Floor Statements

Mr. President, in the spring of this year, I had the remarkable experience of hosting a recording of a history for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. A distinguished, elderly Idahoan recounted his

experiences as a supply officer during World War II, notably in one of the units that liberated the Nazi concentration camp, Dachau.

Ralph Leseburg is 86 years old and lives in St. Anthony, ID with his beloved wife of 66 years, Wanda. Before visiting my office, he returned to Dachau, Germany on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the camp's liberation by the Americans. After taking part in the commemoration ceremony, he stopped in Washington, DC to visit the World War II Memorial and pay respects to his fallen comrades.

Ralph was drafted in 1944 when he was a young married man with three children living in Layton, UT. That young man was evident in the wizened gentleman who sat in my office some months ago, his experiences of those difficult times surprisingly vivid in his blue eyes. He spent time in France and then in Germany assigned to the 42nd Quartermaster Company of the Army. He remembers the bombings that cleared Wersberg, Germany, and bringing in supplies of food, clothing and ammunition for the soldiers.

Clearly, his most difficult time was to come, for it was just months later on April 29, 1945, around 6 or 7 p.m. in the evening that his company followed the troops into the liberated camps with two truckloads of food for the survivors. Up to this point in the interview, Ralph had shared his experiences in great detail, telling of dates, places and times with remarkable acuity. When asked about what he saw that night, Ralph paused for a long minute and said, ``Well, it's just something you don't like to talk about.'' At that moment, he was thousands of miles and many years away from my office in the Dirksen Building. His blue eyes, glinting with the shine of old tears, reflected the stark horror of that day, the memory too overwhelming to put to words.

Ralph continued to serve until 1946, when he returned to his wife and children and civilian life. Looking back, he said that he remembered paying attention to the lifestyle of the people in the countries where he served, and remarked that ``We are blessed to be in this nation, a nation of human rights and humanitarian service.'' When asked about serving his country, Ralph said only this: ``It wasn't easy to leave my wife and children, but I served my country when I was called, and I knew why I was called.'' I would like to offer my sincere thanks and gratitude for Ralph and his family for their sacrifice and service so many years ago. It was a tremendous honor for me to have this particular member of ``the greatest generation'' in my office that day.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the service of Carolyn Iddings, my Sergeant at Arms customer support analyst. On June 4, 2005, Carolyn celebrated 32 years of service in the Senate.

Carolyn began her Senate career in the office of Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon. For 16 years, she helped develop many of the systems the Senate uses today including office computers and correspondence management systems. Carolyn then joined the Sergeant at Arms office and has continued to assist in the development and deployment of many Senate information management systems.

Shortly after my election to the Senate, Carolyn was assigned to guide my staff through the complex process of opening a Senate office. Her experience and knowledge of the inner workings of a Member's office were indispensable as she assisted my staff in the opening days of the 106th Congress. She took my systems administrator under her wing and helped him equip in a timely and efficient manner. Thanks to her efforts, my office was up and running the day I was sworn in as a U.S. Senator. Her knowledge of the challenging bureaucratic landscape of the Senate played a key role in the smooth setup of my offices. On numerous occasions Carolyn's help has proven invaluable as our office automation systems have evolved.

Over the last 7 years, Carolyn has answered hundreds of questions, briefed my staff on countless security, information technology, and emergency planning matters. She has shown consistent patience, kindness, and expertise in her interactions with me and my staff, always willing to lend a helping hand. Carolyn demonstrates outstanding professionalism in her job and I wish her the best.

Mr. President, I would like to offer a few words today recognizing the full and joyful life of a remarkable Idahoan, Robert Bershers. Although Bob and his wife Louise traveled extensively, Idaho was home. He lived and worked in Coeur d'Alene where he was active on the Kootenai County Fair Board from 1983 to 2001, and he owned and operated a successful construction business for many years. Bob lived vigorously, enjoying the life of a businessman and rancher and, according to his daughter Khris, was the kind of man ``whose idea of going to the fair was getting there on Wednesday just before it opened and staying through the last spin of the ferris wheel on Sunday.''

