in mind that those tax 
increases are put upon the average family to give the wealthiest among 
us huge tax breaks. It is unfair and it ought not to be permitted. I 
urge you in this instance to vote no on further tax increases for the 
average American family.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from New Jersey for 
accommodating the schedule of his colleagues by coming this morning and 
offering his amendment. Next in the queue is Senator Burr with an 
amendment on avian flu.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. If the Senator will suspend, the Chair advises 
that the Senator from New Jersey did not send up an amendment.


                           Amendment No. 3137

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Yes. We neglected to do the most important part of 
it. I was overcome by the speech, Mr. President.
  I send the amendment to the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Lautenberg] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 3137.

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further 
reading of the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

    (Purpose: To eliminate the President's proposed tax increase on 
American airline passengers in fiscal year 2007 and to provide adequate 
 funding for commercial aviation security and to offset these costs by 
                    closing corporate tax loopholes)

       On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
       On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
       On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
       On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $1,230,000;000.
       On page 16, line 21, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
       On page 16, line 22, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
       On page 53 , line 1, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
       On page 53 , line 2, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Carolina.
  Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to set the pending 
amendment aside.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                           Amendment No. 3114

  Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I send an amendment No. 3114 to the desk and 
ask for its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from North Carolina [Mr. Burr] proposes an 
     amendment numbered 3114.

  Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of 
the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To provide for the establishment of a reserve fund concerning 
               pandemic influenza preparedness planning)

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. RESERVE FUND FOR PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS 
                   PLANNING.

       If the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
     of the Senate reports a bill or joint resolution, or if an 
     amendment is offered thereto, or if a conference report is 
     submitted thereon, that--
       (1) rebuilds the vaccine industry in the United States 
     which has shrunk from over 25 to less than 5 companies;
       (2) improves the United States capacity to produce life-
     saving pandemic influenza vaccines and antivirals;
       (3) ensures adequate funding for advanced development and 
     acquisition of needed medical countermeasures for biodefense 
     and pandemic influenza protection;
       (4) enhances the Strategic National Stockpile of pandemic 
     influenza vaccines, antivirals, and other medical products;
       (5) strengthens the Federal, State, and local public health 
     infrastructure to effectively respond to a pandemic influenza 
     outbreak;
       (6) increases the domestic and international surveillance 
     and outbreak containment capabilities; and
       (7) improves public awareness and education of pandemic 
     influenza preparedness planning;


[[Page 3836]]


     assuming that the Committee is within its allocation as 
     provided under section 302 (a) of the Congressional Budget 
     Act of 1974, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may 
     make the appropriate adjustments in allocations and 
     aggregates to the extent that such legislation would not 
     increase the deficit for fiscal years 2007 and for the period 
     of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

  Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I rise on the Senate floor today to not only 
offer this amendment and talk about it, but to speak on an amendment of 
another Member of the Senate, an amendment that also focuses on the 
avian flu.
  Our country faces threats, some of which we know and some of which we 
don't know today. One real threat is the threat of pandemic bird flu. 
The President of the United States was ahead of the curve on this with 
a proposal to the Congress of over $7 billion for advanced development 
of vaccines, for the preparation the country needs to go through, and 
for the stockpiles of antivirals and countermeasures.
  The fact is that Congress has responded to his request. This year the 
budget resolution highlights the fact that the President's request of 
$2.3 billion of taxpayers' money is in this budget resolution.
  My colleague from North Dakota, for whom I have a tremendous amount 
of respect and who has helped, along with Senator Gregg, to move this 
budget resolution through this body, has asked we increase that amount 
by $5 billion. If for 1 minute I thought $5 billion would make America 
safer, I would be on the floor as a cosponsor of that amendment. But 
the reality is, we are at a point where we are absorbing all the money 
we can, given where we are in this process.
  I just left a hearing with the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services. My direct question to him was: The President's budget asked 
for $2.3 billion. Is that sufficient for 2007?
  He looked at me and said: Senator, where we are in the development of 
vaccines, where we are in our need for stockpiles, that amount fulfills 
everything we can do in preparation.
  So I urge my colleagues not to support the amendment for an 
additional $5 billion of taxpayers' money to potentially go into a 
black hole. I remind my colleagues that the way this is funded is to 
raise taxes on the American people. We have used tax loopholes for 
corporations to fund many items suggested in amendments on this floor. 
The fact is, once again, the American people realize this is a covert 
way of raising taxes on them.
  My amendment does something very simple. It creates a reserve fund. 
It has been described as hollow because it has no money. I believe the 
American people demand that we bring fiscal responsibility to this 
institution, to the Congress of the United States. I don't want to tie 
the hands of individuals within the agencies if they see a need for 
something, but the creation of this reserve fund allows them to do it 
in a budget-neutral way.
  I believe this will be overwhelmingly supported because, in fact, it 
doesn't spend any new money, but it provides the flexibility and 
authority to those who are charged with addressing this threat.
  The amendment establishes a reserve fund, and that can help to 
rebuild our domestic vaccine industry, support advanced development and 
acquisition of needed drugs and vaccines, strengthen the public health 
infrastructure, and increase surveillance and outbreak containment.
  We are at a point in this Congress where we have the opportunity to 
reauthorize the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness 
and Response Act, and we are considering legislation on advanced 
development of vaccines and countermeasures against chemical, 
biological, or radiological and natural threats. There are many issues 
that we have to decide exactly how we are going to handle. But to throw 
money at them is, in fact, not the answer today.
  Those who are charged with the responsibility of making sure this 
country is prepared, in fact, have sufficient funding today. I urge my 
colleagues to vote against the Conrad amendment, to vote for the Burr 
amendment, and to make sure this administration is able to carry out 
what has been a well-planned preparation for a known threat to this 
country and, I might add, to the world.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask that 10 minutes of the chairman's 
time be yielded to me.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CONRAD. I thank the chairman very much. We have been trying to 
distribute time so we can most efficiently use time on the floor. I 
yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the Senator from Colorado.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Colorado is recognized.


                           Amendment No. 3081

  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from North Dakota. I 
call up amendment No. 3081 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the pending amendment is 
set aside. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Colorado [Mr. Salazar], for himself, Mr. 
     Bingaman, and Mr. Leahy, proposes an amendment numbered 3081.

  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading 
of the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

 (Purpose: To fully fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. 
 Adds $152 million to Function 800 (General Government) for PILT. Paid 
        for by closing $152 million in corporate tax loopholes)

       On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
       On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
       On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
       On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
       On page 25, line 24, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
       On page 25, line 25, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
       On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
       On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $152,000,000.

  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, this amendment aims to fully fund the 
Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program for our country. It is an issue of 
vital importance to rural America. I am pleased to be joined in this 
effort today by Senator Bingaman and Senator Leahy who are cosponsors 
of this amendment.
  As I have said often on this floor before, rural America continues to 
wither on the vine. I will continue to come to this floor and sound the 
alarm of the plight of rural America because I am absolutely certain it 
doesn't have to be this way.
  The heartland of this country is a vast reservoir of American 
potential and strength, and the values, common sense, perseverance, and 
work ethic embodied in the 50 million people who live in rural America 
are national treasures in and of themselves.
  These people are also the stewards of our many public lands, and they 
deserve support in that effort. That is where PILT comes in. Created in 
1976, PILT compensates local government for the presence of nontaxable 
Federal lands within their boundaries, as well as the associated costs 
of providing work, such as road work and law enforcement, to visitors 
on those lands.
  Over the years, inflation has taken its toll. Repeatedly underfunding 
the PILT Program has also sent precisely the wrong message to rural 
America. Full PILT funding for fiscal year 2007 will likely be close to 
$350 million, but the President's budget for PILT was reduced by $38 
million, or 16 percent, from where it was last year.
  This is not just about my State of Colorado where some counties are 
owned by the Federal Government to the extent of 95 percent; it is 
about governments in at least 49 of our States where there are 
significant public land holdings within those States.
  This amendment is fully offset by tax loophole closures. Some 
colleagues have approached me about alternatives, and I will work with 
them to explore other ideas in terms of funding alternatives.
  I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this modest, 
commonsense

