To provide for the establishment of a reserve fund concerning pandemic influenza preparedness planning.

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR
2007

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the Senate will
resume consideration of S. Con. Res. 83, which the clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 83) setting forth the
congressional budget for the United States Government for
fiscal year 2007 and including the appropriate budgetary
levels for fiscal years 2007 and 2008 through 2011.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the time from 9
a.m. to 10:30 a.m. shall be evenly divided between the Senator from New
Hampshire, Mr. Gregg, and the Senator from North Dakota, Mr. Conrad.
Pending:

Specter amendment No. 3048, to increase the advance
appropriations allowance in order to fund health, education
and training, and low-income programs.
Reid (for Clinton/Reid) amendment No. 3115, to increase
funding in fiscal year 2007 by $347 million to restore
funding or provide increased funding over fiscal year 2006
for programs and policies that support the delivery of
contraceptive services and medically accurate information in
order to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies,
including Title X of the Public Health Service Act, and to
restore funding or provide increased funding over fiscal year
2006 for programs that help women have healthy pregnancies
and healthy children, including the Child Care Development
Block Grant, Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, Healthy
Start, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for
Women, Infants, and Children paid for by closing corporate
tax loopholes.

Recognition of the Majority Leader

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized.

Schedule

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morning we are returning to the budget
resolution for what we hope will be the final day. Chairman Gregg and
Senator Conrad will be managing the time until 10:30 a.m. At 10:30, we
have an order for a series of four stacked votes. The first two are on
the debt limit extension, and the last two votes are in relation to the
avian flu amendments to the budget resolution. The two managers will
then control the remaining time until 1:30 this afternoon when all time
expires.
At 1:30 today, we begin disposing of the pending amendments and any
additional amendments that are offered. This is the beginning of the
so-called vote-arama. This is a difficult process. These votes will
likely continue for a while today and possibly into the evening. I urge
my colleagues to remain in or around the Chamber.
I was talking to the Democratic manager, and we both agreed, as does
the Republican manager, that our colleagues must and we encourage them
to show restraint during the day and recognize not every amendment
needs to be offered. Yesterday, Senators missed some votes because they
did not show up on time. The managers will be very clear in terms of
how much time is allowed for each vote. We encourage Members to stay
close to the Chamber so they do not miss the votes. The only way to
finish the budget is to have that discipline and not to drag the votes
on for 15 minutes or more. I also encourage Members to rethink whether
they need to offer their amendments, as I stated earlier.
Finally, I note that we have some nominations to consider before we
adjourn. On the list of nominations are two district judges we will
finish. If votes are needed, then we will need to schedule those votes
with the budget votes as well. However, I hope we can work on a
nominations list that will be agreed to by unanimous consent.
I thank Senator Gregg and Senator Conrad for their efforts so far. I
thank everyone in advance for their patience during this budget
process.
Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

[[Page S2226]]

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Amendment No. 3133

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I am offering an amendment on avian flu. I
offered this same amendment in the committee because after testimony by
Secretary Leavitt before the Committee on the Budget, we are clearly
still unprepared to meet any potential pandemic.
Here is what the U.N. said on March 9:

``Bird flu is likely to spread to birds in the United
States within six months and could produce an epidemic among
humans `at any time,' said a U.N. official. The prediction by
David Nabarro was the first by a top global health official
pinpointing when birds carrying the flu will arrive in the
lower 48 States.''

He went on to say, and I hope my colleagues and their staffs are
listening:

``There will be a pandemic sooner or later,'' Nabarro said.
``It could start any time. We have a virus capable of
replicating inside humans. We have a virus that humans are
not resistant to. We have a virus about which we don't
understand everything.''

The administration's assessment of what could happen if there were a
pandemic is truly sobering. I will discuss the Bush administration
estimates of possible consequences from avian flu pandemic. In terms of
illness, if it were severe, 90 million people could be affected in this
country. The requirement for outpatient medical care: 45 million
people.
Colleagues, we are totally unprepared for something of this
magnitude.
Hospitalization, if it were severe, 9.9 million people in this
country would require hospitalization. ICU care--that is intensive
care--almost 1.5 million people would need intensive care. We do not
have the ventilators, we do not have the facilities, and we do not have
the beds to accommodate that level of illness. Mechanical ventilation,
almost 750,000 people would require ventilation. Again, we simply are
not prepared for that.
And most sobering of all are the deaths. They anticipate in this
country alone almost 2 million people could die.
Right now, the death rate is running far above that. We know, for
everyone who has been diagnosed with this illness, roughly half are
dying. Because these viruses tend to burn out, we would not get that
same effect if we have a widespread outbreak, but nonetheless the
potential is truly sobering. Again, we are not prepared.
Local communities will require Federal assistance if a pandemic
strikes. This is from the director of public health in Seattle in King
County, WA, as quoted in the USA Today on February 21, of this year:

Our hospitals and our public health system are funded for
normal levels of operation . . . but have always relied on
the federal government should we have need for more
ventilators, for example, in the event of an earthquake or
other mass-fatality event. ``What the federal planners are
not getting,'' she says, ``is that if there is a pandemic,
every community will be asking for ventilators from the
national stockpile at the same time.''

Clearly she has that right. We are not prepared.
The Secretary said in his testimony before the Committee on the
Budget that what is different about a pandemic is that it happens
everywhere at once. You do not have the option of dealing with a few
hotspots.
It is very clear we need more resources. What we most need additional
resources for is to develop vaccines. We also need antivirals and more
resources for public health. But clearly the top priority has to be
developing vaccines that can safeguard people against this illness.
Here is the summary of our situation with respect to vaccines. We
have limited vaccine production capacity, relying on only three
companies. The bird flu virus is mutating, making current vaccines less
effective. Current vaccine production is egg based and could be
threatened by bird flu itself. That is a very important point. The way
they make vaccine now, they use eggs, but of course the eggs are in the
bird population. This is a bird flu. The population we would currently
count on to produce vaccine may itself be threatened.
Finally, we need alternative technologies, since companies have few
incentives to build expensive cell-based production facilities.
Mr. President and colleagues, it is very clear we cannot rely on
eggs. Currently, there is not the production of the number of eggs to
produce a max vaccine in a rapid way. So we have to move to a cell-
based technology. But companies have few incentives to build these
expensive cell-based production facilities unless they are guaranteed
there is going to be a market.
The amendment I am offering would increase funding by $5 billion to
combat an avian flu pandemic and increase local preparedness. The
amendment would distribute that money as follows--this is based on
testimony before the committee and our own outreach to the scientific
community--an additional $1.5 billion to increase the stockpile of
antivirals and necessary medical supplies, including masks, gloves,
ventilators, antibiotics, and ongoing medical treatment needs for
chronic-care patients.
With respect to antivirals, we know by the end of this year we are
slated to have some 20 million courses of treatment of Tamiflu. The
administration's goal is 80 million. So we are well short of having the
necessary stockpiles of the antiviral Tamiflu. Clearly, we need more
resources there. Clearly, we need more resources for ventilators. We
already heard public health officials say that will be one place where
there will be an extreme shortage should we face a pandemic.
Next, the amendment provides $2.5 billion to accelerate vaccine
research, development, and manufacturing. And finally, it provides $1
billion to increase State and local preparedness. The amendment also
ensures that the additional funding is fully offset, completely paid
for.
I hope very much my colleagues will support this amendment. I know
there is a resistance on the other side to increasing the top-line
spending number. If there were ever a time to make an investment in
protecting America, this is it. We could face the tragedy of our time.
I am reading a book called ``The Great Influenza.'' It is about the
1918 flu epidemic in which they estimate 50 to 100 million people died
in this world. We have not had a pandemic since. Pandemics typically
occur every 50 years or so, so we are well overdue. We did have a
widespread, very severe flu in 1968.
The Secretary says we are not prepared, says we are not ready. Local
health officials say we are not ready. International health officials
say we are not ready. I hope very much we get ready and make this
investment.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Obama, Senator
Clinton, Senator Durbin, and Senator Schumer be added as cosponsors of
this amendment.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. CONRAD. Finally, the Senator from North Carolina, Mr. Burr, will
have an amendment that will be considered at the same time as mine. His
amendment is an empty vessel. Mr. President, let me send my amendment
to the desk. I am sensing they do not have a copy there.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the amendment.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from North Dakota [Mr. Conrad], for himself,
Mr. Obama, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Schumer,
proposes an amendment numbered 3133.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of
the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To increase funding to combat avian flu, increase local
preparedness, and create a Manhattan Project-like effort to develop a
vaccine to inoculate the U.S. Population against a pandemic by $5
billion in FY 2007 paid for by requiring tax withholding on government
payments to contractors like Halliburton)

On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $5,100,000,000.
On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $100,000,000.
On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
On page 3, line 19, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
On page 3, line 21, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $5,100,000,000.
On page 4, line 2, increase the amount by $100,000,000.

