Barbara Mikulski

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the ``Educational Opportunity for All Act.'' The core of the American Dream is getting a college education and I want to make sure that every student has access to that dream. I want to help families who are trying to send their children to college and adults who are going back to school--for their first degree or their third. This $4,000 tuition tax credit will help students who are taking one night class at a community college to update their skills or four classes at a university to get their bachelor's degree. And my tax credit is refundable so it helps families who don't owe taxes. Our middle class families are stressed and stretched. Families in my State of Maryland are worried--they're worried about their jobs and they're terrified of losing their healthcare when costs keep ballooning. Many are holding down more than one job to make ends meet. They're racing from carpools to work and back again. But most of all, they don't know how they can afford to send their kids to college. And they want to know what we in the United States Senate are doing to help them. That's why I want to give every family sending a child to college a $4,000 per student per year tuition tax credit. My bill would give help to those who practice self help--the families who are working and saving to send their child to college or update their own skills. College tuition is on the rise across America. Tuition at the University of Maryland has increased by almost 40 percent since 2002. Tuition for Baltimore Community College rose by $300 in one year. The average total cost of going to a 4-year public college is $10,635 per year, including tuition, fees, room and board. University of Maryland will cost more than $15,000 for a full time undergraduate student who lives on campus. Financial Aid isn't keeping up with these rising costs. Pell Grants cover only 40 percent of average costs at 4-year public colleges. Twenty years ago, Pell Grants covered 80 percent of average costs. Our students are graduating with so much debt it's like their first mortgage. The average undergraduate student debt from college loans is almost $19,000. College is part of the American Dream; it shouldn't be part of the American financial nightmare. Families are looking for help. I'm sad to say, the President doesn't offer them much hope. The Republican budget has all the wrong priorities. President Bush proposed increasing the maximum Pell Grant by just $100 to $4,150. I want to double Pell Grants. Instead of easing the burden on middle class families, the Republican budget helps out big business cronies with lavish tax breaks while eating into Social Security and creating deficits as far as the eye can see. We need to do more to help middle class families afford college. We need to immediately increase the maximum Pell Grant to $4,500 and double it over the next 6 years. We need to make sure student loans are affordable. And we need a bigger tuition tax credit for the families stuck in the middle who aren't eligible for Pell Grants but still can't afford college. A $4,000 refundable tax credit for tuition will go a long way. It will give middle class families some relief by helping the first-time student at our 4-year institutions like University of Maryland and the mid-career student at our terrific community colleges. A $4,000 tax credit would be 60 percent of the tuition at Maryland and enough to cover the cost of tuition at most community colleges. My bill would help make college affordable for everyone. College education is more important than ever: 40 percent of new jobs in the next 10 years will require post-secondary education. College is important to families and it's important to our economy. To compete in the global economy, we need to make sure all our children have 21st century skills for 21st century jobs. And the benefits of education help not just the individual but society as a whole. To have a safer America and a stronger economy, we need to have a smarter America. We need to invest in our human capital to create a world class workforce. That means making a college education affordable. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the ``Educational Opportunity for All Act.'' The core of the American Dream is getting a college education and I want to make sure that every student has access to that dream. I want to help families who are trying to send their children to college and adults who are going back to school--for their first degree or their third. This $4,000 tuition tax credit will help students who are taking one night class at a community college to update their skills or four classes at a university to get their bachelor's degree. And my tax credit is refundable so it helps families who don't owe taxes. Our middle class families are stressed and stretched. Families in my State of Maryland are worried--they're worried about their jobs and they're terrified of losing their healthcare when costs keep ballooning. Many are holding down more than one job to make ends meet. They're racing from carpools to work and back again. But most of all, they don't know how they can afford to send their kids to college. And they want to know what we in the United States Senate are doing to help them. That's why I want to give every family sending a child to college a $4,000 per student per year tuition tax credit. My bill would give help to those who practice self help--the families who are working and saving to send their child to college or update their own skills. College tuition is on the rise across America. Tuition at the University of Maryland has increased by almost 40 percent since 2002. Tuition for Baltimore Community College rose by $300 in one year. The average total cost of going to a 4-year public college is $10,635 per year, including tuition, fees, room and board. University of Maryland will cost more than $15,000 for a full time undergraduate student who lives on campus. Financial Aid isn't keeping up with these rising costs. Pell Grants cover only 40 percent of average costs at 4-year public colleges. Twenty years ago, Pell Grants covered 80 percent of average costs. Our students are graduating with so much debt it's like their first mortgage. The average undergraduate student debt from college loans is almost $19,000. College is part of the American Dream; it shouldn't be part of the American financial nightmare. Families are looking for help. I'm sad to say, the President doesn't offer them much hope. The Republican budget has all the wrong priorities. President Bush proposed increasing the maximum Pell Grant by just $100 to $4,150. I want to double Pell Grants. Instead of easing the burden on middle class families, the Republican budget helps out big business cronies with lavish tax breaks while eating into Social Security and creating deficits as far as the eye can see. We need to do more to help middle class families afford college. We need to immediately increase the maximum Pell Grant to $4,500 and double it over the next 6 years. We need to make sure student loans are affordable. And we need a bigger tuition tax credit for the families stuck in the middle who aren't eligible for Pell Grants but still can't afford college. A $4,000 refundable tax credit for tuition will go a long way. It will give middle class families some relief by helping the first-time student at our 4-year institutions like University of Maryland and the mid-career student at our terrific community colleges. A $4,000 tax credit would be 60 percent of the tuition at Maryland and enough to cover the cost of tuition at most community colleges. My bill would help make college affordable for everyone. College education is more important than ever: 40 percent of new jobs in the next 10 years will require post-secondary education. College is important to families and it's important to our economy. To compete in the global economy, we need to make sure all our children have 21st century skills for 21st century jobs. And the benefits of education help not just the individual but society as a whole. To have a safer America and a stronger economy, we need to have a smarter America. We need to invest in our human capital to create a world class workforce. That means making a college education affordable. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. I rise to introduce the Women's Health Office Act with my colleague, Senator Olympia Snowe. The Women's Health Office Act authorizes and strengthens women's health offices or officers at Federal health agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services. This legislation will make sure that men and women get equal benefit from Federal investments in medical research and health care services. Today, doctors, scientists, Members of Congress, and the American public know that women and men have different bodies and different health care needs. Diseases like ovarian cancer and endometriosis affect only women. Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men and according to some estimates, half of all women over 50 will fracture a bone because of osteoporosis in her lifetime. Despite these differences, men's health needs have set the standard for our health care system and our health care research agenda. Women have been systematically excluded from medical research because decision-makers said that our hormone cycles complicated the results. One study on heart disease risk factors was conducted on 13,000 men-- and not one women. But the results of studies like these were applied to both men and women. This neglect puts women's health and lives at risk. That's why my colleagues and I took action. More than a decade ago, I worked with Olympia Snowe, Ted Kennedy, Tom Harkin, and other women in the House to get an Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health, NIH. In 1993, I worked with these same women and Galahads in Congress to make sure that the women's health office would stay at NIH by putting it into law. This office at NIH has made a real difference in how women are treated for certain illnesses. We now know that men and women often have different symptoms before a heart attack. Women's symptoms are more subtle, like nausea and back pain. Knowing these symptoms means women can get to the hospital sooner and can be treated earlier. That's turning women's health research into life-saving information. I am proud that there are now women's health offices or officers at nearly every federal health agency at the Department of Health and Human Services. Like the one at NIH, women's health offices mean that women's health needs are always at the table. These offices at the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, and the Health Resources and Services Administration, HRSA, make sure women are included in clinical drug trials, reach out to low-income and minority women to make sure they are getting vaccines and cancer screenings, and work with health care providers to put research on women's health into practice. Recent questions about the risks and benefits of mammography and hormone replacement therapy remind us that women's health offices are as important as ever. Right now, many of these offices--and the important work they do-- could be eliminated or cut back without the consent of Congress. That is why this bill is so important. This bill would put women's health offices into our nation's lawbooks. The Women's Health Office Act does more than protect the status quo. It keeps us moving forward on women's health. It gives women's health offices a clear, consistent framework throughout the department. By writing them into law, it gives women's health offices the stature they need to be strong, effective advocates for women's health within the Federal Government. This legislation coordinates women's health activities within each agency, to identify needs and set goals. The Women's Health Office Act centralizes overall coordination throughout the Department of Health and Human Services, to clarify lines of accountability and chart a clear course on women's health. Finally, it authorizes funding for these women's health offices or officers, to make sure that we put our nation's priorities in the federal checkbook as well as the Federal lawbooks. I would like to thank Senator Olympia Snowe for leading the way on this important legislation. As Dean of the Senate women, I will continue to fight to get this bill signed into law and to make progress to improve the health of American women.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. I rise to introduce the Women's Health Office Act with my colleague, Senator Olympia Snowe. The Women's Health Office Act authorizes and strengthens women's health offices or officers at Federal health agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services. This legislation will make sure that men and women get equal benefit from Federal investments in medical research and health care services. Today, doctors, scientists, Members of Congress, and the American public know that women and men have different bodies and different health care needs. Diseases like ovarian cancer and endometriosis affect only women. Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men and according to some estimates, half of all women over 50 will fracture a bone because of osteoporosis in her lifetime. Despite these differences, men's health needs have set the standard for our health care system and our health care research agenda. Women have been systematically excluded from medical research because decision-makers said that our hormone cycles complicated the results. One study on heart disease risk factors was conducted on 13,000 men-- and not one women. But the results of studies like these were applied to both men and women. This neglect puts women's health and lives at risk. That's why my colleagues and I took action. More than a decade ago, I worked with Olympia Snowe, Ted Kennedy, Tom Harkin, and other women in the House to get an Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health, NIH. In 1993, I worked with these same women and Galahads in Congress to make sure that the women's health office would stay at NIH by putting it into law. This office at NIH has made a real difference in how women are treated for certain illnesses. We now know that men and women often have different symptoms before a heart attack. Women's symptoms are more subtle, like nausea and back pain. Knowing these symptoms means women can get to the hospital sooner and can be treated earlier. That's turning women's health research into life-saving information. I am proud that there are now women's health offices or officers at nearly every federal health agency at the Department of Health and Human Services. Like the one at NIH, women's health offices mean that women's health needs are always at the table. These offices at the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, and the Health Resources and Services Administration, HRSA, make sure women are included in clinical drug trials, reach out to low-income and minority women to make sure they are getting vaccines and cancer screenings, and work with health care providers to put research on women's health into practice. Recent questions about the risks and benefits of mammography and hormone replacement therapy remind us that women's health offices are as important as ever. Right now, many of these offices--and the important work they do-- could be eliminated or cut back without the consent of Congress. That is why this bill is so important. This bill would put women's health offices into our nation's lawbooks. The Women's Health Office Act does more than protect the status quo. It keeps us moving forward on women's health. It gives women's health offices a clear, consistent framework throughout the department. By writing them into law, it gives women's health offices the stature they need to be strong, effective advocates for women's health within the Federal Government. This legislation coordinates women's health activities within each agency, to identify needs and set goals. The Women's Health Office Act centralizes overall coordination throughout the Department of Health and Human Services, to clarify lines of accountability and chart a clear course on women's health. Finally, it authorizes funding for these women's health offices or officers, to make sure that we put our nation's priorities in the federal checkbook as well as the Federal lawbooks. I would like to thank Senator Olympia Snowe for leading the way on this important legislation. As Dean of the Senate women, I will continue to fight to get this bill signed into law and to make progress to improve the health of American women.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to join Senator Bunning to introduce this important bill to make sure that Medicaid patients have access to care provided by podiatrists. This bill ensures that Medicaid patients across the country can get services provided by podiatrists. This is a simple, common sense bill. This legislation includes podiatric physicians in Medicaid's definition of physician. This means that the services of podiatrists will be covered by Medicaid, just like they are in Medicare. Podiatrists are considered physicians under Medicare. They should be under Medicaid. Medicaid covers necessary foot and ankle care services. Medicaid should allow podiatrists who are trained specifically in foot and ankle care to provide these services and be reimbursed for them. The services of podiatrists are considered optional under Medicaid. Currently, most state Medicaid programs, including Maryland, recognize and reimburse podiatrists for providing foot and ankle care to their beneficiaries. However, during times of tight budgets, states may choose to cut back on these optional services. Recently, Connecticut, and Texas discontinued podiatric services. Even though podiatrist services are considered optional, Medicaid patients need foot and ankle care. If podiatrists do not provide the care, patients will see providers who may not be as well trained in the care of the lower extremities as podiatrists. I want the over 560,000 Medicaid patients in Maryland to have access to the services provided by over 400 podiatrists in Maryland. Podiatrists receive special training on the foot, ankle, and lower leg. They play an important role in the recognition of systemic diseases like diabetes, and in the recognition and treatment of peripheral neuropathy, a frequent cause of diabetic foot wounds that can often lead to preventable lower extremity amputations. Over 18 million people in this country have diabetes, but an estimated more than 5 million of these people are not aware that they have the disease. The President's budget challenges Congress to make major cuts to Medicaid--up to $60 billion. Covering podiatrists may be, in fact, a cost cutting measure. Ensuring Medicaid patient access to podiatrists will save Medicaid funds in the long term. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, 75 percent of Americans will experience some type of foot health problem during their lives. Foot disease is the most common complication of diabetes leading to hospitalization. About 82,000 people have diabetes-related leg, foot, or toe amputations each year. Foot care programs with regular examinations and patient education could prevent up to 85 percent of these amputations. Podiatrists are important providers of this care. This bill will make sure that Medicaid patients across the country have access to care provided by podiatrists. It has the support of the American Podiatric Medical Association. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important legislation.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to join Senator Bunning to introduce this important bill to make sure that Medicaid patients have access to care provided by podiatrists. This bill ensures that Medicaid patients across the country can get services provided by podiatrists. This is a simple, common sense bill. This legislation includes podiatric physicians in Medicaid's definition of physician. This means that the services of podiatrists will be covered by Medicaid, just like they are in Medicare. Podiatrists are considered physicians under Medicare. They should be under Medicaid. Medicaid covers necessary foot and ankle care services. Medicaid should allow podiatrists who are trained specifically in foot and ankle care to provide these services and be reimbursed for them. The services of podiatrists are considered optional under Medicaid. Currently, most state Medicaid programs, including Maryland, recognize and reimburse podiatrists for providing foot and ankle care to their beneficiaries. However, during times of tight budgets, states may choose to cut back on these optional services. Recently, Connecticut, and Texas discontinued podiatric services. Even though podiatrist services are considered optional, Medicaid patients need foot and ankle care. If podiatrists do not provide the care, patients will see providers who may not be as well trained in the care of the lower extremities as podiatrists. I want the over 560,000 Medicaid patients in Maryland to have access to the services provided by over 400 podiatrists in Maryland. Podiatrists receive special training on the foot, ankle, and lower leg. They play an important role in the recognition of systemic diseases like diabetes, and in the recognition and treatment of peripheral neuropathy, a frequent cause of diabetic foot wounds that can often lead to preventable lower extremity amputations. Over 18 million people in this country have diabetes, but an estimated more than 5 million of these people are not aware that they have the disease. The President's budget challenges Congress to make major cuts to Medicaid--up to $60 billion. Covering podiatrists may be, in fact, a cost cutting measure. Ensuring Medicaid patient access to podiatrists will save Medicaid funds in the long term. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, 75 percent of Americans will experience some type of foot health problem during their lives. Foot disease is the most common complication of diabetes leading to hospitalization. About 82,000 people have diabetes-related leg, foot, or toe amputations each year. Foot care programs with regular examinations and patient education could prevent up to 85 percent of these amputations. Podiatrists are important providers of this care. This bill will make sure that Medicaid patients across the country have access to care provided by podiatrists. It has the support of the American Podiatric Medical Association. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important legislation.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the ``Community College Opportunity Act.'' Community colleges are the gateway to the future--for first time students looking for an affordable college education, and for mid-career students looking to get ahead in the workplace. As college tuition at four-year colleges continues to rise, more and more students are turning to community colleges for the education they need to prepare for 21st century jobs. Yet soon we may not be able to count on our community colleges being available to everyone. The combination of budget cuts and increased enrollments is forcing community colleges to make tough choices-- between raising tuition and turning students away. This important legislation will help keep the doors of our community colleges open to increasing numbers of students without sending tuition through the roof. My bill authorizes $500 million for a competitive grant program to help community colleges serve more students. Community colleges could apply for a grant to help with the cost of constructing or renovating facilities, hiring faculty, purchasing new computers and scientific equipment, and investing in creative ways of addressing overcrowding-- like distance learning. Why is this important? Community colleges are one of the great American social inventions. I used to teach night school at Baltimore City Community College. I know firsthand the vital role they play in our communities. Their low cost, convenient location, and open door admissions policy have made them the key to the American dream for so many. Many generations of immigrants pursued the American dream by working all day and going to night school at night. After World War II, the GI bill gave returning veterans a chance to get ahead by going to local junior colleges. Now, more than ever, it's important to invest in community colleges. In the next ten years, 40 percent of new jobs will require college education. At the same time, college tuition is on the rise. Tuition at the University of Maryland is up by as much as 32 percent. That's causing many students to take a second look at community colleges because they're more affordable. They're also leaders in training workers for 21st century jobs--from nurses to computer techies, and even lab techs for new industries, like biotechnology. They're playing a key role in addressing shortages in nursing and teaching. In Maryland, community colleges train 55 percent of new nurses. Yet our community colleges are bursting at the seams. They're growing faster than 4-year colleges. Enrollment at Maryland's community colleges is expected to grow 30 percent in the next 10 years, while 4- year colleges will grow by 15 percent. Community colleges are holding classes from 7 in the morning to 10 at night, on weekends, and over the internet. In my own State of Maryland, they are starting to turn students away because there isn't enough room. Almost 1,000 students were shut out of Montgomery College last spring because they couldn't get into the classes they needed or they couldn't afford the cost. Prince George's Community College had to turn away 630 prospective nursing students and 1,000 prospective education students. It's great that so many Americans are going to community colleges. For so many Americans, community colleges are the only way to get the education they need to be competitive for 21st century jobs. Yet the rapid increase of students is threatening the very mission of community colleges. If we want a world-class workforce, we need to invest in higher education. We need to make sure we always have institutions available to everyone who wants a college degree--or just a couple of courses. That means investing in our community colleges, so they can continue to be affordable, accessible, and successful at training the next generation of nurses, teachers, and techies. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to continue the fight to right a wrong in America's visa program. I believe it's time for America to extend the Visa Waiver program to Poland. I'm pleased to have formed a bipartisan partnership with Senator Santorum to reintroduce our bill to get it done. Last fall, Senator Santorum and I met with a hero of the Cold War, Lech Walesa. When he jumped over the wall of the Gdansk shipyard, he took Poland and the whole world with him. He told us that the visa issue is a question of honor for Poland. That day, we introduced a bill to once again stand in solidarity with the father of Solidarity by extending the Visa Waiver program to Poland. This morning, I had the honor of hosting Poland's Foreign Minister, Professor Adam Rotfeld. We reaffirmed and cemented the close ties between the Polish and American peoples. Senator Santorum and I heard loud and clear that the visa waiver program remains a high priority for Poland. My friends, Poland is not some Communist holdover or third-world country begging for a handout. The Cold War is over. Poland is a free and democratic nation. Poland is a NATO ally and a member of the European Union. But America's visa policy still treats Poland as a second-class citizen. That is just wrong. Poland is a reliable ally, not just by treaty but in deeds. Warsaw hosted an international Conference on Combating Terrorism less than two months after the September 11 attacks. Poland continues to modernize its Armed Forces so they can operate with the Armed Forces of the U.S. and other NATO allies, buying American F-16s and Shadow UAVs and humvees. More importantly, Polish troops have stood side by side with America's Armed Forces. Polish ships participated in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the 1990-91 Gulf War. Poland sent troops to Bosnia as part of UNPROFOR and IFOR. Poland sent troops as part of the international coalition in Afghanistan. Polish troops fought alongside American and British and Australian troops from day one of the Iraq war. They are there because they want to be reliable allies. Because they are ready to stand with us even when the mission is risky and unpopular. Today, Poland still commands multinational forces in the South Central region of Iraq. Nearly 2,500 Polish troops are still on the ground in Iraq, sharing the burden and the risk and the casualties. So why are Singapore and San Marino among the 27 countries in the Visa Waiver program, but Poland is not? President Kwasniewski raised this issue with President Bush last year and again this week. The President has said this is a matter for Congress. It's time for us to act. The bill Senator Santorum and I are introducing today will add Poland to the list of designated countries in the Visa Waiver program. That will allow Polish citizens to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for up to sixty days without needing to stand in line to get a visa. That means it will be easier for Poles to visit family and friends or do business in America. Shouldn't we make it easier for the Pulaskis and Kosciuszkos and Marie Curies of today to visit our country? We know that our borders will be no less secure because of these Polish visitors to our country. But we know that our alliance will be more secure because of this legislation. I urge our colleagues to join us in support of this important bill.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce legislation that is desperately needed by small and seasonal businesses all over the Nation. These businesses are in crisis. They need seasonal workers before the summer so that they can survive. For many years they have relied on the H2B Visa program to meet these needs, but this year they can't get the temporary labor they need because they have been shut out of the H-2B visa program. That program lets them hire temporary foreign workers when no American workers are available. So today, I join with my colleague Senator Gregg to introduce legislation that provides a quick fix to the H-2B problem. The ``Save our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act'' will help these employers by doing three things--temporarily exempting good actor workers from the H-2B cap, protecting against fraud in the H-2B program and providing a fair and balanced allocation system for H-2B visas. I urge my colleagues to work with us to pass this legislation quickly to save these businesses and the thousands of American jobs they provide. Many in this body know about the H-2B crisis. All this week we have been talking about the litigation crisis--but a real crisis to thousands of small and seasonal businesses is the worker shortage they face as they approach the summer season. These small businesses count on the H-2B Visa Program to keep their businesses afloat. And this year, because the cap of 66,000 was reached so early in the year, many of these businesses will be unable to get the seasonal workers that they need to survive. Hitting the cap so early has had a great impact on Maryland. We have a lot of summer seasonal businesses in Maryland, on the Eastern Shore, in Ocean City or working the Chesapeake Bay. Many of our businesses use the program year after year. They hire all the American workers they can find, but they need additional help to meet seasonal demands. Because the cap was reached so early this year, for the second year in a row, summer employers face a disadvantage. They can't use the program, so they can't meet their seasonal needs and many will be forced to limit services, lay-off permanent U.S. workers or, worse yet, close their doors. These are family businesses and small businesses in small communities in Maryland. If the business suffers the whole community suffers. For seafood companies like J.M. Clayton, what they do is more than a business, it's a way of life. Started over a century ago and run by the great grandsons of the founder, J.M. Clayton works the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, supplying crabs, crabmeat and other seafood, including Maryland's famous oysters, to restaurants, markets, and wholesalers allover the Nation. It is the oldest working crab processing plant in the world and by employing 65 H-2B workers the company can retain over 30 full-time American workers. But its not just seafood companies that have a long history on the Eastern Shore. It's companies like S.E.W. Friel Cannery, which began its business over 100 years ago when there were 300 canneries on the Eastern Shore. But now those others are gone and Friel's is the last corn cannery left. Ten years ago, when the cannery could not find local workers, it turned to the new H-2B Visa Program. It has used the program every year since, and many workers are repeat users who come each year and then go home after the season. What's important is that having this help each year has not only allowed the company to maintain its American workforce, but it has paved the way for local workers to return to the cannery. They now employ 75 full time and 190 seasonal workers, along with 70 farmers and additional suppliers. Now these employers can't just turn to the H-2B program whenever they want seasonal workers. First, employers must try to vigorously recruit U.S. workers. They must demonstrate to the Department of Labor that there are no U.S. workers available. Only after that are they allowed to fill seasonal vacancies with H-2B visa workers. The workers that they bring in often participate in the H-2B program year after year. They often work for the same companies. But they cannot and do not stay in the U.S. They return to their home countries, to their families and their U.S. employer must go through the whole visa process again the following year to get them back. That means an employer must prove again to the Department of Labor that they cannot get U.S. workers. This legislative fix keeps that visa process in place. It's a short- term legislative fix to solve the immediate H-2B visa shortage. It does not take the place of comprehensive immigration reform. This legislation is a temporary two year fix. And it does four things: One, it exempts returning seasonal workers from the cap. These are workers who have already successfully participated in the H-2B Visa Program. They received a visa in one of the past three years and have returned home to their families after their seasonal employment with a U.S. company. Everyone must still play by the rules. Employers must go through the whole visa process, prove they need the seasonal help and only after that are returning employees exempt from the cap. Employees must be those who have left the U.S. and are requesting a new H-2B visa to come back for another season. This new system rewards those who have played by the rules, worked hard and successfully participated in the program. And the bill gives a helping hand to businesses by allowing them to retain workers who they have already trained to do their seasonal jobs. Next, this bill creates new anti-fraud provisions. To make sure that everyone is playing by the rules and that no one is misusing the program. And it gives government some teeth to prevent fraud and enforce our nation's immigration laws. A $150 anti-fraud fee ensures that government agencies processing the H-2B visas will get added resources to detect and prevent fraud. New sanction provisions for those who misrepresent facts on a petition further strengthens DHS's enforcement power. This section also sends a strong message to employers--don't play games with U.S. jobs. Our bill reserves the highest penalties for employer actions which harm U.S. workers. And, this bill creates a fair allocation of visas. Now, summer employers lose out because winter employers get all the visas. This bill makes the system fair for all employers. We reserve half of the visas for the winter and half for the summer. Allocating visas ensures that, until a long-term solution is reached, all employers will have an equal chance of getting the workers that they need. Finally, the bill adds some simple reporting requirements. So that DHS gives Congress the information it needs to make informed decisions about the H-2B visa program in the future. This is a quick and simple fix. It lasts just 2 years--the rest of this year and next. And it does not get in the way of comprehensive immigration reform. I worked with my colleagues to get a bill with strong bipartisan support, a bill that would work. This bill is realistic. It provides a temporary solution because immediate action is needed to help these small and seasonal businesses stay in business. Yes, we need to help them now. Their seasons start soon. And if they don't get seasonal workers this year, there may not be any businesses around next year to help. Every Member of the Senate who has heard from their constituents-- whether they are seafood processors, landscapers, resorts, timber companies, fisheries, pool companies or carnivals--knows the urgency in their voices, knows the immediacy of the problem and knows that the Congress must act now to save these businesses. I urge my colleagues to join this effort, support the Save our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act, and push this Congress to fix the problem today.