Jesse Helms

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I came to the floor to address another amendment, which, as I understand, has been laid aside so this amendment could be considered. I have listened with interest to both sides, and I almost have no dog in this fight, but I have to agree with the distinguished Senator from New Hampshire. The American Bar Association, if it is so interested in this program, could raise $1.5 million, or whatever it is, before they go to lunch today, get on the telephone. The point I think that Senator Smith is making is that every time somebody gets an idea, let's do this or let's do that, they ask the taxpayers to pay for it. They don't raise the money themselves privately when they could. Some of the fattest cats in this country think up ideas to be financed by the American taxpayers. As the result of all this, this Government is in debt well over $5 trillion. I went in the cloakroom one day a couple of months ago in connection with a report I have been making daily since 1992, stipulating and reporting the exact Federal debt as of close of business the day before. We were approaching $5 trillion at that time. I think we met it a day or two after that. I stepped in and some Senators were sitting there. I said, ``How many of you know how many million are in a trillion?'' These are the people who ran up this debt for the young people of this country to pay. Not one was certain about the answer. There are 1 million million in a trillion, Mr. President, as the distinguished occupant of the Chair knows. We have run up this debt by saying, ``This is a good thing to do, let's let the taxpayers pay for it.'' ``This is a good thing to do, let's let the taxpayers pay for it.'' ``This is a good thing to do; oh, this is going to pay for itself.'' How many times have I heard that? Senator Smith said these ``temporary programs.'' I bet you 75 percent of the programs that are started by the Federal Government and approved by the Congress are identified as ``temporary Federal programs.'' For example, the Agency for International Development, when it was approved by Congress back in the fifties, was a temporary Federal program. So was ACDA. So is this one and that one, and so forth. All of them are ``temporary programs'' still going strong with thousands of employees being paid for by the taxpayers. I think that is the point that Senator Smith is making. Ronald Reagan said one time, ``There's nothing so near eternal life as a temporary Federal program.'' I think that is the point of it. I suggest you two fellows get together. Call the American Bar Association and ask them if they will not raise this million and a half, or whatever it is, before 1 o'clock.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. HELMS. I thank the distinguished Senator from Kentucky for the very great work he is doing. I thank the Chair. burma sanctions

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

Mr. HELMS. The answer is no.

Mr. HELMS. I did not understand the Senator. Look at me so I can read your lips.

Mr. HELMS. Of course not. If the Senator had read the amendment, he would know the answer to his own question. ``(c) Definitions. As used in this section.''

Mr. HELMS. Madam President, my purpose in offering this amendment is to focus the attention of the United States once again on the terrible tragedy unfolding in Russia. The text of the amendment parallels the language of a resolution approved last week by the European Parliament condemning the violence in Chechnya and supports the sentiment of legislation passed by the Russian State Duma this week criticizing the actions of the Russian Government. As I speak, Russian war planes and heavy artillery continue to devastate civilian areas of Chechnya. While the attention of the Western news media has faded, the violence in Chechnya continues to worsen. Based upon pictures of the devastation, I accept estimates of up to 30,000 civilian casualties--primarily innocent men, women and children. Madam President, by breaking the cease fire in Chechnya, the Russian military has unleashed yet another terrible cycle of abuses on both sides of this conflict. A recent Russian news report tells of Russian soldiers cutting the ears off of dead Chechens as trophies. In an unprovoked act of hatred Russian troops in Chechnya this week opened fire on three cars of civilians, killing most and finishing off the survivors with bayonets. The Russian people have endured acts of terrorism possibly inspired by the fighting in Chechnya, and the Russian military suffered its own tragedy with the discovery of several tortured and executed prisoners of war. Compounding the tragedy in Chechnya is the fact that President Clinton has failed to voice criticism or complaint of the Russian actions. He even found occasion at a United States-Russian summit in May to speak in defense of the Russian actions by comparing them favorably to our own Civil War. I understand Russia's interest in maintaining its territorial integrity, but the current action is inexcusable. If President Clinton will not speak for the Nation's conscience then we in the Senate must. The Russian actions in Chechnya must stop. The massacre of innocents is unacceptable and will negatively affect relations between our countries. Madam President, the military action in Chechnya has been conducted-- and continues--with a degree of brutality and reckless regard for civilian life that no democratic government can sustain. It is my great concern that, in addition to the killing of countless innocent victims, this violence in Chechnya is bringing to an end the short journey Russia has made toward the development of a democratic government. amendment no. 5031 (Purpose: To allocate funds for demining operations in Afghanistan) On page 125, line 2, before the period insert the following: ``: Provided, That, of the funds appropriated under this heading, $2,000,000 shall be available only for demining operations in Afghanistan''.

