Tom Daschle

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. I ask unanimous consent the 3 hours be divided equally.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, officially, the Congress that ended in December was the 107th Congress. But history will almost surely record it as the September 11th Congress. From the moment the first plane hit the first tower until the last moments of the lameduck session, helping America recover from that horrific day, bringing its plotters to justice and making changes to protect America from future terrorist attacks dominated the Senate's agenda. We continued that work--even as we confronted unprecedented challenges in the Senate: anthrax, the rise of new threats to our Nation, and the loss of our friend and colleague, Paul Wellstone. Through tragic and historic events, the 107th Senate under Democratic control produced a number of important legislative accomplishments: aviation security and counterterrorism legislation; the toughest corporate accountability law since the SEC was created in 1934; the most far-reaching campaign finance reforms since Watergate; the most significant overhaul of Federal education policies since 1965; and a new farm bill to replace the failed Freedom to Farm Act. However, other important legislation fell victim to special-interest arm-twisting, and the other party's unwillingness to compromise on their proposals, or even consider ours. We saw that on proposals to dedicate greater resources to homeland security, a Medicare prescription drug benefit, and a real, enforceable patients' bill of rights. The proposals we are introducing today recognize that the American people have real concerns about their security, and that Republicans and the Bush administration have not done enough to address those concerns. But they also recognize that security means more than national security, and homeland security. It means economic security, retirement security, and the security of knowing that our children are getting a good education, and that, if you get sick, health care is available and affordable. It means giving people who work fulltime the security of knowing they can earn a decent wage--whether they work on a farm, in a factory, or at a fast-food restaurant. It is the security of knowing that our air is safe to breathe and our water is safe to drink, that America is living up to its commitment to civil rights, and that we are keeping our promises to our veterans. Democrats are committed to tackling terrorism abroad, and making our country more secure. One of our first priorities will be to make Americans safer by enhancing protections for our ports, borders, food and water supplies, and chemical and nuclear plants. We are introducing a bill to commit real resources to doing all of those things, and to hiring more police and first responders and providing them the tools and training to do the difficult jobs we are now asking them to do. We also recognize that national strength also depends on economic strength, and in the last 2 years, America's economy has weakened. In the coming weeks, we will put forward our ideas for how best to stimulate the economy in the short term. But, in the long term, one of the most important things we can do is give people greater confidence that their private pensions will be there for them. That is why another of our leadership bills is one to strengthen pension protections, expand pension coverage, and crack down on rogue corporations. It has been said that almost every problem any society faces can be solved with two things: good health, and a good education--and we have bills in each of those areas. The Right Start for Children Act makes Head Start fully available for 4- and 5-year-olds, and increases availability for infants and toddlers. It will help improve childcare quality, make childcare more affordable for 1 million additional children, and strengthen child nutrition programs to reduce child hunger. The Educational Excellence for All Learners Act builds on that foundation by improving education every step of the way--from kindergarten, to college, to lifelong learning. It makes sure that we match the real reforms we passed last year with the real resources they demand. It will help us recruit, hire, and train qualified teachers, build new schools, and make college and job training more affordable and more available. President Bush pledged to leave no child behind, and then proposed more than a billion dollars of education cuts. We are proposing to put our money where the Republicans' mouths are--and help secure a good start, a good education, and good prospects for all Americans. When it comes to health care, it was an outrage that 40 million Americans were uninsured 2 years ago. In the past year, over 1 million more Americans have lost health insurance. And those who are lucky enough to have health insurance are seeing their premiums skyrocket. With the Health Care Coverage Expansion and Quality Improvement Act, we hope to reduce the number of uninsured by making health care coverage more available to small businesses, parents of children eligible for CHIP and Medicaid, pregnant women, and others. We also want to improve the quality of care people receive by overcoming Republican resistance to a real, enforceable, patients' bill of rights. We will also insist that mental illness be treated like any other illness--something that will not only honor Paul Wellstone's legacy, but also help millions of families. We are also committed to passing a prescription drug benefit under Medicare, and lowering the price of prescription drugs for all Americans. Last year, we passed a bill to lower the price of generic drugs, but the House refused to take it up. And we had 52 Senators support