[[Page S2227]]

On page 4, line 3, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
On page 4, line 4, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
On page 4, line 6, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $5,000,000,000.
On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $2,800,000,000.
On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $800,000,000.
On page 5, line 10, increase the amount by $300,000,000.
On page 5, line 19, increase the amount by $4,100,000,000.
On page 5, line 21, decrease the amount by $2,700,000,000.
On page 5, line 23, decrease the amount by $600,000,000.
On page 5, line 25, decrease the amount by $100,000,000.
On page 6, line 2, increase the amount by $200,000,000.
On page 6, line 8, decrease the amount by $4,100,000,000.
On page 6, line 10, decrease the amount by $1,400,000,000.
On page 6, line 12, decrease the amount by $800,000,000.
On page 6, line 14, decrease the amount by $700,000,000.
On page 6, line 16, decrease the amount by $900,000,000.
On page 6, line 22, decrease the amount by $4,100,000,000.
On page 6, line 24, decrease the amount by $1,400,000,000.
On page 7, line 2, decrease the amount by $ 800,000,000.
On page 7, line 4, decrease the amount by $ 700,000,000.
On page 7, line 6, decrease the amount by $ 900,000,000.
On page 19, line 24, increase the amount by $5,000,000,000.
On page 19, line 25, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
On page 20, line 4, increase the amount by $2,800,000,000.
On page 20, line 8, increase the amount by $800,000,000.
On page 20, line 12, increase the amount by $300,000,000.
On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $5,000,000,000.
On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.

Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, on Monday, we heard Secretary Leavitt tell
us that the avian flu will arrive in the United States by this fall.
And if our worst fears are realized and it becomes a virus that can
spread easily from human to human, the avian flu could be here within
30 days.
As Dr. Julie Greenberg, Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, has said, ``This is the most important threat we face
right now.'' We are not talking about hundreds or thousands of lives
here--we are talking millions. Millions.
The question, then, is not whether we have taken steps to prepare
ourselves for the avian flu. Instead, the question is whether we have
taken every imaginable and necessary precaution--whether we have done
everything we possibly could do--to combat potentially the greatest
global health threat in a century.
I don't believe that we have. But I know that we must. The United
States cannot afford to have a Katrina-level of preparedness or a
Katrina-like response to an international outbreak of avian flu. With
so many warnings and so much knowledge of the threat we face, there is
no excuse for failure this time around.
The first thing we need to do is increase our supply of Tamiflu and
other medications. Countries such as Japan, France, England, and others
have now stockpiled enough Tamiflu to cover a quarter of their
populations. The United States has enough to cover just 2 percent.
If the avian flu mutates and is able to spread between humans, we
will also need a new vaccine to treat the new virus. But as we saw
during last year's flu season, our vaccine industry remains fragile and
even the supply and distribution of something simple like a flu shot
poses a challenge. This has to change.
Of course, as Secretary Leavitt has pointed out, the time it takes to
develop a new vaccine means that we could be without any treatment for
up to 6 months after the avian flu first breaks out. And that means
that if we have an outbreak, it is imperative that our public health
infrastructure be prepared to handle the crisis.
First, we need a clear chain of command. We can't be wondering who is
in charge of dealing with an outbreak.
Second, we need an aggressive outreach campaign to warn and educate
the American public about what to do in the event of an outbreak.
Third, it is still unclear how much assistance the Federal Government
is willing to provide already cash-strapped States to strengthen their
fragile health infrastructures. Although States such as Illinois are
rapidly increasing their efforts to prepare, many States will need
substantial assistance to buy antivirals and other supplies. And our
hospitals and health professionals still don't have the capacity to
care for large numbers of sick Americans.
The devastation wrought by Katrina last year has shown us that we
cannot stop the forces of nature. But as the wealthiest country on
Earth, we can prepare, and we can respond in a way that saves as many
lives as possible.
We must do that now with the avian flu. The Conrad avian flu
amendment will provide the necessary funds for Federal agencies,
working with the States, to prepare for potential pandemic. I am
pleased to be a cosponsor of the amendment, and I encourage my
colleagues to vote in favor of it.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, Senator Burr will be offering an amendment
at the same time as mine. What he is offering is a reserve fund that is
deficit neutral but has no money attached to it. But later in the
process, if funding were provided, that reserve fund would provide a
receptacle. That is an empty vessel. There is nothing there.
It has value. I will support Senator Burr's amendment. It has value
because at least there is a receptacle, at least there is a vessel, at
least there is a way of taking funds that might be provided for later.
But I want colleagues to know there is no new funding provided for in
the Burr amendment.
The only amendment being offered here that is going to have
additional resources to meet a possible pandemic is this one. So I hope
colleagues think very carefully before they cast this vote.
With that, Mr. President, I note that Senator Lieberman is in the
Chamber. He is next up to offer an amendment on homeland security.
Senator Lieberman, of course, is the ranking member of the authorizing
committee. He is, I think all would acknowledge on this floor, a
leading voice on the question of homeland security.
Mr. President, I ask the Senator, how much time would he require?
Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, in a tradition that is associated with
my family, I would ask the Senator from North Dakota, how much time
does he have to offer?
Mr. CONRAD. Well, could the Senator do it in 10 minutes?
Mr. LIEBERMAN. Yes, indeed.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I am happy to yield 10 minutes off the
resolution to the Senator from Connecticut.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sununu). The Senator from Connecticut is
recognized for 10 minutes.
Mr. LIEBERMAN. I thank the Chair.

Amendment No. 3034

Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3034, which is at the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from Connecticut [Mr. Lieberman], for himself
and Ms. Mikulski, proposes an amendment numbered 3034.

Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of
the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To protect the American people from terrorist attacks by
providing $8 billion in additional funds for homeland security
government-wide, by restoring cuts to vital first responder programs in
the Department of Homeland Security and Justice, by providing an
additional $1.2 billion for first responders, $1.7 billion for the
Coast Guard and port security, $150 million for chemical security, $1
billion for rail and transit security, $456 million for FEMA, $1
billion for health preparedness programs and $752 million for aviation
security)

On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $2,151,000,000.
On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $2,700,000,000.
On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $1,729,000,000.
On page 3, line 19, increase the amount by $1,039,000,000.
On page 3, line 21, increase the amount by $203,000,000.
On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $2,151,000,000.

