Government Transparency and Recordkeeping Act of 2012

Mr. President, last month was yet another disappointing month of job growth. Over 12 million Americans are unemployed, close to 6 million have been unemployed for over 27 weeks, and 8 million have been forced to work part time because they have been unable to find full-time work.

To put this in context, since this administration came into office, the number of Americans who are unemployed has increased by 700,000. This is a 5-percent increase in our national unemployment rate. Home values and middle-class income have decreased, and America has dropped from being the most competitive Nation in the world to the fourth most competitive Nation in the world.

After this administration's failed policies of bailout after bailout, Senate Democrats are endorsing the idea of letting America go off the so-called fiscal cliff at the end of this year instead of letting businesses maintain their existing tax rates. This would effectively raise taxes on every American during one of the slowest economic recoveries in modern times.

While I support extending these taxes and giving our Nation's job creators certainty, I believe we need tax reform. Our Tax Code is too complex. We need to close loopholes, broaden the base, and lower rates.

As a member of the Committee on Ways and Means in the House, I worked on this issue, and I will continue to advocate for comprehensive reform while I am in the Senate. While I recognize that sometimes comprehensive policies may be difficult to move forward, especially in an election year, I believe we can find consensus on commonsense solutions.

Since coming to the Senate, I have advocated for policies that create jobs for Nevadans and for all Americans. My State has been one of the hardest hit in this current economic climate. Nevada

has had the distinction of leading the Nation in unemployment for over 2 years, as well as in foreclosures and bankruptcies. One part of our population has been especially hit hard, and that is our veterans.

Over 13 percent of the Nation's bravest who put their lives on the line are unable to find a job in this economy. They come home from overseas to find their homes underwater or chronic unemployment in their communities. While a number of veterans have fallen on tough times financially, some have had difficulty adjusting to civilian life. Congress should make it a priority that necessary resources are made available to those who have bravely served our Nation. We must also not forget the families of our veterans, particularly those who have lost loved ones in combat.

So I am proud to join with Senator Burr to introduce the Veterans Small Business Act, which simply ensures that surviving spouses and children are eligible for small business benefits. Congress has provided numerous benefits to our Nation's veterans who own small businesses, including sole-source contracting, low-interest loans, and other resources in order to help these small businesses grow and create jobs. However, should a spouse or a child of a veteran lose a loved one in combat, they can no longer receive these benefits or enroll in these programs.

My legislation closes this large gap in Federal law that does little for those who own businesses before their activation and were killed in the line of duty. As a Member of Congress, we must honor our Nation's fallen as well as ensuring that the loved ones they leave behind have the same economic opportunities afforded to that veteran.

We should be doing all we can to provide all of our Nation's small businesses with the tools needed to survive in this current economic climate. Congress needs to stop worrying about the next election and put in place policies that will not only ignite economic growth, but also get our country back to work.

While there are larger issues we must address, such as tax reform, there are smaller commonsense measures, such as this bill, that we can pass right now if given the opportunity. Measures such as this will make a big difference in our Nation's veterans and job creators.

If it is any indication of how important these issues are to Nevada, I had a constituent, Dan Lyons, who walked from Reno, NV, to Washington, DC, because he didn't think Washington was doing enough for veterans. This was a 6-month walk from Reno, NV, to Washington, DC. He felt he was not getting through to his elected officials via phone or e-mails. So Dan, with a tent, a map, and a plan, started walking across America to see his elected officials face to face.

He walked 25 miles a day, battling treacherous weather, snakes, long, lonely miles, and probably a few blisters just for the chance to sit down and ask that we do more to help struggling veterans. I was proud to meet with Dan, and he is a reminder of what is right with society. He reminds us that we must honor our obligation to our veterans. When they have sacrificed so much to preserve and protect our freedoms, we should at least ensure their needs are met when they and their surviving families fall on hard economic times.

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the critical need in today's health care workforce for additional training related to palliative care. Palliative care is an interdisciplinary model of care focused on relieving the pain, stress and other debilitating symptoms of serious illness, such as cancer, cardiac disease, respiratory disease, kidney failure, Alzheimer's, AIDS, ALS, and MS. Its goal is to relieve suffering and provide the best possible quality of life for patients and their families.

Many people mistakenly believe that palliative care is only beneficial when a cure is not possible. Actually, palliative care is not dependent on a life-limiting prognosis and may actually help individuals recover by relieving symptoms--such as pain, anxiety or loss of appetite--while they are undergoing sometimes difficult medical treatments or procedures, such as surgery or chemotherapy. Palliative care is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, and other specialists who work with a patient's other health care providers to provide an extra layer of support, including assistance with difficult medical decision-making and coordination of care among specialists. Palliative care is appropriate for people of any age and at any stage in an illness, whether that illness is curable, chronic or life-threatening.

There is a specific type of palliative care, called hospice, for people for whom a cure is no longer possible and who likely have 6 months or less to live. Hospice care can be provided at one's home, a hospice facility, a hospital or a nursing home. Hospice care is about giving patients control, dignity and comfort so they have the best possible quality of life during the time they have. Hospice care also provides support and grief therapy for loved ones whose struggles are often cast aside or forgotten during treatment.

