Judd Gregg

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. I object.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Regular order.

Mr. GREGG. I object.

Mr. GREGG

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, tomorrow the Senate will resume consideration of the articles of impeachment. All Members are again reminded to please be in the Chamber a few minutes prior to 1 p.m. to receive the Chief Justice.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 1 p.m. on Thursday, February 4. I further ask consent that upon reconvening Thursday and immediately following the prayer, the Senate resume consideration of the articles of impeachment. I further ask that when the Senate recesses as a court and resumes legislative session, the Journal of the proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed to have expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Georgia for his time, and I appreciate his organizing this discussion of the President's budget, because it has some very serious problems, even though we are in superb fiscal times now and it appears the President has put forward a budget which will create for us into the future some fiscal problems of an enormous extent. Many of these relate to his so- called ``resolution'' of the Social Security issue. Let's talk a few numbers to begin with. What the President has proposed in Social Security does virtually nothing to address the underlying problem of Social Security. The underlying problem of Social Security, of course, is we have the post- war baby boom generation that begins retiring in the year 2008, and that generation is so large in physical numbers that it overwhelms the capacity of the younger generations to support it. Has the President addressed that? No. What the President has done is put forward a major accounting gimmick which is, basically, a proposal that has no substantive effect on the underlying problem, but gives them the capacity, through bookkeeping, to claim that they have addressed the problem. The President has proposed that we take the present surplus, which is projected in the Social Security fund, of about $2.3 trillion and keep that in the Social Security fund. And then the President has proposed a brand new commitment from the general fund to the Social Security fund, a new bookkeeping entry which amounts to new debt of another $2.8 trillion. The practical effect of that, of course, is that nothing happens. But the political effect of it is that the President can claim that by making this bookkeeping entry, he is extending the life of the trust fund for another 8 years or so. Let me try to explain it through this pie chart, because it is a complicated little shell game. It is not a little shell game, it is the biggest shell game ever played in the history of this country, actually. This is the spending which is projected relative to the surplus over the next 15 years. There is $2.3 trillion for Social Security in the President's proposal: $700 billion for Medicare, $500 billion for new USA accounts, and $500 billion of new spending items. Notice there is no tax cut in here for Americans. He decided to skip that for the next 15 years, but that is another issue other Members will talk to. Essentially, that is how he spends the $4.4 trillion surplus, which is projected for the next 15 years. However, in his accounting process, he also spends another $2.8 trillion, which is these new notes that he credits to Social Security. Why does he do that? He does it essentially because he wants to claim he has expanded the size of the Social Security trust fund so he can extend this life expectancy out. But this doesn't exist. This is a bookkeeping event. What it does do is it creates a huge new debt which will have to be paid by later generations to the Social Security trust fund. The practical effect of that debt is that he will be increasing the tax obligations necessary to support the Social Security trust fund as we move into the later years by huge numbers. Beginning in the year 2025, it will take an extra $360 billion in order to maintain the trust fund, and this will have to come from the general fund, which means it will have to come through tax increases. This is in order to meet the obligations created by this new $2.8 trillion bookkeeping entry. In the year 2035, that number jumps to $786 billion. That is just 1 year, coming out of the general fund into the Social Security trust fund. The implications of this are staggering. It moves up to a figure of $2.07 trillion--that is a 1-year number--in the year 2055. The implication is staggering, because it does two things. First, it creates this huge pressure on the general fund which inevitably leads to a huge tax increase. Secondly, it creates a whole new dynamic