Bob Smith

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill to extend the authorization of the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission, CRASC, for an additional 20 years. CRASC is a cooperative effort that includes multiple state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, industry and citizens throughout the Connecticut River basin. It was initially recognized by Congress in 1983. For the past twenty years, the Commission has been working to restore Atlantic salmon and other anadromous fish populations in the Connecticut River watershed. The Connecticut River basin runs through the states of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The native Atlantic salmon stocks declined through the 18th century, and disappeared from the Connecticut River and its tributaries in the 1800s. Since 1983, CRASC has been successful in reintroducing the Atlantic salmon throughout the watershed. The success of the CRASC is due to the cooperative nature in which it runs. Without the support of all the stakeholders, the restoration efforts would be slower and more difficult. Restoration efforts include the construction and maintenance of fish passage systems; salmon hatcheries and reintroduction; habitat restoration; research, monitoring and evaluation; and education and public outreach. The health of the salmon population is directly related to the quality of the river, and without these efforts, the two million people who live in the basin would be unable to enjoy the benefits that can be derived from a cleaner, healthier river system. The legislation that I am introducing does two basic things. First, it reauthorizes the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission for another twenty years. Second, the bill authorizes $9 million in appropriations to the Secretary of the Interior through 2010 to carry out Atlantic salmon and anadromous fish restoration activities. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides the Commission with just over half of its annual expenditures; however, the level of funding has not kept pace with needs. This authorization level would provide $5 million a year to federal and state agencies for operations and maintenance needs, and $4 million a year for construction and capital improvement needs for the hatcheries and fish passage systems. The Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission is the perfect example of federal and state agencies and the public working together to conserve our natural resources. In the past twenty years, this cooperative approach to conservation has resulted in the successful conservation of anadromous fish populations throughout the Connecticut River basin, as well as the improvement in the quality of the river and its tributaries. This kind of effort deserves the continued support of Congress.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for up to 2 minutes.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Father Ed Arsenault for the moving prayer we just heard. Father Ed is a cabinet secretary for administration and chancellor of the Diocese of Manchester, NH. The Diocese of Manchester, of course, encompasses the entire State of New Hampshire. He is also the pastor of St. Pius X parish in Manchester where he shows great compassion for the poor and the needy. As secretary for administration, Father Ed is responsible for the daily operation of the diocesan administration, and as chancellor he oversees the maintenance of all records in the diocesan archives and serves as executive assistant to Bishop John B. McCormack in the daily operations of the bishop's office. Father Ed holds a masters in divinity from St. Mary's Seminary in nearby Emmitsburg, MD. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Leo O'Neil on June 1, 1991. Father Ed is very special to me and my family because he is our spiritual adviser and has been for many years. He sponsored my wife Mary Jo as she actually converted to Catholicism. Father Ed also presided over the marriage of my daughter Jenny to her husband Eric in New Hampshire in 1998. It is a privilege to have Father Ed join us in the Senate to share his words of prayer with our Nation. Father Ed's friendship and spiritual guidance have been a blessing to me and my family for many, many years. I am proud and honored to sponsor Father Ed as guest Chaplain. I thank my friend, the Chaplain of the Senate, Lloyd Ogilvie, for allowing Father Ed to be here. Also, I recognize Father Ed's brother, Michael, his aunt Jeri, and mother Ann who are here today to witness this wonderful occasion. I yield the floor.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Pamela Ilg of New Boston, NH, for being recognized as the ``2001 Assistant Principal of the Year'' by the New Hampshire Association of Principals. Pamela serves as Assistant Principal and Vocational Director at Concord High School in Concord, NH. She has created a caring, supportive and accountable environment with high expectations for students and staff. A strong leader, Pamela possesses an exceptional ability working with people. A graduate of the University of Lowell, Pamela earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Social Studies. She later earned a Masters of Education degree in Counseling, attended a Principal's Academy on Learning at Dartmouth College and earned a C.A.G.S. in Administration and Supervision at the University of New Hampshire. As an educator, Pamela has been an integral part of the school community working with staff, students, parents and the community in the total education process. Pamela's commitment to serving the education community in New Hampshire has set an example that is admirable. It is an honor to represent her in the United States Senate.