January 23, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S 297 That is the strong message my fresh- try, a significant change in the direc- ponderance of people say we need to be man colleagues and I bring with us tion that this Congress would take, and responsible. We need to look to the fu- back to Washington. And for our col- hopefully that this country would ture. One little guy in the audience had leagues who may not have ventured be- take. a computer. We talked about $5 trillion yond the confines of the Beltway re- We have talked about things like re- debt, he divided it by the number of cently, that is the message the Amer- ducing spending as opposed to continu- people and announced we each owe ican people are demanding we do not ing to add more to the deficit, to add $17,000, and we were dazzled a little by forget. more to a $5 trillion debt. We talked the technology, but the answer is Mr. HELMS addressed the Chair. about a balanced budget. We have not right, we do. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- had a balanced budget in almost 30 Mr. President, what we need here is ator from North Carolina is recognized. years. This is the first time that a bal- leadership. We need to provide for the Mr. HELMS. I thank the Chair. anced budget has been presented to the direction of this country. We do not (The remarks of Mr. HELMS and Mr. President of the United States. Unfor- need obstructionism. We do not need FAIRCLOTH pertaining to the introduc- tunately, he saw fit to veto it. insistence on the status quo. This is a tion of S. 1520 are located in today’s We have talked about entitlement great country with a great future. We RECORD under ‘‘Statements on Intro- changes. Most anybody who looks at have the best opportunity that we have duced Bills and Joint Resolutions.’’) our financial situation fairly has to see ever had to strengthen that future and f that we have to do something about en- make it a land of responsibility and the titlements. You cannot change the di- FRESHMAN TOUR land of opportunity. rection of spending by simply talking f Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I rise to about those things that are discre- follow my friend, the Senator from tionary. Two-thirds of the spending is EXTENSION OF TIME FOR Minnesota, in noting what I thought in entitlements. You have to change MORNING BUSINESS was useful, and that was the tour of that. Of course it is difficult. But we Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I ask freshman Senators throughout the have set about to do that. We have unanimous consent that the time for country, actually, starting here in talked about welfare reform, to make morning business be extended until Washington, on through the Midwest, welfare the kind of program that most 3:40. and ending up in Cheyenne, WY. everyone believes it ought to be, where The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without It seemed to me to be a very useful you help people who need help, but help objection, it is so ordered. kind of an activity. Our theme was them get back into the system, back f ‘‘Promises Made, Promises Kept.’’ I into the workplace. CONCERN OVER CONGRESSIONAL think it was appropriate that 9 of the Middle-income tax reform—instead of RECESS 11 new freshmen in this body partici- the largest tax increase in the history, pated. We made 10 stops in 9 States to which is what we had 2 years ago, we Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have talk about this kind of commitment to are talking about middle-income tax sought recognition to express my con- the things that had brought us to the relief. Also line-item veto, term limits, cern about our being out of session for Senate in 1994. I think we all agreed in regulatory reform. the next considerable period of time in general that there was a message in That is what has happened. We are the context of the gridlock and break- 1994, and that message basically was very pleased about that and we took down over the negotiations of the the Federal Government is too big and that message to the country. In addi- budget. It is my hope that the nego- costs too much and we need to change tion to that message, I think we took tiators will continue the budget nego- the regulatory restrictions on the op- some facts. We sort of evolved into pol- tiations because of the importance of portunities in this country. itics by posturing and to a situation of reaching a resolution on those sub- That has been the effort of this fresh- policy by perception rather than facts. jects, and that we will not have a re- man class, and to a large extent this It is ironic. We have the ability to currence of the shutdown of Govern- body during that year. We have felt present facts to the whole world in a ment, as we have had twice in the some kinship in that we have come second. Fifty years ago it was months course of the past several weeks, or here together, we did share this com- after something was done here before that there will not be a resort to the mitment, and we were committed to people even knew about it. Now we debt ceiling issue as an instrument of, change. We had just come from an elec- have this great opportunity, but unfor- candidly speaking, political black- tion where, I think, that message per- tunately we are doing governing by ad- mail—which I think will be unsuccess- haps permeates a bit more than those vertising, doing governing by spinning. ful. If we are not able to resolve the who have been here before, perhaps. We talk about gutting Medicare. No- budget disagreements, that