E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 109 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 152 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2006 No. 104 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 2, 2006, at 11 a.m. Senate TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2006 The Senate met at 9:46 a.m. and was U.S. SENATE, I talked to the distinguished minor- called to order by the Honorable JIM PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, ity leader about the best way to pro- DEMINT, a Senator from the State of Washington, DC, August 1, 2006. ceed over the next few days, given ev- To the Senate: South Carolina. Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, eryone’s curiosity. I will have more to of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby say about that schedule later today. As PRAYER appoint the Honorable JIM DEMINT, a Sen- we talk more about these bills in our The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- ator from the State of South Carolina, to various caucuses, when it comes to fered the following prayer: perform the duties of the Chair. these two items, I should take a couple Let us pray. TED STEVENS, of minutes to lay out a few things. Author of wisdom, source of all good- President pro tempore. As I have said consistently since Sat- ness, keep us from confusion. Today Mr. DEMINT assumed the chair as urday morning, my priorities are sim- guide Your Senators. Help them to dis- Acting President pro tempore. ple. We are going to complete action on cern between good and evil and to rec- f a very important retirement security ognize the greater good and the lesser bill which protects the pensions of lit- RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY evil. Give them the ability to under- erally millions of Americans before we LEADER stand each other and to find common leave. ground. Infuse them with a wisdom The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Second, to test the Senate’s views on that will foster sound judgment and pore. The majority leader is recog- the so-called trifecta bill, a package correct appraisal. Save them from nized. which includes a final resolution of the being destroyed by the trivial and from f death tax issue, as well as extension of various tax policies critical to Ameri- wasting their energy on the incidental. SCHEDULE Lead them out of confusion into sim- cans who are trying to create busi- plicity. Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morn- nesses, to start a business, to raise a We pray in Your loving Name. Amen. ing we will immediately return to de- family, to get that first job, and to in- bate on S. 3711, the Gulf of Mexico En- vest and save for the future; this pack- f ergy Security bill. age also addresses the minimum wage PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Yesterday, the Senate by a bipar- increase. It is what we are calling—the The Honorable JIM DEMINT led the tisan vote of 72 to 23 invoked cloture press started calling and now we are re- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: on the bill. Under last night’s order, we ferring to it as the trifecta package. will proceed to vote on passage of the I want to be crystal clear—and my I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Repub- bill at 5 o’clock today. Senators will be colleagues know this because a lot of lic for which it stands, one nation under God, able to deliver their comments on the them are making plans for the recess— indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. bill throughout the day, and the time that this week will be the time and the f will be equally divided until 5 p.m. floor will be the place for the Senate to As I stated yesterday, we have other decide once and for all whether to act APPOINTMENT OF ACTING important issues to consider this week on this trifecta bill or to kill it. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE before leaving. With respect to that, a First things first. The pensions bill The PRESIDING OFFICER. The lot of colleagues on both sides of the itself is an important bill which, as I clerk will please read a communication aisle have come up and asked about mentioned, affects the lives of millions to the Senate from the President pro how I plan to proceed this week on the of Americans. It is a must-pass bill. It tempore (Mr. STEVENS). pensions bill and the so-called trifecta must pass this week. If we fail to act, The legislative clerk read the fol- bill, both of which came over from the billions of dollars of new debt will be lowing letter: House Friday night. thrown onto the Federal Treasury, and ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S8477 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:26 Feb 05, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\2006SENATE\S01AU6.REC S01AU6 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S8478 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 1, 2006 that would be irresponsible. I think ev- will help those take that first step on of Representatives in I guess April of eryone recognizes that. the lowest rung of the economic ladder. last year. So now is the time with the I know there are those in the minor- It will keep tax policy focused on grow- House having expressed its will for the ity who argue that the best thing to do ing our economy and creating new jobs. Senate to express its will to go to con- is stop the pensions bill and then to try And it will finally bring fairness to ference, and then we can work out the to put the tax extenders on it. But that that wrongful tax on death. disagreements that have been ex- would put the retirement future of mil- It is going to be a very important pressed between the two. Now is not lions at risk, and that is unacceptable. week with the vote we will have this the time to go back. It is a modest Others in the minority are arguing afternoon. It started with the vote yes- piece of legislation, very balanced, and that they can return to conference on terday. I believe it will be a very pro- it simply prohibits transporting a pensions to haggle further on pensions ductive week for all of us on the Senate minor child across State lines for an and change this or that or to talk floor addressing concerns, both eco- abortion to get around a State law re- about the taxes. I didn’t know exactly nomic concerns as well as other con- quiring parental notification or con- what we would do if we went back to cerns, that the American people feel in sent of that child for that child’s abor- conference with that; arguments such their everyday lives. tion. It does not change any State law as where is the best place to have a Before closing, there is an issue that or policy but helps ensure that those clam bake. For the record, I would like we finished with last week on the floor State laws are honored. to have my clam bakes in New Hamp- of the Senate but which we have not I am deeply disappointed that the shire. Going back to the conference fully addressed until we get this bill to Democrats are objecting to what would means waiting until at least Sep- conference, so that we can join the be the normal course of events in tak- tember, and that type of ‘‘kick the can child custody bill we passed last week, ing this bill to conference. down the road’’ mentality won’t work. so that we have expressed the will of f It is what happens too much around the floor of the Senate, and so we can here—another hearing, another nego- address in conference marrying our bill RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY tiation, another delay. That is going to to the House bill so this important bill LEADER have to stop, and the Senate must will become the law of the land. We attempted to go to conference The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- clear the pensions bill clean so the pore. The Democratic leader. President can sign it this month. We last week. There was objection on the will act on pensions. We will get it other side of the aisle. f done without amendment. UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST—H.R. 748 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Senators are elected to debate, yes, At this point, I once again ask unani- but also to decide and to vote and to mous consent that the Senate imme- Mr. REID. Mr. President, my friend, act. So we will also vote this week on diately proceed to consideration of the distinguished majority leader, has whether to stop a filibuster on what I H.R. 748; provided that all after the en- laid out a program for the Senate to referred to as the trifecta bill. I don’t acting clause be stricken and the text follow this week. As outlined by my want anybody to be mistaken. If the of S. 403, as amended, be inserted in friend, it is Alice in Wonderland. He Senate kills the trifecta bill, we will lieu thereof; the bill then be read a talks about Congress and the Senate not return to it this year.