July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4577 basic benefits under those programs MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, DEFENSE-WIDE and still find ways to make them VETERANS AFFAIRS AND RE- (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) stronger and longer. LATED AGENCIES APPROPRIA- For acquisition, construction, installation, Social Security, untouched, will TIONS ACT, 2012 and equipment of temporary or permanent pub- lic works, installations, facilities, and real prop- make every promised payment, with The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under erty for activities and agencies of the Depart- cost-of-living adjustments, for the next the previous order, the Senate will pro- ment of Defense (other than the military depart- 25 years. You can’t say that about ceed to the consideration of H.R. 2055, ments), as currently authorized by law, much in Washington. You can’t say which the clerk will report. $3,380,917,000, to remain available until Sep- that about any program other than So- The legislative clerk read as follows: tember 30, 2016: Provided, That such amounts of cial Security. We can do better by A bill (H.R. 2055) making appropriations this appropriation as may be determined by the making minor, small changes in Social for military construction, the Department of Secretary of Defense may be transferred to such Security today and putting the savings Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for appropriations of the Department of Defense the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and available for military construction or family back into Social Security, and then we for other purposes. housing as the Secretary may designate, to be can say it will last 75 years, which The Senate proceeded to consider the merged with and to be available for the same means everybody going into the work- bill, which had been reported from the purposes, and for the same time period, as the place, starting their work career in Committee on Appropriations, with an appropriation or fund to which transferred: America, will know they can count on amendment to strike all after the en- Provided further, That of the amount appro- Social Security to be there when they priated, not to exceed $439,602,000 shall be avail- acting clause and insert in lieu thereof able for study, planning, design, and architect need it. That is an attainable goal, and the following: if we face it honestly, we can do it. and engineer services, as authorized by law, un- That the following sums are appropriated, out less the Secretary of Defense determines that ad- When I was elected in 1982 and came of any money in the Treasury not otherwise ap- ditional obligations are necessary for such pur- to office in 1983, we were facing bank- propriated, for military construction, the De- poses and notifies the Committees on Appropria- ruptcy in Social Security. We came to- partment of Veterans Affairs, and related agen- tions of both Houses of Congress of the deter- gether with a bipartisan approach and cies for the fiscal year ending September 30, mination and the reasons therefor: Provided 2012, and for other purposes, namely: passed it. We bought literally 52 years further, That of the amount appropriated, not- TITLE I withstanding any other provision of law, of solvency for Social Security, and not DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE $24,118,000 shall be available for payments to a single Member lost the next election MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, ARMY the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for the because we did it in a bipartisan fash- For acquisition, construction, installation, planning, design, and construction of a new ion, determined to make Social Secu- and equipment of temporary or permanent pub- North Atlantic Treaty Organization head- rity stronger. We can do it again. lic works, military installations, facilities, and quarters. Medicare—same story. Medicare, of real property for the Army as currently author- MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, ARMY NATIONAL course, provides health care for the el- ized by law, including personnel in the Army GUARD derly and disabled in America. It is ex- Corps of Engineers and other personal services For construction, acquisition, expansion, re- habilitation, and conversion of facilities for the tremely expensive because health care necessary for the purposes of this appropriation, and for construction and operation of facilities training and administration of the Army Na- costs keep going up. Are there ways to in support of the functions of the Commander in tional Guard, and contributions therefor, as au- reduce the costs of Medicare so that Chief, $3,066,891,000, to remain available until thorized by chapter 1803 of title 10, United the people who are deserving of care— September 30, 2016: Provided, That of this States Code, and Military Construction Author- seniors and the disabled—will have it amount, not to exceed $255,241,000 shall be ization Acts, $773,592,000, to remain available available to them? available for study, planning, design, architect until September 30, 2016: Provided, That of the and engineer services, and host nation support, amount appropriated, not to exceed $20,671,000 On January 1 of this year, 9,000 as authorized by law, unless the Secretary of shall be available for study, planning, design, Americans turned the age of 65; on Jan- Defense determines that additional obligations and architect and engineer services, as author- uary 2, another 9,000; and then every are necessary for such purposes and notifies the ized by law, unless the Director of the Army Na- day since—every day for the next 19 Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of tional Guard determines that additional obliga- years. The boomers have arrived. They Congress of the determination and the reasons tions are necessary for such purposes and noti- have paid into Medicare and Social Se- therefor. fies the Committees on Appropriations of both curity their entire lives, and they ex- MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, NAVY AND MARINE Houses of Congress of the determination and the pect America to keep its promise. And CORPS reasons therefor. we will. But we can look at Medicare For acquisition, construction, installation, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, AIR NATIONAL GUARD and find ways to make that program and equipment of temporary or permanent pub- For construction, acquisition, expansion, re- lic works, naval installations, facilities, and real habilitation, and conversion of facilities for the more cost-efficient. There are certainly property for the Navy and Marine Corps as cur- training and administration of the Air National ways that are obvious. rently authorized by law, including personnel in Guard, and contributions therefor, as author- Under the Medicare prescription drug the Naval Facilities Engineering Command and ized by chapter 1803 of title 10, United States program, we currently don’t have a other personal services necessary for the pur- Code, and Military Construction Authorization Medicare option. All we have is private poses of this appropriation, $2,187,622,000, to re- Acts, $116,246,000, to remain available until Sep- health insurance company options. Let main available until September 30, 2016: Pro- tember 30, 2016: Provided, That of the amount vided, That of this amount, not to exceed appropriated, not to exceed $9,000,000 shall be Medicare bargain with pharmaceutical $84,362,000 shall be available for study, plan- available for study, planning, design, and ar- companies to buy in bulk and bring ning, design, and architect and engineer serv- chitect and engineer services, as authorized by down the cost of drugs for seniors, thus ices, as authorized by law, unless the Secretary law, unless the Director of the Air National reducing their out-of-pocket costs and of Defense determines that additional obliga- Guard determines that additional obligations our costs as taxpayers. The pharma- tions are necessary for such purposes and noti- are necessary for such purposes and notifies the ceutical industry hates that the way fies the Committees on Appropriations of both Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of the Devil hates holy water. The fact is Houses of Congress of the determination and the Congress of the determination and the reasons that when you put Medicare in there, reasons therefor. therefor. like the Veterans’ Administration is in MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, AIR FORCE MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, ARMY RESERVE there, it can make a difference. For acquisition, construction, installation, For construction, acquisition, expansion, re- and equipment of temporary or permanent pub- habilitation, and conversion of facilities for the We need to include spending, entitle- lic works, military installations, facilities, and training and administration of the Army Re- ments, and revenue. I hope we can do it real property for the Air Force as currently au- serve as authorized by chapter 1803 of title 10, on a bipartisan basis. thorized by law, $1,227,058,000, to remain avail- United States Code, and Military Construction able until September 30, 2016: Provided, That of Authorization Acts, $280,549,000, to remain f this amount, not to exceed $81,913,000 shall be available until September 30, 2016: Provided, available for study, planning, design, and ar- That of the amount appropriated, not to exceed chitect and engineer services, as authorized by $28,924,000 shall be available for study, plan- CONCLUSION OF MORNING law, unless the Secretary of Defense determines ning, design, and architect and engineer serv- BUSINESS that additional obligations are necessary for ices, as authorized by law, unless the Secretary such purposes and notifies the Committees on of the Army determines that additional obliga- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of tions are necessary for such purposes and noti- business is closed. the determination and the reasons therefor. fies the Committees on Appropriations of both

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Funds made available in this title for For expenses of family housing for the Air training and administration of the reserve com- construction may be used for advances to the Force for operation and maintenance, including ponents of the Navy and Marine Corps as au- Federal Highway Administration, Department debt payment, leasing, minor construction, prin- thorized by chapter 1803 of title 10, United of Transportation, for the construction of access cipal and interest charges, and insurance pre- States Code, and Military Construction Author- roads as authorized by section 210 of title 23, miums, as authorized by law, $404,761,000. ization Acts, $26,299,000, to remain available United States Code, when projects authorized until September 30, 2016: Provided, That of the FAMILY HOUSING OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, therein are certified as important to the na- amount appropriated, not to exceed $2,591,000 DEFENSE-WIDE tional defense by the Secretary of Defense. shall be available for study, planning, design, For expenses of family housing for the activi- SEC. 104. None of the funds made available in and architect and engineer services, as author- ties and agencies of the Department of Defense this title may be used to begin construction of ized by law, unless the Secretary of the Navy (other than the military departments) for oper- new bases in the United States for which spe- determines that additional obligations are nec- ation and maintenance, leasing, and minor con- cific appropriations have not been made. essary for such purposes and notifies the Com- struction, as authorized by law, $50,723,000. SEC. 105. None of the funds made available in mittees on Appropriations of both Houses of DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FAMILY HOUSING this title shall be used for purchase of land or Congress of the determination and the reasons IMPROVEMENT FUND land easements in excess of 100 percent of the therefor. For the Department of Defense Family Hous- value as determined by the Army Corps of Engi- MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, AIR FORCE RESERVE ing Improvement Fund, $2,184,000, to remain neers or the Naval Facilities Engineering Com- For construction, acquisition, expansion, re- available until expended, for family housing ini- mand, except: (1) where there is a determination of value by habilitation, and conversion of facilities for the tiatives undertaken pursuant to section 2883 of a Federal court; training and administration of the Air Force Re- title 10, United States Code, providing alter- (2) purchases negotiated by the Attorney Gen- serve as authorized by chapter 1803 of title 10, native means of acquiring and improving mili- eral or the designee of the Attorney General; United States Code, and Military Construction tary family housing and supporting facilities. Authorization Acts, $33,620,000, to remain avail- (3) where the estimated value is less than HOMEOWNERS ASSISTANCE FUND able until September 30, 2016: Provided, That of $25,000; or the amount appropriated, not to exceed For the Homeowners Assistance Fund estab- (4) as otherwise determined by the Secretary $2,200,000 shall be available for study, planning, lished by section 1013 of the Demonstration Cit- of Defense to be in the public interest. design, and architect and engineer services, as ies and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966, SEC. 106. None of the funds made available in authorized by law, unless the Secretary of the (42 U.S.C. 3374), as amended by section 1001 of this title shall be used to: (1) acquire land; Air Force determines that additional obligations division A of the American Recovery and Rein- (2) provide for site preparation; or are necessary for such purposes and notifies the vestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–5; 123 Stat. (3) install utilities for any family housing, ex- Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of 194), $1,284,000, to remain available until ex- cept housing for which funds have been made Congress of the determination and the reasons pended. available in annual Acts making appropriations therefor. CHEMICAL DEMILITARIZATION CONSTRUCTION, DEFENSE-WIDE for military construction. NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION SEC. 107. None of the funds made available in For expenses of construction, not otherwise SECURITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM this title for minor construction may be used to provided for, necessary for the destruction of transfer or relocate any activity from one base For the United States share of the cost of the the United States stockpile of lethal chemical or installation to another, without prior notifi- North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security In- agents and munitions in accordance with sec- cation to the Committees on Appropriations of vestment Program for the acquisition and con- tion 1412 of the Department of Defense Author- both Houses of Congress. struction of military facilities and installations ization Act, 1986 (50 U.S.C. 1521), and for the (including international military headquarters) SEC. 108. None of the funds made available in destruction of other chemical warfare materials this title may be used for the procurement of and for related expenses for the collective de- that are not in the chemical weapon stockpile, fense of the North Atlantic Treaty Area as au- steel for any construction project or activity for as currently authorized by law, $75,312,000, to which American steel producers, fabricators, thorized by section 2806 of title 10, United States remain available until September 30, 2016, which Code, and Military Construction Authorization and manufacturers have been denied the oppor- shall be only for the Assembled Chemical Weap- tunity to compete for such steel procurement. Acts, $272,611,000, to remain available until ex- ons Alternatives program. pended. SEC. 109. None of the funds available to the DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BASE CLOSURE Department of Defense for military construction FAMILY HOUSING CONSTRUCTION, ARMY ACCOUNT 1990 or family housing during the current fiscal year For expenses of family housing for the Army For deposit into the Department of Defense may be used to pay real property taxes in any for construction, including acquisition, replace- Base Closure Account 1990, established by sec- foreign nation. ment, addition, expansion, extension, and alter- tion 2906(a)(1) of the Defense Base Closure and SEC. 110. None of the funds made available in ation, as authorized by law, $186,897,000, to re- Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2687 note), this title may be used to initiate a new installa- main available until September 30, 2016. $323,543,000, to remain available until expended. tion overseas without prior notification to the FAMILY HOUSING OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BASE CLOSURE Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of ARMY ACCOUNT 2005 Congress. SEC. 111. None of the funds made available in For expenses of family housing for the Army For deposit into the Department of Defense this title may be obligated for architect and en- for operation and maintenance, including debt Base Closure Account 2005, established by sec- gineer contracts estimated by the Government to payment, leasing, minor construction, principal tion 2906A(a)(1) of the Defense Base Closure exceed $500,000 for projects to be accomplished and interest charges, and insurance premiums, and Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2687 in Japan, in any North Atlantic Treaty Organi- as authorized by law, $494,858,000. note), $258,776,000, to remain available until ex- zation member country, or in countries bor- pended: Provided, That the Department of De- FAMILY HOUSING CONSTRUCTION, NAVY AND dering the Arabian Sea, unless such contracts fense shall notify the Committees on Appropria- MARINE CORPS are awarded to United States firms or United tions of both Houses of Congress 14 days prior to For expenses of family housing for the Navy States firms in joint venture with host nation obligating an amount for a construction project and Marine Corps for construction, including firms. that exceeds or reduces the amount identified acquisition, replacement, addition, expansion, SEC. 112. None of the funds made available in extension, and alteration, as authorized by law, for that project in the most recently submitted this title for military construction in the United $100,972,000, to remain available until September budget request for this account by 20 percent or States territories and possessions in the Pacific 30, 2016. $2,000,000, whichever is less: Provided further, and on Kwajalein Atoll, or in countries bor- That the previous proviso shall not apply to dering the Arabian Sea, may be used to award FAMILY HOUSING OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, projects costing less than $5,000,000, except for NAVY AND MARINE CORPS any contract estimated by the Government to ex- those projects not previously identified in any ceed $1,000,000 to a foreign contractor: Provided, For expenses of family housing for the Navy budget submission for this account and exceed- That this section shall not be applicable to con- and Marine Corps for operation and mainte- ing the minor construction threshold under sec- tract awards for which the lowest responsive nance, including debt payment, leasing, minor tion 2805 of title 10, United States Code. and responsible bid of a United States con- construction, principal and interest charges, ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS tractor exceeds the lowest responsive and re- and insurance premiums, as authorized by law, SEC. 101. None of the funds made available in sponsible bid of a foreign contractor by greater $367,863,000. this title shall be expended for payments under than 20 percent: Provided further, That this sec- FAMILY HOUSING CONSTRUCTION, AIR FORCE a cost-plus-a-fixed-fee contract for construction, tion shall not apply to contract awards for mili- For expenses of family housing for the Air where cost estimates exceed $25,000, to be per- tary construction on Kwajalein Atoll for which Force for construction, including acquisition, formed within the United States, except Alaska, the lowest responsive and responsible bid is sub- replacement, addition, expansion, extension, without the specific approval in writing of the mitted by a Marshallese contractor.

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SEC. 113. The Secretary of Defense is to inform means of acquiring and improving military fam- ment Act of 1990 (part A of title XXIX of Public the appropriate committees of both Houses of ily housing, military unaccompanied housing, Law 101–510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note), unless such a Congress, including the Committees on Appro- and supporting facilities. project at a military installation approved for priations, of the plans and scope of any pro- SEC. 120. (a) Not later than 60 days before realignment will support a continuing mission posed military exercise involving United States issuing any solicitation for a contract with the or function at that installation or a new mission personnel 30 days prior to its occurring, if private sector for military family housing the or function that is planned for that installation, amounts expended for construction, either tem- Secretary of the military department concerned or unless the Secretary of Defense certifies that porary or permanent, are anticipated to exceed shall submit to the Committees on Appropria- the cost to the United States of carrying out $100,000. tions of both Houses of Congress the notice de- such project would be less than the cost to the SEC. 114. Not more than 20 percent of the scribed in subsection (b). United States of cancelling such project, or if funds made available in this title which are lim- (b)(1) A notice referred to in subsection (a) is the project is at an active component base that ited for obligation during the current fiscal year a notice of any guarantee (including the making shall be established as an enclave or in the case shall be obligated during the last 2 months of of mortgage or rental payments) proposed to be of projects having multi-agency use, that an- the fiscal year. made by the Secretary to the private party other Government agency has indicated it will SEC. 115. Funds appropriated to the Depart- under the contract involved in the event of— assume ownership of the completed project. The ment of Defense for construction in prior years (A) the closure or realignment of the installa- Secretary of Defense may not transfer funds shall be available for construction authorized tion for which housing is provided under the made available as a result of this limitation from for each such military department by the au- contract; any military construction project, land acquisi- thorizations enacted into law during the current (B) a reduction in force of units stationed at tion, or family housing project to another ac- session of Congress. such installation; or count or use such funds for another purpose or SEC. 116. For military construction or family (C) the extended deployment overseas of units project without the prior approval of the Com- housing projects that are being completed with stationed at such installation. mittees on Appropriations of both Houses of funds otherwise expired or lapsed for obligation, (2) Each notice under this subsection shall Congress. This section shall not apply to mili- expired or lapsed funds may be used to pay the specify the nature of the guarantee involved tary construction projects, land acquisition, or cost of associated supervision, inspection, over- and assess the extent and likelihood, if any, of family housing projects for which the project is head, engineering and design on those projects the liability of the Federal Government with re- vital to the national security or the protection of and on subsequent claims, if any. spect to the guarantee. health, safety, or environmental quality: Pro- vided, That the Secretary of Defense shall no- SEC. 117. Notwithstanding any other provision (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) of law, any funds made available to a military tify the congressional defense committees within SEC. 121. In addition to any other transfer au- department or defense agency for the construc- seven days of a decision to carry out such a thority available to the Department of Defense, tion of military projects may be obligated for a military construction project. amounts may be transferred from the accounts military construction project or contract, or for (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) established by sections 2906(a)(1) and any portion of such a project or contract, at any 2906A(a)(1) of the Defense Base Closure and Re- SEC. 125. During the 5-year period after ap- time before the end of the fourth fiscal year alignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2687 note), to propriations available in this Act to the Depart- after the fiscal year for which funds for such the fund established by section 1013(d) of the ment of Defense for military construction and project were made available, if the funds obli- Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Develop- family housing operation and maintenance and gated for such project: ment Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 3374) to pay for ex- construction have expired for obligation, upon a (1) are obligated from funds available for mili- determination that such appropriations will not penses associated with the Homeowners Assist- tary construction projects; and be necessary for the liquidation of obligations or ance Program incurred under 42 U.S.C. (2) do not exceed the amount appropriated for for making authorized adjustments to such ap- 3374(a)(1)(A). Any amounts transferred shall be such project, plus any amount by which the cost propriations for obligations incurred during the merged with and be available for the same pur- of such project is increased pursuant to law. period of availability of such appropriations, poses and for the same time period as the fund (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) unobligated balances of such appropriations to which transferred. may be transferred into the appropriation ‘‘For- SEC. 118. In addition to any other transfer au- SEC. 122. Notwithstanding any other provision eign Currency Fluctuations, Construction, De- thority available to the Department of Defense, of law, funds made available in this title for op- fense’’, to be merged with and to be available for proceeds deposited to the Department of Defense eration and maintenance of family housing the same time period and for the same purposes Base Closure Account established by section shall be the exclusive source of funds for repair 207(a)(1) of the Defense Authorization Amend- as the appropriation to which transferred. and maintenance of all family housing units, in- SEC. 126. Amounts appropriated or otherwise ments and Base Closure and Realignment Act cluding general or flag officer quarters: Pro- (10 U.S.C. 2687 note) pursuant to section made available in an account funded under the vided, That not more than $35,000 per unit may headings in this title may be transferred among 207(a)(2)(C) of such Act, may be transferred to be spent annually for the maintenance and re- the account established by section 2906(a)(1) of projects and activities within the account in ac- pair of any general or flag officer quarters with- cordance with the reprogramming guidelines for the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act out 30 days prior notification, or 14 days for a of 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2687 note), to be merged with, military construction and family housing con- notification provided in an electronic medium struction contained in Department of Defense and to be available for the same purposes and pursuant to sections 480 and 2883 of title 10, Financial Management Regulation 7000.14–R, the same time period as that account. United States Code, to the Committees on Ap- Volume 3, Chapter 7, of February 2009, as in ef- (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) propriations of both Houses of Congress, except fect on the date of enactment of this Act. SEC. 119. Subject to 30 days prior notification, that an after-the-fact notification shall be sub- TITLE II or 14 days for a notification provided in an elec- mitted if the limitation is exceeded solely due to DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS tronic medium pursuant to sections 480 and costs associated with environmental remediation 2883, of title 10, United States Code, to the Com- that could not be reasonably anticipated at the VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION mittees on Appropriations of both Houses of time of the budget submission: Provided further, COMPENSATION AND PENSIONS Congress, such additional amounts as may be That the Under Secretary of Defense (Comp- (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) determined by the Secretary of Defense may be troller) is to report annually to the Committees For the payment of compensation benefits to transferred to: on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress or on behalf of veterans and a pilot program for (1) the Department of Defense Family Housing all operation and maintenance expenditures for disability examinations as authorized by section Improvement Fund from amounts appropriated each individual general or flag officer quarters 107 and chapters 11, 13, 18, 51, 53, 55, and 61 of for construction in ‘‘Family Housing’’ accounts, for the prior fiscal year. title 38, United States Code; pension benefits to to be merged with and to be available for the SEC. 123. Amounts contained in the Ford Is- or on behalf of veterans as authorized by chap- same purposes and for the same period of time land Improvement Account established by sub- ters 15, 51, 53, 55, and 61 of title 38, United as amounts appropriated directly to the Fund; section (h) of section 2814 of title 10, United States Code; and burial benefits, the Reinstated or States Code, are appropriated and shall be Entitlement Program for Survivors, emergency (2) the Department of Defense Military Unac- available until expended for the purposes speci- and other officers’ retirement pay, adjusted- companied Housing Improvement Fund from fied in subsection (i)(1) of such section or until service credits and certificates, payment of pre- amounts appropriated for construction of mili- transferred pursuant to subsection (i)(3) of such miums due on commercial life insurance policies tary unaccompanied housing in ‘‘Military Con- section. guaranteed under the provisions of title IV of struction’’ accounts, to be merged with and to SEC. 124. None of the funds made available in the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. be available for the same purposes and for the this title, or in any Act making appropriations App. 541 et seq.) and for other benefits as au- same period of time as amounts appropriated di- for military construction which remain available thorized by sections 107, 1312, 1977, and 2106, rectly to the Fund: Provided, That appropria- for obligation, may be obligated or expended to and chapters 23, 51, 53, 55, and 61 of title 38, tions made available to the Funds shall be carry out a military construction, land acquisi- United States Code, $58,067,319,000, to remain available to cover the costs, as defined in section tion, or family housing project at or for a mili- available until expended: Provided, That not to 502(5) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, tary installation approved for closure, or at a exceed $32,187,000 of the amount appropriated of direct loans or loan guarantees issued by the military installation for the purposes of sup- under this heading shall be reimbursed to ‘‘Gen- Department of Defense pursuant to the provi- porting a function that has been approved for eral operating expenses, Veterans Benefits Ad- sions of subchapter IV of chapter 169 of title 10, realignment to another installation, in 2005 ministration’’, ‘‘Medical support and compli- United States Code, pertaining to alternative under the Defense Base Closure and Realign- ance’’, and ‘‘Information technology systems’’

