Jim Jeffords

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Small Business Brownfields Redevelopment Act of 1999. As we debate the best avenue to promote smart growth in our communities, a prominent issue is brownfields revitalization. Historically an issue of corporate America, small businesses can play a crucial role in revitalizing brownfields sites. Providing small businesses with the necessary capital to redevelop these sites is critical. The potential for small businesses to redevelop brownfields sites has gone untapped for far too long. Although Congress clarified lender liability in 1996--in the FY 1997 Omnibus Appropriations bill--P.L. 104-208--there has been little progress to enhance small business brownfields redevelopment efforts. Larger corporations have the necessary resources; for example, Bank of America has recognized the economic benefits for brownfields lending. The Small Business Brownfields Redevelopment Act of 1999 would level this playing field. Our goal with this legislation is to take an existing framework--the Small Business Administration's (SBA) successful loan guarantee and community development corporation programs--and channel important resources into brownfields redevelopment and prevention. It is a concept with multiple objectives. It will provide legitimacy to brownfields investment and lending, which does not now exist; and promote innovative cleanup technologies. By redeveloping brownfields and easing development pressure on greenfields, we are promoting smart growth; and by providing critical financial tools to our small businesses, we are promoting the backbone of our nation's economy. Revitalizing brownfields is pro-business, pro- community, and pro-environment. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Small Business Brownfields Redevelopment Act of 1999. As we debate the best avenue to promote smart growth in our communities, a prominent issue is brownfields revitalization. Historically an issue of corporate America, small businesses can play a crucial role in revitalizing brownfields sites. Providing small businesses with the necessary capital to redevelop these sites is critical. The potential for small businesses to redevelop brownfields sites has gone untapped for far too long. Although Congress clarified lender liability in 1996--in the FY 1997 Omnibus Appropriations bill--P.L. 104-208--there has been little progress to enhance small business brownfields redevelopment efforts. Larger corporations have the necessary resources; for example, Bank of America has recognized the economic benefits for brownfields lending. The Small Business Brownfields Redevelopment Act of 1999 would level this playing field. Our goal with this legislation is to take an existing framework--the Small Business Administration's (SBA) successful loan guarantee and community development corporation programs--and channel important resources into brownfields redevelopment and prevention. It is a concept with multiple objectives. It will provide legitimacy to brownfields investment and lending, which does not now exist; and promote innovative cleanup technologies. By redeveloping brownfields and easing development pressure on greenfields, we are promoting smart growth; and by providing critical financial tools to our small businesses, we are promoting the backbone of our nation's economy. Revitalizing brownfields is pro-business, pro- community, and pro-environment. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, on July 21, 1999, NISH will host a ceremony to acknowledge and celebrate the legacy of Senator Jacob K. Javits, a distinguished member of the United States Senate for 24 years. This Congressional leader, long recognized for his work in pension reform, labor and foreign policy, is being celebrated for his enduring contributions to people with severe disabilities through the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program. Elected to the Senate in 1956, Senator Javits was instrumental in expanding the work of the Wagner-O'Day Program to include people with mental retardation, mental illness and other severe disabilities through the 1971 Javits Amendments. NISH is the non-profit agency that assists community rehabilitation programs that employ people with disabilities through the Javits- Wagner-O'Day Program. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, NISH acknowledges the critical role that Senator Javits played in the lives of people with disabilities, through the expansion of the program. Today, more than 30,000 people with disabilities are employed on Javits-Wagner-O'Day projects across the country. It is my pleasure, Mr. President to offer my congratulations and best wishes to NISH as it celebrates its 25th Anniversary. Further, I extend the invitation to all of my colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives to join me in attending the celebration to honor the legacy of Jacob Javits on July 21st from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in 902 Hart Senate Office Building.

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. Does the Senator intend to go one after the other?

Mr. JEFFORDS. I want to accommodate the Senator from Wyoming--we only have a couple of minutes left--if he could speak now. Go ahead.

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I ask that we suspend temporarily for a motion.

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote on the amendment just passed.

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I yield the Senator from Texas 10 minutes.

Mr. JEFFORDS. I yield the Senator from Maine 5 minutes.

Mr. JEFFORDS. I yield 1 additional minute from the bill.

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I yield 5 minutes off the bill to the Senator from Wyoming.

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I yield the Senator from Maine 2 minutes off the bill.

Mr. JEFFORDS. I yield to the Senator from New Mexico such time as he may consume.

Mr. JEFFORDS. I yield 3 minutes to the Senator from Alabama.

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I yield 3 minutes to the Senator from Tennessee.

