Debbie Stabenow

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for yielding to me. I first want to thank him for very quickly moving, when this was brought to our attention, to put in his bill, H.R. 3205. I was very pleased to be an original cosponsor with him to delay the interim payments system, as he has indicated there are other bills as well that change the formula. The gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pappas) has a bill that also would right many of the wrongs, and there are certainly a number of options for us. I rise also, coming from a State that is extremely efficient. We have, as a State, been serving people in their homes for a little over $3800 per user, which is less than the national average of a little over $4600, $3800 versus $4600. And we know that there are providers that are using as much as $9000 per user, per patient. One of the difficulties with the way that the Health Care Finance Administration has begun to implement the changes in the balanced budget agreement is by doing it across the board, as opposed to looking at the high-user States or the high-user providers and addressing them. Instead they are penalizing everyone. In States like Michigan, where we have very dedicated small businesses, nonprofits, visiting nurses associations, Easter Seals, that have been working very diligently to keep costs down and yet provide very high quality care, they are being penalized. We are going to see a reduction of some 27 percent, and we are looking at possibly as high as 80,000 people in my home State over the next 2 years that will not be able to receive service. This is a critical issue. As you have indicated, this is one that needs to be addressed now. It needs to be addressed tomorrow. As soon as possible. We have changes taking place July 1 that will greatly impact these home health care providers, and we need to make this a top priority. I want to speak for a moment, if I might, about the kinds of responses and the kinds of conversations I have had with families in my district, not just now around home health care but over the last 2 years representing the people of the 8th district. When I first was campaigning 2 years ago, I was amazed at the number of homes as you walk down the street that had ramps on the front of their homes. The number of people that were asking me about home health care for their mother, their father, their husband, their wife, another loved one, this is one of the top issues on the minds of the people that I represent. We all know of loved ones who need care. It is not only better for them and for the family to support them at home, but we know it saves tax dollars. So it is really amazing to me that we would be looking at these kinds of drastic cuts in something that saves money as well as providing quality care for families, for individuals. This just makes no sense at all. I supported the balanced budget agreement. I want to have the budget balanced. I support going after fraud and abuse, but I can tell my colleagues, in Michigan, with my home care providers, they are not the folks that we ought to be focusing the attention on, because they are providing quality care at very low cost. I did want to mention one other issue as well, and that is the whole issue of surety bonds. This is something that HCFA can address themselves right now if they choose to do that tomorrow morning. I would call on the administration of HCFA to do this. We put in place a requirement to protect, for new home health agencies that were opening, requiring a surety bond of $50,000 or 15 percent. The maker of that amendment indicated that she meant whichever was less. Instead, we are seeing efforts that have gone into place that are requiring people to go for a higher amount, whichever is more, 50,000 or 15 percent, whichever is more rather than whichever is less. What does that mean? Right now, only 41 percent of the home health care agencies across our country have been able to get a surety bond. The rule regarding having to have a surety bond takes effect July 1. Time is running out. We have got to see some kind of a response that is reasonable to those that are on the frontlines providing home health care. We have got to make sure that it is done in a timely manner. So I join with the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) calling on the Speaker of the House. There are vehicles. We have the gentleman's bill. We have other bills. We do not care if it is a Republican bill. We do not care if it is a Democratic bill. We just need action now because the people at home are going to be feeling the effects. We are going to see businesses closing, home health care not provided. And this is one of the most critical issues facing our families. So I am pleased to join with my colleagues tonight, calling for action.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I would first rise today to commend President Clinton for this week announcing new patient protections for those who are covered by Medicare. The time is now for all of us in the House to join together to extend those same protections to every single person who is covered by health care in this country. The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) have come together in an important effort that should not be watered down by other proposals that do not make the test, that do not really protect patients. Mr. Speaker, we need to make sure that our constituents, as well as ourselves, have access to specialists, that we can have emergency room costs covered when it is necessary, that we have the opportunity to fully discuss with our physicians the kinds of treatments that we need if we are in managed care. Time is overdue for us to provide the kinds of patient protections necessary in managed care to make sure that our constituents have the quality care that they deserve. Mr. Speaker, I call upon the House to support the Patient Bill of Rights and to take it up immediately.