S11214 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 25, 1996 that. I counted the reforms we have thing about property rights. Well, that a bill that would make America com- passed, and I would challenge anybody is one area where we have not been suc- petitive again, and the President ve- to find a 10-year period in history when cessful. I would like to say that we are toed it. there have been more reforms passed able to pass all of the reforms that we So I think we have a lot of things by Congress than we have passed. wanted to pass. Unfortunately, several that we wanted to do. There was the Congressional accountability—the of them were vetoed by this President. $500-per-child tax credit, which the fact that we now have to live under the The reform that will go down, I think, President vetoed. There was regulation same laws that we impose upon other in history as the most significant re- reform, and some of the marriage pen- people in the rest of the country. I form that the public is aware of would alties that we were going to correct, spent 30 years in the private sector. I be welfare reform. I have to remind you and the President vetoed it. understand what it is like to have to that President Clinton vetoed this bill In spite of that, we have been a very live under an overregulated society, twice. We passed a welfare reform bill productive House and Senate, and I am and, yet, Members of Congress histori- that was based on what he campaigned very proud of the major reforms that cally have been exempt from most of on for President in 1992. He vetoed it, have passed. I only regret that we were those impositions. Now they are going and then he vetoed it a second time. unable to get them all passed because to have to live under the same laws But just as we are getting into the of the vetoes of the President, and per- that we pass for other people. I think final stages of the Presidential election haps that will change in the near fu- that is a major accomplishment of this year, he has signed it. At the same ture. Republican Congress. time, he has whispered to his friends on I yield the floor and suggest the ab- The line-item veto: As long as I can the left that if he is reelected, he will sence of a quorum. remember, we have talked about that— change some of the reforms that we The PRESIDING OFFICER. The about reforming the line-item veto. A have in the welfare bill. clerk will call the roll. lot of my friends say, well, I would like There are three things I have often The assistant legislative clerk pro- to have the line-item veto, as long as said that make us globally non- ceeded to call the roll. we know we have a conservative in the competitive, Mr. President. One is that White House, or the other side of the we are overtaxed. The other is we are Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask fence would say they would like to overregulated. Third is our tort laws in unanimous consent that the order for have a line-item veto as long as we this country. I was proud to be a part the quorum call be rescinded. have a liberal there. But I suggest to of the success in changing our tort The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. you, Mr. President, that they miss the laws as it pertains to just one manufac- INHOFE). Without objection, it is so point when they say that, because all a turing item: airplanes and airplane ordered. line-item veto does is force the Presi- parts. I have about a 39-year history dent and Congress to be accountable. and background in aviation. So I know f Republicans and Democrats in the a little bit about that. Prior to 1970, we White House, for decades, have been made almost the entire world supply of SENATOR airplanes in the —a able to say, well, I didn’t want that Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I rise to major export item. And then, over the law, but I had to either sign that be- pay tribute to our departing colleague, cause veterans benefits are in there, or 10-year period of the 1970’s, and up PAUL SIMON. something else was in there, and con- through to the present time, we quit All of us have an image of what a sequently they go ahead and sign some- making single-engine airplanes in U.S. Senator ought to be. It will not thing that they say they are opposed America. We quit making them only surprise anyone that not all who serve to. This forces them, or him, or her, for one reason, which is that you can’t here measure up. PAUL SIMON is some- Democrat or Republican, to be ac- be globally competitive and offset the one who clearly measures up. He is countable, so that if there is 1 thing cost of all these lawsuits. So we have thoughtful, hard-working, and com- out of 25 things in a bill that he doesn’t lawsuit after lawsuit against manufac- mitted. He has a clear philosophy and like, he can veto it and send it back, turers of airplane parts and of air- the integrity to stand up for it. PAUL’S and that makes us accountable. planes where maybe it has worked per- So the whole idea there is account- fectly well for 50 years, but all of a sud- manner is open. His approach is ability. We have passed that. I feel very den there is an accident and they will thoughtful and considerate. He is one good about it and think that is a major go back and get a multimillion-dollar who cares more about solving problems improvement. Back before I was in the judgment against the manufacturer, than making himself look good. U.S. Senate, I represented an all-urban and, consequently, our manufacturers I think of him as a part of a long line area, primarily one county in the State either went broke or quit making