Congressional Record—Senate S7577

July 15, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7577 America. This includes working to pro- tion 179 expensing will provide small busi- I will make one personal comment. tect small businesses from higher mar- nesses with the incentives and certainty to General Bolden is someone who has ginal tax rates, an increase in capital make new investments in their business. known adversity but has always been gains and dividend tax rates and an in- Providing a 20 percent deduction for smaller an overcomer. flow-through businesses and reducing the tax This was certainly true in South crease in the unfair estate tax rate rate on smaller C corps will allow all small that will penalize the success of small businesses to keep more of their income to Carolina, in 1964, when, as an African businesses. invest back into the business. Finally, pro- American, he could not get an appoint- In fact, I have recently introduced S. viding full deductibility of health insurance ment from his congressional delegation 1381, the Small Business Tax Relief Act for the self employed provides tax equity, to Annapolis. The Defense Department of 2009, to lower taxes on these job-cre- lowers the cost of health insurance, and im- found Charlie and arranged for a Chi- ating small businesses. My bill con- proves an important deduction for these cago Congressman to nominate him. tains a number of provisions that will business owners. When Charlie arrived as a freshman at These and other provisions in the bill will leave more money in the hands of these Annapolis, he was promptly elected reduce the tax burden on small businesses. president of the freshman class. So you small businesses so these businesses This is especially important in the current can hire more workers, continue to pay economic environment with many small can see the progression of being an the salary of their current employees, businesses struggling to find access to credit. overcomer. and make additional investments in Allowing business owners to keep more of Upon graduation from Annapolis, these businesses. The National Federa- the money they earn provides an immediate choosing the Marines, choosing to fly, tion of Business has written a letter source of capital that will be invested back becoming a marine test pilot, applying supporting my bill. into the business. to the astronaut office, becoming an Quoting from the letter: Thank you again for your continued efforts astronaut, flying twice as shuttle pilot to support small business owners and to re- and twice as commander—four times— To get the small business economy moving duce their tax burden. I look forward to again, small business needs the tools and in- returning to active duty in the Marine working with you to see that this bill be- Corps, and rising to the level of major centives to expand and grow their business. comes law. S. 1381 provides the kind of tools and incen- Sincerely, general, after having commanded sev- tives that small businesses need. SUSAN ECKERLY, eral Marine wings; and now the dream We all want to see the job numbers Senior Vice President, Public Policy. is fulfilled that Charlie has now been from the Department of Labor moving Mr. GRASSLEY. I yield the floor. confirmed as head of the National Aer- in positive directions. We all want to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- onautics and Space Administration. see the unemployment rate plummet. I ator from Florida. I think it is interesting that at 6:03 firmly believe the best way for us to do this evening the space shuttle lifted off that is to prime the job-creating engine f into a successful mission. This space of our economy by focusing on small EXECUTIVE SESSION shuttle holds the second record for the businesses. My small business bill, if most delays—six. It is exceeded by the enacted, will lead to new jobs. This is first space flight that General Bolden in the right direction. The House EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS took, of which I had the privilege of health care reform bill, with the 5.4- Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. Presi- being a member of that crew in Janu- percent tax increase, is taking us in dent, I ask unanimous consent that the ary of 1986. We were delayed seven the wrong direction. These will be real, Senate proceed to executive session times—scrubbed four times on the pad countable, verifiable jobs that will be and that the Commerce Committee be before launching on the fifth try into an almost flawless 6-day mission. created. discharged en bloc from further consid- General Bolden takes over NASA at a In contrast, President Obama has eration of PN638 and PN639 and that critical time. NASA is in drift. It needs proposed tax increases that will cause the Senate proceed en bloc to their small business jobs to be lost. The new- a leader. But also for General Bolden to consideration; that the nominations be be successful as the leader of NASA, he est tax hike proposed is the small busi- confirmed and the motions to recon- ness surtax. As with other tax hikes on has to have the backing of the Presi- sider be laid upon the table en bloc; dent of the United States, who is the small business, I oppose the small busi- that no further motions be in order; ness surtax. I urge my colleagues on one who can give the ultimate leader- that any statements relating to the ship to our Nation’s space program. both aisles to do the same. nominations be printed in the RECORD; I ask unanimous consent to print in So it was such a privilege for me, Mr. that the President be immediately no- President, to come and propound this the RECORD the NFIB letter from which tified of the Senate’s action; and the I quoted. unanimous consent request and to see Senate then resume legislative session. the Senate confirm, by your order, There being no objection, the mate- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without rial was ordered to be printed in the unanimously, the nominations of the objection, it is so ordered. Administrator and the Deputy Admin- RECORD, as follows: The nominations considered and con- istrator of NASA. Needless to say, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF firmed are as follows: there are a lot of smiles that are going INDEPENDENT BUSINESS, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE Washington, DC, July 10, 2009. to be across America as a result of this ADMINISTRATION Senator CHARLES GRASSLEY, action. Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Fi- Charles F. Bolden, Jr., of Texas, to be Ad- Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the nance, Washington, DC. ministrator of the National Aeronautics and floor. DEAR RANKING MEMBER GRASSLEY: On be- Space Administration. Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I am half of the National Federation of Inde- Lori Garver, of Virginia, to be Deputy Ad- in support of President Obama’s nomi- pendent Business (NFIB), the nation’s lead- ministrator of the National Aeronautics and nation of Charles Bolden as the next ing small business advocacy organization, I Space Administration. Administrator of the National Aero- am writing to thank you for introducing S. Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. Presi- nautics and Space Administration, 1381, the Small Business Tax Relief Act of dent, by this action, it concludes a 2009. NASA, and Lori Garver as the Deputy Small business is the source of economic very happy chapter for what I think Administrator of NASA. growth and job creation, but the NFIB Small will be the future of the National Aero- We are at a critical point in NASA’s Business Economic Trends (SBET) survey nautics and Space Administration. history, and our space agency needs a has been near historic lows since September, PN638 is Presidential No. 638, and that leadership team devoted to the core with plans to hire and make capital expendi- is the nomination of GEN Charles F. mission of the agency. tures showing little sign of improvement. To Bolden to be the NASA Administrator, Mr. Bolden has a compelling story. get the small business economy moving whom we have just confirmed, and He transcended barriers and estab- again, small businesses need the tools and PN639 is Presidential No. 639, which is lished himself at the forefront of our incentives to expand and grow their busi- nesses. the nomination of Lori Garver to be Nation’s scientific policy. A career ma- S. 1381 provides the kinds of tools and in- Deputy Administrator for NASA which rine and true leader, Mr. Bolden is centives that small businesses need. Specifi- we have just confirmed. My congratu- deeply committed to fostering a bal- cally, increasing and making permanent sec- lations to the two of them. anced space program focused on safe,

VerDate Nov 24 2008 00:16 Jul 18, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD09\RECFILES\S15JY9.REC S15JY9 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE S7578 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 15, 2009 reliable human space exploration, and I particularly thank our esteemed tion costs. On a stretched budget, bal- robust scientific research and innova- chairman, Senator KENNEDY, for his ancing their medical expenses is a con- tion. A seasoned astronaut, Mr. Bolden longstanding leadership and dedica- stant challenge, and Paul and Marcela has experienced first hand the signifi- tion. He truly is the champion of keep hoping they will catch a break cance of space exploration, traveling health care reform. For decades, Chair- soon. into orbit four times between 1986 and man KENNEDY has worked passionately I heard from Ben, a medical student 1994, including a mission to deploy the on this important cause. And while he in Providence, who, even at such an Hubble space telescope. could not attend the markup, we felt early stage in his medical career, has From commanding missions in space his presence daily in the hearing room. witnessed the devastating effect of to serving our Nation in the U.S. Ma- And it is to his very great credit that being uninsured on the health and well- rine Corps, Mr. Bolden has displayed we had this success today. being of his patients. the experience, leadership skills, and I am pleased that the final legisla- Ben shared the story of one of his pa- know-how to successfully guide NASA tion reflects the principles outlined by tients who delayed treatment because into the future. President Obama, who called for a new he was unable to afford the medical In addition, Lori Garver is a leader in system to control skyrocketing health bills. Only a few days later, this pa- the aerospace industry and has dis- costs, expand coverage to the tens of tient was rushed to the emergency played tremendous management abil- millions left uninsured in our country, room with a life-threatening infection. ity and intellect. Her knowledge of our and ensure high quality, affordable The treatment to save this man’s life space program will be key to NASA’s health care for every American family. resulted in much higher costs for the leadership team. The bill also focuses on the priorities patient and the hospital—costs that Again, I fully support the nomination of Americans, from all corners of our Ben knows may have easily been pre- of Charles Bolden and Lori Garver as country, whose powerful and often vented if the patient was treated when the next Administrator and Deputy Ad- heart-wrenching stories underscore the the condition was in its early stages. ministrator