Mr. HELMS. The Senator is not reading all of it. This amendment will not, of course, kick in unless there is some effort for the United Nations to tax American citizens. That is all it is. I think it says that. Furthermore, I think, if the Senator will recall, the United Nations tried to get borrowing authority from these lending institutions last year, I believe it was, to pay some debts, and that was denied. So that is a moot question.

Mr. HELMS. North Carolina, I say to the Senator.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. So, Mr. President, this pipeline affects almost all of the 101 countries to which AID hands out the American taxpayers' money. For example, the pending bill provides more than $800 million in economic aid to Egypt, despite the fact that more than $1.9 billion in previously-appropriated foreign aid, lingers to this day in Egypt's pipeline. This bill allows more money for Russia--yet this nation has already received, but not yet spent, $566 million in United States foreign aid. India has $102 million in un-used foreign aid. At the current rate of spending all new foreign aid obligations to India could cease and it could still receive United States foreign aid uninterrupted for at least 3 more years. The list goes on and on. The Philippines has $330 million in unspent United States foreign aid; Peru has $71 million. All told, a whopping $6.7 billion in U.S. tax dollars--some more than a decade old--remains unspent. The pending amendment proposes that $1 billion in surplus foreign aid will be returned to the Treasury, thereby reducing the amount Americans are forced to pay for the spiraling Federal debt. I will conclude by providing what I consider one of the most egregious abuses of AID pipeline. In 1991--5 years ago--President Bush ordered all foreign aid to Pakistan be ceased because of that nation's development of a nuclear bomb. Apparently, the bureaucrats at the Agency for International Development did not get the message because, as recently as 1995, AID spent more than $27 million for projects in Pakistan. This year, AID plans to provide more than another $5 million. So, despite the President's decision to cut all foreign aid to Pakistan in 1991, AID's pipeline continues to gush with surplus giveaway money that the American taxpayers have been forced to provide. Mr. President, the American taxpayers have been forced to provide more than $250 billion in development and economic aid since AID was created, as a temporary agency in 1961. And AID certainly appears to be doling out cash to any number of nations around the world by making certain that this pipeline of foreign aid will continue to flow well into the next century. Mr. President, I submit that it's high time that we do something for Americans. This amendment offers a fine opportunity: It will return to the U.S. Treasury $1 billion in unspent--and unneeded--foreign aid. amendment no. 5080 (Purpose: To express the Sense of the Senate in opposition to the military overthrow of the government of Burundi and to encourage the swift and prompt end to the current crisis, and for other purposes) At the appropriate place, insert: The Senate finds that: The political situation in the African nation of Burundi has deteriorated and there are reports of a military coup against the elected government of Burundi, and; The continuing ethnic conflict in Burundi has caused untold suffering among the people of Burundi and has resulted in the deaths of over 150,000 people in the past two years, and; The attempt to overthrow the government of Burundi makes the possibility of an increase in the tension and the continued slaughter of innocent civilians more likely, and; The United States and the International Community have an interest in ending the crisis in Burundi before it reaches the level of violence that occurred in Rwanda in 1994 when over 800,000 people died in the war between the Hutu and the Tutsi tribes, Now, therefore it is the sense of the Senate that: The United States Senate condemns any violent action intended to overthrow the government of Burundi, and; Calls on all parties to the conflict in Burundi to exercise restraint in an effort to restore peace, and Urges the Administration to continue diplomatic efforts at the highest level to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Burundi.