small of Senators from that are epit- of Oklahoma. So I did not have much of airplanes. omized by . Perhaps I the agricultural areas and interests in I remember the case of Piper Air- should say that in my mind Paul Doug- my district. But I found, as I traveled craft. They said to the bankruptcy las is epitomized by PAUL SIMON be- around the State after becoming a court, ‘‘We can move our plant and all cause both of them brought great in- Member of the U.S. Senate, where I had of our equipment to Canada and make tegrity and intellect to this body. largely an agricultural State, the peo- the same airplanes and supply the It is not unusual for PAUL SIMON and ple who are in the farm communities in same market and do so at a profit be- I to be on opposite sides of an issue. Oklahoma—and I suspect it is that way cause of the fact that they don’t have But, I have never found him to be un- throughout the Nation—really have the tort laws we have in this country.’’ willing to listen or unwilling to be ob- felt that we have had a failed agricul- So we passed a bill. Even though the jective. He is the kind of person who tural policy in this country, that we President made a commitment to veto comes here to serve, who displays in- have imposed upon our farmers things any kind of meaningful tort reform, he tegrity in office, and places the integ- that they must do. Yet, they are not signed it because we had so much pres- rity of his person above selfish inter- free to plant what they think the mar- sure out there. People realized this is a ests. ket will bear and what will best take major manufacturing area that could It has been a great privilege for me care of their needs. benefit all of America. to work with PAUL SIMON. He is some- Well, the Freedom to Farm Act was In Oklahoma alone, we can identify one I admire now and I will admire him passed, and I find, as I go around—as I 4,000 jobs as a result of that one tort re- for the rest of my life because he em- did, as a matter of fact, only Monday of form. Well, it would only stand to rea- bodies, the best that is in us. He has this week. I had, I think, seven town son that if we can put America back brought this body a nobleness which is meetings throughout agricultural into making airplanes by having tort in short supply. As one who hopes the areas in Oklahoma. They all think it is reform, insofar as the manufacture of Republican Party will win the seat in very good. airplanes and parts is concerned, why Illinois, I will still be sad to see PAUL Do you know what else they think, not spread that across the entire man- SIMON go. He has enriched this body. Mr. President? They want to do some- ufacturing base? So we did. We passed He has enriched all of

VerDate Aug 31 2005 00:20 Jul 01, 2008 Jkt 041999 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 J:\ODA16\1996_F~1\S25SE6.REC S25SE6 mmaher on MIKETEMP with SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS September 25, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11215 us who have had the pleasure to serve Medicare they have earned. They cause they know Medicare was put on with him. should also be able to keep their own the chopping block by this Republican I yield the floor. doctor, and be protected against profit- Congress. Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I eering by private insurance companies. Despite various promises made prior thank my friend and colleague from Senior citizens deserve quality nurs- to the 1994 election that there would be Colorado for those excellent words ing home care, without bankrupting no cuts in Medicare, the Republicans about a colleague—a very serious trib- their families. President Clinton has proposed cuts of $270 billion to Medi- ute, a very sincere one, and we are led the effort to fill the gaps in Medi- care to pay for a $245 billion tax cut. grateful to him as a friend of PAUL’S care by providing coverage for pre- Now is talking about an eco- for his observations about his service. I scription drugs, and for long-term care nomic plan that will cost $681 billion thank him for his very generous com- in a nursing home or a senior citizen’s over a 7-year period. He has indicated ments. I am sure Senator SIMON will, own home. he is not going to cut the defense budg- but I would certainly agree with all of Americans deserve protection against et; in fact, he has said he would in- his conclusions. I thank him for mak- the excesses of insurance companies crease the defense budget with addi- ing those views clear on the Senate that put healthy profits above healthy tional funding for B–2 bombers and a floor today. patients. They deserve a strong FDA to number of other areas. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under protect people from harmful drugs, The whole question is how can we the previous order, the Senator from guarantee a safe food supply, and crack have any confidence that the Medicare Massachusetts is recognized for up to down on shameful tobacco industry cut is not going to be of a similar pro- 30 minutes. practices that entice children to start portion in spite of his statements made f smoking. prior to the election. ‘‘President Clin- These are basic principles that the ton and Vice President GORE are re- THE CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT, vast majority of Americans support— sorting to scare tactics falsely accus- AND HEALTH CARE but not Bob Dole, NEWT GINGRICH, and ing Republicans of secret plans to cut Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, this Republicans in Congress. NEWT GING- Medicare benefits.’’ Bob Dole said this past weekend, Bob Dole used his Satur- RICH has said that he wants Medicare just before the election in 1994. Haley day radio address to attack the Presi- to wither on the vine.’’ House Majority Barbour said the same thing: ‘‘As far as dent’s record on health care. He re- Leader DICK ARMEY has called it a pro- I’m concerned, the Democrats’ big lie peated his attack yesterday. He even gram that he would have no part of in campaign is that the Contract With claimed credit for passage of the Kasse- a free world.’’ Bob Dole said that he is America would require huge Medicare baum-Kennedy health insurance reform proud to have voted against Medicare cuts. It would not.’’ bill. at the beginning. As he told the Amer- Soon after the election, the GOP in- Few issues are more important to the ican Conservative Union, ‘‘I was there, troduced their plan: $270 billion in cuts American people than access to afford- fighting the fight, voting against Medi- in Medicare to pay for $245 billion in able, quality health care. They want it care, one of twelve, because we knew it tax cuts. for their children, for their parents, wouldn’t work.’’ Republicans in Congress didn’t stop and for themselves. But Bob Dole was That was said not in 1965, Mr. Presi- with Medicare. They also proposed deep wrong on his facts, and he was wrong in dent, but in his run for the Presidency. cuts in Medicaid—a devastating one- his conclusions. The Dole-Gingrich Republican budget two punch for senior citizens and the On health care, the choice in Novem- would have slashed Medicare by $270 disabled. Under the GOP plan, 9 million ber is clear. President Clinton and billion. Under the Republican budget Americans—children, senior citizens, Democrats in Congress stand on the Bob Dole forced through the Senate, and the disabled—would have lost side of American families. Bob Dole Medicare premiums would have dou- health care coverage under Medicaid. and the Republican leadership in Con- bled, deductibles would have doubled, They proposed to slash the program by gress have consistently put families and the Medicare age of eligibility $180 billion. They also proposed to last and special interests first when it would have been raised. eliminate Federal nursing home qual- comes to health care and health re- Every senior couple would have paid ity standards—not modify them, not form. an additional $2,400 over the life of the improve them, but eliminate them. The Republican leadership in this plan in increased premiums alone. No one should be forced to go back to Dole-Gingrich Congress tried to slash Make no mistake, Bob Dole and the Re- the time before Federal nursing home Medicare. They tried to trash Med- publican Congress are no friends of quality standards were enacted in 1987. icaid. Bob Dole personally tried to kill Medicare. Elderly patients were often allowed to the Kassebaum-Kennedy bill. The Re- To make matters worse, Bob Dole go uncleaned for days, lying in their publican leadership blocked mental and NEWT GINGRICH formed an unholy own excrement. They were tied to health parity and new protection for alliance with the private insurance in- wheelchairs and beds under conditions mothers and infants, until Democratic dustry to try to privatize Medicare, to that would not be tolerated in any pris- members of Congress forced them to force senior citizens to give up their on in America. act. Republicans continue to resist en- family doctor, leave conventional Deliberate abuse and outright vio- actment of a simple rule telling HMO’s Medicare, and join a private insurance lence were inflicted on helpless senior and insurance companies that they plan. The Republicans claimed their citizens by callous and sadistic attend- can’t prohibit doctors from telling pa- plan was intended to give senior citi- ants. Painful, untreated, and com- tients about medical treatments they zens a choice. But as all elderly Ameri- pletely avoidable bedsores were wide- need. cans know, giving up the doctor they spread. Patients were scalded to death Throughout this Congress, Repub- have chosen to provide billions of dol- in hot baths and showers, sedated to licans have been obstructionists on lars in profits for private insurance the point of unconsciousness, or iso- health care reform. There is no reason companies is no choice at all. Again lated from all normal life—all because to believe they will deal constructively and again, Congress voted on these fly-by-night nursing home operators with the problems facing our health issues. Again and again, Bob Dole were profiteering from the misery of care system if they retain control of voted with most Republicans in favor their patients. the Congress or win the White House. of private insurance plans and against Congress stopped all that by insisting President Clinton and Democrats in senior citizens. that all nursing homes must meet Congress are committed to genuine Bob Dole claimed before the 1994 basic standards. Yet those are the progress on health reform. The Amer- election that Republicans had no plan standards that Bob Dole and NEWT ican people know we’re on their side. to cut Medicare. He said that President GINGRICH tried to eliminate. They Every American who works hard and Clinton and the Democrats were just would also have removed protections plays by the rules should have access using scare tactics. Bob Dole is saying against impoverishing children and to affordable health insurance cov- the same thing this year—but this time spouses of senior citizens who need erage. Senior citizens deserve the the American people know better, be- nursing home care.

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