North Idaho was the home of his heart--from the chilly, grey and wet winters to the warm and bright summer days in the mountains and by the lake; he and Louise never stayed away too long. But for Bob, it was Idahoans who made our State truly great. According to his family, Bob loved Idaho because people take the time to be friendly. And Bob not only loved that in others, he lived it himself, taking in those in need, either four-footed or two. Louise reminisced recently that when his children were still at home, the house had a revolving door of kids and animals, all finding refuge in their home when they needed it most.

Bob never failed to tell his children and family that he loved them. Indeed, his unfailing dedication to family and community are true measures of a good and honorable man. Bob will be sorely missed by all who knew him, but those same people will carry on the blessings his life brought to them.

Mr. President: I would like to pay special tribute today to a remarkable man who has dedicated the past 36 years of his life to the citizens of Chubbuck, ID. Mayor John O. Cotant entered the Chubbuck mayoral race the night before the elections in 1969. He won and has been mayor ever since. Through his dedication to youth and community improvement, Chubbuck has become the thriving town of 10,000 it is today. Under his exemplary leadership, Chubbuck increased the number of city parks from 1 to 14. He initiated the construction of a monument to veterans of our wars and his love of sports inspired him to promote a thriving youth sports program for the city. He brought critical infrastructure improvements to the community, to position Chubbuck for the vibrant growth it is experiencing today. John and his wife of 59 years, Alice, are the proud parents of 3, grandparents of 13 and great-grandparents of 19 children. He has been very involved in his church, serving as Bishop, the ecclesiastical teacher, of his LDS church congregation. At a robust 81, he says that he is going to pursue his personal interests of genealogy and a collection of city memorabilia, and make a point of not volunteering for anything controversial. I must say I understand the sentiment. Local public servants like John are the lifeblood of our civic community and our daily lives in rural towns not just in Idaho, but across the Nation. As a mayor of a smaller city, you are on duty and under the spotlight 24 hours a day. It is quite a testament to John's character, energy and spirit that he has served for so many years. I congratulate him on three and a half decades of community commitment service and wish him and Alice the very best in the next exciting chapter of their life together.

Senator Lincoln makes a good point. While I support the Finance Committee's goal of encouraging accountability and incentivizing the collection of Medicare bad debt by skilled nursing facilities, I do see the need to differentiate between debt owed by individuals and debt owed by States. I believe this conference should consider this point as well.

Senator Lincoln makes a good point. While I support the Finance Committee's goal of encouraging accountability and incentivizing the collection of Medicare bad debt by skilled nursing facilities, I do see the need to differentiate between debt owed by individuals and debt owed by States. I believe this conference should consider this point as well.

Mr. President, I would like to honor a remarkable individual today on the occasion of her retirement from the U.S. Senate Recording Studio. Barbara Berger, or Barb, as she is known here in the Senate, is celebrating her last day of a career spanning 33 years. Barb has been here longer than any Senator save four. She has seen 320 Senators come and go from this body and served under 13 Sergeants-At- Arms. Not only has she seen many of us come and go, she has also witnessed the astounding technological transformation in media that has occurred in the past three decades. In 1972, when Barb began as a receptionist in the front office of the Recording Studio, radio and film were the only mediums of communication available to the Senate, and floor proceedings were not televised yet.

I haven't been here as long as some of my colleagues, but over the past 7 years, Barb has been the gracious smile and distinguished and professional face

of the Recording Studio. Her poise, civility and shining personality permeate the office and make working with them an absolute pleasure for me. Her institutional knowledge and memory and quiet authority provide me and all the staff and Members who work with the studio reassurance that our messages will be handled with care and expertise.

American historian Barbara Tuch man said:

Although I know we have already grown accustomed to less

beauty, less elegance, less excellence, yet perversely I have

confidence in the opposite of egalitarianism: in the

competence and excellence of the best among us. The urge for

the best is an element of humankind as inherent as the

heartbeat. It may be crushed temporarily but it cannot be

eliminated. We will always have pride in accomplishment, the

charm of fine things . . . As long as people exist, some will

always strive for the best. And some will attain it.

Barb epitomizes this competence and excellence in her work, and beauty in her kind and graceful spirit. My staff and I will most certainly miss her and I wish her well in retirement.

