Carl Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order at this point that I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of myself and Senator Voinovich, an amendment to the Baucus substitute.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I offer an amendment with Senator Voinovich, my fellow co-chair of the Senate Auto Caucus and Senator Stabenow. Our amendment would include in one of the listed principal negotiating objectives of the United States to reduce trade barriers in other countries to U.S. motor vehicles and vehicle parts. Increasing access for our products to markets which are closed or partially closed to us surely should be the objective of all of us. Other countries have full access to our market for their autos and auto parts. The fast track provision we are considering makes it a principal negotiating objective to expand trade and reduce barriers for trade in services, foreign investment, intellectual property, electronic commerce, and agriculture, and other sectors. Yet the biggest portion of our trade deficit is in autos. In 2001, our automotive deficit made up over 31 percent of our total trade deficit with the world. In 2001, our automotive deficit was 59 percent of our total trade deficit with Japan and 53 percent of our total deficit with Korea. No omnibus trade bill should leave the Senate without addressing barriers to our products which are the largest contributors to our trade deficit. We can start by making opening foreign markets for U.S. automotive products one of our principal negotiating objectives. America's domestic auto industry is the largest manufacturing industry in the United States. The domestic auto industry alone contributes almost 4 percent to the total U.S. Gross Domestic Products. Our domestic auto manufacturers operate 52 manufacturing and assembly facilities in 19 states around the country, and when auto parts manufacturers are included, there is an automotive manufacturing presence in almost every state. The Big 3 automakers directly employ over 500,000 people in automotive-related jobs in the U.S. That number grows by an additional 2 million jobs when you count automotive suppliers and other related industries. The auto industry is also a hi-tech manufacturing industry. It is one of the largest users of computers and the advanced technologies. It also spends nearly $20 billion annually on research and development, more than any other industrial sector in America. The U.S. auto industry contributes mightily to our economic well being. Yet we continue to neglect it when it comes to insisting on fair market access for exports of autos and auto parts. The U.S. passenger vehicle market is the most open and competitive in the world. But when we go to sell our autos and auto parts in foreign markets, we face significant trade restrictions. Some of the most egregious practitioners of unfair trade in autos and auto parts are Japan and Korea. The sale of American vehicles and auto parts in Japan has been blocked by protectionist measures such as government regulations dealing with vehicle certification, inspection, and repair. In Korea, restrictions include a tax system that discriminates against imported vehicles by making them prohibitively expensive, discriminatory practices such as labeling foreign vehicles as ``luxury goods,'' and the perception that the purchase of a foreign vehicle will trigger a tax audit. Since 1990, the U.S. automotive trade deficit with Japan has averaged 55 percent of our total trade deficit with Japan. A 5 year market opening agreement in autos and auto parts that was largely a failure. The U.S. automotive trade deficit with Korea has grown significantly since 1995 despite two automotive market opening agreements with Korea. Japan and Korea want it both ways. They want to keep a sanctuary automotive home market that is protected from competition while they export a significant portion of production to the United States. We have been trying to open Japan's automotive markets for decades to no avail. In the mid-1980's we engaged in 8 years of Market Oriented Sector Specific, MOSS, talks with Japan to try to open Japan's auto parts market. During that time, our auto parts deficit with Japan rose from $3.3 billion in 1985 to nearly $11 billion in 1992 despite modest increases in sales by U.S. parts makers to the Japanese. The MOSS talks were followed by Framework talks in autos and auto parts which led to a 1995 U.S.-Japan Automotive Trade Agreement with the goal of increasing market access in Japan for U.S. autos and auto parts. That goal has not been achieved. Despite that fact, the Administration has allowed the Agreement to expire. Meanwhile, the U.S. trade deficit with Japan in autos and auto parts has gotten worse. The auto and auto parts trade deficit was $32.9 billion in 1995. By the end of 2000 when the Agreement was allowed to expire, it was $44.2 billion, more than 60 percent of the overall U.S. trade deficit with Japan and 10 percent of the worldwide U.S. trade deficit. The U.S. government, in its annual Trade Barriers Report, acknowledges that it is disappointed with the access of North American- made vehicles and parts to Japan. When it comes to automotive trade between the United States and Korea, the numbers speak for themselves. South Korea has the most closed market for imported cars and trucks in the developed world. While foreign vehicles account for only \1/2\ of one percent of its total vehicle market, Korea depends on open markets in other countries to absorb its auto exports. Korea exports half of all the passenger vehicles it produces, with many of those vehicles coming to the U.S. Last year, Korea imported only 7,747 vehicles from the United States and exported over 600,000 to our country. This imbalance exists despite two separate automotive trade agreements between the United States and Korea which were supposed to open Korea's market: the first in 1995 and the second in 1998. This imbalance is unfair to America and its workers and only threatens to get worse if we do not act immediately. The amendment Senator Voinovich and I have introduced attempts to address the gross inequities in market access for U.S. autos and auto parts among some of our major trading partners. Our amendment would make market access for motor vehicles and vehicle parts a principal negotiating objective of the Untied States. The underlying bill includes 14 principal negotiating objectives and the Senate voted overwhelmingly to add textiles to that list. Since autos and auto parts are the largest part of our deficit, it is unacceptable that foreign trade barriers that exclude U.S.-made passenger vehicles and auto parts from certain markets are allowed to exist. We must act to get rid of those barriers. Our amendment would make it a principal negotiating objective to expand competitive market opportunities for U.S. motor vehicles and vehicle parts and to obtain fairer and more open conditions of trade by reducing or eliminating tariff and nontariff barriers. The current trade situation in autos and auto parts is unfair to America. We simply want access--to compete--no guarantees, just access. Every nation in the world strives to have a successful automotive industry and fights for that industry. We should do the same. The nearly 2.5 million men and women working in our nation's largest manufacturing industry deserve nothing less.