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for necessary expenses in implementing the pro- sistance and support services for caregivers as DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION visions of chapters 51, 53, and 55 of title 38, authorized by section 1720G of title 38, United GENERAL ADMINISTRATION United States Code, the funding source for States Code, and loan repayments authorized by (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) which is specifically provided as the ‘‘Com- section 604 of Public Law 111–163; For necessary operating expenses of the De- pensation and pensions’’ appropriation: Pro- $41,354,000,000, plus reimbursements, shall be- partment of Veterans Affairs, not otherwise pro- vided further, That such sums as may be earned come available on October 1, 2012, and shall re- vided for, including administrative expenses in on an actual qualifying patient basis, shall be main available until September 30, 2013: Pro- support of Department-Wide capital planning, reimbursed to ‘‘Medical care collections fund’’ vided, That notwithstanding any other provi- management and policy activities, uniforms, or to augment the funding of individual medical sion of law, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs allowances therefor; not to exceed $25,000 for of- facilities for nursing home care provided to pen- shall establish a priority for the provision of ficial reception and representation expenses; sioners as authorized. medical treatment for veterans who have serv- hire of passenger motor vehicles; and reimburse- READJUSTMENT BENEFITS ice-connected disabilities, lower income, or have ment of the General Services Administration for special needs: Provided further, That, notwith- For the payment of readjustment and rehabili- security guard services, $431,257,000, of which standing any other provision of law, the Sec- tation benefits to or on behalf of veterans as au- not to exceed $21,562,000 shall remain available retary of Veterans Affairs shall give priority thorized by chapters 21, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 39, until September 30, 2013: Provided, That funding for the provision of basic medical bene- 51, 53, 55, and 61 of title 38, United States Code, $15,000,000 shall be to increase the Department’s fits to veterans in enrollment priority groups 1 $11,011,086,000, to remain available until ex- acquisition workforce capacity and capabilities through 6: Provided further, That, notwith- pended: Provided, That expenses for rehabilita- and may be transferred by the Secretary to any standing any other provision of law, the Sec- tion program services and assistance which the other account in the Department to carry out retary of Veterans Affairs may authorize the Secretary is authorized to provide under sub- the purposes provided therein: Provided further, dispensing of prescription drugs from Veterans section (a) of section 3104 of title 38, United That funds provided under this heading may be Health Administration facilities to enrolled vet- States Code, other than under paragraphs (1), transferred to ‘‘General operating expenses, Vet- erans with privately written prescriptions based (2), (5), and (11) of that subsection, shall be erans Benefits Administration’’. on requirements established by the Secretary: charged to this account. GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES, VETERANS Provided further, That the implementation of BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION VETERANS INSURANCE AND INDEMNITIES the program described in the previous proviso For necessary operating expenses of the Vet- For military and naval insurance, national shall incur no additional cost to the Department erans Benefits Administration, not otherwise service life insurance, servicemen’s indemnities, of Veterans Affairs. service-disabled veterans insurance, and vet- provided for, including hire of passenger motor MEDICAL SUPPORT AND COMPLIANCE vehicles, and reimbursement of the Department erans mortgage life insurance as authorized by of Defense for the cost of overseas employee title 38, United States Code, chapters 19 and 21, For necessary expenses in the administration mail, $2,018,764,000: Provided, That expenses for $100,252,000, to remain available until expended. of the medical, hospital, nursing home, domi- services and assistance authorized under para- VETERANS HOUSING BENEFIT PROGRAM FUND ciliary, construction, supply, and research ac- tivities, as authorized by law; administrative ex- graphs (1), (2), (5), and (11) of section 3104(a) of For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, penses in support of capital policy activities; title 38, United States Code, that the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry out the and administrative and legal expenses of the of Veterans Affairs determines are necessary to program, as authorized by subchapters I enable entitled veterans: (1) to the maximum ex- Department for collecting and recovering through III of chapter 37 of title 38, United tent feasible, to become employable and to ob- amounts owed the Department as authorized States Code: Provided, That such costs, includ- tain and maintain suitable employment; or (2) to under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, ing the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as achieve maximum independence in daily living, and the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act (42 defined in section 502 of the Congressional shall be charged to this account: Provided fur- U.S.C. 2651 et seq.); $5,746,000,000, plus reim- Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That dur- ther, That of the funds made available under bursements, shall become available on October 1, ing fiscal year 2012, within the resources avail- this heading, not to exceed $105,000,000 shall re- 2012, and shall remain available until September able, not to exceed $500,000 in gross obligations main available until September 20, 2013: Pro- 30, 2013. for direct loans are authorized for specially vided further, That from the funds made avail- adapted housing loans. MEDICAL FACILITIES able under this heading, the Veterans Benefits In addition, for administrative expenses to For necessary expenses for the maintenance Administration may purchase (on a one-for-one carry out the direct and guaranteed loan pro- and operation of hospitals, nursing homes, and replacement basis only) up to two passenger grams, $154,698,000. domiciliary facilities and other necessary facili- motor vehicles for use in operations of that Ad- VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION LOANS PROGRAM ties of the Veterans Health Administration; for ministration in Manila, Philippines. ACCOUNT administrative expenses in support of planning, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS For the cost of direct loans, $19,000, as au- design, project management, real property ac- For necessary expenses for information tech- thorized by chapter 31 of title 38, United States quisition and disposition, construction, and ren- nology systems and telecommunications support, Code: Provided, That such costs, including the ovation of any facility under the jurisdiction or including developmental information systems cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined for the use of the Department; for oversight, en- and operational information systems; for pay in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act gineering, and architectural activities not and associated costs; and for the capital asset of 1974: Provided further, That funds made charged to project costs; for repairing, altering, acquisition of information technology systems, available under this heading are available to improving, or providing facilities in the several including management and related contractual subsidize gross obligations for the principal hospitals and homes under the jurisdiction of costs of said acquisitions, including contractual amount of direct loans not to exceed $3,019,000. the Department, not otherwise provided for, ei- costs associated with operations authorized by In addition, for administrative expenses nec- ther by contract or by the hire of temporary em- section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, essary to carry out the direct loan program, ployees and purchase of materials; for leases of $3,161,376,000, plus reimbursements: Provided, $343,000, which may be paid to the appropria- facilities; and for laundry services, That $915,000,000 shall be for pay and associ- tion for ‘‘General operating expenses, Veterans $5,441,000,000, plus reimbursements, shall become ated costs, of which not to exceed $25,000,000 Benefits Administration’’. available on October 1, 2012, and shall remain shall remain available until September 30, 2013: available until September 30, 2013. Provided further, That $1,709,953,000 shall be for NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN HOUSING LOAN operations and maintenance as designated in PROGRAM ACCOUNT MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH the President’s 2012 budget justification, of For administrative expenses to carry out the For necessary expenses in carrying out pro- which not to exceed $110,000,000 shall remain direct loan program authorized by subchapter V grams of medical and prosthetic research and available until September 30, 2013: Provided fur- of chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code, development as authorized by chapter 73 of title ther, That $536,423,000 shall be for information $1,116,000. 38, United States Code, $581,000,000, plus reim- technology systems development, modernization, VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION bursements, shall remain available until Sep- and enhancement as designated in the Presi- MEDICAL SERVICES tember 30, 2013. dent’s 2012 budget justification, and shall re- main available until September 30, 2013: Pro- (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION vided further, That none of the funds made For necessary expenses for furnishing, as au- For necessary expenses of the National Ceme- available under this heading may be obligated thorized by law, inpatient and outpatient care tery Administration for operations and mainte- until the Department of Veterans Affairs sub- and treatment to beneficiaries of the Depart- nance, not otherwise provided for, including mits to the Committees on Appropriations of ment of Veterans Affairs and veterans described uniforms or allowances therefor; cemeterial ex- both Houses of Congress, and such Committees in section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code, penses as authorized by law; purchase of one approve, a plan for expenditure that: including care and treatment in facilities not passenger motor vehicle for use in cemeterial op- (1) meets the capital planning and investment under the jurisdiction of the Department, and erations; hire of passenger motor vehicles; and control review requirements established by the including medical supplies and equipment, food repair, alteration or improvement of facilities Office of Management and Budget; services, and salaries and expenses of health under the jurisdiction of the National Cemetery (2) complies with the Department of Veterans care employees hired under title 38, United Administration, $250,934,000, of which not to ex- Affairs enterprise architecture; States Code, aid to State homes as authorized by ceed $25,100,000 shall remain available until (3) conforms with an established enterprise section 1741 of title 38, United States Code, as- September 30, 2013. life cycle methodology; and

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Secretary requests from the Committees on Ap- available for information technology systems de- CONSTRUCTION, MINOR PROJECTS propriations of both Houses of Congress the au- velopment, modernization, and enhancement thority to make the transfer and an approval is For constructing, altering, extending, and im- may not be obligated or expended until the Sec- issued: Provided further, That any transfers to proving any of the facilities, including parking retary of Veterans Affairs or the Chief Informa- or from the ‘‘Medical facilities’’ account may projects, under the jurisdiction or for the use of tion Officer of the Department of Veterans Af- take place only after the Secretary requests from the Department of Veterans Affairs, including fairs submits to the Committees on Appropria- the Committees on Appropriations of both planning and assessments of needs which may tions of both Houses of Congress a certification Houses of Congress the authority to make the lead to capital investments, architectural and of the amounts, in parts or in full, to be obli- transfer and an approval is issued. engineering services, maintenance or guarantee gated and expended for each development SEC. 203. Appropriations available in this title period services costs associated with equipment project: Provided further, That amounts made for salaries and expenses shall be available for guarantees provided under the project, services available for salaries and expenses, operations services authorized by section 3109 of title 5, of claims analysts, offsite utility and storm and maintenance, and information technology United States Code, hire of passenger motor ve- drainage system construction costs, and site ac- systems development, modernization, and en- hicles; lease of a facility or land or both; and quisition, or for any of the purposes set forth in hancement may be transferred among the three uniforms or allowances therefore, as authorized sections 316, 2404, 2406, 8102, 8103, 8106, 8108, subaccounts after the Secretary of Veterans Af- by sections 5901 through 5902 of title 5, United 8109, 8110, 8122, and 8162 of title 38, United fairs requests from the Committees on Appro- States Code. States Code, where the estimated cost of a priations of both Houses of Congress the author- SEC. 204. No appropriations in this title (ex- project is equal to or less than the amount set ity to make the transfer and an approval is cept the appropriations for ‘‘Construction, forth in section 8104(a)(3)(A) of title 38, United issued: Provided further, That the funds made major projects’’, and ‘‘Construction, minor States Code, $550,091,000, to remain available available under this heading for information projects’’) shall be available for the purchase of until expended, along with unobligated balances technology systems development, modernization, any site for or toward the construction of any of previous ‘‘Construction, minor projects’’ ap- and enhancement, shall be for the projects and new hospital or home. propriations which are hereby made available SEC. 205. No appropriations in this title shall in the amounts, specified under this heading in for any project where the estimated cost is equal be available for hospitalization or examination the report accompanying this Act. to or less than the amount set forth in such sec- of any persons (except beneficiaries entitled to OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL tion: Provided, That funds made available such hospitalization or examination under the For necessary expenses of the Office of In- under this heading shall be for: laws providing such benefits to veterans, and spector General, to include information tech- (1) repairs to any of the nonmedical facilities persons receiving such treatment under sections nology, in carrying out the provisions of the In- under the jurisdiction or for the use of the De- 7901 through 7904 of title 5, United States Code, spector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), partment which are necessary because of loss or or the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and $112,391,000, of which $6,600,000 shall remain damage caused by any natural disaster or catas- Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et available until September 30, 2013. trophe; and seq.)), unless reimbursement of the cost of such CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR PROJECTS (2) temporary measures necessary to prevent hospitalization or examination is made to the For constructing, altering, extending, and im- or to minimize further loss by such causes. ‘‘Medical services’’ account at such rates as proving any of the facilities, including parking GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF STATE EXTENDED may be fixed by the Secretary of Veterans Af- projects, under the jurisdiction or for the use of CARE FACILITIES fairs. SEC. 206. Appropriations available in this title the Department of Veterans Affairs, or for any For grants to assist States to acquire or con- of the purposes set forth in sections 316, 2404, for ‘‘Compensation and pensions’’, ‘‘Readjust- struct State nursing home and domiciliary fa- ment benefits’’, and ‘‘Veterans insurance and 2406, 8102, 8103, 8106, 8108, 8109, 8110, and 8122 cilities and to remodel, modify, or alter existing of title 38, United States Code, including plan- indemnities’’ shall be available for payment of hospital, nursing home, and domiciliary facili- prior year accrued obligations required to be re- ning, architectural and engineering services, ties in State homes, for furnishing care to vet- construction management services, maintenance corded by law against the corresponding prior erans as authorized by sections 8131 through year accounts within the last quarter of fiscal or guarantee period services costs associated 8137 of title 38, United States Code, $85,000,000, with equipment guarantees provided under the year 2011. to remain available until expended. SEC. 207. Appropriations available in this title project, services of claims analysts, offsite utility GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF VETERANS shall be available to pay prior year obligations and storm drainage system construction costs, CEMETERIES of corresponding prior year appropriations ac- and site acquisition, where the estimated cost of counts resulting from sections 3328(a), 3334, and a project is more than the amount set forth in For grants to assist States and tribal govern- 3712(a) of title 31, United States Code, except section 8104(a)(3)(A) of title 38, United States ments in establishing, expanding, or improving that if such obligations are from trust fund ac- Code, or where funds for a project were made veterans cemeteries as authorized by section counts they shall be payable only from ‘‘Com- available in a previous major project appropria- 2408 of title 38, United States Code, $46,000,000, pensation and pensions’’. tion, $589,604,000, to remain available until ex- to remain available until expended. pended, of which $5,000,000 shall be to make re- ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) imbursements as provided in section 13 of the (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) SEC. 208. Notwithstanding any other provision Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (41 U.S.C. 612) for of law, during fiscal year 2012, the Secretary of SEC. 201. Any appropriation for fiscal year Veterans Affairs shall, from the National Serv- claims paid for contract disputes: Provided, 2012 for ‘‘Compensation and pensions’’, ‘‘Read- That except for advance planning activities, in- ice Life Insurance Fund under section 1920 of justment benefits’’, and ‘‘Veterans insurance title 38, United States Code, the Veterans’ Spe- cluding needs assessments which may or may and indemnities’’ may be transferred as nec- not lead to capital investments, and other cap- cial Life Insurance Fund under section 1923 of essary to any other of the mentioned appropria- title 38, United States Code, and the United ital asset management related activities, includ- tions: Provided, That before a transfer may take ing portfolio development and management ac- States Government Life Insurance Fund under place, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall re- section 1955 of title 38, United States Code, reim- tivities, and investment strategy studies funded quest from the Committees on Appropriations of through the advance planning fund and the burse the ‘‘General operating expenses, Veterans both Houses of Congress the authority to make Benefits Administration’’ and ‘‘Information planning and design activities funded through the transfer and such Committees issue an ap- the design fund, including needs assessments technology systems’’ accounts for the cost of ad- proval, or absent a response, a period of 30 days ministration of the insurance programs financed which may or may not lead to capital invest- has elapsed. ments, and salaries and associated costs of the through those accounts: Provided, That reim- resident engineers who oversee those capital in- (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) bursement shall be made only from the surplus vestments funded through this account, and SEC. 202. Amounts made available for the De- earnings accumulated in such an insurance pro- funds provided for the purchase of land for the partment of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year gram during fiscal year 2012 that are available National Cemetery Administration through the 2012, in this Act or any other Act, under the for dividends in that program after claims have land acquisition line item, none of the funds ‘‘Medical services’’, ‘‘Medical support and com- been paid and actuarially determined reserves made available under this heading shall be used pliance’’, and ‘‘Medical facilities’’ accounts may have been set aside: Provided further, That if for any project which has not been approved by be transferred among the accounts: Provided, the cost of administration of such an insurance the Congress in the budgetary process: Provided That any transfers between the ‘‘Medical serv- program exceeds the amount of surplus earnings further, That funds made available under this ices’’ and ‘‘Medical support and compliance’’ accumulated in that program, reimbursement heading for fiscal year 2012, for each approved accounts of 1 percent or less of the total amount shall be made only to the extent of such surplus project shall be obligated: appropriated to the account in this or any other earnings: Provided further, That the Secretary (1) by the awarding of a construction docu- Act may take place subject to notification from shall determine the cost of administration for ments contract by September 30, 2012; and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Commit- fiscal year 2012 which is properly allocable to (2) by the awarding of a construction contract tees on Appropriations of both Houses of Con- the provision of each such insurance program by September 30, 2013: Provided further, That gress of the amount and purpose of the transfer: and to the provision of any total disability in- the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall promptly Provided further, That any transfers between come insurance included in that insurance pro- submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the ‘‘Medical services’’ and ‘‘Medical support gram.

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SEC. 209. Amounts deducted from enhanced- Health Service, and Indian tribes and tribal or- gated during the last 2 months of that fiscal use lease proceeds to reimburse an account for ganizations serving rural Alaska which have year: Provided, That the Secretary may waive expenses incurred by that account during a entered into contracts with the Indian Health this requirement after providing written notice prior fiscal year for providing enhanced-use Service under the Indian Self Determination to the Committees on Appropriations of both lease services, may be obligated during the fiscal and Educational Assistance Act, to provide Houses of Congress. year in which the proceeds are received. healthcare, including behavioral health and (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) dental care. The Secretary shall require partici- SEC. 224. Of the amounts appropriated to the pating veterans and facilities to comply with all SEC. 210. Funds available in this title or funds Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year appropriate rules and regulations, as estab- for salaries and other administrative expenses 2011 for ‘‘Medical services’’, ‘‘Medical support lished by the Secretary. The term ‘‘rural Alas- shall also be available to reimburse the Office of and compliance’’, ‘‘Medical facilities’’, ‘‘Con- ka’’ shall mean those lands sited within the ex- Resolution Management of the Department of struction, minor projects’’, and ‘‘Information ternal boundaries of the Alaska Native regions Veterans Affairs and the Office of Employment technology systems’’, up to $241,666,000, plus re- specified in sections 7(a)(1)–(4) and (7)–(12) of Discrimination Complaint Adjudication under imbursements, may be transferred to the Joint the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, as section 319 of title 38, United States Code, for all Department of Defense-Department of Veterans amended (43 U.S.C. 1606), and those lands with- services provided at rates which will recover ac- Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, in the Alaska Native regions specified in sec- tual costs but not exceed $42,904,000 for the Of- established by section 1704 of title XVII of the tions 7(a)(5) and 7(a)(6) of the Alaska Native fice of Resolution Management and $3,360,000 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Claims Settlement Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. for the Office of Employment and Discrimina- Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 3571) 1606), which are not within the boundaries of tion Complaint Adjudication: Provided, That and may be used for operation of the facilities the Municipality of Anchorage, the Fairbanks payments may be made in advance for services designated as combined Federal medical facili- North Star Borough, the Kenai Peninsula Bor- to be furnished based on estimated costs: Pro- ties as described by section 706 of the Duncan ough or the Matanuska Susitna Borough. vided further, That amounts received shall be Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for credited to the ‘‘General administration’’ and (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. ‘‘Information technology systems’’ accounts for SEC. 217. Such sums as may be deposited to 4500): Provided, That additional funds may be use by the office that provided the service. the Department of Veterans Affairs Capital transferred from accounts designated in this sec- SEC. 211. No appropriations in this title shall Asset Fund pursuant to section 8118 of title 38, tion to the Joint Department of Defense-Depart- be available to enter into any new lease of real United States Code, may be transferred to the ment of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Dem- property if the estimated annual rental cost is ‘‘Construction, major projects’’ and ‘‘Construc- onstration Fund upon written notification by more than $1,000,000, unless the Secretary sub- tion, minor projects’’ accounts, to remain avail- the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Commit- mits a report which the Committees on Appro- able until expended for the purposes of these ac- tees on Appropriations of both Houses of Con- priations of both Houses of Congress approve counts. gress. within 30 days following the date on which the SEC. 218. None of the funds made available in (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) report is received. this title may be used to implement any policy SEC. 225. Such sums as may be deposited to SEC. 212. No funds of the Department of Vet- prohibiting the Directors of the Veterans Inte- the Medical Care Collections Fund pursuant to erans Affairs shall be available for hospital grated Services Networks from conducting out- section 1729A of title 38, United States Code, for care, nursing home care, or medical services pro- reach or marketing to enroll new veterans with- healthcare provided at facilities designated as vided to any person under chapter 17 of title 38, in their respective Networks. combined Federal medical facilities as described United States Code, for a non-service-connected SEC. 219. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs by section 706 of the Duncan Hunter National disability described in section 1729(a)(2) of such shall submit to the Committees on Appropria- Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 title, unless that person has disclosed to the Sec- tions of both Houses of Congress a quarterly re- (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4500) shall also be retary of Veterans Affairs, in such form as the port on the financial status of the Veterans available: Secretary may require, current, accurate third- Health Administration. (1) for transfer to the Joint Department of De- party reimbursement information for purposes of (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) fense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical section 1729 of such title: Provided, That the Facility Demonstration Fund, established by SEC. 220. Amounts made available under the Secretary may recover, in the same manner as ‘‘Medical services’’, ‘‘Medical support and com- section 1704 of title XVII of the National De- any other debt due the United States, the rea- pliance’’, ‘‘Medical facilities’’, ‘‘General oper- fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 sonable charges for such care or services from ating expenses, Veterans Benefits Administra- (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 3571); and any person who does not make such disclosure (2) for operations of the facilities designated tion’’, ‘‘General administration’’, and ‘‘National as required: Provided further, That any as combined Federal medical facilities as de- cemetery administration’’ accounts for fiscal amounts so recovered for care or services pro- scribed by section 706 of the Duncan Hunter Na- year 2012, may be transferred to or from the vided in a prior fiscal year may be obligated by tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal ‘‘Information technology systems’’ account: Pro- the Secretary during the fiscal year in which Year 2009 (Public Law 110–417; 122 Stat. 4500). vided, That before a transfer may take place, amounts are received. the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall request (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) from the Committees on Appropriations of both SEC. 226. Of the amounts available in this title SEC. 213. Notwithstanding any other provision Houses of Congress the authority to make the for ‘‘Medical services’’, ‘‘Medical support and of law, proceeds or revenues derived from en- transfer and an approval is issued. compliance’’, and ‘‘Medical facilities’’, a min- imum of $15,000,000, shall be transferred to the hanced-use leasing activities (including dis- (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) posal) may be deposited into the ‘‘Construction, Department of Defense/Department of Veterans SEC. 221. Amounts made available for the ‘‘In- major projects’’ and ‘‘Construction, minor Affairs Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund, as formation technology systems’’ account for de- projects’’ accounts and be used for construction authorized by section 8111(d) of title 38, United velopment, modernization, and enhancement (including site acquisition and disposition), al- States Code, to remain available until expended, may be transferred between projects or to newly terations, and improvements of any medical fa- for any purpose authorized by section 8111 of defined projects: Provided, That no project may cility under the jurisdiction or for the use of the title 38, United States Code. be increased or decreased by more than Department of Veterans Affairs. Such sums as (INCLUDING RESCISSION OF FUNDS) $1,000,000 of cost prior to submitting a request to realized are in addition to the amount provided the Committees on Appropriations of both SEC. 227. (a) Of the funds appropriated in title for in ‘‘Construction, major projects’’ and ‘‘Con- Houses of Congress to make the transfer and an X of division B of Public Law 112–10, the fol- struction, minor projects’’. approval is issued, or absent a response, a pe- lowing amounts which will become available on SEC. 214. Amounts made available under riod of 30 days has elapsed. October 1, 2011, are hereby rescinded from the ‘‘Medical services’’ are available— SEC. 222. None of the funds appropriated or following accounts in the amounts specified: (1) for furnishing recreational facilities, sup- otherwise made available by this Act or any (1) ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs, Medical plies, and equipment; and other Act for the Department of Veterans Af- services’’, $1,400,000,000. (2) for funeral expenses, burial expenses, and (2) ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs, Medical fairs may be used in a manner that is incon- other expenses incidental to funerals and bur- support and compliance’’, $100,000,000. sistent with— ials for beneficiaries receiving care in the De- (3) ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs, Medical (1) section 842 of the Transportation, Treas- partment. facilities’’, $250,000,000. ury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judi- (b) In addition to amounts provided elsewhere (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) ciary, the District of Columbia, and Inde- in this Act, an additional amount is appro- SEC. 215. Such sums as may be deposited to pendent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 priated to the following accounts in the the Medical Care Collections Fund pursuant to (Public Law 109–115; 119 Stat. 2506); or amounts specified, to become available on Octo- section 1729A of title 38, United States Code, (2) section 8110(a)(5) of title 38, United States ber 1, 2011, and to remain available until Sep- may be transferred to ‘‘Medical services’’, to re- Code. tember 30, 2013: main available until expended for the purposes SEC. 223. Of the amounts made available to (1) ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs, Medical of that account. the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal services’’, $1,400,000,000. SEC. 216. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs year 2012, in this Act or any other Act, under (2) ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs, Medical may enter into agreements with Indian tribes the ‘‘Medical facilities’’ account for non- support and compliance’’, $100,000,000. and tribal organizations which are party to the recurring maintenance, not more than 20 per- (3) ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs, Medical Alaska Native Health Compact with the Indian cent of the funds made available shall be obli- facilities’’, $250,000,000.