we will at There has been a great deal of suc- body in this place is interested in gut- least crystallize the issue and make cess, I think, in that message. We have ting Medicare. In fact, when you look that the election issue in 1996. not accomplished specifically all the of course at the numbers, why, obvi- I made this point back on November things that we would like to but the ously, it is not. That is what we talked 14, on the second day of the first gov- major change has been the turn of the about. ernmental shutdown. It seemed to me debate. I think most anyone who has We talked about fundamental from the start that this was bad policy. watched the Congress over the last 25 change. We heard a great deal of posi- From the reaction of the American years would have to say that the con- tive response to that. People who are people, that view was confirmed. That versation has basically been centered aware of the benefits that come from is simply not the way to run the Gov- around those programs that have been balancing the budget, the fact that we ernment of the United States. in place for 25 years. They largely came can lower interest rates, reduce the I think the budget negotiators, how- in the Lyndon Johnson Great Society cost of mortgages, and reduce the cost ever, have worked hard and there has time, and each year most of the time of loans to send your kids to school, been considerable progress made. I has been spent saying, ‘‘How much and we can talk about being respon- have taken a look, in reviewing the is- more money do we put into the pro- sible for going into a new century with- sues, and believe that the negotiators gram? If it has not worked as well as it out continuing to add costs to the debt with more work can come to a conclu- should, we will put more money in.’’ for our kids to pay. sion. The central point is to have a bal- Now that debate has changed some- I want to say that I think this trip anced budget—a matter of enormous what. The debate has change markedly. was very useful and I am pleased that importance. We are talking for the first time in 25 my colleagues were willing to take There has been an agreement in prin- years about a balanced budget. We are their time to go. I am particularly ciple by the Republican-controlled talking for the first time in 25 years pleased they went to Cheyenne, WY. Congress and Republican-controlled about how you spend less rather than We had the largest town meeting we White—almost a Freudian slip, to more. That is a significant change in have ever had there. Not everyone is in make the Republicans control the the framing of the debate in this coun- agreement how to do it, but the pre- White House as well. We have a divided S 298 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 23, 1996 Government, but at least there has the welfare reform bill passed by the announcing my candidacy for the U.S. been agreement on that principle. Senate with overwhelming numbers, Senate on November 17, 1975, in the There is a substantial question as to some 87 Senators voting in favor of the first election cycle where the 1974 elec- whether the balanced budget proposal measure, there was a great deal of reli- tion law was in effect. At that time the offered by the administration meets ance on the block grants. There is an spending limitation applied to what an the ‘‘fair’’ criterion, since so much of it area for compromise on providing the individual could spend, and, for a State is deferred until the years 2001 and 2002. bulk of welfare related programs the size of Pennsylvania, it was $35,000. But I think there is ample room for ne- through block grants but certain spe- I decided to run for the office of U.S. gotiation, in order to have a realistic cific programs should remain with Senate against a very distinguished agreement made in those terms. standards established by the Federal American who later became a U.S. Sen- I spoke on this matter to some ex- Government. I think the statement ator, John Heinz. After my election in tent yesterday and wish to amplify it made by the very distinguished Sen- 1980, he and I formed a very close work- today. One set of figures which bear re- ator from Maine, Margaret Chase ing partnership and very close friend- peating are the statistics on the nar- Smith, is worth repeating, when she ship. I have only the best things to say rowing of the gap between the parties distinguished between the issues of the about Senator Heinz. on major issues such as Medicare, principle of compromise as opposed to But, in the middle of that campaign, where the rate of increase is reduced in the compromise of principle. We are on January 29, 1976, the Supreme Court the conference report passed by the Re- not talking about freedom of speech or of the United States decided Buckley v. publican-controlled Congress. Note it is freedom of religion or first amendment Valeo and said a candidate can spend not a cut but rather a reduction of the issues. We are talking about dollars any amount of money. My later col- rate of increase by $270 billion, which and cents. And we are, really, very, league was in a position to do so and has since been reduced to $168 billion. very close together. did just that. That made an indelible The administration first agreed to $102 So it is my hope that the negotiators impression upon me, so much so that billion and now recommends reducing will continue, because I think agree- when the decision came down on Janu- the rate of increase by $124 billion. So ment is within reach, and when we are ary 29, I petitioned