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Gene Connolly of Windham, NH, for being recognized as the ``2001 Principal of the Year'' by the New Hampshire Association of Principals. Gene has been the principal of Gilbert H. Hood Middle School in Derry, NH, for the past six years and has focused on the needs of the students as his most important priority. He is an inspirational leader whose vision offers a focus for the child-centered curriculum which provides opportunities for everyone. The teachers who work with Gene feel valued and challenged by his leadership. A graduate of Springfield College, Gene received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. He later earned a Masters of Education degree from Notre Dame College and is a Doctoral candidate in Leadership at the University of Massachusetts. Gene is a school district negotiator and member of the negotiating team for Derry, NH. In service to his community, Gene also coached AAU Youth Basketball and the Windham Youth Basketball League. Gene is a tribute to his community and profession. It is an honor and a privilege to represent him in the United States Senate.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Tom Thomson of Orford, NH, for being recognized with the ``Outstanding Achievements in Sustainable Forestry'' award by the American Forest Foundation. As a young man, Tom purchased his first wood lot of 125 acres with his two older brothers near Orford, NH. He continued to purchase more land and managed its resources adhering to the principles of sound forestry. Tom's family tree farm is certified by the American Tree Farm System as being a productive, sustainable forest that provides outstanding wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities, and contributes to soil conservation and water quality. The tree farm has now expanded to over 2,600 acres in New Hampshire and Vermont. Tom has been a tireless promoter of sustainable forestry for both New England and national woodland owners. A contributor to his community, he takes every opportunity to share information about tree farming. The Thomson Family Tree Farm is open year- round to school groups and individuals who want to learn more about sound, long-term forest management. His wise management of forest land and his commitment to promoting good forestry practices to others has earned Tom many honors throughout the years. Tom has accomplished a great deal for New Hampshire and the people of this State look upon him with tremendous gratitude and admiration for all that he has done. I am honored to call Tom a friend and a fellow Granite Stater. It is an honor and a privilege to represent Tom Thomson in the United States Senate.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Jayne Marcucci of Hooksett, NH, for being honored the state's first Ronald Reagan ``Gipper'' Award recipient and Young Republican of the Year 2001. Jayne was awarded the Ronald Reagan award on the former President's birthday. Jayne has served the citizens of New Hampshire selflessly with enthusiasm and loyalty as the former Executive Director of the New Hampshire State Republican Party. A grassroots builder, Jayne has been successful in attracting many young people to become involved in politics. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Jayne received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and later earned a Master of Business Administration degree, also from the University of New Hampshire. Jayne served the State of New Hampshire as Deputy Press Secretary for my Senate office in Manchester. She is the President of Marcucci Consulting providing political consulting and public relations services to clients in New Hampshire. A conscientious and dedicated volunteer, Jayne donates hours of her time to a therapeutic riding program. T.H.E. Farm, located in Tewksbury, MA, provides services to persons with disabilities. Jayne contributes to T.H.E. Farm by promoting the valuable program with communications and public relations assistance. Jayne has served the citizens of New Hampshire with selfless dedication and hard work. It is an honor to represent her in the United States Senate.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Walter Havenstein of Bedford, NH, for being honored with the Pro Patria Award. The Pro Patria Award is the highest award given to an employer from the National Guard and Reservists of our state. Walter is the President of BAE Systems-Information and Electronic Warfare Systems of Nashua, NH. BAE Systems allocates time away from work for over seventy-five employees who participate part time in the National Guard and Reserve programs protecting our state and country. Walter is an extraordinary leader who oversees a defense electronics business workforce in excess of four thousand employees and significant operations at eight major locations in five states. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Walter holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering and a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. Walter is a veteran who served in the United States Marine Corps from 1971 to 1983, specializing in tactical communications and systems acquisition management. He is also a member of the Surface Navy Association, Association of Old Crows, Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, Navy League and Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association. A Director for the Business and Industries Association of New Hampshire and TeraConnect, Walter also serves on the Advisory Board for the Journal of Electronic Defense. He has given selflessly of his time and talents to the citizens of New Hampshire. His hard work, determination and ability to motivate those around him to reach greater heights are truly commendable. It is an honor and a privilege to represent him in the United States Senate.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Bernie Streeter of Nashua, NH, for his thirty years of distinguished service on the New Hampshire Executive Council. As executive councilor for District 5, Bernie provided exemplary service to over 225,000 residents in an area which covers the southwestern part of New Hampshire from the Connecticut River Valley to Nashua. Over the years he has worked effectively with seven governors and twenty executive councilors. As an executive councilor, Bernie worked selflessly on state transportation issues. He chaired the Governor's Commission on Highways and was one of the principal architects of the state's ten year highway plan. He also chaired the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality and Transportation Enhancement Committee and presided over all executive council public hearings on judicial nominations. Bernie, who serves as the 54th Mayor of Nashua, has worked tirelessly in his local community. He serves on the board of directors of the Greater Nashua United Way, the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, The PLUS Company and Marguerite's Place. On the national level, Bernie was appointed to serve a term on the National Health Planning Council by President Ford. He later was appointed by President Reagan to serve on the National Advisory Council of United States Public Health Service. Bernie received the 1999 ``President's Service Award'' from New Hampshire Community Technical College in Nashua, NH, in recognition of his public service and support of post-secondary vocational and technical education. A graduate of Keene High School and Boston University, Bernie served his country in the United States Army and United States Air Force Reserve. He and his wife, Jan, have lived in Nashua for over thirty- five years and have three children: Shannon Streeter O'Neil, Christopher B. Streeter and Stephanie Streeter McKenna. They have two grandsons, Spencer J. O'Neil and Cameron W. Streeter and a granddaughter, Abigail Streeter. Throughout his career Bernie has enthusiastically provided dedicated service to his community. He is a role model for us all and it is truly an honor to represent him in the United States Senate.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the Black Mountain Ski Area in Jackson, NH, upon the celebration of their 65th year of business. A pioneer in the ski industry, Black Mountain Ski Area installed the first overhead cable lift in the United States in 1935. Designed and installed by Bartlett, NH, inventor George Morton, the lift consisted of an overhead cable with strands of rope hanging down for skiers to hold onto as they ventured up the mountain. In 1936, Bill and Betty Whitney purchased the Moody Farm and Ski Area at Black Mountain from Ed and Ada Moody, renaming the business as Whitney's. The Whitney family retrofitted the overhead cable lift in 1937, replacing the strands of rope that hung from the cable with seventy-two shovel handles purchased from Sears Roebuck and Company. Black Mountain utilized the first snow making system in New Hampshire in December, 1957. A Skyworker Snowmaking System was installed by the William A. Walsh Company of Manchester, NH. Black Mountain Ski Area has been in continuous operation as a ski facility since 1935, making it one of the oldest ski areas in New Hampshire. The Black Mountain Ski Area is a true friend to the people of New Hampshire and to the tourists who travel to our great state to utilize the facility. Their efforts to serve the needs of the ski industry in New Hampshire are truly commendable. It is an honor to represent them in the United States Senate.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Skip Ashooh, a dynamic and inspiring entrepreneur and the 47th recipient of the prestigous Citizen of the Year Award from the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Skip, a native of the Queen City was honored with this award where he was applauded by more than 650 enthusiastic business and community leaders who gathered together to honor this outstanding citizen. Skip was surprised to see his exuberant mother and six siblings who reunited to share in this joyous occasion. Upon completion of his bachelors degree from Saint Anselm College in 1973, Skip pursued a career as a junior high social studies teacher in Manchester where he shared his love of American history with his students. After many years of teaching, Skip launched a new career as a licensed stock broker. Today, Skip heads his own successful financial services firm in downtown Manchester. Through community service, Skip has demonstrated his tireless dedication and commitment as an active member of numerous civic and community boards. His most significant contribution to Manchester has been as an ardent supporter and advocate of the Manchester Civic Center. Skip should take great pride in the economic revival of downtown Manchester. I look forward to the opening face-off of the Monarchs when the Manchester Civic Center comes to life in November of this year. As Winston Churchill once said, ``We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.'' Skip cares deeply about Manchester and the State of New Hampshire and is an articulate and enthusiastic advocate for maintaining our place as a leader in technology and in quality of life. For his deep commitment to our state and for the positive results he has achieved in support of community and economic prosperity, it is my pleasure to honor him today and represent him in the United States Senate.