Barbara Mikulski

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. No objection.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I, too, share my distinguished colleague's concern about this permanent and disabling birth defect. The exact causes of Spina Bifida are unknown. While we know that consumption of the recommended daily dosage of folic acid plays a tremendous part in the prevention of this disease, we still have much to learn. We also need to help those that suffer from this disease and their loved ones deal with the day-to-day challenges of living with this birth defect. As more and more individuals with Spina Bifida live longer, it is increasingly important to ensure that their quality-of-life is maximized--this includes educational and vocational attainment, amelioration of secondary health effects, and ongoing support for them and their families. In 1996, this Senate passed the Agent Orange Benefits Act which provides benefits for persons affected by Spina Bifida whose biological father or mother is or was a Vietnam veteran. I was proud to support this important Act, but I am troubled that not all of the 3,000 eligible families have been identified by the Veterans Administration.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, we are coming now to the closing moments of this bill. I know we are waiting for a clearance to take up the manager's amendment, and we should be coming to that shortly. As soon as we have cleared the manager's amendment, I will be offering it. As we go into the final minutes, I am going to make some final comments on the bill. We have really done a good job, and we have done a good job working on a bipartisan basis, working with President Bush and his Cabinet. There are 13 appropriations subcommittees. The big three are Defense, Labor-HHS, and VA-HUD. VA-HUD spends $84 billion of the taxpayers' money. Of that, $51 billion goes to veterans, and it is worth every nickel of it. Housing and Urban Development receives $31 billion. A substantial amount of that goes to community development block grant money, which is decided by the local community: housing for the elderly, the special needs population, and housing for the poor. We have tried to use the best ideas and the best practices to make sure subsidies are not a way of life but a way to a better life. That is what we have concentrated on again in this bill. We have the Environmental Protection Agency. We have worked to clean up the environment. We have the National Space Agency and the National Science Foundation, very important for public investments in new ideas, in new knowledge, which always leads to America being on the competitive edge and the cutting edge. We try to inspire young people through a national service program where they get value by working in the community and taxpayers get value by the work they do, and we create the habits of the heart that hopefully will inspire the next generation to have the spirit of voluntarism. We think we have done a very good job in this bill. The reason we have done a good job is cooperation, collegiality, courtesy, and civility. I thank my ranking member, Senator Bond of Missouri, for the way we have worked together on this bill. This has been a very difficult year. First, there was the delayed transition of the executive branch. President Bush took office in a timely manner, but because of the delayed transition we were late getting started. The President was late getting started. We have worked to catch up, and he has given us some terrific Cabinet people to work with in VA-HUD, our Secretary of Housing, and our Administrator of the Environment. I extolled the virtues of our Secretary of Veterans Affairs. So many people think we are pretty prickly in politics, but we think we have worked well with the Bush administration. I have been delighted at their courtesy. It was the Senator from Missouri, when there was the transition of power with the Democrats taking control, who, with enormous graciousness, provided practical help in transitioning the gavel to me. He was so courteous and the transition so effective and so seamless, that we did not miss a beat in terms of holding our hearings, trying to be responsible to the needs of our communities, and trying to be responsible to the needs of the taxpayer. In the most sincere and genuine way, I want to thank my colleague for his graciousness because I believe we have truly been able to serve the people and serve the Nation. He has an outstanding staff, and I want to thank them now:--Jon Kamarck, Cheh Kim, and John Stoody--for their wonderful work with my staff. I thank my staff--Paul Carliner, Gabrielle Batkin and Joel Widder, a detailee from the National Science Foundation--for the outstanding job they have done. This committee has also had a tradition of bipartisanship. We have kept that tradition, and I think America benefits from it. As we now come to these closing minutes, we will really be able to complete our bill with pride.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I assure the Senator from Florida that we are safety- obsessed when it comes to the safety of our astronauts. In this bill, we have actually provided $3.2 billion for the shuttle.