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SEC. 228. The Secretary of the Department of Armed Forces Retirement Home—Washington, (b) EXCEPTION.—The prohibition in subsection Veterans Affairs shall notify the Committees on District of Columbia, and the Armed Forces Re- (a) shall not apply to any modification of facili- Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of all tirement Home—Gulfport, Mississippi, to be paid ties at United States Naval Station, Guanta- bid savings in major construction projects that from funds available in the Armed Forces Re- namo Bay, Cuba. total at least $5,000,000, or 5 percent of the pro- tirement Home Trust Fund, $67,700,000, of which This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Con- grammed amount of the project, whichever is $2,000,000 shall remain available until expended struction and Veterans Affairs, and Related less: Provided, That such notification shall for construction and renovation of the physical Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012’’. occur within 14 days of a contract identifying plants at the Armed Forces Retirement Home— Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I the programmed amount: Provided further, That Washington, District of Columbia, and the suggest the absence of a quorum. the Secretary shall notify the committees 14 Armed Forces Retirement Home—Gulfport, Mis- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The days prior to the obligation of such bid savings sissippi. clerk will call the roll. and shall describe the anticipated use of such TITLE IV The legislative clerk proceeded to savings. SEC. 229. The scope of work for a project in- GENERAL PROVISIONS call the roll. cluded in ‘‘Construction, major projects’’ may SEC. 401. No part of any appropriation con- Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. not be increased above the scope specified for tained in this Act shall remain available for ob- Madam President, I ask unanimous that project in the original justification data ligation beyond the current fiscal year unless consent that the order for the quorum provided to the Congress as part of the request expressly so provided herein. call be rescinded. for appropriations. SEC. 402. Such sums as may be necessary for The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. TITLE III fiscal year 2012 for pay raises for programs HAGAN). Without objection, it is so or- funded by this Act shall be absorbed within the RELATED AGENCIES dered. levels appropriated in this Act. Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION SEC. 403. None of the funds made available in SALARIES AND EXPENSES this Act may be used for any program, project, Madam President, I am pleased to For necessary expenses, not otherwise pro- or activity, when it is made known to the Fed- present the fiscal year 2012 Military vided for, of the American Battle Monuments eral entity or official to which the funds are Construction and Veterans Affairs and Commission, including the acquisition of land or made available that the program, project, or ac- related agencies appropriations bill to interest in land in foreign countries; purchases tivity is not in compliance with any Federal law the Senate. The bill was unanimously and repair of uniforms for caretakers of na- relating to risk assessment, the protection of pri- reported out of the committee on June tional cemeteries and monuments outside of the vate property rights, or unfunded mandates. 30. It is a fiscally disciplined and bipar- United States and its territories and possessions; SEC. 404. No part of any funds appropriated tisan measure, and I hope all Senators rent of office and garage space in foreign coun- in this Act shall be used by an agency of the ex- will support it. ecutive branch, other than for normal and rec- tries; purchase (one-for-one replacement basis I thank my ranking member, Senator only) and hire of passenger motor vehicles; not ognized executive-legislative relationships, for to exceed $7,500 for official reception and rep- publicity or propaganda purposes, and for the KIRK, for his contributions in crafting resentation expenses; and insurance of official preparation, distribution, or use of any kit, this bill. He has taken a very active motor vehicles in foreign countries, when re- pamphlet, booklet, publication, radio, television, role on the subcommittee, and it has quired by law of such countries, $61,100,000, to or film presentation designed to support or de- been a pleasure to work with him. I remain available until expended. feat legislation pending before Congress, except also thank Chairman INOUYE and Vice FOREIGN CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS ACCOUNT in presentation to Congress itself. Chairman COCHRAN, as well as Leader For necessary expenses, not otherwise pro- SEC. 405. All departments and agencies funded REID and Minority Leader MCCONNELL vided for, of the American Battle Monuments under this Act are encouraged, within the limits for their support and assistance in of the existing statutory authorities and fund- Commission, such sums as may be necessary, to moving this bill forward. remain available until expended, for purposes ing, to expand their use of ‘‘E-Commerce’’ tech- nologies and procedures in the conduct of their The MILCON–VA appropriations bill authorized by section 2109 of title 36, United provides crucial investments in infra- States Code. business practices and public service activities. SEC. 406. None of the funds made available in structure for our military, including UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR this Act may be transferred to any department, barracks and family housing, mission VETERANS CLAIMS agency, or instrumentality of the United States critical training and operational facili- SALARIES AND EXPENSES Government except pursuant to a transfer made ties, schools and hospitals, and For necessary expenses for the operation of by, or transfer authority provided in, this or childcare and family support centers. the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans any other appropriations Act. It also fulfills the Nation’s promise to Claims as authorized by sections 7251 through SEC. 407. Unless stated otherwise, all reports 7298 of title 38, United States Code, $30,770,000: and notifications required by this Act shall be our vets by providing the resources Provided, That $2,726,323 shall be available for submitted to the Subcommittee on Military Con- needed for their medical care and bene- the purpose of providing financial assistance as struction and Veterans Affairs, and Related fits. described, and in accordance with the process Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of Madam President, the bill before the and reporting procedures set forth, under this the House of Representatives and the Sub- Senate today totals $142 billion, of heading in Public Law 102–229. committee on Military Construction and Vet- which $72.5 billion is discretionary DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE—CIVIL erans Affairs, and Related Agencies of the Com- funding. We are all mindful of the se- CEMETERIAL EXPENSES, ARMY mittee on Appropriations of the Senate. vere economic problems facing this Na- SEC. 408. (a) Any agency receiving funds made SALARIES AND EXPENSES tion, and this bill reflects that reality. available in this Act, shall, subject to sub- For necessary expenses, as authorized by law, sections (b) and (c), post on the public website It is $1.25 billion below the budget re- for maintenance, operation, and improvement of of that agency any report required to be sub- quest and $618 million below the fiscal Arlington National Cemetery and Soldiers’ and mitted by the Congress in this or any other Act, year 2011 enacted level. I can assure my Airmen’s Home National Cemetery, including upon the determination by the head of the agen- colleagues there are no congressional the purchase of two passenger motor vehicles for cy that it shall serve the national interest. earmarks in the bill. replacement only, and not to exceed $1,000 for (b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to a report As always, protecting essential bene- official reception and representation expenses, if— fits and health care for veterans tops $45,800,000, to remain available until expended: (1) the public posting of the report com- Provided, That none of the funds available my list of priorities. With an aging promises national security; or population of veterans requiring in- under this heading shall be for construction of (2) the report contains confidential or propri- a perimeter wall at Arlington National Ceme- etary information. creased services, and a surge of combat tery. In addition, such sums as may be nec- (c) The head of the agency posting such re- veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan essary for parking maintenance, repairs and re- port shall do so only after such report has been wars entering the system, the demand placement, to be derived from the Lease of De- made available to the requesting Committee or for VA health care services has in- partment of Defense Real Property for Defense Committees of Congress for no less than 45 days. creased dramatically in recent years. Agencies account. SEC. 409. (a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds Funds appropriated under this Act may be The number of Iraq and Afghanistan appropriated or otherwise made available to the provided to Arlington County, Virginia, for the veterans in the VA health care system Department of Defense in this Act may be used relocation of the federally owned water main at will exceed half a million in 2012, a 106- to construct, renovate, or expand any facility in Arlington National Cemetery making additional percent increase since 2008. the United States, its territories, or possessions land available for ground burials. to house any individual detained at United The sluggish economy is exacer- ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, bating the pressure on the VA as more TRUST FUND for the purposes of detention or imprisonment in and more out of work or under- For expenses necessary for the Armed Forces the custody or under the control of the Depart- employed veterans turn to the VA for Retirement Home to operate and maintain the ment of Defense unless authorized by Congress. their health care.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:57 Jul 15, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A14JY6.001 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4584 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 This bill provides $58.6 billion for VA records, paperless claims systems, and rifice and belt tightening from all sec- discretionary funding, $2.3 billion over seamless integration of medical and tors, funding decreases of this mag- current funding. Nearly 90 percent of service records with the Defense De- nitude given the requirements and the the funding—$50.6 billion—is for vet- partment. Secretary Shinseki and age of VA facilities is alarming. I urge erans health care. The bill also in- former Defense Secretary Robert Gates the Department to develop and submit cludes $52.5 billion in fiscal year 2013 worked very closely over the past year a comprehensive plan with next year’s advance appropriations for veterans to develop a framework for imple- budget submission identifying specific medical care. menting a joint VA-DOD electronic ways in which to adequately finance The bill includes $2.9 billion, as re- health care record system. Their lead- VA’s infrastructure needs. quested, to meet the health care needs ership and determination to overcome In addition to the above mentioned of veterans who have served in Iraq and bureaucratic hurdles to a find a joint items, the budget submission included Afghanistan, a $594 million increase electronic solution to the current maze a request to establish a $953 million over the current funding. This funding of paperwork involved in transferring contingency fund to be available for includes research and treatment pro- health records from DOD to VA was medical care if a larger than expected grams for mental health issues, includ- key to making progress on this long- number of veterans turns to the VA for ing traumatic brain injury and post- stalled effort. health care as a result of the lagging traumatic stress disorder. The Secretaries have announced that economy. The contingency fund was to One of the very few areas in which the Departments have agreed to pursue be composed of carryover funds already the bill provides an increase in funding a number of integrated development available to the VA as a result of the is VA medical research, which is fund- approaches including the decision to Federal pay freeze plus $240 million in ed at $581 million, $72 million over the share common data centers and to uti- fiscal year 12 funding. budget request, to restore funding to lize open source software development. Instead of creating a loosely defined the current level. This program funds a I hope that implementing a joint elec- contingency fund based on an untested broad array of vital research efforts in- tronic health record system remains a projection of the VA’s standard mod- cluding mental health, spinal cord in- top priority for Secretary Panetta as eling formula, the committee has di- jury, burn treatment, polytrauma inju- he assumes the leadership of the De- rected the Department to use $664 mil- ries, and sensory loss. fense Department. lion in carryover funds made available The bill includes $4.9 billion for There are several other notable VA by the Federal pay freeze, as well as health care and support services for programs funded in this bill, including additional carryover funds projected to homeless veterans. Ending homeless- $270 million for women’s veterans pro- reach $500 million by the end of fiscal ness among veterans is a top priority grams, $6.9 billion for long term care year 12, to address this contingency, of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, and it for veterans, and $112 million for the should it arise. is a goal fully supported by the com- VA Inspector General’s Office. Each of With little room to maneuver on the mittee. As a result of programs the these programs meets an emerging re- VA side of the ledger, the vast major- Secretary has instituted, and the ro- quirement for the VA. ity of the savings in the bill comes bust funding provided in recent MilCon/ As more and more women join the from incrementing or deferring funding VA bills to implement them, the aver- ranks of America’s veterans entitled to for certain military construction VA health care, their unique needs re- age number of homeless veterans on projects. The bill provides $13.7 billion quire a reevaluation and reemphasis of any given night has dropped from for military construction, $1 billion services offered in VA clinics and hos- 195,000 6 years ago to 75,600 this year. below the request. The MilCon reduc- pitals. The funding in this bill provides the re- Long-term care for veterans is also tions in the bill are restricted to the sources to continue to make headway emerging as a mounting need for vet- active duty components. The Guard on this very important initiative. erans, including both the growing pop- and Reserve components, Family Hous- As a Senator from a rural State, I am ulation of aging veterans as well as se- ing, BRAC and other accounts are fully pleased to report that the bill also in- verely wounded veterans from the wars funded at the President’s request. cludes $250 million for programs, such The MilCon portion of this bill mir- in Iraq and Afghanistan. as mobile clinics and telemedicine With the growth and complexity of rors the Senate Defense authorization services, to support rural and Native VA services, it is essential to maintain bill, which was unanimously reported American veterans. This continues the vigilant oversight of VA programs. The out of the Senate Armed Services Com- rural health initiative that I initiated committee, therefore, has provided $112 mittee on June 16. Every military con- in the fiscal year 2009 MilCon/VA bill, million for the Office of Inspector Gen- struction project funded in this bill is and reflects the importance that both eral, $3 million over the budget re- authorized in the authorization bill. In Congress and the VA place on meeting quest, to support robust oversight by fact, if you do the math, 52 Senators in the needs of veterans who live in rural the inspector general. this Chamber have already voted in areas and must often travel hundreds The bill also provides the full budget favor of the MilCon portion of this bill. of miles for treatment at a VA facility. request for both major and minor con- Because of the constrained budget The bill also includes $52 million for struction as well as the full advance environment, the bill does not provide collaborative efforts with the Indian appropriation request for medical fa- any increase in funding for military Health Service to ensure that Native cilities. However, I have deep concerns construction projects. Several Senators American veterans receive the care about the VA’s budget request in all urged the committee to provide addi- that they have earned. I am encour- three areas. With this year’s budget tional funding for such things as Army aged by this funding and by the fact submission, the Department also trans- Guard readiness centers or various un- that the VA created an Office of Tribal mitted its 10-year Strategic Capital In- funded requirements of the services. In Government Relations earlier this year vestment Plan. The plan identifies a normal times, the committee would to expand outreach to American Indi- requirement of between $53 billion and wholeheartedly support these efforts, ans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawai- $65 billion over the next decade to ad- but given the austere budget cir- ians. Access to health care among Na- dress critical infrastructure needs. Yet, cumstances, there was simply no tive Americans is a major problem in the combined request for both major money to fund these initiatives. South Dakota and other rural States, and minor construction is $400.8 mil- In addition to MilCon and VA, the and I believe that collaboration be- lion below the fiscal year 2011 enacted bill includes $221 million for several re- tween the VA and the Indian Health level. Additionally, the advance re- lated agencies, including $77 million Service is essential to leverage the re- quest for medical facilities includes for the American Battle Monuments sources and services of both agencies. $600.2 million for nonrecurring mainte- Commission as requested; $45.8 million Information technology, or IT, rep- nance at existing clinics and hospitals, for Arlington National Cemetery as re- resents another important investment a $510 million decrease from what is quested, and $67.7 million for the in this bill. The bill provides the full being spent this year. Armed Forces Retirement Home as re- $3.2 billion as requested in the budget While I understand that the budget quested. The bill also provides $30.8 to develop electronic health care crisis facing the country requires sac- million for the U.S. Court of Appeals

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A14JY6.002 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4585 for Veterans Claims, which is $25 mil- in $1.2 billion below President Obama’s overwhelming bipartisan provision pro- lion below the request. The reduction spending request. We came in $620 mil- hibiting the construction or renovation reflects the committee’s decision to lion below last year’s level. I was a bit of any facility in the United States or defer funding for a proposed courthouse surprised we were able to do this—and its territories for individuals detained for the Court until uncertainties sur- that we did—but we are even $2.6 mil- at Guantanamo Bay. rounding the cost and location of the lion below the House Republican-ap- With regard to Guam, while the Navy project can be resolved. proved level in the bill put together by is attempting to move more than 17,000 Madam President, I again thank my Chairman CULBERSON. marines and their families from Oki- ranking member for his support in This bill spends in discretionary nawa to Guam, the plan that Chairman crafting this bill. I also thank the staff budget authority less than the House JOHNSON and I have seen has serious of the subcommittee—Christina Evans, of Representatives, and I will just problems. Therefore, there are no Chad Schulken and Andy point out that when the House took up projects in this bill associated with Vanlandingham of my staff; Dennis this legislation, over 400 Members of this very complicated move. Balkham and D’Ann Letteri of the mi- the House of Representatives—Repub- We did fund the Air Force request for nority staff, and former minority staff- licans and Democrats—supported this projects related to the Strike capa- er Ben Hammond—for their months of legislation, and only five Members of bility for the bed down of Strike and hard work and cooperative effort to the House voted against this legisla- intelligence capabilities, but the rest produce this bill. tion. That is why this legislation en- we are looking for further information. Again, this is a well-balanced and bi- joys such tremendous bipartisan sup- Also, with regard to our military in- partisan bill. It provides resources port on our side. frastructure in Germany, we believe vital to the well being of our troops This bill would not be possible with- there is a better need for accounting of and their families, and to the millions out the outstanding work of Chairman funds that we provide for facilities, of veterans who have served and sac- JOHNSON and his staff, his military ex- and, as a result, we cut about $37 mil- rificed for their Nation. I urge my col- perience and, most importantly, his lion from the requested projects. leagues to support this bill, and I yield son’s military experience. On behalf of With regard to charter schools and the Floor. the veterans of his State, he has done improving education for our military The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- a very good job, with my full support. families, we think the children of serv- ator from Illinois. We take care of our veterans and their icemembers have a unique situation Mr. KIRK. Madam President, I first benefits, their health care, and the con- and fewer choices when choosing came to Capitol Hill in 1984 during struction of medical facilities in this schools. So we have asked the Depart- Ronald Reagan’s first term. I believe it legislation. ment of Defense to conduct a study and was Chairman Hatfield running the Madam President, many veterans tell this committee where charter committee on the Senate side and live in urban areas, but also a great schools could make a positive dif- Jamie Whitten on the House side. I many live in rural and even highly ference. care very much about the appropria- rural areas. This bill pays attention to I will highlight here my work with tions process and the Appropriations their needs thanks to the chairman, my fellow Senator, Mr. DURBIN, on po- Committee because I think we spend and also I want to highlight the work tential charter school operations serv- less with a higher degree of trans- of the Senator from Alaska, LISA MUR- ing the men and women and the fami- parency when we consider appropria- KOWSKI, in the decisions we made in lies of the Great Lakes community in tions bills in regular order, as this one this bill to make sure veterans who northern Illinois. now is. live in the State of Alaska will not, in I raise the one particular issue im- This bill funds our veterans programs many cases now, need to leave the portant to me, which is that over time and our military construction needs State for their veterans care. we are planning on spending upwards of mainly for the Active-Duty and Re- We have also worked diligently with $20 billion, as we should, on the new fa- serve Americans who wear the uni- our veterans service organizations, and cilities for Guam. But I think if we are form—or wore the uniform—upon I would highlight this bill has now been going to make that kind of investment which all of our freedoms and the inde- endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign in Guam, we need to make sure those pendence of our country depends. Wars, by AMVETS, by the Paralyzed facilities are there when the United Today, there are over 20 million vet- Veterans of America, the Disabled States needs them most in a military erans, and this bill cares for them in a American Veterans, and the Iraq and capacity, which is during combat. That bipartisan way. We owe these veterans Afghanistan Veterans of America. I is why it is so essential to provide also just about everything—for our inde- take the last endorsement very seri- for the missile defense of Guam, and, I pendence and freedom—and this bill ously, having, as a reservist, served in would say, for the missile defense of cares for them. Afghanistan myself. Guam on platforms that cannot be Now, why, in this difficult and par- Chairman JOHNSON highlighted the sunk. That is why we are calling on the tisan time, is this bill coming up in funding levels in this bill, which I Department of Defense not to ignore this way? Why is it that we have every think are quite important, but I would plans to provide for the missile defense Republican on the subcommittee and also like to highlight several policy of Guam, and, I would say to empha- the full committee in favor of this leg- issues in this bill. No. 1, originally, the size, a land-based solution that is more islation? It is because the chairman administration—our commander in survivable. made the decision, that I strongly sup- South Korea—put forward an idea to We also highlighted more scrutiny on ported, to mark to the House level. bring almost 50,000 American depend- the budget request, especially with re- When we marked to the House level, we ents to South Korea to build homes gard to funding for general officers opened the door for full bipartisan sup- and hospitals and schools. But the cost quarters. I will say that in my review, port for this needed bill. could be upwards of over $20 billion to along with the chairman, we saw a dis- We present to the Senate this bill for transfer that many Americans to the ciplined budget request largely by the full consideration, taking into account Korean peninsula. Air Force and the Navy to house our all of the requests of Members in their Given this time of deficits and debt, Air Force generals and admirals; but I budget submission. But let me empha- and given this enormous bill, I think have been disappointed with the Army, size that not only are we slightly below DOD is rethinking this proposal, as which originally came forward with a the House spending level in discre- they wisely should. I think this bill request for $1.4 million to upgrade a tionary budget authority, there are no lays out a set of concerns over where general’s garden in Germany. Luckily, earmarks in this bill, reflecting the we go with such a spending decision. the Army has pulled back that request, new wave of reform that has come to With regard to Guantanamo—very and we are looking for further scrutiny the Appropriations Committee—both important to me—originally there was to make sure that general officer quar- the House and the Senate. a proposal to transfer the al-Qaida core ters budget requests are in line with We have made a tough set of spend- of terrorists to my State, to Thomp- the practice of the sister services of the ing decisions in this bill. We have come son, IL. This bill wisely concludes the Air Force and the Navy.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A14JY6.002 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4586 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 This bill also handles issues with re- service organizations, represents a shouldn’t be bringing forth appro- gard to the VA, especially on informa- commitment to our veterans. priating bills until you have a budget. tion technology. This bill fully funds I think we should move forward. I That is pretty simple, that is pretty the account and encourages the De- know later we will consider a point of commonsensical, and it is the correct partment to pursue open-source, off- order with regard to not taking up a way to do business. We haven’t had a the-shelf technology for electronic bill prior to the adoption of a formal budget for 806 days now. The reason we health records, and I think that is crit- budget. I would hope that common are spending this country into bank- ical to maintaining cost containment sense would prevail here; that because ruptcy is we have had no budget. This as we go forward. this is one of those rare measures year, the majority has not even sought I will also say we have been urging where we are marking up to the House to bring one to committee, and cer- the Department of Defense and Vet- level that only five Members of the tainly not brought one on the floor. erans Affairs to come up with one com- House voted against at that level, that The Democratic leadership said it mon electronic medical record. The vi- all of the Republicans and all of the would be foolish to pass a budget. Well, sion here is that when an American Democrats on the subcommittee voted I don’t think it is foolish to pass a joins the U.S. military, that record for this legislation, and yesterday 89 budget. I think our lack of budget is then follows that servicemember Members voted in overwhelming bipar- the reason we have gotten out of con- through, at minimum, for example, a 3- tisan fashion for cloture to bring this trol in what we are doing. So that is year enlistment, and then a 60-year to bill up so we can get the Senate mov- the reason why I made the objection. 90-year time as a veteran. It should be ing again, that we can get the appro- Madam President, I ask unanimous a common record. I hope the two Secre- priations process moving again, that consent that I be able to enter into a taries, Panetta and Shinseki, move to we can stand by our men and women in colloquy with my Republican col- finally make sure that becomes a re- uniform who need these facilities, and leagues. ality. our veterans, and that, yes, we can con- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without With regard to the contingency fund trol spending in full agreement with objection, it is so ordered. in this bill, the Department of Vet- the House of Representatives but still Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I erans Affairs requested a contingency move the Senate forward. would say this is a very important fund in the event they needed addi- Madam President, with that, I yield matter, and I don’t like to have to take tional funds. We do not support estab- back my time. this action, but I believe it is the right lishing this fund but did allow the De- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- action. partment to keep $664 million it re- ator from Alabama. I see on the floor Senator CORKER ceived last year in advance appropria- Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I from Tennessee. He was mayor of the tions for the now-prohibited pay raises. thank my colleagues for their excellent city of Chattanooga and as mayor he This should be adequate to ensure our presentation. They are excellent Sen- produced budgets and actually did one veterans are not only cared for but will ators. And, from all that appears, they of the greatest jobs of any mayor of the give the VA some flexibility during the produced a piece of legislation that United States, the truth be known, in period of conflict in Iraq and Afghani- will be positive for our country. But making that city the fabulous place it stan. the pending measure, H.R. 2055, An Act is today. He is a businessman also. This bill also emphasizes caregivers Making Appropriations for Military I ask Senator CORKER, what are his who give care to our wounded veterans, Construction, the Department of Vet- thoughts at this point in time about veterans who live in rural areas, and erans Affairs and related Agencies, of- the state of the financial management veterans who are sent to facilities a fered by the Senators, would appro- of the taxpayers’ money being handled long distance from their home, as I priate Federal funds for the year 2012. by the Senate? mentioned, in the State of Alaska. We However, the Senate has not yet adopt- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- also highlighted the issue of claims ed a concurrent budget resolution for ator from Tennessee. processing so our veterans could finally 2012, and there is no 302(a) allocation in Mr. CORKER. Thank you, Madam receive the compensation they deserve place for that fiscal year. President. in a reasonable amount of time. Section 303(c) of the Congressional I thank the Senator from Alabama I want to echo the chairman’s thanks Budget Act prohibits consideration of for his comments and leadership on the to the staff, especially led by Tina any appropriation bill until a concur- Budget Committee. Evans on the Democratic side and Den- rent resolution on the budget has been To the two gentlemen, the Senator nis Balkham on the Republican side. agreed to and an allocation has been from Illinois and the Senator from In short, this is a very good bill. It made to the Committee on Appropria- South Dakota, I thank them for their represents the Senate moving forward tions for fiscal year 2012, or any subse- work in appropriations. This discussion under regular order. It represents quent year. on the floor has absolutely nothing to greater transparency to the appropria- Therefore, I raise a point of order do with work they have done. I under- tions process. against this measure pursuant to sec- stand actually the top line they are I would highlight, we have cut or re- tion 303 of the Congressional Budget using is within the budget that was duced funding in 24 separate major Act. passed through the House. areas, and these were hard choices to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The reason I am here today, though, make. We did them in line with the de- ator from South Dakota. is for this reason: There aren’t many cisions made by the authorizing com- Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Senators on either side of the aisle who mittee under Chairmen LEVIN and Madam President, pursuant to section believe the Senate is functioning in an MCCAIN’s leadership. We also com- 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of appropriate manner. I can’t go to the pletely denied funding for a proposed 1974, I move to waive the point of order dining room or any other place, walk brandnew building to house the Court under section 303 of that act for H.R. down the hall, get on the subway, with- of Veterans Appeals. In this time of 2055, and any amendments thereto and out some Senator saying, Can you be- deficit and debt, I think we should hold motions thereon. lieve how this place is operating? Our off. Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I allowing spending bills to come to the In sum, this bill represents coopera- object and would debate the issue. floor and to be voted upon without hav- tion between Republicans and Demo- I make this motion for a very impor- ing budgets basically makes us an ac- crats. This bill represents budget con- tant reason, not directly related to the complice in allowing this place to con- trol and cooperation between House quality of the work of Senator JOHNSON tinue to be dysfunctional. and Senate. This bill represents co- and Senator KIRK in producing this We are having a showdown over the operation and coordination between bill, but a very important question debt ceiling because there isn’t any the authorizing Armed Services Com- concerning the budget of the United other place to have a showdown. I real- mittee and the Appropriations Com- States. ize many people have decided that is mittee, and this bill, underlined with We have in the United States Code a not the appropriate place, and there the endorsement of major veterans budget act. The budget act says you has been a scheme concocted to sort of