of NASA. urgent need for reform. Ben writes: The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Behind all the statistics and all the It’s these day-to-day decisions to postpone ator from Rhode Island. numbers and all the projections and all treatment that really hurt the uninsured. f the demographics, as we all know in Mike from Riverside shared his expe- this Chamber, are a legion of personal rience of surviving cancer that was AFFORDABLE HEALTH CHOICES and family tragedies and sorrows and misdiagnosed and left untreated for ACT frustrations that we have to address. several years. When he sought a second Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, The Affordable Health Choices Act opinion, the final diagnosis was de- today, I proudly cast my vote to pass invests heavily in the delivery system layed for weeks as his paper medical out of the Senate Health, Education, reforms that will drive down costs and records were shuttled from hospital to Labor, and Pensions Committee land- bring our current outmoded, broken hospital. mark legislation that will fundamen- system into the 21st century. These On top of this frustration, Mike re- tally change the direction of our dys- changes are long past due and are es- ceived the devastating news that his functional health care system. sential if we are to protect our ship of leg had to be removed to prevent the The committee approval of the Af- state from the tidal wave of health cancer from spreading further. After fordable Health Choices Act is truly a care costs now bearing down on us. his amputation surgery, Mike is thank- tremendous victory for millions of This legislation also upholds Presi- ful to be cancer free, but now his finan- Americans who struggle with a system dent Obama’s promise: If you like the cial struggles have begun. With med- that has continually failed to provide health care you have, you can keep it. ical bills and health care premiums quality, affordable health care options But for the many Americans who want that exceed his monthly mortgage pay- for them, their families, their loved different choices or who do not have ments, Mike is wondering how he will ones, and their businesses. health insurance at all, we also offer a make ends meet. It has been a special privilege to tem- new public health insurance option I had coffee with Shirley, a Middle- porarily serve on the HELP Com- that can and must compete in an open town resident who described her relief mittee, in particular, with my distin- market with private insurance. at turning 65. For the past 20 years, she guished senior Senator, JACK REED. I As I have traveled throughout Rhode and her husband did not have insur- do not think there is a formal rule Island, at community dinners and sen- ance. As self-employed business owners against it, but it is a rarity in the Sen- ior centers, at coffees and on our main in their fifties, finding affordable in- ate for two Members from the same streets, I have heard stories of frustra- surance options was impossible, so State of the same party to serve on the tion and heartache at our broken they went without. They took their same committee. My brief tenure on health care system. Earlier this year, I chances. the HELP Committee gave me the launched a health care storyboard on Now 65 and eligible for Medicare, chance to witness firsthand the resolve my Web site where Rhode Islanders can they finally have peace of mind. Shir- and caring leadership that is JACK share their experiences and ideas for ley admits she and her husband were REED’s hallmark and that was shown health reform. In just a few short lucky to make it through those 20 throughout this historic debate. months, hundreds of Rhode Islanders years without serious health problems. I also applaud the unwavering com- have written to share their ideas and During our meeting, she urged us to mitment and leadership of President experiences. These are just a few of pass health care reform for the mil- Obama, and the tireless efforts of my them. lions of hard-working Americans— Senate colleagues, in the pursuit of Paul and Marcela from Newport told hard-working, middle-class Ameri- meaningful, comprehensive reform. me about the health complications cans—who are not as fortunate as she I feel really very privileged to have that Paul and his son have endured and her husband. served with Chairman DODD and Rank- from type 1 diabetes. The related med- For these Rhode Islanders—and for ing Member ENZI. Chairman DODD had ical conditions Paul has suffered from millions more Americans all over the this responsibility fall upon him when the diabetes have left him unable to country—there has to be a better way. illness overtook probably his best work. We have to do better than 47 million friend in the Senate, Chairman KEN- To compensate for the family’s loss uninsured and millions more teetering NEDY. And he gave me, at least, as a of income, Marcela works tirelessly, on the brink. We have to do better than junior Senator, an education in Senate taking on a full-time and part-time job 100,000 people dying each year from chairmanship. to pay the bills. Like so many hard- avoidable medical errors. We have to Ranking Member ENZI presented an working Americans, they fall just do better than health care outcomes unforgettable model of graciousness short of income eligibility cutoffs for for Americans who are at the bottom of and civility. And all of the members of State assistance programs, forcing all our industrialized competitors. the committee worked hard and sin- them to bear the brunt of expensive America can do better than this. With cerely. medical cos, premiums, and prescrip- this legislation, we believe the process

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