[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 23]
[Senate]
[Pages 31540-31542]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ORDER FOR ADJOURNMENT

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that following the 
remarks of the distinguished Senator from Nevada, Senator Ensign, the 
Senate adjourn under the previous order.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. ENSIGN. I ask unanimous consent that I be able to speak as long 
as I take tonight and then following my comments, the Senate stand in 
adjournment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, first, I wish to say to my friend from New 
Jersey, I appreciate the remarks he has made. I have stood with the 
Cuban people and especially with the dissidents down there for years, 
many times with my friend from New Jersey. I appreciate the issue he is 
bringing up and fighting for those folks.
  There have been those cases over the years where American voices have 
reached all the way into those gulags, whether it was the old Soviet 
Union or North Korea or wherever it may be. America being the beacon of 
hope for so many people around the world, it is critical that Members 
of this body, as well as the President of the United States, speak out 
for freedom and speak out for those people to give them hope that there 
are people in America who are listening and who are paying attention to 
them, so they will keep fighting for freedom in their own country. So I 
appreciate the comments the Senator from New Jersey made tonight.


                         Omnibus Appropriations

  I rise tonight, though, to speak about the legislation that is before 
the Senate. It is the Consolidated Appropriations Act or, as some 
people call it, the mini bus. This is a $447 billion bill. Around here, 
that seems like a small number. I believe this spending bill represents 
yet another step in the wrong direction for our country. I believe this 
legislation is only more of the same old recipe of fiscal 
irresponsibility that guides the majority in Congress. In a time of 
sky-high budget deficits and staggering debt, the American people are 
now demanding a better way forward.
  I wish to make it clear for the record what this legislation does. As 
a Senate Budget Committee analysis shows, this bill increases spending 
by 12 percent over last year's fiscal year for the six spending bills 
that are wrapped up in this legislation. When we look at each of these 
bills separately, the numbers are even more shocking. The State 
Department received a 33-percent increase over last year. 
Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development received a 23-percent 
increase over last year. Keep in mind that these accounts together 
received more than $60 billion of increase in the stimulus bill that 
was signed earlier this year.
  When we look at the gritty details, for example, at individual 
programs, the numbers are just as bad. The bill increases the 
Corporation for National Community Service by 30 percent and includes a 
41-percent increase for bilateral economic assistance. There is also a 
9-percent increase in Amtrak, and keep in mind that Amtrak got a $1.3 
billion extra amount of money in the stimulus bill this year.
  These spending increases are set against a dire economic picture. 
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, in fiscal 
year 2010, the deficit will be $1.4 trillion. Right now, American 
families are hurting. I know my home State of Nevada has experienced 
some of the highest unemployment levels in the country--13 percent, 
according to the Department of Labor. In talking to constituents back 
home, I can guarantee my colleagues it is actually much higher. We have 
a situation where because people quit looking for jobs, the 
unemployment rate is understated. In my State is probably closer to 20 
percent.
  Democrats expect this bloated spending bill to receive what has 
become a customary rubberstamp when it comes to spending in this town. 
But I don't see how a $300,000 earmark to Carnegie Hall in New York 
City or $250,000 for a bike path in Michigan can be considered 
responsible spending during the economic times we are in. There are 
over 5,000 earmarks in this omnibus bill, this mini bus bill, whatever 
you want to call it, that is before us today--5,000 earmarks.
  Not surprisingly, with all this spending, the majority in Congress 
must increase the debt limit. The debt limit is the limit set by 
Congress of how much debt our country can take on. This is similar, if 
you think about it, to your credit card limit. Right now, the debt 
limit is set at a little over $12 trillion--trillion. Let me take a 
little side note. We speak about trillions of dollars anymore as though 
it is nothing. Well, to put $1 trillion in a little bit of 
perspective--I have said this on this floor before--if you spend $1 
million a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, to get to $1 trillion, 
you would have had to start spending that $1 million a day every day 
from the time Jesus was born, spend it until now, and you still 
wouldn't be at your first $1 trillion. Yet our country already has $1 
trillion in debt.
  Anyway, the majority is raising the debt limit. This would be akin to 
taking your credit card and maxing it out but then going to the bank 
and saying: By the way, can I increase my credit limit by 20 percent? 
Oh, by the way, I have no idea how I am going to pay it back, except 
maybe my children will be able to pay it back someday. That is exactly 
what this Congress is doing. We are saying: We can't pay this debt 
back. There is no way we can pay this debt back. Maybe our children, 
maybe our grandchildren can pay it back.
  Americans across the country are going through tough times and they