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.020 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4587 allow both sides to have it as they may CORKER, having been a businessman spending money without having a plan. and try to fight this out in the elec- and a mayor and having observed the Who spends money with no plan as to toral process down the road instead of political scene in the country, is the how much you are going to spend or a dealing with some of the tough issues Senator aware of any government enti- plan as to what the repercussions are we ought to deal with now. ty—city, county or State—that sys- for spending money you do not have? But it seems to me that what we do temically, almost structural, is bor- We are spending $100,000 a second. By by going on about our business in this rowing 40 cents out of every $1 they the time I finish this sentence, we will way is we act as accomplices to the spend? Can he remember any time in have spent $1⁄2 million. dysfunctionality of the Senate. It is Tennessee, in any city or State, that Of that $100,000 a second, we are bor- my belief this Senate, by virtue of the ever ran such a deficit? rowing $40,000 a second. The President way we are acting, is making this great Mr. CORKER. No, I cannot. The fact is asking us now—you all heard about Nation weaker. That is what we are is, that is why recent polls show Amer- it, the debate is on—the President is doing. This Chamber we are standing in icans have about a 20-percent approval asking us to add $2 trillion of spending right now is causing this great Nation rating of Congress. What I would say, and borrowing, of borrowing and spend- to decline because we are unwilling to based on what I know, based on what ing—$2 trillion. How long will it last? come down here. I would say, candidly, we are getting ready to do on the floor We do not know because there is not a leadership on both sides of the aisle today, 20 percent is way too high. The budget, but there is going to be an esti- doesn’t want us to come down and fact is we do everything we can to mated $2 trillion that will be spent in make tough decisions. Either side avoid tough decisions in public, tough the next year that we do not have. wants it 100 percent their way. But we decisions in public where we have to What does that mean to a country? realize that to move things ahead, you take a stand. There are estimates that our deficit have got to skirmish, you have got to That is what we were elected to do. now, which approaches the size of our fight, you have got to debate. Some- That is what the veterans who receive economy, is costing us 1 million jobs a times you have to do some things you benefits, if this bill passes, did. That is year. What does that mean? That also don’t want to do to move the country what we are not doing. My guess is means less revenue, which means worse ahead. But we are avoiding that, and they will be willing to wait until this deficits. It is all compounding upon what we are doing today is moving pos- bill passes—it doesn’t fund things until itself. sibly to an appropriations bill, a spend- next year—and allow us to make the We have a rule and a law within the ing bill, without a budget. tough decisions we need to make as we Senate—is it called the budget resolu- I can’t imagine in a country spending flesh out a budget, as we work out tion from 1974? $3.7 trillion, 40 percent of it that we among ourselves to finally come to a Mr. SESSIONS. The Budget Act. don’t have, that we are going to move place we agree upon in funding this Mr. PAUL. In this, it had some rules. to spending bills without resolving government. Right now we are discussing: Do we I certainly appreciate the leadership these particular issues. So I am ex- need new rules to do something about of the Senator. I know others want to tremely disappointed. the deficit? This was a rule they speak at this moment and I yield the I know I have been saying some pret- thought about back in 1974. It was sup- floor. posed to make things better. But it ty strong things on the floor, but it is Mr. SESSIONS. I thank Senator because I am concerned about this shows the rules only work if we obey CORKER. I just would say the spasm them. We will be in defiance of this country. I know everybody here is con- that is occurring in the Senate, the rule. That is the question I have for cerned about this country. It is not as frustration that is boiling up, is not for Senator SESSIONS: Will we be in defi- if those of us who have been talking light or transient reasons. It is a big about this issue are the only ones. That deal when the U.S. Government has ance of our own rules if we go forward is not the image or perception I am been for months and will continue to with an appropriation without a budg- trying to project. I think sometimes we be borrowing about 40 percent of every et? Mr. SESSIONS. It absolutely will. It go to sleep at the switch. We go about $1 we spend, running up the largest our business almost as zombies down deficits the Nation has ever seen. The sets forth precisely the language. It re- here, continuing to allow this law says, the United States Code says quires this. It is pretty clear. I don’t dysfunctionality to occur. you should have a budget. think there is any doubt about it: Until I am all in support of the movement When you set a budget, you take all the concurrent resolution on the budg- put in place here to basically not allow the bills that are out there and tell et for fiscal year has been agreed to this to go forward because we don’t them how much money they have to and an allocation has been made to the have a budget. That is the appropriate spend so the total amount of money at Committee on Appropriations of the place for us to be. the end does not exceed a dangerous Senate under section 302(a) for that I hope the Senate, in spite of the fact level for the country. That is what a year, it shall not be in order for the this appropriations bill funds some budget does. Senate to consider any appropriations things that candidly we all support— We are going to seek and repeatedly bill. we want to see veterans get benefits. call to the attention of this Senate That is pretty clear. I am pleased to But those veterans, many of them, lost that we have the cart before the horse. see the Senator is a doctor, not a law- limbs doing tough things for our coun- We are spending money without a yer, but I believe almost anybody could try, and they are watching potentially budget and we are going to have to understand that point. us not having the courage to do tough have a budget or else we are not in con- Mr. PAUL. What was the intention, things on the floor that might flesh trol of our spending. Once you have a though? What was the intention that this out, that might cause us to actu- budget, it takes 60 votes to violate the rule would do? By having a budget was ally take a tough position on the floor. budget. You can stick to it if you make it supposed to limit, then, what each But, oh, that might affect electoral up your mind to do so. We do not have appropriations bill for each subject politics down the road, so instead of to violate it and burst the budget. That would be allowed to spend? doing that, we will go 806 days without is what we are talking about today. It Mr. SESSIONS. That is correct. I am a budget. is a matter of great seriousness. I am sure in 1974 they were concerned about Look, I am disappointed. I am dis- pleased my colleague, Senator RAND the process in the Senate. They decided appointed in all of us on both sides of PAUL from Kentucky, who was elected to try to bring order to it. They de- the aisle. I do not think we should be last fall to this body, is here. I know he cided to require the budget be passed going to a spending bill until we do the talked about the State of the American which sends a message over to the Ap- tough business that we were sent here economy and our debt during that cam- propriations Committee. This is a sub- to do as Senators. paign. committee of the Appropriations Com- With that, I yield to my friend from I ask the Senator, what are his mittee producing their MILCON pro- Alabama. thoughts as we approach this moment? posal. Mr. SESSIONS. Before recognizing Mr. PAUL. I wish to join in the sort They then give them numbers which other Senators, I briefly ask Senator of the outrage that we would consider they are supposed to stay within. If

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.020 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4588 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 they do not, it requires a 60-vote total liberate over a budget in your Budget North Island, we made a $14 million re- to proceed above the budget number. It Committee. Over appropriations, are duction; in California, at Bridgeport, is a way to bring integrity to the sys- we deliberating over appropriations or for a multipurpose building, an addi- tem. have we had any committee hearings tion, we made a $3 million reduction; in Mr. PAUL. So by invoking this rule over the debt ceiling or how we could the Persian Gulf, in Bahrain, for the from the 1974 Budget Act, the Senator’s cut spending in order to spend so much bachelors’ enlisted quarters, we termi- intention has nothing to do with the money we do not have? Are we in the nated funding for that for this fiscal bill presented before us, it has to do process of doing what we are supposed year; also, in Bahrain, a waterfront de- with whether we should be responsible to be doing in committee? velopment, also terminated that; in the as a government, have a budgetary Mr. SESSIONS. I don’t believe we Marianas, at the North Ramp utilities, plan, know how much money comes in, are, but I have to give this sub- we also terminated that. That was a $78 know how much money is being spent, committee credit. I am told that the million reduction. In Marianas, at the and do the responsible things the appropriations bill now before the Sen- north ramp facility, we also termi- American people expect of us. ate is the first stand-alone appropria- nated with a $78 million reduction; also I am concerned what happens if we tions bill brought to the floor of the in the Finnegan Water Utilities, ended keep on this path. If we keep spending Senate since 2008. funding for that project. In Guam, at money at the rate we are spending it, When I came here, we would try to the Guam Strike Fuel Systems Mainte- within about a decade entitlements and pass all our appropriations bills, at nance Handler, we cut funding in half, interest consume the whole budget, least a number of them, before the Au- saving $64 million. In Nebraska, at that is, if interest rates do not go up. gust recess and all by September 30. Offutt, we made a $30 million reduction As you noticed the other day when When we did not, we were embarrassed. for their replacement facility No. 1. In Larry Lindsey wrote about it in the In the last several years, everything Al Udeid in Qatar, we terminated fund- Wall Street Journal, he said if interest has been cobbled into one big con- ing for the Blatchford-Preston Com- rates go up to where they have histori- tinuing resolution and moved in a plex. In Utah, at Hill Air Force Base, cally been, we will add another $5 tril- block. we terminated funding for the F–35 lion. My fear is the economy will not I guess I say to my colleagues as I ADAL Hangar. In Colorado, at Buck- withstand it, our country will not yield the floor, thank you for pro- ley, we made a $70 million reduction in withstand it, and we need to have ceeding at a pace to get a bill forward. their Mountainview Operations Facil- somebody to say enough is enough. It is not your fault that we have not ity. In Maryland, at their joint base The country needs to have a plan. We had a budget at this point in time. Andrews, their ambulatory care center need to budget how much money comes I yield the floor and reserve the re- suffered a 150-percent reduction. In in and how much we can spend. I think mainder of the time. Maryland, at Fort Meade, the high-per- this is a good first step. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. formance computing factory, we termi- Mr. SESSIONS. I thank the Senator. BLUMENTHAL). The Senator from South nated funding for that facility. In I cannot think of a more important Dakota. Texas, joint base San Antonio, the am- time in history for us to return to the Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. bulatory care center, we cut funding in tried and true budgetary process than President, I believe Senator KIRK half, saving $80 million. In Texas, at at a time in which we are spending to would like to speak in favor of the mo- Fort Bliss, at the hospital replacement a degree that is irresponsible, above tion to waive and I yield him as much facility, we reduced funding by $27 mil- anything we have ever done before. It time as he may consume. lion. In Utah, Camp Williams, the data is threatening the American economy. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- center, we cut that funding in half, It is not a light, little problem. It is a ator from Illinois. saving $123 million. serious problem. We are going now 805, Mr. KIRK. Mr. President, I thank our In total, we made the reductions in 24 806 days without a budget. That is part ranking Republican member on the separate programs including canceling of the problem. Budget Committee because in normal the building I talked about, a whole We are going to continue to work to circumstances I would be strongly sup- new court for the Court of Veterans insist that we proceed in the regular porting him and agree with him. The Appeals. That is why this legislation order under a budget. The House has irony is, this legislation conforms to a came in $2.6 million even below the passed a budget. The Republican House budget, it conforms to the PAUL RYAN House, why it is $1.2 billion in budget passed one by April 15, as the law re- House budget and fits under the 302(b) authority below the President and $620 quires. We have not even had a markup allocation; that is, the amount of million below last year’s budget au- in the Budget Committee because the money the House granted to the House thority, reminding Members there are no earmarks in this legislation. Democratic leadership has decided it is Appropriations Subcommittee that Eighty-nine Members voted for clo- wrote this bill. When this bill passed not fun to vote on a budget. You have ture on this legislation yesterday, our very conservative House of Rep- to show your cards. You have to show which is why we brought it up. My resentatives, only five Members of the where you are going to raise taxes, hope is those 89 Members vote for clo- where you are going to cut spending, House voted against it. All the leading ture again on this underlying motion. I and how much the deficit is going to be Members of the House voted for it. think most of our Members on my side, after it is all over. We talk about needing to make tough the Republican side, are going to vote President Obama’s budget received decisions. I appreciate the Members for this budget point of order once we such a poor reception because it was so and their praise for the underlying leg- get to that, and I completely under- unbalanced and irresponsible that, I islation because we made some tough stand. I will probably be supporting guess, maybe they decided it would be decisions. We looked at the President’s him on other bills. The only common- foolish, as the leader said, for the Sen- request and we made a number of cuts. sense point I will make here is that be- ate to even produce one. That is not a In Alaska, at Fort Wainwright, we cause we are at the House budget level good reason. cut $57 million from their aviation and because the House has adopted I know it might be appropriate that complex; in Germany, at Gemersheim them, this conforms to the PAUL RYAN we yield at this point to our colleagues Central Distribution Facility we cut budget, I think we should move for- and let them share any remarks they $21 million; also, at that same facility, ward, especially as our ranking mem- have. their infrastructure we cut by $16 mil- ber wisely said, this is the first appro- Mr. PAUL. I have a question before lion; at Fort Bliss, for the maintenance priations bill coming up separately we finish. The question I have is: We facility, we terminated funding for since 2008, and I will say you make spe- have not had a budget in 2 years. When that, also for their infrastructure pro- cific reductions to real spending when is the last time we had appropriations posal; at Fort Belvoir, road and infra- you actually bring up a bill, as Chair- bills and are we working in the com- structure projects, we terminated that man JOHNSON has decided to do with mittees? See, the people expect us to project. In Honduras, at Soto Cano, we my backing. come up here and do our jobs and I made a $5 million reduction; in Cali- I yield to Chairman JOHNSON and think our job is in committee. We de- fornia, the Coronado Fitness Center for thank him for the time.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.022 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4589 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- operate on autopilot while burning $1.5 the need for debate and discussion have ator from South Dakota. trillion a year that we do not have. never been higher. I urge my colleagues Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. This is crowding out other priorities. and I urge all Americans to work to- President, I yield the floor and reserve It is crowding out other investment in gether to find a solution to this, a solu- the remainder of my time. our economy. It is killing jobs. It is tion that need not involve and should The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- jobs we need to be focused on because not involve threatening America’s ator from Alabama. that is what the American people are most vulnerable, including retirees, Mr. SESSIONS. I see Senator LEE focused on. They are worried about who rely each month on Social Secu- from Utah. Senator LEE is a new Sen- their ability and the ability of their rity, withholding those benefits simply ator. He campaigned throughout his friends and family members, many of because the President of the United State and talked about the kind of whom are unemployed, to be able to States is unwilling to compromise, is issues we are dealing with today. I provide for their children, to pay their unwilling to meet the conditions many would yield to him at this time. rent, to buy their groceries. These are Republicans in this body have acknowl- Mr. LEE. We have now been oper- things every American ought to be able edged are their conditions precedent ating for more than 800 days without a to have access to and would have ac- for raising the debt limit. budget having been passed. We are op- cess to if only they had access to jobs. There is a way forward. There is a erating at the direction of the party in But at a time when we are spending at road that will take us home, and the control of this body on autopilot. It is such a rate as we are, when we bor- road home can be found in the Cut, Cap easy to operate on autopilot. In many rowed to such a degree that we have and Balance Act. This is not just the ways it is far easier than operating not that our debt-to-GDP ratio is at about best proposal, this is the only proposal on autopilot, especially when we are 95 percent, we are killing as many as 1 that currently has significant public spending more than $1.5 trillion a year million jobs every year in America as support from a substantial number of more than we are bringing in, more long as we remain in that danger zone. Members of this body. Sometime today than $1.5 trillion every year more than This simply cannot continue. or tomorrow, companion legislation we have, continuing to bury our chil- Another thing we face right now that will be introduced in the House of Rep- dren under a mountain of debt. When is something I find completely unac- resentatives, and we will be moving you are on autopilot, you don’t have ceptable is the fact that amidst all of forward. I urge my colleagues to care- the same constraints, the same hard this debate and discussion we have had fully consider this, and I urge my fel- choices, the same prioritization de- in recent weeks about the debt limit, low Americans to carefully consider mands that need to be made that amidst the offer on the part of what these and to urge their representatives Americans make every single day as are now most of the Republicans in the and their Senators to embrace them they manage their homes, their lives, Senate to raise the debt limit under and to adopt them. their families, their businesses—and the circumstances I have outlined, the I thank the Chair. State and local governments. This is President of the United States re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- unfortunate. It is unnecessary, and it sponded to those offers by threat- ator from Alabama. is shameful. It should not continue to ening—promising, perhaps—to cut So- Mr. SESSIONS. I thank Senator LEE operate this way. An enterprise as cial Security to current retirees if the for his leadership on this cut, cap, and large as the Federal Government, debt limit is not immediately raised balance plan. I think it would change which brings in $2.2 trillion every sin- and raised only consistent with the the debt trajectory of our country and gle year, having access to more money conditions that he is demanding right put us on a path to prosperity rather than perhaps any other institution on now. I fail to understand why the than a path to decline and deficit and Earth, ought to be able to operate with President of the United States would maybe financial crisis. a budget. It ought to be able to pass a prefer to make so hasty, so cruel, and Indeed, Mr. Erskine Bowles and Mr. budget. It ought not be operating on so reckless a threat as withholding So- Alan Simpson, the co-chairmen of the autopilot so as to insulate itself from cial Security checks for current retir- debt deficit commission appointed by critiques justifiable and unjustifiable ees before looking at any other Federal President Obama, told us earlier this alike, from those who would say: Why program. year in the Budget Committee that are you doing it this way? Why are you Look, we borrow at a rate of about this Nation has never faced a more pre- doing it that way? To have a debate, a $125 billion a month. That is a lot of dictable economic crisis. What he is discussion, that is necessary. It nec- money. A lot of people don’t make that saying was the spending course we are essarily surrounds the budgeting proc- much money in a whole year. As we are on is so out of sync with reality, it is ess in any legislative body, in any re- borrowing at that rate, we have to take inevitable we will pay a price economi- public around the world. into account the fact that Social Secu- cally for that. So part of the reason we In the process of operating on auto- rity benefits cost the U.S. Treasury are where is because we have not had a pilot, we are severely exacerbating our about $50 billion a month. It is $50 bil- budget in over 2 years. If you don’t deficit problem with our national debt lion out of $125 billion each month that have a budget, it makes it harder for now totaling nearly $15 trillion. What we borrow, assuming that is the por- the American people to ascertain then is the solution? I believe the solu- tion we borrow. Meanwhile, we are whether you are spending more than tion to our current problem, especially bringing in $200 billion a month in tax you ought to be spending, and the as we approach the debt limit, involves revenue. So there is more than enough whole process is able to be pursued the cut, cap, and balance approach, in- tax revenue there to cover not only So- without public knowledge and full dis- cluding passage by both Houses of Con- cial Security benefits but also interest closure when you don’t have a budget. gress of the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act, on debt and a number of other things Every President is required by the one that would require, in addition to as well. That begs the question: Why same Budget Act to submit a budget. I our making immediate short-term cuts are Social Security beneficiaries the think there is no President who has and adopting statutory spending caps first to be threatened? Why is it their failed to comply with the Budget Act designed to put us on a firm, smooth checks that the President is threat- and does not require that you go to jail glidepath toward a balanced budget, ening to withhold first? There is no ex- if you violate it. It would probably be that we also pass a balanced budget planation to this that he has offered, better off if that had been the case. But amendment to the Constitution. All of and I hereby demand one. the President submitted a budget ear- these would be passed as conditions I think our current retirees deserve lier this year in February. It was, I be- precedent to our raising the debt limit, more than to be used as pawns in a lieve, the most irresponsible budget which many of us are willing to do, if high-stakes political game, one that ever presented to Congress at a time necessary, to get those measures uses fear and uncertainty and doubt when systemic, structural deficits of passed. We are not willing to raise it rather than reason and discussion and trillions of dollars, the likes of which without those measures first being debate and willingness to compromise. we have never, ever had before—at a passed because we cannot continue to The need for this has never been great- time when we needed to confront that perpetuate this problem, one which we er. The consequences for disregarding and discuss it as a people, as a nation,

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He our precedent and policies, there is, in brought it up for a vote since my col- has a budget, and he leaks out portions fact, a Budget Act rule that prohibits leagues wanted to vote down the House of it, but nobody sees the real budget. what is going on; that is, spending budget that was a responsible budget. There are certain numbers and visions money without a budget in place. It It would actually change our debt and ideas, and he claims they have a violates the Senate rules. course, reduce spending by $6 trillion. budget. But if a person is unwilling to Everybody knows spending money They brought that up and it got 40 or produce the budget and have a hearing without a budget in place is not fis- so votes, but it did not pass. I then in the Budget Committee, then I think cally responsible. Of course, I would brought up President Obama’s budget, they don’t have one. It is not a budget. say to the distinguished Senator from in a Senate with a majority of Demo- I don’t know what it is, but it is not a South Dakota, we all support our mili- cratic Members, and it failed 0 to 97. budget. tary and our veterans, and there is no Mr. President, 97 to 0, because it didn’t I see my colleague, Senator CORNYN, greater responsibility of the Federal deserve a single vote, but it had one who has been a member of the Budget Government than to defend our citi- characteristic about it that was impor- Committee. I know he is knowledge- zens and to make sure the needs of our tant. It actually had numbers in it. I able about these issues, and I am troops and veterans are met. But Con- guess the budget staff—they always pleased to yield the floor. gress should not, in the interest of produced a budget—before the spin doc- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- doing something that is important, cir- tors at the White House realized it, ator from Texas. cumvent its own rules. they sent out a budget projecting the Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I have Taxpayers deserve transparency. President’s future plans for America. come to the floor to express my appre- With transparency comes account- For example, at a time when we are ciation for the ranking member of the ability. And without a budget, tax- borrowing 40 cents of every dollar, the Budget Committee, Senator SESSIONS, payers get neither. President proposed next year to in- and to express many of the same con- We know what has been going on in crease the Education Department. cerns I know he has articulated. the absence of Congress doing its job. Ninety percent of our education funds One of the most basic responsibilities Indeed, the President’s own proposed are from the States, and they always of any business or family or, frankly, budget would have vastly expanded the take care of that, and we provide cer- of Congress itself is to pass a budget. debt and the deficits, and that is why it tain Federal funds that can be an asset But, as the Senator from Alabama lost when we brought it to the floor to them sometimes. Sometimes it is a pointed out—and it has been pointed liability, frankly. But at any rate, he and said we want to vote on it. It lost out time and time again—Congress has asked for a 10.5-percent increase in 97 to 0. No member of the opposing Education, a 9.5-percent increase to the failed for more than 800 days—800 party, the President’s own party, voted Energy Department, which spends days—to perform one of its most basic for the President’s proposed budget be- most of its time blocking the produc- and fundamental responsibilities, and cause it was irresponsible. It did noth- tion of energy rather than producing that is to take up and pass a budget. ing to solve the problem of reckless more lower cost, cleaner energy for the Even though we haven’t passed a spending, deficits, and unsustainable country. It proposed a 10.5-percent in- budget and taken up a budget, that debt. crease in the State Department budget, doesn’t mean the spending has stopped. So what are we left with? Well, we and it proposed—hold your hats—a 60- Indeed, the spending goes on in a reck- are told that on August 2 the Secretary percent increase in transportation. less sort of way. We have spent $7.3 of the Treasury says we will run out of Much of that was for high-speed rail so trillion since the last budget was money. Rather than having a budget everybody can walk—80 percent of passed, and we have increased the na- debated and voted on in front of the Americans, apparently, can walk to a tional debt by $3.2 trillion. American people where every Amer- Now the Senate is considering a train station and travel on the high- ican citizen could watch it and see spending bill, an appropriations bill, speed rail. We don’t have the money for what is going on and call our offices before we have even passed a budget. It that. States are rejecting the money. and express their concerns either sup- strikes me that is exactly backward. They run the numbers. They know it is porting that budget or saying, no, We should be passing and debating a not going to be feasible and that it is Members of Congress ought to change budget first before we then take up ap- just an overreach. it by offering an amendment, what we I guess what I am saying is that propriations bills. This is not the way are given now by the President is se- somebody in this country does not get Congress should operate. cret negotiations behind closed doors. I it. I thought the American people sent Now, taxpayers who might be watch- assume it will be rolled out at some a message loud and clear last year ing this on C–SPAN or elsewhere or in point, and we will be told: Take it or when they sent a lot of new Members the gallery may be asking themselves, leave it. August 2, we are out of money. well, how can Congress spend money to Congress, such as Senator PAUL and And Mr. Senator, Madam Senator, Senator LEE, who were shocked at it without having a budget in place, be- Madam Congressperson, you can’t do and talked to their constituents and cause we know a budget is a very im- your most fundamental job; that is, came to Congress to do something portant form of self-discipline. It re- have a debate in the light of day in about it. quires us to identify what our prior- front of the American people. We haven’t even brought up a budget. ities are. What are the things we have Now, does this ring a bell? It seems Why didn’t Senator REID and the to spend money on? What are things we to me this is starting to be a habit—a Democratic leadership decide to bring would like but we can put off until to- bad habit. It started with the health up a budget? Well, if they bring a budg- morrow or next year? What are the care bill. It was rammed through Con- et, then they have to show what they things we would like to have but we gress. It was a product of secret nego- believe. They have to propose a solu- really can’t afford? The fact is, Con- tiations. All sorts of special deals were tion to the problem. Well, what was gress has been operating in an undisci- cut behind closed doors. Only now are their plan? Because they called up the plined and extravagant sort of way not we really beginning to see what the House budget and voted it down—every with our money but with the tax- consequences of those special deals Democrat voted it down—and they payers’ money and, even worse, with were and the costs that were vastly un- never produced one of their own. When the money these young men and derestimated in the health care bill. I brought up President Obama’s budg- women who are sitting in front of me I hate to say this, but President et, they voted it down. So we have not are going to have to pay because our Obama has failed to lead on the debt seen one real solution. legacy to them will be a burden of debt ceiling. First, we know he called for a They have been talking about, oh, which will limit their opportunity and clean up-or-down vote without any they will do this and that. Senator their prosperity. cuts or any entitlement reform. That is