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge a no vote on the bill, but to first indicate that I have voted for IRS reform that we are still waiting to pass this Congress. I support real tax reform. And I would even support a deadline if there were alternatives proposed by the other side, by the majority, that were good for hard-working men and women in my district. Mr. Speaker, before coming to Congress, I served for 16 years on the tax and finance committees in the Michigan legislature. I supported and sponsored numerous tax cut bills. But in each case, they were making things better for the middle-class families, family farmers and small business people that I represented. Unfortunately in this case, the alternatives proposed by the majority are even worse, even more unfair than the current system. For instance, a national retail sales tax, which is also a use tax on professionals and entrepreneurs, would, according to the tax analysts, raise the cost of buying goods and services something close to 30 percent when all is figured. Houses, cars, food, prescription drugs for our senior citizens, on and on. Insurance premiums. It goes on and on. In addition to that, it would tax doctor's visits. It would tax accountant's visits. It would create a situation where every small business person and entrepreneur in my district, every professional, would have to become a tax collector. I do not call that better than what we have right now. Let us really fix it and really do something that is better by proposing a real alternative. In addition, the flat taxes that have been proposed by the other side just shift from wealthy individuals to the middle-class families in my district. Mr. Speaker, I want to see something simpler. I want to see reform. But let us do it in a way that does not involve the proposals coming from the other side which are not good certainly for the people that I represent in Michigan. I would urge a ``no'' vote on the bill. I would urge my colleagues instead to do what we did last year. Let us join together in a bipartisan way. We passed a balanced budget amendment. We passed tax cuts last year. Let us join together and create real reform for the real hard-working families, middle-class Americans that deserve the relief in this country.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I would first rise to commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. McCollum) for his leadership on the underlying bill. This is a critical issue in terms of protecting children. Having been involved for the last 20 years in Michigan on the issue of child abuse and neglect, I am very aware of the need for this legislation, and appreciate the gentleman's leadership. I also rise to support the amendment that adds to what I believe is an important bill and strengthens it to focus on domestic violence. Every 18 seconds in our country, a woman is abused in her home or by someone that she knows very closely, and usually there are children involved in that situation. So this is a family issue. If we wish to stop this cycle of abuse and certain child predators that are familiar to the child, we need to focus on the broad issue of domestic violence. I am very pleased that the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) has included H.R. 3910 into this amendment, which is legislation that I introduced a month or so ago that focuses on the issue of training. I would just emphasize for a moment that this amendment is important as we take the next step in protecting women and children from domestic violence. We have on the books around the country now laws that say domestic violence is a crime. We have shelters. I was very pleased in 1979 to lead the effort in Lansing, Michigan, to create one of the first two domestic violence shelters in Michigan. We have the laws on the books; we have the shelters. However, we do not see the level of enforcement happening evenly across our country because we have not provided the resources to train and support law enforcement officers, to provide them with the tools they need to work in a team, to provide the resources and the equipment that they need, and to be able to allow them to collect data and have the technical assistance to be able to fully utilize the laws that are on the books. The Conyers amendment is critical in guaranteeing that the resources are available for our judiciary, our prosecutors, our law enforcement agencies, so that the training and the support is there, so that the protections that are now on the books for women and children can be fully utilized. Mr. Chairman, I believe one of the most basic issues affecting us today in our society is the issue of violence in the home. If we in our communities can band together, if we can provide resources at the Federal level so that our local communities can develop the teams that they need to enforce, to educate, to be involved, to help our victims, and, preferable, to prevent domestic violence before it happens, we will save undue costs, immeasurable costs, in other systems, that we will not have to employ all across the community to pick up the pieces from domestic violence. I urge the adoption of the amendment, the inclusion of it as it moves through the process. Again, I commend the sponsor of the underlying amendment and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) for his foresight in focusing on domestic violence in this important legislation.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Chairman, I thank our leader who is leading this debate for us. Mr. Chairman, two years ago I watched this kind of debate on my television set at home in Michigan. Last night, as I went home and watched the very end of the debate again on my television in my little apartment, I had deja vu all over again, as they say. What I saw was a replay of the 104th Congress talking about the potential for dramatic cuts and threats to Medicare, education, the environment, and a focus on providing tax breaks for the wealthy and trying and essentially to blow up a balanced budget agreement that we came to in historic fashion just a year ago. It was extremely disheartening. My constituents asked me to come here during this session to do away with that. They do not want the days of possible government shutdowns or threats to those things that affect their lives every day. Last year we passed a historic balanced budget agreement. I rise today to support that by rejecting the Neumann substitute, the Kasich budget, and supporting the Spratt budget that allows us to continue the balanced budget that we agreed to in a bipartisan way, truly protect Social Security, and stand up for those things that affect our families every day. We need to focus on those priorities that people care about in the context of balancing the budget. I can assure my colleagues that the only way we truly effect Social Security protection and preserve it is through the Spratt budget. Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment and a ``yes'' vote on the Spratt amendment.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to strongly support the conference committee for agricultural research and to first commend our chairman and ranking member, as well as the Chair and ranking member of the subcommittee who have worked so hard. This is truly a bipartisan bill. It is good for production agriculture and it is good for families in Michigan. It is good for families across the country. We have heard tonight about the important need for crop insurance, critical agricultural research, food and nutrition programs, and I want to speak just a moment about food safety. My good friend, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) and I introduced a safe food action plan just a number of months ago. Two critical provisions of that are in this legislation: making food safety a top priority for research, and creating a crisis management team to respond in the case of an emergency in a very rapid fashion. Today also at Michigan State University, where we have a national food safety and toxicology program, we are doing a two-day national research institution conference to focus on risk factors for food safety. Today's action could not come at a better time.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Committee on Agriculture to indicate that this is a critical day and a critical vote for production agriculture and consumers across this country. If we do not defeat this rule, if we do not proceed to an immediate vote on something that passed overwhelmingly in the Senate, unanimously by conference committee, we will lose an opportunity to provide food safety in our country through increased food safety research; to provide a crisis management team that will be able to go out when there is a food safety crisis and be able to protect our consumers across the country. We will lose the opportunity to provide critical agricultural research. My State farmers have lost $56 million last year on wheat scab and vomitoxin. I know that in South Dakota and Minnesota and important other parts of the country, critical, critical dollars have been lost as a result of these kinds of diseases. Without this bill, we will see farmers continue to lose hundreds of millions of dollars. A vote against the rule is a vote for agriculture.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, today we celebrate Space Day, which is a day for people of all nations and ages to look back with pride on our extraordinary achievements in space exploration; and a day to look forward with hope and anticipation to the benefits and opportunities that lay ahead. It is a day to inspire future generations of scientists, engineers, computer programmers and astronauts to fulfill the vision of our early space pioneers. Space Day is supported by international leaders within the education, space, communications, corporate and scientific communities as well as a network of enthusiastic Space Day partners. Together they have designed a package of interactive and multi-disciplinary activities for teachers to use with their students; and they have launched an official web site that provides resources for teachers, parents, students and other space enthusiasts. I encourage all of my colleagues and our constituents to visit www.spaceday.com and to celebrate Space Day by registering as an official ``Friend of Space Day.'' In my district alone, Mr. Speaker, over 2,000 children and their parents have expressed their interest in math, science, engineering and space exploration by attending events that I have sponsored called ``Great Space Adventures.'' I applaud their curiosity and their sense of adventure; and I am very happy to join with them in celebrating Space Day today. Mr. Speaker, on this day, I also want to urge my colleagues to enact legislation that will extend the research and development tax credit because it is set to expire in only a few weeks. The R&D tax credit enjoys strong, bipartisan support and it is supported by all of America's leading science and technology industries, including aerospace, automotive, biotechnology, and telecommunications. The R&D tax credit is specifically designed to encourage our companies to invest in thousands of high-paying, high skilled jobs that support U.S. based research and development. Availability of these jobs has the dual benefit of fueling our nation's scientific and technological leadership and enticing our youth to pursue careers in math, science, engineering and education. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support Space Day by permanently extending the R&D tax credit.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member. It is my understanding that the Department of Transportation has entered in Full Funding Grant Agreements with 15 transit agencies nationwide. FFGAs are commitments by the Federal Government to provide funding for a project according to a schedule established by the agreement. In my region, the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District worked for more than 10 years to put together the financing package necessary to gain a full funding grant agreement. Our region has committed significant State and local resources for the BART-to-San- Francisco Airport and Santa Clara County Tasman projects, both of which have FFGAs. Is it correct that the intent of this conference report is to meet the full funding grant agreements that have been signed by the DOT?