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, the Senate today is considering an $11 billion foreign aid appropriations bill for fiscal year 1997. To hear the almost hysterical hue and cry about the so called devastating cuts in foreign aid--which is simply not so--some Americans may be misled to believe that the Agency for International Development [AID] will go broke if it does not receive its $7.5 billion portion of this expensive foreign aid pie. That, as I say, is simply not true--it is not even in the ballpark of accuracy. You see, Mr. President, much of this foreign aid money--all of it taken from the pockets of the hardworking American people--will be sitting for the next several years in what is known in Washington as a pipeline. This pipeline, which today contains more than $6.7 billion, will allow AID to continue its spending orgy for years to come--even if Congress cut every penny from AID's budget this year. Simply put, this pipeline is the best-kept secret among the bureaucrats at the Agency for International Development--the foreign aid giveaway mechanism. The pending amendment, which I am offering on behalf of myself and the distinguished majority leader, Mr. Lott, proposes to reduce the amount of money in the AID pipeline by requiring that all money remaining for more than 4 fiscal years in the pipeline be returned to the U.S. Treasury. In its study of Agency for International Development's pipeline, the General Accounting Office has recommended that un-used foreign aid be returned after 2 years. If enacted, this amendment would cut nearly $1 billion from foreign aid. Mr. President, you see that $3.2 billion provided by Congress to AID in fiscal year 1995 remains unspent; more than $1.6 billion from fiscal year 1994 has yet to be spent. This hidden reservoir of funds dates back even to foreign aid approved by Congress in 1985--more than a decade ago--which has been reposing all the while in the pipeline. Why does all this money remain in the pipeline? Well, according to a 1991 General Accounting Office study, half of this money is unspent due to unrealistic or deliberately overstated project assessments by AID employees. But there is another reason for the existence of this pipeline. AID simply has received too much money over the years and, rather than admit that it cannot spend the money wisely, AID bureaucrats simply have stashed the money away in its secret bureaucratic pipeline until someone figures out a creative way to give it away. Larry Byrne, AID's assistant administrator for management, in a 1995 internal E-mail spoke volumes about how the AID does business. According to Mr. Byrne, AID is ``62 percent through this fiscal year and we have 38 percent of the dollar volume of procurement actions completed; we need to do $1.9 billion in the next 5 months. So let's get moving.'' This AID administrator, Mr. Byrne, warned that this money in the AID pipeline, ``imperils our ability to argue we need more money.'' Lest anyone believe that this huge pipeline is merely an isolated problem, perhaps some details regarding AID's pipeline in various countries will be of interest. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent this chart be printed in the Record.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, needless to say, I oppose both Senator Santorum's amendments, which are renewed assaults on the livelihoods of America's family farmers who produce peanuts. I should reiterate that there are more than 20,000 North Carolinians involved in various aspects of the peanut industry. We've been down this road time and time again, Mr. President. However, this time, even the fiercest critics of the peanut program should acknowledge the extensive changes made by Congress in the 1996 farm bill. The most important change was the conversion of the peanut program into a no-net cost commodity program. Mr. President, the burden of these changes is being borne by America's peanut farmers who understood the necessity of revamping the program in order for it to survive. The support price was cut by 10 percent, from $678 per ton to $610 and because of many other changes, peanut farmers anticipate that their incomes will decline by more than 20 percent. So clearly, Mr. President, America's peanut farmers have agreed to-- indeed, participated in reforming the program that has served the consumers of America so well. And, by the way, in North Carolina alone, the peanut industry generates more than $100 million in revenue. Moreover, Mr. President, the American taxpayers will save more than $434 million as a result of the reforms in the program. It is discouraging that opponents of the program, not satisfied with the farm bill's reforms, now seek to go further in hindering peanut farmers in making their livings. As for the Santorum amendments, they will not--and cannot --guarantee lower prices to consumers. Instead, they will disrupt the work of Congress which constructed a farm program to produce a reasonable price, an abundant supply, and the highest quality of peanuts in the world. Mr. President, it was clearly established during the Agriculture Committee's debates on the 1996 farm bill that even if the peanut program were to be abolished, candymakers would not reduce the price of a candy bar, nor would the price of peanut butter be reduced by one red cent. The pending after-the-fact amendments do not deserve serious consideration. The Senate should reject them unhesitatingly.