I want to express my appreciation for the chairman's efforts, and those of the subcommittee ranking member, Senator Harkin, in working to ensure the health and well-being of Americans everywhere. As you know, a

silent health crisis is currently affecting America's men. On average, American men live shorter and less healthy lives than American women. Men lead in each of the 15 major of death in America except Alzheimer's and have a life span of almost 6 years shorter than their female counterparts. While this health crisis is of particular concern to men, it is also a concern for women whose fathers, husbands, sons and brothers feel the physical, financial and emotional effects of poor health. Men's health is also a concern for employers who pay the costs of medical care, and lose productive employees. In addition Federal, State and local governments must often absorb the enormous costs of premature death and disability, including the costs of caring for dependents left behind.

There are a number of ailments of particular concern to men. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in the United States among men, accounting for 33 percent of all cancer cases. An estimated 230,000 men will be newly diagnosed with prostate cancer this year alone, and approximately 30,000 will die. Prostate cancer, unfortunately, is not the only health threat facing men. Over 8,000 men, ages 15 to 40, will be diagnosed this year with testicular cancer, and 390 of these men will die of this disease in 2005.

Fortunately, many of these conditions are treatable if detected early enough. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001 and thanks to early detection and treatment was able to beat the disease. I had prostate specific antigen, PSA, tests and other recommended tests every 3 to 6 months after my surgery. Last year, my doctors detected a slight rise in PSA, and I underwent successful radiation treatment. Because I caught and treated the onset of this disease early on, I was able to beat it, again. Appropriate use of tests such as PSA exams and blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol screens, in conjunction with clinical exams and self-testing, can result in the early detection of many problems and in increased survival rates.

Unfortunately, many men are not taking the steps necessary to protect themselves and their families from these devastating conditions. Statistically, women visit the doctor far more often than men. Too often, men fail to get routine checkups or health counseling, and they often ignore symptoms or delay seeking medical attention when sick or in pain. In addition, when men do seek care, embarrassment can often prevent them from openly discussing health concerns with their physicians.

To increase men's health awareness I have introduced legislation to establish an Office of Men's Health under the Department of Health and Human Services. This office would be based on the Office of Women's Health, currently operating within HHS, which has done a fantastic job of assisting women in identifying and battling many conditions common to women. Educating men, their families, and health care providers about the importance of early detection of male health problems can result in reducing rates of mortality for male-specific diseases, as well as improve the health of America's men and its overall economic well-being. While an Office of Men's Health is not a cure-all, it will assist men to focus on many health problems that can be treated successfully if diagnosed early. Prevention and early detection can only happen with increased public awareness, something the proposed office hopes to provide. I yield to the distinguished chairman to elaborate on this point.

I thank the Senator.

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss with the distinguished subcommittee chairman the need to amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, RECA.

As my colleagues are aware, the National Academy of Sciences, NAS, released a report on April 28 of this year calling on Congress to establish new scientific criteria for decisions about awarding Federal compensation to people who have developed specific diseases, including certain cancers, as a result of exposure to radioactive fallout from U.S. nuclear weapons tests. I wholeheartedly agree with them.

When Congress passed RECA 15 years ago, an important first step was taken to provide compassionate assistance to those directly affected by nuclear testing conducted by the United States. However, it soon became clear that a legislative remedy which was bound by geographic restrictions, and not scientific evidence, was not sufficient to fully rectify the problem at hand. This was confirmed in 1999, when Senator Hatch introduced his amendments to expand RECA and include affected counties in Arizona.

Today, the NAS has determined that residents in counties and States far from the original Nevada Test Site were not only exposed to radiation, but may even have been exposed to much higher levels than those in currently eligible areas. In fact, there are areas in my native Idaho that have demonstrably higher incidence of thyroid dosage of radiation than any other county currently covered by RECA. It seems unconscionable to me that people living in these areas are not currently eligible for compensation.

Those affected are not asking for special treatment, they are simply asking for fairness. As R. Julian Preston, director of the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Carcinogenesis Division, stated, ``To be equitable, any compensation program needs to be based on scientific criteria and similar cases must be treated alike. The current geographic limitations are not based on the latest science.''

