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THE
SENATE WILL COME TO ORDER.
THE CHAPLAIN, DR. BARRY BLACK,
WILL LEAD THE SENATE IN PRAYER.
LET US PRAY.
ALMIGHTY GOD, THE GIVER OF GRACE
NAME.
TODAY, EMPOWER OUR LAWMAKERS TO
WALK IN YOUR WILL AND FOLLOW
YOUR LEADING.
GIVE THEM CLEAN HEARTS AND RENEW
A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN THEM.
TEACH THEM TO SERVE YOU AS YOU
DESERVE; TO GIVE AND NOT TO
COUNT THE COST; TO STRIVE AND
TOIL
REWARD EXCEPT THAT OF KNOWING
THEY ARE DOING YOUR WILL.
WE PRAY IN YOUR SOVEREIGN NAME.
AMEN.
PLEASE
JOIN ME IN RECITING THE PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO
THE FLAG OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND TO THE REPUBLIC
FOR WHICH IT STANDS,
ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
WITH LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THE
TO THE SENATE.
WASHINGTON, D.C,
NOVEMBER 16, 2011.
TO THE SENATE:
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 1,
PARAGRAPH 3, OF THE STANDING
RULES OF THE SENATE, I HEREBY
APPOINT THE HONORABLE KIRSTEN E.
GILLIBRAND, A SENATOR FROM THE
STATE OF NEW YORK, TO PERFORM
THE DUTIES OF THE CHAIR.
SIGNED: DANIEL K. INOUYE,
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE.
MADAM PRESIDENT?
MAJORITY LEADER.
FOLLOWING LEADER
REMARKS, THE SENATE WILL BE IN A
PERIOD OF MORNING BUSINESS FOR
AN HOUR.
THE MAJORITY WILL CONTROL THE
FIRST HALF.
THE REPUBLICANS THE FINAL HALF.
FOLLOWING MORNING BUSINESS, THE
SENATE RESUME CONSIDERATION OF
H.R. 2354, WHICH IS THE ENERGY
AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
WE NEED TO WORK ON AN AGREEMENT
FOR THE BILL.
I'LL ADVISE SENATORS WHEN VOTES
ARE SCHEDULED.
MADAM PRESIDENT, WE ARE -- WE
HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THE
NEXT FEW DAYS.
WE CANNOT HAVE THE DEFENSE
AUTHORIZATION BILL EAT UP A LOT
OF TIME AFTER WE GET BACK FROM
THE RECESS THAT WE HAVE FOR
THANKSGIVING, SO EVERYONE SHOULD
UNDERSTAND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE
FORWARD ON THE DEFENSE
AUTHORIZATION BILL.
IT MAY NOT BE TOMORROW, IT MAY
NOT BE THE NEXT DAY, BUT WE HAVE
TO DO IT BEFORE WE HAVE EASTER
-- I'M SORRY, EASTER ...
THANKSGIVING.
I HOPE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS.
I KNOW EVERYONE WANTS TO GET
HOME FOR THANKS GIVING.
WE ALL DO.
BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION HERE.
THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD -- THAT IS,
AFTER THANKSGIVING, WE HAVE JUST
DONE.
AS IMPORTANT AS THE DEFENSE
AUTHORIZATION BILL IS WE CAN'T
EAT UP DAYS AND DAYS OF THAT
TIME IN DECEMBER.
TWOAF FINISH THAT BILLWE HAVE TO FINISH THAT BILL NOW.
I HOPE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IF
THEY HAVE AN IDEA THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO STOP US FROM MOVING
FORWARD ON THE BILL, ON THE
MOTION TO PROCEED, WE'RE GOING
TO GET THAT DONE AND MORE.
SO THAT WOULD MEAN WE HAVE TO
WORK PAST THURSDAY, PAST FRIDAY,
AND IF WE HAVE PROCEDURAL
OBSTACLES ON THAT VERY IMPORTANT
LEGISLATION, IT WILL MEAN WE
HAVE TO WORK THE WEEKEND INTO
NEXT WEEK.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS THAT.
SO ALL SENATORS ARE WATCHING AND
LISTENING AND ESPECIALLY THE
STAFF, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALTER
NATIONAL RESERVATIONS TO LEAVE
WASHINGTON.
THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS
DON'T AGREE ON MUCH THESE DAY,
ALTHOUGH I HAD A MEETING WITH
SOME VETERANS GROUPS EARLIER
TODAYES AAND I INDICATED TO THEM
MAYBE THEY'RE GOING TO BRING US
SOME GOOD LUCK BECAUSE WE WERE
ABLE TO PASS PART OF THE
PRESIDENT'S JOBS BILL.
THE VETERANS EMPLOYMENT WITH AN
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY.
THAT WAS VERY GOOD NEWS.
I HOPE THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF
SOME GOOD DAYS AHEAD OF US.
WE DO AGREE THAT CONGRESS MUST
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE
UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS THAT WE
WE HAVE 14 MILLION AMERICANS OUT
OF WORK.
THERE'S NO MORE PRESSING ISSUE
FACING CONGRESS OR THE COUNTRY
THAN JOBS.
OUR PLAN, THE DEMOCRATS' PLAN TO
ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN
VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
WE'VE ADVOCATED FOR POLICIES
THAT WILL CREATE JOBS BY
INVESTING IN WHAT MAKES THIS
COUNTRY GREAT -- OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR EDUCATION
SYSTEM, OUR INNOVATIVE
WORKFORCE.
DESPITE REPUBLICAN
OBSTRUCTIONISM, WE'VE CONTINUED
TO FIGHT FOR MIDDLE-CLASS JOBS
BRINGING TO THE SENATE FLOOR
BILL AFTER BILL DESIGNED TO PUT
WORK.
I MET YESTERDAY WITH A BUSINESS
ROUND TABLE, A STELLAR
ORGANIZATION, WITH THE FINEST
BUSINESS EXECUTIVES WE HAVE IN
AMERICA TODAY.
AND I TOLD THEM THAT I KNOW THAT
THEY'RE ALL DOING WELL
FINANCIALLY, AND I WENT OVER
WHAT WE HAD PROPOSED A WEEK OR
SO AGO.
THAT IS, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT IS DETERIORATING.
AND I SAID, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT
FORWARD A PIECE OF LEGISLATION
THAT SAID, LET'S SPEND $50
BILLION CREATING HUNDREDS AND
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS.
WE WOULD NOT PUNISH MILLIONAIRES
AND BILLIONAIRES.
WHAT WE WOULD DO IS PEOPLE
FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE A
MILLION DOLLARS IN A GIVEN YEAR,
WE WOULD SAY, ANY MONEY THAT
THEY MAKE OVER $1 MILLION, THEY
WOULD HAVE TO PAY A SURTAX OF
DOES ANYBODY OUT HERE THINK
THAT'S AN ONEROUS SUGGESTION?
NOBODY RAISED THEIR HAND.
NO ONE SAID "NO," BECAUSE IT
BUT ON A STRAIGHT PARTY-LINE
VOTE, THAT FAILED.
SO WE'RE GLG GOING TO CONTINUE TO
FIGHT FOR MIDDLE OF-CLASS JOBS,
BRINGING THE SENATE BILL AFTER
BILL, AS WE HAVE DONE, AND A
BRING MORE IN -- AND WE'LL BRING
MORE IN THE FUTURE PUTTING
AMERICANS BACK TO WORK.
THE REPUBLICANS HAVE TAKEN A
DIMP APPROACH.
THEY'VE ADVOCATED A WHOLESALE
REGULATIONS.
MADAM PRESIDENT, WE KNOW AND WE
WERE ABLE TO SHOW DWHRED YESTERDAY THAT
THE JOBS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST,
ABOUT .3%, HAS BEEN ABOUT
REGULATIONS.
DOES THAT MEAN ALL REGULATIONS
ARE PERFECT.
OF COURSE NOT.
THAT'S WHY THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION, AS DID THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION, AS DID THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, HAVE A
REVIEW OF WHAT REGULATIONS ARE
ONEROUS AND WE SHOULD CHANGE OR
GET RID OF.
WE NEED THAT.
-- WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT REPUBLICANS, THAT IS THEIR
JOB-CREATING MANTRA.
GET RID OF REGULATIONS.
DOESN'T WORK.
THEY SAY ROLLING BACK LIMITS ON
AIR POLLUTION, TO RULES THAT
KEEP OUR WORK SITES SAFE WILL
ECONOMY.
TRUE.
BUSINESS LEADERS AND ECONOMISTS
OF EVERY POLITICAL STRIPE
FALSEHOOD.
A RESPECTED ECONOMIC ADVISOR TO
TWO REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS CALLED
THIS MYTH SPREAD BY REPUBLICANS
TO COVER UP THEIR LACK OF
MEANINGFUL WORK PLANS TO CREATE
JOBS -- QUOTE -- "NONSENSE" AND
-- QUOTE -- "MADE UP."
I TALKED ABOUT HIM IN SOME
DETAIL YESTERDAY.
THE EVIDENCE AND FACTS SHOW THAT
GOVERNMENT SAFEGUARDS HAVE
LITTLE IMPACT ON EMPLOYMENT.
THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
STUDY FOUND THAT LAST YEAR .3%
OF LAYOFFS WAS CAUSED BY
REGULATION.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO EXECUTIVES
WHO ORDERED THOSE LAYOFFS.
NEARLY A 85 TIMES AS MANY JOBS
WERE LOST LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF A
SLOW ECONOMY.
RATHER THAN WORK WITH US TO TURN
THIS WEAK ECONOMY AROUND,
CREATING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS,
IF NOT MILLIONS, OF JOBS,
REPUBLICANS SPENT 11 MONTHS
FIGHTING DEMOCRATIC POLICIES TO
CREATE JOBS.