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, on behalf of the eastern North Carolina farmers whose crops were devastated by Hurricane Bertha, I am happy to cosponsor this proposal to provide emergency loan assistance to farmers. On July 12, Hurricane Bertha ripped through the eastern part of North Carolina, destroying an estimated 80 percent of the State's tobacco crop and up to 90 percent of the corn crops in some counties. Cotton and soybeans also were damaged. Bertha was particularly devastating because it hit right before harvest season, ravaging crops in their most vulnerable stages. Estimates of the total damage to North Carolina agriculture continue to climb and currently stand at $188 million. Many North Carolina farmers suffered total losses of their 1996 crops. Mr. President, this amendment will provide emergency loans, approved by the USDA for farmers seeking a way to recover from the financial losses imposed by the hurricane. It will enable farmers to purchase the inputs such as fertilizer, seed, and equipment needed to put crops back into the ground. The early extension of credit to qualified farmers is essential to move them beyond this natural tragedy. I've been contacted by many of these farmers, Mr. President; for example, Ronnie and W.C. Cox who are fifth generation corn, cotton, and tobacco farmers in Onslow County. Their 300 acres of corn were totally destroyed along with 75 percent of their 225 acres of their tobacco crop. Cotton and other crops were likewise severely damaged. These farmers aren't asking for a free ride, Mr. President. The Coxes in Onslow County wrote to me saying, ``We do not want grants or handouts. But, we do need to borrow $750,000 or $1 million for 3 to 5 years at a low interest rate.'' Mr. President, this amendment will extend a helping hand to these embattled farmers and thereby help them to help themselves. It's the right thing to do--at the right time.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, too many Americans have not the foggiest notion about the enormity of the Federal debt. Every so often, I ask various groups, how many millions of dollars are there in a trillion? They think about it, voice some estimates, most of them not even close. They are stunned when they learn the facts, such as the case today. To be exact, as of the close of business yesterday, July 23, the total Federal debt--down to the penny--stood at $5,171,664,148,836.91. Another astonishing statistic is that on a per capita basis, every man, woman, and child in America owes $19,489.11. As for how many millions of dollars there are in a trillion, there are a million in a trillion, which means that the Federal Government owes more than $5 million million.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, the American Petroleum Institute reports that for the week ending July 19, the United States imported 7,800,000 barrels of oil each day, 1,100,000 barrels more than the 6,700,000 barrels imported during the same week a year ago. Americans relied on foreign oil for 54.9 percent of their needs last week, and there are no signs that this upward spiral will abate. Before the Persian Gulf war, the United States obtained about 45 percent of its oil supply from foreign countries. During the Arab oil embargo in the 1970's, foreign oil accounted for only 35 percent of America's oil supply. Anybody else interested in restoring domestic production of oil--by U.S. producers using American workers? Politicians had better ponder the economic calamity sure to occur in America if and when foreign producers shut off our supply--or double the already enormous cost of imported oil flowing into the United States--now 7,800,000 barrels a day.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, at the close of business yesterday, Monday, July 22, the Federal debt stood at $5,169,928,910,388.19. On a per capita basis, every man, woman, and child in America owes $19,483.10 as his or her share of that debt.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I hope the time will not begin running on me until we have order.

