Barbara Boxer

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, in 1 minute let me give it to you straight: We have seen a loss of 3 million jobs in the last 3 years. This is not sustainable. Our people are hurting. What this amendment does is gives us a chance to do something about it. We give tax credits to businesses, if they pay for health insurance, if they create manufacturing jobs. What we do is boost up some of the wonderful programs that are working in advanced technology, manufacturing extension. We increase investments in basic science. We close the loophole so if companies move abroad, they can't get special tax breaks, and we don't allow Federal funds to be used to offshore jobs. We pay for it by saying to the millionaires of this country: Instead of getting back $120,000, you will get back $80,000. That is multiple times what a minimum-wage worker will get. Millionaires will still get back $80,000 a year under the Bush tax cut. We are asking them to make that sacrifice because we need the jobs. I urge an aye vote.

Mrs. BOXER. I thank Senator Sarbanes and Senator Conrad for their enormous contribution in support of this amendment, which is really an amendment that is made up by the contribution of various members of the Democratic caucus, including Senator Dodd, who has just come to the floor. An important amendment ensuring Federal contracts should not be outsourced passed this Chamber with flying colors. It is important. As a matter of fact, I met with my local elected officials and I asked, Do you have any idea whether any of your department jobs are outsourced? They looked at me, and said, I don't know. I will go back and make sure tax dollars aren't being used to create jobs overseas. I thank my friend for his contribution to this amendment. I want to ask my friend a question. It has to do with this whole notion of the anxiety in this country. I think anyone watching this debate understands there are many reasons for people to feel anxious. They feel anxious when there are deficits as far as the eye can see. It is stunning to think back to 3\1/2\ years ago. There were surpluses as far as the eye could see. What mismanagement. I say to my friend the shocking part is--and when I was an economics major a long time ago we thought when there were big deficits it would create a lot of jobs. Here we have a circumstance where you have runaway deficits, runaway debt, and no job creation whatsoever. In fact, there is a net job loss. I want to say to my friend from North Dakota, when he talks about the budget deficit, the trade deficit, the twin deficits, there is also the job deficit. Now you have the tripling. I think my friend made a good point when he talked about people being laid off and then having to train their replacement workers. I met such a gentleman who was a newlywed. He had a job as a computer program manager and he had to train his replacement. I cannot tell you the look on this man's face. He is leaving my State. He thought for sure this could never happen in the Golden State. As we know, it is happening in California and all over this country. This is a stunning moment in history. That is why this amendment is so important. The budget document is in fact the priority of the country. If we turn our back on the people of this country who need to work for a living, we shouldn't be here, to be honest, because that has to be an essential part of what we do to protect the country, from the standpoint of defense, protect workers and make sure they have jobs. I want to ask my colleague this point about the anxiety in the land. I think what is feeding it is when your next-door neighbor loses a job, or someone in your family loses a job, you begin to feel anxious. When your next-door neighbor loses his health insurance or pension, you begin to get anxious yourself. Then when you pick up the papers--I put a lot of this together last night, and you can read this. ``Analysts Gloomy Over Job Creation''; ``Growth In Jobs Is Still Sluggish''; ``Job Growth Falls Short of Forecast''; ``Jobs Slump''; ``Fewer Small Businesses Plan To Hire''. I am saying to my friend I think all of this is creating an anxiety in the land. I will ask this question: Given everything we said--it is not rhetoric; it is reality; we have shown the numbers. They are real. We have talked about real families. We have seen what is happening. I ask my friend, is not this the time, if there was ever a time, we should say to the American people whom we care about and their families, their ability to have a quality of life, their ability to educate their children and send them to college, and their ability to look at the future with hope and optimism--wouldn't it be the moment we should be united as Republicans and Democrats and Independents here today in passing the amendment we put forward which not only will stimulate jobs directly but will stimulate small businesses by giving them the tax credits they deserve, so they can pay for health care insurance or create jobs? I ask my friend, is this not the moment in time to make this a priority for this Senate across party lines?

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, will my friend yield for a question?

Mrs. BOXER. Will my friend yield for a quick question before my colleague continues? I find this give-and-take very helpful. I read an economic report that said although the jobless rate is officially at 5.6 percent, if one factors in the people who have given up, it is well over 9 percent. I wonder if my friend could comment on that, because he talked about how important it is to just keep up with the people who are coming in. What about the people who have given up?