MEANWHILE, THEY SPENT THESE PAST
11 MONTHS FOCUSED ON KILLING
REGULATIONS THAT MAKE AMERICA
SAFER, HEALTHIER, MORE EFFICIENT
FOR EXAMPLE, THE REPUBLICANS
WANT TO HARLT UPDATES TO THE
CLEAN AIR ACT -- HALT UPDATES TO
THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
SINCE ITS PASSAGE 40 YEARS AGO
DURING THE PRESIDENCY OF RICHARD
NIXON -- YOU KNOW, MADAM
PRESIDENT, WHY NIXON AND THE
CONGRESS GOT KIND OF INTERESTED
IN THAT, IN OHIO THE CUYAHOGA
RIVER KEPT CATCHING FIRE, THE
RIVER STARTED BURNING.
THEY WOULD PUT IT OUT AND IT
WOULD START BURNING AGAIN.
SO PRESIDENT NIXON AND OTHERS
FELT WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT.
THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
AND WE ALSO DURING THAT SAME
PERIOD OF TIME DID SOMETHING
ABOUT THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
AND THE CLEAN AIR ACT ALONE HAS
REDUCED EMISSION OF KEY
POLLUTANTS BY SEVERAL PERCENT.
LAWS WOULD REDUCE EMISSIONS OF
MERCURY AND OTHER
LIFE-THREATENING POLLUTANTS INTO
THE AIR, SAVING LIVES.
LAST YEAR THE CLEAN AIR ACT
SAVED THE LIVES OF 160,000
AMERICANS AND PREVENTED 86,000
EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS AND 13,000
LOST WORK DAYS.
THIS IS MONEY IN THE BANK FOR
ALL OF US WHEN WE CAN SAVE
LIVES, PREVENT EMERGENCY ROOM
VISITS, AND KEEP PEOPLE WORKING
AND NOT BEING SICK.
THE CLEAN AIR ACT HAS PREVENTED
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CASES
OF HEART DISEASE, CHRONIC
BRONCHITIS AND ASTHMA.
IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE DONE
THINGS TO HELP CLEAN THE AIR,
HELP.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I CAN REMEMBER
AS A LITTLE BOY GOING UP TO
VISIT A WOMAN WHO LIVED ON THE
OUTSKIRTS OF SEARCHLIGHT.
THAT'S REALLY A COUPLE OF MILES
SEARCHLIGHT.
THIS.
SHE HAD ASTHMA.
AND MY MOM WENT OUT TO SEE IF
THERE WAS ANYTHING SHE COULD DO
TO HELP.
THERE WASN'T A THING SHE COULD
DO TO HELP.
THIS WOMAN WAS SO -- IN SUCH A
STATE OF DISTRESS.
COULDN'T BREATHE, MAKING
HORRIBLE NOISES THAT I'VE NEVER
THINGS ARE BETTER, ONE REASON
MEDICINES BUT ALSO CLEANER AIR.
THE CLEAN AIR ACT HAS PREVENTED
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CASES
OF HEART DISEASE, AS I'VE
CATTED, CHRONIC BRONCHITIS AND
AND LAST YEAR ALONE IT SAVED
AMERICAN COMPANIES AND CONSUMERS
$1.3 TRILLION BY REDUCING
MEDICAL COSTS AND INCREASING
PRODUCTIVITY.
OF COURSE ALL THESE BENEFITS
COME WITH A PRICE TAG.
BUT FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT
COMPLYING WITH THE CLEAN AIR
ACT, THIS NATION SAVES $30 IN
EMERGENCY ROOM BILLS, LOST
WORKDAYS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL
AND REPEATING THE LAW OF THE
CLEAN AIR ACT WOULDN'T MAKE THE
COSTS GO AWAY.
INSTEAD, IT WOULD SHIFT THEM
FROM CORPORATIONS TO CONSUMERS.
COMPLYING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL
SAFEGUARDS IS PART OF BEING A
GOOD CORPORATE CITIZEN.
THAT'S WHY TWO-THIRDS OF
CITIZENS SAY SCIENTISTS AT THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
SHOULD SET POLICIES AND
STANDARDS.
71% OF VOTERS INCLUDING A
MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS SUPPORT
THE ACT BY REPUBLICANS.
80% BELIEVE THE CASKS WILL
IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH AND AIR
QUALITY.
THERE'S PLENTY OF EVIDENCE THAT
SMART, FAIR REGULATIONS SAVE
LIVES AND SAVE COMMUNITIES LOTS
OF MONEY AND ALSO CONSUMERS LOTS
OF MONEY.
THERE'S MORE EVIDENCE THAT
STRONGER WATCHDOGS COULD HAVE
PREVENTED DISASTERS LIKE THE
2508 FINANCIAL CRISIS OR THE
WEST VIRGINIA MINING ACCIDENT
THAT KILLED 21 PEOPLE LAST YEAR.
SIMPLY REPEALING THE FICTION
THAT REGULATIONS KILL JOBS
DOESN'T MAKE IT A FACT.
BUT EVEN IF THERE IS ONE OUNCE
OF TRUTH IN THE FABLE, THERE ARE
MANY WAYS TO STEER OUR ECONOMY
OUT OF THE DITCH AND CREATE JOBS
THAT DON'T RISK AMERICAN LIVES.
MADAM
PRESIDENT?
REPUBLICAN LEADER.
TODAY I WOULD
LIKE TO BEGIN AGAIN BY FOCUSING
ON A PIECE OF JOBS LEGISLATION
THAT REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE
HAVE RECENTLY PASSED WITH
SIGNIFICANT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT
AND BY CALLING ON THE DEMOCRATIC
MAJORITY IN THE SENATE TO FOLLOW
THE LEAD OF THE HOUSE
REPUBLICANS BY TAKING THIS
LEGISLATION UP AND PASSING IT
RIGHT HERE IN THE SENATE.
THE LEGISLATION I'D LIKE TO
HIGHLIGHT IS H.R. 2250, THE
E.P.A. REGULATORY RELIEF ACT.
THIS LEGISLATION PASSED THE
MONTH.
41 DEMOCRATS SUPPORTED IT THERE
OVER IN THE HOUSE.
SENATOR COLLINS HAS INTRODUCED A
SIMILAR BILL HERE IN THE SENATE.
IT'S GOT STRONG, STRONG
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
MOST AMERICANS ARE PROBABLY
AWARE BY NOW THAT THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION IS CRUSHING
BUSINESSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
WITH A MOUNTAIN OF RED TAPE AND
NEW REGULATIONS THAT IT IMPOSES
OUTSIDE OF THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS.
WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES
THEY FACE, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
NOW RANK THESE REGULATIONS AT
THE VERY TOP OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT THEY FACE.
ONE OF THE CHIEF OFFENDERS IS
E.P.A., AND ONE OF THE MOST
POTENTIALLY DAMAGING REGULATIONS
THIS RED TAPE FACTORY HAS
PROPOSED RELATES TO THE BOILERS
THAT ARE USED BY JUST ABOUT
EVERY MANUFACTURER OR
INSTITUTION IN THIS COUNTRY THAT
DOESN'T GET THE POWER IT NEEDS
FROM STANDARD UTILITIES.
RIGHT NOW THE E.P.A. WANTS TO
FORCE ANYBODY WITH AN
INDUSTRIAL-SIZED BOILER TO
CHANGE THEIR FACILITIES TO
COMPLY WITH THE BURDENSOME NEW
THAT, ACCORDING TO
ONE STUDY, COULD PUT 230,000
JOBS AT RISK.
SO HERE'S WHAT SENATOR COLLINS
HAS IN MIND.
THE E.P.A. REGULATORY RELIEF ACT
WOULD DO ABOUT ALL OF THIS
HERE'S WHAT IT WOULD DO TO
PROTECT JOBS RIGHT HERE IN
AMERICA.
FIRST, SENATOR COLLINS' BILL
WOULD PROVIDE MORE TIME FOR
E.P.A. TO ISSUE REGULATIONS FOR
INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND
INSTITUTIONAL BOILERS, PROCESS
HEATERS AND INCINERATORS.
THIS IS THE TIME THAT E.P.A.
ITSELF HAS INDICATED THAT IT
NEEDS AN ORDER TO COLLECT MORE
DATA AND ANALYSIS AND TO
FINALIZE THE RULES.
SO IT GIVES E.P.A. WHAT IT SAYS
IT NEEDS.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, IT WOULD
PROVIDE E.P.A. 15 MONTHS FROM
THE DATE OF THE BILL'S ENACTMENT
TO REPROPOSE AND FINALIZE THE
NEW BORDER RULES WHICH I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE THAT E.P.A. HAS
ALREADY REQUESTED AT
THIS TIME.
THIS BILL WOULD ALSO EXTEND THE
COMPLIANCE DEADLINES FROM THREE
TO FIVE YEARS WHICH WOULD ALLOW
COMPANIES ADEQUATE TIME TO
COMPLY WITH THE NEW STANDARDS
AND INSTALL THE REQUIRED
EQUIPMENT.
CRUCIALLY, THIS BILL WOULD ALSO
DIRECT E.P.A. TO ENSURE THE NEW
RULES ARE ACHIEVABLE AND
REALISTIC.
WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE VITAL ROLE
THE E.P.A. PLAYS IN KEEPING THE
AIR WE BREATHE AND THE WATER WE
DRINK CLEAN AND SAFE.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO GET SOME
COMMONSENSE LIMITS ON ITS
AND THAT MEANS PUTTING IN PLACE
LAWS THAT PROTECT AMERICANS
AGAINST THE KIND OF REGULATORY
OVERREACH THAT TOO MANY
UNELECTED BUREAUCRATS IN
WASHINGTON SEEM TO LIVE FOR
THESE DAYS, ESPECIALLY IN THESE
CHALLENGING ECONOMIC TIMES.
AS I SAID, THIS BILL HAS A LOT
OF SUPPORT NOT ONLY FROM
REPUBLICANS BUT FROM DEMOCRATS
HERE IN THE SENATE.
IN FACT, 12 OF THE BILL'S
COSPONSORS ARE DEMOCRATS.