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce legislation that is desperately needed by small and seasonal businesses all over the Nation. These businesses are in crisis. They need seasonal workers before the summer so that they can survive. For many years they have relied on the H2B Visa program to meet these needs, but this year they can't get the temporary labor they need because they have been shut out of the H-2B visa program. That program lets them hire temporary foreign workers when no American workers are available. So today, I join with my colleague Senator Gregg to introduce legislation that provides a quick fix to the H-2B problem. The ``Save our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act'' will help these employers by doing three things--temporarily exempting good actor workers from the H-2B cap, protecting against fraud in the H-2B program and providing a fair and balanced allocation system for H-2B visas. I urge my colleagues to work with us to pass this legislation quickly to save these businesses and the thousands of American jobs they provide. Many in this body know about the H-2B crisis. All this week we have been talking about the litigation crisis--but a real crisis to thousands of small and seasonal businesses is the worker shortage they face as they approach the summer season. These small businesses count on the H-2B Visa Program to keep their businesses afloat. And this year, because the cap of 66,000 was reached so early in the year, many of these businesses will be unable to get the seasonal workers that they need to survive. Hitting the cap so early has had a great impact on Maryland. We have a lot of summer seasonal businesses in Maryland, on the Eastern Shore, in Ocean City or working the Chesapeake Bay. Many of our businesses use the program year after year. They hire all the American workers they can find, but they need additional help to meet seasonal demands. Because the cap was reached so early this year, for the second year in a row, summer employers face a disadvantage. They can't use the program, so they can't meet their seasonal needs and many will be forced to limit services, lay-off permanent U.S. workers or, worse yet, close their doors. These are family businesses and small businesses in small communities in Maryland. If the business suffers the whole community suffers. For seafood companies like J.M. Clayton, what they do is more than a business, it's a way of life. Started over a century ago and run by the great grandsons of the founder, J.M. Clayton works the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, supplying crabs, crabmeat and other seafood, including Maryland's famous oysters, to restaurants, markets, and wholesalers allover the Nation. It is the oldest working crab processing plant in the world and by employing 65 H-2B workers the company can retain over 30 full-time American workers. But its not just seafood companies that have a long history on the Eastern Shore. It's companies like S.E.W. Friel Cannery, which began its business over 100 years ago when there were 300 canneries on the Eastern Shore. But now those others are gone and Friel's is the last corn cannery left. Ten years ago, when the cannery could not find local workers, it turned to the new H-2B Visa Program. It has used the program every year since, and many workers are repeat users who come each year and then go home after the season. What's important is that having this help each year has not only allowed the company to maintain its American workforce, but it has paved the way for local workers to return to the cannery. They now employ 75 full time and 190 seasonal workers, along with 70 farmers and additional suppliers. Now these employers can't just turn to the H-2B program whenever they want seasonal workers. First, employers must try to vigorously recruit U.S. workers. They must demonstrate to the Department of Labor that there are no U.S. workers available. Only after that are they allowed to fill seasonal vacancies with H-2B visa workers. The workers that they bring in often participate in the H-2B program year after year. They often work for the same companies. But they cannot and do not stay in the U.S. They return to their home countries, to their families and their U.S. employer must go through the whole visa process again the following year to get them back. That means an employer must prove again to the Department of Labor that they cannot get U.S. workers. This legislative fix keeps that visa process in place. It's a short- term legislative fix to solve the immediate H-2B visa shortage. It does not take the place of comprehensive immigration reform. This legislation is a temporary two year fix. And it does four things: One, it exempts returning seasonal workers from the cap. These are workers who have already successfully participated in the H-2B Visa Program. They received a visa in one of the past three years and have returned home to their families after their seasonal employment with a U.S. company. Everyone must still play by the rules. Employers must go through the whole visa process, prove they need the seasonal help and only after that are returning employees exempt from the cap. Employees must be those who have left the U.S. and are requesting a new H-2B visa to come back for another season. This new system rewards those who have played by the rules, worked hard and successfully participated in the program. And the bill gives a helping hand to businesses by allowing them to retain workers who they have already trained to do their seasonal jobs. Next, this bill creates new anti-fraud provisions. To make sure that everyone is playing by the rules and that no one is misusing the program. And it gives government some teeth to prevent fraud and enforce our nation's immigration laws. A $150 anti-fraud fee ensures that government agencies processing the H-2B visas will get added resources to detect and prevent fraud. New sanction provisions for those who misrepresent facts on a petition further strengthens DHS's enforcement power. This section also sends a strong message to employers--don't play games with U.S. jobs. Our bill reserves the highest penalties for employer actions which harm U.S. workers. And, this bill creates a fair allocation of visas. Now, summer employers lose out because winter employers get all the visas. This bill makes the system fair for all employers. We reserve half of the visas for the winter and half for the summer. Allocating visas ensures that, until a long-term solution is reached, all employers will have an equal chance of getting the workers that they need. Finally, the bill adds some simple reporting requirements. So that DHS gives Congress the information it needs to make informed decisions about the H-2B visa program in the future. This is a quick and simple fix. It lasts just 2 years--the rest of this year and next. And it does not get in the way of comprehensive immigration reform. I worked with my colleagues to get a bill with strong bipartisan support, a bill that would work. This bill is realistic. It provides a temporary solution because immediate action is needed to help these small and seasonal businesses stay in business. Yes, we need to help them now. Their seasons start soon. And if they don't get seasonal workers this year, there may not be any businesses around next year to help. Every Member of the Senate who has heard from their constituents-- whether they are seafood processors, landscapers, resorts, timber companies, fisheries, pool companies or carnivals--knows the urgency in their voices, knows the immediacy of the problem and knows that the Congress must act now to save these businesses. I urge my colleagues to join this effort, support the Save our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act, and push this Congress to fix the problem today.