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #165, had I been present I would have voted no. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #166, had I been present I would have voted no. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #167, had I been present I would have voted yes. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #168, had I been present I would have voted yes. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #169, had I been present I would have voted yes. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #170, had I been present I would have voted no. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #171, had I been present I would have voted yes. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #172, had I been present I would have voted yes. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #173, had I been present I would have voted yes. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote #174, had I been present I would have voted yes.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Madame Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the efforts to create real campaign finance reform. At the end of the day, it will not be what we said, what fingers we pointed at each other; it will be whether or not we actually got anything done. That is what people will judge us on. I want to commend my colleagues in the freshman class who have worked so hard on both sides of the aisle to bring this issue forward and to put a bill in front of us that makes sense. Also, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan) who have worked so hard to put together a bipartisan bill. We have two opportunities in front of us, either of which moves us in the right direction. And I would encourage us not to get bogged down in finger pointing, not to get bogged down in 11 substitutes, over 500 amendments, but to instead, when we have the opportunity to come back in another week to vote on whether or not we want less money in the system or more, that we vote for less; whether we want more accountability, whether we want folks to be able to make up names and run ads without any accountability for us or for our constituents to know who they are, or whether we want fairness, whether we want accountability. Let us vote for accountability. Let us vote for real campaign finance reform now.

Mrs. STABENOW

Mrs. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to celebrate the Howell Carnegie Library, which will receive a Michigan Historical Marker on May 17, 1998. The Howell library originated as the Ladies Library Association in 1875. That year, the ladies began offering books for lending. In 1902, this service grew to such lengths that a need developed for a town library. With the financial help of steel entrepreneur Andrew Carnegie, Detroit architect Elijah E. Meyers, who in previous years designed Michigan's Capital, designed the Neoclassical library with fieldstones collected throughout the country on land donated by the four sons of Howell pioneer William McPherson. Reading is one of life's greatest pleasures and the knowledge gained through libraries is critical to maintaining our great democracy. With this dedication, we need to honor not only this important structure but the people who were so committed to this important community service many years ago. From A.G. Kuehnle, a Howell native who hand built the library; to Andrew Carnegie, who funded over 2,500 free public libraries throughout the English-speaking world; to the people of Howell who established and supported the library throughout the years, this is an example of what can happen when dedicated people come together to meet the needs of the community. The Howell Carnegie Library is an important landmark and I am pleased it is getting the recognition it deserves.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to acknowledge the work of Seneca S. Foote, president of the United Methodist Retirement Communities, Inc. Mr. Foote has been associated with the church-affiliated retirement communities since his ordination as a United Methodist Church minister 18 years ago. During his tenure, he has overseen major fund-raising, building, and service projects at retirement communities in Chelsea, Detroit, and Ann Arbor, all of which have made a true difference in the lives of many families around Michigan. Specifically, there are projects across mid and Southern Michigan, such as the Alzheimer's/memory loss unit at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital or the soon to open 120-bed Alzheimer's and memory loss facility in Chelsea, that would not have been completed without the work, leadership, and commitment of Mr. Foote. These projects have made and will continue to make a positive difference in our community and to our families. Mr. Foote leaves his post as a nationally recognized leader in the field of long-term care. But most importantly, he ends his tenure after serving the people of Chelsea on the highest level. I thank Mr. Foote for his service and dedication and I wish him and his family the very best in the future.