LIKE ME, THEY UNDERSTAND AND
APPRECIATE HOW THESE NEW RULES
WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT JOBS AND
MANUFACTURING IN THIS COUNTRY,
AND THEY WANT TO WORK WITH US TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
SO THIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE
OF AN ISSUE ON WHICH THE TWO
PARTIES ACTUALLY AGREE.
PERFECT EXAMPLE.
SENATOR RON WYDEN SUPPORTS THIS
BILL BECAUSE IT DIRECTS THE
E.P.A. TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING
BOARD AND CRAFT BOILER RULES
THAT ARE MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT
IS REALISTIC FOR MILLS AND
FACTORIES, HE SAID.
SENATOR WYDEN ARGUES THAT THE
E.P.A. ITSELF HAS ADMITTED THAT
ITS BOILER RULES NEED TO BE
HERE'S HOW SENATOR LANDRIEU PUT
IT OVER THE SUMMER.
WITH MANUFACTURING BEING ONE OF
THE BRIGHT SPOTS IN OUR ECONOMIC
RECOVERY, WE CANNOT ATOWARD TO
JEOPARDIZE THE INDUSTRY'S HELP
AND HIGH-PAYING JOBS IT SUPPLIES
TO THIS COUNTRY.
THIS LEGISLATION WILL GIVE THE
E.P.A. THE TIME EXTENSION IT
NEEDS TO CRAFT A BALANCED
APPROACH THAT NOT ONLY KEEPS OUR
ENVIRONMENT CLEAN BUT ALSO OUR
ECONOMY STRONG.
THIS LEGISLATION IS SUPPORTED BY
THE AMERICAN FOREST AND PAPER
ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURING,
THE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF
INDEPENDENT BUSINESS, THE
BUSINESS ROUND TABLE, THE POWER
ASSOCIATION, AND AROUND 300
OTHER BUSINESS GROUPS.
TOO MANY JOBS ARE AT STAKE FOR
THE SENATE NOT TO ACT ON THIS
LEGISLATION THAT'S ACTUALLY
ALREADY PASSED THE HOUSE.
I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED AN OHIO
PAPER MILLS WHERE 200 JOBS ARE
AT STAKE RESULT OF THIS RULE.
THE AMERICAN FOREST AND PAPER
ASSOCIATION SAYS 70,000 JOBS IN
THE PAPER INDUSTRY ALONE ARE
ALSO AT RISK.
THE REPUBLICAN HOUSE HAS DONE
ITS JOB.
NOW IS TIME FOR THE SENATE TO
LET'S TAKE UP THE E.P.A.
REGULATORY RELIEF ACT, PASS IT,
AND SEND IT ON DOWN TO THE
PRESIDENT FOR SIGNATURE.
IF DEMOCRATIC LEADERS CAN'T
AGREE TO TAKE UP AND PASS
LEGISLATION THAT THE TWO PARTIES
ACTUALLY AGREE ON, THEN WHAT
WILL THEY AGREE TO PASS?
LET'S FOLLOW THE HOUSE'S LEAD
AND SHOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WE
CAN WORK TOGETHER ON THIS
COMMONSENSE BIPARTISAN TPWOEUL
PROTECT JOBS -- BIPARTISAN BILL
TO PROTECT JOBS IN AMERICAN
MANUFACTURING.
MADAM PRESIDENT, ON AN ENTIRELY
DIFFERENT SUBJECT, I WANT TODAY
TO PAY TRIBUTE TO A GOOD FRIEND
OF MINE AND A MAN WHO HAS BEEN A
GOOD FRIEND OF THE COMMONWEALTH
OF KENTUCKY FOR DECADES, WHETHER
AS A STATE LEGISLATOR, A PASTOR,
AN EVANGELIST, A RADIO STATION
OPERATOR OR AS A DEDICATED AND
LOVING FAMILY MAN, THE
REVEREND GENE HUFF OF LONDON,
KENTUCKY, HAS BEEN A GOOD AND
FAITHFUL SERVANT OF HIS
COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS.
KENTUCKIAN.
GENE HUFF WAS BORN OCTOBER 6,
AND BEFORE HE WAS 20 YEARS OLD
HE HAD HEARD THE CALL TO PREACH
AND BEGAN TRAVELING KENTUCKY AS
AN EADVANTAGE LIST.
HIS WIFE OF NEARLY 60 YEARS,
ETHYL, RECALLS THE FIRST TIME
SHE LAID EYES ON GENE WHEN HE
CAME TO PREACH AT HER CHURCH.
IN 1949 HE CAME TO NEWPORT,
KENTUCKY, TO PREACH HIS FIRST
REVIVAL AT AGE 19, ETHEL
IT WAS MY HOME CHURCH.
TEENAGER PREACH BEFORE.
SO WHEN I FIRST SAW GENE, I
WONDERED WHAT HE WOULD BE ABLE
TO TELL US.
HE WAS SO YOUNG-LOOKING TO BE A
PREACHER, BUT I LOVED HIS BROAD,
FRIENDLY SMILE AND WONDERFUL
VOICE FROM THE VERY START.
TO MY SURPRISE, SHE SAID, HE
REALLY COULD PREACH.
AT THE FIRST MEETING, ETHEL WAS
CHURCH PIANIST.
SHE MUST HAVE BEEN SMITTEN WITH
THE HANDSOME 19-YEAR-OLD
PREACHER.
THEY DATED FOR THREE YEARS AND
WERE MARRIED ON JULY 4, 1952.
THAT SAME YEAR GENE FOUND A
PERMANENT HOME AS A PREACHER
WHEN HE BECAME THE FIRST PASTOR
AT THE FIRST PENTACOSTAL CHURCH
IN LONDON, KENTUCKY, THE CHURCH
THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME HIS
HOME FOR THREE DECADES.
FROM 1955 TO 1963 HE FOLLOWED
SOME OTHER PURSUITS, INCLUDING
SERVING AS PASTOR AT THE UPPER
COLONY HOLINESS CHURCH AND THE
CARMICHAEL COMMUNITY CHURCH IN
LONDON AND AT THE DEER PARK
CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH
IN CINCINNATI.
HE ALSO WORKED FOR A TIME AS A
TUTOR.
BUT IN 1963, GENE RETURNED TO
PASTOR AT THE FIRST PENTACOSTAL
AND REMAINED IN THAT CAPACITY
UNTIL 1989.
MANY KENTUCKIANS HAVE ALSO COME
TO KNOW GENE THROUGH HIS LIFE
LONG EXPERIENCE IN POLITICS.
HE WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE
KENTUCKY HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES IN 1967.
IN 1971, HE WON A SEAT IN THE
KENTUCKY SENATE REPRESENTING THE
21st DISTRICT AND SERVED THERE
UNTIL 1994.
I GOT TO WORK WITH GENE IN HIS
LEGISLATIVE CAPACITY OVER THE
YEARS AND CAN TRULY SAY THE
PEOPLE OF THE 21st DISTRICT
COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A MORE
DEDICATED, LOYAL OR HARDWORKING
SENATOR.
GENE WAS ALWAYS TRUE AND
FAITHFUL TO HIS CONVICTIONS IN
THE STATE SENATE.
HE WAS THE LEADER OF EFFORTS TO
OPPOSE THE LOTTERY COMING TO
AND ALTHOUGH HE WAS ULTIMATELY
UNSUCCESSFUL, I KNOW HE WAS
PROUD OF WAGING THAT FIGHT.
HE WOULD EVENTUALLY RISE TO
SERVE AS BOTH THE MINORITY
CAUCUS CHAIRMAN AND THE MINORITY
FLOOR LEADER AND AS THE RANKING
REPUBLICAN ON THE APPROPRIATIONS
YEARS.
IN 2000 HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE
OF FAME.
GENE CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A
PASTOR WHILE SERVING HIS
CONSTITUENTS IN FRANKFURT.
MARTY, WHO HAD SEEN A
PRESENTATION ON A BUS MINISTRY,
GENE FOUND FOUR SCHOOL BUSES FOR
HIS CHURCH TO BUY AND FIX UP,
AND HE BEGAN RUNNING THESE BUSES
ACROSS THE REGION TO BRING
PEOPLE IN TO HEAR HIM PREACH AT
FIRST PENTACOSTAL.
THEY NAMED THE FOUR BUSES
MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN.
BEFORE THE BUS SERVICE BEGAN,
GENE'S SUNDAY SCHOOL HAD AN
AVERAGE ATTENDANCE OF AROUND
150.
WITHIN THREE MONTHS, OVER 400
PEOPLE WERE ATTENDING GENE'S
SERVICES.
AND GENE TRAVELED EVEN FARTHER
THAN THE BACK ROADS OF KENTUCKY
WORD.
IN THE 1980'S, WHILE SERVING AS
SUCCESSFULLY GOT A RESOLUTION
PASSED TO ASSIST PERSECUTED
CHRISTIANS IN ROMANIA.
SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, GENE
TRAVELED TO ROMANIA TO SEE THE
SITUATION THERE HIMSELF
WHEN HE -- WHAT HE HE SAW SO
MOVED HIM THAT HE BEGAN AN
ENTIRELY NEW PHASE OF FOREIGN
MISSIONS IN MINISTRY.
GENE WOULD GO ON TO MAKE 28
TRIPS JUST TO ROMANIA, AND HE
AND ETHEL TRAVELED TO 33
COUNTRIES.
IN 1990 THEY FORMED GOOD NEWS
OUTREACH MISSIONS ORGANIZATION
TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK IN FOREIGN
MISSIONS.
HERE'S HOW ETHEL PUTS THE EFFECT
THESE TRIPS HAVE HAD ON HER AND
INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT OF
FOREIGN MISSIONS HAS BEEN A
BEAUTIFUL ADDITION TO THE
TAPESTRY OF OUR LIVES.
AS IF ALL THIS SERVICE TO BOTH
CONGREGANTS AND CONSTITUENTS
WERE NOT ENOUGH, GENE SUCCEEDED
IN MANY OTHER PURSUITS AS WELL.
