Max Baucus

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, on behalf of Senator Grassley and myself, I call up amendment No. 5633, which is at the desk.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I yield 10 minutes from the time on the bill to the senior Senator from Connecticut, a senior member of the HELP Committee and a longstanding advocate of the mental parity part of the third amendment. I also yield 10 minutes to the Senator from Minnesota from the time on the bill for her to use after the Senator from Oregon speaks, following the Senator from Connecticut.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, this third amendment, which I hope we vote on successfully very soon, addresses tax relief for American families and tax relief for American businesses. The amendment addresses jobs, families, disaster relief, and mental health parity. I was particularly struck by the last speaker. She is right. The mental health parity provision is so important for so many reasons, especially for the people who deserve equal treatment, in addition to being in honor of Senator Ted Kennedy and also in honor of Paul Wellstone. This amendment also prevents the alternative minimum tax from hitting millions more American families. Our economy is struggling, and so are America's working families. Markets are experiencing volatility. At times such as these, Americans need tax cuts that they have come to count on and that can help them get by. That is why this amendment includes a 1-year patch for the alternative minimum tax. This patch would protect more than 21 million Americans from falling victim to the AMT. We will not let more taxpayers fall into the alternative minimum tax. In addition, the amendment would extend expiring individual and business tax provisions for 2 years. These provisions include the qualified tuition deduction to give families relief from high tuition costs. In my home State of Montana alone, almost 14,000 families would get help with high college tuition. The amendment also includes the teacher expense deduction. This deduction gives back to teachers some of the money they spend on school supplies to educate America's children. The amendment includes a State and local sales tax deduction for those States without an income tax. The amendment covers several business incentives that help keep American businesses competitive and create jobs. The amendment includes incentives such as the research and development credit. This credit gives an incentive to businesses to invest in research. It helps to create and keep American jobs with good wages, and it helps to keep America competitive in the global economy. This package does more than just extend expiring provisions. It expands the refundable child tax credit. By expanding this valuable credit, nearly 3 million more children will be eligible for this tax incentive. This amendment would also help to improve health care for countless families dealing with mental illness. This mental health parity legislation would mandate equal assistance for those suffering from mental illness. This legislation has been championed by our late colleague, Paul Wellstone, and our colleagues Ted Kennedy and, of course, Pete Domenici. It has long been a goal in the Senate and it is a goal that we can finally meet today. The amendment would provide much-needed relief to families and businesses that have been devastated by natural disasters. Right now, our country is experiencing rough economic times. Congress should do more than just extend legislation; Congress needs to meet the needs of the American people. Let us help to create jobs. Let us help working families make ends meet. Let us achieve mental health parity once and for all. Let us provide relief for those who have suffered from natural disasters. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that at 4:45, all time be considered yielded back, and the Senate then proceed to vote in relation to the amendments and the motion to waive the Budget Act in the order in which offered; that prior to each vote, there be 2 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled in the usual form; that after the first vote in the sequence, the remaining votes be 10 minutes in duration, with the remaining provisions of the previous order governing consideration of H.R. 6049 still in effect.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I further ask unanimous consent that upon disposition of H.R. 6049, the Senate then proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, a couple words on the first amendment to be voted on. The energy amendment would help create well-paid jobs in the growing field of new energy technology, help to secure our independence from high-priced foreign oil, and move us closer to addressing global warming. I urge my colleagues to vote for the amendment.

Mr. BAUCUS. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I move to waive the applicable budget provisions for the consideration of the Baucus-Grassley amendment No. 5635. I might say, if this point of order is not waived, then the underlying extenders bill will not pass and AMT will be felt by millions of taxpayers next year. As much as we would like to pay for everything, we cannot pay for everything in this context at this time. Without this amendment, the tax extenders will not pass. The underlying bill for the AMT should pass for a year. It fixes the child tax credit, provides support for rural schools, the mental health parity provisions, as well as finally it provides disaster relief for families and businesses. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and waive the point of order.

Mr. BAUCUS. It is my understanding that the Senator would like to speak about an issue related to the national disaster relief section of the Finance Committee substitute to H.R. 6409.

Mr. BAUCUS. Yes, it is the committee's intention that Californians in federally declared disaster areas will be eligible for tax relief in the sections the Senator has referenced.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, a couple of words underlying what the leader said in his remarks. These are not only for our membership but also for the other body. The underlying bill has mental health parity in it. The underlying bill is also 2-year extenders. We are wrapped around the axle too much in this body by having actual extenders every year. This is 2 years. Third, this is a compromise between both bodies. They want everything paid for, this body does not. It is a compromise in the middle. For those reasons, I very much hope the other body supports this measure we are about to adopt. I yield the floor.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be Authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 23, 2008 at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Turmoil in U.S. Credit Markets: Recent Actions Regarding Government Sponsored Entities, Investment Banks and Other Financial Institutions.''

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 2:30 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate to conduct a hearing on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 10 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 10 a.m. in Room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to hold a hearing entitled ``Regulation of Greenhouse Gases under the Clean Air Act.''

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 10 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Covering the Uninsured: Making Health Insurance Markets Work.''

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 2:15 p.m.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet, during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Investing in a Skilled Workforce: Making the Best Use of Tax-Payer Dollars To Maximize Results'' on Tuesday, September 23, 2008. The hearing will commence at 9:30 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 23, 2008.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 23, at 10 a.m. in room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Barriers to Justice: Examining Equal Pay for Equal Work'' on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 10 a.m., in room SH-216 of the Hart Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Judicial Nominations'' on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 3 p.m. in room SD-562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 23, 2008.