[[Page S2228]]

On page 4, line 2, increase the amount by $2,700,000,000.
On page 4, line 3, increase the amount by $1,729,000,000.
On page 4, line 4, increase the amount by $1,039,000,000.
On page 4, line 6, increase the amount by $203,000,000.
On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $7,977,000,000.
On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $2,151,000,000.
On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $2,700,000,000.
On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $1,729,000,000.
On page 5, line 10, increase the amount by $1,039,000,000.
On page 5, line 12, increase the amount by $203,000,000.
On page 16, line 21, increase the amount by $1,889,000,000.
On page 16, line 22, increase the amount by $892,000,000.
On page 17, line 1, increase the amount by $412,000,000.
On page 17, line 5, increase the amount by $252,000,000.
On page 17, line 9, increase the amount by $135,000,000.
On page 17, line 13, increase the amount by $72,000,000.
On page 17, line 22, increase the amount by $3,747,000,000.
On page 17, line 23, increase the amount by $793,000,000.
On page 18, line 3, increase the amount by $1,350,000,000.
On page 18, line 7, increase the amount by $959,000,000.
On page 18, line 11, increase the amount by $646,000,000.
On page 19, line 24, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
On page 19, line 25, increase the amount by $125,000,000.
On page 20, line 4, increase the amount by $540,000,000.
On page 20, line 8, increase the amount by $185,000,000.
On page 20, line 12, increase the amount by $100,000,000.
On page 20, line 16, increase the amount by $20,000,000.
On page 24, line 24, increase the amount by $1,341,000,000.
On page 24, line 25, increase the amount by $341,000,000.
On page 25, line 4, increase the amount by $398,000,000.
On page 25, line 8, increase the amount by $333,000,000.
On page 25, line 12, increase the amount by $158,000,000.
On page 25, line 16, increase the amount by $111,000,000.
On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $7,977,000,000.
On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $2,151,000,000.

Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I thank the Chair.
I thank my friend from North Dakota. I thank him for his leadership
on these matters of budget and really for his steadfastness.
Mr. President, I rise today to offer this amendment to the fiscal
year 2007 budget resolution to strengthen our homeland security efforts
in the face of the administration's budget, which in this regard--
considering the fact we are in the post-9/11 world, in a long war
against Islamist terrorism--I consider the administration's budget to
be shortsighted and short funded, to be ill-considered and inadequate.
In my capacity as the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security
Committee, I have worked very closely with our chair, Senator Collins
of Maine. This year, for the third year, I have worked with my staff,
with experts from outside of the Government, to construct what I
believed would be a wartime budget for homeland security. A budget that
would do what really needs to be done to secure the American people
against an enemy that has shown it will strike us not on the
battlefields of conventional war but in our neighborhoods, where we
live and where we work here in the United States of America.
The total I would add to the President's budget for homeland security
is $8 billion. That, of course, is a significant sum, but in the
overall context of the Federal budget submitted, it is less than one-
third of 1 percent of the Federal budget--and it would be used to
secure our homeland against an enemy of unprecedented inhumanity and
against the forces of nature, which struck us badly in Hurricane
Katrina, and, unfortunately, will again.
I propose to pay for this additional funding by tightening a number
of tax loopholes. Therefore, the amendment would not add to the
deficit.
Of the $8 billion in additional spending I am proposing, $6.2 billion
would go directly to the Department of Homeland Security. The remainder
is divided between the Department of Justice for law enforcement grants
and the Department of Health and Human Services for public health
preparedness in the face of a potential biological attack or a
pandemic.
The money would restore what I consider to be unjustified cuts for
first responders who, in the war against terrorism, are also our first
preventers--hundreds of thousands of eyes and ears, of equipment, to
detect and stop terrorists.
It would restore cuts for emergency managers and public health
officials and make needed new investments in first responder programs.
It would strengthen rail, transit, port, aviation, and chemical plant
security, as well as Coast Guard readiness and bioterrorism
preparedness.
Let me just look at a few of the details.
We know our first responders do not have the training, equipment, and
frequently even the manpower they need to do their jobs properly
whenever danger strikes.
Here, shown on this chart, is first responder funding. It is
unbelievable when you see it charted in this way, in the midst of the
long war against terrorism, in which our homeland has been struck. And
we must assume the enemy will try to strike us again.
First responder funding in fiscal year 2004 was $3.95 billion. On
this chart, you see a steady line going down, to the proposal here:
$1.97 billion for the firefighters, the police officers, the emergency
responders we depend on to protect us.
The President's budget in this regard would cut preparedness funding
by 16 percent overall. It would cut $802 million from the first
responder programs--a 23-percent cut from last year and a 50-percent
reduction, as shown on the graph, from fiscal year 2004.
The administration's budget would entirely eliminate the Law
Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program and the Justice Assistance
Grant Program--totally eliminate them--in a time of war against
terrorism, and slash by 78 percent the highly successful, much depended
upon COPS Program, Community Oriented Policing Services Program, which
has put police officers on the beat throughout America and by and large
reduced the incidence of crime.
For the second year in a row, the administration is also proposing to
eliminate all funding for the Metropolitan Medical Response System,
which supports planning and preparedness for potential mass casualties
in a catastrophe. The administration is also proposing to eliminate
funding for the SAFER Program, which helps recruit, hire, and train
local firefighters. The budget given to us cuts grants that State and
local emergency planners rely on to help them prepare for catastrophe.
The fact is, without more support, our local communities will remain
unprepared. That is dangerous in this age.
My amendment would begin to rebuild that support. It would restore
$1.6 billion in proposed cuts to first responder programs and add an
additional $1.2 billion to help improve State and local capabilities,
especially in the area of interoperable communications. That would
bring the total funding for first responders to $4.1 billion. Can we
afford it? Honestly, we cannot afford not to afford it.
We would also restore funding for the programs I have talked about
that will be cut in the Justice Department.
What about port security, because this is a comprehensive homeland
security budget proposal? Moving on to port security, perhaps the
silver lining of the Dubai Ports World disagreement is greater public
recognition of the urgent need for port security. Ninety-five percent
of all of the goods coming into America flow through our ports. A
terrorism attack at a port would cause economic havoc, let alone human
loss. And experts, of course, worry that weapons of mass destruction
could be smuggled into this country in a shipping container.
We, therefore, must invest strategically in our defense, which is why
this amendment would add an additional $1.7 billion for port security
and for the Coast Guard, which performed so admirably in response to
Hurricane Katrina but still does not have the capitalized, updated
equipment it needs to do the job--enormous job--we are asking it to do.
On chemical security, we know too many facilities remain vulnerable
and

[[Page S2229]]