[[Page 3837]]

amendment. When I travel through the rural counties of Colorado, I hear 
the voices of proud, hard-working rural Americans who feel neglected by 
Washington. Let's take an opportunity in a very small way in this 
budget resolution to send a different signal that we in Washington care 
about rural America.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. President, I 
yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Colorado. This 
is an important amendment, certainly an important amendment to Western 
States such as ours that all too often are shortchanged in terms of 
what they get in lieu of taxes where the Federal Government owns vast 
tracts of land and then is not a good neighbor, doesn't pay its fair 
share of the tab.
  I thank the Senator from Colorado for his excellent amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Murkowski). Who yields time?
  Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I 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. CONRAD. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I ask that Senator Bayh be added as a 
cosponsor to my avian flu amendment No. 3133.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CONRAD. I 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. GREGG. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I see the Senator from Maryland is now 
on the floor. I say to the Senator from Maryland, I now have 6 minutes 
left, and I am wondering if I could give 4 minutes to the Senator from 
Maryland.
  Mr. SARBANES. Yes, that would be fine.
  Mr. CONRAD. I have to give some time to Senator Baucus before the 
debt limit vote. So I yield 4 minutes to the Senator from Maryland.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland is recognized.
  Mr. SARBANES. I thank the Senator. Does that leave the Senator with 
enough time for his other purposes?
  Mr. CONRAD. I am sure Senator Gregg and I will be able to work it 
out.
  Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, I thank the Senator very much.


                           Amendment No. 3103

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, I offer amendment No. 3103.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Maryland [Mr. Sarbanes], for himself, Mr. 
     Lieberman, and Mr. Reed, proposes an amendment numbered 3103.

  The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To restore funding for the civil works programs of the Corps 
of Engineers, the Federal Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund, 
the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the National Oceanic and 
 Atmospheric Administration, Federal conservation programs, and other 
natural resource needs, through an offset achieved by closing corporate 
                             tax loopholes)

       On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $1,718,000,000.
       On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $699,000,000.
       On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $320,000,000.
       On page 3, line 19, increase the amount by $116,000,000.
       On page 3, line 21, increase the amount by $58,000,000.
       On page 4, line 1, decrease the amount by $1,718,000,000.
       On page 4, line 2, decrease the amount by $699,000,000.
       On page 4, line 3, decrease the amount by $320,000,000.
       On page 4, line 4, decrease the amount by $116,000,000.
       On page 4, line 6, decrease the amount by $58,000,000.
       On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $2,912,000,000.
       On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $1,718,000,000.
       On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $699,000,000.
       On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $320,000,000.
       On page 5, line 10, increase the amount by $116,000,000.
       On page 5, line 12, increase the amount by $58,000,000.
       On page 13, line 21, increase the amount by $2,912,000,000.
       On page 13, line 22, increase the amount by $1,718,000,000.
       On page 14, line 1, increase the amount by $699,000,000.
       On page 14, line 5, increase the amount by $320,000,000.
       On page 14, line 9, increase the amount by $116,000,000.
       On page 14, line 13, increase the amount by $58,000,000.
       On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $2,912,000,000.
       On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $1,718,000,000.

