Max Baucus

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that not withstanding the adoption of amendment No. 4143 and the passage of the act H.R. 4040, amendment 4143 be modified with changes at the desk.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the list of staff from the Budget Committee at the desk be granted full floor access privileges; and that the use of calculators be permitted on the floor of the Senate during consideration of the concurrent resolution on the budget.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. BAUCUS

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 I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I speak today in tribute to a friend, Laurie Sullivan, who passed away late last month. Laurie was a lawyer, a legislative advocate, and a business leader. I admired Laurie professionally and personally. But I was not alone, because everyone admired Laurie. Laurie was a cut above the rest. Washington is a place where people can lose their way. Not Laurie. She was grounded. And she was centered. Laurie stood out because she was in it for the right reasons. She built a well-respected consulting firm, because she cared about good policy. She cared about making Government work. People admired Laurie for her intelligence, her wit, and her graciousness. She was a breath of fresh air. A veteran of Capitol Hill, Laurie was confident enough to take her work seriously, but not so much that she couldn't laugh or share a joke. People were drawn to Laurie because she was the kind of person who gave energy. She didn't take it. Nothing made Laurie happier than being with her family. She talked about her nieces and nephews frequently. Her face lit up each time she mentioned their latest activities or accomplishments. She was proud of them. And she treasured the time that she spent with them. She described trips with her family as priceless memories. Laurie was also a very generous person. And her generosity was not limited to her family. She gave generously of her time and resources to her community and her friends. She worked with a local mentoring program focusing on teenagers who had experienced a death in the family. She hired a student from the University of Virginia at Wise. The student worked at her firm for the summer. Laurie gave him a laptop computer. She helped him pay his college bills. Laurie also gave advice. She counseled her nieces and nephews. She counseled the students whom she mentored. She recommended strategies for her clients. And she counseled women who were starting a business. She gave her views on healthcare and politics to me and other Senators who were lucky enough to be part of her circle of friends. Her advice was always solid. When her nieces and nephews followed her advice, they prospered. Laurie's business grew, because her clients learned that she was right. The students she mentored succeeded in college. Laurie was truly a wonderful person. She knew what was most important in this world. And she made the most of it while she was with us. We should all be so lucky as to live that way. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid on the table.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 476 which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Budget Committee have until 4 p.m. today, Friday, March 7, to file the concurrent budget resolution, notwithstanding the adjournment of the Senate.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I object to any further proceedings with respect to these bills en bloc.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I understand there are three bills at the desk due for a second reading.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the concurrent budget resolution on Monday, March 10, at 3 p.m., and that on Monday there be debate only, with no amendments in order.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, today, the Senate takes the important step of extending the Andean Trade Preferences Act for 10 months. This follows action in the House yesterday on the same bill. We can now ensure continuation of this important program before it expires tomorrow. I would have preferred a longer term extension of ATPA. But a 10- month extension is a sound compromise. It is good for America. And it is good for our Andean neighbors. In recent weeks, we have had a lively debate over the value of this preference program. Opponents point to one-sided benefits. They warn against risky investments. Proponents say that our Andean preferences complement drug eradication efforts. We say that they create jobs in both developing countries and here at home. Today, as in the past, I support ATPA. ATPA is an investment in mutual prosperity and regional stability. It is good foreign policy. ATPA is a boon to the developing economies of Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, and Ecuador. It brings economic development where poverty persists. It encourages alternative crops where illegal drugs plague the landscape. It creates jobs where there have long been too few. And it can provide a platform for more comprehensive engagement, such as the free-trade agreements that Peru and Colombia have negotiated with the United States. The economic benefits of ATPA are mutual. Flower exports from Colombia and Ecuador employ Andean agriculture workers in their countries. And they also create transportation and retail jobs here at home. The United States sells its cotton to Andean buyers, who make it into fabric and apparel. And that creates jobs for American farmers and skilled Andean labor. It is precisely this mutual prosperity that has earned the Andean Trade Preferences Act the broad support it commands, even from sectors that have traditionally been wary of trade. But as important, we must recognize that ATPA benefits are neither handouts nor freebies. To benefit from preferences, each ATPA partner must meet strict eligibility criteria. Beneficiaries must afford internationally recognized worker rights. They must protect and enforce intellectual property rights. They must cooperate in counternarcotics efforts. And they must ensure the integrity of U.S. investments by, among other things, honoring contracts with U.S. investors and abiding by investment decisions made by arbitral panels. These eligibility requirements are not optional. If a country does not comply, it should not receive ATPA benefits. Actions have consequences. The U.S. will notice and take into account actions in ATPA countries that unfairly hurt U.S. interests. Ecuador, in particular, has taken actions in recent years that call into question its intention to abide by the ATPA conditions related to investment. These developments are, at best, discouraging. At worst, they might be disqualifying. In the next few months, I will work with Senator Grassley and others to closely monitor whether our ATPA beneficiary countries meet these eligibility criteria. And I will work to monitor whether the administration is doing enough to enforce them. ATPA is good policy. But, as with most policies, hard work can make it better. As in the past, I will continue to work with opponents and supporters to ensure that all of the elements of the program are upheld. I will work to see that not just the trade benefits, but the eligibility requirements as well, are upheld. When everyone is playing by the rules, we will have a comprehensive program that is as good for the United States as it is for Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