HE HAS INSTALLED AIR
CONDITIONERS AND FURNACES,
REPAIRED WASHING MACHINES,
REBUILT CARS, WORKED IN HOME
CONSTRUCTION, WORKED AT A CAR
AN ICE CREAM SHOP
AND HAULED HAY, COAL, LUMBER AND
WATERMELONS.
HE ONCE WORKED AS A TRAVEL AGENT
FOR K.L.M. AIRLINES.
IN THE 19 # OS HE BECAME PART
OWNER OF AN AIRPLANE AND EARNED
HIS PILOT'S LICENSE.
ON THE DAY HE RESIGNED, GENE AND
ETHEL RAISED A 50,000 WATT TOWER
FOR A CHRISTIAN RADIO STATION
WHICH HE CONTINUED TO OPERATE
UNTIL 2007.
I REMEMBER DOING TWO INTERVIEWS
WITH GENE ON WY TKPW E.
GENE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN SEEING
A BRAND-NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART
HOSPITAL COMPLETED, AN ACUTE
CARE HOSPITAL THAT SERVES A
POPULATION OF OVER 50,000 IN
WHEN CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEW
FACILITY CAME TO A CROSSROADS A
FEW YEAR AGO IT WAS GENE WHO
BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER
ON A THANKSGIVING WEEKEND TO
LOBBY FOR THE HOSPITAL'S
COMPLETION.
I'M SURE HE'S PROUD TO SEE THE
NEW HOSPITAL AND ITS
AWARD-WINNING CARDIOVASCULAR
SERVICES UP AND RUNNING.
GENE HUFF IS NOT ONLY A
WELL-ROUNDED MAN BUT A
WELL-EDUCATED ONE AS WELL.
HE ENROLLED IN SUE BENNETT
JUNIOR COLLEGE IN LONDON IN THE
FALL OF 1952 BEGINNING A PURSUIT
OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT WOULD
YEARS.
HE FINISHED SUE BENNETT IN 1954
AND EARNED A BACHELORS DEGREE
FROM UNION COLLEGE IN
BARBERVILLE IN 1960.
HIS MASTER'S DEGREE WAS EARNED
AT MOOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY IN
MOOREHEAD, KENTUCKY, IN 1976.
HE ALSO EARNED AN EDUCATIONAL
SPECIALIST DEGREE THERE IN 1977.
HE PURSUED FURTHER GRADUATE WORK
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY.
IN 1999, GENE WAS AWARDED AN
HONORARY DOCTOR OF PUBLIC
EDUCATION DEGREE FROM UNION
GENE TURNED 82 YEARS OLD ABOUT A
MONTH AGO, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND
I CERTAINLY HOPE HE TOOK THE
HAPPY OCCASION OF HIS BIRTHDAY
TO LOOK BACK PROUDLY AT A LIFE
FILLED WITH ACHIEVEMENT.
THE NUMBER OF LIVES HE HAS
TOUCHED, WHETHER THROUGH HIS
PREACHING, HIS PUBLIC SERVICE,
OR JUST HIS WARM AND STEADY
PRESENCE AMONG FAMILY AND
FRIENDS CANNOT BE COUNTED.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF TALKING TO
GENE ON THE PHONE A FEW DAYS AGO
AND WE GOT TO REMINISCE ABOUT
OLD TIMES.
AND I JUST WANTED HIM TO KNOW I
WAS THINKING OF HIM AND THAT I'M
PROUD OF HIM FOR THE DECADES OF
SERVICE TO HIS COMMUNITY, TO THE
GOD.
IT'S AN HONOR TO COME TO
WASHINGTON TO REPRESENT
KENTUCKIANS LIKE THE REVEREND
GENE HUFF.
AND I'M SURE NO ONE COULD BE
PROUDER OF GENE THAN HIS WIFE,
ETHEL, THEIR FIVE CHILDREN,
ARLEN, MARTIN, ANNA MARCH -- MA
MARIE, THEIR 19 GRANDCHILDREN
AND MANY OTHER BELOVED FAMILY
AND FRIENDS.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD ASK MY
SENATE COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME IN
RECOGNIZING REVEREND GENE HUFF
FOR HIS LIFETIME OF
KENTUCKY IS HONORED TO CALL HIM
ONE OF OUR OWN AND I'M HONORED
TO CALL HIM MY FRIEND.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE
LEADERSHIP TIME IS RESERVED.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THERE
WILL NOW BE A PERIOD OF MORNING
BUSINESS FOR UP TO ONE HOUR WITH
SENATORS PERMITTED TO SPEAK
THEREIN FOR TEN MINUTES EACH,
WITH THE TIME EQUALLY DIVIDED
AND CONTROLLED BETWEEN THE TWO
LEADERS OR THEIR DESIGNEES, WITH
THE MAJORITY CONTROLLING THE
FIRST HALF AND THE REPUBLICANS
CONTROLLING THE SECOND HALF.
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM RHODE ISLAND.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO
ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE
SENATOR FROM MONTANA, SENATOR
TESTER, AND THE SENATOR FROM
LOUISIANA, SENATOR LANDRIEU; AND
THE SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT,
SENATOR BLUMENTHAL AND I HAVE
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ENGAGE
DURING MORNING BUSINESS TIME IN
OBJECTION.
AND FURTHER
THAT VAL MILASA, A FELLOW IN
SENATOR TESTER'S OFFICE BE
GRANTED FLOOR PRIVILEGES FOR
TODAY.
OBJECTION.
MADAM PRESIDENT.
WE HAVE JUST PASSED THROUGH A
VERY SIGNIFICANT LANDMARK IN
THIS COUNTRY, WHICH IS THAT
STUDENT DEBT, THE BURDEN OF
COLLEGE LOAN DEBT THAT AMERICANS
HAVE TO CARRY, BROKE THROUGH $1
TRILLION.
$1 TRILLION IN DEBT.
AND BECAUSE OF THE LAWS THAT
HAVE BEEN SET UP TO FAVOR THE
BANKS, IN PARTICULAR IN THIS
CONGRESS, THE DEBT IS NOT
DISCHARGEABLE IN BANKRUPTCY.
SO THAT IS A $1 TRILLION BURDEN
ON FOLKS WHO REQUIRED LOANS TO
GET THROUGH COLLEGE THAT THEY
CAN NEVER SHAKE OFF, THAT IS
GOING TO STAY WITH THEM FOR
THEIR LIVES, FOR AS LONG AS IT
TAKES TO PAY IT DOWN, EVEN WHEN
THINGS DON'T WORK OUT FOR THEM.
SO IT IS A VERY, VERY
SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE WHEN IT
HITS $1 TRILLION OF THIS
PARTICULAR KIND OF VERY ONEROUS
RESPONSES TO IT
IS THE PELL GRANT.
THE PELL GRANT HELPS PEOPLE WHO
CAN'T AFFORD COLLEGE HAVE THE
CHANCE TO GO TO COLLEGE.AND IT HELPS THEM PAY THEIR WAY
THROUGH COLLEGE, AND IT DOES SO
WITHOUT LEAVING THAT BURDEN OF
DEBT BEHIND.
IT IS NAMED AFTER SENATOR
CLAIBORNE PELL OF RHODE ISLAND,
A SENATOR AND A MAN WHO WAS VERY
IMPORTANT TO ME IN MY LIFE AND
IN MY DEVELOPMENT AS A POLITICAL
FIGURE IN RHODE ISLAND.
HE WAS A VERY DEAR FRIEND AND
WENT ALMOST INEXEXPLICABLY OUT
OF HIS WAY FOR ME ON MANY
DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.
SO I AM DEEPLY INDEBTED TO HIM,
BUT I'M ALSO EXTREMELY PROUD TO
REPRESENT RHODE ISLAND IN THE
SENATE, TO REPRESENT A STATE
THAT PRODUCED SENATOR CLAIBORNE
PELL, AND PARTICULARLY AS WE
OF DEBT
TO COME TO THE FLOOR, TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS COLLOQUY IN
SUPPORT OF THE PELL GRANT.
AND I'LL TURN TO MY COLLEAGUE,
SENATOR TESTER, IN ONE MOMENT,
BUT I HAD JUST WANT TO SAY --
BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW
IMPORTANT THIS IS TO JUST
INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE WHO REALLY
WOULDN'T HAVE THE CHANCE
I WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE
ISLAND JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND
I MET A WOMAN NAMED AMBER WHO IS
29 YEARS OLD.
SHE'S NOT YOUR STANDARD, YOU
KNOW, COME OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL,
GO ON TO COLLEGE STUDENT.
SHE'S ACTUALLY A MOM.
SHE HAS TWO KIDS.
SHE WORKS FULL-TIME AND SHE GOES
TO SCHOOL FULL-TIME AND SHE'S
OF TWO KIDS.
THIS IS A BUSY, BUSY PERSON, AND
A VERY ENERGETIC AND CAPABLE
PERSON.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT SHE CAN
MAKE THINGS WORK IN HER LIFE AND
ENABLE HER TO BE A FULL-TIME
MOM, A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, AND A
FULL-TIME STUDENT IS BECAUSE THE
PELL GRANT THAT SHE GETS BRIDGES
THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT SHE CAN
EARN, WHAT SHE CAN BORROW, WHAT
SHE HAS TO PAY, AND GIVES HER
THE CHANCE TO MOVE INTO A
COLLEGE-EDUCATED STATUS.
AS WE KNOW, FROM LOOKING AT THIS
RECESSION THAT WE'VE BEEN IN
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE TWO
ECONOMIES IN AMERICA.
THERE'S AN ECONOMY FOR
COLLEGE-EDUCATED PEOPLE, AN
ECONOMY IN WHICH THE TOP
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WAS BELOW 5%,
AND THEN THERE'S THE ECONOMY FOR
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE
BENEFIT AND THE GOOD FORTUNE OF
A COLLEGE EDUCATION, FOR WHOM
TWICE AS
HIGH AND FOR WHOM THE SUFFERING
BROUGHT ON BY THE WALL STREET
MELTDOWN AND THE SUBSEQUENT
RECESSION HAS BEEN MUCH MORE
TESTER.