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, as part of the Michigan State University community, the people I represent have had the great pleasure of welcoming to Michigan many world leaders who have opened the world to us and introduced us to new cultures. This is why I am so pleased to have his excellency Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare, President of the Republic of Mali, to receive an honorary degree at Michigan State University's May 8th Advanced Degree Commencement Ceremony. The honorary degree recognizes President Konare's contributions to establishing democracy and peace in Mali, to peacemaking efforts in Africa, and to preserving Mali's cultural heritage through his professional activities as an archaeologist. In recent years, Mali has moved from a repressive dictatorship to an open parliamentary democracy, a transition which can be largely credited to the leadership and activism of President Konare. President Konare won the first multiparty presidential election in his country's history and was sworn in as President of the Republic of Mali on June 8, 1992. Prior to his election he was president of the West African Archaeologist Association as well as the first African President of the International Council of Museums. President Konare's visit celebrates the new and developing partnership the MSU community has had with the people of Mali. In recent years, more than 20 Malians have pursued undergraduate and graduate programs at MSU, while an almost equal amount of American MSU graduate students have conducted their thesis or dissertation research on Mali. The strong research and educational links the MSU community and the people of Mali have forged in recent years can be credited to both President Konare and MSU's great commitment to education and diversity. But most importantly, President Konare's visit reaffirms the friendship between the MSU community and the people of Mali, and it is my hope that we continue developing new initiatives that will, together, take us well into the 21st Century. Through President Konare's leadership, the MSU community views the Republic of Mali as more than just a friend of the United States; Mali is our partner in education. I thank President Konare for his contribution to democracy, his worldwide leadership, and his commitment to Michigan State University.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor today as a parent of two children who have gone through an urban public school, a good public school in Lansing, Michigan, who I am very proud of. We have had our challenges. Contrary to what this bill suggests, we have rolled up our sleeves and this year alone we have been able to recruit 1,100 new volunteers to work one-on-one with our students. We have through NetDay been able to bring together business and labor to wire 29 schools without taxpayers' expense, to be able to improve opportunity for technology and the Internet for every child in the Lansing public schools. What this bill does, it talks about a legitimate concern for children in Washington, D.C. and proposes exactly the wrong solution. It proposes taking $7 million out of a precious budget where there is not enough money and saying that 2,000 children will have the opportunity for a voucher, 76,000 children will be left with a system that does not have the investments it needs. Those 76,000 children could have in fact 65 schools wired for the Internet, 460,000 new textbooks in those schools, if instead of this bill we would in fact invest that $7 million to affect every child in Washington, D.C. Last fall literally the roofs were falling in on D.C. children. The response of the other side was to say 2,000 of the children could go to a different school and leave 76,000 children I suppose with buckets to catch the water. Our response is fix the schools, modernize them, improve them, and invest in every single American child in this country.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support a 60-year success story called Social Security. Almost half of our senior citizens were in poverty before its enactment, and now literally millions of seniors have been able to live and have a good quality of life because of that safety net called Social Security. I also rise to ask my colleagues, in addition to voting for this resolution, to vote for what I believe is the most significant vote that will be in front of us today, and that is the motion to recommit offered by the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy), my good friend, who will be offering to us the opportunity to truly put Social Security first by indicating that every single penny of any surplus that we have now would be put aside and held until we solve the Social Security situation. Mr. Speaker, we have time to do it right. We in fact know that as of yesterday, we now hear that it will be 2032 before Social Security runs out. That gives us time to do small steps in order to solve the problems in a big way, and I would urge us to do it quickly, to preserve and protect Social Security. Mr. Speaker, I would also urge my colleagues then to do the additional things that we need to do to make sure that our citizens have retirement security, expanding savings opportunities. First we have Social Security. We need to protect it and preserve it. Secondly, we need to expand those kinds of things that we did in the Taxpayer Relief bill last year where we expanded IRA options and make sure we have other options to encourage savings. Third, I would urge my colleagues to focus on pensions for small businesses. I have a bill, as do others of my colleagues have important legislation, that would give future opportunities for the 42 million people who work for small businesses, work hard every day, or who own their own small business and need a pension. All three of those things together will help us to guarantee every American retirement security for the future.