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, this amendment is to restore funding 
for function 300 Natural Resources and Environment, and for other 
purposes. I ask unanimous consent that Senator Lieberman and Senator 
Reed of Rhode Island be added as cosponsors.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. SARBANES. If the Chair would tell me when 1 minute is left on my 
time, I would be most appreciative.
  Madam President, the purpose of this amendment is to restore funding 
for a number of important environmental programs under function 300. 
The President's budget request and the chairman's mark on the 
resolution cut funding for water resources, conservation and land 
management, recreational resources, pollution control and abatement, 
and other natural resources and environmental activities by nearly $3 
billion from the baseline, or almost 10 percent. This amendment would 
seek to add $2.9 billion to bring the function 300 total back up to 
baseline. It is offset with revenues from the closing of corporate tax 
loopholes.
  We have a list of possibilities, many of which have passed the Senate 
before and have been strongly supported by very large majorities in 
this body. Let me just give a few examples of the kinds of programs we 
are trying to at least provide some additional support for, although it 
falls short of what the need is; but we are trying to get back to 
baseline.
  The Army Corps of Engineers civil works program, flood control, 
navigation, storm protection, environmental restoration--I hardly need, 
in the aftermath of Katrina, to emphasize the importance of such 
programs. The EPA budget has been sharply cut, including nearly $200 
million from the clean water State revolving loan fund, which is now in 
this budget at the lowest funding level ever for clean water 
infrastructure. It has been cut by nearly 50 percent from the 2004 
level because there has been a steady decline, and, of course, this 
impacts every State's and every community's ability to upgrade their 
waste water infrastructure and meet Clean Water Act requirements.
  The National Park Service is being cut. Our National Parks have a 
desperate need for funding in order to carry out their activities.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has 1 minute remaining.
  Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, the National Park Service is falling 
well short of what they need in order to sustain the park system. NOAA 
is being cut in this budget, including the National Marine Fisheries 
Service. There is a lot of emphasis on our oceans. Two commissions have 
studied it. Yet the Oceans Commission says we are falling well short of 
any real commitment there. The NOAA budget is cut, the Fish and 
Wildlife Service budget, and the Forest Service. This amendment seeks 
to at least bring back this funding to function 300 for all of these 
very important environmental and natural resource problems to baseline, 
to current funding levels.
  I very much hope my colleagues will support this amendment and 
contribute to protecting the environment

[[Page 3838]]

and health of our Nation's citizens, helping to ensure that we have 
clean water and that we breathe clean air.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's time has expired.
  Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I 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. CONRAD. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to Senator Dorgan 
from North Dakota.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Madam President, I support Senator Sarbanes' effort to 
restore funding for our agencies and programs directed at natural 
resource conservation and management and some of our fundamental 
environmental responsibilities. The programs and agencies include the 
Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the National Park Service, the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Forest Service, 
the Army Corps of Engineers, and others. I do believe that we must meet 
our stewardship responsibilities and the President's budget simply 
doesn't cut it.
  I do, however, want to flag a problem related to the Army Corps of 
Engineers. It is a problem that cripples the Corps: The minute its 
budget arrives on our doorsteps, Members of Congress scramble for Corps 
earmarks. We must move away from this earmarking and focus on national 
priorities. I will continue working to change the way this agency 
operates.
  Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, I am going to be offering an amendment. 
I have noticed an amendment dealing with Indian program funding. I 
think most who understand these issues understand that we have a bona 
fide crisis in Indian health care, Indian housing, and Indian 
education. We have had hearings. I have had hearings in my State, and 
we have had hearings in the Indian Affairs Committee, and we have to 
address these issues. The issue of Indian health care is not an 
optional issue. When there is a young child on an Indian reservation or 
an elder on an Indian reservation who is sick, they need health care.
  This is interesting. We have trust responsibility for health care for 
a couple of groups of Americans. One is Federal prisoners. If they are 
incarcerated, we have a responsibility to Federal prisoners for their 
health care. We also have trust responsibility for health care for 
American Indians. That is our trust responsibility. We spend nearly 
twice as much--twice as much--per person to provide health care for 
Federal prisoners as we do for American Indians. That is wrong.
  Housing: We have a bona fide crisis in housing. In many cases on many 
of America's Indian reservations we have people living in Third World 
conditions.
  Education: Do we really want a young child who is 6 or 8 years old to 
be walking through the doorway of a grade school and receiving an 
education that is much less of an education than other children are 
simply because we don't have the money? Shouldn't these young Indian 
children be given the opportunity for a good education? I think with 
respect to education, the GAO report shows quite clearly that 
facilities in BIA schools are inferior to other schools.
  My point is this: When we take a look at our priorities, what is 
important, what we should be doing, we see that we have Americans 
living in Third World conditions on many of these Indian reservations. 
We have a crisis in health care, in education and housing, and we ought 
to do something about it. You can't go to these places and look at 
their health care system or look at their schools or look at people 
living in substandard housing and believe that it is not a priority for 
this Congress to meet its responsibilities.
  I have offered this legislation before in the form of an amendment. I 
do so again today. I have a number of cosponsors I would like to add 
for the Record.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. GREGG. Madam President, what is the time situation?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire controls 7 
minutes.
  Mr. GREGG. Madam President, although I don't agree with him, I yield 
3\1/2\ minutes to the Senator from Montana.
  Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, might I, with the indulgence of my 
colleagues, simply read the cosponsors? They are Senators Cantwell, 
Murray, Bingaman, and Johnson are added as cosponsors.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator will suspend. The amendment has 
not yet been offered.
  The Senator from Montana is recognized.