I APPRECIATE SO MUCH THAT HE HAS
COME TO JOIN US TODAY AND TO
HELP OUR COLLEAGUES, I HOPE,
COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT
CUTTING PELL GRANTS, AS WE FACE
OUR DEBT AND OUR DEFICIT
PROBLEM, WOULD BE A WILD
MISTAKE, WOULD BE A TERRIBLE
MISTAKE, WOULD UNDERCUT THE
PROGRESS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
MAKE, WOULD BE ONE OF THE WORST
PLACES TO GO FOR SPENDING CUTS,
EVEN KNOW I ADMIT WE NEED TO
MAKE THEM, THE PELL GRANT IS THE
WRONG PLACE TO LOOK.
AND I WOULD YIELD TO MY
TESTER.
MADAM PRESIDENT?
THANK YOU, SENATOR FROM RHODE
ISLAND, SENATOR WHITEHOUSE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
ON THE ISSUE OF PELL GRANTS --
AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS PELL
TO NOT
ONLY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, TO THE
FOLKS WHO ARE BEING RETRAINED TO
FIND DIFFERENT LINES OF WORK,
BUT ALSO TO THE OVERALL ECONOMY
IF WE'RE GOING TO GO TO AN
INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT TAKES
MONEY.
IF PELL GRANTS ARE REDUCED OR
POTENTIALLY EVEN TAKEN AWAY, AS
SOME WANT, IT TAKES AWAY THAT
OPPORTUNITY.
IT TAKES AWAY THAT OPPORTUNITY
FOR UPWARD MOBILITY WITHIN OUR
SOCIETY, WITHIN THE ECONOMY.
WITHOUT EDUCATION, IF YOU'RE
POOR.
WITHOUT EDUCATION, IF YOU WANT
TO IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE,
IT BECOMES MUCH, MUCH, MUCH MORE
WHEN I MEET WITH STUDENTS, BOTH
TRADITIONAL AND NONTRADITIONAL
STUDENTS, AROUND THE STATE OF
MONTANA, THE FIRST QUESTION THEY
ASK ME -- OR ONE OF THE FIRST
QUESTIONS -- IS WHAT'S THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOING TO MAKE
COLLEGE AFFORDABLE?
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE UNFORTUNATE
ENOUGH TO BE BORN WITHOUT
ECONOMIC MEANS, THESE PELL
GRANTS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW PEOPLE,
STUDENTS, YOUNG PEOPLE, FOLKS
THAT NEED TO BE RETRAINED TO GO
TO COLLEGE AND GET THAT TRAINING
TRAINING, TO ADD TO OUR ECONOMY,
TO GET THEM A BETTER JOB AND
POTENTIALLY BECOME BUSINESS
OWNERS AND DOWN THE LINE.
NOW WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?
BECAUSE PELL GRANTS HAVE BEEN
UNDER ATTACK IN THE HOUSE.
H.R. 1 CUT $5.7 BILLION FROM
PELL GRANTS.
MILLIONS OF STUDENTS WOULD HAVE
BEEN DENIED ACCESS TO EDUCATION
BECAUSE OF THAT CUT.
SOME PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE EVEN
WELFARE.
COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE
TRUTH.
AND THEN AFTER H.R. 1 WAS PUT
DOWN IN THE SENATE IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY, THE HOUSE PASSED
THE LABOR-H.H.S. CUT, WHICH CUT
$8 BILLION FROM PELL,
ELIMINATING PELL GRANTS FROM
WHO ARE GOING TO SCHOOL
LESS THAN HALF-TIME.
THAT ELIMINATES ALL THE
NONTRADITION -- WELL, A GOOD
PORTION OF THE NONTRADITIONALLAL
STUDENTS BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE
FOLKS ARE TRYING TO MAKE A
LIVING, TRYING TO SUPPORT A
FAMILY, AND TRYING TO IMPROVE
THEMSELVES AND THE ECONOMIC
STRATEGYSTRATA OF THIS WORLD.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN LAID OFF.
THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL IN
WESTERN MONTANA, HAD A TILE
BUSINESS, A 27-YEAR-OLD -- 27
YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE TILE AND
STONE BUSINESS, HAD A FAMILY.
BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN
AND BECAUSE OF QUITE FRANKLY
PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS IN A
BUSINESS THAT'S VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT, HE HAD TO BE -- HE
WORK.
WORK HAD DRIED UP AND QUITE
FRANKLY, THE BACK WAS GETTING
WEAK.
SO HE WAS ABLE TO GET A PELL
GRANT, GO BACK TO SCHOOL ON A
PART-TIME BASIS, AND STUDY FOR A
JOB WHERE THERE WAS A JOB, ONCE
DONE, IN THE CULINARY
ARTS, SOMETHING THAT HE WANTS TO
DO, SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW
THRIM TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY.
WITHOUT THOSE PELL GRANTS,
DEVELOPED POSSIBLY BEEN ON
WORKMEN'S COMP OR BEEN MAKING
THE POTENTIAL -- THE POTENTIAL
OF MAKING FAR LESS MONEY.
SO WHEN THE PELL GRANTS COME
FORTH IN THE HOUSE AND THEY DO
THINGS LIKE CUT PELL GRANTS,
EITHER THEIR AMOUNT OR ELIMINATE
THE NUMBER AVAILABLE TO OUR
STUDENTS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY,
TRADITIONAL AND OTHERWISE, WE
ARE BASICALLY DOING BAD THINGS
TO THE ECONOMY, CUTTING THE
ECONOMY DOWN.
BECAUSE, QUITE HONESTLY, THE
AFFORDABILITY ISSUE IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
AS WE MOVE FORTH AND PEOPLE GO
TO GET RETRAINED AND MOVE
THEMSELVES UP IN THE ECONOMIC
THE OTHER THING -- AND FINALLY
-- IS JUST THE IMPORTANCE TO
INDIAN COUNTRY, WITH THE TRIBAL
COLLEGES, THE PELL GRANTS ARE
USED TO A GREAT EXTENT THERE.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
IN MONTANA, IN INDIAN
COUNTRY, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
IS VERY, VERY HIGH, 70% AND
HIGHER IN MANY OF THE
RESERVATIONS AROUND MONTANA.
AND QUITE HONESTLY, IF WE'RE
GOING TO DIG INTO THE
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY, WHETHER IT IS INDIAN
RESERVATIONS OR WHEREVER,
MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
PELL GRANTS ARE A KEY COMPONENT
TO GIVING ACCESS TO OUR
STUDENTS, BOTH TRADITIONAL AND
AND AS WE MOVE FORTH HERE, WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT MEN AND
WOMEN ALIKE, YOUNG PEOPLE,
MIDDLE-AGED THAT NEED THE
TRAINING TO BE ABLE TO GET GOOD
JOBS, PELL GRANTS ARE A CRITICAL
WITH THAT, I WILL KICK IT BACK
TO THE SENATOR FROM RHODE
ISLAND.
SENATOR WHITEHOUSE.
SENATOR TEST
TESTER, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A
VERY DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUE WHO
HAS NOW GONE ON TO BECOME THE
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR OF THE
UNITED STATES, KEN SALAZAR.
I SEE THAT FORMER ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND NOW SENATOR
FROM CONNECTICUT HAS
JOINED US FOR THIS COLLOQUY, AND
KEN SALAZAR WAS THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL OF COLORADO, AN ATTORNEY
GENERAL WITH BOTH OF US, AND KEN
GREW UP IN A FARM IN COLORADO
THAT, UNTIL HIS GENERATION,
DIDN'T HAVE RUNNING WATER AND
DIDN'T HAVE ELECTRICITY.
HIS GENERATION WAS THE FIRST
GENERATION TO GO TO COLLEGE.
WHEN I GOT HERE, HE WAS A UNITED
STATES SENATOR, HIS BROTHER WAS
A UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN, AND
IT NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF
IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE PELL
GRANT.
WASIT WAS THE PELL GRANT THAT
ALLOWED THOSE BOYS FROM A
FAR-AWAY CORNER OF COLORADO, TO
BE THE FIRST GENERATION THAT GOT
THEIR FOOTHOLD IN A COLLEGE AND
WERE ABLE TO PROPEL THEMSELVES
FROM THAT TO REMARKABLE
LEADERSHIP OF OUR COUNTRY.
IT SHOWS WHEN ORDINARY AMERICANS
ARE CAPABLE OF WHEN THE PELL
PAD.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU
THE EFFECTS ON INDIAN
COUNTRY AS WELL.
AND SENATOR BLUMENTHAL I KNOW
WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORD.
YES, MADAM
PRESIDENT, I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM RHODE ISLAND FOR
ORGANIZING THIS COLLOQUY AND
SENATOR TESTER, YOU'VE BEEN A
TIRELESS ADVOCATE OF OPPORTUNITY
FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
STATES, AND PARTICULARLY YOUR
STATE, AND SO I'M HONORED TO
FOLLOW YOU IN THIS DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, CLAIBORNE PELL, WHOSE
NAME IS ON THE GRANT, IS REALLY
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW AN INDIVIDUAL
CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS
INSTITUTION.
HIS CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE LEFT A
LEGACY NOT ONLY FOR HIMSELF AND
THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND BUT
ALSO FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IN
ADVANCING THE CAUSE OF HIGHER
EDUCATION, REALLY PUTTING IT ON
THE MAP IN THE AMERICAN
OF HOW CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT IT IS AND HOW IT IS
EVER MORE IMPORTANT TODAY FOR
THE UNITED STATES TO COMPETE IN
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, FOR
INDIVIDUALS TO COMPETE WITHIN
THE UNITED STATES, FOR
MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE TO CONTINUE
TO HAVE VIABLE AND HEALTHY
FAMILIES.