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Ms. Speaker, I wish to recognize the American Lung Association of Michigan's 1997 Individual Health Advocate of the Year, Michigan Representative Bob Emerson and the 1997 Corporate Health Advocate of the Year, The Hurley Medical Center. Bob Emerson was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1980 and has a 100 percent voting record against tobacco. As past chairperson of the Public Health Subcommittee, he has been a strong advocate against the dangers of smoking and a leader in educating our children of its dangers. Representing the Flint area, Representative Emerson is also the founder and chairperson for the Greater Flint Health Coalition. I am proud to have served in the state legislature with Bob and I know first hand that he is a fighter and champion for our children. And as someone who fought side by side with him against tobacco companies. I am very pleased his work is being acknowledged through this award. On the corporate level, the Hurley Medical Center has become a national leader in treating Asthma and related illnesses. By sponsoring a summer Asthma camp, children from around Michigan have had the opportunity to enjoy nature and the summer weather in a safe environment. The Medical Center is also responsible for an innovative education program that many other medical organizations across the country have used as an example in effectively treating the disease. Both award winners overwhelmingly met the criteria set by the American Lung Association of Michigan. The work completed by Representative Emerson and the Hurley Medical Center are wonderful examples for our communities and are rooted in social responsibility, innovation, and activism. The American Lung Association is one of our county's most important health organizations. Their commitment to our children, public health, and education is unbarrelled. I am very proud that our Michigan chapter is one of the strongest in the nation and I thank them for taking the time to recognize the individual and corporate advocates that make a true difference in our communities.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Impression 5 as one of the premier science centers in education today. Each year Lansing's Impression 5 announces a series of awards that highlight leadership in the area of science. As in previous years, this year's recipients have shown a true commitment to science, our students, and education. Science is one of the most challenging important subjects to master. This year's recipients have used their knowledge, leadership and financial means to make science a focus on and outside the classroom and have found innovative ways to help the community appreciate and understand the importance of science. I am very proud to recognize the following recipients of the 1998 Impression 5 Tribute to Science and Technology winners for Educator of the Year, Scientist of the Year, and Community Service Award. Science Educator of the Year: Thomas DuByne As a science teacher at Haslett High School for over 35 years, Mr. DuByne has gained multiple state and national recognitions. He is best known in the community as a teacher committed to his students and the study of science. Whether it is the assistance he provides our elementary teachers, or the countless science fairs and demonstrations he has organized, Mr. DuByne has worked tirelessly on the local not only as a high school teacher, but as a leader in advocating science to young learners. Scientist of the Year: Dr. Vincent Massey Dr. Massey is the J. Lawrence Oncley Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Biological Chemistry at the University of Michigan. He is a pioneering biochemist who is known internationally for his studies in the field of flavins and flavoproteins. Community Service Award Old Kent Bank Lansing's Old Kent Bank has been recognized for working closely with the Impression 5 Science Center for over twelve years. Through their continuous commitment to the science center and the nonprofit community, Old Kent has played a vital role in the operation of many education activities throughout the Lansing community. As we continue to head toward the 21st Century, the areas of science and technology are more important. As a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, I am proud to recognize these efforts and offer congratulations and thanks for their continued leadership and excellence in science.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to Reverend Norma Jean Pender who is celebrating her 60th birthday. For thirty-five years, Ms. Pender has served the people of Michigan and has been a tireless leader for the community. Ms. Pender received her license to preach the Gospel in the Christian Episcopal Church in 1974, and was ordained in 1978 by the late Bishop E.P. Murchison. In 1982, she accepted the call to the position of Pastor of the New Jerusalem Temple Baptist Church. In 1985, she was ordained in the Baptist faith through the National Baptist Convention, USA. Along with her responsibilities to her church, she has also been committed to a vast array of community projects, such as the NAACP, the American Business Women's Association, and the Minister's Volunteer Services for the Harper Hospital Cancer Society. During her thirty-five years, Ms. Pender has served as musical leader, teacher, community spokesperson, and spiritual advisory to people of all ages. Most of all, through song, she showed her passion for life and her faith in God. While many of us know her as Reverend Mother on a popular radio show she hosts each weekday, Ms. Pender is also known as a woman committed to family, the community and the gospel. I thank her for the example she has set for so many of our young children as well as adults and wish her a very happy birthday.

Ms. STABENOW

Ms. STABENOW. That is correct.

Ms. STABENOW. Absolutely. Which makes no sense whatsoever.