Mrs. BOXER. My friend from Nevada wants me to get to the question and I will. When this gentleman moves his jobs to China, does he not get a tax advantage? And are we not closing that loophole--it is the Dorgan idea--and does my friend support that, as well as the other items on this list?

Mrs. BOXER. She was right on target about this manufacturing czar, this potential nominee, who may be a very lovely gentleman; nonetheless, what a poor choice. We should be rewarding people and companies that create jobs for the American people. You know, I wish the world well. I want Iraq to have democracy and the Haitians to have democracy. I want the people of Afghanistan to thrive. Lord knows, we spend enough money there to help them. What about people at home? Isn't that our first responsibility? I am telling you, when I have to hear stories from constituents who say, Not only was I laid off and my job is going to be outsourced to a foreign country but I have to train my replacement--I say somebody may call that outsourcing; I call it painful. I call it wrong.

Mrs. BOXER. Will my friend yield for a moment?

Mrs. BOXER. I will wait on that. I thank my friend from New Jersey.

Mrs. BOXER. I ask for that as well. When we look at the promises made and the reality, I would like my friend----

Mrs. BOXER. I have one more question and that is it. First, I ask unanimous consent that Senators Mikulski and Dorgan be added as cosponsors of the amendment.

Mrs. BOXER. If the Senator will yield, he is so right. Consumer confidence is almost everything in our economy, which is a consumer- based economy. I took economics, so I have an economics background from my college years. But my friend practiced economics and did very well at it. What he says is so important. If your next-door neighbor is suffering because of a loss of jobs or downward pressure on job income, it has a contagious impact. A lot of this lack of consumer confidence is what we are seeing today. I wish to ask my friend another question that has to do with the fact we paid for this amendment. We paid for this in two ways. First, we eliminate the tax loophole for companies that send their jobs overseas. That brings in $2 billion to pay for this reserve fund for jobs. We also say to millionaires, we know you are going to get back $127,000-- and people who earn more than that will get exponentially more--so instead of getting back $127,000, you get $85,000. That difference is more than a minimum-wage worker's salary for an entire year. As my friend looks as his people in New Jersey and knows the median income level there, do you think this is a fair thing we do here, ask everybody to sacrifice? To reiterate, we are saying to the millionaires of this country, we are proud of you, that you got the American dream; and you worked for it--most of them did, not all of them. Can't you make that sacrifice so we can put people to work and turn around these numbers? Look at this chart. We talked about this before, going back to Ronald Reagan. We haven't seen this kind of deal since Herbert Hoover. Looking at New Jersey and the people making over $1 million who would be impacted, does my friend not believe we pay for this in a fair way?