Ms. MIKULSKI. We agree. The Senator can count on it, and everyone should know he is a Senator-astronaut.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I am aware of the joint collaboration between these three Historically Black institutions in Atlanta, and I applaud their effort to contribute to the revitalization of Atlanta's West-End Community. I would tell the Senator that during the development of this year's bill, we received a large number of meritorious requests for projects within HUD's Economic Development Initiative account-- including the project he just described. With respect to the conference, I can assure my friend from Georgia that this project will receive every appropriate consideration.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I appreciate the inquiry from the Senator from Georgia and the subcommittee will work with him and Mr. Cleland to ensure that these initiatives receive every appropriate consideration as we move forward. Acquisition and Revitalization of Atlanta's West End Mr. Cleland. Mr. President, I rise to enter into a colloquy with the distinguished Senator from Maryland, the chairman of the Subcommittee, Ms. Mikulski, regarding a joint collaboration between three of Georgia's finest academic institutions, Morehouse School of Medicine, Morehouse College and Spelman College. As the Senator is aware, these neighboring institutions have come together for the purpose of acquiring and revitalizing an 11 acre parcel of land in Atlanta's West End community that is contiguous to all three schools. The acquisition of this land is critical to the future success of each institution, due to the fact that all three schools are essentially landlocked. The acquisition of this property will enable each school to significantly expand their education and community based programs, as well as contribute to the revitalization of Atlanta's West-End Community. All three institutions are working very hard to secure private resources for this project. However, given the scope of this initiative, the schools are also seeking federal support from the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Economic Development Initiative program. I applaud the Chairman for her leadership in promoting community revitalization programs in the VA-HUD appropriations bill. I would ask the Chairman if she would give every consideration to supporting the important initiative I have just described in the upcoming conference with the House on the VA-HUD bill.

Ms. MIKULSKI. If I may respond----

Ms. MIKULSKI. I will claim 1 minute. I say to my colleagues from Arizona and Florida, first, on the cost overruns, Senator Bond and I absolutely agree. The space station is running a $4 billion overrun. We want to shake, rattle, and roll this culture of permissiveness with these overruns. We are trying to work with the administration to deal with it. While we are dealing with that, though, we want to ensure for each and every mission that we can send our astronauts into space and return them home safely and maintain our shuttle upgrades. I yield back whatever time is remaining.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, has all time expired?

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I move to table the McCain amendment, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I thank the leader very much for those kind words. I have a unanimous consent request, and then we will go to final passage. Once again, I thank Senator Bond and his staff and my staff for their cooperation. I also thank Senator Harry Reid who helped us move the amendment process. As you noticed, this bill had a minimum, and we are proud of our content and proud of our process. Amendment No. 1338

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I send the VA-HUD managers' amendment to the desk.

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

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, the amendment includes the Harkin amendment for a 1-year public housing agency, an Iowa issue; A Hollings amendment on earmark corrections; An Inouye amendment on the eligibility standards for mortgages for Hawaii homeland; A Lincoln-Hutchison amendment certifying the eligibility of HOME program funds project; A Torricelli amendment to conduct a study at VA on particular diseases; A Mikulski amendment clarifying a plan on HOPE VI; A Wellstone amendment preventing discrimination in the rental or sale of housing--a nondiscrimination provision; A Lott amendment to ensure that NASA-funded rocket propulsion testing is assigned according to existing procedures; A Dorgan amendment on funding for EPSCoR programs; A Conrad amendment on technical and other assistance for Turtle Mountain; A Dorgan amendment on the eligibility of North Dakota cemeteries; A Durbin amendment extending the comment period on this network 12 cares process by 60 days; A Kerry amendment on increasing funds for Youthbuild; And a Kyl amendment on the sense of the Senate that the Environment and Public Works Committee should report equitable clean water funding legislation. I ask unanimous consent that the managers' amendment be agreed to.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I ask the Senator from Alabama why he surprised us. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. MIKULSKI. So many of our communities are facing enormous funding needs to upgrade aging wastewater infrastructure, including Michigan communities, and we regret that we could not fund the new combined sewer overflow program within existing funding constraints. The Senator from Michigan's request will receive every appropriate consideration as we move forward.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I thank the distinguished assistant majority leader for his thoughtful words. I agree that the two matters you have brought to my attention are important and worthy. Senator Bond, our ranking member, and I will certainly work with the House conferees and consider these grant requests for funding. sewer infrastructure funding for michigan

Ms. MIKULSKI. I am concerned about the continued cost overruns on the space station and the lack of real urgency at NASA to really get the station budget under control. We have to send NASA a message that it cannot keep spending more and more money that is meant for other programs. The committee supports administration's objectives of reining in station cost growth, reforming program management to avoid cost overruns in the future, and creating an independent panel to validate the budget estimates and management reforms. The external review committee will present its recommendations this fall to address the space station funding problem. We are, necessarily, in a ``wait and see'' mode until NASA and OMB give us a new plan that will be the result of the independent external review. I agree that we should not take any action that would prevent the achievement of the original scientific mission of the station. Despite the space station funding challenge, the committee is committed to completing the station: one that is capable of supporting world-class research. But let me say, I will ensure that the space station problems do not threaten NASA's science programs. We can never shortchange safety or the science, and I'm afraid with the overruns we are going to be shortchanging science.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I wholeheartedly agree. We must complete this project. It is an investment in our children's future. This laboratory of the heavens will allow us to conduct research in tissue growth, looking at the causes of cancer and potential medical treatments. We are going to investigate new drugs, and develop a whole new understanding of the building blocks of life. Using the microgravity environment of space, our industries will develop new advanced materials that may lead to stronger, lighter metals and more powerful computer chips. The station will also house experiments in combustion science, that could lead to reduced emissions from power plants and automobiles, saving consumers billions of dollars. And these are just a few of the possibilities. At the same time, I am deeply disturbed about the recent cost overruns in the Space Station program. We have to find funds to complete the station, and as Chair of the VA-HUD Subcommittee, I attempted to balance this need with those of other programs within the agency.