that an attack on one near a high-population center could have the same
effect as a weapon of mass destruction. The administration's proposal
is only $10 million. It is inadequate when compared with the $102
million the Coast Guard spent in 2005 and the $131 million it will
spend in 2006 to protect chemical facilities at ports.
We face, as Senator Conrad has said, the threat and danger of
bioterrorism and bioterrorist attacks and pandemics, and yet inadequate
funding is provided. Thus, my amendment would increase the money given
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, funding for State
and local bioterrorism programs by $500 million and add another $500
million to the Health Resources and Services Administration
bioterrorism program.
We have to absorb the painful dual lessons of September 11, 2001, and
of August 29, 2005, the day Katrina struck. Our enemies are ruthless
and choose to fight us at points of vulnerability. That is why we have
to close those vulnerabilities. Nature will strike in unpredictable
ways year after year. Yet so much of our national homeland security
structure continues to have gaps. There is no cheap way to provide for
the common defense, our constitutional responsibility. We have the best
military in the world, and we have it because we have invested in it.
We have the best personnel to carry out the protection of our homeland.
We will never have the homeland defense we need unless we are prepared
to spend for it. There is no more urgent need the American people have.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire is recognized.
Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I appreciate the extraordinary commitment
of the Senator from Connecticut to national defense, to a responsible
policy in fighting terrorism. He is clearly one of the leaders in the
Senate and the Nation on the issue of how we should protect ourselves
as a nation. I respect him immensely. I admire him. It is good to have
his voice on the issues of foreign policy and international terrorism
and how we fight it.
On this issue, however, I respectfully disagree relative to the need
for these additional dollars at this time. In this budget, we have
robustly funded the fight on terrorism. The defense budget will be
increased in the core budget by $30 billion. A lot of that goes toward
fighting terrorism. We have set aside $90 billion of additional money,
the purpose of which is to fight the war on terrorism. That is $40
billion more than the administration asked for. In addition, within
those funds we have dedicated an additional $4 billion specifically to
the issue of port security and border security. Quite honestly, as
chairman of the committee that has jurisdiction over port security and
border security, that is probably more money than those agencies can
handle in 1 year. We will have to be careful to be sure that that money
is spent effectively and not pushed out the door in purchasing blue
lights and whistles. We want to make sure it purchases real assets and
adds real manpower that will assist us in the war on terrorism. We have
made a huge commitment in this budget to the issue of fighting
terrorism.
The Senator from Connecticut correctly points out that first
responder funds are down in this budget. That is a decision that has
been made because of the fact there was so much first responder money
that came so quickly, it simply hasn't been spent effectively yet.
There was $13 billion that we have put into first responders across the
country. That is a huge number, so large, in fact, that $5.5 billion of
it, which has already been appropriated, which is sitting there, has
not been spent, going back to 2004. There is literally $5.5 billion
sitting in the pipeline that first responder groups have not spent, in
part because State planning has not caught up to adequately meet the
need for using the available funding. As soon as they are, those
dollars will go out. As soon as that pipeline of $5.5 billion starts to
get drawn down--remember, we are adding another several billion dollars
on top of it in this bill--we are going to refill that pipeline to make
sure that first responder funding is adequate.
It is not an issue of lack of dollars. It is an issue of lack of
programmatic and systematic infrastructure, to a large degree--and
planning, to a large degree. You could put another $40 billion or $8
billion or whatever billion on top of this, and you would still get
little improvement in the amount of money flowing out to first
responders because the necessity of having the money flow in a way that
actually produces programmatic results has not been resolved yet.
It should not be our purpose as the Federal Government to be hiring
people for local police forces and local first responder teams. What
this money is supposed to be used for primarily is to give them the
support so they have the necessary interoperability equipment, the
necessary tactical equipment, and the necessary training to be
effective as first responders. We should not be taking Federal first
responder dollars and replacing local dollars that are already being
used for the purposes of putting people on the street. States are
making progress. As they come at us, we will put more money out there.
In addition, in the appropriating process we have taken the view,
which is a little different than the authorizing committee, that risk
should be where the money goes first. If a community has a high
likelihood of risk from a terrorist attack, that community should be
the place where we put the dollars. This has actually worked to the
disadvantage of the State of New Hampshire. But my view is strong that
these dollars, which are being used to basically upgrade the capacity
of first responders to handle a terrorist attack, should go first to
those places most likely to be on the front lines. We know where those
places are. They know who they are. That is why we have basically
funded it in that manner.
That is where we stand today. Very simply stated, there is an
extremely robust commitment to fighting the war on terrorism in this
bill: a $30 billion increase in defense spending; $90 billion in a
separate budgeting process for fighting the war on terror, $40 billion
more than the President asked for; $4 billion of new funds directed
right at border security and port security; $2.3 billion directed right
at avian flu and the purchasing of necessary supplies and antitoxins
and hopefully vaccines, to address that issue. In the pipeline already
from prior appropriations, there is $5.5 billion of funds out of the
$13 billion that has been appropriated which is available for first
responders from prior appropriations onto which we will put another
chunk of money here.
The issue is not dollars in almost all these accounts. It is not
dollars in terms of this budget. In terms of the President's budget,
there may be a difference of opinion, but in terms of this budget the
issue is not dollars. The issue is getting those dollars out
effectively.
I oppose this amendment. I would have opposed it, anyway, because it
basically raises taxes and spends money and breaks the caps. I think
that is bad fiscal policy. I also oppose it on substance.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I yield 5 minutes to the Senator from
Rhode Island for his amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island is recognized.

Amendment No. 3074

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3074.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from Rhode Island [Mr. Reed], for himself, Mr.
Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Dorgan,
Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Levin, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Dayton, Mr.
Kohl, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Leahy, and Mr.
Johnson, proposes an amendment numbered 3074.

Mr. REED. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be
dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To increase funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
Program by $3,318,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, increasing the funds
available to carry out that program to the fully authorized level of
$5,100,000,000, to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes)

On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.

[[Page S2230]]

On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $763,000,000.
On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $66,000,000.
On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.
On page 4, line 2, increase the amount by $763,000,000.
On page 4, line 3, increase the amount by $66,000,000.
On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $3,318,000,000.
On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.
On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $763,000,000.
On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $66,000,000.
On page 21, line 24, increase the amount by $3,318,000,000.
On page 21, line 25, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.
On page 22, line 4, increase the amount by $763,000,000.
On page 22, line 8, increase the amount by $66,000,000.
On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $3,318,000,000.
On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $2,489,000,000.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, my amendment is straightforward. It would
increase funding for the LIHEAP program, the Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Program, by $3.318 billion. It is paid for fully by the
closing of corporate tax loopholes and is cosponsored by Senators
Kennedy, Kerry, Clinton, Lieberman, Rockefeller, Dorgan, Levin, Dayton,
Schumer, Kohl, Bayh, Johnson, Leahy, Menendez, and Harkin.
The President's budget request and the level of funding assumed in
this budget resolution for LIHEAP is $1.782 billion. That represents a
$379 million cut from the fiscal year 2006 enacted level. Last week we
were struggling to pass an additional $1 billion. The question before
us is, are we going to accept this inadequate funding knowing full well
it is inadequate today. I hope we don't do that. My amendment, the
increase of $3.318 billion, would reach the authorized level of $5.1
billion set by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. On five separate
occasions during the course of the debate over LIHEAP in the last 6
months, the majority of the Senate has voted for this full funding
level. I call upon all of those Members to join me today to ensure we
have full funding. We understand this year we are short of money. The
President's budget starts us off with even less.
This year we benefited from unusually warm temperatures. I don't
think anyone would bet that next winter's heating season will be as
mild and as forgiving as this season's. With higher energy prices--and
we know they are going up--with probably lower temperatures, we are
going to be in a very serious position unless we adopt this amendment.
In the course of the debate about LIHEAP, many of our colleagues from
warmer States pointed out that they are not getting as much as they
should. If we get to the $5.1 billion level, this will truly be a
national program. Warmer weather States will have the money in the hot
season where they need air conditioning to help low-income people. I
hope we can do so. For example, Alabama will receive $15 million from
the block grant formula under the President's budget. It would receive
$87.2 million under my amendment, a 479-percent increase, and so on
throughout the country.
I hope we can pass this amendment. I hope we can have the foresight
to recognize that we can't start off in the hole. We cannot expect warm
temperatures this next heating season. We have to do more for the most
vulnerable.
I yield whatever remaining time I have back to the Senator from North
Dakota.

Amendment No. 3136

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. CONRAD. I thank the Senator from Rhode Island for his amendment.
I thank him also for his courtesy and graciousness.
The situation we have is, I have very few minutes left this morning.
We don't have another Senator. I have asked other Senators to come to
the floor. While we are waiting, I will do my final amendment. I send
an amendment to the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from North Dakota [Mr. Conrad] proposes an
amendment numbered 3136.

Mr. CONRAD. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be
dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To provide a reserve fund for bold energy legislation that is
deficit neutral)

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC.__. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR ENERGY LEGISLATION.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels and limits in this resolution for a bill or joint
resolution, or an amendment thereto or conference report
thereon, that would reduce our nation's dependence on foreign
sources of energy, expand production and use of alternative
fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, promote renewable energy
development, improve electricity transmission, encourage
responsible development of domestic oil and natural gas
resources, and reward conservation and efficiency, by the
amounts provided in such legislation for that purpose,
provided that such legislation would not increase the deficit
over the total of the period of fiscal years 2007 through
2011.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, in many ways this may be one of the most
important amendments we offer on our side. I say that because if I look
across the horizon at the challenges facing America, energy dependence
would be right at the top of the list.
In his State of the Union Message, the President said:

[W]e have a serious problem: America is addicted to oil,
which is often imported from unstable parts of the world.

