Daniel Moynihan

Mr. MOYNIHAN

Mr. MOYNIHAN. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Mr. BINGAMAN addressed the Chair.

Mr. MOYNIHAN. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Mr. DORGAN addressed the Chair.

Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to.

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

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

Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, we must have order.

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

Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I would hope that there would be no opposition to this. Mr. NICKLES addressed the Chair.

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

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

Mr. MOYNIHAN. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Mr. BOND addressed the Chair.

Mr. MOYNIHAN. I move to lay it on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 590 (Purpose: To make the HOPE credit refundable, and for other purposes)

Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to state, on behalf of Senators Breaux, Graham, Kerrey, Chafee, and myself, that none of the tax relief measures and growth incentives contained in this tax bill will have a positive impact on the 3.8 million American citizens of Puerto Rico. This result is unfair and should be corrected. The Island's economy has paid dearly as a result of provisions in the tax bills of 1993 and 1996, as revenue offsets from Puerto Rico in those bills exceed $14 billion in the next few years. Yet those bills provided no benefits to our Puerto Rican citizens. Members from both sides of the aisle, Governors, national organizations, business associations, Hispanic-American groups and the entire Puerto Rican political community, have united forces in seeking a sensible Federal economic development tool in section 30A. This would provide viable pro growth tax incentives which will keep the Puerto Rican economy on a path of sustained growth. We should expand and extend this economic activity credit which is wage-based and promoted jobs and investment. We would urge my colleagues to correct this unfairness in Conference. If this is not possible, we will work to include this measure in legislation that comes before us at the next possible opportunity. provide tax incentives to encourage property owners to preserve habitat for species

Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I was simply going to say that this matter will surely arise in conference, and there will be support for it. The White House is very much in favor. I hope we can resolve it.

Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, it is characteristic of our revered chairman that he would spend this precious moment at the end of a triumphant legislative process thanking others. It is the part of him that brings us together and brought us together to an extraordinary 80 to 18 vote. I would presume to speak for every member of the committee, and certainly for the Democratic members who have been unanimous on both of these measures in committee, and on the floor today, in expressing our profound appreciation to him, our profound admiration, and our conviction that we will now go on to a successful conference and write some history in our Nation this year. We shall have a balanced budget. We shall have a health care program for adults and children. And not least, we have had in fact 77 votes in favor of a successful and permanent Amtrak program in this country, a matter of particular concern to him, but both attributable to him. And I thank him. Again, I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor. (At the request of Mr. Daschle, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)

Mr. MOYNIHAN. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I do not believe there is any opposition. It is an excellent proposal.

Mr. MOYNIHAN. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Mr. TORRICELLI addressed the Chair.

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

Mr. MOYNIHAN. I understand the issue raised by the two Senators from Pennsylvania. I will be pleased to look at the issue in conference.

Mr. MOYNIHAN. I agree with my friend from California and my friend from Delaware, that this provision should be carefully considered and I too will work to urge my colleagues to give this proposal careful consideration.

Mr. MOYNIHAN. I would be pleased to enter into a colloquy with my friend from California.

Mr. MOYNIHAN

Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I rise along with my friend and colleague, Senator D'Amato, to submit a resolution that urges the United States Postal Service to issue a commemorative postage stamp to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first Women's Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls, NY. In 1980 I introduced legislation to commemorate the idea of equal rights for women by creating the Women's Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls. That is where the Declaration of Sentiments was signed in 1848, stating that ``all men and women are created equal'' and that women should have equal political rights with men. From this beginning sprang the 19th amendment and many other advances for women this century and last. Western New York was home to an emerging reform movement during the 1830's and 1840's. Among reformers settling in Seneca Falls were Quaker women such as Lucretia Mott who took an active role in the effort to end slavery. For Mott, Martha Wright, Mary Ann M'Clintock, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, reform also included demanding rights for women. In July 1848, they planned the convention and hammered out a formal list of grievances based on the Declaration of Independence, denouncing inequities in property rights, education, employment, religion, marriage and family, and suffrage. On July 19, the Declaration of Sentiments was presented before an audience of 300. The Women's Rights Convention and the Declaration of Sentiments were a vital early step toward reversing these injustices against women. Many historians consider the convention to be one of the most important events in the history of the women's movement in the United States. The women of Seneca Falls challenged America to social revolution with a list of demands that touched upon every aspect of life. Testing different approaches, the early women's rights leaders came to view the ballot as the best way to challenge the system, but they did not limit their efforts to this one issue. Fifty years after the convention, women could claim property rights, employment and educational opportunities, divorce and child custody laws, and increased social freedoms. By the early 20th century, a coalition of suffragists, temperance groups, reform-minded politicians, and women's social welfare organizations mustered a successful push for the vote. Today Congress honors Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, along with Susan B. Anthony, as revolutionary leaders of the women's movement by placing a statue of them in the Capitol Rotunda next to statues of other leaders in our Nation's history such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr. It is only fitting that a stamp be issued commemorating this historic anniversary highlighting the importance of continuing this struggle for equal rights and opportunity for women in areas such as health care, education, employment, and pay equity.

Mr. MOYNIHAN

Mr. MOYNIHAN. Can I simply endorse my revered chairman's judgment? We have had a good debate. We have a good bill, a bipartisan bill. The prospects of any serious change are not large. The prospect of any serious attention to new proposals are not great--not today. The Senate is a continuing body and we will continue to discuss matters, but today is the time for closing out this legislation so we can go to conference and send a bill to the President.

Mr. MOYNIHAN. That is the spirit.