for the Social Security system. The Social Security system has never gone into the general fund in order to support the Social Security system. That is not the concept of the Social Security system. The Social Security system has always been a trust fund. This creates the Social Security fund as a fund that has a drain basically on the general fund. This all comes down to basically, in my opinion, sham accounting. And you don't have to take my word for it. Ironically, in a spurt of honesty and truth in accounting, the President's submission to the Congress of its budget had this language at page 336. I think it is worth reading. (The Social Security Trust Fund) balances are available to finance future benefit payments and other trust fund expenditures--but only in a bookkeeping sense. . .. So somebody at least down at OMB had the integrity to acknowledge what they were actually doing. They were creating a bookkeeping event for the purposes of claiming an extension of the Social Security trust fund. They do not consist of real economic assets that can be drawn down in the future to fund benefits. Instead, they are claims on the Treasury that, when redeemed, will have to be financed by raising taxes-- Which is the item I pointed out here, the trillion dollars in the year 2045, for example-- borrowing from the public, or reducing benefits or other expenditures. The existence of large trust fund balances, therefore, does not, by itself, have any impact on the Government's ability to pay benefits. If I had written a critique of what the President proposed, I could not have done a better job. Somebody on his staff had the integrity to truly write the critique, and by mistake, I suspect, they slipped it into the President's budget submission. I am sure they are upset now that it is in there. But it is an accurate statement of what they have done. This is a bookkeeping entry, the practical effect of which will create huge outyear chaos. Why is that? Common sense tells you why it is. You can't address the problem of the Social Security issue with mirrors. You can't say that a problem that is created by having a huge generation retire is going to be solved by having a bookkeeping event occur in the budgeting processes of the Federal Government. But that is what this President would like us to believe. In fact, if you look at the President's proposal on Social Security, as he put it forward, it has absolutely no substantive impact on the underlying problem. He first uses this double-counting event, which does nothing--in fact, it potentially aggravates the problem dramatically in the outyears --and, secondly, suggests we should take the trust fund and invest some portion of it, 15 percent of it, under Federal management in the marketplace, which will create, potentially, havoc, basically a nationalization of our stock market, potentially havoc in our stock portfolios throughout the country, as Chairman Greenspan has correctly pointed out. And then he proposes two specific things to do, both of which cost more money. He proposes we raise the earning limits, which is a good idea; and he proposes we address the problem of elderly women who are at the low-income levels, which is a good idea. But neither of those help the Social Security solvency issue. They actually aggravate the Social Security solvency issue. So his proposal on Social Security is the largest shell game ever put forward in the history of the world and does absolutely nothing to substantively improve the problems which we have with Social Security as we go into the next 20 to 30 years. And those problems are huge. A number of us on our side of the aisle--and I notice Senator Domenici is here--have put forward proposals which are substantive, which are legitimate, which address the fact that this is a demographic-driven event and which must be addressed. But we can't move forward with our proposals if the President is going to be so irresponsible with his proposal. The fact is his proposal is used primarily for the purposes of pushing another political agenda. Trying to lower the ability of this Congress to address tax cuts is the primary political agenda behind this proposal, in my opinion. It does nothing as a constructive voice on the issue of Social Security and Social Security reform; and thus it is a great disappointment. And I think the White House is going to go back to its drawing board and come back with another idea, another proposal, if it expects the legacy of this President to be a correction of the most significant fiscal policy which faces this country, which is the Social Security crisis in which we are headed. I thank the Senator from Georgia for his courtesy.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. I withdraw the unanimous consent.