for leave to inter- there is a gap now remaining of $44 bil- talking about the central principle of a vene as amicus and filed a set of legal lion, considerably closer than what had balanced budget, that is something appeals, all of which were denied. been initially in the range of $168 bil- that we ought not give up on. We ought But it seemed to me since that time, lion. to continue to work to try to narrow as I have watched enormous expendi- Similarly, on Medicare, the original the gap, and I hope that we will con- tures in campaign financing by individ- position of the Republican-controlled tinue to do that. uals, that simply was unsound con- Congress was $133 billion, since reduced f stitutional law and certainly unsound to $85 billion with the administration public policy. There is nothing in the at $59 billion on a reduction on the rate CAMPAIGN SPENDING LIMITS Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, Janu- Constitution, in my legal judgement, of increase. So that gap is narrowing. which guarantees freedom of speech on Similarly, on the tax cut, the House ary 29, which is next Monday, will be any reasonable, realistic, logical con- figures are in the range of $350 billion the 20th anniversary of the decision of stitutional interpretation which says and were reduced to $245 billion in the Buckley v. Valeo. I had intended to you ought to be able to spend as much conference report. That has since been comment on January 29, the anniver- money that you have to win an elective reduced further to $203 billion, while sary date of that decision which estab- office. I think it is high time for the the administration proposes $130 bil- lished as a principle of constitutional Congress of the United States and the lion. law that any individual could spend as I have taken a close look at a number much of his or her money in a cam- 50 States to reexamine that in a con- of the structural points in disagree- paign as he or she chose. That issue stitutional amendment, which is cur- ment, while working with others in the was a matter of substantial consterna- rently pending. House and Senate, to try to report out tion to me when the decision was hand- Senator HOLLINGS has proposed the a bill on the Appropriations Sub- ed down and, I think, remains a major amendment for many Congresses, and I committee for Labor, Health, Human impediment on public policy in the have joined with him and sometimes I Services and Education, a subcommit- United States on the way we run our have proposed individual constitu- tee which I chair. I have had extensive election campaigns, where, realisti- tional amendments. But as we ap- negotiations with Donna Shalala, Sec- cally viewed, any seat is up for sale. proach the 20th anniversary of Buckley retary of Health and Human Services, There have been many, many exam- v. Valeo, we ought to take a very seri- Richard Riley, Secretary of Education, ples of multimillion-dollar expendi- ous look at it. And we may have a and Robert Reich, Secretary of Labor tures in this body, the U.S. Senate, the striking impetus for change in that law and find that the principal issues arise U.S. House of Representatives, and in by the Presidential campaign which is in the Departments of Education and State Government, and now we are wit- currently underway. So, in advance of Health and Human Services. nessing one for the Presidency of the the 29th, I urge my colleagues to take As I have taken a look at the various United States. a very close look at this issue which I issues, it seems to me that middle The fact of life is, if you advertise think has very serious implications for ground can be reached. If you take a enough on television, if you sell can- the electoral process in America. look at the medical savings account, didacies like you sell soap, the sky is I thank the Chair. It is now 3:40. I which is a controversial item, or the the limit. Even the White House of the yield the floor. Medicare opt-out position as to HMO’s United States of America, the Office of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the back and forth, or the Medicare bene- the President, may be, in fact, up for Senator suggest the absence of a ficiary part B payments, or the issue of sale if someone is willing to start off quorum? balance billing by doctors, or the con- by announcing a willingness to spend Mr. SPECTER. And I do suggest the cern which has been expressed over the $25 million. If you have $400 million, absence of a quorum. that is not an enormous sum; you have regulation of doctors’ fees—all of those The PRESIDING OFFICER. The $375 million left. Somebody might be matters—if you take the congressional clerk will call the roll. position as opposed to the administra- able to get along on that. You might tion position, you find there is middle spend $50 million or even $75 million to The bill clerk proceeded to call the ground available. promote a candidacy, both to articu- roll. If you look at the Medicaid issue, in late a positive view and then, perhaps Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I ask addition to the figures narrowing, the even more effectively, to articulate a unanimous consent that the order for structural matters also are subject to negative view. the quorum call be rescinded. compromise. This is a subject I have been con- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. If you take a look at welfare, there cerned about for a long time because I THOMPSON). Without objection, it is so again, compromise is possible. Where filed for the U.S. Senate back in 1975 ordered.