Ms. MIKULSKI. The Senator is correct. The committee has endorsed the projects included in the bill's report. At the same time, I also recognize the need to support some of the priorities that were endorsed by the House. I plan to press for a marriage of the two bills during conference, combining the priorities of each Chamber. In fact, during this year's appropriations process, I have especially appreciated the input of Senator Nelson, as I believe that the combined interests of his constituents in Florida, and my own constituents in Maryland best represent the diversity of programs supported by NASA. Although programs in Florida largely focus on human space flight and supporting a robust commercial space industry, and programs in Maryland center around the remote sensing of Earth and exploring our own solar system, we both believe in doing everything we can to support a robust civilian space program for our Nation and the world. For this reason, I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Nelson and his staff in best representing the interests of both of our constituencies, as well as those of the rest of my colleagues.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, this amendment is simple and straightforward. It provides that FEMA disaster funding shall be available upon enactment of this bill. It means that when the President signs the VA-HUD conference report, which we hope will be in September, disaster funding will become immediately available without waiting until October 1. Why is this important? FEMA is down to $168 million as of yesterday that has not been allocated or distributed. Normally FEMA has a cushion of $1 billion during hurricane season. This is a very tough time of the year for many parts of our States for natural disasters. Coastal States are hurricane prone. We know the prairie States are prone to tornadoes now, and our Western States are prone to terrible fires. We want to be sure there is enough money for FEMA to respond. Therefore, in this bill we want to have a cushion. Yesterday, President Bush announced he was releasing $583 million to cover the cost of recovering from tropical storm Allison. We sure support that. As a result, there is now almost a zero balance in the contingency fund. This is far below what we need to prepare and respond. This is why Senator Bond and I are offering this amendment. We cannot be left unprepared, and upon completion of the remarks of my colleague, I will urge its adoption.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I don't know what we are going to do in the fall. I don't know what we are going to do in the Pentagon budget. I don't know what we are going to do on Labor-HHS appropriations related to busting the caps. I do know what we have done on VA-HUD. We have met the needs of America's veterans. We have done it in very important areas, from actual care to long-term care, to recruiting new personnel, to creating educational opportunities, to improving our cemeteries and also improving both major and minor construction. Make no mistake: When we vote on this bill, I need my colleagues to be clear. It is not, are you for or against the veterans? That would pass 100 to nothing. Of course we are for our veterans. It is not, are you for or against veterans health care? We, of course, are for veterans health care. That is why we worked so hard on this committee to add $1 billion more, $400 million over what the President initially thought he needed. This vote is, are you or are you not going to use the VA-HUD bill to break the budget caps. I don't want to get into geek-speak here about this cap or a feather in your cap. I am talking about ceilings that were placed on spending so that we could have fiscal responsibility, fiscal restraint, and at the same time move very important legislation and put much-needed funds in the Federal checkbook. A vote for Wellstone is a vote to break the caps. People might want to do that, but I want them to be very clear that that is what that is. The consequence of breaking the cap means it will put us into deficit. It will also put us right smack up against having to dip into Social Security and Medicare trust funds. I voted against the budget because I thought it was too tight. That was several months ago. I voted against the tax bill because I thought it was too lavish. But this is the hand that was dealt to us. I voiced opposition, as I know the excellent colleague from Minnesota has done. But we had an allocation. What does an allocation mean? It means we get a 302(b). That is geek-speak for saying this is the amount of money you can spend. If you go over it, you plunge the Nation into deficit, and it is going to take 60 Senators to do that if we raise a point of order. Let's be clear. This is not a vote about veterans health care. This is a vote about do we or do we not want to break the budget caps on this bill when, in fact, we have added a billion dollars more for veterans health care? I really oppose the Wellstone amendment, not because it doesn't meet a need but because it will cause us to go into deficit and to dip into these trust funds.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.