Mr. GREGG. Mr. Chief Justice, reserving the right to object----

Mr. GREGG. Mr. Chief Justice, I have a parliamentary inquiry that I would like to share.

Mr. GREGG. I ask unanimous consent to----

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, on October 29th last year, one of New Hampshire's outstanding citizens, William B. Ruger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., was honored by The Camp Fire Club of America. The Camp Fire Club of America is one of the most prestigious hunting and conservation organizations in the country. Its code of ethics stresses that the wildlife of today is not ours to do with as we please, but was given to us in trust for the benefit both of the present and the future. They also believe that it is the duty of every person who finds pleasure in the wilderness or in the pursuit of game to actively support the protection of forests and wildlife. The Camp Fire Club awarded its Medal of Honor--its highest tribute-- to William B. Ruger. This Medal is awarded to ``one person, who in the judgment of the Board of Governors, has merited such recognition by his career or special work in forest or game protection, or along other lines which are in accord with the object and aims of the club.'' Mr. President, several former recipients of this high honor by The Camp Fire Club are: Colonel Theodore Roosevelt in 1910; Carl Rungius, the outstanding painter in 1931; Horace Albright, former Director of National Parks in 1961; and Laurance Rockefeller in 1967. Mr. President, it gives me great pleasure to bring to your attention the tribute below, made to Bill Ruger on the occasion of his being awarded The Camp Fire Club Medal of Honor. Medal of Honor, William B. Ruger, 29 October 1998 I welcome to this room of honor, five former presidents of Camp Fire seated at the head table, the officers and governors (both past and present), family members, friends and special guests. It is a tradition of the Club at the Board of Governors' meetings to take a moment to remember those who are no longer with us. At such a momentous occasion as this, it is also appropriate to take a moment of silence for all our friends, family and companions that have crossed the Great Divide. You may remain seated. At our formal dinners at the turn of the century, the founder of Camp Fire established several principles which they and we have been unable to uphold. To name a few, they were: no drinking, no smoking, no swearing and no long speeches. I will observe one of these this evening and get right to the matter. The Club through its By-Laws permits the active President to award the Presidential Citation for meritorious service. The Board of Governors has the power to recognize members through the Medal of Valor and the John E. Hammett Award for work in conservation. But it is only the membership of the organization that can bestow our highest expression of admiration. In this particular instance, it began with a whisper over ten years ago, and through the Board of Governors ended in the hands of the entire membership's approval. In 1906, the first Medal of Honor was presented and since that time only 24 recipients have been named. They have experienced many walks of life. To name a few, they have included conservationists, preservationists, a painter, a forester (the country's first), a writer, a bird lover, a Senator, an Olympian, an explorer (Polar), a rifleman, a rider of the Chisholm Trail, Founder of the Boy Scouts and a United States President. They all exemplified the spirit and the fellowship that is Camp Fire today. We honor them because we admire their perseverance, fortitude and courage. Like each of the recipients before him, Mr. William B. Ruger has shown this same fortitude and courage to lead. He has willingly accepted these challenges and leads with dignity. He has the unique ability to explain in a clear manner not only to us, who are supporters, but to opponents the importance of retaining personal freedom and our firearm heritage. He embodies a natural sense of justice and a passion for exploration, not only in the traditional sense but in a business sense as well. Through the various and substantial endowments he has created, he has established a way to train and educate the youth in the importance of personal responsibility, conservation and truth; and at the same time has illuminated the way for us. By his generosity, future generations may enjoy the advantages, benefits and pleasures of the outdoor experience and better understand the importance of wildlife and wilderness protection. His distinguished service to the nation, while visible today, will be more fully appreciated and comprehended in the years to come. The Medal of Honor is paramount in its absolute justice. It is a justice free from all influence whether it be of favor, political or sentimental. It is a symbol of life, of loyalty, of integrity and of self reliance. But most of all it is a badge of inspiration, not only to the one who has the honor to wear it, but for those who gaze upon it. The inscription on the back of this gold medallion reads: ``William B. Ruger--Inventor, Manufacturer, Industrialist--In recognition of his dedication to conservation and the Spirit of Camp Fire--29 October 1998.'' As President of The Camp Fire Club of America and representative of the entire membership, it is our great pleasure to bestow upon you the Medal of Honor. Congratulations. The Camp Fire Club of America, Scott T. Sutton, President. I would like to add my personal congratulations to my good friend, Bill Ruger.