Mr. BAUCUS

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, in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``The False Claims Act Correction Act (S. 2041): Strengthening the Government's Most Effective Tool Against Fraud for the 21st Century'' on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 10 a.m. in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Witness List Michael F. Hertz, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Panel II: Tina M. Gonter, Jacksonville, FL; The Honorable John E. Clark, Of Counsel, Goode, Casseb, Jones, Riklin, Choate & Watson, P.C., San Antonio, TX; John T. Boese, Partner, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Washington, DC; and Pamela H. Bucy, Bainbridge Professor of Law, University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa, AL.

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 Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 2:30 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building, in order to conduct a hearing. The hearing will focus on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's fiscal year 2009 budget proposal.

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 in order to conduct a hearing on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 9:45 a.m., in room SD366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. At this hearing, the Committee will hear testimony to consider two nominations: Stanley C. Suboleski, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Fossil Energy), vice Jeffrey D. Jarrett, resigned; and, J. Gregory Copeland, of Texas, to be General Counsel of the Department of Energy, vice David R. Hill.

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 Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in order to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Hearing on the President's Proposed EPA Budget for FY 2009.''

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., in order to hear testimony on Protecting Voters at Home and at the Polls: Limiting Abusive Robocalls and Vote Caging Practices.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``The President's FY2009 Budget Request for the Small Business Administration on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, beginning at 10:00 a.m., in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for the Committee on Veterans' Affairs to be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, in order to conduct an oversight hearing entitled ``Review of Veterans' Disability Compensation: Expert Reports on PTSD and other issues.'' The Committee will meet in room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building, at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Personnel Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 3:00 p.m., in open session to receive testimony on active component, reserve component, and civilian personnel programs in review of the defense authorization request for Fiscal Year 2009 and the Future Years Defense Program.

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 Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 9:30 a.m., in open session, and possibly closed session, to receive testimony on the current and future worldwide threats to the national security of the United States.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from New Hampshire for his comments and for pointing out the budget expenditures and exposure down the road. The only point I wish to make about his presentation is that the increase in entitlements is not so much because of Social Security--that is not the big problem for the next 15 or 20 years. Rather, it is the increases in Medicare and Medicaid that are going to be very expensive for us to accommodate. The real question is, What is the solution? We know what the problem is. The question is, What is the solution? It is interesting that Peter Orszag of the Congressional Budget Office printed a report just about a month ago saying that the rise in the number of baby boomers is part of the problem, but that is not the big problem. The main reason that Medicare is going up at such a rapid rate and that Medicaid is also going up at a significant rate is because health care costs in this country are rising at such a rapid rate. So I think it is important to address not just the symptoms; that is, the wacky Medicare, but it is much more important to look at the direct causes or what is causing these increases. Our country today spends about $2 trillion on health care--about $2 trillion. About half of that is in the public sector and half in the private sector. The projections of the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan organization, are that private health care costs are going to increase very significantly over the next 20 years and Medicaid costs are going to also increase significantly but, for Medicare, much more. The rate of increase in the private sector will be a little less because the private sector tends to control costs a little better. For Medicaid, the rate of growth will be not quite as high as Medicare growth because States pay for part of the Medicaid costs and States are going to get a little more control of their State budgets. The real problem is the increase in health care costs. We in America spend twice as much per capita on health care costs than the next most expensive country, and I don't know that we are twice as healthy as the next most expensive country. We have great health care in America. Our technology is the envy of the world. Our drugs are the envy of the world. But we have a system which basically is unnecessarily expensive and is going to cause us to be anticompetitive in future years. I was in Bangalore, India, not long ago. I brought about 15 or 20 Montanans. It was a trade trip partly to China and also to India. We went to the John F. Welch Technology Center, which is one of General Electric's three technology centers in the world. Kind of ``gee whiz'' stuff, kind of interesting. During the tour, I walked up to the manager. He was the only non-Indian there. He is a German, Argentine his background. I walked up to him, and I said: Why are you here in India? Why are you here, right here? Why is your research facility here? He said: Greatest talent pool. I said: Well, what country has the next greatest talent pool? China, he said. I asked: Where are we as Americans? He said: You are kind of down here. What does it take, I asked, to get us up there? He looked at me without skipping a beat, and he looked me straight in the eye, and he said: Education and health care. He says: You have to educate your people a lot better than you are. Second, you have a health care system that is making you anticompetitive, you Americans. It is true, our health care costs are so much higher than the costs of companies in other countries. About 18 percent of our total health care costs are administrative; in other countries, it is about 4 or 5 percent. There are a lot of ways to get at this problem. The real question is, What is a solution? How do we get health care costs more under control? I daresay that whoever is elected President is going to be forced to and should be and will have an opportunity to make a major health care proposal to our country. We on the Finance Committee are starting to hold a lot of hearings on health care. There are a lot of provocative questions. We need to not be flat-footed, and we need to work in tandem with whoever is elected President so we can begin to address two main points. One is coverage. We are the only industrialized country in the world where people don't have health insurance that is not universal coverage. We need to have that. Second is to address costs. We need to figure out how we can get a handle on the excessive increase of health care costs in our country. I commend my friend from New Hampshire for raising the problem, but the real question is, What is the solution? The President's letter is not even a glancing blow to solutions; it kind of touches on some possible solutions. It is critical for us to address the underlying questions. What are the underlying causes of increased health care costs? I don't have the time here to go into all of what I think we need to look at and will be focusing on in the Finance Committee, but that is a major challenge we face as a country, and it is a great opportunity for all of us to dig deep and help to solve this problem so Americans can be proud of the country we have, with universal coverage, and also get a handle on excessive costs. (The remarks of Mr. Baucus pertaining to the submission of S. Res. 462 are printed in today's Record under ``Submited Resolutions.'')