our Medicare prescription drug benefit--but it was blocked on a procedural motion. The high cost of prescription drugs--combined with the increasing need for such drugs--is destroying the life savings--and threatening the dignity--of millions of older Americans. And that is simply unacceptable. A couple of months ago in elections all across the country, and in words spoken here in the Senate, we have seen that when it comes to protecting equal rights, we still have a lot of work to do in changing hearts, minds, and laws. That is why we are introducing The Equal Rights and Equal Dignity for Americans Act. This bill will enforce employment nondiscrimination, fund the election-reform measures we passed last year, outlaw hate crimes, and take other steps to see that as a nation, we live up to the promise of equal rights. I hope those Republicans who have recently expressed their support for civil rights will join us in expressing their support for this legislation. I also hope they will join us in supporting our bill to combat drug and gun violence, to crack down on new crimes like identity theft, and to protect against and prevent crimes against children and seniors. We also need to ensure greater dignity for our minimum wage workers, our farmers, and our veterans. The purchasing power of the minimum wage is now the lowest it has been in more than 30 years. And a full-time minimum wage income won't get you over the poverty line. If we can afford over a trillion dollars in tax cuts for those at the top of the income scale, we can afford a dollar fifty more an hour for those at the bottom. We need to help our rural economy, and help those impacted by a drought and other natural disasters that are being called among the costliest for agricultural producers in our Nation's history. And we need to maintain our commitment to those currently serving, and keep our promises to our veterans. One way we do that is by allowing our wounded veterans to receive both their full disability and retirement benefits. Another way is by addressing the current crisis in veterans' health care. With each of these proposals--we stand with the leading veterans organizations, and for those who served our country. Finally, we are committed to stopping what is adding up to an all-out assault on our environment. By unilaterally abandoning the Kyoto process, the Bush administration took us out of position to lead the world on the issue of climate change. The Global Climate Security Act will help America reassert our position of world leadership on this vital issue of world health. Each of these things is relevant, not revolutionary. If they seem familiar, it is because most of what is in them has been introduced before. But they are not law, despite the support of the American people and, in some cases, a bipartisan majority of Senators. They have been opposed by an extreme few, and their special interest supporters. And while those bills have languished, we have seen the rise of more threats to our country; more people have lost their jobs and their health care; and more of our national challenges have gone unmet. These are our priorities. In the last couple of days, the President has made clear his priorities--more tax cuts for those who need them least. The President's plan won't help middle income families. It won't contribute to economic growth; it won't make our homeland more secure; it won't expand educational opportunity for the young, or strengthen health care for the elderly. Instead--by putting us deeper into deficit and debt--it makes all of these things, and all of our other goals, harder to achieve. Our bills will help us create an America that is stronger, safer, and better for all Americans--and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting them.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I send a resolution to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DASCHLE. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, let me congratulate the majority leader on his ascension to his new responsibilities and on his remarks just now. I have little doubt that we will be led well, and we will be led fairly. I look forward to working with him, as I know my whole caucus does as well. I also congratulate our 35 returning colleagues--those 11 new Members and 24 Senators who are returning. There can be no more awesome responsibility than to sit at these historic desks--especially as we begin the 108th Congress. Let me also thank my colleagues for their support, for their encouragement, and for the friendship they have given me these many months and years. At this time in particular in my life, I am extraordinarily grateful for that. I wish to express that in the most heartfelt way. The 107th Congress was filled with history--filled in the way we elected a President, the way we governed as a 50-50 Senate, and in the way we addressed so many issues. I have no doubt that the momentous decisions made during the 107th Congress will be recorded and reported and analyzed and considered for generations to come. We begin a new Congress and a new day with a new spirit and a new mood for the recognition of new responsibilities and a new opportunity to write history. Just yesterday, as I was coming back from South Dakota, an older woman stopped me in the airport. She pulled me at my arm. And she said: Senator Daschle, do your best. Do your best, and remember that history is in your hands. I think that is our charge--to do our best, to recognize that history is now in our hands, and that as we face the challenges and the responsibilities as Senators in the 108th Congress, I hope we can look back with satisfaction, with pride and with a realization that, indeed, we did our best. (Applause, Senators rising.)