Mr. HELMS. I believe I will wait until we have order. This time I thank the Chair. In order to protect myself against a little legerdemain here between Friday afternoon and the final unanimous consent, I moved to table my own amendment and asked for the yeas and nays. I did that because I want Senators to take a stand on this amendment which requires able- bodied food stamp recipients to go to work for at least 20 hours a week if they expect to continue to receive food stamps free of charge at the expense, of course, of taxpayers who have to work 40 hours a week or more to support their families. The Congressional Budget Office says that this amendment will cause a lot of people to flake off the food stamp rolls because they do not want to work and they will go to work otherwise. It will save the taxpayers $2.8 billion over the next 6 years. I repeat, this amendment requires able-bodied food stamp recipients to go to work for at least 20 hours a week if they expect to continue to receive food stamps free of charge. I reserve the remainder of my time.

Mr. HELMS. I thank the Chair. Mr. President, on Friday afternoon, I got wind of a little effort to try to block Senators having to take a public stand----

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, at the close of business Friday, July 19, the Federal debt stood at $5,169,596,709,354.27. On a per capita basis, every man, woman, and child in America owes $19,482.39 as his or her share of that debt.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, at the close of business yesterday, Thursday, July 18, the Federal debt stood at $5,168,794,319,428.25. On a per capita basis, every man, woman, and child in America owes $19,481.00 as his or her share of that debt.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, as we so frequently say around this place, I will be brief. The pending amendment, offered by Senator Faircloth and me, and cosponsored by the distinguished Senator from Texas, [Mr. Gramm], the distinguished Senator from Oklahoma, [Mr. Nickles], the distinguished Senator from Alabama, [Mr. Shelby], and the distinguished Senator from New Hampshire, [Mr. Smith], is very simple. It requires able-bodied food stamp recipients to go to work for at least 20 hours a week--if they expect to continue to receive food stamps free of charge--at the expense, I might emphasize, of those taxpayers who work 40 hours a week or more to pay the bill. I must be candid--other food stamp proposals do not go nearly far enough, in my judgment, in making workfare a reality. I do not believe it is fair to working Americans, many of whom have to work two jobs or more in order to feed and clothe their families, to have to pay taxes to support those who are not motivated to get off their rear ends and join the work force of America. Who knows, Mr. President, if they tried it, they might like it. If they are obliged to go to work a little bit for their free food stamps, they might just be surprised to discover that it is rewarding to work regularly and permanently like most other Americans have to do. Excluded from the requirements of this amendment--let me emphasize this--excluded are young people under 18, although some young people under 18 are busy many nights shooting each other, parents of youngsters under 18, physically disabled people, pregnant women, and people over 50 years of age. Credible evidence indicates there are at least 12 million able-bodied people in this country presently receiving food stamps, many without doing one lick of work to get them. My fellow sponsors of this amendment and I are simply proposing that these people must start working for at least 20 hours a week to qualify for free food stamps. That will leave the other 20 hours for them to get busy and find full- time jobs so that they can be supported by themselves instead of the Federal taxpayers. I am convinced that there are many kinds of honest work for food stamp recipients to do. The pending amendment allows recipients to sign up for job training programs at the Federal level as well as for employment and training programs at the State level. The pending amendment puts accountability into the Federal Food Stamp Program by putting an end to giving food stamp benefits to able-bodied people who just refuse to work. If they are not willing to work, then the working taxpayers should not be forced to finance deliberate idleness. Mr. President, in a moment I shall move to table my own amendment because I have been informed that an effort is being contemplated to try to avoid an up-or-down vote on it. I want to go on record regarding the significance of what this amendment proposes, and I want all other Senators to go on record likewise. So I will move to table this amendment (No. 4930) and ask for the yeas and nays. And, of course, I will vote against tabling, as will the other Senators who are cosponsoring this amendment, and I do hope that there will be enough Senators who will vote against tabling to make it a viable amendment. I am quite confident that some attention will be given to how Senators will vote on this tabling motion. So let me reiterate, just to make it perfectly clear, that Senators favoring the requirement that able-bodied food stamp recipients must go to work for at least 20 hours a week in order to be eligible for free food stamps, those Senators should vote against tabling this amendment as I will vote against tabling. Senators not favoring this work requirement for those receiving free food stamps should, of course, vote aye, in favor of tabling the amendment sponsored by the Senator from North Carolina. Therefore, Mr. President, I move to table amendment No. 4930. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. HELMS. I thank the Chair. I call up amendment No. 4930 which is at the desk, and I ask that it be stated.