Ms. STABENOW. If I might, just to add to what really is the burden under these proposals, not only would we lose the home mortgage deduction but on top of the price, and to continue with the charts, if we are looking at a $155,000 house, not only would the GOP price be $201,000, but under the sales tax proposal, this also taxes the insurance premium you pay every month, it taxes the electric bill that you have in your house, it taxes all services. I wanted to add that on top of what you have talked about, which is so important, in health care and so important as it relates to manufactured goods and so on, we are talking about every time we do something. So not only for the blood pressure medicine or the arthritis medicine, it is going to the doctor that will add 30 percent. We are now going to make doctors sales tax collectors, 30 percent. They have to now collect it. We will be creating a whole new group of tax collectors, shifting the burden on to small businesspeople and professionals. We will see a wide range of services that will now be taxed. If you go to the barber shop, add 30 percent, if you go to the dry cleaner, add 30 percent, if you come home to your house, not only is your house payment up 30 percent but again everything related to your home is up 30 percent. We are talking about a use tax literally on everything. Let me mention a couple of other things that I think are very critical to this. As we look at higher education, we have all worked very hard to provide tax breaks so that more people can go to college, more people can go back to school, get job training. Tuition and fees are exempt from the retail sales tax, but room and board is not. My daughter starts school at Michigan State University next fall. She will live in the dorm. Under this proposal, I would be paying 30 percent more for her dorm room, 30 percent more for her books, 30 percent more for her food. If she lived off campus, 30 percent more for her rent. So we are not just talking about goods, we are talking about literally everything that we do. Let me add something else, because there are several other things, very interesting, in this proposal. This proposal eliminates a number of different taxes. It eliminates all of the excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco, right at a time when we are saying that we ought to be doing more to discourage, particularly children, from smoking.

Ms. STABENOW. If I might also add that I do believe that the people I represent want to see a less complicated tax system, want to see it fairer. And I do, too. And they also want to see IRS reformed, which we passed in the House. It has not yet been taken up in the Senate, very important IRS reforms, changing the burden of proof from the taxpayer to the IRS in Tax Court, very significant changes that need to be moving quickly. One of the things I am concerned about is that we have passed IRS reform in the House, it has not been taken up yet in the Senate, and that needs to happen, so that we can--we need to be calling on the majority in the Senate to be bringing that up, because while we talk about the proposals that do not make sense for middle-class families and working people, we do know that there needs to be change and that there needs to be positive things. It is a question of where our values are, who it is that we believe needs to see tax cuts and tax reform. And my vote goes with small business people, family-owned farms, middle-class families working hard to make ends meet. Those are the folks who have not seen the same wage gains and have felt the burden, too much of the burden, on taxes. And so those are the folks I want to see helped, not the kinds of proposals that have been submitted on the other side of the aisle that will just increase their taxes.

Ms. STABENOW. In the last tax debate, when the original bill came to the floor, that was basically the Republican tax bill, we did not see an immediate increase in the exemption for the State tax for small businesses, family-owned businesses, and family-owned farms. It was a phased-in amount that you could exempt that was over 10 years. It really was not very much. I have been hearing, particularly from my family-owned farmers, and also family-owned businesses, about the need it be exempting more of that income when there is a death and be able to protect that income. We fought hard. I voted no on that original bill because it did not have that in it. We have worked very, very hard. When the final bill was written as a result of our initiatives, we have now exempted $1.3 million for family-owned farms, started this January, $1.3 million for family-owned farms or family-owned businesses. This is the amount of money you do not now have to pay taxes on in your estate. And this was a value that we had about family business and family-owned farms. We fought hard for it, and we were able to make the change. So we have been moving. We have been taking the proposals and making them better and working very, very, very hard to make sure that we are focusing on families, we are focusing on middle-income people, small businesses, and so on. I would mention one other thing that we are now working on, and that is, in working with the President in his new pension proposals for small business, I am very pleased to have introduced a bill that will give a tax credit over 3 years for small businesses that set up pension plans for their employees, another important use of the Tax Code in terms of tax relief. We have now 51 million people working hard every day for small businesses, working full time, no pension; 40 million of those in small businesses with less than 100 employees. So we now are working on an effort to allow that small business to write off the cost of setting up a pension plan so that those people working hard every day, who need that pension when they retire, will have the opportunity to do that.