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

Mr. LEVIN. If there is no one else who seeks recognition at this point----

Mr. LEVIN. If I may take 2 minutes.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask that the Senate join me today in commending William S. Hartsock for his 28 years of service on the Farmington City Council. Originally elected to the city council in 1973, Bill has long been known for his diplomacy and commitment to community and his retirement will be celebrated on May 30. When Bill first ran for City Council in 1971, he had to petition for permission to run because he was under 21, the voting age at the time. Though he lost his first election, he was not deterred and won 2 years later. Since that time, he has devoted countless hours to his community as an elected official, including four terms as Mayor of Farmington. During his tenure on the City Council, Farmington has faced many of the same challenges which confront small towns and cities across the country. One of the most trying challenges is the emigration of business out of the downtown area to large malls on the fringes of Farmington. Despite this trend, he remains optimistic and has long worked to attract small business to the downtown area and enhance its appearance. Bill has also invested a tremendous amount of time serving on local and national boards. He has been a board member of the Founders Day Festival, the Botsford Hospital Development Fund, and the Farmington YMCA. He also founded and was past president of the Farmington Area Division for the American Heart Association, and past president of the Farmington Exchange Club, and the Huron River Hunting and Fishing Club. In these days of power politics, Bill's was concerned solely with what was best for his community. He believed that local government had the greatest impact on peoples everyday lives, and commented ``All local politics are very personal.'' I believe that many of my Senate colleagues would concur with Bill's belief that the most enjoyable part of his job was talking to young people. He loved to travel to local schools and talk to students about government. Bill has helped guide Farmington for nearly three decades. All of those whom he so faithfully served will miss his integrity and good humor. I know my Senate colleagues will join me in thanking William S. Hartsock for his distinguished career wish him well in the years ahead.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, this weekend communities will gather to pay tribute to the men and women who lost their lives while in service to our Nation. Throughout America, parades will be held on Memorial Day which will honor the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have served to protect our Nation and preserve our freedoms. The City of Royal Oak, in my home State of Michigan will be hosting its annual Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 27, 2002, and this year four brothers from the Kerr family, who are all Vietnam veterans will serve as the Grand Marshals of this parade. These four brothers all voluntarily joined the U.S. military, and went to Vietnam to bravely serve in our nation's armed services. These brothers have proudly carried the ``Warrior'' American flag in the Royal Oak parade in past years to honor their tribe, the Chippewa Tribe of Sault Sainte Marie, and to honor all of the American heroes who fought so fearlessly and valiantly in past conflicts to preserve our liberty and democratic values. John Kerr, U.S. Marine Corps, Tom Kerr, U.S. Air Force, and Harvey Kerr, U.S. Navy, served in Vietnam simultaneously. Upon their safe return, a fourth brother, Michael Kerr, U.S. Army, voluntarily served in Vietnam and returned safely. These brothers reportedly owe their courage to their beloved mother, Rena Kerr, whose strength and conviction moved her to persevere beyond her personal challenges as a young widow and mother of nine children, to serve the needs of her fellow Americans. She was a devoted civil rights activist and committed herself to helping others. She taught her seven sons and two daughters to highly value their priceless freedoms and the proud Chippewa heritage of their late father, Ted Kerr. With so great a legacy, four Kerr sons were impressed to respond courageously and patriotically to the wartime call, and chose to stand and valiantly serve their country in the Vietnam War. Tom Kerr, who bravely flew a State Flag of Michigan in a F-4 on a combat mission over North Vietnam, was honored to present that flag after his return to Governor William Milliken in 1968. The Kerr brothers have made it a tradition to annually salute America's fallen heroes of past conflicts and wars on the national day of observance. They proudly carry the flag to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, and to join with their many families and friends to honor their memory. The Kerr brothers march as an expression of reverence for those who fought along side them in Vietnam, but did not return. And the Kerr brothers have called our attention to the importance of cherishing our great freedom that has come through the ``blood of heroes.'' The Kerr brothers can be proud of their dedication to their country, and their great commitment to honor the values of their family and the principles of democracy and freedom. We as a nation have benefitted from the sacrifices, extraordinary contributions and example of these four brothers who bravely went off to war after having lost their father. I know that my Senate colleagues join me and the Royal Oak Parade Council in paying tribute to the Kerr brothers for their service in our nation's armed forces and their great bravery and valor as Vietnam veterans.