IN FACT, THE PELL GRANT IS
IMPORTANT TO THE ECONOMIC HEALTH
AND EVEN THE VIABILITY OF OUR
MIDDLE CLASS, AND THE FAILURE TO
FUND IT AND SUPPORT IT WILL
ENDANGER EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MIDDLE-CLASS
AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THIS MODERN
ECONOMY IS THAT MORE AND MORE
THE HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION ALONE
MEANS LESS AND LESS.
HIGH SCHOOL IS VITALLY
IMPORTANT, BUT ECONOMICALLY IT
IS NOT ENOUGH.
AND THAT IS REFLECTED IN AN
OVERWHELMING, ALMOST AN
AVALANCHE, OF STATISTICS AND
STYTEDSTUDIES, THE MOST RECENT ISSUED
LAST WEEK BY THE GEORGETOWN
INSTITUTION ON EDUCATION, SHOWED
CLEARLY THAT AMERICANS WHO HAVE
ONLY A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION ARE
LESS LIKELY TO HAVE A GOOD
STATUS.
WORKERS WHO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL
DIPLOMAT ALONEDIPLOMA ALONE IN 1993 WERE
QUALIFIED FOR 73% OF JOBS.
TODAY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ONLY A
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA ARE
ONLY 44% OF THE
JOBS AVAILABLE, AND IN 2018,
THAT NUMBER WILL DROP TO 37%.
NOW, THAT KIND OF SET OF NUMBERS
IS MORE THAN JUST STATISTICS.
IT'S HUMAN LIVES AND FAMILIES
AND INCOME -- DOLLARS -- IN
PEOPLE'S POCKETS THAT THEY CAN
SPEND IN OUR ECONOMY.
IT AFFECTS PARTICULARLY WOMEN
WHO MORE AND MORE SHOULDER THE
LARGEST BURDEN OF CHANGES IN OUR
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND
HAVE BEEN HIT HARDEST IN THE
UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS THAT WE FACE
FACE.
IN OUR ADVANCING ECONOMY,
INDIVIDUALS.
MORE AND MORE WHEN I HEAR AS I
GO AROUND THE STATE, IS THERE JOBS
AVAILABLE BUT THERE AREN'T
THEM.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A PELL GRANT
AND COLLEGE DEGREES, WE'RE NOT
TALKING ONLY ABOUT A FOUR-YEAR
DIPLOMA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN
ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE THAT ENABLES
SOMEBODY TO RUN A COMPUTER ON AN
ASSEMBLY LINE OR DO WELDING OR
THE OTHER KINDS OF PRACTICAL
SKILLS THAT ENABLE MEME TO FILL
THOSE JOBS, ENABLE AMERICA TO
COMPETE, AND ENABLE EMPLOYERS TO
COMPETE SUCCESSFULLY.
IN 2018, ONLY A THIRD OF THE
JOBS AVAILABLE TO
NONCOLLEGE-EDUCATED WORKERS WILL
PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE, AND THAT
IS A STATISTIC THAT OUGHT TO BE
A WAKE-UP CALL TO THE CONGRESS
AND TO WASHINGTON.
AND I THINK IT'S REFLECTED NOT
JUST IN THE OVERALL PICTURE BUT
IN THE INDIVIDUAL HUMAN STORIES
THAT BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
REFLECTED IN THEIR REMARKS, AND
I HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO NOT ONLY
HAVE BENEFITED FROM PELL GRANTS
BUT WHO HOPE TO BENEFIT FROM
THEM, EDUCATORS WHO BELIEVE THAT
THEY ARE VITAL TO THE FUTURE OF
AMERICAN EDUCATION.
AND I WANT TO JUST CITE A FEW
HERE THIS MORNING AND QUOTE
FIRST FROM A LETTER THAT I
RECEIVED FROM NORMA ESQUADEL,
WHO LIVES IN GREENWICH,
CONNECTICUT, AND WHO SAID TO ME
IN HER LETTER, "I RECENTLY
RECEIVED NEWS REGARDING THE
POSSIBLE ELIMINATION OF THE PELL
GRANT.
AS A RECIPIENT OF
THE PELL GRANT, THE MERE THOUGHT
OF LOSING SUCH AN ESSENTIAL
FEATURE OF MY FINANCIAL AID
PACKAGE IS DEVASTATING.
I WAS BROUGHT UP IN A LATINO
HOUSEHOLD WHERE LACK OF MONEY
WAS OFTEN A CATALYST FOR STRESS
AND HOPELESSNESS.
NEITHER OF MY PARENTS COULD
AFFORD TO ATTEND COLLEGE.
MY FATHER WORKED AS A JANITOR
AND IS CURRENTLY RETIRED DUE TO
HIS DEBILITATING PARKINSON'S
DISEASE WHILE MY MOTHER IS A
HOUSEWIFE."
SHE GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT HOW
HER PARENTS GAVE HER THE HOPE
AND ASPIRATION TO ATTEND COLLEGE
AND HOW SHE IS DOING IT AT SARAH
LAWRENCE BECAUSE OF THE PELL
GRANT.
GINA GLICKMAN, THE PRESIDENT OF
MANCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
WRITES TO ME ABOUT THE STUDENTS
WHOM SHE MEETS AND SHE SEES
EVERY DAY WHO BENEFIT FROM THESE
PROGRAMS, AND SAYS "PELL GRANTS
NOT ONLY HELP LOW-INCOME AND
FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS TO
ACCESS POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
AND TRAINING, THEY ENABLE THEM
TO COMPLETE DEGREES AND
CERTIFICATES."
SENATOR WHITEHOUSE HAS GIVEN US
A STATISTIC THAT IS ASTONISHING
AND ALARMING.
$1 TRILLION IN DEBT THAT OUR
STUDENTS NOW BEAR, LARGER THAN
THE AMOUNT THAT AMERICANS OWE ON
THEIR CREDIT CARDS, I BELIEVE.
AND THREATENING NOT ONLY THEIR
FUTURES, BUT ALL OF OUR ECONOMIC
FUTURES AND THE VIABILITY OF OUR
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM RHODE ISLAND
WHETHER AND HOW MUCH FUNDING IS
PROJECTED TO BE NECESSARY FOR
THE CONTINUED VIABILITY OF THIS
PROGRAM AND FOR AMERICA AND
AMERICANS TO COMPETE IN THE
GLOBAL ECONOMY.
ONE OF THE
THINGS, SENATOR BLUMENTHAL, THAT
HAS TAKEN PLACE IS THAT THE
VALUE TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT
OF THE PELL GRANT HAS ACTUALLY
DECLINED QUITE A LOT OVER THE
YEAR SINCE IT WAS FIRST
INITIATED.
WHEN THE FIRST PELL GRANTS CAME
OUT, THEY PAID FOR NEARLY
THREE-QUARTERS OF THE TYPICAL
FOUR-YEAR PUBLIC COLLEGE
TUITION.
72% OF THAT TUITION.
NOW THEY'RE DOWN TO 32%, LESS
THAN A THIRD.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM TO
INCREASE WHAT WE CAN SPEND ON
PELL GRANTS.
AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR
FROM WHAT YOU HAVE SAID AND WHAT
SENATOR TESTER HAS SAID THAT YOU
KNOW ONCE YOU ARE COLLEGE
EDUCATED, YOU STEP INTO A
DIFFERENT ECONOMY WITH A TOP
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THROUGH THIS
AWFUL RECESSION OF BELOW 5%.
YOU STEP INTO A WHOLE NEW SET OF
AND YOU STEP INTO OPPORTUNITIES
THAT ARE HIGHER-INCOME POTENTIAL
FOR YOU.
ALL OF THIS GOES BACK TO THE
BENEFIT OF OUR COUNTRY IN HIGHER
REVENUES, IN A STRONGER ECONOMY
DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE'RE GOING THE WRONG
DIRECTION IS THE WAY I'D
RESPOND, AND IT'S TIME INSTEAD
OF DOING WHAT THE REPUBLICANS IN
THE HOUSE HAVE SUGGESTED, WHICH
IS TO EVEN FURTHER IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION, EVEN POTENTIALLY
ELIMINATE THIS GRANT, CALL IT
WELFARE, FOR PETE'S SAKE -- I
MEAN, REMEMBER AMBER.
WOMAN WITH TWO
CHILDREN, WORKING FULL TIME AND
GOING TO SCHOOL.
AND THE THING THAT ENABLES HER
TO TIE THAT TOGETHER, THE LAST
PIECE, THE KEYSTONE IN THE ARCH
IS THE PELL GRANT.
AND YOU CALL THAT WELFARE?
THATTHIS IS A WELFARE RECIPIENT?
I DON'T THINK SO.
BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF ATTACK
THAT THESE THINGS ARE UNDER.
AND IT'S NOT JUST INSTITUTIONS
LIKE CONNECTICUT IS FAMOUS FOR
AND RHODE ISLAND IS FAMOUS FOR,
SUPER HIGH-END INSTITUTIONS THAT
ARE INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED BUT
IT IS ALSO BASIC COMMUNITY
COLLEGE AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE,
PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET A
SOLID CAREER.
I KNOW SENATOR TESTER WANTED TO
SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THAT AND
THEN SENATOR LANDRIEU.
I DO.
THANK YOU, SENATOR WHITEHOUSE.
TALKED ABOUT THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PEOPLE WHO GET HIGHER EDUCATION,
I WAS TALKING TO A WELDING SHOP
IN FORT BENTON, MONTANA, IN THE
CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE.
IN THE EAST HAS
BEEN HAVING IMPACTS EVEN IN OUR
AREA OF THE STATE.
THIS WELDING SHOP IN FORT
BENTON, I TALKED TO A FELLOW WHO
HAD ISSUES HE WANTED TO TALK TO
ME ABOUT.
I SAID WHAT'S ONE OF YOUR
BIGGEST ISSUES RIGHT NOW?