To rectify this inequity, I think it is of utmost importance that Congress take up my legislation, S. 998 to include the State of Idaho as an affected area under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

Additionally, it is incumbent upon Congress to address the long-term challenges faced by the RECA program. The NAS report makes several specific recommendations, chief among them that Congress should establish a new process for reviewing individual claims, based on probability of causation, or ``assigned share,'' a method which is used in the courts and other radiation compensation programs. It also recommends that the RECA program be expanded to include workers involved in uranium milling and ore transportation. I urge you to join me in implementing these suggestions of the NAS into legislation.

I thank the distinguished chairman.

Mr. President, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con Res. 95 of the 109th Congress--

I will withhold.

Mr. President, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 of the 109th Congress, I make a point of order against the emergency designation contained in the amendment.

Mr. President, I rise to submit a resolution in a critical and too often overlooked subject--teen dating violence. For many decades the tragic crime of domestic violence in the United States went largely unacknowledged by the public face that our society wears. Behind smiling couples and seemingly carefree children lurked something that was better left unspoken, or so many were convinced. Fortunately, in recent years, this dreadful violence that makes a home a prison where rights, human dignity and freedom are eclipsed by fear and rage is now something that society is more willing to acknowledge, talk about and report to proper authorities. As we expose domestic violence to the light of truth and hold perpetrators accountable for their violent actions and destructive words, it is important to address the reality of the transgenerational nature of this crime within families.

I've always liked the adage, ``Children learn what they live.'' Never is this more true than in the case of abuse and domestic violence. When children begin to enter their teen years, the relationship norms they learned watching those in parental roles become their own. The results in many junior high, high schools, and colleges across our Nation are chilling: 20 percent of surveyed male students reported witnessing someone they go to high school with physically hit a person they were dating; 58 percent of rape victims report having been raped between the ages of 12-24; 81 percent of parents surveyed either believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they don't know if it is an issue; There is a clear link between adolescent dating violence and adult marital violence.

Clearly, the crime of teen dating violence, including physical, emotional, and sexual assault, is a reality for many American teenagers. Like drug abuse, it's a reality of which many parents are unaware. It makes sense to have the people most affected by this insidious disease leading the efforts to raise awareness of and prevent the further spread of it.

The Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Initiative is a movement spearheaded by teenagers across the nation to make a stand and put a stop to teen dating violence. Led by the American Bar Association's Steering Committee on the Unmet Needs of Children and co- sponsored by dozens of other organizations, teenagers from 20 State Teams attended a national awareness and education summit in 2004. At that time, they developed Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness Toolkits to distribute to high schools across the Nation in conjunction with a proposed National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week in early 2006.

Today, I am submitting a resolution declaring February 6-10, 2006, National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week. Many governors, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice have already pledged to work with the goals and activities that are part of the Initiative. This resolution calls on government representatives and agencies, private organizations and public officials to promote activities in their respective communities that raise awareness of the high incidence of teen dating violence that occurs among our teens every day, as well as prevention strategies. I thank my colleagues, Senators Cantwell, Murray, Lieberman, Murkowski, Durbin, Akaka and Biden in joining me in raising awareness of the problem. This is one major step we can take toward the goal of eliminating the tragedy of children hurting children, and I am privileged to be in a position to help lead this effort.

Mr. President, this month, the city of Ammon, ID celebrates a very special birthday: it turned 100 on October 10. A century ago, this thriving town of over 10,000 people was covered with sagebrush that was so tall and thick, as one historian put it ``one could ride for miles on horseback without being seen.'' Today, the vestiges of those stalwart Mormon settlers can still be seen in this community that champions family, faith and hard work.

The steady growth and measured additions of elements that make a city a city: church, school, electricity, railroad, well, park and public works reflect the wisdom of a well-organized, solid community of citizens. I have lived close to Ammon my entire life; it is a fine community and a great place for families. Those Idahoans who call it home can be proud of their fine city and its 100 years of prosperity.

Mr. President, I would like to recognize an Idahoan, who through his lifelong love and support of the arts, has gained national recognition. Dan Harpole, executive director

of the Idaho Commission on the Arts, ICA, since 2002, has recently been named board director of the National Assembly of States Arts Agencies,

Mr. President, it is with a heavy heart that I wish to announce the death of Sheri Garmon, one of many Idahoans who have died from cancer that was likely attributable to nuclear fallout.