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to continue the fight to right a wrong in America's visa program. I believe it's time for America to extend the Visa Waiver program to Poland. I'm pleased to have formed a bipartisan partnership with Senator Santorum to reintroduce our bill to get it done. Last fall, Senator Santorum and I met with a hero of the Cold War, Lech Walesa. When he jumped over the wall of the Gdansk shipyard, he took Poland and the whole world with him. He told us that the visa issue is a question of honor for Poland. That day, we introduced a bill to once again stand in solidarity with the father of Solidarity by extending the Visa Waiver program to Poland. This morning, I had the honor of hosting Poland's Foreign Minister, Professor Adam Rotfeld. We reaffirmed and cemented the close ties between the Polish and American peoples. Senator Santorum and I heard loud and clear that the visa waiver program remains a high priority for Poland. My friends, Poland is not some Communist holdover or third-world country begging for a handout. The Cold War is over. Poland is a free and democratic nation. Poland is a NATO ally and a member of the European Union. But America's visa policy still treats Poland as a second-class citizen. That is just wrong. Poland is a reliable ally, not just by treaty but in deeds. Warsaw hosted an international Conference on Combating Terrorism less than two months after the September 11 attacks. Poland continues to modernize its Armed Forces so they can operate with the Armed Forces of the U.S. and other NATO allies, buying American F-16s and Shadow UAVs and humvees. More importantly, Polish troops have stood side by side with America's Armed Forces. Polish ships participated in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the 1990-91 Gulf War. Poland sent troops to Bosnia as part of UNPROFOR and IFOR. Poland sent troops as part of the international coalition in Afghanistan. Polish troops fought alongside American and British and Australian troops from day one of the Iraq war. They are there because they want to be reliable allies. Because they are ready to stand with us even when the mission is risky and unpopular. Today, Poland still commands multinational forces in the South Central region of Iraq. Nearly 2,500 Polish troops are still on the ground in Iraq, sharing the burden and the risk and the casualties. So why are Singapore and San Marino among the 27 countries in the Visa Waiver program, but Poland is not? President Kwasniewski raised this issue with President Bush last year and again this week. The President has said this is a matter for Congress. It's time for us to act. The bill Senator Santorum and I are introducing today will add Poland to the list of designated countries in the Visa Waiver program. That will allow Polish citizens to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for up to sixty days without needing to stand in line to get a visa. That means it will be easier for Poles to visit family and friends or do business in America. Shouldn't we make it easier for the Pulaskis and Kosciuszkos and Marie Curies of today to visit our country? We know that our borders will be no less secure because of these Polish visitors to our country. But we know that our alliance will be more secure because of this legislation. I urge our colleagues to join us in support of this important bill.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that morning business be extended 10 minutes, equally divided between the majority and minority.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I now yield 7 minutes to the Senator from New York State, Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a long champion of the rights of women, and the rights of the elderly.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I yield 1 minute to the Senator from Rhode Island. I understand the Chaplain is a constituent of his.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, as the senior Democratic woman of the Senate, I rise to tell my colleagues today that we, the Democratic women of the Senate, want to take the floor together and unanimously stand up for Social Security. We want to stand up for American families, stand up for American children, and stand up against the dismemberment of Social Security. This morning my colleagues will see all of us taking the floor to speak with passion, to speak with fortitude, to say that no matter what happens in the legislative days ahead, the outcome will be that Social Security will always be a guaranteed benefit and not a guaranteed gamble. When one gets old and they are sick, there are not many things they can count on but they should be able to count on Social Security. Our seniors' retirement should never rely on the bull of political promises or the bear of the market. We women are at risk, and that is why we want a guaranteed benefit, not a guaranteed gamble. We, the women, know the odds. We know that Social Security cannot be slot machine Social Security, that when one pulls the lever they get a lemon instead of three gold bars. All of our lives we have been placed in the penalty box just because of who we are. We earn less money than men, and we often work at jobs less likely to have a pension. We are in and out of the marketplace because of family responsibilities. We live longer, and the consequences are when we retire we get less. Social Security is a great equalizer and we want to be out of the penalty box and be in a guaranteed benefit box. Right now, even in the debate we are already getting ready to face discrimination. Chairman Thomas of the Ways and Means Committee said because women live longer, maybe our benefits should be reduced. That is outrageous. I thought we were all created equal under the Constitution, and we should all be treated equal under Social Security. I am taking a position, along with my women Democratic colleagues, that we will not support a plan that does not provide a guaranteed, inflation-proof, lifelong benefit. We, the Democratic women of the Senate, have certain criteria as this debate goes forward: Preserve Social Security's guaranteed lifetime inflation benefit; preserve Social Security for workers when they are disabled and for workers' spouses and children when they are disabled; and protect against the impoverishment of women by maintaining Social Security's benefit structure. Social Security provides a minimum floor against dire circumstances and that is part of the social insurance. When we talk about a guaranteed benefit, not a guaranteed gamble, it is very clear why. Today we know our benefits are benefits we can count on. We do not have to worry about whether the stock market doing well. We do not have to worry about did we make investments, do we know bonds and stocks and indexes? What we do know is this is the guaranteed benefit. All other private savings, private pensions, are built around it. Social Security is the anchor tenet. Let us not eliminate it. When we talk about why we need a lifetime benefit, I am concerned about the gimmicks and proposals that are being made now that people could outlive their savings. The great thing about Social Security is one cannot outlive Social Security. It is theirs until the day they die. One can outlive their IRA or their savings, but they can never outlive Social Security. This is an important anchor, particularly because we women live longer. The plan must be inflation proof. Today, Social Security does not penalize for living longer. We women live longer and we need an adequate cost-of-living increase. When one retires in 2030, they cannot have an income that has been pegged at 1990. That is why it has to be inflation proof. So we, the democratic women of the Senate, will not support any reform that takes us backward, instead of forward. We will use a checklist we developed to ensure that bad things do not happen to women and families in the name of improvements to Social Security. To have our support, any changes to Social Security must be able to answer these questions: Does the plan preserve Social Security's guaranteed, lifetime, inflation-protected benefits? Does the plan preserve Social Security's protections for workers when they are disabled, as well as when they retire, and for workers' spouses and children when workers are disabled, retire, or die? Does the plan protect against impoverishment of women by maintaining Social Security's progressive benefit structure? Does the plan strengthen the financing of the Social Security system while ensuring that women and other economically disadvantaged groups are protected to the greatest degree possible? These principles are the promises of Social Security we will fight to protect. We must keep the ``security'' in Social Security. It must be a guaranteed benefit, not a guaranteed gamble. Now let me talk about why these principles are so important and why privatization will specifically hurt women. This checklist is important because Social Security is the primary, or only, income for retired women, disabled workers and their families, working families in retirement who usually do not have access to a pension or other retirement and spouses of retired workers. First, we need to preserve Social Security's, guaranteed, lifetime, inflation-proof benefits. The plan must be a guarantee. Today you know