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise to talk about an important resolution I am submitting. It is the asbestos awareness week resolution. This resolution has passed the Senate for 3 years, and I am pleased to submit it again this year. This is a very deeply personal issue for me. About 8 years ago, I was in Libby, MT, in the living room of Les Skramstad, and there were several people in the room who were suffering from asbestos-related diseases. This was in Libby. Since then, about 200 people have died of asbestos-related diseases. Les Skramstad, whom I met that day about 8 or 9 years ago, was dying from mesothelioma. He looked at me and said: As a U.S. Senator, I expect you do something to help us in Libby. I said: You bet. He looked me straight in the eye, and because he has been around a little bit, he said: Senator, I am going to be watching you to make sure that is not just an idle promise. I will be watching you. Boy, I got the message loudly and clearly. I decided right then at that moment that I need to do all I can to help make sure that people in Libby, MT, get justice. As I said, over 200 people died since then. He was an employee of a W.R. Grace mine. W.R. Grace clearly knew it was poisoning people in Libby, MT, in its mine there. It did not admit it. There is a criminal case going on right now against the officers of W.R. Grace claiming that they did know what they were doing. Asbestos from this mine is called tremolite. It is not the ordinary crystal asbestos. This is tremolite asbestos, which is much more pernicious. It gets more deeply embedded in your lungs, more angles to the dust that gets into your lungs. It is harder to detect. Sometimes the latency period can be from 20 to 30 years. Les would come home all dusty from the mine, and he would go home and embrace his wife, and his kids would jump into his lap. Guess what. Les is now dead. He died last month from mesothelioma. Les's wife is dying from asbestos-related diseases. Three of his four children are now dying. It is the dust, the asbestos dust that is in Libby, MT. This stuff was used on playgrounds. It was used on golf courses. It was used for insulation in attics in homes. People have died and are dying. We are doing all we can to address this, and we are trying to get them proper medical care. There is a clinic called the CARD Clinic in Libby which is doing a really good job in screening people, trying to find out who has it and who doesn't. Again, it is very hard to find. You need special techniques. We had to change the disability laws in America because-- not change but point out to the Social Security Administration that this is a different kind of asbestos, it is not ordinary asbestos, and then decide whether to grant disability payments. They were looking at ordinary asbestos. They didn't know about this asbestos. They didn't know about tremolite asbestos. Finally, people in Montana are getting disability benefits because of the asbestos diseases they have. So I am very proud to submit this resolution. As I said, I have been doing this for several years, and we are making this National Asbestos Recognition Week in April, the first week in April. I believe it is so important to highlight this dread disease so we can stamp out the scourge and, in my view, finally banish asbestos. If we can accomplish that, then in some small way we have vindicated the people of Libby, MT.