Rick Santorum

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. I thank the majority leader for yielding. Mr. President, I commend the Senator from Nevada for his efforts on this subject. This was an area that I had expressed interest in in the House. In fact, I introduced a bill that almost mirrors word for word what the Senator from Nevada is doing. This is an important issue of gaining credibility with the American public that we are not going to treat ourselves any different than any other Federal employee when it comes to employee benefits. It puts us on a level no more and no less generous than other Federal employees. I think that is where we should be. There is no reason that we should have a more generous pension system here than other Federal employees. That is what the amendment of the Senator from Nevada would do. I will join him in cosponsoring his bill. I appreciate the majority leader's intention to allow this to percolate through the committee system and give it an opportunity for hearings--this is a new subject that has not been discussed in committee--give it an opportunity to be discussed in committee and hopefully be moved through in a speedy fashion. But, if not, we have the opportunity to come to the floor and then offer an amendment to a bill here to move this issue to the floor, where I believe it belongs. I thank the majority leader for yielding and for his agreement to do this.