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.024 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4591 the first thing he called for. Thank doing something serious while doing The last thing you want to do is to raise goodness he has moved away from that nothing serious at all. taxes in the middle of a recession because position, but there are problems yet. We know the President has failed to that would just suck up—take more demand But when he was a Senator in 2006, he lead in other ways. He has delegated or out of the economy and put businesses in a further hole. said, ‘‘Increasing America’s debt weak- outsourced his responsibility to the ens us domestically and internation- Vice President. It took only a few Well, the President who said that was ally.’’ At the time, he also said, ‘‘It is weeks ago for the President to finally President Barack Obama back in 2009. a sign that we now depend on ongoing step up and engage personally, and we The President makes our case for us. financial assistance from foreign coun- find that more often than not he pro- Another President said low taxes tries to finance our Government’s reck- posed phony solutions such as changing help ‘‘millions of entrepreneurs . . . less fiscal policies.’’ That was back in the depreciation schedule for corporate hire new workers.’’ Oh, yes, that was 2006 when then-Senator Obama made jet owners, dealing with the tax treat- again President Barack Obama when those statements. So today we are pre- ment of oil and gas companies, and he signed the extension of tax relief sented with a much different office- changing an accounting rule called last December. holder—the President of the United ‘‘last in, first out.’’ But the facts are Then there was another President, States—who is now demagoging those that those changes, even if adopted, somebody our Nation holds in high re- who hold the same truths he espoused would be a drop in the bucket. They gard, who happens to have been a Mem- himself in 2006, back when our debt and would do nothing significant or serious ber of the other political party, who our deficits were much smaller than to deal with our huge deficits and our said: they are today. unsustainable debt. The final and best means of strengthening This isn’t a matter of the President Unfortunately, the President’s own demand among consumers and business is to reduce the burden on private income and the not understanding the problem we find personal engagement is frequently ourselves in because he appointed a bi- deterrents to private initiative which are nothing more than personal attacks. imposed by our present tax system. . . . partisan commission, the Simpson- His recent press conferences have been That was President John F. Kennedy Bowles commission, that reported back full of name-calling and straw man at- in 1962. President Kennedy also said: in December in a report called ‘‘A Mo- tacks that are, frankly, beneath the ment of Truth’’ which laid out in so- dignity of the office of President of the In short, it is a paradoxical truth that tax bering detail the unsustainability of rates are too high today and tax revenues United States. Instead of being a Com- are too low and the soundest way to raise the our national debt, the reckless spend- mander in Chief, it is more like he has revenues in the long run is to cut the rates ing that had gone on, and the bor- decided: I am going to be campaigner now. . . . rowing from the Chinese and other gov- in chief. I am not going to deal with He said—and he was exactly right: ernments. But rather than the Presi- the problem. I am going to just look at Only full employment can balance the dent taking up the report of his own winning the next election. Then we budget, and tax reduction can pave the way fiscal commission, he simply ignored read yesterday that even in private the to that employment. it. He ignored it in the State of the President is throwing temper tantrums The purpose of cutting taxes now is not to Union Message. He certainly ignored it like he did yesterday and stomping out incur a budget deficit, but to achieve the in his proposed budget, which was dead of the meeting at the White House— more prosperous, expanding economy which on arrival over here, without a single again, failing to show leadership. can bring a budget surplus. Democrat voting for it. But the most cynical thing the Presi- He had it exactly right. We need to In essence, the President has dent has done, the most cynical abdica- not only cut spending, but we need to outsourced his leadership responsibil- tion of leadership he has displayed so grow revenue. The best way to grow ities to others. We know the Presi- far is his new threat to hold seniors, revenue is to get more taxpayers, to dent’s current proposal, if one can call our veterans, and our troops hostage get more people back to work. The rea- it that—and, frankly, the devil is in unless Congress will agree to job-kill- son Federal revenue is so low is not be- the details, and while the House has ing tax increases immediately. This is cause tax rates are too low or people passed a budget, while the Simpson- shameful behavior. are not taxed enough, it is because too Bowles commission has made a rec- We all know that even if the August many people are out of work. ommendation, as well as the Domenici- 2 deadline passes without a deal, ac- When people do not have a job, they Rivlin bipartisan recommendation, we cording to the Bipartisan Policy Cen- do not pay taxes, they do not pay their have yet to see the President’s plan. ter, the U.S. Treasury will still have home mortgages, and they lose their Yes, he has held press conferences, he enough revenue—about $172 billion—to homes. We are for more people getting has bashed those rhetorically who have pay for Social Security benefits, to pay back to work. We have tried the failed held the very same position he held in for Medicaid and Medicare, to pay Ac- stimulus, the goal of which was to keep 2006, but he has failed to lead and offer tive-Duty military, and other national unemployment below 8 percent. We a plan to deal with this impending cri- priorities. Let me repeat: The only rea- know that failed. Yet we racked up an- sis. son seniors and our troops will see other $800 billion in debt. In fact, the President’s current rhet- their checks stop coming is if the So why don’t we try the old-fash- oric—I don’t think we can dignify it by Obama administration decides to make ioned way: take our boot off the necks calling it a plan—is significantly to the other spending a priority, if the Obama of the job creators in America to make left of his own bipartisan Simpson- administration chooses to hold our it easier, not harder, to create jobs, to Bowles recommendations. He is cer- troops and seniors hostage just so they provide incentives for entrepreneurs to tainly to the left of Simpson-Bowles can raise taxes. start new businesses, to help existing when it comes to spending—calling for This is another amazing display of small businesses expand their business. much more spending, no cuts but con- cynicism, or I guess the most chari- But they cannot do it, and they will tinued spending. He is to the left of table way I can say it: short term not do it with uncertainty about their Simpson-Bowles when it comes to memory. The President himself said taxes, with the regulatory over- taxes, when ‘‘more’’ is the only word he last December the reason we should reaching and other policies coming out seems to know when it comes to not raise taxes in a fragile economic of Washington, DC. taxes—more taxes. In fact, when the recovery is because it would be bad for Republicans are holding the line President says we are going to cut $1 job creation. It would further discour- against the President’s demand for trillion, let’s say, or $2 trillion, but we age job creation at a time when we higher taxes for a very simple reason. are going to raise taxes $$2 trillion, need jobs badly. President Kennedy was right about what does that net? That means no net Well, let me say just a word about taxes back in 1962, and President change in the size of the Federal Gov- tax increases and why this side of the Barack Obama was right about taxes as ernment, and that means no real down- aisle believes so strongly that tax in- recently as last December. Unfortu- payment on our national debt or def- creases are not the answer to our debt nately, he has changed his mind, or he icit. It is a sleight of hand. It is phony. crisis. has forgotten the position he took just It is designed to give the appearance of As one President famously said: last December.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.025 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4592 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 Republicans do not want tax in- Mr. President, I yield the floor. This year I suppose it was that the creases, and we do not want to see the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- majority leader decided we would not Federal Government default on its ob- ator from Alabama. even have one in committee. So we ligations. So we have an obligation to Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I have not commenced any action to come up with an affirmative plan, a thank the Senator from Texas. This is pass a budget. But now we are pro- positive plan to solve the problem. I be- very serious business we are engaged ceeding to spend money. We are pro- lieve we have done so. in. The strength of his comments, the ceeding to pass legislation that would The first is a balanced budget amend- method of delivery, and the content are expend taxpayers’ money without a ment to the U.S. Constitution that is indicative of the serious challenges we budget. That is not good policy by any cosponsored by every Republican on are facing. standards, whether we have a law or this side of the aisle. The last time we For example, under the budget that not. But we actually have a law that voted on a balanced budget amendment was submitted to us, the only budget requires us to have a budget first. That in the Senate was 1997—before I got we have seen so far from the President, is why I found myself having to raise a here—where 11 Democrats voted to sup- the interest on our debt, according to budget point of order. port that constitutional amendment. I the Congressional Budget Office—that We were not elected to shut down the hope our Democratic colleagues will used their 10–Year budget and cal- committees, to violate the congres- join us in doing not an extraordinary culated we are paying about $214 bil- sional process of deciding how money thing, not a heroic thing—it is a very lion in interest today on our debt—in should be spent, to cede our constitu- ordinary but a very commonsense the 10th year of President Obama’s tional responsibility to some secret thing—and that is to make sure the budget, as Senator CORNYN said, the in- meeting somewhere so they can Federal Government learns to live terest would crowd out other things. It produce some sort of bill and drop it in within its means and not spend money would be $940 billion—1 year’s interest. the Senate on August 1, presumably, it does not have. We hope they will join When we borrow money, we pay in- and then demand that we pay for it. us. terest just like individuals do when Because, look, you have to look be- Part of that plan is also the cut, cap, they borrow money. We are borrowing hind the numbers. Just because the and balance legislation I have cospon- so much money that we are doubling President says his budget does one sored and that I hope the House of Rep- the debt again in our country in 10 thing, his plan does another thing, resentatives will take up and send over years. The interest on it will crowd out don’t you think we ought to check it here soon. This legislation is a plan other things. For example, it would be out? that avoids defaulting on our obliga- more than Social Security, more than One of the most stunning statements tions. It prevents more taxes, particu- our Medicare, more than our Defense I have ever heard from a President and larly during a fragile economic recov- Department spending in that year. from the Budget Director was heard ery. It cuts reckless spending, and it So I thank the Senator for sharing earlier this year after the President gets our fiscal house in order. that. presented his budget. He and the Budg- What is painfully apparent is we are I see Senator JOHNSON, and I would et Director publicly—and the Budget running out of time, and I am not just be pleased to yield at this time. Director in committee—said: Our budg- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- talking about the August 2 deadline. et will have us live within our means ator from South Dakota. Yesterday, Moody’s Investors Services and pay down the debt. Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. said it was reviewing the Nation’s top- They used those words. So anybody President, I thank the Senator for his notch, AAA credit rating for a poten- hearing that thinks: Gosh, I am glad courtesy and reserve the remainder of tial downgrade. the President prepared a budget that If credit agencies downgrade our my time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- will have us live within our means and debt, it will cost more for us to borrow pay down our debt. We have been from the Chinese and our other credi- ator from Alabama. Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I will spending too much money. tors. As we know, because of Federal just wrap up and close at 2 o’clock. I What is the truth? The truth is, the Reserve policies, the Federal Reserve understand under our agreement that 2 lowest single annual deficit in 10 years, has kept interest rates below historic o’clock will start the time allocated according to the Congressional Budget norms. If those were to grow to his- for the Democratic speakers as they Office analysts, would be $740 billion. toric norms because our debt has been may appear, and there would be time The highest President Bush ever had downgraded by the credit agencies—or at 3 o’clock under my control for Re- was $450 billion. That was too high. for any other reason—the interest on publican speakers. This year it will be $1,500 billion, and I our national debt alone will crowd out The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is would point out that in the outyears other priorities for our Nation. It will the understanding, although the Chair $740 billion was about year 6. The 7, 8, make it less likely we can afford to do is told the agreement has not been for- 9, 10 numbers are going up again, and what we need to do to defend our na- malized as yet. But the Chair under- CBO says in the 10th year, the deficit tional security or to provide the very stands that is the agreement. The Sen- under the President’s budget will be safety net that our Democratic col- ator from Alabama is correct. $1.2 trillion. So this is not good. We leagues claim to care so much about. Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. That need to get our house in order. We will not have the money to do it be- is all right. We are going to insist that we do it cause we will not have acted respon- Mr. SESSIONS. Very good. in the right way. That is why I have sibly in dealing with the deficit and the So I will wrap up and ask unanimous objected to proceeding to spending bills debt today. consent that there be 30 minutes under without a budget. It is time for the ma- I urge my colleagues to heed these my control at 3 p.m. jority leader to bring us into session. warnings and to join us in cutting The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Let’s have a budget. Let’s see where spending and to get our debt under con- objection? people stand. Let’s make the tough de- trol. In the end, everyone will come out Without objection, it is so ordered. cisions. Let’s vote on it. Let’s allow a winner if we accomplish that goal. Mr. SESSIONS. I thank the Chair. ourselves to be held accountable by the This is not a Republican plan. This is Well, the fundamental problem is people who sent us here. not a Democratic plan. This is what is that our Democratic leadership has de- I yield the floor. right and good and necessary for the cided it would be foolish to have a The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. United States of America, and so that budget, even though it is required by SANDERS). The Senator from New generations in the future can enjoy the law. They have refused to produce a Hampshire. same opportunity and prosperity we budget now for 806 days—over 2 years. Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, the ourselves have enjoyed. Heaven help Last year, Senator CONRAD produced a media has been focused on our dif- us—Heaven help us—if we fail to take budget in committee, and it was voted ferences. But I think there is one thing advantage of this opportunity and to on and brought to the floor, but the that every single member of this body deal responsibly with this impending majority leader refused to even bring it agrees on, we have to address the long- crisis. up for debate and vote. term debt and deficits.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.026 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4593 Like many Members of this Chamber, Services Roundtable, and great New don’t think anyone here thinks Presi- I have repeatedly called for a bipar- Hampshire companies like Cirtronics dent Reagan was a champion of big tisan package that includes reforms to and Control Air: government. everything deficit related. That means We believe it is vitally important for the I believe that many of my colleagues cuts to spending, domestic, defense, U.S. government to make good on its finan- on both sides of the aisle understand and mandatory, as well as increased cial obligations. . . . the importance of getting this done. I revenues. I have supported attaching It is critical that the U.S. government not believe many of them believe in the deficit reduction measures to the vote default in any way on its fiscal obligations. value of compromise. We all have to be on the debt limit. And I believe reduc- A great nation—like a great company—has at the table. We all have to be ready to to be relied upon to pay its debts when they ing the deficit is critical to strength- become due. This is a Main Street not Wall compromise to reach a solution. ening the long-term health of the econ- Street issue. Treasury securities influence I ask my colleagues to do what is omy. the cost of financing not just for companies right and put politics aside, for the But I also believe that everyone—ev- but more importantly for mortgages, auto good of the economy and of the coun- eryone—has to come to the table to loans, credit cards and student debt. A de- try. find a compromise solution that will fault would risk both disarray in those mar- Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I would get this done. Democrats know this, kets and a host of unintended consequences. like to follow up a little bit on what that is why time and again we have of- The debt ceiling trigger does offer a needed the Senator from New Hampshire just catalyst for serious negotiations on budget spoke about; that is, the absurdity, the fered compromise plans, including discipline but avoiding even a technical de- more than a trillion dollars in spending fault is essential. This is a risk our country absolute absurdity of what is going on cuts. It is disappointing that politics must not take. in Washington today. Our Nation used to have a two-party are keeping some from negotiating in Again, this is not my opinion. This is system in this country, but it is in- good faith. That is a disservice to the the opinion of business leaders. We creasingly apparent that one of our American people. should listen to them. two parties has morphed—has I have spoken before about what In a recent op-ed in USA Today, the morphed—into some kind of a quasi-re- some people are trying to a protect, Chamber and the Financial Services ligion driven by one ideology: pre- tax breaks for big oil, for hedge fund Forum spelled out why they believe a serving and expanding tax breaks for operators and for yacht owners. I would default would result in ‘‘hundreds of the wealthy and for big corporations. like to speak now about what some are thousands of lost jobs every year.’’ willing to risk to protect those tax To that end, many Republicans in First, they point out that a default Congress are perfectly willing to push giveaways. What happens if we do not would halt critical government oper- increase the debt limit and meet the the United States of America into de- ations, far more abruptly than we have faulting on its debt obligations with United States’ financial obligations. seen in past standoffs over the budget. First of all, raising the debt limit dire economic consequences. This is a They say: does not mean spending more. Our very dangerous detour in our Nation’s spending is set by Congress’s annual The U.S. Treasury is expected to take in political and economic life. But just as about $170 billion in tax revenue in August, dangerous, just as dangerous as the budget process. but needs to pay $300 billion in expenses. The Raising the debt limit means paying resulting $130 billion deficit would require prospect of a default on our debt obli- our government’s bills. Our govern- the government to pick which programs— gations is the Republican’s determina- ment. It is not the Democrats’ govern- Medicare, Medicaid stamps, unemployment tion to defund and dismantle as much ment, it is not President Obama’s gov- insurance—to pay for and which not to fund. of the Federal Government as possible. ernment. It belongs to all of us. We are And there would be little money left to pay To that end, they are demanding deep, talking about servicing savings bonds our troops or to run the courts, the prison Draconian cuts to Federal funding and issued under President Reagan. Sup- system, the FBI, or other essential oper- investment at a time when unemploy- ations. porting an Army first sent to Afghani- ment is already sky high and rising, stan under President Bush. They go on to note that default and when our economy remains fragile. Paying Social Security checks, food would make our government debt and To justify these deep cuts, Repub- inspectors, and air traffic controllers. deficit problem worse. licans with this new ideology have ar- This is about the full faith and credit Yesterday, Moody’s, the credit rating ticulated an absurd economic theory— of our government. agency, put the United States govern- absolutely absurd. They claim slashing Failure to raise the debt limit means ments’ credit rating under review. If Federal funding and investments by default. It means the United States Moody’s were to downgrade our credit trillions of dollars will somehow magi- would not meet its obligations. What rating, investor confidence in U.S. cally create jobs. would happen? bonds would be shaken, and it would be I don’t know of any Main Street Warren Buffett said it would be more expensive for our government to economist, or anybody with an ounce Congress’s ‘‘most asinine act ever.’’ borrow money. of common sense, who agrees with this Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said it This is something that I understand bizarre theory. To the contrary, econo- would lead to ‘‘a huge financial calam- viscerally because, as Governor of New mists warn us that this is absolutely ity.’’ Hampshire, we worked closely to try to the wrong time to be slashing Federal Economist and former Reagan ad- avoid the rating agencies downgrading investments. Why? For the obvious viser Larry Kudlow said default would the State’s borrowing so that we would reason that deep, short-term cuts to be ‘‘catastrophe.’’ not have to pay more money. JP Mor- Federal spending will dramatically re- The biggest concern these experts gan estimates that the higher interest duce demand in the economy, thus re- name is the potential for a global fi- rates caused by default could increase ducing employment even further. nancial crisis. Companies, pension our annual deficits by a staggering $75 Already this year, cuts to govern- funds, and governments across the billion every year. Just from higher in- ment spending at the State and local world hold U.S. savings bonds. A de- terest rates. If we are serious about re- levels have destroyed an estimated fault could trigger a crisis worse than ducing the deficit, this is the wrong 500,000 public sector jobs, and that goes the one in 2008, which itself triggered way to go. along with an undetermined number of the worst recession since the Great De- That is why we need to find a com- private-sector jobs. Economists under- pression. promise solution. We have in the past. stand that terminating the jobs of We are just now climbing out of the The debt limit has gone up under every teachers, police officers, and other es- hole caused by the last financial crisis. President in modern times. President sential public employees has a negative We cannot risk another one. Nixon raised it nine times. President impact on the economy just as elimi- Let me read from a letter sent to Clinton raised it four times. Since nating private-sector jobs do. Nonethe- Congress earlier this week by hundreds President Kennedy, the most frequent less, as if they live in kind of a par- of America’s top businesses and busi- and largest increases came under Presi- allel, upside down universe, Repub- ness organizations, including the dent Reagan. He raised the debt limit licans insist that slashing Federal Chamber of Commerce, the Financial 18 times, by a total of 199 percent. I funding and investment will create