I think the President has that exactly right.
We can see in this chart that imports now account for 60 percent of
total U.S. consumption; that is, of the oil that we are consuming, 60
percent of it is imported. That creates a vulnerability for America.
This dependence on imported energy is dramatically adding to our record
trade deficit; $266 billion of the trade deficit over the last year is
due to imported petroleum products. We ran a trade deficit during that
period of about $700 billion. More than a third of it is due to our
reliance on foreign energy.
That represents over a third of the total trade deficit. The
President made very strong statements in the State of the Union about
the need to reduce our dependence, reduce our vulnerability. But if you
look at his budget, you see something quite different: the clean coal
power initiative, cut 90 percent; weatherization assistance grants to
improve conservation of energy in homes reduced almost a third;
electricity delivery and reliability, cut 23 percent; fossil energy
R&D, cut 21 percent.
Mr. President, several weeks ago, President Bush had a small group of
Senators to the White House to talk about energy. I told him I was
going to be introducing legislation that would provide substantial
incentives to do what Brazil did. It is very instructive to look back
over the last 30 years. Thirty years ago, Brazil was 80 percent
dependent on foreign energy. They reduced that to less than 10 percent
today. If we look at our story, it is just the flip. Back in the 1970s,
we were 35 percent dependent upon foreign energy; today it is 60
percent.
I think the question presents itself: What did Brazil do? Brazil very
aggressively promoted biodiesel, ethanol, and flexible fuel vehicles.
In fact, the vast majority of their vehicle fleet in Brazil are now
flex fuel vehicles. They have very aggressively promoted ethanol and
biodiesel. We should do the same. Those are the key components of the
energy plan I will be presenting to our colleagues--aggressive
promotion of biodiesel and ethanol, alternative fuel vehicles, wind
energy, and coal-to-liquid fuel technology and energy efficiency in
conservation.
Mr. President, my energy reserve fund creates a deficit-neutral
reserve fund for bold and balanced energy legislation that reduces our
Nation's dependence upon foreign sources of energy, expands the
production and use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles,
promotes renewable energy development, encourages responsible
development of oil and natural gas resources right here in America, and
rewards conservation and efficiency.
Mr. President, this is a deficit-neutral reserve fund. Only if we
find a way to pay for this initiative will it be able to go forward. My
own view is that this is such a high priority for our country and
raised, I think, to national attention by the President in his State of

[[Page S2231]]

the Union, but we don't have a budget to match bold words. We need bold
initiatives to match bold words, to really do something to reduce our
dependence. It makes us vulnerable. It is weakening our economy.
I said to the President: What a difference it could make. Would it
not be wonderful if the President could wake up and instead of turning
to the Middle East for oil, he could look to the Midwest of our own
country where we could help grow our way out of this crisis by growing
the feedstock that could produce biodiesel and ethanol, soybeans, corn,
and canola? We are about to build in North Dakota the biggest biodiesel
plant in North America. That is going to help us wean ourselves from
this ongoing dependence upon foreign energy. I hope very much my
colleagues will support this amendment.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The Legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Who yields time?
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I yield 4 minutes to the Senator from New
Jersey.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey is recognized for
4 minutes.
Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I will soon offer an amendment to
remove the airline passenger tax increase from this budget. It is
fundamentally unfair for the President to raise taxes on everyday
families as he doles out massive tax cuts to the wealthy.
Hidden among the thousands of pages in this legislation is a proposal
to double the minimum amount that airline passengers pay as a security
tax. President Bush wants to increase this tax from $2.50 per flight to
$5 per flight. That is a 100-percent tax increase.
The impact on a family of four traveling roundtrip on nonstop flights
is illustrated by the chart that we have here. An increase in security
tax for a family of four traveling roundtrip on nonstop flights,
typically, if it is $20 now, is going to be $40 obviously. That is
quite a burden.
The traveling public is already too heavily taxed. Air travelers pay
an enormous amount of Federal taxes on every airline ticket--nearly 20
percent of the base fare price now. For example, the tax on the average
domestic roundtrip flight of $230 is $45. That is a tax rate of almost
20 percent.
Air travelers are taxed every time they turn around. They pay the
Federal excise tax--on top of the Federal segment tax, on top of the
passenger facility charge, on top of the security tax. Now the
President wants to double the security tax.
To make matters worse, this tax increase will hit families the
hardest. Sixty-three percent of the domestic air trips in this country
in 2004 were taken for personal purposes, including vacations and
visits to families and loved ones.
I am one of the strongest advocates for transportation security
resources for our country, but we have to provide these necessary
resources by spreading the tax burdens across this country fairly and
not targeting everyday Americans while special interests raid the
Federal Treasury.
I also want to point out to my colleagues that this amendment is
offset by closing abusive tax shelters. So when we look at this, if the
airlines don't pass along this tax increase to the average family, they
themselves will have to experience further losses. There was $10
billion in losses in 2005 by the aviation industry. That is on top of
$32 billion from 2001 to 2004. There were 150,000 jobs lost since 9/11.
They just cannot handle it.
So I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and say no to the
Bush airline passenger tax increases, keeping in mind that those tax
increases are put upon the average family to give the wealthiest among
us huge tax breaks. It is unfair and it ought not to be permitted. I
urge you in this instance to vote no on further tax increases for the
average American family.
With that, I yield the floor.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from New Jersey for
accommodating the schedule of his colleagues by coming this morning and
offering his amendment. Next in the queue is Senator Burr with an
amendment on avian flu.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. If the Senator will suspend, the Chair advises
that the Senator from New Jersey did not send up an amendment.

Amendment No. 3137

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Yes. We neglected to do the most important part of
it. I was overcome by the speech, Mr. President.
I send the amendment to the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Lautenberg] proposes an
amendment numbered 3137.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further
reading of the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To eliminate the President's proposed tax increase on
American airline passengers in fiscal year 2007 and to provide adequate
funding for commercial aviation security and to offset these costs by
closing corporate tax loopholes)

On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $1,230,000;000.
On page 16, line 21, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
On page 16, line 22, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
On page 53 , line 1, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
On page 53 , line 2, increase the amount by $1,230,000,000.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Carolina.
Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to set the pending
amendment aside.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Amendment No. 3114

Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I send an amendment No. 3114 to the desk and
ask for its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from North Carolina [Mr. Burr] proposes an
amendment numbered 3114.

Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of
the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To provide for the establishment of a reserve fund concerning
pandemic influenza preparedness planning)

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. RESERVE FUND FOR PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS
PLANNING.

If the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
of the Senate reports a bill or joint resolution, or if an
amendment is offered thereto, or if a conference report is
submitted thereon, that--
(1) rebuilds the vaccine industry in the United States
which has shrunk from over 25 to less than 5 companies;
(2) improves the United States capacity to produce life-
saving pandemic influenza vaccines and antivirals;
(3) ensures adequate funding for advanced development and
acquisition of needed medical countermeasures for biodefense
and pandemic influenza protection;
(4) enhances the Strategic National Stockpile of pandemic
influenza vaccines, antivirals, and other medical products;
(5) strengthens the Federal, State, and local public health
infrastructure to effectively respond to a pandemic influenza
outbreak;
(6) increases the domestic and international surveillance
and outbreak containment capabilities; and
(7) improves public awareness and education of pandemic
influenza preparedness planning;

assuming that the Committee is within its allocation as
provided under section 302 (a) of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may
make the appropriate adjustments in allocations and
aggregates to the extent that such legislation would not
increase the deficit for fiscal years 2007 and for the period
of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I rise on the Senate floor today to not only
offer