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that an oversight hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Water and Power. The hearing will take place on Wednesday, March 21, 2001 at 2:00 p.m. in room SD-628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. The purpose of this hearing is to conduct oversight on the Klamath Project in Oregon, including implementation of PL 106-498 and how the project might operate in what is projected to be a short water year. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit testimony for the hearing record should send two copies of their testimony to the Subcommittee on Water and Power, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, SRC-2 Senate Russell Courtyard, Washington, DC 20510-6150. For further information, please call Trici Heninger, Staff Assistant, or Colleen Deegan, Counsel, at (202) 224-8115.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 28, 2001. The purpose of this hearing will be to review the statutes conservation programs in the current farm bill and to conduct a committee business meeting to discuss the committee rules and budget.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 28, 2001, at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a markup on Wednesday, February 28, 2001, at 9:30 a.m., The markup will take place in Dirksen Room 226.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 28, 2001, to organize for the 107th Congress.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, February 28, 2001, at 9 a.m., in room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing to receive the views of the Department of the Interior on matters of Indian Affairs.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to hold a joint hearing with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to receive the legislative presentations of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, February 28, 2001, at 10 a.m., in room 345 of the Cannon House Office Building.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 28, 2001, at 2 p.m., to hold a closed hearing on intelligence matters.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 28, 2001, to hear testimony regarding the nomination of Mark A. Weinberger.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 28, 2001, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct its organizational meeting for the 107th Congress.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, in accordance with the rule XXVI (2) of the Senate. I ask unanimous consent that the rules of the Committee on Environmental and Public Works, adopted by the committee February 28, 2001, be printed in the Record.

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire

Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, last night I had the privilege of personally witnessing President Bush deliver remarks outlining his budget for America and outlining the priorities of that budget. I must say, it was refreshing, for one who has long fought over the past 16 to 17 years in both the House and the Senate, to hear tax cuts being proposed, and not only tax cuts being proposed, but also the opportunity to finally downsize the national debt so we can stop mortgaging our children's future. The President, in that plan for America's priorities, included tax relief, debt reduction, and some much needed reform for some very important programs. One of the negatives over the past 20 or 30 years is that as our deficits and our debts became larger, many times we neglected a lot of key initiatives, areas where the Federal Government could be helpful to the American people. So it is a pleasure to see the debt diminished and money being returned to the taxpayers at the same time, and, in conjunction with that, we are going to provide dollars in much needed areas. I want to talk about that. First, in President Bush's budget, we will see the largest debt reduction in American history. Think of that: The largest debt reduction in American history. It is good news and bad news. It is good that it is the largest debt reduction; it is bad that we have debt that large in the first place. The key thing to understand is that this proposal pays down the national debt by $2 trillion over the next 10 years. That is the largest reduction in debt to the lowest share of the economy since the First World War. With the leadership of the Republican Congress, we have already paid off an enormous portion of the national debt-- nearly $363 billion so far. If you stop to think about it, it costs about $60 million to borrow every billion dollars. Multiply $60 million times 363 and see how much we save in interest on that debt. That $60 million will go a long way in New Hampshire. It was a lot of money where I grew up. That is just on $1 billion of borrowed money; we have paid $363 billion of it already, and we are proposing to pay off $2 trillion--with a ``t''--in the next 10 years. There is a ripple effect through the economy when taking the American Government