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I rise to express my support for the Freedom Consolidation Act of 2001. I support this bill because I support the enlargement of the NATO alliance to admit qualified nations and that is, at its essence, what this bill does. I would not support this bill if it supported enlargement without conditioning enlargement on nations being willing and able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership. I also would not support this bill if it sought to identify one or more nations as being qualified for NATO membership. Since this bill does neither of those things, I support the bill.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, in just the last 16 weeks, tragically ten children have been murdered in metro Detroit. Eight of these kids have died after being shot. The oldest was 16 years old and the youngest was a mere 3 years old. Three years old, Mr. President. According to the Detroit Free Press, in the last four months in metro Detroit nearly as many children have been murdered by guns as in all of last year. These are truly horrific events made even more so by their randomness. Many of these kids were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Destinee Thomas, one of the youngest victims, only 3 years old, was killed while watching television in her own bedroom when someone fired an AK47 into her home. The Detroit Police Department and the people of Detroit were so outraged by her death that the police department launched Project Destinee, a special effort by law enforcement to aggressively investigate and pursue gang members involved in the shooting. Eight year old Brianna Caddell was also killed by an AK-47 when an unknown gunman opened fire on her house. This little girl was in bed sleeping. Another victim, 16 year old Alesia Robinson, was killed by a single gunshot to the face. According to police, her 19 year old boyfriend was playing with a gun on the front porch, firing it into the air. When Alesia asked him to stop, police said, he pointed the gun at her and fired. The 19 year old has been charged with first-degree murder. These horrific events underline the need for the vigorous enforcement of our gun laws and the overwhelming need for common sense gun safety legislation. In light of these tragic events, I once again urge my colleagues to support gun safety legislation. I know my colleagues join me in extending our thoughts and prayers to all of those who have lost their friends and family members to gun violence. I ask unanimous consent that the article from the Detroit Free Press be entered into the Record.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask that the Senate join me in congratulating Michigan State University's Debate Team. These bright young men and women recently won this year's Cross Examination Debate Association Seasonal National Championship--the most prestigious national college debating title. As I am sure many of my colleagues in this room can appreciate, debating is a skill that requires enormous preparation, great intelligence and the ability to think and speak quickly. Michigan State University's Debate Team has repeatedly excelled in these areas, establishing itself as one of the finest debate teams in the nation. In fact, since 1994 the team has finished no worse than fifth in the competition, and it recorded another first place finish in 1996. This is a spectacular record of achievement that is the source of great pride for the University and for the State of Michigan. We often come to this floor to congratulate the hard work and dedication of the student athletes from our states who have won national championships on the basketball court or the football field, whose competitions are shown on television and whose victories are written about in newspapers. However, the young men and women who compete with their quick minds and sharp wit deserve just as much of an accolade as those who compete with quick legs or strong arms. The debate season lasts virtually the entire academic year. From August to April the team spends countless hours every week studying, analyzing, researching and practicing. The commitment that these young people have shown to competition is unrivaled. Director of Debate Jason Trice, Head Coach William Repko and Assistant Coaches Alison Woidan and Michael Eber did an excellent job of preparing this year's team. The full roster of that team is Anjali Vats, Geoff Lundeen, Maggie Ryan, Job Gillenwater, John Rood, Austin Carson, Calum Matheson, Greta Stahl, Suzanne Sobotka, John Groen, Gabe Murillo, Amber Watkins, Aaron Hardy and David Strauss. I can think of no better place for these young men and women to be congratulated than in the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate, an institution known for its history of great debaters. I know that all these individuals, as well as their families and friends, are incredibly proud of their accomplishments. I also know that Michigan State University is thrilled to have this honor. In addition to adding my own congratulations I would also like to wish these young men and women the best of luck in defending their championship next year and extending the proud record of accomplishment for which this team has come to be known. I know that my Senate colleagues join me in congratulating Michigan State University's Debate Team for their victory as National Champions of the Cross Examination Debate Association.