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I would simply also commend those responsible for bringing the resolution to this point. We could have accomplished this in the last Congress, but we were unable to complete our work. I remind my colleagues that by simply passing this resolution we are leaving out over 1 million people who have absolutely no recourse and have no assistance whatsoever because their benefits have expired. We are leaving them out. This will only address those who are about to see their benefits expire--about one-half of the 1 million people who otherwise would be eligible for these benefits. To simply say we are doing half means that we are doing half the job. We are leaving half on the table. We are leaving 1 million people with absolutely no recourse in their efforts to try to bring about any quality of life in these difficult times. So I urge my colleagues to reconsider. We will continue to offer this with the hope that we can find some resolution, that we can include all 2 million unemployed workers, and that we do so as quickly as is possible.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I fully appreciate the suggestion made by the distinguished Republican leader, the majority leader. Clearly, we have to resolve what we can resolve. I know a good deal of effort has been put forth in getting us to this point. But that does not acknowledge the urgency with which we have to address all of those people who are not considered in this resolution. The Senator mentioned the fact that our Republican colleagues in the House have chosen to recess tomorrow. You do not have the luxury of recessing if you are unemployed. You do not have the luxury of recessing if there is no other option for you but to seek unemployment compensation. I hope, as Senator Reid has suggested, that we continue to find a way this afternoon to address this second group of people who need help, this 750,000 to 1 million people who are not covered in this resolution. I think he is right. I don't think we ought to leave until we get the job done this afternoon. There is no reason why we can't complete our work on both groups today, and I urge my colleagues to stay until we get the job done.

Mr. DASCHLE. Let me just see if we can resolve this issue. We have two questions. One is the substantive question about who ought to be included in the unemployment compensation package. We believe all of those who ought to benefit ought to be provided the coverage in this resolution. Our Republican colleagues say that half of those ought to benefit. The other question is whether we ought to be able to have a procedural vote, whether we ought to have an opportunity to vote on the amendment offered by the distinguished Senator from New York. I again ask consent that we have the one vote on the amendment offered by the Senator from New York and then obviously whatever the Senate may decide on that amendment would give us an opportunity to come to closure on the resolution itself. I see no reason why the Senate should be denied that opportunity on an issue this important on the very first day of the session. I ask unanimous consent that that amendment be allowed a vote at this time.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, the Senator from Pennsylvania has made a number of errors in his comment. Let me clarify. We passed the resolution that we passed in the last session of Congress over the objections of many of those on our side, all of those on our side who felt this very amendment should have been included then. We were told back then we would revisit this issue immediately upon coming back. Well, we are doing that. But we had a clear understanding that there would be an occasion for us to have a debate and have the amendment we have suggested by the Senator from New York. That is No. 1. No. 2, I hope this body will never be dictated to by the House of Representatives. We are the Senate of the United States. As the Senate of the United States, I don't want the House telling us what to do. We ought to do what is right. We ought to be the ones to dictate what our position is, not the House. I would hope we could accommodate the need to address this resolution and the need to address the resolution offered by the Senator from New York. I will suggest a new approach. I would ask unanimous consent that we send two resolutions to the House, the resolution before us and the resolution offered by the Senator from New York. I make that request at this time.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 361 submitted earlier today by the majority leader and the Republican leader.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, and that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, without any intervening action.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 362, submitted earlier today by the majority and Republican leaders.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, and that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, without intervening action.