out of the borrowing market and putting money back into the taxpayers' pockets. By the end of this fiscal year, we will pay off another $262 billion. That is $625 billion of debt reduction. Putting it in perspective, in 1997, the first year we balanced the budget, the debt held by the public was $3.7 trillion. By the end of this year, the debt will be $3.1 trillion, still a lot. Over the next 10 years, we will take $2 trillion more off that debt, leaving a little over $1 trillion in debt. Over the next 2 years, our Social Security-Medicare lockbox policy will reduce the national debt by an additional $400 billion. I was very proud to support President Bush's plan to reduce this enormous national debt which for so long has mortgaged our children's future. It is important to understand everything else. I will discuss some items, including returning money to the taxpayers, providing dollars for Social Security and Medicare, education, defense. Put the increases in perspective. You will get a tax refund. We will talk about that in a moment. Reduce the debt by $2 trillion, and there is still money to do those things. That is amazing. That is a great tribute to this President who didn't come into the White House and say, this is the way we did it last year; we will budget the same way we did last year. He sat down with his key advisers and worked through this budget and found out where the needs were. At the same time, he said he will reduce the debt, put money back into the taxpayers' pocketbooks, and fund programs that deserve to be funded. The tax reduction is fair. It is responsible. It is tax relief for all Americans. It is certainly welcome news to my own State of New Hampshire. Do I think the tax cut could be bigger? Sure. But I plan to work with the President to expand tax relief. The President's tax cut is bold. I support it. I will be with him all the way through this process. Good men and women of my State--and I am sure it is true all over America--have always been weary of taxes. New Hampshire is one of the only States in the Union that does not have, at this date, a sales or income tax. There are some in our State who want to impose a sales tax. I am very encouraged to see the President provide tax relief to the citizens of my great State and this Nation. There is some irony. When I came to Washington several years ago, I wanted to bring the New Hampshire example to Washington--less taxes, less spending. Now we are seeing the reverse. President Bush comes in to cut taxes, cut spending, reduce the national debt. Ironically, some officials in New Hampshire are doing just the opposite--raising taxes, trying to find more revenue. Now more than ever, I believe that hard-working Americans deserve tax relief. If you buy a television set and pay $600, and you get home and the price tag says $450, you were overcharged. So you go back to the store and get your money back. We hear all the fancy and somewhat bureaucratic terms--surplus; we have a big surplus in the Federal Government. What that means is the taxpayers of America have been overcharged. That is more money than we need to operate our Government. It ought to go back to you. It is that simple. We will hear it today. We have heard it all week. We heard it last night in the response to the President that we don't need this tax cut; it is too big. I make a suggestion to those who don't need it and don't want a refund: When you send in your tax return, put a little check mark on it that says you don't want the money, and send a check back to the Federal Government. You don't have to take the tax credit if you don't want it. If you don't want the tax cut, send the money back and we will put the money on the debt. I am fascinated by those who say they don't want the tax cut. Fine, you don't have to take it; you can turn it back. There are a lot of people out there who do want it. For starters, Americans spend more money paying taxes than they do on food, clothing, and shelter combined. That is wrong, pure and simple. We need to change that. President Bush last night in a bipartisan, nonconfrontational but firm and resolute way said let's do this for the American people. We always hear the debates. That taxes will get cut, and they don't get cut. It seems to be a bunch of words that don't mean anything. The President reached out and said: Let's not get into class warfare; let's just reduce taxes on the American people. It is good for the economy. It is good for the people. It is their money. It is not ours; it is theirs. Federal taxes alone cost American families $7,238 per year. That is more than any other item in their budget for most people. Taxpayer freedom day, the average day Americans first start working for themselves, was May 10 last year. So from January 1 to May 10, you worked to pay your Federal taxes. Where is the incentive to move forward and to succeed and do better? I say return the money. Not only are we returning money to the people from whom we took it; we are paying down the debt at the same time. A lot of people say, I don't want tax relief; don't give me tax relief; just pay down the debt. We are saying we are doing both. If you own a Government savings bond, we cannot pay that because we owe that to you. And you may have a 20- or 30-year bond. If we wanted to pay it off in one fell swoop, we couldn't. But a $2 trillion reduction over 10 years is pretty doggone good. For every 8 hours of work performed, the average taxpayer in America works 3 hours to pay the tax collector. I think that is too much. I