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are doing what many in this body are unwilling to do. They are 
tightening their belts and cutting back on spending. According to the 
Federal Reserve, household debt has been reduced by $351 billion in the 
last quarter. This is the largest quarterly decline in our Nation's 
history. That is right. American families see the danger of fiscal 
irresponsibility and they are cutting back on borrowing the money they 
may have trouble paying back. State governments, local governments, 
businesses are doing the same as American families: They are cutting 
back.
  We also have interest we must pay on this debt. Just like the 
interest you pay on your credit card when you carry a balance, 
Americans pay interest on the debt this country continues to 
accumulate. CBO estimates today the annual interest on this Nation's 
debt last year was around $179 billion--a big number, $179 billion. A 
lot of good could be done with that if we weren't just spending that, 
paying the interest on the debt. Well, that $179 billion by the year 
2019 is projected to go to almost $800 billion, not including any of 
the new spending programs that are being proposed out there--$800 
billion a year. As much as we are spending on our national defense will 
just be interest on our debt.
  My friends on the other side of the aisle have made it a habit to 
come down to the Senate floor and say: Well, where were Republicans 
when President Bush was in office, adding to the debt, increasing the 
deficit? Well, I was right here saying many of the same things I am 
saying today. Not only did I vote against many of the spending bills 
that were passed during the previous administration, but I would have 
liked to have seen President Bush put his foot down and veto some of 
these bills and force Congress to cut back on out-of-control spending.
  If President Obama is worried about the debt that his children and 
grandchildren are going to inherit, he has a hard time showing it. It 
seems to me the President is in denial regarding the fiscal train wreck 
that is taking place in this country.
  In July of this year, President Obama said he understands the concern 
about the debt and admitted his recovery plan has added to the growing 
debt. But he stated at the time that now is not the time to tighten our 
belt and stop spending.
  In November, however, President Obama said:

       I think it is important, though, to recognize that if we 
     keep adding to the debt, even in the midst of the recovery, 
     that at some point, people could lose confidence in the U.S. 
     economy in a way that could actually lead to a double-dip 
     recession.

  First, the President says we must keep spending, even during the 
recession. Then he says that continued spending and increasing the debt 
during the recession could lead to a lack of confidence in the U.S. 
economy by the American people and by people around the world.
  The President remains in his state of denial because before us is a 
$447 billion bill that he will likely sign into law.
  I challenge President Obama to show leadership and veto this bill. 
Say to the Senate and the House of Representatives: Get your fiscal 
house in order. It is time we show responsibility to our children and 
grandchildren. Spending this year has added up a little bit. The TARP--
an additional $350 billion was added to the TARP program this year. 
This has now become a slush fund. The stimulus bill was $787 billion. 
It was supposed to not allow the unemployment rate to go over 8 
percent. We now know the unemployment rate is 10 percent. There were 
supposed to be millions of jobs saved or created. That certainly 
doesn't appear to be the case. In this stimulus bill, we see that $6 
million will go to a PR firm whose head is a former pollster for a 
high-ranking member in the Obama administration. Again, that was for $6 
million. That was to educate folks on what it means to go from analog 
television to digital. I don't know if anybody watched TV this last 
year, but the cable companies, the broadcasters, spent tens and tens of 
millions of dollars to tell folks about the transition and what it 
meant to transition from analog to digital. Walmart and other companies 
that were selling the converter boxes were telling people about it. The 
government didn't need to spend this money. The private sector was 
handling it just fine.
  That is just one small example of the wasteful spending that was part 
of the stimulus bill. My State has a 13-percent unemployment rate, as I 
mentioned before. So the stimulus bill certainly doesn't seem to have 
helped my State.
  I want to show you what we are facing with this debt. Under the 
President's budget that was passed earlier this year, the debt will 
double within 5 years, and it will actually triple within 10 years. The 
debt that this country is taking on will double within 5 years and 
triple within 10 years.
  Now we are going to add a $2.5 trillion health care bill, which is 
what the spending will be when it is fully implemented. The other side 
of the aisle has said that it actually decreases the deficit. That is 
part of the smoke and mirrors. You get all of the tax increases and the 
Medicare cuts in the first few years, but the actual benefits don't 
start until 2014. So if you look at a true 10-year picture, the 
spending in the bill is about $2.5 trillion.
  On top of that, the bill I am talking about today, the $447 billion 
``minibus'' of appropriations bills, is a 12-percent increase from last 
year to this year. When are we going to get the message from the 
American people? In the past, it doesn't seem like they cared that much 
about the debt and deficit. We are hearing about it all across the 
country today. That is the reason you're seeing in poll after poll that 
it is one of the big things the American people are concerned about 
now. I am happy they are finally paying attention. I just hope this 
body starts paying attention to what the American people are saying.
  Mr. President, now I want to turn my attention to the DC Opportunity 
Scholarship Program and how the bill that is before us would eliminate 
this vital and successful program.
  This omnibus bill would accomplish this by restricting the enrollment 
of any new students and lead to the end of the program. As many of you 
know, the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program is part of a comprehensive 
strategy designed to provide a quality education for every child in the 
District, regardless of income or neighborhood.
  The District roundly supports this program. DC's mayor, Adrian Fenty, 
testified in favor of the program. He has sent letters of support to 
Members of Congress regarding the scholarship program.
  Other DC leaders have also expressed their support, including City 
Council Chairman Vincent Gray, DC Public School Chancellor Michelle 
Rhee, and former Mayor Anthony Williams.
  The residents support the program too. A Greater Washington Urban 
League Poll found that almost 70 percent of DC residents support this 
education funding.
  Although the Chancellor of Public Schools, Michelle Rhee, has made 
much progress reforming DC's public schools, there is still much work 
to do.
  The statistics paint a grim picture. According to the Department of 
Education's National Assessment of Education, DC ranked last in the 
Nation based on fourth and eighth grade reading assessments.
  In 2007, only 14 percent of fourth graders--14 percent--were 
proficient in reading and math in DC schools. DC's overall performance 
on SATs is not much better. Reading scores are 32 points below the 
national average, while math scores are 60 points below the national 
average.
  DC has some of the highest levels of per-pupil spending in the 
Nation. Unfortunately, this large investment is bearing little fruit.
  The biggest tragedy of all is that a quality education represents the 
best chance for most of these children to escape the cycle of poverty 
that so many of their families are in today. For many, the DC 
Opportunity Scholarship Program provides that chance.
  The average household income of participating families that get these 
scholarships is $22,000 a year for a family of four. All participating 
students