HE SAID RIGHT NOW I COULD HIRE A
HALF DOZEN WELDERS.
I COULD HIRE THEM TOMORROW.
THE WORK IS OUT THERE FOR THEM
TO DO.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GETTING THIS
ECONOMY GOING AGAIN AND GETTING
THINGS MOVING, IT IS CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT WE NOT ONLY TALK ABOUT
THE FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE THAT
DEVELOPS OUR ENTREPRENEURS AND
BUSINESS PEOPLE, BUT ALSO THOSE
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, THE
TECHNICAL COLLEGES, THE TRIBAL
COLLEGES THAT DO A GREAT JOB
WORKFORCE.
WITH THAT, I'LL KICK IT OVER TO
SENATOR LANDRIEU.
I'M SO HAPPY TO
JOIN MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE DONE
A BEAUTIFUL JOB THIS MORNING
JUST EXPRESSING THE IMPORTANCE
OF PELL GRANTS TO NOT ONLY
INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES,
BUT TO THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF
OUR NATION.
AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU,
SENATOR WHITEHOUSE, THE SENATOR
FROM RHODE ISLAND, WHO'S TAKEN
THIS UP AS A CAUSE.
AND WE NEED A CHAMPION FOR PELL
GRANTS.
AND I'M HERE TO HELP HIM AND TO
HELP SENATOR TESTER, THAT
STEPPED UP TO BE A LEADER AS
WELL, TO SAY TO THEM THAT WHEN I
GO BACK TO MY STATE AND CHECK,
AND THE SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT
KNOWS THIS, WHEN I GO BACK TO MY
STATE, WHAT I HEAR IS, SENATOR,
WITHOUT PELL GRANTS, I COULDN'T
MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SENATOR, WITHOUT PELL GRANTS, MY
PARENTS JUST COULDN'T AFFORD IT.
NOW IT'S NOT THE WHOLE PART OF
THE TUITION.
BUT I THINK SENATOR WHITE HOUSE,
AS YOU SAID, IT'S THE KEYSTONE.
IT'S THE CORNERSTONE.
IT'S THE CENTERPIECE.
IT'S THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT OUR
STUDENTS -- AND SOME OF OUR
STUDENTS WHO ARE PARENTS, WHO
ARE RAISING TWO AND THREE
CHILDREN, HOLDING DOWN ONE OR
TWO JOBS, WE CAN'T PULL THAT OUT
FROM UNDERNEATH THEM, SENATOR.
WE JUST CAN'T DO IT.
SECONDLY, I WOULD SAY THAT I
HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO
BALANCE OUR BUDGET.
I JUST LEFT THE GO-BIG
CONFERENCE.
I'M ONE OF THE ONES THAT'S
STANDING IN THE MIDDLE HOPING WE
CAN COME UP WITH NOT A $1.2
TRILLION SOLUTION BUT A $4
TRILLION SOLUTION.
THIS IS TOUGH.
THIS IS HARD.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
SHOULDN'T BE ON THE CHOPPING
BLOCK ARE PELL GRANTS NOT
BECAUSE IT'S A GOVERNMENT
PROGRAM.
WE HAVE TO CUT BACK GOVERNMENT
PROGRAMS.
THIS IS THE SEED CORN.
THIS IS THE SEED CORN, SENATOR,
NATION.
WE NEED TO BE SENDING MORE KIDS
TO COLLEGE, NOT LESS.
WE NEED TO BE PRODUCING MORE
ENGINEERS, NOT LESS.
MORE MATHEMATICIANS.
NOW THIS IS OUR BASIC GRANT
PROGRAM.
SO, I JUST WANT TO COME TO THE
FLOOR AND JOIN YOU ALL, I WANT
TO PERSONALLY, SENATOR, GIVE YOU
LETTERS FROM PEOPLE, FROM
CHILDREN AND ADULTS FROM MY
STATE, A LETTER HERE FROM A
TULANE
UNIVERSITY -- A STUDENT FROM
TULANE UNIVERSITY, A LETTER FROM
A FRESHMAN AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY,
FROM ERISEA AND A LETTER FROM A
YOUNG MAN NAMED DAVID WHO
ATTENDS LOUISIANA TECH.
THESE LETTERS SPEAK FOR
I'LL PUT THEM IN THE RECORD BUT
I WANTED TO, SENATOR, GIVE THEM
TO YOU BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO BE
ABLE TO HEAR FROM CHILDREN FROM
LOUISIANA AS WELL AS RHODE
ISLAND AND TELL YOU THAT I WANT
TO JOIN YOU IN THIS MOVEMENT TO
NOT THROW OUT THE SEED CORN
WHILE WE ARE TRIMMING THE HEDGES
AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE
PROGRAMS.
THIS IS REALLY A PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS, A
PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
AND A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
YOU.
WE BELIEVE IN THE FUTURE OF OUR
COUNTRY.
AND THIS IS OUR INVESTMENT AND
IT SHOULD NOT BE CUT.
SENATOR, I'M SURE YOU HEAR THIS
FROM CONNECTICUT.
THANK YOU.
IF THE SENATOR WOULD YIELD, I
AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH
EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE AND THE PARTNERSHIP
OF THE PELL GRANTS AND WOULD
JUST LIKE TO, AGAIN, ASK A
QUESTION TO MY COLLEAGUE FROM
RHODE ISLAND WHOM I THANK, BY
THE WAY, FOR ORGANIZING HIS
COLLOQUY AND HIS LEADERSHIP ON
THIS ISSUE.
IT'S BEEN SO INSTRUMENTAL
CARRYING ON THE GREAT LEGACY AND
TRADITION OF SENATOR PELL.
ISN'T IT A FACT, SENATOR
WHITEHOUSE, THAT THROUGHOUT ITS
HISTORY THE PELL GRANT PROGRAM
SUPPORT?
THERE'S BEEN NOTHING PARTISAN OR
REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT ABOUT
ADVANCING AMERICAN HIGHER
EDUCATION IN THIS WAY?
THAT'S A GREAT
POINT, SENATOR BLUMENTHAL.
IT'S ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATE
ASPECTS OF THE CURRENT CONDITION
THAT WE HAVE IN IDEAS, IS THAT A
PARTY THAT HAS LONG SUPPORTED
THAT HAS LONG
ENJOYED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, HAS
SUDDENLY, AFTER, WHAT'S IT BEEN
30 YEARS OF SUPPORT FOR THE PELL
GRANT, HAS SUDDENLY WALKED AWAY
HAS SUDDENLY DECIDED, NO, WE
HAVE A NEW AGENDA.
AND HELPING PEOPLE WHO CAN'T
OTHERWISE AFFORD COLLEGE TO HAVE
A CHANCE TO GO TO COLLEGE
WITHOUT CARRYING THAT
TRILLION-DOLLAR BURDEN OF DEBT
AND TO BE ABLE TO MOVE UP INTO
THE COLLEGE-EDUCATED ECONOMY AND
THE POTENTIAL IT CREATES, THAT'S
NOT WHAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN ANY
WE'RE INTERESTED IN OTHER
WE'RE INTERESTED IN -- CLEARLY
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PROTECTING
THE TAX BREAKS FOR PEOPLE OVER
$1 MILLION.
WE TRIED TO GET JOBS LEGISLATION
THROUGH HERE THAT WAS PAID FOR
WITH A TINY TAX ONLY ON THE
DOLLARS OVER $1 MILLION THAT
PEOPLE EARNING OVER $1 MILLION
THE FIRST MILLION, NO
DIFFERENCE.
THE SECOND MILLION IS WHERE IT
STARTED TO KICK IN.
NO, NO.
WE STOPPED JOBS LEGISLATION OVER
THAT.
BUT WHEN THIS COMES TO A KID WHO
CAN'T AFFORD COLLEGE, THAT'S A
PROGRAM THAT SUDDENLY THEY WANT
TO TAKE A WHACK AT.
AND I THINK IT'S REGRETTABLE.
BECAUSE THERE IS A LONG HISTORY
OF VERY HONORABLE, SINCERE AND
ENTHUSIASTIC REPUBLICAN SUPPORT
FOR THE PELL GRANT.
AND, FRANKLY, THERE'S NOTHING
DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN ABOUT AN
AMERICAN YOUNG PERSON HAVING THE
CHANCE TO BEGIN TO CLIMB THE
LADDER OF SUCCESS.
THAT IS A COMMON AMERICAN DREAM
THAT IS COMMON TO BOTH PARTIES,
AND YET NOW IN THIS STRANGE
ENVIRONMENT THAT WE NOW HAVE TO
INHABIT HERE IN WASHINGTON, THIS
OTHER PARTY HAS DECIDED, NO,
WE'RE WALKING AWAY FROM THAT.
IN THE HOUSE, THEY TRIED TO
THE AVERAGE GRANT.
PUT NEARLY,
WELL, NEARLY 5,800 STUDENTS IN
RHODE ISLAND OFF OF THE PELL
AND WHEN YOU HEAR FROM PEOPLE
LIKE AMBER WHO WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO DO IT BUT FOR THAT, THIS
IMPRESSIVE.
YOU HAD REGULAR STUDENTS RIGHT
IN LINE.
YOU HAD NONTRA BE ADDITIONAL
STUDENTS -- NONE TRADITIONAL
STUDENTS LIKE AMBER.
YOU HAD FACULTY WHO YEARS AGO
GOT THAT PELL GRANT AND THEY
MADE A CAREER OUT OF ACADEMIA
OUT OF THAT FIRST FOOT HOLD THEY
GOT IN HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH
THE PELL GRANT.
HOW YOU'D WANT TO CUT IT AT THAT
POINT BY THAT MUCH WHEN YOU HAVE
THESE PEOPLE, IT IS JUST ENOUGH
TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM.
AND WHEN YOU CUT IT BY NEARLY
OVER $1,750, FOR A LOT OF THOSE
KIDS, FOR A LOT OF THOSE WORKING
MOMS, IT MEANS, NO, AS YOU SAID,
WE'RE PULLING THE RUG OUT FROM
YOU DON'T GET THAT CHANCE.