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. Chief Justice, I call for the regular order and I ask, as a parliamentary point, whether it is appropriate to argue what I understand is a statement as to the proper reference relative to Members of the Senate. This is not a motion, and if it is a motion, it is nondebatable, as I understand it.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Stephen R. Monier, Chief of Police for Goffstown, New Hampshire. Throughout Chief Monier's 28 year career with the Goffstown Police Department, he has continuously demonstrated all that is honorable about law enforcement and public service. His professional and personal life have been characterized by excellence, leadership and service to others. The resume he has compiled is extraordinary. To no one's surprise, he graduated magna cum laude from St. Anselm College. After joining the police department, Chief Monier rose through its ranks, serving as Patrol Officer, Director of the Juvenile Division, Sergeant and Lieutenant before being appointed Chief on July 1, 1984. In addition, he is past President of the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police and served 9 years on the Council of New Hampshire Police Standards & Training. He is also a member of the New England Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. In a well-deserved honor, Chief Monier was selected to the 1996 Centennial Summer Olympics security team in Atlanta. His service to others goes beyond law enforcement. Even while growing up, this quality was apparent. At Goffstown High School, for example, he served as President of the Junior Class and President of the National Honor Society. This leadership continues to this day. Chief Monier is a past President and member of the Goffstown Chapter of Rotary International and a founding member of Crispin's House, a non-profit organization designed to assist at-risk youths and families. He has also been assistant coach for the Goffstown Youth Basketball League. In his spare time, Chief Monier coauthored ``Crime of the Century,'' a fascinating account of the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. Although following his example may be difficult to do, it is my hope that everyone will see the Chief as a role model. Finally, I consider Steve Monier a true friend and someone whose advice and support I deeply value. I expect that I can continue to call on his wisdom. I wish him the very best as he moves onto the next challenge in his life. He will undoubtedly approach this phase with the same level of commitment and dedication that has marked his entire career. With this thought in mind, I wish to say thank you, Chief Monier.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, on November 24th, we will be celebrating the 90th anniversary of the birth of credit unions. St. Mary's Bank of Manchester, New Hampshire opened its doors in 1908 as a true local establishment serving the community on which it was built. St. Mary's Bank was formed by Manchester's French-Canadian immigrant and working class families to help other working class families. I want to congratulate St. Mary's Bank on being the pioneer in the field of credit unions and for continuing to grow and provide community support for the last 90 years. In these times of bank mergers and takeovers designed to expand markets beyond boundaries of local communities, St. Mary's has always stood by its roots and the people of Manchester. St. Mary's Bank exemplifies a community institution built on local values and relationships. It continues its tradition of donating to community causes and has begun a $10 million investment in the Manchester community to help low and moderate income families purchase and rent homes, and to provide assistance in emergency situations. I wish to recognize St. Mary's Bank of Manchester, New Hampshire for its 90 years of service to the community of Manchester's West Side and for marking the beginning of credit unions nationwide.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. The conference report includes language which directs the Secretary of Commerce to ensure continuation of weather service coverage for the communities of Williston, North Dakota; Caribou, Maine; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Key West, Florida. Further, the Conference provides full funding to the NWS for continued, effective operations at Williston and the other Weather Service offices mentioned.