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, first, I commend Senator Corzine for the leadership role he is taking in trying to protect Social Security for all Americans. Today we are particularly focusing on the Social Security needs and concerns of women, but the effort is a much broader one. It is to protect Social Security from the recommendations of the President's Commission on Social Security which would lead to a lessening of the security, would make it less of a social instrument, and leave it more up to the whims of the stock market, which may or may not go up, which may or may not, therefore, lead to more funds in the hands of people who own private accounts but, overall, would make this Nation and its seniors and people who are about to become seniors, in their forties and fifties, a lot less secure. A week ago a report was released by the National Older Women's League, or OWL, to commemorate Mother's Day. It was an appropriate day to release this report. The report shows the problems that would be created if the recommendations of that President's Commission were adopted. It is entitled ``Social Security Privatization: A False Promise for Women.'' I encourage every Member of this body to read this report. It clearly demonstrates that the recommendations of the President's Social Security Commission are a bad deal for Americans and particularly bad for women. Currently, women comprise 58 percent of Social Security beneficiaries over the age of 65 and 71 percent of those over the age of 85. Women depend on Social Security more than men, despite their increasing presence in today's workforce. Women earn less than men: 73 cents on every dollar a man earns. These statistics indicate that changes to the Social Security system that result in reduced benefits will have a negative disparate impact on women. The President's Commission is based on privatization plans that would divert Social Security payroll taxes into individually owned private accounts, shifting the system from shared risk and collective gain among workers to private accounts that would leave workers to sink or swim on their own. This concept would have a particularly negative effect on women for several reasons. Private accounts ask women to bear more of a risk because of their increased dependency. Private accounts would undermine the social insurance nature of Social Security. Private accounts cost more to administer. Private accounts may speed up Social Security insolvency. By most accounts, Social Security is the most dependable source of retirement security for a majority of women. Privatization takes that reliability and that dependability and gambles the financial future of women and all seniors on the volatility of the stock market. America's seniors, and in particular women, deserve better than that. Women account for more than 70 percent of older Americans living in poverty. Without Social Security, 52 percent of white women, 65 percent of African-American women, and 61 percent of Hispanic women over the age of 65 would be poor. These alarming statistics and the OWL Mother's Day report are an eye-opening experience for all of us. The President's Commission takes the fundamental principles of Social Security and abandons them for a market-driven scheme that is unreliable at best and discriminatory at worst. Social Security is an entitlement program based on the concept of social insurance. It is not supposed to be a gamble which pays benefits based on how the stock market did yesterday or last year or tomorrow or next year. Women live an average of 6 years longer than men and, as a result, women are more likely to outlive the benefits of private accounts. In addition, older women are three times as likely to lose their spouse. We should protect this program, we should make the changes we need to ensure its solvency, and we should not overhaul it or undermine its basic principles by eroding the social insurance components, as the President's Commission would have us do. Yesterday on the Senate floor, Senator Bingaman commented that retirement security is a three-legged stool, with one leg representing Social Security, one leg representing pensions, and the final leg representing personal savings and investment. I could not agree more. We should not take the President's Commission recommendations and blur the lines between Social Security and private investments. I commend the OWL report because it shows that the detrimental effect Social Security privatization would have on women is severe, it is important, and it is relevant. I hope every Member of this body will take the time to read this report, to reflect on its findings as we contemplate the recommendations for structural changes to the Social Security program. I yield the floor, and I thank the Chair.

