Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 150 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2004 No. 13 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Friday, February 6, 2004, at 12 noon. Senate THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2004 The Senate met at 9 a.m. and was SCHEDULE Paul and Sheila Wellstone’s sons Mark called to order by the President pro Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, this and David to keep their parents’ work tempore (Mr. STEVENS) morning following morning business, and spirit alive. the Senate resumes consideration of S. PRAYER The first meetings will be held this 1072, the highway bill. As the majority evening. In what may be the largest The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- leader announced last night, it is hoped book group ever, thousands of ordinary fered the following prayer: we will be able to work through those Let us pray. Americans in 40 States will meet in amendments early in the day so we can private homes, schools, churches, com- Lord of Hosts, Ruler of all nature, we proceed to additional amendments. munity centers, bookstores, and hun- magnify Your name. On today, many Senators should expect votes today as lift their hearts in prayer for our Na- the Senate continues to make progress dreds of other places to discuss the di- tion. Lord, You have promised that a on the highway bill. Senators will be rection and the future of our Nation. nation that humbles itself and prays, notified as votes are scheduled. Those attending the discussion are en- seeking Your face, will hear from You. f couraged to read a book Senator You have promised to forgive our sins Wellstone wrote which was published and to heal our land. Thank You for RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY the year before he died. It is called doing for America immeasurably more LEADER ‘‘The Conscience Of A Liberal.’’ If the than we can ask or imagine. You have The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The title evokes memories of another book, blessed us with wonderful freedoms and Democratic leader. it is deliberate. opportunities to accomplish Your pur- f poses on Earth. In the introduction of his own book, Guide our Senators as they seek to ORDER OF PROCEDURE Paul recalled the good-natured ribbing be Your instruments. Empower our Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I in- some of his Republican colleagues gave leaders to live for Your glory. Protect tend to use my leader time this morn- him when he attended Barry Gold- our military and those who daily risk ing. I ask unanimous consent that water’s funeral service. their lives for freedom. morning business not be reduced as a They gave me Goldwater’s ‘‘The Con- Lord, we declare today that the king- result of my use of leader time. dom, the power, and the glory belong science of a Conservative’’ to read on the The PRESIDENT pro tempore. With- plane. ‘‘Paul,’’ they said, ‘‘read this; we read to You. We pray this in Your awesome out objection, it is so ordered. this book at young ages and it set us on the Name. Amen. f right path. We still have hope for you.’’ f KEEPING ALIVE THE WORK AND Paul replied that he, too, had read PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE SPIRIT OF PAUL WELLSTONE Senator Goldwater’s book at a young The PRESIDENT pro tempore led the Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I age and explained: ‘‘That’s why I’m a Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: would like to use a few minutes of my liberal.’’ I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the leader time to talk about a remarkable ‘‘But,’’ he said, ‘‘I also told them that United States of America, and to the Repub- new effort that is being launched today lic for which it stands, one nation under God, I admired Barry Goldwater for his po- to try to develop a broader national indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. litical integrity.’’ consensus about the kind of future we f want in America and how we can More than almost anyone else I have RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING achieve it. It is called the Wellstone ever known, Paul Wellstone had an MAJORITY LEADER Civic Dialog Project. It is being orga- unshakable faith in the fundamental The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The nized by Wellstone Action, a progres- decency of most people and in the ge- acting Republican leader is recognized. sive advocacy organization created by nius of democracy. He believed if we ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S599 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:42 Jan 29, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\2004SENATE\S05FE4.REC S05FE4 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S600 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 5, 2004 faced our challenges squarely and lis- offended him more deeply than the month, and her insurance company in- tened respectfully to each other, we stigma attached to mental illness and formed her that she has now hit their would discover that most of us share the discrimination and suffering that lifetime cap on mental health benefits, the same values, the same concerns, people with mental health problems so they will no longer pay anything for and the same dreams; that we would suffer as a result of that stigma. He her medications or her therapy. also discover the solutions and thought it was cruel that people with So she and her husband now face a strength to overcome almost any ob- mental health problems often received choice: pay the entire cost of her pre- stacle. lesser care than those with physical scriptions and her therapy each month, The Wellstone Civic Dialogue Project health problems. He was outraged by out of pocket, or pay their mortgage. is an attempt to bring ordinary Ameri- the terrible toll such discrimination She was fighting back tears when she cans together to develop a consensus to often takes on people with mental ill- called my office. She said, ‘‘If I had a move America in a more humane, more ness and their families. He and Senator heart ailment, they wouldn’t think progressive direction. It is what Paul DOMENICI introduced a bill—now called twice about sending me to a cardiolo- called ‘‘citizen democracy.’’ the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Eq- gist. But there’s such a stigma associ- Groups will meet in more than 600 uitable Treatment Act—to end such ated with mental health.’’ communities throughout America. In a discrimination. The bill was reintro- She added, ‘‘This isn’t something I’ve touch that I am sure Paul Wellstone duced at the beginning of this Con- chosen any more than people who suf- and Barry Goldwater would have appre- gress, but it has been stalled in com- fer from diabetes or heart disease chose ciated greatly, in several of the groups mittee for more than a year now be- their conditions.’’ self-declared Republicans and Demo- cause of opposition from the insurance What makes her story even more ter- crats have agreed to sit face to face industry and its allies. rible is how many other people in this and discuss their ideas and values. Last October, on the first anniver- country are having to fight the same The first meetings, as I said, will sary of the plane crash that killed Paul fight, and make the same awful take place this evening in more than and Sheila, their daughter Marcia, and choices. No family is untouched by 600 communities throughout America. four others, I asked unanimous consent mental health problems. Fifty-four A topic for tonight’s discussion is ‘‘Can that the Senate take up and pass the million Americans suffer from some we dream again?’’ It is a reference to a Wellstone Mental Health and Treat- form of mental illness. They include quote by Eleanor Roosevelt that Paul ment Act. It would have been the per- Republicans, Democrats, and people loved and preached often. The future fect tribute to Paul. who don’t care at all about party la- will belong to those ‘‘who believe in The Republican leadership blocked bels. the beauty of their dreams.’’ that request. But they gave us their Paul Wellstone and PETE DOMENICI It is expected that groups will meet word that the Senate will consider the were about as far apart politically as as many as eight additional times over Wellstone mental health bill early this two people could be. But they shared a the next several months to discuss year. I am here to say, very clearly, common bond: They both had people in issues ranging from education and that Democrats intend to hold them to their families, who they loved, who health care, to domestic violence, that promise. were affected by mental illness. They money and politics, and the war in Like tens of millions of Americans, were unlikely but great allies. Iraq. Anyone interested in attending a Paul Wellstone knew well the anguish In 1996, thanks in large part to their Civic Dialog Project discussion can go that mental illness can cause families. leadership, Congress passed the Mental Nearly 50 years ago, when his older to the Wellstone Action Web site, Health Parity Act. It says that group brother Stephen was a freshman in col- www.wellstone.org, to find a discussion health plans sponsored by employers lege, he suffered a severe mental break- with 50 or more workers cannot place group near them or to download study down.