S3346 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 20, 2007 trained clinical staff, primarily nurses, from Force—was in his fourth tour in Iraq 1953, President Eisenhower joked to re- the local delivery systems. Our system con- when he was taken from this life, at cipient Raymond G. ‘‘Jerry’’ Murphy, tinues to suffer and decline as medical pro- the age of 28. ‘‘What is it . . . Something in the fessionals move to hospitals in neighboring Sergeant Gould was a unique man, water out there in Pueblo? All you locales because higher Medicare Wage In- with a unique job in Iraq: he was an ex- dexes allow these regions to pay higher sala- guys turn out to be heroes.’’ ries. plosives ordnance demolition techni- President Eisenhower was not far off. Our region has been fortunate, through the cian—a marine who disarmed bombs. In There is something special in Pueblo— leadership of Senator and oth- a country whose fabric is strained al- the brave sons and daughters, like ers, to have benefited from temporary Sec- most daily with bomb attacks, Ser- Blake Harris, that have answered the tion 508 funding adjustments over the past geant Gould was there to help prevent call to service for this Nation and several years. These adjustments have been a them, literally working to defuse vio- those that have given up their lives for temporary yet critical funding source for our lence that threatened his fellow ma- area hospitals. The loss of these funds will the cause of freedom. They are heroes. represent at least a $35 million financial loss rines and Iraqis alike. Unfortunately, we cannot bring back for area facilities, a loss that cannot be ab- Dustin Gould grew up in several the heroes like Blake Harris. And, like sorbed by commercial insurers and their cus- towns in Colorado and attended Ber- so many of our Nation’s soldiers that tomers. thoud High School in Longmont, which have made this ultimate sacrifice, We are therefore asking for consideration he graduated in 1997. He chose to serve Blake Harris was man of great courage of a more permanent solution to the current his Nation in the Marine Corps because and character who had his entire life calculation of Medicare Wage Index reim- of their elite status. ahead of him. bursement for facilities in the northeast and During his service to this Nation, the Blake met his wife Joanna at South north central regions of . Marine Corps estimates that Staff Ser- DENISE S. CESARE, High School, and while Blake was in President and CEO. geant Gould neutralized more than a Iraq they kept in contact every day. He million pounds of explosives, explosives graduated from South High in 2002 [From the Scranton Times Tribune, Feb. 24, that could have killed untold numbers after spending 3 years in ROTC , and he 2007] of marines. Every time Dustin Gould followed in his father’s footsteps by en- RESOLVE FUNDING FOR QUALITY CARE went to work, he saved lives. That, listing in the Army. He was in his sec- Hospitals in Northeastern Pennsylvania truly, is the definition of heroism. ond tour in Iraq and was stationed in face the same economic pressures as hos- With all of this talk of military serv- Baghdad. Specialist Harris loved his pitals everywhere else—and then some. Here, ice, we should not lose sight of the job and was looking to become a career hospitals also face a vicious cycle involving man. Dustin Gould loved the outdoors Medicare funding that threatens the finan- soldier, a man who dedicated his life to and spent his spare time as a young the service of his country. cial well-being of regional hospitals and, man there with his father. He was re- therefore, access to quality health care for After the assassination of American hundreds of thousands of regional residents. spectful and thoughtful, a natural lead- civil rights pioneer the Reverend Dr. Wage rates at regional hospitals are lower er who never hesitated to lend a hand Martin Luther King, Jr., Senator Rob- than those for larger metropolitan areas, re- to a friend in need. ert Kennedy reflected upon the words sulting in lower Medicare reimbursements, GEN Douglas MacArthur once said, of the Greek poet Aeschylus: ‘‘Even in resulting in the inability of many hospitals ‘‘The soldier, above all other people, our sleep, pain which cannot forget to significantly increase wages, resulting in prays for peace, for he must suffer and falls drop by drop upon the heart, lower reimbursements . . . and on it goes. bear the deepest wounds and scars of The low reimbursement issue is particularly until, in our own despair, against our war.’’ Dustin’s father David said that will, comes wisdom through the awful difficult for hospitals in this region because Dustin did not relish conflict but was the relatively high average age here means grace of God.’’ that regional hospitals have a higher per- serving his Nation because a higher To his wife Joanna and their son centage of Medicare patients than do hos- calling, protecting our freedom and Jonah and Blake’s parents John and pitals in other parts of the country. Thus, way of life, compelled him to act. He Deborah, the prayers of our entire Na- they treat more Medicare patients for less did not seek praise or recognition but tion are with you, today and always. money. instead accomplished his job with hu- Each and every American is humbled Since 2004, the hospitals have done some- mility and courage and in doing so what better because of a temporary fix au- by the sacrifice made by Blake. He helped others do the same. served with honor and distinction, and thorized by Congress, under which indexes In the midst of America’s Civil War, from nearby metropolitan areas have been I hope that the pride in his service and President Abraham Lincoln wrote to applied to the regional hospitals. That meas- memories you carry with you will help the mother of a Union soldier, ‘‘I pray ure is due to expire in June and, without an ease the grief you feel at his loss. extension, 13 regional hospitals will return that our Heavenly Father may assuage to the standard reimbursement formula and the anguish of your bereavement, and f lose $35 million a year. leave you only the cherished memory According to several local hospital admin- of the loved and lost, and the solemn S. CON. RES. 20 istrators who met with Sen. Arlen Specter pride that must be yours, to have laid Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I wish to on the issue this week, they have been able to reduce nursing shortages through better so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of take a moment to explain why I felt it pay and otherwise shore up their operations Freedom.’’ We pray now for Dustin, for necessary to vote against the Gregg since Congress’ action in 2004. his wife Elizabeth, and for his whole resolution on Iraq, S. Con. Res. 20, Nationwide, about 80 hospitals are in the family. The wounds they suffer from when the Senate considered this and same position as those in Northeastern the loss of Dustin are deep and painful, other measures related to Iraq on Pennsylvania. Mr. Specter and Sen. Bob and we as a Nation honor their and March 15, 2007. Casey, along with Reps. and Dustin’s humbling sacrifice by never The Bush administration and the Re- , should work with their col- forgetting this fine young man. publican leadership in Congress have leagues from the other regions with unreal- istic reimbursement rates, in order to per- SPECIALIST BLAKE HARRIS been making every effort until re- manently set fair rates that ensure access to Mr. President, I ask the Senate to cently to avoid any real debate on Iraq quality care. turn its attention to the loss of a Colo- and have, at each and every step of the f radan in Iraq, Army SPC Blake Harris, way, supported the failed stay-the- of Pueblo, CO. SPC Harris was in the course strategy by conflating Iraq with HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES Army’s 1st Squadron, 12th Cavalry the war on terrorism and by propa- STAFF SERGEANT DUSTIN GOULD Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Di- gating a false choice concerning Iraq: Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I wish vision. He was only 22 years old, and according to their logic, you either to take a moment of the Senate’s time will be laid to rest later this week. support the President or you harm the to remember a Coloradan who was lost Pueblo, CO, is known as the ‘‘Home troops. to us in Iraq last week. Marine Corps of Heroes.’’ Pueblo hosts National I firmly reject this false choice, as I SSgt Dustin Michael Gould—7th Engi- Medal of Honor Day and has had as rejected the Gregg resolution which neer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Lo- many as four living Medal of Honor re- was an attempt to validate that false gistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary cipients living in the community. In choice.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:25 Mar 21, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A20MR6.082 S20MRPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMSENATE March 20, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3347 There is no doubt that I and every Voting for a resolution expressing going to work to keep food on the table other Member in this body will do all support for the troops is not the same and a paycheck in the mail. This is not in our power to protect our troops as making concrete decisions to actu- acceptable. People get sick every day. while they are serving so bravely in ally do so. Making sure they are fully They should have the right to get med- Iraq or wherever else their political equipped and that the mission they ical treatment without jeopardizing leaders decide to send them. That is have been sent to do is achievable is a their jobs or harming the people why there was overwhelming Senate fundamental part of meaningfully sup- around them. The Healthy Families support for the Murray resolution, S. porting the troops. For me and many Act would guarantee them that right. Res. 107, which we voted on prior to the others in this body, our vote in support According to Harvard University’s Gregg resolution. of the Reid resolution, S.J. Res 9, was Global Working Families Project, 139 I would remind our colleagues that I a vote to support our troops by man- nations provide some sort of paid sick have fought as hard as anyone in the dating a different direction in the cur- days; 177 of those nations guarantee at Congress to ensure that our troops rent failed policy in Iraq, namely the least a week of annual sick pay. The have the equipment and resources they phased redeployment of our combat , however, has no such need in Iraq—on some occasions over troops from Iraq, and a narrowing of guarantee—the federal Family and the objections of the administration the mission for those who remain. Medical Leave Act provides only un- and their congressional allies, I might I will continue to stand up for what I paid sick leave for serious personal or add. believe is a necessary change in course family illnesses. This lack of paid sick In 2003, the Army identified $322 mil- in Iraq and in American strategy. I will leave puts our Nation’s workforce, both lion in shortfalls in critical health and continue to fight to reverse the Presi- present and future, at risk. safety gear—ranging from body armor, dent’s failed policy which has made us As ranking member of the Com- camelback hydration systems, and less safe, which has created a safe mittee on Small Business and Entre- com- haven for extremists and terrorists in preneurship, I am extremely conscious bat helmets to equipment for deacti- of the regulatory burden that our