AND WE ALL WIN WHEN YOUNG
AMERICANS STEP FORWARD.
IN AMERICA WINS WHEN
YOUNG AMERICANS REACH THEIR FULL
POTENTIAL AND CREATE INDUSTRIES
AND DO A GREAT JOB AND SAVE
LIVES AS SURGEONS OR NURSES OR
E.M.
IT'S AND PAY REVENUES THROUGH
THEIR TAXES, THROUGH THEIR
SUPPORT OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY.
SENATOR, I WOULD
SAY THIS PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE
MOST EFFECTIVE ANTIWELFARE
PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY THAT WE
FUND IN THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS EXACTLY FROM XAVIER
STUDENT, A STUDENT THAT WRITES
IN.
THIS STUDENT IS A FIRST-YEAR
STUDENT MAJORING IN BIOLOGY IN
PREMED.
THIS IS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY, THE ONLY
ONE IN THE COUNTRY AND IT
PRODUCES MORE PREMED STUDENTS
AND MORE DOCTORS THAN ALMOST THE
LARGEST.
WE HAVE ONE MINUTE.
SHE IS A PRODUCT OF A
SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AND WAS THE
ONLY INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYED IN HER
SO AS SHE'S GOING TO SCHOOL,
SHE'S ALSO EMPLOYED, SUPPORTING
THE WHOLE HOUSEHOLD, BASICALLY
OFF OF OTHER
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT
NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE.
SO, SENATOR, YOUR LEADERSHIP
SHOULD BE COMMENDED.
AND I REALLY, YOU KNOW, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND I'M GOING TO SUBMIT MORE OF
THESE SPECIFIC STORIES FROM
SPECIFIC STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
TO THE RECORD SO PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THIS ISN'T POLITICS.
THIS IS JUST TRYING TO DO WHAT'S
SMART FOR OUR COUNTRY AND DO
WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THESE YOUNG
PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING SO HARD.
AND THANK YOU, SENATOR.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I WILL YIELD
THE FLOOR WITH APPRECIATION TO
MY COLLEAGUE, SENATOR LAN
TKRAOURBGS SENATOR TESTER --
SENATOR LANDRIEU, SENATOR TESTER
AND SENATOR BLUMENTHAL TO URGE
OUR COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THE
PELL GRANT.
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT?
IS IT TIME TO BEGIN THE
REPUBLICAN TIME?
YES.
WOULD YOU
PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN I'VE
USED 4 1/2 MINUTES?
YES.
THANK YOU
MADAM PRESIDENT.
LAST WEEK DURING THE DEBATE ON
CLEAN AIR IN WHICH I OPPOSED
OVERTURNING A RULE THAT ALLOWS
DIRTY AIR FROM OTHER STATES TO
BLOW INTO TENNESSEE, COSTING US
JOBS, HURTING OUR HEALTH, I SAID
WHY SHOULD WE BE PICKING ON A
GOOD RULE WHEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY IS A HAPPY
HUNTING GROUND OF UNREASONABLE
REGULATIONS?
AND I WANT TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT
TO TALK ABOUT PERHAPS THE
FOREMOST OF THOSE UNREASONABLE
REGULATIONS WHICH WE CALL THE
BOILER MACT RULE.
THAT IS REGULATION THAT WILL
FORCE THOUSANDS OF INDUSTRIAL
BOILERS AROUND AMERICA TO
INSTALL THE MAXIMUM AVAILABLE
CONTROL TECHNOLOGY ON THEIR
BOILERS.
IS IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO
CLEAN THE AIR OF SUCH POLLUTANTS
AS MERCURY.
THAT IS A GOOD IDEA.
NOW, WHAT IS A BAD IDEA, MADAM
PRESIDENT, IS E.P.A. ONLY GIVES
THREE YEARS FOR COMPANIES TO
INSTALL THIS TECHNOLOGY, A TIME
UNREALISTIC.
THIS ISN'T LIKE A LOT OF THE
OTHER CLAIR LAWS/RULES THAT HAVE
BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS.
THIS IS AN UNEXPECTED NEW PRIEWL
ON THOUSANDS OF INDUSTRIAL
BOILERS WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO
OUR MANUFACTURING JOBS IN
AMERICA.
SO FIRST ITS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO
COMPLY WITH IT.
AND THEN E.P.A. USE ADD FLAWED
METHODOLOGY IN ORDER TO FIGURE
OUT, IN ORDER TO FORCE COMPANIES
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.
AND, AS A RESULT, LITTLE
BUSINESSES AND BIG BUSINESSES
ALL OVER AMERICA ARE GOING TO BE
FORCED TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THEY
COULD BE SPENDING ON CREATING
A
FLAWED RULE THAT DOESN'T WORK.
NOW, THAT'S JUST NOT ONE
REPUBLICAN SENATOR SAYING THAT.
WE HAVE 12 DEMOCRATIC SENATORS
AND A NUMBER OF REPUBLICAN
SENATORS WHO HAVE INTRODUCED
SENATOR COLLINS WILL THE LEADER
OF THIS EFFORT.
I'M A PART OF IT.
SO IS SENATOR WYDEN, SO IS
SENATOR PRYOR, SO IS SENATOR A
LANDRIEU.
AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, LET'S
GIVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY ENOUGH TIME TO
FIX THE RULE -- 15 MONTHS WOULD
BE THE TIME WE'VE SUGGESTED.
LET'S GIVE THE E.P.A. ADDITIONAL
AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO WRITE A
RULE ABOUT THE METHODOLOGY OF
FUELS THAT MAKES SOME SENSE,
THAT DOESN'T ACT LIKE IT'S
DELIVERED FROM MARS MARS OR VINES OR VENUS OR
SOME OTHER PLANET.
AND THEN LET'S GIVE THE
INDUSTRIES ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLY
WITH THE RULES, INSTEAD OF THRIE
YEARS, WHICH IS WHAT THE --
INSTEAD OF THREE YEARS, WHICH IS
YEARS.
LET ME TRY TO GIVE SOME SENSE OF
THE IMPACT OF THIS UNWORKABLE
RULE.
A LOSS OF 340,000 JOBS
NATIONWIDE IS THE ESTIMATE.
WE JUST PASSED IN A BIPARTISAN
WAY HERE THREE TRADE AGREEMENTS
WHICH THE PRESIDENT SAID WOULD
CREATE 250,000 JOBS.
THAT.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AGREED
WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A BIG STEP
YET HERE WE'RE ALLOWING THIS
AGENCY TO GO FORWARD WITH AN
ABSOLUTELY UNWORKABLE RULE THAT
WILL COST 340,000 JOBS.
IN MY STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE
COST TO BUSINESSES ARE $530
MILLION ALONE.
I'VE TALKED TO OWNERS OF SMALL
BUSINESSES WHO ARE FACING A $1
MILLION COST TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT
THIS UNWORKABLE RULE ON THEIR
BOILER, AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME
THEY'LL JUST CLOSE THEIR PLANT.
THEY CAN'T POSSIBLY AFFORD IT.
I'VE TALKED TO LARGE INDUSTRIES
WHO ARE AFFECTED.
EASTMAN CHEMICALS IS ONE, BEEN
IN TENNESSEE FOREVER.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR
STATE AS THE GREAT SMOKY
MOUNTAINS R THOUSANDS OF
TENNESSEANS WORK THERE.
THIS IS WHAT THEY SAY.
NEARLY $100 MILLION OVER AND
ABOVE THE WORK ALREADY PLANNED
TO ORDER -- THEY'RE GOING 0
SPEND MORE THAN $100 MILLION
OVER AND ABOVE THE WORK THEY'VE
ALREADY PLANNED IN ORDER TO
BRING FIVE EASTMAN BOILERS INTO
REGULATION.
THIS IS A COMPANY WITH $7
BILLION IN REVENUE.
THEY'RE GOING TO SURVIVE.
BUT SOME JOBS WON'T AND THEY
WON'T BE ABLE TO CREATE JOBS
WITH THAT MONEY.
THEY'LL JUST BE COMPLYING WITH
AN UNWORKABLE GOVERNMENT
REGULATION.
THE MAJORITY LEADER SAID ON THE
FLOOR, REGULATIONS DON'T CAUSE
JOBS.
THEE HERE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE
THAT UNWORKABLE REGULATIONS
DON'T COST JOBS AND 12
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS AND AT LEAST
AS MANY REPUBLICAN SENATORS
AGREE ON THAT.
AND WE HAVE A BIPARTISAN WAY TO
FIX IT.
AND THEOUS IN AN OVERWHELMING
BIPARTISAN VOTE AGREED WITH US
BY PASSING LEGISLATION IN THE
SAME WAY.
SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, I WANT TOO
COLLINS-ALEXANDER-WYDEN-PRYOR-
LA
NDRIEU LEGISLATION TO THE
PUBLIC, TO THE SENATE AND SAY,
THERE ARE SOME REGULATIONS THAT
ARE BEFORE US THAT NEED TO BE
CHANGED.
THEY'RE COSTING JOBS.
THIS ISN'T REPUBLICAN RHETORIC
OR DEMOCRATIC EXCUSES.
IT'S REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATIC
SAYING TO THE E.P.A., WE WANT TO
GIVE YOU THE AUTHORITY TO WRITE
A GOOD RULE.
WE WANT YOU TO FIX THE RULE.
WE WANT A CLEAN AIR STANDARD.
WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THE
BUT WE WANT ENOUGH TIME FOR YOU
TO WRITE THE RULE.
WE WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO WRITE
THE RIGHT METHOD SO COMPANIES
WITH COMPLY, AND WE WANT TO GIVE
COMPANIES ENOUGH TIME --
SENATOR, YOU HAVE CONSUMED IN
OUR FOUR AND A HALF MINUTES.
I BEG YOUR
PARDON?
TIME YOU ASKED FOR.
THANK YOU,