Mr. LEVIN. I think that was the number I heard. My memory is very similar to that. It is an astounding number that the people who recommend privatization don't even factor. There are a lot of other things they don't factor, by the way; some of them are even more focused. They don't replace the money. They don't say how they will replace the money which would be lost to the Social Security system by people not contributing to it and supporting folks who are retired or near retirement. They never talk about that huge hole in the general fund that would be created. They don't talk about the uncertainty of private accounts as much as they should, the fact that the market over time may go up depending on what time period you look at, but not for everybody. Even within that long window, there will be some losers. Maybe most people will win, but what about the losers? They don't talk about that as much as they should. The thing they never talk about are these administrative costs, these transaction costs which, as the Senator has pointed out, are apparently a very significant percentage of the money.

Mr. LEVIN. One last word: I have met with the women who are active in the OWL commission. They are very keenly aware of the problems with the President's Commission and the uncertainties it would create for women in particular who are seniors. And I think the opposition to the President's Commission's findings is very strong and is growing.

Mr. LEVIN. One additional word: I hope we will actually not only consider the recommendations of the President's Commission but actually vote on them. We ought to put them to rest. There is a lot of concern in the country about those recommendations, that they would totally make the Social Security system much less secure. I think we ought to try to address the concerns by voting on those recommendations. I believe they will be voted down, as they should be, so that the people out there who are not only retired but in their forties and fifties, who rely on Social Security, want it to be there, don't want the uncertainty that will be created by the contributions being reduced-- which is what would happen without any idea of where the replacement funds would come from--I think it would be healthy for the country not just to debate it but, if possible, before the election to vote up or down on those recommendations. I hope and believe that all of them will be rejected.

Mr. LEVIN. There will be winners and losers. It turns Social Security into a social insecurity system.

Mr. LEVIN. The Social Security system, along with Medicare, is probably the reason that only, as I understand the number, 1 out of 20, about 5 percent, of seniors live in poverty. My number may be a little low. But the point is that 20 percent of American children live in poverty, and yet approximately 5 percent of seniors live in poverty. It is shameful that 20 percent of Americans live in poverty, but one of the main reasons a smaller number of seniors live in poverty than our kids is Social Security and Medicare. The Senator from New Jersey is exactly right.

Mr. LEVIN. It is a very large percentage. I don't have it directly in my mind, but it is a large percentage of people, particularly women, who rely exclusively on Social Security. We encourage people, of course, to have private savings, and some people have pensions. That three-legged stool Senator Bingaman talked about of Social Security and private pensions and private savings is a one-leg stool for a large percentage of our seniors and a larger percentage of women.

