Congressional Record—Senate S5738
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S5738 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 17, 1997 Mr. SESSIONS. Thank you, Mr. What message does it send to young FOREIGN AFFAIRS REFORM AND President. people concerning the relationship be- RESTRUCTURING ACT OF 1997 I thank the Senators from Utah and tween their behavior, their personal re- The Senate continued with the con- Maryland for their hospitality. sponsibility, and the norms of our soci- sideration of the bill. f ety? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The elimination of President Rea- S. 891 ‘‘THE FAMILY IMPACT ator from Maryland is recognized. gan’s Executive order is just the latest STATEMENT ACT OF 1997’’ AMENDMENT NO. 393 in a series of decisions that indicates Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, last the Clinton administration’s very dif- (Purpose: To strike section 2101(g), limiting Thursday, June 12, I along with Sen- funding for U.S. memberships in inter- ferent approach to family issues. From national organizations and requiring with- ators DEWINE, FAIRCLOTH, HUTCHINSON, the outset of President Clinton’s first drawal from organizations which exceed COATS, COVERDELL, and ASHCROFT co- term, it became clear that his adminis- that limitation) sponsored S. 891, Senator SPENCER tration intended to pursue policies Mr. SARBANES. I send an amend- ABRAHAM’s Family Impact Statement sharply at odds with traditional Amer- ment to the desk. Act of 1997. I rise today in strong sup- ican moral principles. White House ac- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The port of this important piece of legisla- tions have ranged from the incorpora- clerk will report. tion and to voice my complete dis- tion of homosexuals into the military The legislative clerk read as follows: agreement with the recent anti-family to the protection of partial birth abor- The Senator from Maryland [Mr. SAR- action taken by President Clinton. tion procedures. BANES] proposes an amendment numbered In 1987, President Ronald Reagan, re- Mr. President, many have suggested 393. alizing the importance of the America it is community villages, in other The amendment is as follows: family and the need to be constantly words Government, that raise children. aware of the negative impact that Fed- On page 160, strike line 18 and all that fol- But the real truth is, families raise lows through line 7 on page 162. eral laws and regulations can have on children. Families are the ones who are Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, this the family, signed Executive Order there night and day to love, to care for, amendment, referring to pages 160 to 12606. The purpose of this order was to and to nurture children. ensure that the rights of the family are Many bureaucratic regulations 162 of the bill, takes out subsection (g), considered in the construction and car- produce little benefit, but can have un- which is a subsection that puts forward rying out of policies by executive de- intended consequences. The examples the possibility that the United States partments and agencies. are too numerous to mention. What might withdraw from the United Na- Mr. President, even though we are our legislation will do is require the tions. I am very frank to tell you that faced with the staggering increase in regulators to stop and take a moment I don’t think the prospect of that even- out-of-wedlock births, rising rates of to think through their regulations to tuality ought to be raised in this legis- divorce, and increases in the number of make sure that, the most fundamental lation. child abuse cases, apparently President institution in civilization—the family, This legislation, in effect, says that Clinton does not believe that consid- is not damaged by their actions. This is if the amount of funds made available ering the impact of Government regu- a reasonable and wise policy. for U.S. membership exceed a certain lations on families is good policy. Mr. President, I find it very odd that figure, then withdrawal is required. Of Much to my dismay, on April 21, 1997, of all the Executive Orders that exist, course, we determine the amount of President Clinton signed Executive President Clinton would reach down funds that are made available. In any Order 13045, thus stripping the Amer- and lift this one up for elimination. event, even if the figure is exceeded, I ican family any existing protection This body should speak out forcefully don’t think a withdrawal sanction from harm in the formulation and ap- on this subject and I am confident we ought to be incorporated in this legis- plication of Federal policies. will. The families of America deserve lation. If you stop and think about it, President Reagan’s Executive order no less. that is quite a sweeping proposition. placed special emphasis on the rela- S. 819, The Family Impact Statement Let me quote from paragraph (2) of tionship between the family and the Act of 1997, is a sound and reasonable that subsection: Federal Government. President Reagan piece of legislation which will restore a Notwithstanding any other provision of directed every Federal agency to assess valuable pro-family policy that has law, the United States shall withdraw from all regulatory and statutory provisions been established for ten years. an international organization.... ‘‘that may have significant potential I urge all my colleagues to stand It then goes on to set out the proce- negative impact on the family well- united, Republicans and Democrats, to dures for doing so, and the deadline for being.’’ Before implementing any Fed- show that the preservation of the fam- doing so. Let me read for a second. eral policy, agency directors had to ily is not a partisan issue. Our voices Unless otherwise provided for in the in- make certain that the programs they united will send a loud and clear mes- strument concerned, a withdrawal under this managed and the regulations they sage to the President and to this na- subsection shall be completed within one issued met certain family-friendly cri- tion that we consider family protection year in which the withdrawal is required. teria. Specifically, they had to ask: to be one of America’s most important Then it requires the President to sub- Does this action strengthen or erode issues and that we will not accept deci- mit a report on the withdrawal. the authority and rights of parents in sions which mark a retreat from our I hope that the managers of the bill, educating, nurturing, and supervising steadfast commitment to our Nation’s upon reflection, will agree with me their children ? families. that we ought not to be including in Does it strengthen or erode the sta- Mr. President, I strongly believe that the legislation any provisions that bility of the family, particularly the American families must be considered carry with them the implication of marital commitment? when the Federal Government develops withdrawal from the United Nations. Does it help the family perform its and implements policies and regula- The United Nations is too important function, or does it substitute Govern- tions that affect families. Therefore, I an organization, and our participation ment activity for that function ? am honored to be an original cosponsor in it is too critical a matter to include Does it increase or decrease family S. 891 the Family Impact Statement in this legislation a provision of this earnings, and do the proposed benefits Act of 1997 which will reinstate the sort. The provision on which I am fo- justify the impact on the family budg- pro-family executive order of President cusing runs from pages 160 to 162, pro- et? Reagan. viding for the withdrawal of the United Can the activity be carried out by a I would like to thank my colleagues, States from the United Nations. lower level of government or by the Senators ABRAHAM, DEWINE, FAIR- My amendment is focused on a lim- family itself? CLOTH, HUTCHINSON, COATS, COVERDELL, ited part of this bill. I have a lot of dif- What message, intended or otherwise, and ASHCROFT for their dedicated work ferences with other parts of this bill, as does this program send concerning the and help on this issue. Members well know. I supported the ef- status of the family? Mr. President, I yield the floor. fort earlier in the day to take out the VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:15 Oct 24, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\1997SENATE\S17JN7.REC S17JN7 mmaher on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with SOCIALSECURITY June 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5739 conditionality of the payment of our The amendment is as follows: resources, telecommunications, and air arrearages, which did not prove suc- At the end of section 1301(a) of the bill, in- travel are fast becoming the world’s cessful. But I am very frank to tell you sert the following new paragraph: largest. that I find it a matter of very deep con- (6) ‘‘Center for Cultural and Technical Future economic growth and job cre- cern—even of dismay—that this legis- Interchange between East and West’’, ation in the United States is closely lation should even include within it the $18,000,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and linked to our ability to identify and se- $15,000,000 for the fiscal year 1999. possibility for the consideration of the cure opportunities in the world’s fast- withdrawal of the United States from Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I am est growing economies. The East-West the United Nations. To suggest that we pleased to join my friend, the senior Center provides leadership and advice are thinking of withdrawal, or that Senator from Hawaii, in offering this on economic issues, including APEC withdrawal would be required under amendment to restore funding for the [Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation] certain circumstances, in my judgment East-West Center in fiscal years 1998 and the U.S.-Pacific Island Joint Com- is very detrimental to our inter- and 1999.