[[Page S2232]]

this amendment and talk about it, but to speak on an amendment of
another Member of the Senate, an amendment that also focuses on the
avian flu.
Our country faces threats, some of which we know and some of which we
don't know today. One real threat is the threat of pandemic bird flu.
The President of the United States was ahead of the curve on this with
a proposal to the Congress of over $7 billion for advanced development
of vaccines, for the preparation the country needs to go through, and
for the stockpiles of antivirals and countermeasures.
The fact is that Congress has responded to his request. This year the
budget resolution highlights the fact that the President's request of
$2.3 billion of taxpayers' money is in this budget resolution.
My colleague from North Dakota, for whom I have a tremendous amount
of respect and who has helped, along with Senator Gregg, to move this
budget resolution through this body, has asked we increase that amount
by $5 billion. If for 1 minute I thought $5 billion would make America
safer, I would be on the floor as a cosponsor of that amendment. But
the reality is, we are at a point where we are absorbing all the money
we can, given where we are in this process.
I just left a hearing with the Secretary of Health and Human
Services. My direct question to him was: The President's budget asked
for $2.3 billion. Is that sufficient for 2007?
He looked at me and said: Senator, where we are in the development of
vaccines, where we are in our need for stockpiles, that amount fulfills
everything we can do in preparation.
So I urge my colleagues not to support the amendment for an
additional $5 billion of taxpayers' money to potentially go into a
black hole. I remind my colleagues that the way this is funded is to
raise taxes on the American people. We have used tax loopholes for
corporations to fund many items suggested in amendments on this floor.
The fact is, once again, the American people realize this is a covert
way of raising taxes on them.
My amendment does something very simple. It creates a reserve fund.
It has been described as hollow because it has no money. I believe the
American people demand that we bring fiscal responsibility to this
institution, to the Congress of the United States. I don't want to tie
the hands of individuals within the agencies if they see a need for
something, but the creation of this reserve fund allows them to do it
in a budget-neutral way.
I believe this will be overwhelmingly supported because, in fact, it
doesn't spend any new money, but it provides the flexibility and
authority to those who are charged with addressing this threat.
The amendment establishes a reserve fund, and that can help to
rebuild our domestic vaccine industry, support advanced development and
acquisition of needed drugs and vaccines, strengthen the public health
infrastructure, and increase surveillance and outbreak containment.
We are at a point in this Congress where we have the opportunity to
reauthorize the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness
and Response Act, and we are considering legislation on advanced
development of vaccines and countermeasures against chemical,
biological, or radiological and natural threats. There are many issues
that we have to decide exactly how we are going to handle. But to throw
money at them is, in fact, not the answer today.
Those who are charged with the responsibility of making sure this
country is prepared, in fact, have sufficient funding today. I urge my
colleagues to vote against the Conrad amendment, to vote for the Burr
amendment, and to make sure this administration is able to carry out
what has been a well-planned preparation for a known threat to this
country and, I might add, to the world.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask that 10 minutes of the chairman's
time be yielded to me.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. CONRAD. I thank the chairman very much. We have been trying to
distribute time so we can most efficiently use time on the floor. I
yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the Senator from Colorado.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Colorado is recognized.

Amendment No. 3081

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from North Dakota. I
call up amendment No. 3081 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the pending amendment is
set aside. The clerk will report the amendment.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from Colorado [Mr. Salazar], for himself, Mr.
Bingaman, and Mr. Leahy, proposes an amendment numbered 3081.

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading
of the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To fully fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program.
Adds $152 million to Function 800 (General Government) for PILT. Paid
for by closing $152 million in corporate tax loopholes)

On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
On page 25, line 24, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
On page 25, line 25, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $152,000,000.
On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $152,000,000.

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, this amendment aims to fully fund the
Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program for our country. It is an issue of
vital importance to rural America. I am pleased to be joined in this
effort today by Senator Bingaman and Senator Leahy who are cosponsors
of this amendment.
As I have said often on this floor before, rural America continues to
wither on the vine. I will continue to come to this floor and sound the
alarm of the plight of rural America because I am absolutely certain it
doesn't have to be this way.
The heartland of this country is a vast reservoir of American
potential and strength, and the values, common sense, perseverance, and
work ethic embodied in the 50 million people who live in rural America
are national treasures in and of themselves.
These people are also the stewards of our many public lands, and they
deserve support in that effort. That is where PILT comes in. Created in
1976, PILT compensates local government for the presence of nontaxable
Federal lands within their boundaries, as well as the associated costs
of providing work, such as road work and law enforcement, to visitors
on those lands.
Over the years, inflation has taken its toll. Repeatedly underfunding
the PILT Program has also sent precisely the wrong message to rural
America. Full PILT funding for fiscal year 2007 will likely be close to
$350 million, but the President's budget for PILT was reduced by $38
million, or 16 percent, from where it was last year.
This is not just about my State of Colorado where some counties are
owned by the Federal Government to the extent of 95 percent; it is
about governments in at least 49 of our States where there are
significant public land holdings within those States.
This amendment is fully offset by tax loophole closures. Some
colleagues have approached me about alternatives, and I will work with
them to explore other ideas in terms of funding alternatives.
I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this modest,
commonsense amendment. When I travel through the rural counties of
Colorado, I hear the voices of proud, hard-working rural Americans who
feel neglected by Washington. Let's take an opportunity in a very small
way in this budget resolution to send a different signal that we in
Washington care about rural America.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. President, I
yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Colorado. This
is an important amendment, certainly an important amendment to Western

[[Page S2233]]

States such as ours that all too often are shortchanged in terms of
what they get in lieu of taxes where the Federal Government owns vast
tracts of land and then is not a good neighbor, doesn't pay its fair
share of the tab.
I thank the Senator from Colorado for his excellent amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Murkowski). Who yields time?
Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I ask that Senator Bayh be added as a
cosponsor to my avian flu amendment No. 3133.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. CONRAD. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. GREGG. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I see the Senator from Maryland is now
on the floor. I say to the Senator from Maryland, I now have 6 minutes
left, and I am wondering if I could give 4 minutes to the Senator from
Maryland.
Mr. SARBANES. Yes, that would be fine.
Mr. CONRAD. I have to give some time to Senator Baucus before the
debt limit vote. So I yield 4 minutes to the Senator from Maryland.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland is recognized.
Mr. SARBANES. I thank the Senator. Does that leave the Senator with
enough time for his other purposes?
Mr. CONRAD. I am sure Senator Gregg and I will be able to work it
out.
Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, I thank the Senator very much.

Amendment No. 3103

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, I offer amendment No. 3103.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from Maryland [Mr. Sarbanes], for himself, Mr.
Lieberman, and Mr. Reed, proposes an amendment numbered 3103.

The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To restore funding for the civil works programs of the Corps
of Engineers, the Federal Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund,
the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Federal conservation programs, and other
natural resource needs, through an offset achieved by closing corporate
tax loopholes)

On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $1,718,000,000.
On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $699,000,000.
On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $320,000,000.
On page 3, line 19, increase the amount by $116,000,000.
On page 3, line 21, increase the amount by $58,000,000.
On page 4, line 1, decrease the amount by $1,718,000,000.
On page 4, line 2, decrease the amount by $699,000,000.
On page 4, line 3, decrease the amount by $320,000,000.
On page 4, line 4, decrease the amount by $116,000,000.
On page 4, line 6, decrease the amount by $58,000,000.
On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $2,912,000,000.
On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $1,718,000,000.
On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $699,000,000.
On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $320,000,000.
On page 5, line 10, increase the amount by $116,000,000.
On page 5, line 12, increase the amount by $58,000,000.
On page 13, line 21, increase the amount by $2,912,000,000.
On page 13, line 22, increase the amount by $1,718,000,000.
On page 14, line 1, increase the amount by $699,000,000.
On page 14, line 5, increase the amount by $320,000,000.
On page 14, line 9, increase the amount by $116,000,000.
On page 14, line 13, increase the amount by $58,000,000.
On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $2,912,000,000.
On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $1,718,000,000.

Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, this amendment is to restore funding
for function 300 Natural Resources and Environment, and for other
purposes. I ask unanimous consent that Senator Lieberman and Senator
Reed of Rhode Island be added as cosponsors.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. SARBANES. If the Chair would tell me when 1 minute is left on my
time, I would be most appreciative.
Madam President, the purpose of this amendment is to restore funding
for a number of important environmental programs under function 300.
The President's budget request and the chairman's mark on the
resolution cut funding for water resources, conservation and land
management, recreational resources, pollution control and abatement,
and other natural resources and environmental activities by nearly $3
billion from the baseline, or almost 10 percent. This amendment would
seek to add $2.9 billion to bring the function 300 total back up to
baseline. It is offset with revenues from the closing of corporate tax
loopholes.
We have a list of possibilities, many of which have passed the Senate
before and have been strongly supported by very large majorities in
this body. Let me just give a few examples of the kinds of programs we
are trying to at least provide some additional support for, although it
falls short of what the need is; but we are trying to get back to
baseline.
The Army Corps of Engineers civil works program, flood control,
navigation, storm protection, environmental restoration--I hardly need,
in the aftermath of Katrina, to emphasize the importance of such
programs. The EPA budget has been sharply cut, including nearly $200
million from the clean water State revolving loan fund, which is now in
this budget at the lowest funding level ever for clean water
infrastructure. It has been cut by nearly 50 percent from the 2004
level because there has been a steady decline, and, of course, this
impacts every State's and every community's ability to upgrade their
waste water infrastructure and meet Clean Water Act requirements.
The National Park Service is being cut. Our National Parks have a
desperate need for funding in order to carry out their activities.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has 1 minute remaining.
Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, the National Park Service is falling
well short of what they need in order to sustain the park system. NOAA
is being cut in this budget, including the National Marine Fisheries
Service. There is a lot of emphasis on our oceans. Two commissions have
studied it. Yet the Oceans Commission says we are falling well short of
any real commitment there. The NOAA budget is cut, the Fish and
Wildlife Service budget, and the Forest Service. This amendment seeks
to at least bring back this funding to function 300 for all of these
very important environmental and natural resource problems to baseline,
to current funding levels.
I very much hope my colleagues will support this amendment and
contribute to protecting the environment and health of our Nation's
citizens, helping to ensure that we have clean water and that we
breathe clean air.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's time has expired.
Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to Senator Dorgan
from North Dakota.

[[Page S2234]]

Mr. FEINGOLD. Madam President, I support Senator Sarbanes' effort to
restore funding for our agencies and programs directed at natural
resource conservation and management and some of our fundamental
environmental responsibilities. The programs and agencies include the
Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the National Park Service, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Forest Service,
the Army Corps of Engineers, and others. I do believe that we must meet
our stewardship responsibilities and the President's budget simply
doesn't cut it.
I do, however, want to flag a problem related to the Army Corps of
Engineers. It is a problem that cripples the Corps: The minute its
budget arrives on our doorsteps, Members of Congress scramble for Corps
earmarks. We must move away from this earmarking and focus on national
priorities. I will continue working to change the way this agency
operates.
Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, I am going to be offering an amendment.
I have noticed an amendment dealing with Indian program funding. I
think most who understand these issues understand that we have a bona
fide crisis in Indian health care, Indian housing, and Indian
education. We have had hearings. I have had hearings in my State, and
we have had hearings in the Indian Affairs Committee, and we have to
address these issues. The issue of Indian health care is not an
optional issue. When there is a young child on an Indian reservation or
an elder on an Indian reservation who is sick, they need health care.
This is interesting. We have trust responsibility for health care for
a couple of groups of Americans. One is Federal prisoners. If they are
incarcerated, we have a responsibility to Federal prisoners for their
health care. We also have trust responsibility for health care for
American Indians. That is our trust responsibility. We spend nearly
twice as much--twice as much--per person to provide health care for
Federal prisoners as we do for American Indians. That is wrong.
Housing: We have a bona fide crisis in housing. In many cases on many
of America's Indian reservations we have people living in Third World
conditions.
Education: Do we really want a young child who is 6 or 8 years old to
be walking through the doorway of a grade school and receiving an
education that is much less of an education than other children are
simply because we don't have the money? Shouldn't these young Indian
children be given the opportunity for a good education? I think with
respect to education, the GAO report shows quite clearly that
facilities in BIA schools are inferior to other schools.
My point is this: When we take a look at our priorities, what is
important, what we should be doing, we see that we have Americans
living in Third World conditions on many of these Indian reservations.
We have a crisis in health care, in education and housing, and we ought
to do something about it. You can't go to these places and look at
their health care system or look at their schools or look at people
living in substandard housing and believe that it is not a priority for
this Congress to meet its responsibilities.
I have offered this legislation before in the form of an amendment. I
do so again today. I have a number of cosponsors I would like to add
for the Record.
I yield the floor.
Mr. GREGG. Madam President, what is the time situation?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire controls 7
minutes.
Mr. GREGG. Madam President, although I don't agree with him, I yield
3\1/2\ minutes to the Senator from Montana.
Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, might I, with the indulgence of my
colleagues, simply read the cosponsors? They are Senators Cantwell,
Murray, Bingaman, and Johnson are added as cosponsors.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator will suspend. The amendment has
not yet been offered.
The Senator from Montana is recognized.

Debt Limit Extension

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I am speaking on an amendment I have
offered to the debt limit. This amendment would simply require the
Treasury Department to report on the economic and security implications
of our debt to foreigners. Massive budget deficits are forcing America
to borrow heavily. Last year, foreigners bought 96 percent of the
Treasury bills that our Government sold to finance our debt--96
percent. That is an astounding statistic. The debt purchased last year,
almost all of it, was purchased by foreigners, 96 percent.
Foreigners are becoming our bankers. America is becoming a debtor to
foreign powers.
I think we need to understand this change. This amendment asks the
Treasury to investigate what the full cost of our indebtedness will be,
in higher interest rates, the value of a dollar, lower economic growth,
less power to negotiate trade agreements, and diminished national
security. We should let taxpayers know how big the cost of this foreign
debt really is. This amendment will help to get the answers.
Some will make breathless arguments that passing this amendment will
endanger the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. I say that
is hogwash. If the Senate passes this amendment, the House of
Representatives could pass it and have the bill on the President's desk
before suppertime, on the President's desk this evening.
The real reason some are opposing this amendment is to save the House
of Representatives from having to vote on the debt limit even once--to
save the House of Representatives, to save those folks on the other
side of the body, on the other side of the Capitol, from having to vote
on the debt limit. That is really what is going on here. I think if
Senators vote on the debt limit, certainly House Members should vote on
the debt limit, too. That is an embarrassingly poor reason to vote
against a study that would help protect America's economic and security
interests.

Last year, foreigners bought 96 percent of the Treasury bills that
our Government sold--actually 96 percent--just to remind everybody. I
therefore urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment to help find out
what our foreign debt really means for America.
Mr. GREGG. Madam President, I know the chairman of the Finance
Committee is coming over, and he may want to speak to this issue, but
the time may lapse before he gets here so let me make this point: The
study which the Senator is asking for could occur and would occur--and
I can't speak for the chairman of the Finance Committee, but I would
certainly be willing to sign the letter, and I suspect the chairman
would, too. But simply writing the letter down there from the
committees of jurisdiction--I don't happen to be a committee of
jurisdiction, although it is an interesting issue--and then the
chairman and the ranking member could get the study.
The reason this amendment is being put on this bill is to try to send
it back to the House to delay the process so that the debt ceiling ends
up with some political votes somewhere along the line. That is just
gamesmanship and there is no need for it.
We should have this amendment taken off this bill. If there is a
desire for this information, which we could certainly obtain rather
easily by sending a letter demanding that they do the study, and then
have GAO do the study--a little independence on the study might even be
good--do a joint task force and get the information. So the amendment
really isn't necessary at all.
So I agree with what I think is the leadership's position on this
side, that this amendment is just dilatory and will end up delaying the
debt ceiling legislation, which is a mistake. That is why it is
opposed.
Has all my time expired?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. GREGG. Madam President, I see the Democratic leader, and I will
yield back my time and let the Democratic leader take leader time.
Mr. REID. Madam President, I will use leader time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. REID. Madam President, President Thomas Jefferson said:

I place economy among the first and most important
government virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the
dangers to be feared.

[[Page S2235]]

That was President Thomas Jefferson.
Today the Senate is considering a bill to increase the Nation's debt
by $781 billion. If adopted, it would be the fourth such increase in
the 5 years this administration has been in office. I will be opposing
this latest request, and I hope that people on both sides of the aisle
will do the same.
Any objective analysis of our country's fiscal history would have to
conclude this administration and this rubberstamping Republican
Congress are the most fiscally irresponsible in the history of our
country. In fact, no other President or Congress even comes close. When
this administration came to office, the Federal Government was running
large annual budget surpluses that were projected to continue as far as
the eye could see. These projected surpluses were so large that the
Congressional Budget Office estimated the Federal Government would pay
off all its publicly held debt by the year 2009. In fact, Alan
Greenspan, then the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and other
economists expressed concern that these surpluses would be so huge they
risked unsettling the financial markets.