Like others, Sheri spent time and energy bringing awareness of this issue as it related to Idaho. However, Sheri, who was fighting multiple cancers, became a charismatic spokesperson for those suffering from the same fate.

Sheri Garmon, daughter of Don and Millie Garmon, was born in Emmett, ID, in 1952. When Sheri was just a baby, just 6 months old, the National Cancer Institute estimates that on a single day, June 5, 1952, she received 75 rads of iodine-131. That is the equivalent of 10,000 chest X-rays. The exposure came from nuclear testing being done in the Nevada desert; fallout blew over the little valley where Emmett sits. From that day on, Sheri's ultimate fate was sealed. But no one knew then what we know now. Sheri grew up healthy and strong, out there on her family's dairy farm, drinking milk from their cows, eating vegetables and fruits from their garden. She graduated valedictorian of her high school class, and then went on to graduate from the University of Idaho. She became a CPA and a mother. Sheri used her education as a way to provide for her family and pave the way for future achievement for those

who knew her. She was always involved in her community and concerned for the welfare of her friends and family. Along the way, Sheri was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She beat it. Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The doctors gave her about a year to live. She wanted to make it to August 20, 2005, to see her daughter graduate from college. While she did pass that date, she will never see Katie married or play with her grandchildren. She did, however, leave a legacy that we have a responsibility to uphold. Sheri is just one of many unrecognized radiation-exposure victims; her story is poignant, but it is echoed throughout her community by many other families who have survived or lost cancer battles over the last 50 years. Sheri played a large role in bringing the plight of many of her friends and family to the attention of Idaho's congressional delegation and general public last year. Sheri is survived by her mother Millie and her daughter Katie Klein.

On May 11, 2005, I came to this Chamber and introduced legislation to amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. My legislation would make Idaho citizens, such as Sheri, who were exposed to fallout from nuclear testing in Nevada, eligible for compensation under the act.

In my introductory statement, I related stories of Idahoans who recounted going outside in the evenings to look at the beautiful sunsets caused by the testing. Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to them, these skies were filled with dangerous radiation that elevated their exposure and subsequent risk of developing cancer. I also stated that now is the time to amend the act to make it work for everyone who may have become ill because of radiation fallout exposure.

Let us not let Sheri's death go unanswered. Join me in supporting S. 998 to amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act so that others who are suffering as Sheri did are given their just compensation and treatment; it is the right thing to do.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce, along with my colleagues Tim Johnson of South Dakota and Jim Bunning of Kentucky, an important bill that will allow Americans to save more for the long term and will better prepare them for a secure retirement. The Generating Retirement Ownership Through Long-Term Holding GROWTH, Act has substantial and growing bipartisan support in the House, and Senator Johnson and I are proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that provides Americans a better tool to grow their long-term retirement savings.

The GROWTH Act would allow investors in mutual funds to keep more retirement savings invested longer and growing longer by deferring taxation of automatically reinvested capital gains until fund shares are sold, rather than allowing those long-term gains--which generate no current income or cash in hand--to be taxed every year.

To understand how beneficial this bill would be, it is important to understand the role of mutual funds in long-term retirement savings. Among households owning mutual funds, 92 percent are investing for retirement, with more than 70 percent saying their primary purpose in investing in funds is to prepare for retirement. Many of today's workers do not yet have in place the retirement savings supplement to Social Security that will prepare them for the future. In fact, almost half of American workers--nearly 71 million of 151 million workers--are not offered any form of pension or retirement savings plan at work.

Meanwhile, the number of years spent in retirement is growing and the costs individuals can expect to bear in retirement are growing, too. The Employee Benefit Research Institute estimates that an individual retiring at age 65 in 2014 will need $285,000 just to cover health coverage premiums and expenses. Individual savings efforts also face significant obstacles. Those not covered by an employer's retirement plan, for example, can set aside a deductible IRA contribution of only $4,000 this year--$4,500 if they are age 50 or older.