what your benefits are. You know what you can count on. It is guaranteed. We do not have to worry if the stock market is doing well. We do not have to worry if we invested wisely. We do not have to worry if our husbands planned well. We do not have to worry if we suddenly become disabled that we will also suddenly be poor. The benefit is there for us. It must be a guarantee. The plan must last for our whole lifetime. People are terrified that they will outlive their savings. Any proposed plan must guarantee you cannot outlive your Social Security benefit. You can outlive your IRA. You can outlive your savings. But we must guarantee that you will never be able to outlive your Social Security. This is especially important for women. Women live longer than men. But you must never, ever be able to outlive your Social Security. You must know what your benefit is. It must keep pace with inflation. The plan must be inflation-proof. Today Social Security also does not penalize you for living longer. Women live longer than men. Women need a plan with adequate cost-of- living increases. $800 a month in 2005 will not buy the same things in 2015. Think about it: How does rent today compared to 10 years ago, and what will it be in 2005, 2025? We must have a guaranteed plan that protects against inflation. Second, we need to preserve Social Security's protections for workers when they are disabled as well as when they retire, and for workers' spouses and children when workers are disabled, retire, or die. Social Security guarantees that if you suddenly become disabled you will not also be suddenly poor. If a woman's husband dies, Social Security guarantees that there will be an income for her. If your spouse suddenly dies, Social Security guarantees that your children will be provided for. Three million children in this country receive Social Security benefits because their parent was disabled or killed; 52,000 in my State of Maryland alone. We must be able to depend on these benefits. Honor your mother and father. It is a great commandment to live by--and it is a great commandment to govern by not only as a commandment, but in the federal law books. Make sure it is in the federal checkbooks. Now, this is family values. Third, we need to protect against impoverishment of women by maintaining Social Security's progressive benefit structure. Social Security rewards work and recognizes that all work has value. Someone may work for minimum wage but make maximum effort. Social Security provides a minimum floor of protection to keep seniors out of destitution. Social Security has a progressive benefit structure. That means it protects women who work part-time to be a full-time mom. It protects stay-at-home moms who do not earn wages, though what they do is priceless. It protects women who work at minimum wage. Social Security, with its progressive benefit structure, guarantees there will be enough benefit to live on, even though you may not have earned much while working. Though you may struggle to make ends meet now, the program will make sure you receive a benefit you can live on. Social Security makes sure you won't be poor. Fourth, we need to strengthen the financing of the Social Security system while ensuring that women and other economically disadvantaged groups are protected to the greatest degree possible. For many elderly women, Social Security is not a supplement to their income, it is their income. Compared to men, most women do not receive employer-provided pensions. One-third of women must rely solely on what they receive from Social Security. When you are old and when you are sick, there are not many things you can count on, but you should be able to count on Social Security. Social Security is more than a safety net. It is a life boat. We need to make sure more senior women and all low-income workers get the benefit of the safety net, and share the life boat. To the people of Maryland, I am on your side. For today and tomorrow, I am going to fight for you to have a benefit that you can count on. In my state, 732,000 people receive Social Security benefits, including nearly 400,000 women. They all need a guaranteed benefit, not a guaranteed gamble. Without Social Security, almost half of elderly women in Maryland would be poor. Honor your mother and father? We need to protect them and the whole family. We often forget how Social Security protects children. There are 52,000 children in Maryland who depend on Social Security. That means that something happened to one of their parents. They either died or became disabled. We must keep our promise to protect our children. We cannot gamble their future. Now this is a family value. What will privatization cost Americans? Another big issue for our children is the debt that privatization will create, not just for us, but our children, our grandchildren, and their children. The transition to a private account system will cost trillions of dollars--yes, trillions of dollars--trillions of dollars that we will have to borrow from another country. This will cause higher interest rates for our mortgages, our credit cards, our cars, our student loans. Privatization will squeeze our federal budget even tighter. It will lead to higher taxes on everyone, and cuts in the funding for essential Federal programs besides Social Security, such as Medicare and Medicaid. This will be bad for the economy, bad for family budgets, and bad for future generations. This is not the legacy we want to leave to our children and grandchildren. Why must we prevent privatization? Now let me repeat why privatization is bad for America. Privatization will replace the security of a guaranteed check for a guaranteed gamble. Privatization will eliminate the dependability and predictability of seniors income. Privatization will not be inflation protected so year after year seniors incomes will go down. Privatization will eliminate guaranteed survivor benefits for widows. Our seniors would have to give all this up for the hope that every single one of them will successfully invest in the stock market. We know how unpredictable and brutal the stock market can be. We cannot place the security of our senior citizens in the private market. They deserve better. They have been promised more. I am here to say we are going to live up to those promises. We are not going to go back to a time when elderly poverty was commonplace and accepted. We need to strengthen Social Security and improve it. How? By not playing politics, by not being ideological, by working together, by being bipartisan, and doing what is right for America. I am prepared to do that. Democrats are prepared to do that. We did it last time Social Security faced problems. I worked with President Reagan on Social Security. He created a climate of civility and respect. We all worked together, across the aisle stabilized the Social Security program. We need to make some changes in the Social Security program, but only modest changes to strengthen the program, not gut it, not gambling with our seniors. President Bush should follow the Reagan Social Security model, seek responsible changes to Social Security, work with Democrats, do what is right for our seniors, and do what is right for America. I will join him. I know the Democrats will, too. There are colleagues on the floor and I want to yield so they have the time to talk. There are many more things on which I am going to elaborate, such as how this privatization will increase debt, how it will cause rising interest rates, how this foolhardy plan is based on a model that we are taking from the Government of Chile. I respect the people of Latin America, but their pension program has gone bust. This is not what the United States of America should be. So when I cast my vote, I want to vote for the stability of a social contract that has a guaranteed lifetime benefit. I will not vote for something that is a gamble and then puts us in the wheel of misfortune. I am deeply concerned that if we pursue some of the recommendations that are being made, we will have lower benefits, we will have rising interest rates, and we will have instability in both the market, in pensions, and in Social Security. What is the wheel of misfortune we could end up with? People could end up outliving their savings. They could end up disabled and broke. Social Security could lead to poverty rather than a minimum floor. It could be that there has been a market crash and people could never retire and while that is going on interest rates go sky high. I remember a time in the late 1970s and early 1980s when one could not get a mortgage for less than 15 percent. If one got a home equity loan at 10 percent, they thought they had died and gone to heaven. Car insurance was at 22 percent. Credit cards were at 24 percent. We do not want to ever go there. I worked with Ronald Reagan to stabilize Social Security in 1983. I want to work with George Bush in 2005. But I will vote for a guaranteed benefit, not a guaranteed gamble. And I would never want to have Social Security just turn to the wheel of misfortune. I note that my colleagues are in the Chamber, and I now yield 10 minutes to the Senator from Washington.