Mr. LEVIN. Sure.

Mr. LEVIN. The figure I used was 52 percent of white women and a larger percentage of African-American and Hispanic women.

Mr. LEVIN. I will be happy to.

Mr. LEVIN. It would, indeed. It makes that enticement of private accounts, when you analyze it, a lot more superficial. The reality is a lot more negative than that superficial glow of riches.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following letter be printed in the Record.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I cannot support the confirmation of this nominee for the Federal district court. To cite just one instance of his intemperate remarks, Mr. Cassell wrote in a published article that the U.S. Department of Justice ``team(ed) up with criminal defense lawyers to let armed felons and other criminals escape prosecution.'' Statements such as this, and there are others, show an absence of the judicial temperament necessary to warrant a lifetime appointment to the Federal court.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask that the Senate join me today in acknowledging the retirement of Inspector Frederich A Greenslate of West Bloomfield, MI, who retired on April 27th of this year after serving in the Michigan State Police for 41 years. Mr. Greenslate is one of the longest serving officers in departmental history and people will be gathering on May 17th to celebrate his distinguished career. I cannot overstate the debt we owe our men and women in uniform for putting their lives on the line as guardians of peace. Every day they protect the people of our great Nation and keep our cities safe. Frederich Greenslate has been part of this great tradition of service, dedication and honor. Mr. Greenslate joined the Michigan State Police in 1961 after receiving an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Macomb Community College. Originally posted as a Trooper at the Newaygo Post, he moved up the ranks and concluded his career as an Assistant District Commander in the 2nd District Headquarters. Over this period, he received four Meritorious Citations for service above the call of duty as well as an Unit Citation. He also assisted with several events of national and international significance including the visit of Pope John Paul II to Detroit, Super Bowl XVI, United States Cup Soccer, World Cup Soccer, The Detroit Grand Prix, and the National Governors' Conference. Despite the long hours and stressful atmosphere associated with being a police officer, Mr. Greenslate has been devoted husband to his wife Susan and father of six children: Adam, Bethany, Douglas, Jason, Jeffrey, and Melanie. In addition, his children have blessed him with three grandchildren, Jack, Joe, and Connor. He is also a member of the South-East, Oakland County, Macomb County, Wayne County, and St. Clair County Police Chief's Associations. Our Nation's public servants play a vital role in preserving the public good. However, few public servants do more to ensure our Nation's peace and stability than our police officers. I know my Senate Colleagues will join me in thanking Mr. Greenslate for his distinguished career as a Michigan State Trooper and wish him well in the years ahead.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I have spoken previously about the problem of gun trafficking. In June of 2000, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms released ``Following the Gun: Enforcing Federal Laws Against Firearms Traffickers.'' This report examined 1,500 ATF gun trafficking investigations documenting that more than 84,000 guns were diverted to the illegal market and were often later used by criminals to commit violent crimes. In addition this report showed that investigations involving gun shows and corrupt gun dealers involved the highest numbers of trafficked guns. However, some good news did come out of this report. At the time of its publication, the report concluded that ATF gun trafficking investigations led to the prosecutions of more than 1,700 defendants. Of these cases, 812 defendants were sentenced in federal court to a total of 7,420 years in prison, with an average sentence of nine years. Gun trafficking has also been a problem in my home state of Michigan. According to Americans for Gun Safety's analysis of ATF Trace Data from 1996--1999, over 40 percent of the guns traced to crimes committed in Michigan in 1998 and 1999 originated in other states, a much higher rate than the national average. The largest number of out of state suppliers of guns to Michigan during the same period were from Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama. The ATF's report and these statistics demonstrate that criminals are not only gaining access to guns, but are able to smuggle them into the hands of other criminals who use them to commit violent crimes. This kind of activity can be stopped by vigorously enforcing our gun laws, providing law enforcement with more tools to crack down on gun trafficking, corrupt gun dealers and other armed criminals, and by passing sensible gun safety legislation.