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come from families below 185 percent of the poverty line. Nearly 100 
percent of the participating students are minorities.
  Eighty-six percent of the scholarship students would otherwise be 
assigned to attend a DC public school that did not meet the ``adequate 
yearly progress'' standards in 2006 and 2007 and are in need of 
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring.
  Unfortunately, many of the Democrats in this body continue to put 
politics ahead of a program that is helping to ensure low-income 
children have the ability to attend safe and effective schools.
  Some opponents of the DC Opportunity Scholarship say the program 
isn't effective. They say it doesn't work and only diverts money from 
DC public schools. I simply disagree, and I believe the facts paint a 
very different picture, a more accurate representation of the success 
of the scholarship program.
  According to Dr. Patrick Wolf at the University of Arkansas, the 
principal investigator studying the scholarship program, this program 
is working.
  DC opportunity scholarship recipients show the largest achievement 
impact in reading of any education policy program yet evaluated in a 
randomized control trial. These randomized trials are the gold standard 
when it comes to figuring out whether a program works.
  While the numbers paint an encouraging picture, I think 90 percent of 
parents of children in the program who say that the scholarship program 
gives their child a chance at a quality and safe education is a better 
measure.
  David Martinez, whose daughters, Brenda and Katherine, already attend 
Sacred Heart through the scholarship program, wanted his youngest 
daughter, Heidi, to enroll as well.
  David writes:

       I wanted my 5-year-old daughter, Heidi, to attend a private 
     school, as well. I was overjoyed when we received a letter--
     telling us that the scholarship had been granted. Then, two 
     weeks later--because President Obama, the Congress, and 
     Education Secretary Arne Duncan sided against my daughter--we 
     received another letter. This letter said that Heidi wouldn't 
     receive her scholarship. We were devastated when we read the 
     letter.

  Patricia Williams writes of her son Fransoir. Before the program, she 
worried how she could help Fransoir get a good education and make sure 
he was safe and supervised. Patricia hopes that all her children attend 
college in the future.
  Despite the fact that the parents and students involved in the DC 
Opportunity Scholarship have pleaded with lawmakers to preserve the 
program, Democrats continue to advocate eliminating the opportunity for 
more than 1,700 students to continue attending private schools.
  When you look close at the data on DC schools, it is no wonder that 
the DC Opportunity Scholarship parents are so vocal about keeping the 
program alive. Per-pupil expenditures in the District public schools 
are more than $14,000 per pupil per year, and DC class size is one of 
the lowest, 14 to 1 student-teacher ratio. Yet reading scores continue 
to languish at or near the bottom in every national assessment.
  Recent data shows that 69 percent of fourth graders are reading below 
basic levels, as defined by the Department of Education in Washington, 
DC.
  DC students in DC public schools rank last in the Nation in both SAT 
and ACT scores.
  Beyond the low performance in the classrooms, DC schools are often 
violent and dangerous. A Federal Government study found that 12 percent 
of DC students were threatened or injured by a weapon on school 
property during a recent school year--well above the national average.
  Would most Americans put up with those kinds of statistics, or would 
they fight for change? This body has to fight for the students and the 
parents in Washington, DC.
  According to the Washington Post, Anacostia High School alone saw 61 
violent offenses, including 3 sexual assaults and 1 instance of the use 
of a deadly weapon.
  Perhaps these facts are why President Obama has chosen to enroll both 
of his daughters in a private school in Washington.
  Clearly, we can do better, and the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program 
is a means to achieve better results for low-income children in 
Washington.
  There are promising signs that this program works. My colleagues, 
including Senators on both sides of the aisle--Senators Lieberman, 
Collins, Feinstein, Voinovich, Byrd, and Alexander--have joined in a 
bipartisan bill to improve and extend this successful program.
  This program should not see its death through the appropriations 
process.
  In conclusion, what this ``minibus''--the bill before us today--is 
doing is rolling over the future of this country. Call it what you 
want--minibus, omnibus, or 18 wheeler--it is carrying a load of debt 
and wasteful spending and government irresponsibility. It is a reminder 
to the American people that while they balance their budgets and scrape 
to pay their bills and try to save something for the future, the 
Federal Government continues its reckless shopping spree and just 
prints the money. This is not what we are sent here to do. I hope the 
President sees that and vetoes this irresponsible legislation.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________