Mr. GREGG. I will tell the Senator from North Dakota that it is the intent of the conferees that the National Weather Service maintain operations at Williston and the other sites, and further that the NWS take no actions which would suggest an intent to close these offices. Any actions taken towards closure of these offices will signal to the Congress that there will be a resulting degradation of service.

Mr. GREGG. Yes, that is correct. We believe that with respect to these specific offices, including Williston, North Dakota, the NWS modernization plan has not sufficiently demonstrated that service will not be degraded without these offices. The Congress does not want the NWS to close these offices at this time and we are providing specific appropriations to ensure their continued operations. I would also add that we expect the NWS to use these additional funds to develop the appropriate systems to address the unique weather coverage shortfalls that exist for these specific communities. I realize that the most difficult problem for Williston, North Dakota is the absence of local radar coverage at low altitudes. We expect that the NWS will use these funds and work cooperatively with the local residents in Williston to mitigate that concern. registration of container chassis

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I'd like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and deep appreciation for the work and dedication of Secret Service Special Agent Carl Truscott, who was detailed to the Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary (CJS) Subcommittee on Appropriations during the 105th Congress. Nearly two years ago, Carl joined the Subcommittee staff as a detailee from the Secret Service. As a seventeen year veteran of the agency, and a member of three Presidential details, Carl was brought on to lend his extensive law enforcement expertise and knowledge to the appropriations process. As the lead staffer handling the appropriations for the Department of Justice, the DEA, and the FBI, he acted as an effective liaison between myself and the agencies. Carl helped reconcile the needs of the Justice Department with my visions for the future of federal law enforcement, often working late nights to hammer out compromises that could make all sides happy. This was a difficult task for anyone to take on without prior knowledge or experience on the Hill, but Carl handled his responsibilities like an old pro. I could not have developed such a close relationship with the offices of the Attorney General, the FBI Director, and the DEA Administrator without Carl's input and commitment to making the connection work. Special Agent Truscott will be leaving the Hill to go back to the President's detail starting next week. I know that the Appropriations Committee, the Department of Justice, and my personal staff will all miss Carl's presence in the appropriations process next year. It was a pleasure working with him over the past two years and I wish him luck in his career in the Secret Service and in his future endeavors. I'd also like to express my appreciation for the work of Dereck Orr, who was detailed to Senator Hollings' CJS Subcommittee staff from the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Dereck has been with the CJS Subcommittee staff for the past year and has contributed important input on law enforcement issues to both sides of the Subcommittee. He has been an asset during the long, difficult appropriations process this year and I join Senator Hollings in praising Dereck's perseverance and commitment. I wish him luck when he returns to the Justice Department and look forward to working with him in the future.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, Neil Tillotson is one of those rare individuals who has accomplished a great deal in his professional and personal life, but has remained rooted to his origins in the Great North Woods of New Hampshire. On the occasion of his 100th Birthday which will be on December 16, 1998, I rise to salute his remarkable achievements. Neil Tillotson's life is emblematic of New Hampshire's values of hard work, independence, and community spirit. A lifelong resident of the North Country, he has been a trailblazer in the latex industry, inventing many new products, and for the last 67 years, he has been the most prolific manufacturer of latex products in the world. Through his business activities, he has provided jobs for many people in the North Country, and products that improve the standard of living for millions of Americans and people around the world. But his business acumen is only part of what makes Neil Tillotson special. He also holds the unique honor of being the first person to vote in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation Presidential primary, and thus, in the nation. Dixville Notch, where the Presidential primary voting begins at midnight on election day, has been home to the Tillotson family for many years, and as patriarch of Dixville Notch, Neil Tillotson has been the first person to cast his vote since 1960. New Hampshire takes its politics seriously at all levels, from the school board to the Presidential primary, and Neil Tillotson has been a serious player for many years. Since we don't yet have a professional sports team, I guess you could say politics is our state sport, and without Neil Tillotson's support, I might be sitting on the bench watching, instead of playing on the field. Politics runs deep in many New Hampshire towns and I think that is so because we have a strong sense of community that is expressed through our participation in the representative process. It has a way of bringing us together, and Neil Tillotson has been an example to many people, prompting them to get involved in the political process. Over his 100 years, Neil Tillotson has been a participant in some of the great events of the 20th Century, including service in World War I as a member of General Pershing's cavalry and in the triumph of capitalism over communism. I turned 50 myself just a few years ago, and I can only hope to live as long and contribute as much to our state as Neil Tillotson. It is a rare person who lives to be 100 years old, but for someone like Neil Tillotson, like so many other things, he makes it look easy. Neil Tillotson is a remarkable person, and Kathy and I wish him the very best on this momentous occasion.

Mr. GREGG

Mr. GREGG. I agree.

Mr. GREGG. I agree with you entirely on that.