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I will make my full statement after the vote, but this bill gives new consumer protections to the 48 million Americans in self-insured plans that the States are unable to protect. This bill creates a new, binding, internal/external appeals process for 124 million Americans. This bill also protects 140 million Americans from having their predictive genetic information used to deny them health insurance coverage, and it expands access to health insurance through increasing affordability and choice of health care options. As we prepared this legislation, we had three goals in mind. First, to give families the protections they want and need; second, to ensure that medical decisions are made by physicians in consultation with their patients; and finally, to keep the cost of this legislation low so it does not displace anyone from being able to get health care coverage. The Patients' Bill of Rights was not crafted easily and it was not crafted hastily. This legislation is a result of over 2 years of work by the Senate HELP Committee. In March of 1997, I chaired the first of 17 hearings on the topic of improving health care quality. In April of 1998, I chaired a committee field hearing at Fletcher Allen Hospital, in Burlington, VT. Numerous leaders from the Vermont medical profession and Vermont insurance regulators pointed out the State of Vermont already has passed 22 patient protections, including direct access to OB/GYNs and a ban on gag rules and a continuity of health care provision. Vermont's most pressing need, according to these State providers, was to enact protections for those individuals in self- funded plans that the States could not protect. The Vermont health providers also stressed their strong concern that any Federal health care legislation not increase costs. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Kennedy proposal would have raised health insurance premiums by 6.1 percent. A study commissioned by the AFL-CIO concluded that such an increase would cause 1.8 million Americans to lose their health insurance. This would mean approximately 4,000 Vermonters would lose their health insurance. The Vermonter who could still afford health insurance would have to pay an additional $328 a year for family coverage. During the battles over the last few weeks, we have heard a great deal of biting, political rhetoric. But we cannot forget that the real issue is to give Americans the protections they want and need in a package they can afford and that we can enact. We must pass this bill.

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

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, this is a time of trial for so many Members to finally come to this end and have a victory which hopefully will not stop here but will continue. There is too much good in this bill not to have it become legislation that will be passed into law. I am confident the President, when he understands what is in here, and we work with the House and make some changes--I am sure we can accommodate the other side and we can end up with a piece of legislation. Hopefully it will be done this year. Mr. President, as chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, which had jurisdiction over this bill, I would like to take a moment to thank all those who have worked so hard to make this bill possible. This legislation has been developed over the course of more than two years, and a great number of people have positively contributed to the process. This bill represents a tremendous effort by the members of the HELP Committee. I want to thank the members of the Nickles Task Force for their guidance. I wish to thank Senator Nickles himself, and also the majority leader for their dedication to see this legislation through to the end. The staff to the members of the HELP Committee have contributed greatly to this bill. Rob Wasinger with Senator Brownback, Prescilla Hanley with Senator Collins, Libby Rolfe with Senator Sessions, and Kate Hull with Senator Hutchinson. The staff of the subcommittees carried a great deal of weight. This includes Helen Rhee with Senator DeWine, Chris Spear and Raissa Geray with Senator Enzi, Anne Phelps and Sue Ramthum with Senator Frist, and Alan Gilbert with Senator Gregg. The committee markup of this legislation lasted over 11 hours and so I must acknowledge the tireless efforts of Denis O'Donovan, Steve Chapman, and Leah Cooper from the full Committee staff. I also thank Bill Baird of the Legislative Counsel Office. He has provided enormous help. I am grateful for the efforts by the staff of the GOP Health Care Task Force. Michael Cannon with the RPC, Steve Irizarry with Senator Hagel, Mike Solon with Senator Gramm, Peter Stein with Senator Santorum, and Kathy Means, Bill Sweetnam, and Dede Spritznagel with Senator Roth. Finally, I would like to thank the assistant majority leader's staff for their leadership. Stacey Hughes, Meg Hauck, Hazen Marshall, Matt Kirk, Brooke Simmons, Gail Osterberg, and Eric Ueland were invaluable. As well as Sharon Soderstrom and Keith Hennessy from the majority leader's Office. On my own staff, I would like to thank Paul Harrington, Sean Donohue, Dirksen Lehman, Kim Monk, and Philo Hall and Marle Power my Staff Director. This certainly could not have happened without my health policy fellows, Tom Valuck, Kathy Matt, and Carol Vannier. I especially want to thank Karen Guice and Pat Stroup, who each provided two years of groundwork on this legislation. The round the clock work, particularly over the past week, of all the staff involved is greatly appreciated. Mr. President, I could not be more proud of all these people. Around-the-clock work, particularly over the past week, of all the staff is greatly appreciated. I cannot be more proud of these people. I want to commend them and thank them profusely. I also thank, of course, the people who work in this great body to make sure that we end up doing the right things at the right time.

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. I ask unanimous consent the bill be considered read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive session to consider Executive Calendar No. 164 on today's Executive Calendar. I further ask unanimous consent the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, any statements relating to the nomination appear in the Record, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then return to legislative session.

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. I ask unanimous consent the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 199, S. 468.

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the committee amendments be agreed to, the bill be considered read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today it stand in adjournment until the hour of 9:30 a.m. on Friday, July 16. I further ask consent that on Friday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day. I further ask consent that following the cloture vote, the Senate proceed to a period of morning business with Senators speaking up to 5 minutes each with the following exceptions: Senator Coverdell or his designee in control of the first hour and Senator Breaux or his designee in control of the second hour, Senator Domenici for 10 minutes, Senator Baucus for 10 minutes, Senator Harkin for 15 minutes, and Senator Levin for 5 minutes.

Mr. JEFFORDS

Mr. JEFFORDS. For the information of all Senators, the Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. Under the previous order, the Senate will debate the Social Security lockbox legislation for 1 hour with a vote to occur at approximately 10:30 a.m. For the information of all Senators, that vote will be the only rollcall vote during Friday's session of the Senate. Following the vote, Senator Coverdell will be recognized to begin a period of morning business.