                          Debt Limit Extension

  Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I am speaking on an amendment I have 
offered to the debt limit. This amendment would simply require the 
Treasury Department to report on the economic and security implications 
of our debt to foreigners. Massive budget deficits are forcing America 
to borrow heavily. Last year, foreigners bought 96 percent of the 
Treasury bills that our Government sold to finance our debt--96 
percent. That is an astounding statistic. The debt purchased last year, 
almost all of it, was purchased by foreigners, 96 percent.
  Foreigners are becoming our bankers. America is becoming a debtor to 
foreign powers.
  I think we need to understand this change. This amendment asks the 
Treasury to investigate what the full cost of our indebtedness will be, 
in higher interest rates, the value of a dollar, lower economic growth, 
less power to negotiate trade agreements, and diminished national 
security. We should let taxpayers know how big the cost of this foreign 
debt really is. This amendment will help to get the answers.
  Some will make breathless arguments that passing this amendment will 
endanger the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. I say that 
is hogwash. If the Senate passes this amendment, the House of 
Representatives could pass it and have the bill on the President's desk 
before suppertime, on the President's desk this evening.
  The real reason some are opposing this amendment is to save the House 
of Representatives from having to vote on the debt limit even once--to 
save the House of Representatives, to save those folks on the other 
side of the body, on the other side of the Capitol, from having to vote 
on the debt limit. That is really what is going on here. I think if 
Senators vote on the debt limit, certainly House Members should vote on 
the debt limit, too. That is an embarrassingly poor reason to vote 
against a study that would help protect America's economic and security 
interests.
  Last year, foreigners bought 96 percent of the Treasury bills that 
our Government sold--actually 96 percent--just to remind everybody. I 
therefore urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment to help find out 
what our foreign debt really means for America.
  Mr. GREGG. Madam President, I know the chairman of the Finance 
Committee is coming over, and he may want to speak to this issue, but 
the time may lapse before he gets here so let me make this point: The 
study which the Senator is asking for could occur and would occur--and 
I can't speak for the chairman of the Finance Committee, but I would 
certainly be willing to sign the letter, and I suspect the chairman 
would, too. But simply writing the letter down there from the 
committees of jurisdiction--I don't happen to be a committee of 
jurisdiction, although it is an interesting issue--and then the 
chairman and the ranking member could get the study.
  The reason this amendment is being put on this bill is to try to send 
it back to the House to delay the process so that the debt ceiling ends 
up with some political votes somewhere along the line. That is just 
gamesmanship and there is no need for it.
  We should have this amendment taken off this bill. If there is a 
desire for this information, which we could certainly obtain rather 
easily by sending a letter demanding that they do the study, and then 
have GAO do the study--a little independence on the

[[Page 3839]]

study might even be good--do a joint task force and get the 
information. So the amendment really isn't necessary at all.
  So I agree with what I think is the leadership's position on this 
side, that this amendment is just dilatory and will end up delaying the 
debt ceiling legislation, which is a mistake. That is why it is 
opposed.
  Has all my time expired?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. GREGG. Madam President, I see the Democratic leader, and I will 
yield back my time and let the Democratic leader take leader time.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I will use leader time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, President Thomas Jefferson said:

       I place economy among the first and most important 
     government virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the 
     dangers to be feared.