know some who hem and haw, saying, I don't know whether I can support this tax cut; it is too big, too small--a thousand different reasons. I think if the average taxpayer has to work until May 10 to pay their Federal taxes, has to work 3 hours of every day to pay the tax collector, it is time the taxpayer got a break. This is a big break. Today's average taxpayer faces a combined Federal, State, and local tax burden of nearly 50 percent of their income. I am delighted to support this President in providing the typical family of four paying income taxes a full $1,600 in tax relief. We are in Washington talking about trillions. I don't know what is after trillion. I hope we don't have to deal with it during my tenure in the Senate. We are talking trillions and billions and occasionally millions. Let's talk in hundreds and thousands. That is what the average American deals with--hundreds of dollars and thousands of dollars, not trillions and billions. Let's bring it down. Ask yourself what you could do with $1,600 if you didn't have to give it to the Federal Government. What could you do? There are a lot of things you could do. I am sure you can think of them as well as I can. If you have a child, say, born this year, if you multiply $1,600 times 18 years and add the compounded interest if you put it in a bank account somewhere or a CD, you will find you have a pretty doggone good downpayment on a college education--for the first year anyway--or perhaps a little more money for groceries, a little more money for clothing, perhaps a little bit for that first home mortgage. Add it up. That is real money, as Everett Dirksen used to say. I think we have to get away from talking about all these trillions and billions of dollars and think about what that means to the average taxpayer of America. I say this in all sincerity: If there are taxpayers out there who do not want that $1,600, send it back. But for the rest of us who might like to have it and the families all across America who struggle really hard to make ends meet who would like that $1,600, why should we take it away from them? But some are proposing we do that. President Bush is not. President Bush is saying we need to give that back to the taxpayers; nobody ought to spend more than one-third of their paycheck to support the Federal Government. I agree with him. It is refreshing to hear it. But the President also believes a tax rate of 15 percent is too high for hard- working men and women who earn low wages. So he has proposed we lower that even to 10 percent, down from 15 percent--I agree with that--and double the child tax credit to $1,000 per child, and eliminate the marriage penalty, penalizing people who get married. We in the Federal Government should be encouraging the makeup of the family not breakup, and, of course, eliminating the infamous death tax which the President mentioned last night. All your life, you work hard to earn money, pay taxes on that money, and have perhaps a business or home or some asset you want to leave to your children, and they cannot afford to receive it from you upon your death because they cannot pay the taxes on it, so they have to sell it, whether it be a business or home. That is not right. We ought to change it. Yet there are some who still want to fight the President on that--a million-dollar threshold or whatever. When you start talking about a business or what you build up all your life, if you have to sell it to pay all the taxes, what are you going to do? This is a good plan: Pay down the debt and give money back to the taxpayers who provided the money for us. We--all of us, the taxpayers-- funded the cold war. We won the cold war. We funded that national debt, unfortunately, for all those years, and now we are going to defund it. We are going to pay it off, and we are going to give money back to the taxpayers who earned it. There is one great thing about this budget. I have been around here for a few years, and I have seen many budgets come and go. Most of them are dead on arrival, but I am hopeful this one will not be because this President not only reduces debt and provides tax relief for the American family but he also funds important priorities. I can remember--and many of my colleagues can, too--year after year, people coming down here saying we were going to lose our money, we were going to lose this and that, we were going to get cut here and there because we were fighting for every single dollar because the interest on the debt was going up $300 billion, $400 billion a year just to fund that debt. We are changing that now. We are reversing that. It is a new paradigm. It is a new America, a new century, a new President. There is new excitement here in Washington because we are paying off debt, we are paying back taxpayers the money they deserve to get back, and we are funding new initiatives and new priorities, good initiatives and good priorities. Let's talk about some of them. One is the environment. I chair the Environment and Public Works Committee in the Senate. I commend President Bush's budget. It invests in one of our Nation's most important assets, our environment. Where are we without it? He is proposing to accelerate the cleanup of toxic waste sites called brownfields. It is a reflection of the bill that Senator Chafee and I have introduced to clean up brownfields. The administration has endorsed that bill. I am very excited about it because brownfields, these toxic waste sites, are all over America. There are some 400,000 to 500,000 of them, some in New Hampshire. What