A growing evidence base has demonstrated that palliative care, including hospice, improves quality, controls cost and enhances patient and family satisfaction for the rapidly expanding population of individuals with serious or life-threatening illness. Palliative care may also prolong the lives of some seriously ill patients.

Over the last 10 years, the number of hospital-based palliative care programs has more than doubled due to the increasing number of Americans living with serious, complex and chronic illnesses and the realities of the care responsibilities faced by their families. Studies suggest that in states with more hospital-based palliative care programs, patients are less likely to die in the hospital, are likely to spend fewer days in the ICU, have better pain management and higher satisfaction with their health care.

As usual, Oregon is ahead of the curve and I am proud to say that in a 2011 report ranking states on their citizens' access to hospital- based palliative care programs, Oregon was among the seven states who earned an ``A'' rating, with 88 percent of Oregon hospitals offering palliative care.

Unfortunately, many seriously ill patients and their families lack the access available to Oregonians. Palliative care is a relatively new medical specialty and more must be done to ensure an adequate, well- trained palliative care workforce is available to provide comprehensive symptom management, intensive communication and a level of care coordination that addresses the episodic and long-term nature of serious, chronic illness. I believe that, with Federal support, we can help address the workforce gap between those currently practicing in palliative care and hospice and the number of health care professionals required to care for this expanding patient population That is why today I am introducing the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act or PCHETA. This authorizing legislation focuses on three key areas to grow the palliative care and hospice workforce.

Education centers to expand interdisciplinary training in palliative and hospice care.

Training of physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine and fellowships to encourage re-training for mid-career physicians, and academic career awards and career incentive awards to support physicians and other health care providers who provide palliative and hospice care training.

With this legislation, patients and families who are facing serious or life-threatening illness will have access to the high-quality palliative care and hospice services that can maximize their quality of life. I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Government Transparency and Recordkeeping Act along with Senator Vitter.

The purpose of this bill is to require that all records of individual payments under 31 U.S.C. 1304, which is the Judgment Fund, are reported to Congress and made available to the public. It further requires that agencies provide this information by keeping accurate and thorough records.

Simply put, most Americans have a checking account. When you write a check, you also record it in your checking book. This checking book is your record of how much you paid and to whom you paid. Simply put, the Federal Government does not do this in terms of the Judgment Fund. The Federal government has not been keeping track of its Judgment Fund payments because they are not required to do so. In this age of technology, shouldn't the federal government keep track of its finances?

If the Federal Government is named as a defendant and the plaintiffs are successful then the plaintiffs may be awarded for certain attorney fees and costs. Such payments are made from the Judgment Fund.

The Judgment Fund was created in 1956 and is a permanent fund available to pay judgments against the government and settlements resulting from lawsuits.

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I had to request that GAO investigate how much the Judgment Fund has paid related to the environmental statutes in our jurisdiction and get back to me. Even GAO had trouble getting complete records over the past ten years. This is federal taxpayers' money that we are spending without keeping accurate and up to date records. This information needs to be readily available and accessible to the public.

Federal agencies that are impacted by these costs as well as policymakers and taxpayers should be able to track payments from the Judgment Fund to determine who is suing a particular Federal agency, the nature of their claims, how often agencies settle and agree to pay plaintiffs' legal fees, and so forth. If Congress and the public had access to this information in a useable form, they could identify problem areas and work to save taxpayer money by bringing loss rates down.

Article I, section 9 of the U.S. Constitution provides ``that a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts of all public money shall be published from time to time.'' The operation and payment of Judgment fund monies should not be an exception. This bill will ensure that Congress and the public have access to such information.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Government Transparency and Recordkeeping Act along with Senator Vitter.

The purpose of this bill is to require that all records of individual payments under 31 U.S.C. 1304, which is the Judgment Fund, are reported to Congress and made available to the public. It further requires that agencies provide this information by keeping accurate and thorough records.

Simply put, most Americans have a checking account. When you write a check, you also record it in your checking book. This checking book is your record of how much you paid and to whom you paid. Simply put, the Federal Government does not do this in terms of the Judgment Fund. The Federal government has not been keeping track of its Judgment Fund payments because they are not required to do so. In this age of technology, shouldn't the federal government keep track of its finances?

If the Federal Government is named as a defendant and the plaintiffs are successful then the plaintiffs may be awarded for certain attorney fees and costs. Such payments are made from the Judgment Fund.

The Judgment Fund was created in 1956 and is a permanent fund available to pay judgments against the government and settlements resulting from lawsuits.

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I had to request that GAO investigate how much the Judgment Fund has paid related to the environmental statutes in our jurisdiction and get back to me. Even GAO had trouble getting complete records over the past ten years. This is federal taxpayers' money that we are spending without keeping accurate and up to date records. This information needs to be readily available and accessible to the public.

Federal agencies that are impacted by these costs as well as policymakers and taxpayers should be able to track payments from the Judgment Fund to determine who is suing a particular Federal agency, the nature of their claims, how often agencies settle and agree to pay plaintiffs' legal fees, and so forth. If Congress and the public had access to this information in a useable form, they could identify problem areas and work to save taxpayer money by bringing loss rates down.

Article I, section 9 of the U.S. Constitution provides ``that a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts of all public money shall be published from time to time.'' The operation and payment of Judgment fund monies should not be an exception. This bill will ensure that Congress and the public have access to such information.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.