  That was President Thomas Jefferson.
  Today the Senate is considering a bill to increase the Nation's debt 
by $781 billion. If adopted, it would be the fourth such increase in 
the 5 years this administration has been in office. I will be opposing 
this latest request, and I hope that people on both sides of the aisle 
will do the same.
  Any objective analysis of our country's fiscal history would have to 
conclude this administration and this rubberstamping Republican 
Congress are the most fiscally irresponsible in the history of our 
country. In fact, no other President or Congress even comes close. When 
this administration came to office, the Federal Government was running 
large annual budget surpluses that were projected to continue as far as 
the eye could see. These projected surpluses were so large that the 
Congressional Budget Office estimated the Federal Government would pay 
off all its publicly held debt by the year 2009. In fact, Alan 
Greenspan, then the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and other 
economists expressed concern that these surpluses would be so huge they 
risked unsettling the financial markets.
  Because of the reckless fiscal policies of this President and the 
Republican-controlled Congress, 2009 will be a year to recognize 
President Bush's multitrillion-dollar red-ink special. Over the past 5 
years, rather than running record surpluses and reducing record amounts 
of debt, our Nation suffered record deficits and debt increases. In 
fact, when it comes to deficits, this President owns all the records. 
The three largest deficits in our Nation's history have all occurred 
under this administration's watch. The deterioration of the Federal 
Government's finances is the direct result of the misguided priorities 
of this administration and this rubberstamping Republican Congress.
  These deficits have resulted in an unprecedented and dangerous 
borrowing spree. The total debt during this spree has grown by 
trillions of dollars. President Abraham Lincoln said:

       As an individual who undertakes to live by borrowing soon 
     finds his original means devoured by interest and next no one 
     left to borrow from, so must it be with government.

  O, if the Republican President and Republican-dominated Congress had 
followed the advice of Abraham Lincoln.
  The legislation on the floor today will push the Nation's borrowing 
limit to nearly $9 trillion. Compounding matters, the President's most 
recent budget--much of which Senate Republicans have placed before the 
Senate this week--would make matters substantially worse, leading to 
$12 trillion debt by 2011, just as the first wave of baby boomers is 
beginning to retire.
  Not only is debt exploding at the worst possible time, increasingly 
we are borrowing from foreign lenders. Since this administration took 
office, U.S. debt financed by foreigners has more than doubled, 
increasing by well over $1 trillion. That is more foreign-held debt in 
5 years than the Nation accumulated in the first 224 years of this 
Republic. By contrast, during the last 3 years of the Clinton 
administration, we paid off hundreds of billions of dollars of debt, 
including $200 billion in debt to foreign lenders.
  Given the explosion of debt in recent years, it is long past time for 
Washington to change the course and adopt a new fiscal policy. After 
all, the future of our economy and our Nation is at stake. The 
Comptroller General of the United States, David Walker, told the Senate 
Budget Committee recently:

       Continuing on this unsustainable fiscal path will gradually 
     erode, if not suddenly damage, our economy, our standard of 
     living and ultimately our national security.

  If my Republican friends believe that increasing our debt by almost 
$800 billion today, and more than $3 trillion dollars over the last 5 
years, is the right thing to do, they should be upfront about it. They 
should explain why they believe more debt is good for our economy. How 
can the Republican majority and this Congress explain to their 
constituents that trillions of dollars of new debt is good for our 
economy? How can they explain that they think it is fair to force our 
children, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren to finance 
this debt through higher taxes? That is what will have to happen. Why 
is it right to increase this Nation's dependence on foreign creditors? 
They should explain this.
  Maybe they can convince the public they are right. I doubt it, 
because most Americans know that increasing the debt is the last thing 
we should be doing. After all, I repeat, the baby boomers are about to 
retire. Under the circumstances, any credible economist would tell you 
we should be reducing debt, not increasing it.
  Again, on debt--Thomas Jefferson. These are his words:

       And to preserve our independence, we must not let our 
     rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election 
     between economy and liberty--or profusion and servitude.

  That was President Thomas Jefferson.
  Democrats will not be making arguments to support this legislation 
which will weaken our country. The President often speaks of personal 
responsibility. In a speech before African-American leaders earlier in 
his administration, the President stated that a President is judged not 
by the words he speaks but by the work he leaves behind. By that 
benchmark, the President and this Republican-controlled Congress will 
not be judged kindly with respect to the stewardship of our Nation's 
finances.
  We are being asked to do what should not be asked of us, to increase 
the debt to almost $9 trillion. I hope everyone walking down to these 
desks today will understand what they are doing, what they are doing to 
our country. On this side of the aisle, we know.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.