is a brownfield? A brownfield is a site that has toxic waste in it. It is not a Superfund site, not as bad as some of them, but for years and years contractors have been afraid to come on these sites and clean them up for fear the Federal Government would come in and say they did not do a good enough job and fine them, and so forth. We have now clarified this in the law so these sites can be cleaned up. Here is what it accomplishes: No. 1, it cleans up a blight in a community. These are not just large cities. It is also the small town of Bradford, NH. I say to any of my constituents in Bradford, if you are listening, help is coming for you. In the town of Bradford, there is a toxic waste site that needs to be cleaned up. It has not been cleaned up because the law has not allowed it to be cleaned up. They want to make a park there. All they have been trying to do is get the funds to clean up this site to make a park. This is what we can do because the President has laid out a budget that pays down that debt, puts money back in the taxpayers' pockets, and allows us to fund programs such as this for the first time in so many years--truly fund them. I am excited about it. When you clean up that brownfield, you are going to create jobs because somebody is working to clean it up; No. 2, you are going to eliminate the blighted site in the community; and, No. 3, maybe somebody builds something there, a new business or something that does not go outside of town and bulldoze off 10 acres of green space. It is just a fantastic opportunity, and President Bush came right out of the gate and mentioned it specifically last night in his speech: Brownfields legislation. We are going to help clean up brownfields. That is good news for certainly every large city in America and thousands of small towns all across America. It is a great opportunity we have not had in the past because we had this debt. Now we are not only putting money back directly in the pockets of the taxpayers, under this budget, but we are also putting money back into the community. So if you are a taxpayer in Bradford, NH, you are going to get a Federal tax cut if you pay taxes and, second, you are going to have your community improved with dollars that are going to come into that community because we have the opportunity to do it now because we are running these surpluses. This is exciting news. It is not just brownfields. I could go on and on with a number of environmental priorities where we could do this-- water infrastructure, sewerage pipes, clean water--all kinds of environmental initiatives now that we will be able to fund. Another one is the Land and Water Conservation Fund where moneys can be provided to help create parks and trails and so many other positive things--habitats. It is just a great opportunity for us. Another item is defense. The defense of the United States has been neglected over the past several years. Everybody knows it. The President has proposed a $5.7 billion increase in pay and benefits. I just came back from the Mediterranean, visiting the troops out there, worried about terrorist attacks and so forth, putting their lives on the line every single day. And some of them are on food stamps? Come on, America. We can do better. The President of the United States, within days of the beginning of his term, went directly to the military aboard ship and on bases and told our sailors, our airmen, our marines, who are defending our interests and values all over the world: We are going to increase your pay and benefits. He lived up to that promise, and he put it in the budget. It should be there. It absolutely should be there. We take for granted what these men and women do. Believe me, we take it for granted. If you have a young son, or daughter, or husband, or wife, or a dad, or a mom who is out there, you know we take that for granted. They are the best in the world, and they deserve the best we can provide them. Now, finally, with this budget we are able to do that. It will give the military the vital funds to compete with the private sector in order to recruit the best people. President Bush has correctly realized our increasingly high-tech military requires that special steps be taken in order to attract and retain personnel with computer science and other disciplines. Right now, there is a great opportunity out there in the private sector. A lot of people are pulled to that, but many people want to serve in the military, and if they just have the opportunity to do it, with better pay and better benefits, we can pull more people toward the military. In addition to the military pay and benefits, the President has pledged to increase pay incentives for highly trained military personnel, and I know that is good news for the military. Let me discuss a couple of other issues: Education. I am a former teacher. I taught school for 6 years. You are never a former teacher; you are always a teacher. I also served on a school board. I have also been a father for 25-plus years. So I think I know a little bit about education from four or five different perspectives, if you will. I agree; decisions regarding education are best done at the local level, period. That is where the best decisions are made. You cannot sugar-coat that any other way. The best decisions are made at the local level. We don't need a national school board running our public schools. We need the local school boards to run those schools with the parents, with the teachers, with the administrators, and with the students working together. Some