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, this budget resolution is $6.9 billion below the President's request for defense spending for fiscal year 2005. I am voting for the Warner amendment to restore this cut. I am doing so because I believe we should pay for our activities in Iraq and Afghanistan within the budget. I do not believe we should pretend those costs do not exist and then have the President come back to Congress saying we did not give him enough money and he needs more. We must have truth in budgeting. The costs of our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan should be included in the budget; the costs should be paid for with regularly budgeted funds. The alternative is further escalating debt. I am extremely concerned about the runaway debt. If we do not include in the budget the costs of our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the President will come back with a request for emergency supplemental funds. Those funds do not have to be offset, thereby adding billions of dollars to our national debt. Therefore, I will vote for the Warner amendment to restore the cut in defense spending.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, today I bring to the Senate's attention an exceptional and talented student, Phillip Thomas Deutsch, 17, of La Canada High School in La Canada, CA. Phillip is the son of Doctors Andrew Deutsch and Jeanne Wallace. Phillip Deutsch was recently named a California finalist in the 2004 Intel Science Talent Search for his chemistry project. The Intel Science Talent Search recognizes and rewards America's brightest young minds for their achievements in science and math. Over 1,600 students applied nationwide for the 2004 Intel Science Talent Search, and the field has been narrowed to 40 finalists. A grant prize winner will be selected on March 16 in Washington, DC. I am proud that my state of California has three finalists. At La Canada High School, Phillip is an outstanding student. He plays in the flute choir and the concert and marching bands. Phillip was also a semi-finalist for both the U.S. Chemistry and Physics Olympiad Teams in 2003. Californians are proud of Phillip Deutsch, and I am pleased to recognize his outstanding accomplishment. I wish him the best of luck at the final awards event and continued success in his education.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I bring to the Senate's attention an exception and talented student, Moriah Katherine Nachbaur, 17, of Crystal Springs Uplands School in Redwood City, CA. Moriah is the daughter of Dr. Thomas and Susan Nachbaur. Moriah Nachbaur was recently named a California finalist in the 2004 Intel Science Talent Search for her botany project. The Intel Science Board Talent Search recognizes and rewards America's brightest young minds for their achievements in science and math. Over 1,600 students applied nationwide for the 2004 Intel Science Talent Search, and the field has been narrowed to 40 finalists. A grand prize winner will be selected on March 16th in Washington, DC. I am proud that my State of California has three finalists. At Crystal Springs Uplands School, Moriah plays varsity badminton. She is a classical pianist and an award winning photographer and poet. Moriah is an outstanding student who was earned many science honors. California is proud of Moriah Nachbaur and I am pleased to recognize her outstanding accomplishment. I wish her the best of luck at the final awards event and continued success in her education.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, over the past several months, we have heard about tragic incidents in which female cadets at the Air Force Academy and military service women in Iraq have been the victims of rape and sexual assault. This is deplorable. There are 200,000 women in uniform, yet while they are protecting our Nation, our Nation is failing to protect them from rape and sexual assault. It is an even greater insult that we are telling our service women that the Department of Defense will not pay if they choose to terminate a pregnancy that is the result of rape. Current law states that DoD funds may not be used to perform abortions except where the life of the mother would be endangered. It does not provide any exception for cases of rape and incest--such as is the case in the Medicaid program. The Boxer-Snowe bill would add rape and incest to the life exception that is now law. While current law allows service members to use military treatment facilities for abortions resulting from rape and incest, the service woman must pay for the procedure out of her own pocket. This is an insult. According to a study by the Iowa Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 30 percent of female U.S. military veterans report having been raped or having been the victim of an attempted rape during their military service. This legislation will provide help for our female troops in cases of such horrific crimes. I ask unanimous consent that two letters of support for this bill be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BOXER. I am pleased to introduce the First Responders Homeland Defense Act of 2004. This bill would help alleviate funding shortages that our Nation's first responders are experiencing, and would help alleviate confusion about Federal grant programs. The first provision of the First Responders Homeland Defense Act is a grant assistance hotline. When the Department of Homeland Security was created, many local emergency responder agencies were hopeful that a one-stop shop for homeland security resources would be available. Unfortunately, an easily accessible and understandable resource does not yet exist. In addition to grants from the Department of Homeland Security, there are many grant programs available to first responders from other federal departments. For example, as part of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention assists state and local public health officials improve hospital preparedness. The Bureau of Justice Assistance at the Department of Justice distributes funding for law enforcement agencies to prepare for terrorist events. For a local law enforcement agency or fire department, determining eligibility for the wide range of grant programs in a number of different Federal agencies--not to mention even knowing the full range of funding that is available--could be a confusing and daunting task. In order to help make it easier for first responders, my bill would establish a grant assistance hotline at the Department of Homeland Security that would provide local first responders with information on available grants and how to apply for them. The First Responders Homeland Defense Act also creates a new grant program for tax-exempt non-profit organizations that provide first responder training. Many public and private agencies are creating projects and training programs that involve the business community in defending the homeland. Organizations with non-profit, tax exempt status should be eligible for Federal grant funds when working on community-wide terrorism preparedness. The Department of Homeland Security should fulfill the goal of community-wide preparation by providing Federal assistance to non-profit organizations that operate training programs in conjunction with a local agency. Finally, the First Responders Homeland Defense Act creates a grant program for another important purpose: interoperable communications systems. Many homeland security experts recognize that while there are many Federal funding opportunities for anti-terrorism activities, there is very little money dedicated to interoperable communications systems. These are systems that allow different local and State agencies to communicate directly with one another--something that is vital to terrorism prevention and response. Yet these systems are all too rare. This bill establishes a grant program at the Department of Homeland Security for the specific purpose of assisting local agencies improve existing communications systems or purchase new systems. Making the Department of Homeland Security more accessible to local communities and making more resources available to first responders should be a top priority. Many law enforcement officials and other first responders have reviewed this legislation, and I am pleased to introduce the First Responders Homeland Defense Act in response to many of their concerns. This bill is an important step in fulfilling the Federal responsibility to protect the homeland. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mrs. BOXER