busi- vating high-explosives—all priorities Iraq, and which has undermined the nesses face—particularly our small that the Rumsfeld Pentagon and Bush moral and political standing of the businesses. I believe that government administration failed to provide for in United States around the world. Most important, I will continue to should avoid weighing down small busi- their initial budgets. I offered an stand up for our brave men and women nesses with unnecessary regulations. amendment to the emergency appro- However, the more I have examined priations bill to resolve these prob- in uniform. I will continue to fight for lems. Unfortunately, the Bush adminis- increased funding for body armor and this issue, the more obvious it becomes tration opposed this legislation, and other critical needs. I will continue to that this legislation benefits both em- the amendment was defeated along fight for funding for our military per- ployees and employers. It does not take a rocket scientist to party lines with the help of the very sonnel to keep them safe and effective figure out that healthy employees are same Senators who are now claiming and to ensure they are not forgotten if to be supporting our troops. they come home injured and in need of the key to a productive and vibrant In 2004, we tried a different ap- care. economy. Healthy employees are more proach—requiring the Department of I will continue to call for meaningful productive and often more efficient. Defense to reimburse military per- actions in this Congress to redirect But, without paid sick days, many em- sonnel who bought equipment with funding away from major combat oper- ployees will go to work rather than their own funds for military service in ations, while ensuring that we have the take time off to get regular preventa- Iraq and Afghanistan that the Rums- means and tools necessary to continue tive medical checkups or to recover feld Pentagon had failed to provide. vital training and equipping of Iraqi se- from an attacking illness or to care for This time, despite ardent objections of curity forces, counter terrorism oper- a sick child. Thus, they will get sick Secretary Rumsfeld’s Pentagon, Con- ations, and the diplomatic, political, more often, and their illnesses will gress approved the legislation in Octo- and economic offensive and strategies spread. Employees who opt to come to ber 2004, President Bush signed the bill that are the key elements to finding a work when sick can make their condi- into law. We approved similar legisla- solution to the crisis in Iraq and in the tion worse or even spread their illness tion in 2005 to further extend this ben- wider region. to coworkers. For a business, it is far efit as troops, their families, and their I refuse to be cowed or bullied by more costly to cope with a depleted communities continued to dig into false choices. It is long overdue that we staff or to search for a replacement their own pockets to buy needed life- stand up to unreasonable arguments, when an employee is suffering from an saving equipment for use on the battle- conflated logic, attacks against dissent extended illness than it is to provide field. and debate, and most important, failed just 7 sick days. Providing employees Last year, the difficulties associated policies which are making our country with a small number of paid sick days with equipment shortfalls posed a far less safe, each and every day. is a simple and commonsense fix that more serious problem. I offered an f will save businesses time and money. amendment to address a $17 billion In addition, I have heard that small HEALTHY FAMILIES ACT budget shortfall to replace and repair businesses often complain that they thousands of war-battered tanks, air- Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, on Thurs- want to offer this benefit but are un- craft, and vehicles. Without these addi- day, March 15, 2007, I proudly joined able to and need a level playing field. tional resources, the Army Chief of Senator KENNEDY as a cosponsor of the This legislation would offer them just Staff claimed that U.S. Army readiness Healthy Families Act. This legislation that. would deteriorate even further. will provide full-time employees with Mr. President, I hope my colleagues That said, still more remains to be up to 7 paid sick days a year so that will take a look at the Healthy Fami- done if the men and women on active they can take care of their own med- lies Act and will join me in cospon- duty, in the Reserves and National ical needs or the medical needs of fam- soring it. Guard are to be fully equipped and ily members. Part-time employees f ready to defend our country. We need would receive a pro-rata amount of to make certain that our troops have paid sick leave. All employers—public ASSAULT WEAPONS the resources they need to stay ready and private—with at least 15 employees Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the Na- to fight wherever and whenever duty would be covered by the Healthy Fami- tional Rifle Association leadership has calls. Regrettably, the war in Iraq is lies Act. stated repeatedly that a ban on assault actually draining these resources and Today, 57 million workers in the weapons is ineffective and unnecessary. making us less safe. That is why I am United States do not have paid sick They assert that guns labeled as as- going to work to continue restocking days. Thus, when faced with either a sault weapons are rarely used in vio- our troops’ equipment inventories to personal or family medical issue, they lent crimes and that most people use restore their readiness and assure their are forced to choose between caring for them for hunting. However, despite protection. themselves or their loved ones and these repeated assertions, the list of

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