Because of the reckless fiscal policies of this President and the
Republican-controlled Congress, 2009 will be a year to recognize
President Bush's multitrillion-dollar red-ink special. Over the past 5
years, rather than running record surpluses and reducing record amounts
of debt, our Nation suffered record deficits and debt increases. In
fact, when it comes to deficits, this President owns all the records.
The three largest deficits in our Nation's history have all occurred
under this administration's watch. The deterioration of the Federal
Government's finances is the direct result of the misguided priorities
of this administration and this rubberstamping Republican Congress.
These deficits have resulted in an unprecedented and dangerous
borrowing spree. The total debt during this spree has grown by
trillions of dollars. President Abraham Lincoln said:

As an individual who undertakes to live by borrowing soon
finds his original means devoured by interest and next no one
left to borrow from, so must it be with government.

O, if the Republican President and Republican-dominated Congress had
followed the advice of Abraham Lincoln.
The legislation on the floor today will push the Nation's borrowing
limit to nearly $9 trillion. Compounding matters, the President's most
recent budget--much of which Senate Republicans have placed before the
Senate this week--would make matters substantially worse, leading to
$12 trillion debt by 2011, just as the first wave of baby boomers is
beginning to retire.
Not only is debt exploding at the worst possible time, increasingly
we are borrowing from foreign lenders. Since this administration took
office, U.S. debt financed by foreigners has more than doubled,
increasing by well over $1 trillion. That is more foreign-held debt in
5 years than the Nation accumulated in the first 224 years of this
Republic. By contrast, during the last 3 years of the Clinton
administration, we paid off hundreds of billions of dollars of debt,
including $200 billion in debt to foreign lenders.
Given the explosion of debt in recent years, it is long past time for
Washington to change the course and adopt a new fiscal policy. After
all, the future of our economy and our Nation is at stake. The
Comptroller General of the United States, David Walker, told the Senate
Budget Committee recently:

Continuing on this unsustainable fiscal path will gradually
erode, if not suddenly damage, our economy, our standard of
living and ultimately our national security.

If my Republican friends believe that increasing our debt by almost
$800 billion today, and more than $3 trillion dollars over the last 5
years, is the right thing to do, they should be upfront about it. They
should explain why they believe more debt is good for our economy. How
can the Republican majority and this Congress explain to their
constituents that trillions of dollars of new debt is good for our
economy? How can they explain that they think it is fair to force our
children, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren to finance
this debt through higher taxes? That is what will have to happen. Why
is it right to increase this Nation's dependence on foreign creditors?
They should explain this.
Maybe they can convince the public they are right. I doubt it,
because most Americans know that increasing the debt is the last thing
we should be doing. After all, I repeat, the baby boomers are about to
retire. Under the circumstances, any credible economist would tell you
we should be reducing debt, not increasing it.
Again, on debt--Thomas Jefferson. These are his words:

And to preserve our independence, we must not let our
rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election
between economy and liberty--or profusion and servitude.

That was President Thomas Jefferson.
Democrats will not be making arguments to support this legislation
which will weaken our country. The President often speaks of personal
responsibility. In a speech before African-American leaders earlier in
his administration, the President stated that a President is judged not
by the words he speaks but by the work he leaves behind. By that
benchmark, the President and this Republican-controlled Congress will
not be judged kindly with respect to the stewardship of our Nation's
finances.
We are being asked to do what should not be asked of us, to increase
the debt to almost $9 trillion. I hope everyone walking down to these
desks today will understand what they are doing, what they are doing to
our country. On this side of the aisle, we know.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.

Amendment No. 3102

Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, let me ask for consideration of
amendment 3102, as I had previously filed. That is the legislation I
described previously. Senators Cantwell, Murray, Bingaman, and Johnson
join me in proposing this amendment as cosponsors. I ask for its
immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

The Senator from North Dakota [Mr. Dorgan], for himself,
Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Bingaman,
proposes an amendment numbered 3102.

Mr. DORGAN. I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment
be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To increase funding by $1 billion for various tribal programs
and provide necessary additional funding based on recommendations from
Indian country, by closing corporate loopholes.)

On page 3, line 13, increase the amount by $285,000,000.
On page 3, line 15, increase the amount by $197,000,000.
On page 3, line 17, increase the amount by $230,000,000.
On page 3, line 19, increase the amount by $263,000,000.
On page 3, line 21, increase the amount by $302,000,000.
On page 4, line 1, increase the amount by $285,000,000.
On page 4, line 2, increase the amount by $197,000,000.
On page 4, line 3, increase the amount by $230,000,000.
On page 4, line 4, increase the amount by $263,000,000.
On page 4: line 6, increase the amount by $302,000,000.
On page 4, line 13, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
On page 5, line 4, increase the amount by $299,000,000.
On page 5, line 6, increase the amount by $385,000,000.
On page 5, line 8, increase the amount by $154,000,000.
On page 5, line 10, increase the amount by $126,000,000.
On page 5, line 12, increase the amount by $15,000,000.
On page 5, line 19, decrease the amount by $14,000,000.
On page 5, line 21, decrease the amount by $188,000,000.
On page 5, line 23, increase the amount by $76,000,000.
On page 5, line 25, increase the amount by $137,000,000.
On page 6, line 2, increase the amount by $287,000,000.
On page 6, line 8, increase the amount by $14,000,000.
On page 6, line 10, increase the amount by $202,000,000.
On page 6, line 12, increase the amount by $126,000,000.
On page 6, line 14, decrease the amount by $11,000,000.

[[Page S2236]]

On page 6, line 16, decrease the amount by $298,000,000.
On page 6, line 22, increase the amount by $14,000,000.
On page 6, line 24, increase the amount by $202,000,000.
On page 7, line 2, increase the amount by $126,000,000.
On page 7, line 4, decrease the amount by $11,000,000.
On page 7, line 6, decrease the amount by $298,000,000.
On page 13, line 21, increase the amount by $25,000,000.
On page 13, line 22, increase the amount by $13,000,000.
On page 14, line 1, increase the amount by $8,000,000.
On page 14, line 5, increase the amount by $4,000,000.
On page 14, line 9, increase the amount by $1,000,000.
On page 17, line 22, increase the amount by $120,000,000.
On page 17, line 23, increase the amount by $29,000,000.
On page 18, line 3, increase the amount by $33,000,000.
On page 18, line 7, increase the amount by $27,000,000.
On page 18, line 11, increase the amount by $18,000,000.
On page 18, line 15, increase the amount by $2,000,000.
On page 18, line 24, increase the amount by $120,000,000.
On page 18, line 25, increase the amount by $17,000,000.
On page 19, line 4, increase the amount by $90,000,000.
On page 19, line 8, increase the amount by $8,000,000.
On page 19, line 12, increase the amount by $2,000,000.
On page 19, line 24, increase the amount by $540,000,000.
On page 19, line 25, increase the amount by $187,000,000.
On page 20, line 4, increase the amount by $203,000,000.
On page 20, line 8, increase the amount by $75,000,000.
On page 20, line 12, increase the amount by $75,000,000.
On page 21, line 24, increase the amount by $125,000,000.
On page 21, line 25, increase the amount by $46,000,000.
On page 22, line 4, increase the amount by $25,000,000.
On page 22, line 8, increase the amount by $18,000,000.
On page 22, line 12, increase the amount by $15,000,000.
On page 22, line 16, increase the amount by $13,000,000.
On page 24, line 24, increase the amount by $70,000,000.
On page 24, line 25, increase the amount by $7,000,000.
On page 25, line 4, increase the amount by $26,000,000.
On page 25, line 8, increase the amount by $22,000,000.
On page 25, line 12, increase the amount by $15,000,000.
On page 53, line 1, increase the amount by $1,000,000,000.
On page 53, line 2, increase the amount by $298,000,000.

____________________