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I will have more to say about this later on. But I think it is important to note we had two President pro tempores of the Senate in the 107th Congress--Senator Strom Thurmond, who will be retiring, and Senator Robert C. Byrd, who will certainly not be retiring. I want to acknowledge the deep affection this body holds for both men. Last night, Senator Thurmond made his final comments on the floor, and, spontaneously, Senators broke out in applause. This morning as I read the New York Times, on the front page was a colored picture of the current President pro tempore and a very laudatory article about his contributions to the debate on homeland defense. In their own way, both Senators have left indelible marks on this body. Their leadership, their stature, and their extraordinary contributions are not only appreciated, but I would say revered. I personally want to express my heartfelt thanks to both leaders for all they have done and for all they have meant to the Members of this body, especially during the 107th Congress.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 363 submitted earlier today by the majority leader.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, and that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table without intervening action.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, by all means. I will probably be coming back to the floor because I have an engagement at 11:30. But I will be happy to defer to the Republican leader for whatever remarks he would make at this time.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I indicated I will return to the floor in a short while. But while he is here, let me thank the distinguished Republican leader for his generous words. He spoke for both of us in recounting what we have experienced over the course of the last 2 years. This has been an extraordinarily eventful 107th Congress. He did not mention, but I know he could have gone on to include the war in Afghanistan, extraordinary challenges on Wall Street, amazing things on the war on terror that we have confronted, breakfasts with the President as we attempted to confront these challenges one by one in a bipartisan way. So this has been extraordinarily eventful. You have to go back a long ways--a half a century--to find a time when power shifted within one Congress from one party to the other. I told him at the time--and I have since reiterated to him--how impressed I was in the way with which in our relationship he accepted that transfer of power. I hope I can be equally as magnanimous, and I hope to demonstrate that that will be the case beginning in January. He and I have developed a relationship that is built on a great deal of experience. And from that experience comes trust and affection. He also did not mention a great moment in both of our lives: when we became grandfathers. That has been a special treasure for both of us. And we have shared those moments about family and about grandchildren, as we have experienced them for the first time. So I look forward to working again very closely with him in yet another role. I hope that it can be even more productive. I hope that we both can learn lessons from this experience. I hope that we both can send a message to the American people that we mean to govern well, and, as I tell people sometimes, it is difficult to legislate, recognizing that with 240 million people in the same room, we have to reach a consensus about issues as challenging as homeland security. We will continue to do that with our colleagues, and with the best intentions, recognizing the expectations of the American people. So I thank him again for his courtesies, his friendship, and the leadership he has shown, and express to him, in the most heartfelt way, how much I look forward to working with him again. Mr. President, I have one final resolution, and that is the adjournment resolution.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, this is the final day of the 107th Congress. As Senate tradition has it, it is the day that is normally reserved for passage of resolutions that express genuine sentiment and reflect what we hope will be a comity that can be part of the environment as we begin the new session of the 108th Congress. So I will propound a series of unanimous consent requests to address these resolutions, beginning with S. Res. 361.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Con. Res. 160, submitted earlier; that the concurrent resolution be considered and agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. DASCHLE

Mr. DASCHLE. Will the Senator from West Virginia yield for a moment?

Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I was watching the monitor in my office and noted that Senator Byrd was speaking. Senator Reid and I noted as we were watching on television that while the Senator from West Virginia celebrates his 85th birthday, he looks today like a man 25 years younger than 85. He looks youthful, vibrant, and rested. We all remarked as to how it would be possible for him to look as good as he does after the weeks he has had, the hours he has spent on this floor. He has regaled us with yet another story and has reminded us that, while on birthdays it is commonplace in our country and traditional to give gifts to those who are celebrating, it is another reminder of what a gift he is to us. He is a treasure, and we love him for so many reasons, but we especially acknowledge that treasure on this day, given his physical appearance, his eloquence, and his lessons from history. I thank him for that.