Mrs. BOXER. Think about it, 272,000 jobs. There is one area covered in your amendment. Since no one has mentioned it, I want to read into the record a letter and then answer the comment, and then I am done with my role here today other than to say thank you again for your leadership. This is an interesting issue. It is covered. Your amendment is not reflected on the charts because it deals with agriculture, something in your State you don't have as much of as I have. I want to read a letter I just wrote to Ann Veneman. I believe this will get you a lot of votes from agriculture country. Dear Madam Secretary: I was shocked to learn that the U.S. Department of Agriculture purchased 70,000 metric tons of rice for the Iraqi people from abroad rather than purchasing this product from U.S. sources. At a time when U.S. farmers are facing increased economic pressures and food surpluses, our taxpayer money should be spent on U.S. commodities, not the commodities of other nations. California, like many other States across our nation, is experiencing a surplus of commodities such as rice that could provide valuable nutrition to the Iraqi people while alleviating potential crop losses for our nation's farmers. Then I talk about California's high quality of rice. As we work to alleviate food shortages experienced by the Iraqi people, we have a unique opportunity to assist our own farmers. I request USDA reconsider this decision and instead purchase the needed quantity of rice from U.S. farmers. In the future, USDA should use taxpayer dollars to purchase U.S. rice before it spends taxpayer dollars on foreign commodities. I wrote this letter on February 24. I am so pleased. I discussed this with your staff. Your amendment would cover this. Here we have the sons and daughters of America's working people, including people on the farms for sure, going off to Iraq and putting their lives on the line. Now their families either see their jobs going abroad or in this case they are ready and willing to feed the Iraqi people. They are excited about it, they have great products, they have surpluses, and our administration, the Bush administration, goes outside. I wanted to first of all ask if you were aware of this issue, and, second, say to you whether you were or you were not, I thank you on behalf of the people who make a living from agriculture, because we have our serious problems. We have the best products in the world and we have farmers who are ready to feed the hungry.

Mrs. BOXER. I am really relieved to hear my friend's response to the Senator from Iowa. As I understand his amendment, he has already gone a very long way in answering the concerns that were raised. I hope we will stick with it. I think the people in this country are watching. They are not only watching CNN, but they want to know what we are doing. It is an amendment that I have been looking forward to for a long time. We have to make a stand, and I think what my friend is doing is not overreaching. I rise to say thank you to the Senator for sticking with it, and I will do all I can to help him get it passed.

Mrs. BOXER. I have a question of my friend, Senator Grassley. While the Senator was out, I was telling the Senate that I had written to Ann Veneman because with taxpayer dollars the USDA went out and bought rice from a foreign country instead of from my rice farmers. I think that is wrong. I ask this question of my friend: If there are legitimate concerns, I am sure my friend will sit down and work them out with somebody because you have been here a long time. There is no one who is more patient and more willing to sit down and figure things out. But I have a feeling it is deeper than that. I have a feeling you have touched a nerve today which is a very important nerve to be touched. I think it is being touched in the Presidential campaign. I think it is being touched in the campaigns across our country, and it is being touched here today. If we don't stand up and do something about this, as my friend pointed out in his very chilling chart--and say there is some complication, there is a message being sent, it may be too late. I say to my friend, if he is willing and if there is some concerns around the edges which can be worked out, I just hope he won't back off this amendment in a substantial way. If there is a difference between the parties, bring it on, I say. This is what people care about in my State, and I know also in my friend's State. Can he give me a sense of the thinking on how he is going to proceed since the majority will not allow a vote today?

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I wanted to ask a question of my friend. I would be happy to defer.

Mrs. BOXER. Thank you.

Mrs. BOXER. I will talk to those from agriculture states because they may not be aware this administration is taking the dollars this body voted on--I had problems with voting on it, but most people voted for it--they are taking that taxpayer money and taking it right out of this country. It is outrageous. I thank you again for your leadership.

Mrs. BOXER. First let me say how happy I am to hear you and our ranking member have this conversation. This is so important. In a way it is kind of a problem that snuck up on us. I took a look at the loss of manufacturing jobs in California and my heart sank.

Mrs. BOXER. Will my colleague yield for a question?

Mrs. BOXER. No.