Ms. MIKULSKI. I thank the Senator from Washington State for her eloquent statement and her passion. I would now like to yield 10 minutes to the Senator from California, Mrs. Boxer.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from California for her longstanding commitment in standing up for what is right in this country, for her eloquent statement on why we need to preserve Social Security, and for outlining what is the real crisis in our country. We are going to continue our debate with the other Democratic women. Mr. President, how much time is remaining?

Ms. MIKULSKI. I thank the Chair. Mr. President, the distinguished Senator from Michigan is in the Chamber, a sister social worker, and actually a person who is licensed to be a do-gooder in our country. She is one who stood up for seniors and who spoke with such passion on the need for prescription drugs. I now yield 10 minutes to her to speak on Social Security.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, there are other Democratic women who wish to speak. They are sprinting from the prayer breakfast. I notice that the senior Senator from Arkansas is here, Mrs. Blanche Lincoln. I will be yielding her time. I want to note for those observing the proceedings that Senator Lincoln is a member of the Finance Committee. She is the only Democratic woman on the Finance Committee. We look to her to champion our position, and at the same time we recognize her longstanding commitment to the people of Arkansas--especially those people who work in those rice mills, end up with a bad back, varicose veins, dirt under their fingernails--and their Social Security. I yield 10 minutes for her to tell us about it.

Ms. MIKULSKI. How much time remains?

Ms. MIKULSKI. We note that Senators Clinton and Feinstein are on their way. We now note that we have two wonderful women representing Washington State. We now turn to the junior Senator, Ms. Cantwell, and I yield her 7 minutes.

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I yield 30 seconds.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, how much time is remaining on our side?

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that morning business be extended for the majority for 2 minutes, and I thank everyone for their graciousness in extending morning business. I appreciate that.

Ms. MIKULSKI

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, perhaps more than any other word, Auschwitz is synonymous with evil. Sixty years ago today, Russian soldiers liberated Auschwitz. The horrors of Auschwitz are incomprehensible and undescribable. Over 1 million people lost their lives at Auschwitz--the largest of the Nazi death camps. Ninety percent were Jews. Hundreds of thousands were children. Auschwitz represented the Germans' campaign to exterminate a people-- the Jews. They almost succeeded--killing 2 out of 3 Jews in Europe. As a Polish American, I carry the images of Auschwitz in my heart. The Nazis considered all Poles to be an inferior race. After Poland was conquered, German authorities expelled much of the native Polish population from regions of the newly annexed territories. Polish cities were given German names and German settlers were colonized on Polish land. In occupied Poland, the Nazi Governor, Hans Frank, proclaimed: ``Poles will become slaves in the Third Reich.'' The Nazis set out to destroy Polish culture. Thousands of Polish teachers, politicians, university professors and artists were executed or sent to Nazi concentration camps. Catholic priests were among the main targets of Nazi mass murder in Poland. In fact, Auschwitz was created as an internment camp for Polish dissidents. And thousands of Poles were murdered alongside the Jews in Auschwitz. Many Poles risked their lives to save Jews: Irena Sendler was a young social worker in Warsaw. She used her position to smuggle 200 Jewish children out of the ghetto to safe houses. In 1943, Sendler was arrested by the Gestapo, brutally tortured and condemned to death. On the day of her execution, she was freed with the help of the Jewish underground. Irena Adamowicz, a Polish Catholic, aided in establishing contacts between the Jewish Underground and the main Polish resistance organization. Jan Karski, who, while working for the Polish Government in exile, was one of the few outsiders to visit the Warsaw Ghetto. He appealed to the Allies to do something. As a Polish American, I traveled to Poland in the late 1970s. I was a Congresswoman. And I wanted to see my heritage. I went to the small village where my family came from. It was a very moving and historic experience. But I also wanted to see the dark side of my history, and I went to Auschwitz. In touring Auschwitz, it was an incredibly moving experience to go through the gate, to see the sign, to go to see the chambers. I went to a cell that had been occupied by Father Kolbe, a Catholic priest who gave his life for a Jewish man there. And then, for those of you who don't know, I am a social worker, I have been a child abuse worker and I don't flinch. But then I got half way through that tour and I came to a point in that tour where I saw the bins with glasses and the children's shoes, and this 40-something-year-old Congresswoman could not go on. I became unglued. I had to remove myself from the small tour, go off into a private place in Auschwitz, cry in a way that shook my very soul. And when I left there, I thought, now I really know why we need an Israel. And that is why I will fight so hard to ensure the survival of Israel. I know its importance. I know why it exists. I will always fight for the survival and the viability of the State of Israel. My support is unabashed and unwavering. I also know why it is so important for us educate our young people-- about the effects of hatred, about the importance of history. That is why I have worked with the Polish and Jewish communities in Baltimore to develop a U.S.-Poland-Israel Exchange program. Young people from America, Poland and Israel will join together to learn about each other's history and culture. They will visit Poland and Israel, to visit historical and religious sites, to learn together about history and to work together to build a brighter future. In closing, I would like to read the words of Eli Weisel: Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreathes of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself. Mr. President, 60 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, let us pledge never to forget. And let us honor those who died in the holocaust by fighting against bigotry, hate crimes, and intolerance.