                           Amendment No. 3102

  Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, let me ask for consideration of 
amendment 3102, as I had previously filed. That is the legislation I 
described previously. Senators Cantwell, Murray, Bingaman, and Johnson 
join me in proposing this amendment as cosponsors. I ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from North Dakota [Mr. Dorgan], for himself, 
     Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Bingaman, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3102.

  Mr. DORGAN. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment 
be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To increase funding by $1 billion for various tribal programs 
and provide necessary additional funding based on recommendations from 
            Indian country, by closing corporate loopholes.)

       On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $285,000,000.
       On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $197,000,000.
       On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $230,000,000.
       On page 3, line 19, increase the amount by $263,000,000.
       On page 3, line 21, increase the amount by $302,000,000.

[[Page 3840]]

       On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $285,000,000.
       On page 4, line 2, increase the amount by $197,000,000.
       On page 4, line 3, increase the amount by $230,000,000.
       On page 4, line 4, increase the amount by $263,000,000.
       On page 4: line 6, increase the amount by $302,000,000.
       On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
       On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $299,000,000.
       On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $385,000,000.
       On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $154,000,000.
       On page 5, line 10, increase the amount by $126,000,000.
       On page 5, line 12, increase the amount by $15,000,000.
       On page 5, line 19, decrease the amount by $14,000,000.
       On page 5, line 21, decrease the amount by $188,000,000.
       On page 5, line 23, increase the amount by $76,000,000.
       On page 5, line 25, increase the amount by $137,000,000.
       On page 6, line 2, increase the amount by $287,000,000.
       On page 6, line 8, increase the amount by $14,000,000.
       On page 6, line 10, increase the amount by $202,000,000.
       On page 6, line 12, increase the amount by $126,000,000.
       On page 6, line 14, decrease the amount by $11,000,000.
       On page 6, line 16, decrease the amount by $298,000,000.
       On page 6, line 22, increase the amount by $14,000,000.
       On page 6, line 24, increase the amount by $202,000,000.
       On page 7, line 2, increase the amount by $126,000,000.
       On page 7, line 4, decrease the amount by $11,000,000.
       On page 7, line 6, decrease the amount by $298,000,000.
       On page 13, line 21, increase the amount by $25,000,000.
       On page 13, line 22, increase the amount by $13,000,000.
       On page 14, line 1, increase the amount by $8,000,000.
       On page 14, line 5, increase the amount by $4,000,000.
       On page 14, line 9, increase the amount by $1,000,000.
       On page 17, line 22, increase the amount by $120,000,000.
       On page 17, line 23, increase the amount by $29,000,000.
       On page 18, line 3, increase the amount by $33,000,000.
       On page 18, line 7, increase the amount by $27,000,000.
       On page 18, line 11, increase the amount by $18,000,000.
       On page 18, line 15, increase the amount by $2,000,000.
       On page 18, line 24, increase the amount by $120,000,000.
       On page 18, line 25, increase the amount by $17,000,000.
       On page 19, line 4, increase the amount by $90,000,000.
       On page 19, line 8, increase the amount by $8,000,000.
       On page 19, line 12, increase the amount by $2,000,000.
       On page 19, line 24, increase the amount by $540,000,000.
       On page 19, line 25, increase the amount by $187,000,000.
       On page 20, line 4, increase the amount by $203,000,000.
       On page 20, line 8, increase the amount by $75,000,000.
       On page 20, line 12, increase the amount by $75,000,000.
       On page 21, line 24, increase the amount by $125,000,000.
       On page 21, line 25, increase the amount by $46,000,000.
       On page 22, line 4, increase the amount by $25,000,000.
       On page 22, line 8, increase the amount by $18,000,000.
       On page 22, line 12, increase the amount by $15,000,000.
       On page 22, line 16, increase the amount by $13,000,000.
       On page 24, line 24, increase the amount by $70,000,000.
       On page 24, line 25, increase the amount by $7,000,000.
       On page 25, line 4, increase the amount by $26,000,000.
       On page 25, line 8, increase the amount by $22,000,000.
       On page 25, line 12, increase the amount by $15,000,000.
       On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
       On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $298,000,000.

       

                          ____________________