July 26, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE 16283 SENATE—Wednesday, July 26, 2000 The Senate met at 9:31 a.m. and was Again, if cloture is invoked on the mo- to be offered, the time for the debate, called to order by the President pro tion, postcloture debate will begin im- and some tangential but very impor- tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. mediately. tant issues such as the consideration of As a reminder, on Thursday the appointments of Federal district court PRAYER morning hour has been set aside for judges across America to fill vacancies. The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John those Senators who wish to make their These judgeships have been a source of Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: final statements in remembrance of great controversy in recent times be- Almighty God, take charge of the the life of our former friend and col- cause there is a clear difference of control centers of our brains. Think league, Senator Paul Coverdell. At the opinion between Democrats and Repub- Your thoughts through us and send to expiration of that time, a vote on the licans about how many judges should our nervous systems the pure signals of motion to proceed to the energy and be appointed this year. Your peace, power, and patience. Give water appropriations bill will occur. Of course, the Republicans in control us minds responsive to Your guidance. I thank my colleagues for their at- of the Senate are hopeful that their Take charge of our tongues so that tention. I yield the floor. I suggest the candidate for President will prevail in we may speak truth with clarity, with- absence of a quorum. November and that all of the vacancies out rancor or anger. May our debates The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The can then be filled by a Republican be efforts to reach agreement rather clerk will call the roll. President. That is understandable. The than simply to win arguments. Help us The legislative clerk proceeded to Democrats, on the other hand, in the to think of each other as fellow Ameri- call the roll. minority in the Senate, have a Presi- cans seeking Your best for our Nation, Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask dent who has the authority to appoint rather than enemy parties seeking to unanimous consent that the order for these judges and wants to exercise that defeat each other. Make us channels of the quorum call be rescinded. authority in this closing year. Therein Your grace to others. May we respond The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. AL- lies the clash in confrontation. to Your nudges to communicate affir- LARD). Without objection, it is so or- Historically, the last time the tables mation and encouragement. dered. were turned and there was a Repub- Help us to catch the drumbeat of f lican President and a Democratic Sen- ate, President Ronald Reagan had 60 Your direction and march to the ca- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME dence of Your guidance. Here are our Federal district court judges appointed lives. Inspire them with Your calming The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under in the election year. In fact, there were Spirit, strengthen them with Your the previous order, the leadership time hearings on some of them as late at powerful presence, and imbue them is reserved. September of that year. This year, we with Your gift of faith to trust You to f have had about 30 appointed and we have many more vacancies, many more bring unity into our diversity. In our MORNING BUSINESS Lord’s name. Amen. pending. We are hopeful, on the Demo- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under cratic side, these will be filled. Those f the previous order, there will now be a on the Republican side are adamant PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE period for the transaction of morning that they do not want to bring them The Honorable WAYNE ALLARD, a business for debate only, except for a up. I hope they will reconsider that and Senator from the State of Colorado, led motion to proceed made by the major- at least give Democrats the same con- the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: ity leader or his designee and the filing sideration we offered President Reagan I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the of a cloture motion thereon. Senators when he faced a Democratic Senate United States of America, and to the Repub- will be permitted to speak therein for with many Federal district court va- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, up to 10 minutes each. Under the pre- cancies. indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. vious order, there should be 20 minutes The other item of business which f under the control of the Senator from consumed our attention over the last Illinois, Mr. DURBIN, or his designee, week or two related to tax relief. It is RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING and under the previous order there an interesting issue and one that many MAJORITY LEADER should be 20 minutes under the control Members like to take back home and The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The of the Senator from Maine, Ms. COL- discuss; certainly most American fami- acting majority leader, Senator AL- LINS, or her designee. lies, regardless of whether they are LARD, is recognized. The Senator from Illinois. rich or poor, desire some reduction in f f their tax burden. The difference of opinion between the SCHEDULE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES Democrats and Republicans on this Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, today Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I am issue is very stark. There is a consider- the Senate will be in a period of morn- certain those who were observing the ation on the Republican side that tax ing business until 10:15 a.m. with Sen- Senate Chamber yesterday and perhaps relief should go to those who pay the ators DURBIN and COLLINS in control of the day before are curious as to why most. Of course, those who pay the the time. Following morning business, absolutely nothing is happening. It re- most taxes are, in fact, the wealthiest the Senate will proceed to a cloture flects the fact that there is no agree- in this country. We have a progressive vote on the motion to proceed to the ment between the parties as to how to tax system. We have had it for a long Treasury and general government ap- proceed on the business of the Senate, time. We believe if one is fortunate propriations bill. If cloture is invoked, particularly on the appropriations enough to be successful, those tax- the Senate will begin 30 hours of bills. payers owe something back to this postcloture debate. If cloture is not in- At this moment in time negotiations country. Those who are more success- voked, the Senate will proceed to a sec- are underway, and hopefully they will ful owe more back to this country. You ond vote on the motion to proceed to be completed successfully very soon. can’t take blood from a turnip; you the intelligence authorization bill. At issue is the number of amendments can’t put a high tax rate on a person ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Aug 04 2004 13:23 Nov 17, 2004 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR00\S26JY0.000 S26JY0 16284 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE July 26, 2000 with a low income. But you can cer- month; if you happen to be with the Republican answer is: Tax cuts for tainly say to a successful person: We vast majority of Americans, you re- wealthy people. The Democratic an- ask you to contribute back to America. ceive $16 a month. swer is much different: First, pay down We ask you, in the payment of taxes, That is the Republican view of the the national debt. We can’t guarantee to help maintain this great Nation world. That is the Republican view of the surplus will be here in a year, 2 which has given you, your family, and tax relief: If we are going to help peo- years, or 10 years. If it is here, your business such a wonderful oppor- ple, for goodness’ sake, let’s help the shouldn’t it be our highest priority? tunity. wealthy feel their pain, understand the Let’s wipe off the debt of this country The Republican program from the anxiety they must face in making in- as best we can, reduce the burden on start, as long as I have served in Con- vestments, in choosing locations for our children, invest in Social Security gress, has always been to reduce the new vacation homes, and give them and in Medicare. tax burden on those who are the some tax relief. This is not a wild-eyed idea. It is wealthiest in this country. I happen to The fact is that 80 percent of Ameri- what Alan Greenspan of the Federal believe the tables should be turned and cans are making under $50,000 a year. Reserve recommends. It is what major we should have a situation where those For these Americans, $15 or $16 a economists recommend. But you can- who are in the lower income groups month is something, but it is certainly not sell it on the Republican side of the and middle-income families who are not going to change their lifestyle. aisle. They think, instead, we should struggling to make ends meet should Mr. President, 26 percent of Ameri- give tax cuts to the wealthy. be the ones most deserving of tax re- cans make between $50,000 and $100,000 We think we should bring down the lief.