June 17, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6451 child was brought to her doctor 14 days The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SES- teenagers and smoking. We know, of after birth because of a urinary tract SIONS). The Senator from Kentucky. course, that only 2 percent of smokers infection. Treatment of a urinary tract f are teenagers. We wish they would not infection at that age requires an eval- engage in this habit, and we ought to NATIONAL TOBACCO POLICY AND uation for urinary tract abnormalities. do everything we can to deter that be- YOUTH SMOKING REDUCTION ACT But the referral from the pediatrician havior. But this bill, this $600 billion or to an out-of-plan specialist was denied, The Senate continued with the con- $700 billion or $800 billion bill, this tax again saying services are available in- sideration of the bill. increase targeted at people in America plan, an in-plan urologist. OK, if she Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I ask unan- making $30,000 or less is about big gov- could get the right treatment in-plan, imous consent that the Senator from ernment and big spending and big that is what HMOs are for; right? Montana, Mr. BAUCUS, be added as a co- taxes. But she could not. She could not get sponsor of the Ford amendment pend- A good starting place would be to de- the help because the urologist the plan ing before the Senate. feat this bill, which is not in the best would have had her see was, once The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without interest of the American people and again, an adult urologist. Am I picking objection, it is so ordered. certainly not in the best interest of the here? Am I just being petty? No. The Mr. FORD. I thank the Chair. people of Kentucky for whom this is a problem lies in discovering and treat- Mr. LUGAR addressed the Chair. particularly sensitive issue. The big- ing urinary tract abnormalities which The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- gest beneficiaries of the bill before us, is vital to preventing serious and per- ator from Indiana. in addition to the Government and lit- manent kidney damage, and the appro- Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, on behalf erally legions of new agencies, are a priate specialist for such a situation is of the leader, I ask unanimous consent number of lawyers who are going to a pediatric urologist. that the Senate now resume consider- make a substantial amount of money I have working in my office, thanks ation of the tobacco legislation, S. 1415, even with the Gorton amendment yes- to the Robert Wood Johnson Founda- for debate only until the hour of 3 p.m. terday. tion, a pediatric cardiologist. A pedi- today. So a good starting place in discussing atric cardiologist is different from an The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without this issue is what ought to be done adult cardiologist. In other words, an objection, it is so ordered. with the overall bill, and it has been adult and child are different and they Mr. LUGAR. I thank the Chair. I sug- the view of this Senator from Ken- require different specialists with dif- gest the absence of a quorum. tucky that the appropriate fate for this ferent skills. It is a basic and impor- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill is defeat, the sooner the better. Should the bill not be defeated, it tant fact. Simply to say you have a clerk will call the roll. creates a catastrophe for the Common- urologist in-house is not to say that if The bill clerk proceeded to call the wealth of Kentucky. We have over that urologist deals with adult urology roll. 60,000 farm families who derive some or problems, that it is sufficient for a 14- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I all of their income from the annual day-old baby girl. ask unanimous consent that the order growing of a legal crop. This decision by the HMO was based for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without They are engaged in an honorable ac- on having an adult urologist, which tivity. They are raising their families, urologist did not have speciality train- objection, it is so ordered. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR educating their children, obeying the ing in pediatric disorders and, there- law. And here comes the Federal Gov- fore, was not capable of caring suffi- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the fol- ernment with an effort to destroy this ciently for an infant. Why? Because legal industry. And make no mistake lowing members of my staff be given keeping her within the plan’s network about it, this bill is designed to bring the privilege of the floor for the dura- of doctors costs less. the tobacco industry to its knees. And tion of the debate on the current bill: I understand business, and business is that goal and design is pretty clear, Hunter Bates, Robin Bowen, David important, but this business of quality with the amendments that have been Hovermale, and Kyle Simmons. of health care treatment is very seri- passed so far, including providing no The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ous and very scary, and that is what we immunity from lawsuits whatsoever objection, it is so ordered. have to focus on when we are thinking for the tobacco companies, which, as Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, we about what we are going to do. These we all know, was part of the original have been on the tobacco bill now for are our children, the most helpless and settlement agreed to last summer—no four weeks. What is abundantly clear vulnerable of all of American citizens. immunity is going to be provided in to this Senator is that the best favor They have no way of defending them- this bill for any kind of lawsuit of any we can do for the American people and, selves. They depend on their parents, sort. they depend on their communities to in particular, for Kentuckians who are We doubled the so-called look-back take care of them, and these people, in tobacco producers is to defeat this bill. provision—clearly, in this Senator’s turn, depend on us in Congress to en- President Clinton and the majority of view, an unconstitutional attempt to sure that they are not taken advantage the Democrats have been pushing this make the company responsible for any- of, that games are not played with bill for some time, going back to the one who chooses to use its product. I do their health and the health of their 1996 campaign. A typical American not know any reputable lawyer, Mr. children. family today already pays 38.2 percent President, either in or out of the Sen- The time has come for us to pass a of its total income in taxes at all levels ate, who thinks that provision is con- bill which guarantees certain common- of government. This tobacco tax bill stitutional. And, of course, there are sense protections for every single pa- before us will increase taxes by more advertising restrictions in this bill. No- tient in America, young or old, rich or than $600 billion, some argue even up body that I know thinks those can be poor. This legislation—which we have to $800 billion over the life of the bill, imposed by the Government either. the opportunity to pass, an obligation, and 60 percent of that tax will fall on The industry pulled out of this a long I think, to enact this year, the Pa- working people who make less than time ago—several months ago—when tients’ Bill of Rights Act of 1998—will $30,000 a year. they saw what form it was taking. So do exactly that. Let me repeat: 60 percent of the taxes make no mistake about it, Mr. Presi- I am interested in good health care that we are raising will fall on Ameri- dent, this bill before the Senate, in its for our people, Mr. President. I don’t cans making $30,000 per year. Mr. current form, is designed to destroy think it is a game, and I don’t think it President, more than anything else, the tobacco industry. has anything to do with politics. I what the tobacco bill is about is tax Now, the victims of that are the think it is a very, very serious consid- and spend. 60,000 farm families in Kentucky who eration. The original cause is a noble cause raise this legal crop every year. And in I thank the Presiding Officer and around which I guess virtually all of the wake of this effort to destroy this yield the floor. the Senate is unified, and that is the industry, it has produced a significant Mr. FORD addressed the Chair. question of confronting the problem of debate in our State about what to do. VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:15 Oct 31, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\1998SENATE\S17JN8.REC S17JN8 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S6452 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 17, 1998 Now, if El Nin˜ o hits, the Federal choice in the context of the bill that program that would provide the average Government steps in and helps the vic- President Clinton and the vast major- quota owner with meaningful annual transi- tims. In this particular instance, the ity of Democrats in this body want to tion payments of $26,500 and the freedom to continue to grow tobacco in a free market, Federal Government itself is causing see become law.