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A14JY6.003 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4594 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 jobs. Let’s test that theory in one area al-Qaida out, and get Osama bin Laden. stance, by defending America’s right to of Federal investment. Let’s take We got Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaida is oppose currency manipulation and abu- transportation funding. Everybody un- no longer in Afghanistan, and the sive trade practices. derstands that our transportation in- Taliban is gone. Why are we still there? We ought to talk about fair trade, frastructure is woefully inadequate. It Why are we still spending about $14 bil- fair trade, fair trade, not free trade, is in a state of increasing overload and lion a month in Afghanistan? free trade, free trade. You see where disrepair. Most people understand that Again, we need a balanced approach. free trade gets us if we don’t stand up ramping up investments in modern- Spending cuts alone won’t do the job. I to other countries that manipulate izing our highways, bridges, and public think the Republicans have just proved their currencies, such as China, where transit systems would strengthen our this. The Republicans have proved that we are shipping all our jobs and money. economy and create millions of jobs. spending cuts alone will not get the job As I have said, our fragile economy is These are the veins and arteries of our done. Why do I say that? Look at the at the point of maximum danger. This commerce. so-called Ryan budget. It dismantles Congress is at a historic decision point What have the Republicans in the Medicare, guts Medicaid, and makes se- with regard to raising the debt ceiling House proposed? Last week, the Repub- vere cuts across the Federal budget. and bringing deficits under control. lican leader put forward a new trans- Yet it still adds trillions of dollars to However, as we have seen played out in portation authorization bill that would the deficit for years to come—largely the press, in the media, standing in the slash current investments in transpor- because it refuses to touch tax breaks way of a rational, reasonable com- tation by more than one-third—a one- for the well-to-do or to raise other rev- promise is congressional Republicans’ third cut in transportation. Will this enues from corporations. ideological obsession with preserving create jobs, as the Republicans claim? The Republicans have said they don’t tax cuts for millionaires and billion- Of course not. The Senate Environment want to raise taxes on the so-called job aires at any and all costs. They are and Public Works Committee esti- creators. They don’t want to raise threatening to force us to default on mates that the House bill would de- taxes on job creators. To call trust the national debt. stroy more than 490,000 highway con- fund millionaires and Wall Street I will close with this. I heard our dis- struction jobs and close to 100,000 tran- money manipulators ‘‘job creators’’ is tinguished minority leader, the Sen- sit-related jobs—mass transit. laughable. Meanwhile, to call many ator from Kentucky, say this was now This is pure folly. This is a classic ex- large corporations in the United States Obama’s economy and the problems we ample of what happens when ideolog- ‘‘job creators’’ is increasingly question- have are because of Obama. He has ical obsessions cause Members of Con- able. been President for almost 3 years— gress to be blind to practical, common- Actually, in one respect, you can in- about 21⁄2 years now. Therefore, he says sense realities. deed argue that America’s big he owns that. You know, this is kind of I have repeatedly come to the floor brandname corporations—GE, Micro- an interesting world we are living in. to advocate for a balanced approach to soft, and so on—are ‘‘job creators.’’ The We have a debt ceiling, and why has bringing deficits under control, one problem is that they are not creating the debt gone up? Because we borrowed that includes some spending cuts and many jobs here in the United States. money—a lot of money. The Congres- revenue increases. At the same time, They are creating jobs overseas and sional Budget Office says the debt we economists warn us that we need a def- eliminating them here. The U.S. Com- have today comes from. Remember, 10 icit reduction plan that defers the merce Department data shows that years ago, we had a surplus, a budget lion’s share of spending cuts and tax during the 2000s, U.S. companies—mul- surplus, one of the largest in our Na- increases for several years, allowing tinational companies—cut their work- tion’s history left after President Clin- our economy to recover before the neg- force here at home by 2.9 million, and ton. Then President Bush comes into ative impacts are felt. they increased their workforce over- office, the Republicans take over the I must also ask: Why are we pro- seas by 2.4 million. They are creating House and Senate, and they ram posing to slash all this funding for jobs, all right—just not here in Amer- through a massive tax cut, which takes highways, schools, and infrastructure ica. To add insult to injury, there are the surpluses and gives them mostly to here at home, while we continue to provisions in the United States Tax the wealthy in our country. Then 9/11 spend untold billions of dollars to build Code that promote this kind of behav- happened and we entered into two highways, schools, and infrastructure ior—the kinds of tax breaks that Re- wars—totally unpaid for—and we bor- in Afghanistan? A lot of people ask me: publicans insist on preserving. row it from China, or wherever, to pay Senator HARKIN, you say you are will- They don’t want to tax job creators. for two wars. ing to cut spending. Where? Let’s start Yet we have shown that these big mul- Then we had a Medicare drug pre- here, with Afghanistan and Iraq. We tinationals are creating jobs overseas. I scription benefit—most of which bene- are spending $168 billion in Iraq and Af- wish to—and I am sure the occupant of fits go to the drug companies, by the ghanistan this year alone. This year— the chair would also—close some of way—and we didn’t pay for that. We fiscal year 2011—we are spending more those loopholes so there is not a tax borrowed money for that also. So the than $13 billion to train the Iraqi and benefit to shipping jobs overseas. The debt we are grappling with today is be- Afghan security forces—$13 billion. OK. Republicans say, no, they don’t want to cause of policies enacted by a Repub- What did we spend in America to re- do that. lican President and a Republican Con- train our workers so they can get new In the month of May, U.S. trade def- gress. They ran up the debt. Now they jobs? Less than $10 billion. We are icit soared to more than $50 billion— don’t want to pay for it. This is not spending more money to train Afghan the highest level in nearly 3 years—in President Obama’s debt at all. This is and Iraqi security forces than we are to 1 month. In May, our trade deficit—out what happens when you have almost 8 retrain our own workers all over Amer- of that $50 billion—for one country, or 9 years of uninterrupted borrowing ica, at a time when 24 million Ameri- China, was a staggering $25 billion. You and spending by President Bush and cans are unemployed or under- might say, what does that mean? Those the Republican Congress. This is their employed. Yet we are spending $168 bil- figures represent a transfer of millions debt. lion a year on Afghanistan and Iraq. I of jobs and billions in wages from the Again, I call upon reasonable, respon- applaud the President for his actions, United States to China or other coun- sible Republicans to come forward and but quite frankly, they don’t go far tries abroad. We need to seriously ex- give up on this ideological obsession, enough. The President should have a amine our trade and tax policies, which this new theology that says: no tax re- faster timeframe for our troops to get continually send our jobs and wages form, no raising of revenues from any- out of Afghanistan. I have said that overseas. We need to stop bowing be- one, even those who can afford it the publicly many times. If we want to fore the sacrosanct altar of ‘‘free most. save some money, save that $1 million trade’’ as if it doesn’t even warrant our I remain an optimist. It is not too it costs to keep one soldier in Afghani- examination. Instead, we need to ask late for reason to prevail. We have stan, get them back here. We went to how we can make our trade policy heard loudly and clearly from the ex- Afghanistan to get the Taliban out, get work for the middle class—for in- tremists and ideologs, who would bring

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.031 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4595 down our economic house rather than of resolution to the vote to raise our Let’s just choose one example of the agree to any compromise. Now it is Nation’s debt ceiling. studies done on this myth that we can time for decent, patriotic Americans to I wish to take a few moments, if I simply pay the debt service and a few speak up and say enough. We can and could, to talk about the reality of this big things and the consequences of the must come together around a balanced impending crisis, and I would like to rest would be fine. According to the Bi- plan to bring our deficits under con- look at a few of the myths I hear at partisan Policy Center, beginning in trol, and we must uphold the full faith home that need to be cleared up. August, if we continue to make pay- and credit of the United States of First, some Members of this body and ments, obviously on interest on the America. the other House of Congress, some debt but also on Social Security, Medi- With that, I yield the floor and sug- folks running for President, and some care, Medicaid, all defense contractors, gest the absence of a quorum. people in the press have suggested that and unemployment insurance—so the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The a default will cause only minor eco- really important things—and we just clerk will call the roll. nomic disruption, if any at all. Econo- stop paying the rest, our troops on Ac- The assistant editor of the Daily Di- mist after economist, think tank after tive Duty; all of our veterans pro- gest proceeded to call the roll. think tank, study after study has grams; all of law enforcement, includ- Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I ask shown in the last few weeks that noth- ing, for example, the FBI; the whole unanimous consent that the order for ing could be further from the truth. Federal court system; the FAA, which the quorum call be rescinded. There are predictable consequences monitors air traffic; the FDA, which The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without of default that will affect every Amer- inspects food quality and safety; and a objection, it is so ordered. ican—Americans in every State, at host of dozens of other Federal pro- Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I rise every income level. More than any, I grams would come to a halt within today, as have so many other Senators, worry about the working families or days. because I am concerned about what I those currently out of work who are al- The consequences to the safety of our have been hearing about the threat of ready struggling through the greatest families, to the strength of our econ- default that is now just over 3 weeks recession we have known in my life- omy, to the confidence of our country, away—what I have heard both here in time. One report suggests 640,000 people and to our role at home and abroad Washington and in Delaware. will lose their jobs in the months after would, in my view, be tragic—almost This looming default crisis is one of default. Economists confirm that the catastrophic. So even if we could avoid the most grave and predictable threats cost of home mortgages, car loans, and technically defaulting for a few days or to our economy and our country I have interest rates will go up for everything. weeks by continuing to service our ever seen. It is no longer floating at a The cost of food, gas, and everyday debt, the costs and consequences of distance just over the horizon, or some- items for families all over this country these other ‘‘easy choices’’ would be thing we can debate academically, the will go up in real and concrete ways. dramatic, difficult, and lasting. impact of which we may yet avert. It is More importantly, if we default on According to Steve McMillin, who here now. We are on the edge. Given America’s mortgage, the impact in was the former Deputy Director of the difficulties this body can have in terms of the increased cost of bor- OMB under President Bush—he was re- moving something through in a matter rowing for our whole country and for cently quoted on this topic: all of our families won’t just be brief, it of days, we are very close to the abso- I would say the options Treasury has if the will be lasting because it will hang lute last day when we can consider op- debt limit is not raised are all very ugly. with us on our credit score as a nation tions and a path forward. Default is Let me give a third myth. As I was for years. To the folks watching, if you right before us and it must be dealt talking with some small business own- think it is difficult to find a job or to with. ers in Delaware over the past week, help grow a business to help deal with I rise not to add to the political rhet- some suggested they really felt we the daily cost of living now, just wait oric—there has been plenty of that— until we default on America’s mort- needed to go ahead and take the tough nor do I rise to try and elicit panic or gage and the cost of borrowing funds to medicine of defaulting and cut up the fear in the broader public. do anything—to create new jobs or to President’s credit card, stop the Presi- I rise because the folks of Delaware— help pay your bills as a family—goes dent from spending. the people from whom I have been While I share their concerns about up. hearing—just don’t know what to be- Default will have real and lasting the very real and very significant lieve. They know our deficit spending economic consequences that will haunt threat posed by our deep deficits and and our national debt are out of con- this economy and haunt the working share the view that we must cut spend- trol, and they are deeply concerned. families of this Nation for years. ing—as all of us who are Democrats on That is good. I share that concern. I The second myth is that we can just the Budget Committee have said now share that commitment to making cer- stop spending money without real con- publicly, we are committed to a bal- tain we reduce our spending and we sequences. Some in this very Chamber anced approach that significantly cuts deal with our deficit because deficit have suggested that when we get to Federal spending—the metaphor of cut- and debt at the size we have today can August, there will still be plenty of ting up the credit cards is wrong. It is harm our economy fundamentally. money coming in to service the debt, not just wrong, it is desperately wrong They are a basic challenge to our na- so there is no real threat of default, and misleading. Our Nation defaulting tional security, to our success, and to and that what we need to do is a rel- on its debt is not like cutting up a our growth going forward. But I also atively simple exercise of just deciding credit card and stopping the future rise because there is no faster way to which things we will stop paying. spending; it is much more like default- ensure that our economy will never get This second myth goes that the ing on a mortgage; it hurts our credit back on track, that our country will Treasury Department will just start rating and hinders our ability to bor- never reach its full potential than to picking winners and losers: They will row. As we have been told before, every let our Nation default on its financial pay Social Security but forgo Medi- 1 percent increase in interest rates will obligations. care; they will pay our troops but pink- cause our national debt to go up $1.3 We need to deal with this default cri- slip our Federal civilians; they will trillion over 10 years. According to sis in a responsible and pragmatic way fund the Pentagon but forget the De- some economists, increased interest to create a real and lasting solution. partment of Education—never mind rates could last for a decade or more. We must restore certainty to our mar- the ethical quandaries, the long-term No, the obligations that come due kets to help get our economy going disservice such action would have on August 2 are the obligations that have again. And what do we hear from busi- our economy and our country. Frank- already been undertaken. As Senator ness, businessmen large and small all ly, the truth is that it is not even clear HARKIN said before me, it is Repub- over the country? Certainty. We need they have the legal authority to do so licans, both President and Congress, predictability and certainty in the in the Treasury Department, to pick and Democrats, both President and markets. Well, nothing is creating un- these winners and losers on a week-by- Congress, over the last decade who certainty more than this grinding lack week basis. have moved us into a bigger house as a

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.031 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4596 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 country. It is the cost of two wars, the our current situation. If we cannot get and why we have the strongest econ- cost of an expanded Medicare Part D, a comprehensive $4 trillion balanced omy in the world today, troubled the cost of expanding investment in deal together on this floor and passed, though it may be. our country—the cost of this bigger let’s at least get a downpayment and The idea for some people to simply house that is now coming due. For us enforce a budget mechanism that say: Oh, not a big deal; we are not to stop paying that mortgage would would ensure that a comprehensive going to pay our debt, nothing to worry have the same consequences for our deal is accomplished over the next dec- about, those are people who are wish- country as it would for any family be- ade. SAVEGO, which I recommend to ing our economy harm for political cause when you default on your mort- everyone in this body, would lock in reasons, and those are people whose at- gage, it is not like cutting up a credit savings over the next decade, force titudes will have terrible consequences card, it affects your credit rating, and both parties to stay at the table, and for virtually every working family in it affects your ability to borrow and urge us to meet the targets we all this country in terms of higher interest your ability to do anything more for know we need to meet: to reduce our rates, in terms of significant job loss, your family for years to come. So, too, deficits, to stabilize our debts, to in terms of making a very unstable would the consequences be for this strengthen our country, and to move global economy even more unstable. country, and we cannot afford to let past this tragic narrow debate over Au- This country, which has paid its debts from day one, must pay its debts. our country become a bad investment. gust 2 and our Nation’s mortgage. Lastly, some have suggested that Au- We need to focus not on the next I can’t say it any more clearly than gust 2 is not a serious deadline, that election cycle, not on the partisan that. Our Republican friends, especially somehow Secretary Geithner must back-and-forth that might win an ad- our rightwing friends who now control have some other rabbit in the hat or vantage for one party over another or the House of Representatives, have some escape hatch. one person over another in this Cham- Back in January, Secretary Geithner given us an option and here is their op- ber for 2012, but we need instead to tion. What they have said is: We want sent a letter to all in Congress sug- focus on the next generation, on the fu- gesting that we would, in fact, run out to do deficit reduction, and this is how ture. we are going to do it. We are going to of money on May 16, and the govern- The only way forward, in my view, is end Medicare as we know it and force ment—the Treasury Department— to honor our moral commitments as a elderly people, many of whom don’t would then have to start taking ex- nation to the men and women who rely have the money, to pay substantially traordinary measures to avoid default. on Medicare and Medicaid and Social more for their health care. So under In fact, he detailed in six pages all the Security, on the safety of our troops, their plan, when a person is 70 and they extraordinary measures that would be and on the investments we make in the get sick and they don’t have a whole required. And he was right almost lit- future, and to continue to honor our lot of income, they don’t know what erally to the day about when that tran- obligations as a nation. To do anything happens to them. They forgot to tell sition occurred and when those ex- less is to dishonor the sacrifice of those us. But what they did tell us is Medi- traordinary measures needed to be de- who have served us in the past and to care is not going to be there for them. ployed. ignore the very real needs of the work- They told us that tomorrow, if their The time runs out August 2, but if for ing families all over this country who plan was passed, they are going to have some reason you don’t believe the look to us for leadership and sacrifice to pay a heck of a lot more for the pre- deadline presented to us by our very to put us on a sustainable path for- scription drugs than they are paying own Secretary of the Treasury and the ward. today. Oh, you don’t have the money? Treasury Department, look at what the Mr. President, with that, I suggest Hey, that is not our problem. three bond rating agencies are already the absence of a quorum. They told us we are going to make saying about the impending default. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The savage cuts in Medicaid, throw mil- Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch have all clerk will call the roll. lions of kids off health insurance, when threatened to downgrade America’s The assistant editor of the Daily Di- 50 million Americans have no health rating from AAA—the most secure, gest proceeded to call the roll. insurance today. They want millions most stable in the world. S&P sug- Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I ask more without any health insurance. gested last week a downgrade to D, to unanimous consent that the order for If your mom or dad is in a nursing junk bond status. I suggest America is the quorum call be rescinded. home and that nursing home bill is not a junk bond nation. It puts us at The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. paid significantly by Medicaid and risk as a nation, as a people, and as an COONS). Without objection, it is so or- Medicaid isn’t paying anymore, they economy when we are mentioned in the dered. forgot to tell us what happens to your same sentences as Ireland, as Greece, Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, we are mom or dad in that nursing home. as Italy—countries currently wrestling at a pivotal moment in American his- What happens? What happens today if with fundamental failures to meet tory, and I think many Americans are one is unemployed and not able to get their obligations as a country. We are confused and perplexed and angry and an unemployment extension? What better than that. frustrated as to where we are today and happens to the middle-class family, All of us in this Chamber—all of us— how we got to where we are and what desperately trying to send their kids to are challenged to come together to put the consequences of decisions made in college and we make savage cuts in our economy and our country back on the past and that are being made right Pell grants and they can’t go to col- solid footing, to restore certainty to now will mean to their families. Let lege? What does it mean for the Nation the markets, and to give confidence to me just take a minute and try to give if we are not bringing forth young peo- retirees, to families, to parents raising my view as to how we got to where we ple who have the education they need? children, and to small businesses by are and what our options are. They forgot to tell us that. If you are getting serious about putting a plan on As you have just stated, Mr. Presi- one of the growing numbers of senior this floor next week and passing it be- dent, and Senator HARKIN before you, citizens in this country who are going cause, frankly, if we allow this country anyone who talks blithely about de- hungry, they want to cut nutrition pro- to default on its sovereign debts, to fail faults and saying it is not a big deal for grams. to meet its moral commitments, both this country clearly does not under- On and on it goes. Every program financial and to the people of the stand what he or she is talking about. that has any significance to working United States, the consequences will be This is the greatest Nation in the families, the sick, the elderly, children, desperate and lasting. history of the world. This is a nation the poor, they are going to cut, and I suggested a few weeks ago that we whose faith and credit has been the they are going to cut in a savage way. should consider seriously the Bipar- gold standard of countries throughout They are going to do that in the midst tisan Policy Center’s proposal—the so- the world. This is a nation, since of a recession, where real unemploy- called SAVEGO—which would pick up George Washington, which has paid out ment is already at 15 percent and the where the pay-as-you-go discipline of every nickel it has borrowed, which is, middle class is disappearing and pov- the 1990s started and modernize it for in fact, why it is the great Nation it is erty is increasing. That is their idea.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.032 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4597 When we say to them: Well, hey, the now are beginning to catch on to that. our budget every year. We do not have very rich are doing phenomenally well; It is no secret our rightwinged Repub- a debt like the country has, the coun- the top 1 percent now earns more in- lican colleagues did very well in No- try with its $14 trillion debt. In Wyo- come than the bottom 50 percent; the vember 2010. They captured the House ming, the debt is zero because year top 400 wealthiest families in this of Representatives, and now, 1 year- after year we balance our budget, live country have more wealth than the 150 plus later, for the first time in the his- within our means, spend only what million Americans—don’t you think tory of this country, we are on the comes in, and actually have money left maybe it is appropriate that when the verge of a default. over that we can invest in the people of rich are getting richer and their tax I would close by saying to people all our State. That is because from the be- rates have gone down, their effective over this country, if you believe we ginning, when the constitution of our tax rates are the lowest in modern his- have to start investing in America and State was written, included right there tory, when major corporations are creating the millions of jobs this coun- in the constitution was a component making billions of profits and in some try desperately needs, elections have saying: You shall balance the budget cases not paying a nickel in taxes, consequences. every year. Do not spend more than don’t you think maybe it is fair that If you believe we have to address the you have coming in. they contribute to deficit reduction deficit crisis in a way that is respon- To do that, one of the most useful rather than just the elderly and the sible, in a way that asks the wealthy things is that there actually be a budg- sick and working families, they say: and large corporations also to play a et, something to live within, something No. We have a line in the sand, and if role, in a way, as Senator HARKIN men- to look to as a guidepost, as a road- it means this country will default on tioned a moment ago, that calls for map. I am still looking for one in this its debt for the first time in history, cuts in defense spending and bringing body. Where is it? Why have we not that is OK. But we are absolutely going our troops home as soon as possible seen one? That is why I am coming to to defend the richest people in this from Afghanistan and Iraq, you have to the floor today with a number of my country, millionaires and billionaires, be involved in the political process, in colleagues to say: What is going on and make sure they don’t pay a nickel my view. that it has been over 800 days with no more in taxes. We are going to make A group of people in the House whose budget, no opportunity to have the sure there is no tax reform so we can views represent a small minority of the American people look to a roadmap to continue to lose $100 billion every sin- American people are holding this Con- see where the country is headed? gle year because wealthy people and gress hostage, and it is time for the We hear all the discussion about, are corporations stash their money in tax American people to stand and say we headed to a default? What about the havens in the Cayman Islands or Ber- enough is enough. The function of the debt limit? What about the ceiling—is muda, and that is just fine. We will Congress is to represent all our people that going to be raised? The people say: protect those tax breaks while we sav- and not just the wealthiest and most What is the plan? What is the spending age programs for working families. powerful. plan? What is the savings plan? I do Those are the choices our With that, I yield the floor and note not hear one coming for the majority rightwinged Republican friends are giv- the absence of a quorum. party. I do not see one from the major- ing us: defaults with horrendous eco- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ity leader. I do not see one from the nomic consequences for working fami- clerk will call the roll. Budget Committee. I do not see one lies in this country and, in fact, for the The legislative clerk proceeded to from the President. They are having entire global economy or massive cuts call the roll. discussions at the White House about to programs working families des- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- perately need. how to try to get spending under con- ator from Wyoming. Neither of those options is acceptable trol. Where is the President’s plan? Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask to me, and neither are those options What I hear from the President is that the quorum call be rescinded. acceptable to the vast majority of the that he wants to raise taxes. The peo- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. people in this country. Every single ple of Wyoming would say the best way SANDERS). Without objection, it is so poll I have seen says that the American for more revenue to come in is not to ordered. people want shared sacrifice. They raise taxes on the people who are work- Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I don’t want or believe that deficit re- ing, it is to put some of those 9.2 per- come to the floor as someone who is duction can simply come down on the cent of Americans who are looking for back in my home State every weekend. backs of the weak and the vulnerable, work, put them to work, and then that As I talk to people and say: What is on the elderly, the children, and the poor; money will come in as they pay taxes. your mind, they say what is on their that the wealthy and large corpora- I come today to the floor with a num- mind are jobs, the economy, the Na- tions also have to participate. ber of my colleagues—Senator SES- I must, also, in all honesty, tell you tion’s debt, and the Nation’s spending. SIONS, the Senator from Alabama has I have been disappointed by the Presi- I say: What do you think about things arrived—and we are going to be en- dent’s role in these discussions and going on in Washington? They say the gaged in a colloquy to discuss some of some of his ideas. He has brought forth problem with Washington is it taxes these issues. an idea which I categorically reject, too much, borrows too much, and the We ought to be focusing on these 9.2 that we should make significant cuts government grows bigger every day, percent of Americans who cannot find in Social Security; that when someone and they say: What are we going to do work, millions of Americans who can- reaches the age of 85, they would lose about it? When we talk about the debt, not find jobs. When I talk to the job $1,000 as opposed to what they would the people of Wyoming have a clear un- creators, they are saying it is the otherwise have gotten. This Senator is derstanding that the number is very President’s position and his policies not going to balance our budget on the large. that have made matters worse—made backs of an 85-year-old person who is They say: What about the budget? As matters worse with increasing health earning $14,000 a year—not with my we get into the discussion, it comes care costs as a result of the health care vote. down to: What budget? Where is the law, made matters worse as a result of This Senator does not agree with the budget? It has been 800 days since a the regulations that came out of Wash- President that we raise the eligibility budget has gone through this body— ington that add costs onto businesses, age for Medicare from 65 to 67 because over 800 days. You are talking more and making it worse in increased en- I don’t know what happens to millions than 2 years. Why is that? ergy costs as the President continues of people who work their whole lives, There was a vote on the budget ear- to send energy jobs overseas, as he finally reach 65 anticipating Medicare, lier this year. There was the Presi- makes it harder and harder to explore but it is not going to be there for them. dent’s so-called budget, lost 97 to 0. Not for American energy. So I very strongly disagree with the even one Democrat voted for what the I ask my colleague, Senator SES- President on those initiatives. President had proposed. The news mag- SIONS, to give us his thoughts, if I Let me tell you that elections have azine The Economist called it a dis- could, on the concerns we face as a na- consequences, and I think many people honest budget. In Wyoming, we balance tion without a budget, without a plan,

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.033 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4598 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 without a roadmap, at a time of astro- reduced certain taxes, focusing on tax and voting on it in committee and nomical deficits, huge numbers, num- reductions that create growth so we passing it out of committee? They did bers that are too high for people even could have more income generated. that last year. Is there any reason the to understand and comprehend. And, whether you agree with it or not, Senator can think of, of a substantive (Mrs. MCCASKILL assumed the by April 15 they did all this, which is nature, that would have blocked that? chair.) what this code says. Doesn’t the Sen- Mr. BARRASSO. I would say the only Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I ator think they have done their duty? reason I know is someone intentionally appreciate Senator BARRASSO and his What would he say about the failure of does not want to bring a budget to the leadership on so many issues in this the Senate to even attempt to present floor of the Senate. If a budget were on Senate. a budget? the floor of the Senate, then we could It is a sad event that we are now fil- Mr. BARRASSO. The House has ap- look through it, read it, people at home ing an objection to the movement of an proved a budget. They presented a could look through it, have some input, appropriations bill because it violates budget, debated a budget, discussed a call, write, talk to us at townhall the Budget Act contained in the United budget, and passed a budget. There has meetings, and say we ought to try to States Code. The Budget Act says you been nothing in the Senate for over 800 amend this proposal to spend less shall not move forward with an appro- days. money over here, more money over priations bill if you have not first On the weekends, people at home tell there, and try to decide the best way to passed the budget. me: We have to stop spending money work together as a nation to improve I ask my friend from Wyoming, as an we do not have. We expect better. We opportunities for people in this coun- accomplished orthopedic surgeon and expect better of those who are elected try. physician and from his personal experi- to go to Washington and represent us. That is what a family budget does. ence in the legislature in his State, We expect better. They don’t have to by law, but smart does it strike him that when you are in They also believe that the money families do that. They make plans, the most serious debt crisis that per- they are sending to Washington—it is they think ahead, and not just 3 haps the Nation has ever had from a their money, not Washington’s months or 6 months, families look structural, systemic point of view, that money—the money they are sending to ahead and put money aside for college we ought to follow the law, we ought to Washington, people do not believe they opportunities. They think about first decide how much money we can are getting value for their dollar. If whether they will need a new car, a afford to spend next year and then allo- you asked ‘‘Of every dollar you are roof sometime down the line—what cate that money to the various spend- sending in, how much value are you will they need? That is what a budget ing appropriations committees so they getting back,’’ it is an alltime low—50 is all about. can produce a plan that would live cents on the dollar. People don’t think I see no reason fundamentally why within that budget? Is that the com- they are getting value. there is no budget proposed by the ma- monsense way we should proceed? People want an efficient government. jority party here on the floor for all of Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I That is not what they are finding the country to take a look at, all of the would say absolutely yes. If you are a today. They are finding amazing country to say: Yes, change this, more family in Wyoming, I don’t care if you amounts of waste, fraud, and abuse. here, less there, prioritize, and let the are living in Casper or living in Fundamentally, they are not finding a country work. Kemmerer, either way you know you budget, a roadmap, a plan, and then Mr. SESSIONS. If the Senator will need to live within some construct of life within that. That is why I come to yield, unless you are unwilling to tell how much is coming in, how much you the Senate floor with my colleague the American people where you stand, can spend—live within a budget. Fami- from Alabama today to say the law is unwilling to put real numbers on lies have budgets. They live within specific—not just in the State of Wyo- paper—you prefer to say: American their budgets. The State of Wyoming ming but also in the United States— people, don’t worry about it; we are has a budget. We have a balanced budg- that we need to have a budget. meeting in secret over here. Don’t et component of our constitution. It Mr. SESSIONS. The law is specific, worry about it; we have the Vice Presi- not only says we have to have a budget, and the need is there whether we had a dent, and he called some Senators to- it says we have to balance it. If you do law or not. The law doesn’t require gether, and he is going to fix it. You not have a budget to begin with, I can- families to have budgets, but families guys who serve on committees and the not understand how you can balance it. who are smartly managing their money Finance Committee where taxes have Is it any surprise that we are $14 tril- have budgets. Businesses have budgets. to be voted on, should be voted on are lion in debt and we are borrowing $4 No law requires them to have budgets, no longer relevant. The system is bro- billion a day, $2 million a minute in but it is because it is the only way to ken. this country, and we are borrowing a manage your money. It is an unaccept- They are saying: We are not going to lot of it from China? It would seem we able situation in which we find our- go along with this, and it is not be- ought to be following the law—have a selves. cause it will not work, it is because the budget and then live within the budget, Let me ask the Senator, I want to try budget presented by the President, the and it needs to be a responsible budget to boil it down to the nub, why we have only budget we have seen here in- consistent with what is coming in. not done it, why the majority in the creased taxes substantially, it in- Mr. SESSIONS. We appreciate our Senate has not proceeded with a budg- creased spending even more than that, colleagues who worked on this bill, but et. and it increased the debt more than if there are more appropriations that Let me just say that a budget is con- we had done nothing over the 10 years. should be done this year. How can they sidered so important that, unlike other I see our colleague, Senator TOOMEY, be continued without a budget? You legislation, it can be passed with a sim- a new Senator but not new to the budg- say we spent within the President’s ple majority. It cannot be filibustered. et process because he was a member of numbers or the House numbers, but It has priority process to be moved rap- the Budget Committee in the House. those have not been approved in the idly on the floor. It cannot be blocked. What I am frustrated about, and I be- Senate. We have no votes in the Sen- The goal is that you could pass a budg- lieve people should be frustrated about, ate. It is not a binding number. et. Even a party, if they wanted to do is this policy decision by the leadership The truth is, what we need to do is it on a straight party-line basis, with in the Senate that it was foolish to what the House did, I believe. I ask over 50 votes could pass a budget. produce a budget. That is not a sign Senator BARRASSO, isn’t it true that I am trying to focus on whether there that the Senate is broken; it is a sign the Republican House, with a new lead- is something broken about the Senate. that the leadership is broken. It is a ership, came in, they faced up to the Is there something broken that causes sign the leadership does not have the 10-year budget window we have, they us not to be effective? Is there some- courage to actually stand before the laid out a plan for 10 years, and it cut thing broken in the way we operate American people and produce a plan, spending by $6 trillion? It actually sim- that would have kept the Budget Com- because it either would raise taxes too plified our Tax Code substantially and mittee from bringing a budget forward much, not cut spending enough, or

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.034 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4599 raise the debt too much. I think that is are going to be passing some huge om- 1990s, acknowledged the importance of irresponsible, but I have to say, Sen- nibus. Who knows what is in that. We reaching a balanced budget. None of us ator TOOMEY, a new member of our have a broken-down process. I believe think we can do it overnight. None of Senate, has produced a budget. He laid it has contributed to where we are us are calling for that. But back then it out right at our committee, and he today with this debt limit. in the 1990s they decided they would was prepared, as a member of our com- By the way, a brief aside, if I could, strive for it and, in fact, they achieved mittee, to produce his budget and advo- about this debt limit issue. We had a it. We reached a balanced budget and cate for it. You know what happened? discussion today in the Banking Com- ran a modest surplus. We did not meet. I cannot call the com- mittee—Federal Reserve Board Chair- All I am asking today as we confront mittee into session. I am the ranking man Bernanke was there to testify— this issue and as we contemplate sad- Republican. Senator TOOMEY cannot and it was a useful discussion. Unfortu- dling ourselves and our kids and call the committee into session and nately, after I left the committee, I grandkids with a debt more than we have a vote. They decided not to meet, learned later Senator SCHUMER began have now, what I am suggesting is at not to do their duty. They are going to to discuss some of my remarks with the same time we take the measures meet in secret somewhere and have Chairman Bernanke, and in the process necessary to get us out of this mess, to their little discussions about what they he grossly mischaracterized what I prevent us from going further down want to do, and the people who are said. I am quite sure Senator SCHUMER this unsustainable path and to get to elected to be accountable to the Amer- would never intentionally the point where we don’t continue run- ican people for what we do with their mischaracterize the remarks of one of ning deficits, a path to a balanced money are standing around wondering his colleagues. So what I wish to do is budget. Cut spending now, statutory what is happening. Forgive me if I am clarify what was actually said so that spending caps, and a balanced budget not happy. I do not think it is right. I in the future it won’t be amendment. We now have a big major- think it is weakening the Senate. I be- mischaracterized. I had observed that ity of Republican Senators who cospon- lieve our constitutional responsibility the Treasury will have more than sored this bill that would raise the debt is not being fulfilled if we end up with enough cash coming in in the form of ceiling by $2.4 trillion, provided we get some big deal bill on August 1, and we tax receipts to pay the interest on our these changes. I am increasingly opti- are told it has to be passed by August debt in the event that we didn’t raise mistic the House might very well pass 2, and you can find out what is in it the debt ceiling on August 2. I imme- a bill that would raise the debt limit after we pass it. I am not there. Count diately went on to say, and I will now contingent only on this path to a bal- me out. quote myself, if you will allow. I said: anced budget. We had more people wanting to get Now, I don’t know of anybody that sug- While we are down here today, I on the Budget Committee this year. gests that we can or should go indefinitely think this is what we ought to be talk- They were so excited. It was the most without raising the debt ceiling, and I have ing about. We should not go on to an wanted committee to be on in the en- argued that we would certainly be much bet- appropriations bill that has no context tire Senate, and we have not done any- ter off reaching an agreement and raising because there has been no budget. We thing. The Senator was selected to be the debt ceiling prior to August 2. ought to be focused on getting this on the committee, which is a tribute to That was characterized by Senator problem solved and then get back to his experience, and I guess I would ask, SCHUMER as follows and I will quote the regular order of having a budget how does the Senator feel about where him. He said: that defines the level of spending and we are? For a smart guy— where that money is going to come Mr. TOOMEY. I thank the Senator He was referring to me, believe it or from and allows us to pursue the ordi- for raising this issue because I do think not. nary appropriation process so we can this is a very important issue. Many of I mean, to say we can pay the obligations exercise our constitutional responsi- us wanted to be on the Budget Com- and not pay the rest and that that is just bility to control the purse strings of mittee because we see what a critical fine. Wow, I’m sort of surprised at it. this Federal Government. moment our country is in. We see the Well, obviously I never said it was I thank Senator SESSIONS for raising very dire straits we have put ourselves fine. What I have said is we have a dire this issue. This is a very important in because of the fiscal irresponsibility crisis on our hands and we need to do issue, and I agree with the Senator of Washington, and some of us believe something about it, and I don’t know wholeheartedly that it is a travesty we do not have a lot of time to get this we are going to get another oppor- that we don’t have a budget in this in order. So I was looking forward to tunity than the opportunity over this body. I certainly hope we don’t go fur- the opportunity to serve on the com- question of whether and when and by ther down this path. mittee that would design the blueprint how much we will raise the debt limit, Mr. SESSIONS. I thank the Senator for our entire fiscal policy for this year but I am not going to sit by idly, and from Pennsylvania. He has been such a and hopefully beyond. I am not going to go along with some fabulous addition to the committee, I think this is a fundamental respon- deal that raises the debt limit without talented and experienced and worked sibility, frankly, of any responsible or- making the real cuts in spending we so hard that he has actually laid out a ganization, to have a budget. I ran a need and the real process reform. budget himself. The President has 500 small business for years, my own little As Senator SESSIONS knows, some of people. The Congress here has a lot of business. We always had a budget. The us have advocated that there be a sim- staffers. Senator TOOMEY has produced corner pizza shop has a budget. We are ple deal, if you will, preferably one a budget. The House has produced a the biggest enterprise in the world, the that we would discuss in public, one we budget, but we have not seen one here. U.S. Government. We spend $3.6 tril- would have a debate over, one we would I am pleased my colleague, another lion, and for the majority party to have a vote on. The deal is simply this: member of the Budget Committee, Sen- choose—I have to say cynically—not to We will agree to raise the debt limit by ator RON JOHNSON, is here. He is a busi- even write a budget, to abdicate that the full amount the President has re- ness person who traveled his state and fundamental responsibility to lay out quested, provided only that the Presi- talked with his constituents about his for the American people how much dent agree to put us on a path to a bal- concerns about the debt this country money they want to spend, on what anced budget. That is it. We call it cut, faces. they want to spend it, where the money cap, and balance. It has some imme- I am pleased to hear Senator JOHN- is going to come from, to abdicate that diate cuts. It has spending caps that SON’s thoughts at this time. responsibility is shocking. put us on the path to a balanced budg- Mr. JOHNSON of Wisconsin. I thank To make matters worse, they have a et, and it calls for the adoption of a the Senator. First of all, I thank the statutory obligation to do this, so it is balanced budget amendment to the Senator for his leadership on this issue. actually also illegal, and here we are Constitution. I share your concern about the dys- without a budget. We are about to run We had a Democratic President function of not only this body, our out of this year’s funding. When we named William Clinton who, together Budget Committee, but Washington in come back from the August break, we with the Republican Congress in the general. I mean, Washington is broken.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.035 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4600 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 We are currently conducting business to review, and then you start to see the progress this year. We are going to as usual here in Washington, and it is unintended consequences. That is a have to sustain progress for a decade. If bankrupting our Nation. real shame. we do so, we will put this country on Certainly having spent 34 years as a I just came from a press conference the right path. If we get that debt manufacturer, I recognize you have to where every Member of the freshman down—it is not too hard to do it—we have a good process if you are going to class—we had a meeting this morning— will start seeing our growth come have a good product. And because our and we were talking about, what can back, more jobs being created, more process here is so broken, that is one of we do? I mean, we all came here in a wealth being created, more taxes being the reasons we are bankrupting this very sincere desire to actually solve paid, less help to people who are in Nation—because we don’t have a good the problem. One of the things we need because they are now working process. It is, to me, unbelievable that talked about is how President Obama, when they weren’t. in the Senate we haven’t passed a rather than being serious about this, So I thank the Chair. I appreciate the budget now in—what is it—805 or 806 rather than tackling the problem, is opportunity to share these remarks. days? Over 2 years we have not passed willing to scare seniors and members of Madam President, I yield the floor, a budget yet in this body. As an ac- our military. We thought that was over and I note the absence of a quorum. countant—that is my background—I the line. So we sent a letter to the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The had to produce a budget on time for a President today asking: Please, step to clerk will call the roll. wide variety of sizes of businesses, and the plate. Seriously address the prob- The assistant legislative clerk pro- it is simply unbelievable to me when I lem. Stop scaring our seniors. Work ceeded to call the roll. Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I know how hard individuals and busi- with us. We want to help you solve the ask unanimous consent that the order nesses work to produce a budget. And, problem. for the quorum call be rescinded. by the way, they generally present Mr. SESSIONS. I thank the Senator. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without those budgets on time. They don’t miss I thank him for his great group of objection, it is so ordered. the budget dates. But they actually freshmen Senators who have added so Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I produce a budget, and there is an awful much common sense to our problem. ask unanimous consent that it be in lot of work that goes into those budg- We were not elected to preside over the order for me to offer and receive a vote ets. financial decline of America. We were on an amendment to this bill which re- I come here after 34 years in busi- not elected to skirt the law. We were lates to a 303(c) point of order that re- ness, and I come here to the Senate un- not elected to shut down committees, quires adoption of a budget resolution derstanding, again, not because I want to shut down debate, to cede our con- prior to the consideration of any appro- to be a Senator but because I realize we stitutional responsibility to secret priations bills. are bankrupting this Nation, that meetings and closed-door proceedings. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there America is in peril. I get here, and I We were elected to do our duty, and objection? hope to get on the Budget Committee there is no higher duty than to protect Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. so I can actually start solving this the American people from a clear and Madam President, the amendment is problem. I get on the Budget Com- present danger. For that reason, I will not germane to the bill. I am trying to mittee, and I am ready to roll up my oppose cloture on today’s motion to keep this bill bipartisan and free of ex- shirt sleeves and start working on the waive section 303(c) of the Budget Act. traneous matters. Therefore, I object. problem. What did we hold? I think we I will vote to sustain the budgetary The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- had six hearings on the President’s point of order, and I will encourage my tion is heard. budget, a budget that was so unserious colleagues to support my amendment Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I that it lost in this body 0 to 97. Not one raising that budget point of order to a yield the floor. Member of the President’s own party threshold of 60 votes. Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I thought it was serious enough or This is only the beginning of our rise today in support of the motion to maybe it didn’t spend quite enough for fight. There will be more votes, more waive section 303 of the Budget Act and them. Maybe it didn’t tax enough for objections, more points of order work- to allow the Senate to move forward them. But, for whatever reason, not ing with my colleagues. I will give all with its consideration of the MilconVA one member of the President’s own that I have to help put this country on appropriations bill. I would like to say party decided to vote for that budget. I a sound, honest, financial path. Wash- for the record that I agree with the think that is a stunning repudiation. ington must recognize that America’s Senator from Alabama that it would be It is very disappointing, quite hon- strength does not lie in the size of our preferable for the Senate to have estly, because right now, as our coun- government, but in the scope of our passed a budget resolution prior to its try faces bankruptcy, we are hungry freedoms and in the hearts of our peo- consideration of individual appropria- for leadership and we are not getting ple. The debt we have today is already tions bills. any. The fact is if the President were pulling down our economic growth. Ex- In fact, on March 10 of this year, I serious about addressing this issue, if perts tell us we have lost 1 percent of stated my strong desire to move all of he were serious about attacking this economic growth because our debt ex- the fiscal year 2012 bills through reg- problem, he would have been coming to ceeds 90 percent of our total economy— ular order, which of course begins with us months ago to negotiate in good 90 percent of GDP. It is 95 percent of the passage of a budget resolution and faith to prevent the bankrupting of GDP right now. We will reach 100 per- adoption of our 302(a) allocation. Un- America, but that hasn’t happened. cent of GDP by the end of this year. fortunately, such is not the case this So what is happening now? For the That alone reduces growth, according year. As we are all painfully aware, the last few weeks we have been holding to the experts. Secretary of the Treas- current impasse over the budget is a di- some secret meetings, far from the ury Geithner said he thought that was rect result of the unwillingness of some view of the American public. I am not an excellent study that found that fact. in Congress to negotiate a comprehen- sure, is that how we are going to solve What does 1 percent growth mean? sive solution to our long-term deficit the financial future of America? I came Well, instead of the first quarter hav- problem. here to work. I came here to be en- ing 1.8 or 2 percent growth, we would We are all well aware of these reali- gaged in debate. I was hoping we would have had 3 percent growth. If we had 3 ties. It is my strong belief, however, have a very open process under general percent growth instead of 2 percent that we must not allow the needs of order, but that is not what is hap- growth, 1 million more jobs would be our military or our veterans to be held pening. What I am afraid is we are added per year, based on just the alter- hostage by the current budget stale- going to end up with a deal that is ation of the difference between 2 per- mate. And while it is true that we do going to be dropped in our laps with a cent growth and 3 percent growth. not have an overall allocation for dis- couple of days to go, like with the We have to face these problems. I cretionary appropriations, for the health care law, like Dodd-Frank. All hope our colleagues are reaching a de- MilconVA bill we were able to agree of a sudden we get these thousand-page cision about how to proceed that can with our House colleagues on an ac- bills dumped in our laps with no time be successful. We have to make ceptable allocation. Therefore, there is

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jul 14, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.035 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4601 no reason to delay consideration of this XXII, the Chair lays before the Senate NOT VOTING—3 bill. the pending cloture motion, which the Burr Hatch Roberts It is important that all of our col- clerk will state. The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this leagues understand that what we are The assistant bill clerk read as fol- vote, the yeas are 71, the nays are 26. recommending is not unprecedented. In lows: Three-fifths of the Senators duly cho- fact, the Senate has acted on appro- CLOTURE MOTION sen and sworn having voted in the af- priations legislation absent a budget firmative, the motion is agreed to. resolution four times in the past dec- We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- The majority leader is recognized. ade, including twice under Republican ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move Mr. REID. Madam President, I am control. It is my strong desire, as I be- to bring to a close debate on the motion to giving fair warning to everyone. We lieve it is the desire of every member waive the points of order under section 303 of have gotten nonchalant about coming of the Appropriations Committee, that the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 for H.R. to vote. We have an extra 5 minutes. we move our bills under regular order. 2055, any amendments thereto and motions We are not going to extend that in the However, with less than 90 days left in thereon. future. It is not fair to everyone else the fiscal year and no budget resolu- Harry Reid, Tim Johnson, Mark Kirk, who gets here on time. So everyone is tion in sight, efforts need to be made to Richard J. Durbin, Kay R. Hagan, Mi- on notice. We are going to cut the ensure the livelihood of our veterans chael F. Bennet, Mark R. Warner, John F. Kerry, Richard Blumenthal, Barbara votes off in 20 minutes. People come and their families are not disrupted. Boxer, Carl Levin, Debbie Stabenow, straggling in 8, 10 minutes late. That is This is not a controversial bill. It Jeff Bingaman, Mark Udall, Patty not going to work anymore. It is going passed out of the full committee unani- Murray, Patrick J. Leahy, Sheldon to affect Democrats and Republicans. mously, by a vote of 30–0. Yesterday, 89 Whitehouse. Madam President, this will be the Senators voted in favor of the motion The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- to proceed to the bill. Finally, my col- last vote of the week. We will more imous consent, the mandatory quorum than likely be in session tomorrow. leagues should know that many of the call is waived. provisions of this bill were voted on in There will be no votes tomorrow. If The question is, Is it the sense of the the Armed Services Committee which there are people who want to offer Senate that debate on the motion to was also passed unanimously, by a vote amendments, the two managers of this waive the points of order under section OHNSON of 22–0. That is a great deal of support bill, Senator J and Senator 303 of the Congressional Budget Act of IRK for moving forward with this measure. K are here. They are here tonight. 1974 for H.R. 2055, and any amendments And, I am aware of no serious opposi- This vote coming up will be the last or motions thereto, shall be brought to tion to the substance of the bill. vote of the week. For all these reasons, I urge my col- a close? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The leagues to join me in support of The yeas and nays are mandatory question is on agreeing to the motion. waiving the budget point of order and under the rule. Mr. VITTER. Madam President, I ask allowing the Senate to move forward The clerk will call the roll. for the yeas and nays. with its consideration of the fiscal year The assistant legislative clerk called The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a 2012 Military Construction and Vet- the roll. sufficient second? There is a sufficient erans Affairs appropriations bill. Mr. KYL. The following Senators are second. The clerk will call the roll. CLOTURE MOTION necessarily absent: the Senator from Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. North Carolina (Mr. BURR), the Senator The bill clerk called the roll. Madam President, there is a cloture from Utah (Mr. HATCH), and the Sen- Mr. KYL. The following Senators are motion at the desk. ator from Kansas (Mr. ROBERTS). necessarily absent: the Senator from The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- Further, if present and voting, the North Carolina (Mr. BURR), the Senator from Utah (Mr. HATCH), the Senator ture motion having been presented Senator from Utah (Mr. HATCH) would under rule XXII, the Chair directs the have voted ‘‘yea.’’ from Kansas (Mr. MORAN), and the Sen- ator from Kansas (Mr. ROBERTS). clerk to read the motion. The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 71, Further, if present and voting, the The assistant bill clerk read as fol- nays 26, as follows: lows: Senator from Utah (Mr. HATCH) would [Rollcall Vote No. 110 Leg.] CLOTURE MOTION have voted ‘‘nay.’’ We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- YEAS—71 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Akaka Grassley Mikulski any other Senators in the Chamber de- Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move Alexander Hagan Murkowski siring to vote? to bring to a close debate on the motion to Baucus Harkin Murray The result was announced—yeas 56, waive the points of order under section 303 of Begich Heller Nelson (NE) Bennet Hoeven nays 40, as follows: the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 for H.R. Nelson (FL) Bingaman Hutchison Pryor [Rollcall Vote No. 111 Leg.] 2055, any amendments thereto and motions Blumenthal Inouye Reed YEAS—56 thereon. Blunt Johanns Reid Harry Reid, Tim Johnson, Mark Kirk, Boxer Johnson (SD) Rockefeller Akaka Gillibrand Murray Brown (MA) Kerry Richard J. Durbin, Kay R. Hagan, Mi- Sanders Baucus Hagan Nelson (NE) Brown (OH) Kirk chael F. Bennet, Mark R. Warner, John Schumer Begich Harkin Nelson (FL) Cantwell Klobuchar F. Kerry, Richard Blumenthal, Barbara Shaheen Bennet Inouye Pryor Cardin Kohl Bingaman Johnson (SD) Boxer, Carl Levin, Debbie Stabenow, Snowe Reed Carper Landrieu Blumenthal Kerry Reid Jeff Bingaman, Mark Udall, Patty Casey Lautenberg Stabenow Boxer Kirk Rockefeller Murray, Patrick J. Leahy, Sheldon Cochran Leahy Tester Brown (MA) Klobuchar Sanders Whitehouse. Collins Levin Thune Brown (OH) Kohl Schumer Conrad Lieberman Udall (CO) Cantwell Landrieu Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Shaheen Coons Lugar Udall (NM) Cardin Lautenberg Stabenow Madam President, I ask unanimous Cornyn Manchin Warner Carper Leahy consent that the mandatory quorum Durbin McCaskill Webb Casey Levin Tester under rule XXII be waived. Feinstein McConnell Whitehouse Cochran Lieberman Udall (CO) Franken Menendez Wicker Conrad Manchin Udall (NM) The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Gillibrand Merkley Wyden Coons McCaskill Warner objection, it is so ordered. Durbin Menendez Webb Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. I ask NAYS—26 Feinstein Merkley Whitehouse unanimous consent that all time be Ayotte Enzi Paul Franken Mikulski Wyden yielded back. Barrasso Graham Portman Boozman Inhofe NAYS—40 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Risch Chambliss Isakson Rubio Alexander Coats DeMint objection, it is so ordered. Coats Johnson (WI) Sessions Ayotte Coburn Enzi CLOTURE MOTION Coburn Kyl Shelby Barrasso Collins Graham Corker Lee Blunt Corker Grassley The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under Toomey Crapo McCain Vitter Boozman Cornyn Heller the previous order and pursuant to rule DeMint Moran Chambliss Crapo Hoeven

VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:38 Jul 15, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.038 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4602 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 Hutchison McCain Shelby Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, I IL. She was always kind and consid- Inhofe McConnell Snowe thank the distinguished Senator from erate, and I never heard a swear word Isakson Murkowski Thune Johanns Paul Toomey Hawaii for his kind word about the from her, ever—despite the rough lan- Johnson (WI) Portman Vitter management of this bill. I join him in guage that is used both in Springfield Kyl Risch Wicker his congratulations to the two man- and in Chicago. Lee Rubio Lugar Sessions agers. We appreciate their hard work. Her husband was a staunch supporter The committee had extensive hear- of hers and always available for the NOT VOTING—4 ings and review of all the appropria- continuous set of parades and public Burr Moran tions bills we are going to be taking Hatch Roberts meetings she went to. She guided us, up—a public hearing process, open for especially in the consideration of the The motion was agreed to. comments, with opportunities for peo- first Base Realignment and Closure Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. ple to express their views. They have Committee in which Ft. Sheridan—in Madam President, I move to reconsider done that in a diligent, careful, and re- Illinois, next to her home district—was the vote. sponsible manner. I think it is a credit the poster child for disposal, given its Mr. INOUYE. I move to lay that mo- to the Senate that we have considered high value and golf course next to Lake tion on the table. this bill today. We look forward to con- Michigan. We went through a number The motion to lay on the table was tinuing to work our way through all of proposals, such as bringing in a pris- agreed to. the appropriations bills that come on or homeless shelters, et cetera, but The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- under the jurisdiction of the com- finally came to a mutually agreed- ator from Hawaii is recognized. mittee. I especially thank my friend upon solution of a set of public build- Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I am from Hawaii for his leadership. ings, parks, and additions to Lake For- pleased that we are beginning consider- Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. est, Highwood, and Highland Park. ation of the fiscal year 2012 Military Madam President, I suggest the ab- Construction and Veterans Affairs ap- Probably her greatest legacy was in sence of a quorum. supporting and teaching a young Con- propriations bill. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The This bill passed out of the Committee gressman from our area, Congressman clerk will call the roll. John Porter, the ropes and guiding him on Appropriations by a unanimous vote The legislative clerk proceeded to through difficult elections and tough of 30 to 0. It is the hope of the com- call the roll. partisan times. I served as Congress- mittee that such strong, bipartisan Mr. KIRK. Madam President, I ask man Porter’s chief of staff while she, as support will continue as the full Senate unanimous consent that the order for she put it, garnered the real votes back debates this measure and that we will the quorum call be rescinded. be able to consider germane amend- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without home and took care of business. ments in a reasonable period of time, objection, it is so ordered. Betty Lou lost her husband a while pass the bill, and move on to a con- Mr. KIRK. Madam President, I ask ago, and she passed away this week. ference with the House. unanimous consent to speak as in Many of us in northern Illinois remem- As we continue to debate the larger morning business. ber her not just as a trusted public offi- fiscal challenges our Nation faces, I The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without cial and congressional staff member note that the level of funding in the objection, it is so ordered. but as someone who taught us the Senate mark of this MILCON-VA bill is REMEMBERING BETTY LOU REED ropes—even those of us from consistent with the level of funding in Mr. KIRK. Madam President, while Chicagoland—and how to exercise the the House-passed measure. we are waiting for authors of their art of politics, maybe more gently and I thank Chairman JOHNSON and Vice amendments to come to the floor to with better language than our prede- Chairman KIRK for their brilliant work speak on a point of personal business, I cessors. in producing a bill that provides essen- wanted to rise to eulogize one of my I very much will miss Betty Lou tial support to our veterans, our Ac- mentors in politics. Reed. I know Congressman Porter tive-Duty military, and their families. State Representative Betty Lou Reed shares this sentiment, as do many of The resources provided in this bill will died this week. She was somebody the staff and the political families of fund vital construction projects and many of us in northern Illinois looked northern Illinois, and I wanted to take will ensure that our wounded veterans up to. Betty Lou Reed served from her this moment today in the Senate to and warriors receive the excellent care home community of Deerfield, IL. She mark her passing and say how very they deserve. knew Senator Everett Dirksen well and much we will miss her. It is good we are moving the first of helped in his campaigns for reelection. Madam President, I yield the floor, our fiscal year 2012 appropriations bills She was someone who practiced the art and I suggest the absence of a quorum. under regular order. As I have said on of politics from the fiscally conserv- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The numerous occasions, the best way to ative side but the ideological center. clerk will call the roll. ensure that every taxpayer dollar is She was someone who was a role model The legislative clerk proceeded to spent wisely is to move our 12 bills for many of us at the township, the call the roll. through the committee, the full Sen- State, and especially at the Federal Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask ate, to a conference with the House, level. unanimous consent the order for the and through final passage in both I first met Betty Lou after she had quorum call be rescinded. Chambers. retired from our State legislature in The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Our ability to work together on this Springfield, IL, when she served as the FRANKEN). Without objection, it is so important bill serves as a reminder district director for Congressman John ordered. that bipartisan compromise can be Porter. I remember a long visit with achieved by the Congress, even in the her, as she was showing me the con- BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS most difficult of budget environments. gressional district where I grew up, Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I It is my hope that the spirit of biparti- from a political point of view. know we are on the MILCON appropria- sanship embodied in this bill will serve As we passed by the Zion nuclear re- tions bill, but I did not want to lose the as a model for the remaining fiscal actor, she said: Whatever your feelings opportunity to talk about a pressing year 2012 appropriations process. from college, buddy boy, here we are issue before the country today; that is, I congratulate Chairman JOHNSON pro nuclear power. And she began to in- how we will work to resolve the Na- and Vice Chairman KIRK for their ef- troduce me to the politics, especially tion’s obligations to its creditors and forts. I look forward to returning to of Lake County, IL. what the failure of doing that means to the floor at the earliest possible date Betty Lou Reed was someone who the Nation and to each and every with the next appropriations measure. liked to drink her bourbon and branch American. I rise to ask a simple ques- I yield the floor. water, as she called it, regularly in the tion of my Republican colleagues: The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- evening, telling old war stories about When is an entitlement not an entitle- ator from Mississippi is recognized. how things were done in Springfield, ment? Apparently, given the rhetoric

VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:57 Jul 15, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A14JY6.006 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4603 and actions of some of our friends on ceries and gas and potentially costs a of the option. Don’t touch those enti- the other side of the aisle, the answer middle-class family in New Jersey an tlements for the big five oil companies. would be that an entitlement is not an additional $1,500? They call it leader- Don’t touch the entitlements for the entitlement when it benefits an enti- ship to risk an end to unemployment corporate jets. Don’t touch the entitle- tled class of wealthy Americans. In the benefits to States, leaving those al- ments for the racehorses. Don’t touch Republicans’ ideological haze that is ready struggling in this economy at any of those entitlements giving the swirling around Washington these risk of losing what little they have? tax breaks and having a code where an days, it is only an entitlement when it They call it leadership to risk Med- incredible universe of corporations in goes to the middle-class families, to icaid payments to States for disabled America don’t even pay at the end of students, to seniors, to the disabled, to seniors in nursing homes who have no the day by using all of the provisions of the downtrodden, and the dispossessed. other options but amazingly allow a the code, anything toward the common Those entitlements, according to the millionaire who owns a stable of race- good. Republicans, should be on the chopping horses a depreciation allowance on the They come to the table with nothing. block. But entitlements to the wealthy Tax Code on those racehorses? That is They look America in the eye and tell can never be on the table, despite the an entitlement we should not touch? us we cannot cut subsidies to big oil fact that our current Tax Code allows That is leadership? Bottom line, it is companies. We cannot put entitlements the wealthiest 400 taxpayers in Amer- estimated that about $125 billion worth to the wealthy on the table because in ica to pay a smaller percentage of their of bills, on average, may have to be put their ideological haze, they conven- income in taxes than the average New off if we don’t deal with meeting the iently, through this political sleight of Jersey family—less than the average Nation’s obligations. hand, label any attempt to end those New Jersey family. It is not leadership if the dollar tax breaks, those entitlements, as a What Republicans will ultimately do, plummets and America loses. It is not tax increase on what they like to call their goal in this debt negotiation, is leadership if no one follows but the far the job creators. Their excuse for such outlined in the House-passed budget rightwing of the Republican Party. If an irresponsible bargaining position: that ends Medicare as we know it, the we are going to balance the budget by trickle-down economics. I have heard baseline of retirement security for our limiting entitlements and subsidies this so many times over the time I seniors, what was the retirement secu- and earmarks, perhaps we should begin have been in Congress. But the problem rity of my mother in the twilight of with those entitlements in the Tax is nothing has ever trickled down. Yet her life as she struggled against Alz- Code that benefit those who are the those same entitlements for the enti- heimer’s, after having worked a life- wealthiest in the country. Perhaps we tled, the $5 trillion entitlement the time to help build a family and be part should look at ending entitlements for Bush tax cuts would cost going forward of contributing to a community. She rich oil companies that receive $2 bil- over the next decade that we are told would not have lived in the dignity she lion a year. They receive in just two at the outset would create jobs, would deserved in the twilight of her life but tax breaks that the code gives them $21 turn out to be the greatest failed jobs for Medicare as we know it—and it billion over the next 10 years. Yet, oh, program in American history. makes a middle-class life in America no, we can’t touch that, but we can tell I look at how those tax breaks are more expensive and less accessible. some senior that, in fact, they have to skewed to the wealthiest. I understand It seems to me the policies of our Re- be on the chopping block; that Medi- the opportunity to help middle-class publican friends would make sure the care has to end as we know it. families, and I promote that because rich get even more rich at the expense How about $6 billion for ethanol pro- they are the ones who spend in this of the middle class. They think the ducers or how about the racehorse de- economy and create demands. But the rich are entitled to all the tax loop- preciation allowance or the billions way those tax cuts are skewed to the holes they get but seniors and the dis- year after year that defense contrac- wealthiest, $5 trillion, I ask my friends: abled, they do not need the health ben- tors think they are entitled to? How Where are all the jobs that were sup- efits they are getting. We call this about investing in new bridges and tun- posedly going to be created as a result leadership? Do they call it leadership, nels and a new state-of-the-art trans- of that? Where are all the jobs these to stand on ideology and send this Na- portation system in New Jersey in- Republican entitlements to the tion into default? stead of Kandahar? wealthy are supposed to produce? Default basically means being a Our friends on the other side who be- Where are they? When middle-class deadbeat. I think average Americans lieve we should balance the budget by Americans are struggling to make ends understand what being a deadbeat is all spending cuts alone are more than will- meet, pay the bills, keep their jobs, about. We teach our children to meet ing to bargain away student loans, bar- their health care, their homes, entitle- their responsibilities. We say do not gain away prescription drug coverage, ments to the entitled are the most incur a debt, but if you incur that debt, even bargain away nursing home care reckless kind of spending. meet your responsibility—pay it. But for the elderly parents to protect enti- This is the irresponsible Republican now we have leaders in this Nation who tlements for big oil companies, billion- entitlement spending that should be on say let’s have this Nation be a dead- aire corporate executives who travel the table, the very entitlement spend- beat, and we would leave a senior cit- the world in private jets, and million- ing that contributed to our current izen who lives—I know some of our aires who believe they are entitled to debt, and yet our friends on the other friends here who may not have an ap- all of the tax loopholes they are get- side continue to protect these entitle- preciation of this—who lives month to ting now after the biggest tax cut in ments. month only on Social Security, stand- history—entitled to tax cuts but not They will not vote to raise the debt ing hopelessly on the front porch wait- obligated to create American jobs, con- limit unless we cut entitlements for ing for a check that may not come. trary to the false rhetoric we hear from the working middle-class families of You call that leadership? the other side about a correlation be- this country, but they protect entitle- We call it leadership to risk increas- tween entitlements for the wealthy and ments for the wealthiest Americans. ing interest rates on mortgages when job creation. They are holding a gun to our heads at families are struggling to pay at the The hard rightwing of the Republican a critical time in our economic history, current rates on student loans, on car Party has come to the table willing to but we need only to look back at how payments, on credit cards that middle- give up nothing—unwilling to accept often Republicans, themselves, have class families can ill-afford now? They an offer by the President and Demo- raised the debt limit. call it leadership to risk leaving a crats of trillions of dollars in spending As we can see from this chart, to pay wounded veteran without a benefit cuts, potential savings in entitlement for tax cuts for the wealthy, George W. check or active military men and programs, and tax reform options, all Bush had seven increases of the debt women, their families, without a pay- of which they have been demanding, ceiling, increasing it by 90 percent for check? unless we agree to protect the entitle- the largest increase in history, a total They call it leadership to risk a spike ments that exist for the wealthy. Not of over $5 trillion that includes the en- in prices that increases the cost of gro- even a single penny on the revenue side titlements for the wealthy that they

VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:38 Jul 15, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.051 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4604 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 14, 2011 will not put on the table in the name of disabilities, and we understand what Although this is not even about that. shared sacrifice even if it means Amer- those challenges are. At the end of the day, this is about the ica defaults on its debt and becomes a Let’s be clear. The only entitled peo- Nation. This is about our economy. deadbeat and sends a ripple-effect ple Republicans are talking about in This is about trying to get people back throughout the world and its econo- this debate are those who already to work. This is about trying to ensure mies that come back crashing on our enjoy enormous benefits under the Tax families can realize their hopes and shores in the United States. So it is Code, both individually and corpora- dreams and aspirations. This is about amazing me. tions that feel entitled to these pretty the United States of America, a beacon Ronald Reagan raised the debt ceil- outrageous tax breaks. of light to the rest of the world, the ing 18 times. Mr. President, 18 times in Oil companies, as I heard from the gold standard in terms of credit and 8 years, a total percentage increase of executives who appeared before the meeting its obligations, continuing to 199 percent, amounting to $1.8 trillion, Senate Finance Committee, clearly be that gold standard and that beacon which in today’s dollars would be $4 feel entitled to $21 billion in subsidies. of light or becoming a deadbeat in the trillion. Mr. President, 18 times, Ron- Millionaires and billionaires think world. ald Reagan. George Bush, 7 times, for they are entitled to the Bush tax cuts. I would go even further and say the $5.3 trillion. Corporate titans think they are enti- American public will see right through That amount, by the way, under the tled to tax breaks for their private cor- these efforts to protect entitlements Bush years, ends up being, what. What porate jets, and Republicans think for a privileged class while those Amer- is it equal to? The Bush tax cuts, $5 these are the only entitlements worth icans who struggle every day to build trillion. protecting. the foundation of America, the cuts go They will not raise the debt limit to It is time to stop trying to balance on their backs. They come to the table protect the good faith of the American the budget on the backs of seniors and with nothing other than an ideological financial system, to protect middle- middle-class working families. It is fixation that prevents them from nego- class families who have already lost so time to stop protecting government tiating in good faith, prevents them much under Republican economic poli- handouts to the entitled class at the from putting the interests of the coun- cies that led us to the brink of eco- expense of the middle class and telling try ahead of their narrow political in- nomic disaster. The whole confluence America in good economic times that terests. of what happened in September of 2008 it stimulates the economy and in bad I have read some of the comments where we had these Bush tax cuts to- times that it is a job creation policy. about this issue as it relates to: Well, tally unpaid for, denying the Federal The truth is, it is neither. It is sim- you know, do we end up giving Presi- Treasury those moneys, at a time in ply an entitlement program for an en- dent Obama the ability to get re- which we had two wars raging abroad titled small class of Americans who are elected? This is not about President in Iraq and Afghanistan, a new entitle- not struggling to make ends meet or Obama. This is about the United States ment program unpaid for, and a mar- pay the mortgage or afford health care of America. This is about our country. ketplace that instead of being a free or find another minimum wage job to This is about being responsible at one market—which I support—became a put food on the table. This stark con- of its most critical times. This is about free-for-all market in which investor trast of wealth in the Nation is in the getting the country back on track. It is decisions ended up becoming a collec- numbers. about giving the private sector faith tive risk to the entire country, and The 400 wealthiest taxpayers—those and confidence that we are not going to that is what we have been facing. who get the most out of Republican en- default on our debt, that we are going Instead of meeting this responsi- titlements—had an average income in to meet our obligations. It is about bility, they favor cuts in entitlements 2008 of $270 million, almost $300 mil- telling investors in the world the to the seniors, to the disabled, to fami- lion. That amounts to an hourly wage United States is still a good place to lies struggling to make ends meet, to of about $31,000 an hour. Their average invest. And when those investments students seeking to get the college edu- tax rate was about 18 percent. In con- are made, jobs are created, people go to cation that could help fuel America’s trast, the median New Jersey house- work, once again they have the dignity prosperity. That is what we saw in the hold earned about $64,777 the entire of work taking place; they are able to House Republican budget that passed year as opposed to just 2 hours. That spend in the economy, the economy but are willing to decimate our Na- equated to 2 hours for the richest 400 grows, that creates other jobs, other tion’s economy to protect entitlements people, and yet they paid an average of opportunities, and we move toward ful- for the rich. They have dug in their 21.2 percent. They paid a higher per- fillment once again of the great Amer- heels and walled off irresponsible, un- centage of less of their wages than ican opportunity. necessary tax breaks for big oil compa- those 400 top earners in the country. That is what this debate is all about. nies. They have walled off entitlements A first lieutenant at Fort Dix, NJ, It is a debate about each and every one to multibillion-dollar corporations and earned about $52,000. He paid an aver- of us. The sooner our friends realize it millionaires who need no entitlements age tax rate of 18.9 percent. So I ask, is not about a political equation, it is because they believe—blinded by their looking at these numbers, what should not about who wins and loses in a polit- ideological haze—the rich are entitled be on the table and what should not? ical context, it is about the Nation, the to their outrageous giveaways even if The fact is, we are offering solutions. better. If we can fix our attention to it means ballooning the deficit and We are simply asking for fairness and the needs of the Nation, then I have to sending the Nation into default on its for our friends on the other side to believe we can meet this challenge in a debt. Entitlements for these special in- bring something to the table other balanced way. Clearly, if Ronald terests, cuts for everyone else. than a political ideology and an unreal- Reagan raised the debt ceiling 18 times Republicans prefer to talk about cut- istic ultimatum, all in order to protect and if George Bush raised it 7 times, ting entitlements rather than what it an entitled class that needs no protec- then this time, the first time under really means—rather than cutting So- tions. I don’t usually agree with the President Obama it needs to be raised, cial Security, rather than cutting conservative columnist David Brooks, which is merely to pay the obligations Medicare, rather than cutting Med- but as I have said on this floor before, we already have, I have to believe re- icaid—because cutting entitlements I agree with him when he says, ‘‘The sponsible people will come forward and seems so esoteric. It is not very per- members of this movement talk bland- say yes and do it in a way that isn’t on sonal. But we all know our families, ly of default and are willing to stain the backs of middle-class working fam- our mothers and fathers who may be their Nation’s honor . . . ilies. getting their health care on Medicare They are willing to stain their Na- Mr. President, I yield the floor and or one of them who may be sitting in a tion’s honor. note the absence of a quorum. nursing home on Medicaid or a poor I agree when he wrote that ‘‘if the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The child who is getting their health care debt talks fail independent voters will clerk will call the roll. being taken care of on Medicaid, we see Democrats as willing to com- The assistant legislative clerk pro- know our friends and neighbors with promise but Republicans were not.’’ ceeded to call the roll.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:38 Jul 15, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14JY6.052 S14JYPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE July 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4605 Mr. COBURN. Mr. President, I ask this then sets up the vote that the and no objection has been received despite unanimous consent that the order for leaders have scheduled for Monday many months or years. the quorum call be rescinded. afternoon. And that is what we are This is troubling. We respectfully request that you reiterate the Department’s long- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without doing right now to continue the consid- standing position that federal law prohibits objection, it is so ordered. eration of this bill. gambling over the Internet, including intra- AMENDMENT NO. 553 f state gambling (e.g., lotteries). Conversely, if for some reason the Department is recon- Mr. COBURN. I call up amendment MORNING BUSINESS No. 553. sidering its longstanding position, then we respectfully request that you consult with The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent Congress before finalizing a new position clerk will report. that would open the floodgates to Internet The assistant legislative clerk read that the Senate proceed to a period of gambling. as follows: morning business, with Senators per- Finally, we would like to work with you to mitted to speak therein for up to 10 strengthen the penalties for those who vio- The Senator from Oklahoma [Mr. COBURN], late the law and to see what modifications for Mr. MCCAIN, proposes an amendment minutes each. would be helpful to the Department to en- numbered 553. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. hance its ability to fight Internet gambling. Mr. COBURN. I ask unanimous con- Sincerely, sent that the reading of the amend- f HARRY REID, ment be dispensed with. INTERNET GAMBLING U.S. Senator. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without JON KYL Mr. REID. Mr. President, per the re- objection, it is so ordered. U.S. Senator. quest of Senator KYL’s office, I ask The amendment is as follows: f unanimous consent that a letter from (Purpose: To eliminate the additional myself and Senator KYL to the Attor- TRIBUTE TO GERALD M. CHASE amount of $10,000,000, not included in the ney General be printed in the RECORD. President’s budget request for fiscal year Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, it is with 2012, appropriated for the Department of There being no objection, the mate- great pride that I pay tribute to a dedi- Defense for planning and design for the En- rial was ordered to be printed in the cated public servant from my home ergy Conservation Investment Program) RECORD, as follows: state of Michigan. Gerry Chase has de- On Page 64, line 24, strike ‘‘$3,380,917,000’’ U.S. SENATE, voted his professional life to helping and insert ‘‘$3,370,917,000’’. Washington, DC, July 14, 2011. others and improving the quality of Mr. COBURN. I note the absence of a Hon. ERIC HOLDER, public health in northern lower Michi- Department of Justice, quorum. gan for nearly four decades, and I am Washington, DC. pleased to recognize his life’s work as The PRESIDING OFFICER. The DEAR ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDER: As you he retires from public service this clerk will call the roll. know, several weeks ago, the U.S. Attorney month. Through his many initiatives The assistant legislative clerk pro- in the Southern District of New York in- as the Public Health Officer for North- ceeded to call the roll. dicted various individuals associated with west Michigan, Gerry has impacted Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. online poker sites for violations of various laws. Additional indictments were unveiled many by working tirelessly to better President, I ask unanimous consent the lives of the residents of Antrim, that the order for the quorum call be in Baltimore at the end of May. These indictments came after many years Charlevoix, Emmet, and Otsego Coun- rescinded. in which the entities operated Internet poker ties. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. websites to Americans in an open and noto- Gerry accepted the position of public UDALL of New Mexico.) Without objec- rious way with apparently no repercussions health officer in 1974 at the urging of tion, it is so ordered. from law enforcement. Leading up to the in- his mentor Roy R. Manty. Shortly AMENDMENT NO. 556 dictments, this lack of activity by law en- after earning his bachelor of arts and a Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. forcement led to a significant and growing master’s in public health from the Uni- perception that operating Internet poker and President, I ask unanimous consent other Internet gambling did not violate U.S. versity of Michigan, Gerry embarked that the pending amendment be set laws, or at least that the Department of Jus- on what he initially thought would be aside, and I call up my amendment No. tice thought that the case was uncertain a short-term assignment, but would be- 556, which is at the desk. enough that it chose not to pursue enforce- come his life’s work. Thirty-seven The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ment actions. In turn, this perception al- years later, Gerry can look back with objection, it is so ordered. lowed this activity to spread substantially, pride on a fulfilling and impressive The clerk will report. so that at least 1,700 foreign sites continue to record of accomplishment. The bill clerk read as follows: offer Internet gambling to U.S. players. We Charged with the responsibility of think it is important that the Department of promoting wellness, preventing dis- The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Justice pursue aggressively and consistently JOHNSON], for himself and Mr. KIRK, proposes ease, and providing quality healthcare, those offering illegal Internet gambling in Gerry has been at the forefront of some an amendment numbered 556. the United States. of the more complex and daunting pub- Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. In addition, we have two further concerns: lic health issues, leading an agency President, I ask unanimous consent the spread of efforts to legalize intra-state that has grown from 17 in the mid-1970s that the reading of the amendment be Internet gambling and the spread of efforts to more than 200 employees today. dispensed with. to offer such intra-state Internet gambling through state-sponsored lotteries. Among Gerry’s countless accomplish- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without We believe that the Department of Jus- ments as public health officer is an ini- objection, it is so ordered. tice’s longstanding position has been that all tiative to provide dental care to over The amendment is as follows: forms of Internet gambling are illegal—in- 20,000 low-income residents, an effort On page 114 between lines 18 and 19, insert cluding intra-state Internet gambling, be- to increase the number of poor women cause activity over the Internet inherently the following: eligible for cost-free breast and cer- SEC. 301. Not later than 90 days after enact- crosses state lines, implicating federal anti- ment of this Act, the Executive Director of gambling laws such as the Wire Act. Yet ef- vical cancer screenings, and the estab- Arlington National Cemetery shall provide a forts are underway in about a dozen states to lishment of a multicounty workplace report to the Committees on Appropriations legalize some form of intra-state Internet smoking ban. of the Senate and the House of Representa- gambling. In many cases, Internet gambling Through these accomplishments and tives detailing the strategic plan and time- advocates in those states cite the silence of many more like them, residents of table to modernize the Cemetery’s Informa- the Department of Justice in the face of these counties are living healthier and tion Technology system, including elec- these efforts as acquiescence. In fact, we better. In 2007, Gerry was awarded the tronic burial records. have heard that at a major conference in Roy R. Manty Distinguished Service Mr. KIRK. Mr. President, this is a May, several officials from various state lot- teries boasted that they have obtained the Award, Michigan’s top public health joint amendment. I support it. It con- Department of Justice’s effective consent by award. This honor, which bears the cerns a report on the operations of Ar- writing letters of their plans that stated name of his mentor, is given to a per- lington National Cemetery. It is very that if no objection was received they would son that embodies the ‘‘values, dedica- necessary. My understanding is that proceed with their Internet gambling plans— tion and spirit Manty brought to public

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