will say there is a lot of money in President Bush's education plan. There is an 11-percent increase in education funding at the Federal level. Look how it is applied. This plan provides the local schools, local districts, and States more freedom in administering the Federal dollars. They are going to have more choices. They are going to combine dozens and dozens of Federal education programs into only five and allow the States and the local communities to spend the money as they see fit in the categories that they see as best. President Bush said last night: Leave no child behind. I think this is the best opportunity we have had in many years to make that come true. Passing year after year a child who can't read or write doesn't do any good. It puts them at a tremendous disadvantage when they come out into society. It is not necessary. Our schools and teachers should be about kids. If they can't compete, then parents ought to have the opportunity to say, well, I am going to go over here to this school or this school. That is what rich folks do. They send their kids to some private school, if they want to. They borrow money to do it because they don't like the public school. I am a former public school teacher. I am a strong advocate of public schools. They ought to be competitive and good. And if they are not and won't improve, then parents ought to have the right to choose another school. The Bush plan provides schools with more freedom in administering these Federal dollars. But it also holds States accountable for improving student achievement, which will be demonstrated through assessments in reading and math. The plan provides reading programs which will be available to States to provide research-based reading programs in the early elementary grades and low-income preschools. Some think we are going to put all of this taxpayer money on the public debt and not do anything else and that we are going to cut these programs. We are not. That is the beauty of the budget. It is one of the best, if not the best, budgets I have seen since I have been in Washington. It preserves and protects Social Security. It locks away every penny--$2.6 trillion goes right into the lockbox for Social Security. We cannot touch it for anything else. There will be no more Government greedy hands in there borrowing the money and using it for something else. In addition, the President talks about making those dollars in Social Security go further. With Medicare, it is the same thing. It spends every dime for Medicare. That is what it is gathered for and collected for, and that is what it should be spent for. It passes it on. I have spent a year looking at the prescription drug issue. It can be done without hurting the program's solvency. We can provide help for our senior citizens who need prescription drugs. They deserve it and are going to get that help under this budget. Finally, faith-based initiatives are somewhat of a controversial matter. It is not controversial to me. I think the President made it very clear last night. Faith-based proposals can get the job done. There are so many people out there working in various charitable organizations, whether they be religious or not. They are trying to do a job. We are not picking sides. The President is simply saying why not help all of these good-hearted Americans who are working and doing a wonderful job to restore and heal the lives of men and women in need? They can do it better than any Federal Government program. They can do it better than any bureaucrat in Washington, and they are doing it OK. God bless them. If you have ever been out to see what they do, your heart goes out to them. In spite of everything, they are out there day in and day out begging for more money. We need a chance to provide the dollars to these folks who can get people back on track and be productive again. Billy Graham once said that our basic problems today are not social problems; it is not a lack of education. The problems are the problems of the human heart, a heart that is not right to God. These organizations recognize that God has the power to change lives and heal wounds and instill an inner drive in people so they have tools to change destructive behavior. Faith-based organizations provide needed community services. This is a nation under God. We are not supposed to take God out of our Government. We are just not supposed to have a state-sponsored church. Sometimes we forget that. Why not help these people? President Bush does. He took it head on. He knew he was going to get hit for it. But he is doing it anyway. That is leadership. Faith-based organizations are very effective, and they are going to get help. That is why I support President Bush's plan. Let me close with this point: Under this budget, we pay back $2 trillion of the national debt over the next 10 years. We provide $1.6 trillion to go back into the pockets of the people from whom we took it. And we do all of these things that I mentioned. I haven't even gotten started with the things I could have added to the list. That is a good budget. I tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that is leadership. When you step up to the plate and take on something such as that, that is leadership. President Bush deserves a lot of credit for coming up here last night and laying that out in a concise and clear way and not being afraid to take on these tough challenges. I sincerely hope my colleagues will act quickly to pass this budget so the country will be the beneficiary of it. I yield the floor.