Mutual funds are a hugely important part of American workers' preparation for retirement, both through their employers' retirement plans and on their own. Mutual funds now make up half of the $3.2 trillion held by American workers through 401(k) plans and other similar job-based savings programs. About 34 million American households hold mutual funds through their defined contribution plans. More than 30 million American households are saving through taxable mutual fund accounts, either as supplements to their employers' plans or because they do not have such plans.

The GROWTH Act is also a good idea because it remedies an unfairness in the tax code that can make saving difficult for many Americans. Mutual fund investors who are struggling to save for retirement should not have to pay taxes on ``profits'' they have not realized. If they don't have money in hand, it makes no sense for them to have to pay taxes. The GROWTH Act would defer taxes until the mutual fund shares are sold and the investor has actual funds to pay the taxes.

The GROWTH Act would be a valuable contributor to retirement savings efforts. Mutual fund savers who automatically reinvest are doing what policymakers want to see. They are holding for the long term, contributing to national savings, and building up their own retirement nest egg. These Americans should be encouraged to save--not discouraged through a tax on automatic reinvestments. The GROWTH Act is a step that will show immediate results, a step that will help tens of millions of American savers and ``should-be savers'' over the course of their working lives, and a step that with time can make a real difference in the retirement readiness of American families.

I urge my colleagues to join Senator Johnson and me in supporting the GROWTH Act. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

There being no objection the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce, along with my colleagues Tim Johnson of South Dakota and Jim Bunning of Kentucky, an important bill that will allow Americans to save more for the long term and will better prepare them for a secure retirement. The Generating Retirement Ownership Through Long-Term Holding GROWTH, Act has substantial and growing bipartisan support in the House, and Senator Johnson and I are proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that provides Americans a better tool to grow their long-term retirement savings.

The GROWTH Act would allow investors in mutual funds to keep more retirement savings invested longer and growing longer by deferring taxation of automatically reinvested capital gains until fund shares are sold, rather than allowing those long-term gains--which generate no current income or cash in hand--to be taxed every year.

To understand how beneficial this bill would be, it is important to understand the role of mutual funds in long-term retirement savings. Among households owning mutual funds, 92 percent are investing for retirement, with more than 70 percent saying their primary purpose in investing in funds is to prepare for retirement. Many of today's workers do not yet have in place the retirement savings supplement to Social Security that will prepare them for the future. In fact, almost half of American workers--nearly 71 million of 151 million workers--are not offered any form of pension or retirement savings plan at work.

Meanwhile, the number of years spent in retirement is growing and the costs individuals can expect to bear in retirement are growing, too. The Employee Benefit Research Institute estimates that an individual retiring at age 65 in 2014 will need $285,000 just to cover health coverage premiums and expenses. Individual savings efforts also face significant obstacles. Those not covered by an employer's retirement plan, for example, can set aside a deductible IRA contribution of only $4,000 this year--$4,500 if they are age 50 or older.

Mutual funds are a hugely important part of American workers' preparation for retirement, both through their employers' retirement plans and on their own. Mutual funds now make up half of the $3.2 trillion held by American workers through 401(k) plans and other similar job-based savings programs. About 34 million American households hold mutual funds through their defined contribution plans. More than 30 million American households are saving through taxable mutual fund accounts, either as supplements to their employers' plans or because they do not have such plans.

The GROWTH Act is also a good idea because it remedies an unfairness in the tax code that can make saving difficult for many Americans. Mutual fund investors who are struggling to save for retirement should not have to pay taxes on ``profits'' they have not realized. If they don't have money in hand, it makes no sense for them to have to pay taxes. The GROWTH Act would defer taxes until the mutual fund shares are sold and the investor has actual funds to pay the taxes.

The GROWTH Act would be a valuable contributor to retirement savings efforts. Mutual fund savers who automatically reinvest are doing what policymakers want to see. They are holding for the long term, contributing to national savings, and building up their own retirement nest egg. These Americans should be encouraged to save--not discouraged through a tax on automatic reinvestments. The GROWTH Act is a step that will show immediate results, a step that will help tens of millions of American savers and ``should-be savers'' over the course of their working lives, and a step that with time can make a real difference in the retirement readiness of American families.

I urge my colleagues to join Senator Johnson and me in supporting the GROWTH Act. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

There being no objection the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: