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SKIN IN THE GAME EXCEPT THE
REALLY POOR AND HELP OUR COUNTRY
TO PULL OUT OF THE MESS THAT
WE'RE IN.
MR. PRESIDENT, I SUGGEST THE
ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
QUORUM CALL:
DENT?
SENATOR FROM WYOMING.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
I COME TO THE FLOOR TODAY AS I
HAVE WEEK AFTER WEEK --
SENATOR, WE'RE IN A QUORUM CALL.
THANK YOU.
QUORUM CALL BE VITIATED.
OBJECTION.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
MORNING BUSINESS.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, I COME TO THE
FLOOR AS I HAVE WEEK AFTER WEEK
SINCE THE HEALTH CARE BILL WAS
SIGNED INTO LAW WITH A DOCTOR'S
SECOND OPINION ABOUT THE HEALTH
CARE LAW, BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT
REPEATEDLY MADE PROMISES TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AS THE HEALTH
CARE BILL WAS BEING DEBATED AND
EVEN AFTER THE HEALTH CARE BILL
WAS SIGNED.
AND HE PROMISED TO IMPROVE, NOT
HURT, THE QUALITY OF MEDICAL
CARE IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE NOW KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT'S
HEALTH CARE LAW ACTUALLY MAKES
THE PROBLEM OF HEALTH CARE IN
THIS COUNTRY WORSE.
IN FACT, SINCE THIS BILL WAS
SIGNED INTO LAW, WE LEARNED THAT
IT MAKES THE COST OF HEALTH CARE
WORSE.
WE KNOW THAT IT MAKES AMERICANS'
WORSE.
AND THE ABILITY OF INDIVIDUALS
TO KEEP THE CARE THAT THEY LIKE,
IT MAKES THEIR ABILITY TO KEEP
THAT CARE WORSE.
SO, MR. PRESIDENT, TODAY I'D
LIKE TO FIRST TALK ABOUT THE
COST OF CARE.
AND PRESIDENT OBAMA PROMISED THE
AMERICAN FAMILIES THAT THEY
WOULD SEE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE
PREMIUMS GO DOWN BECAUSE OF THE
HEALTH CARE LAW.
HE ACTUALLY TOLD THEY WOULD GO
DOWN BY OVER $2,000 PER FAMILY.
WELL, NOW WE KNOW THAT THAT'S
JUST NOT THE CASE.
IN FACT, AMERICANS HAVE SEEN
THEIR PREMIUMS INCREASE 19%
SINCE THE TIME THAT THE
PRESIDENT SIGNED HIS HEALTH CARE
BILL INTO LAW.
AND JUST LOOKING AT THE FRONT
PAGE OF THE "SHERIDAN PRESS,"
FRONT PAGE, THE COUNTY'S COST TO
PROVIDE HEALTH CARE TO EMPLOYEES
WILL INCREASE BY ABOUT $360,000
THIS YEAR.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE COUNT,
ONE OUT OF 23 COUNTIES IN
WYOMING, $360,00 FOR COUNTY
EMPLOYEES.
THROUGHOUT THE HEALTH CARE
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT IF THEY
LIKE THEIR HEALTH CARE PLAN, HIS
HEALTH CARE LAW WOULD HELP THEM
KEEP IT.
ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE.
EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
MADE IT CLEAR THE HEALTH CARE
LAW'S MANDATES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE
AND THREATEN THEIR ABILITY TO
OFFER INSURANCE TO THEIR
EMPLOYEES.
A RECENT STUDY BY MACKENZIE AND
COMPANY WHICH IS A REPUTABLE
NATIONAL CONSULTING FIRM
PRODUCED THE REPORT TITLED "HOW
U.S. HEALTH CARE REFORM WILL
AFFECT EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS."
THEY SURVEYED OVER 1,300
EMPLOYERS ACROSS DIVERSE
INDUSTRIES, GEE OG FISCAL AND --
GEOGRAPHIES AND EMPLOYER SIZES.
THE RESULTS CONFIRM WHAT
AMERICANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
KNEW ALL ALONG AND THEY KNEW IT
LONG BEFORE THE PRESIDENT AND
WASHINGTON DEMOCRATS FORCED THIS
THROATS.
OVERALL, THE REPORT SAYS, 30% OF
EMPLOYERS WILL DEFINITELY OR
PROBABLY STOP OFFERING
EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE IN
THE YEARS AFTER 2014, WHEN THE
OBAMA HEALTH CARE LAW GOES FULLY
INTO EFFECT.
AMONG EMPLOYERS WITH A HIGH
AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH CARE
REFORM LAW AND WHAT'S
SPECIFICALLY IN THE LAWMAKERS
THEN THE PROPORTION OF THOSE WHO
WILL DEFINITELY OR PROBABLY STOP
OFFERING COVERAGE JUMPS TO 50%,
AND UPWARD OF 60% WILL PURSUE
OTHER OPTIONS.
SO AT LEAST 30% OF EMPLOYERS
WOULD ACTUALLY GAIN ECONOMICALLY
FROM DROPPING COVERAGE, EVEN IF
THEY COMPLETELY COMPENSATED
THEIR EMPLOYEES FOR THE CHANGE
THROUGH OTHER BENEFIT OFFERINGS
AND HIGHER SALARIES.
APPARENTLY THE PRESIDENT'S
PROMISE OF IF YOU LIKE THE
HEALTH INSURANCE YOU HAVE TODAY,
YOU CAN KEEP IT TRANSLATES INTO
YOU MAY VERY WELL LOSE YOUR
COVERAGE.
AS FORMER CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET
OFFICE DIRECTOR DOUG HOLTZ-EAKIN
CONFIRMS IF EMPLOYERS DECIDE TO
DROP COVERAGE WHICH IS ACTUALLY
IN THEIR BEST ECONOMIC INTEREST
TO DO, THE COST OF INSURANCE
REMEMBER, THE WHITE HOUSE AND
DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS MET BEHIND
THEY ACTED SWIFTLY AND COVERTLY
TO PASS A LAW WITHOUT REGARD FOR
HOW ITS PROVISIONS WOULD IMPACT
EACH AND EVERY AMERICAN FAMILY.
THEN THE QUESTION IS: WILL
AMERICANS ACTUALLY HAVE THE
ABILITY TO GET MEDICAL CARE THEY
NEED FROM A DOCTOR THEY WANT AT
A PRICE THEY CAN AFFORD?
THE PRESIDENT PROMISED THAT HIS
LAW WOULD INCREASE ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE CARE.
SOME GROUPS TELL A DIFFERENT
STORY.
IN APRIL OF 2010, A MONTH AFTER
THE PRESIDENT SIGNED HIS HEALTH
CARE PLAN INTO LAW, THE
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL
COLLEGES ESTIMATED THAT BASED ON
GRADUATION AND TRAINING RATES,
THIS COUNTRY WOULD HAVE A
SHORTAGE OF 150,000 DOCTORS OVER
THE NEXT 15 YEARS.
IN MAY OF THE SAME YEAR THE
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
ISSUED THE RESULTS OF ITS SURVEY
SHOEGT IMPACT OF LOW -- SHOWING
THE IMPACT OF LOW PAYMENT RATES
AND FUTURE PAYMENT CUTS ON
MEDICAID PATIENTS ACCESS TO
IT FOUND ONE IN FIVE PHYSICIANS
CURRENTLY RESTRICT THE NUMBER OF
MEDICARE PATIENTS THEY SEE.
THE A.M.A. STUDY SHOWED THAT
NEARLY A THIRD OF PRIMARY-CARE
PHYSICIANS RESTRICT THE NUMBER
OF MEDICARE PATIENTS THAT THEY
TAKE IN TO THEIR PRACTICE.
AND ALL ANY MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE NEED TO DO IS AT HOME
OVER THE WEEKEND TALK TO SOMEONE
IN YOUR COMMUNITY, SOMEONE WHO
IS ON MEDICARE, SOMEONE WHO IS
TRYING TO FIND A DOCTOR, A
DOCTOR TO CARE FOR THEM, AND SEE
HOW VERY DIFFICULT IT IS FOR
SOMEONE ON MEDICARE AGE TO FIND
A DOCTOR TO CARE FOR THEM.
WELL, LATER LAST YEAR THE
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL
COLLEGES RELATED UPDATED
PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE ESTIMATES.
A SEPTEMBER 2010 STUDY SAID THAT
BY 2015 DOCTOR SHORTAGES ARE
ACTUALLY 50% WORSE THAN
ORIGINALLY PROJECTED.
BY 2020, THERE WILL BE A
SHORTAGE OF 45,000 PRIMARY CARE
PHYSICIANS AND A SHORTAGE OF
46,000 SURGEONS AND MEDICAL
SPECIALISTS.
SO I FIND IT IRONIC THAT WE HAVE
A HEALTH CARE LAW THAT'S PASSED
THAT ACTUALLY DOESN'T PUT MONEY
INTO TRAINING DOCTORS TO TREAT
YOU, BUT PUTS MONEY IN TO HIRE
I.R.S. AGENTS TO INVESTIGATE
YOU.
ABSOLUTELY ASTONISHING.
THESE STUDIES CLEARLY
DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PRESIDENT'S
HEALTH CARE LAW WILL ONLY MAKE
IT HARDER FOR AMERICANS TO SEE
THEIR DOCTORS.
IN FACT, WASHINGTON ONLY
EXPANDED THE ABILITY TO FOLKS TO
GET GOVERNMENT-APPROVED,
GOVERNMENT-MANDATED,
GOVERNMENT-SUBSIDIZED COVERAGE.
THEY DID NOT EXPAND THE ABILITY
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO
ACTUALLY GET MEDICAL CARE.
AND THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN MEDICAL COVERAGE AND
MEDICAL CARE.
WHEN YOU TAKE OVER $500 BILLION
AWAY FROM OUR SENIORS ON
MEDICARE -- NOT TO SAVE MEDICARE
BUT TO START A BRAND-NEW
GOVERNMENT PROGRAM FOR SOMEONE
ELSE -- WELL, THAT'S A WAY TO
MAKE THE PROBLEM WORSE.
WHEN YOU FORCE 16 MILLION MORE
PEOPLE ON TO MEDICAID, A PROGRAM
WHERE HALF OF THE DOCTORS IN THE
COUNTRY WON'T SEE THOSE
PATIENTS, THAT ALSO MAKES THE
PROBLEM WORSE.
AND THE FRONT PAGE OF
YESTERDAY'S "USA TODAY"
YESTERDAY, MR. PRESIDENT,
WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, THE HEADLINE
"MEDICAID PATIENTS F PAYMENTS
GO UNDER THE KNIFE.
STATE CUTS COULD ADD TO SHORTAGE
OF DOCTORS.
SECOND PARAGRAPH, SOME HEALTH
CARE EXPERTS SAY THE CUTS MOST
OF WHICH WENT INTO EFFECT JULY 1
OR WILL LATER THIS MONTH COULD
ADD TO A SHORTAGE OF PHYSICIANS
AND OTHER PROVIDERS
PARTICIPATING IN MEDICAID."
THE ARTICLE GOES ON TO SAY THAT
"UNDER THE HEALTH CARE LAW, MORE
THAN 16 MILLION ADDITIONAL
PEOPLE WILL BECOME ELIGIBLE
STARTING IN 2014."
SO ALREADY WE HAVE A SITUATION
WHERE DOCTORS ARE RELUCTANT TO
TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE ON MEDICAID.
AND YET, THE PRESIDENT'S
SOLUTION TO THE HEALTH CARE
DILEMMAS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE TO
PUT MORE PEOPLE INTO A SYSTEM
THAT IS ALREADY BROKEN.
WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, WE'RE
GIVING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES
AN INSURANCE CARD BUT NOT REALLY
GIVING THEM ACCESS TO THE CARE
THAT HAS BEEN PROMISED.
AND ADULTS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES
WHO ARE WAITING IN LINES TO GET
INTO A DOCTOR'S OFFICE, AS THE
LINES GET LONGER.
IN FACT, CHILDREN ENROLLED IN
MEDICAID HAVE A MUCH HARDER TIME
ACCESSING MEDICAL CARE THAN
CHILDREN WHO HAVE PRIVATE
INSURANCE.
IF THAT'S THE PRESIDENT'S
SOLUTION TO THE NEEDS OF THIS
COUNTRY.
JANUARY 16 OF THIS YEAR THE "NEW
ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE"
PUBLISHED A STUDY CONDUCTED IN
COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S HOMETOWN OF CHICAGO.
PEOPLE WERE CALLING MEDICAL
OFFICES ASKING FOR APPOINTMENTS.
THEY WERE ASKING FOR
APPOINTMENTS FOR CHILDREN WITH
CHRONIC CONDITIONS OR ACUTE
CONDITIONS AND TELLING THEM,
TELLING THE OFFICES -- THESE
WERE KIND OF SECRET SHOPPERS --
TELLING THE OFFICE THE PERSON
INSURANCE.
WHAT THEY FOUND IS THAT 66% OF
THE TIME WHEN THE RESEARCHER
CALLED FOR AN APPOINTMENT AND
THEY MENTIONED MEDICAID, THEY
WERE DENIED AN APPOINTMENT.
BUT ONLY 11% OF THE RESEARCHERS
CALLING FOR APPOINTMENTS WHO
SAID THEY HAD PRIVATE INSURANCE,
ONLY 11% WOULD NOT GET AN
APPOINTMENT.
SO THERE YOU HAVE 66% DENIED IF
THEY HAVE MEDICAID.
ONLY 11% DENIED WITH PRIVATE
AND THOSE MEDICAID PATIENTS WHO
DID GET AN APPOINTMENT, WELL,
THEY FACED WAIT TIMES TWICE AS
LONG AS KIDS WITH PRIVATE
INSURANCE, AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT
SIX WEEKS.
ONE CALLER WAS TOLD WHEN ASKED
WHAT KIND OF INSURANCE THE
PERSON HAD, WHEN THAT PERSON
SAID MEDICAID, THE RECEPTIONIST
AT THE MEDICAL OFFICE SAID
MEDICAID IS NOT INSURANCE.
YET, THAT IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT
AND THE DEMOCRATS BASE THEIR
ENTIRE HEALTH CARE PLAN ON.
16 MILLION MORE ON TO MEDICAID.
SO, MR. PRESIDENT, HERE IT IS
OVER A YEAR AFTER THE LAW HAS
THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH CARE LAW
WORSE.
PREMIUMS ARE HIGHER.
THE LINES AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE
ARE LONGER.
IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO GET A
DOCTOR TO CARE FOR YOU.
THIS ISN'T WHAT THE PRESIDENT'S
HEALTH CARE LAW WAS SUPPOSED TO
DO AND IT'S NOT WHAT THE
PRESIDENT PROMISED THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE LAST YEAR.
HE PROMISED THAT THE HEALTH CARE
LAW WOULD MAKE HEALTH CARE IN
AMERICA BETTER FOR ALL
AMERICANS.
BUT EACH WEEK WE LEARN THAT THE
PROMISES ARE COMING UP EMPTY AND
THAT HEALTH CARE AMERICA --
HEALTH CARE IN AMERICA UNDER
THIS HEALTH CARE LAW HAS BEEN
MADE WORSE.
AND THAT'S WHY WEEK AFTER WEEK I
COME TO THE SENATE FLOOR AS WE
LEARN MORE THINGS ABOUT THIS
SENATE, ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE
LAW THAT PASSED THE SENATE,
PASSED THE HOUSE, WAS SIGNED BY
THE PRESIDENT, AND IN MY OPINION
AS A DOCTOR WHO PRACTICED
MEDICINE FOR 24 YEARS, HAS
ACTUALLY BEEN BAD FOR PATIENTS,
BAD FOR PROVIDERS, THE NURSES
AND TKWHORBGTS TAKE CARE OF
THOSE -- NURSES AND DOCTORS WHO
TAKE CARE OF THOSE PATIENTS AND
BAD FOR TAXPAYERS.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I FIRST -- 2005 THINGS I WANT
TO -- I HAVE TWO THINGS I WANT
TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I FIRST WANT
TO DEAL WITH A RESOLUTION THAT
WE HAVE ON THE FLOOR THAT WE HAD
A VOTE TODAY, WHICH WAS THIS
MOTION TO PROCEED TO SENATE
1323, A BILL TO EXPRESS THE
SENSE OF THE SENATE ON SHARED
SACRIFICE IN RESOLVING THE
BUDGET.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE REALIZE WHAT'S IN THIS SENSE
THE FINDINGS THAT THE CONGRESS
MAKES HERE ARE VERY IMPORTANT,
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO READ THESE
THREE FINDINGS.
THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL"
REPORTS THAT THE MEDIAN PAY FOR
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS OF THE
S&P 500 COMPANIES INCREASED 19%
TO $2.9 BILLION LAST -- $2.9
BILLION LAST YEAR.
AND THEN YOU COMPARE THAT WITH
THE MIDDLE CLASS, OVER THE LAST
TEN YEARS THE MEDIAN FAMILY
INCOME HAS DECLINED BY MORE THAN
20% OF ALL INCOME EARNED IN THE
UNITED STATES IS EARNED BY THE
TOP 1% OF INDIVIDUALS.
OVER THE PAST QUARTER CENTURY,
FOUR-FIFTHS OF THE INCOME GAINS
INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO, WE CONCLUDE IN THIS
SENSE OF THE SENATE, IT'S THE
SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT ANY
AGREEMENT TO REDUCE THE BUDGET
DEFICIT SHOULD REQUIRE THAT
THOSE EARNING $1 MILLION OR MORE
PER YEAR, MAKING A MORE
MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TO THE
DEFICIT-REDUCTION EFFORT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
THAT'S WHAT OUR LEADERS ARE
DOING, MEETING AT THE WHITE
HOUSE WITH THE PRESIDENT, IS
TRYING TO COME UP WITH A BUDGET
DEAL AND A RESOLUTION TO THIS
THAT INVOLVES SHARED SACRIFICE
AND INVOLVES PUTTING US ON A
PATH TO BETTER BUDGET
RESPONSIBILITY, REDUCING THE
NATIONAL BUDGET DEFICIT.
AND CLEARLY, PART OF THIS HAS TO
DO WITH MILLIONAIRES PAYING MORE
THEIR FAIR SHARE.
NOW, WE GOT 74 VOTES ON THE
MOTION TO PROCEED, BUT I HEARD
MANY PEOPLE SAY, MANY SENATORS
WALK TO THE FLOOR AND SAY, WELL,
I'M VOTING FOR THE MOTION TO
PROCEED, TO INVOKE CLOTURE ON
THE MOTION TO PROCEED BUT I'M
NOT SURE I SUPPORT THE BILL.
BUT AT LEAST THE 74 VOTES, I
THINK, SHOWS A LITTLE BIT OF
BIPARTISANSHIP IN TERMS OF A MIX
OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE CUTS.
AND THAT'S THE POINT I WANTED TO
MAKE ON THIS RESOLUTION.
FIRST OF ALL, I HEAR THINGS FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE THAT WORRY ME
BECAUSE WHAT HAS BEEN SAID WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT A PACKAGE -- AND
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
OVERALL PACKAGE -- IS THEY SAY
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RATIO OF
ONE TO THREE, MEANING 75% CUTS
AND ONLY ONE QUARTER PERCENT --
25% REVENUES.
SO
3/4 CUTS, 1/4 REVENUE.
NOW, HOW DOES THAT COMPARE HOW
WE GOT OUT OF DEFICIT SITUATIONS
IN THE PAST?
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK AT HERE
BECAUSE WE WERE IN A BIG HOLE IN
THE 1980'S, THE REAGAN
ADMINISTRATION HAD TAKEN US DOWN
THAT ROAD AND PRESIDENT CLINTON
AND PRESIDENT BUSH 41 HAD TO
DEAL WITH THAT SITUATION, AND
WHAT DID THEY COME UP WITH?
THEY CAME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT
WHICH WAS BASICALLY 55% REVENUE
AND 45% CUTS.
SO IT WAS -- IT WAS ABOUT A 50-
50 SITUATION.
AND I -- I WOULD JUST URGE THE
PRESIDENT TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET.
WE HAVE ONLY BEEN IMPRESSED IN A
VERY CURSORY WAY THAT KENT
CONRAD HAS PREPARED, BUT IT
COMES IN AT ABOUT 50-50 IN TERMS
OF REVENUE AND CUTS.
WE HAVE TO REALIZE WE'RE AT THE
LOWEST FEDERAL REVENUE WE HAVE
SEEN IN 60 YEARS AND THE HIGHEST
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES WE HAVE
SEEN IN 60 YEARS.
SO YOU HAVE TO WORK AT BOTH
SIDES OF THIS, AND THAT'S WHERE
I HOPE THE PRESIDENT REALLY
COMES IN WITH SOME KIND OF
PROPOSAL AS HE'S NEGOTIATING
THIS AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD
TO HIM -- TO HIM DOING THAT.
THE OTHER TOPIC I WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT HERE -- AND I ASK CONSENT
TO PLACE THIS AT ANOTHER POINT
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THIS TOPIC IS
WILDFIRES IN NEW MEXICO.
I SPENT THE LAST WEEK IN MY
STATE OF NEW MEXICO.
I STAYED THERE, I STARTED TO GO
TO THE PLANE AND I KEPT HEARING
THE REPORTS FROM MY STAFF, AND
ONE OF THE MOST SHOCKING WAS THE
ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF LOS ALAMOS,
12,000 PEOPLE, WERE EVACUATED
BECAUSE A FOREST FIRE WAS COMING
IN THEIR DIRECTION.
AND AS I KEPT GETTING THE
REPORTS AND THE EVACUATION
STARTED TO TAKE PLACE, I THOUGHT
WELL, THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO
NOT FLY OUT, TO GO BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY OF LOS ALAMOS AND THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND TRY
TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY I COULD.
AND I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THAT, AND -- AND I
THINK THERE ARE SOME LESSONS TO
BE LEARNED IN TERMS OF BUDGETS
AND DEFICITS AND HOW WE SHOULD
INVEST, BUT I WOULD FIRST LIKE
TO THANK THE SENATORS WHO HELPED
ME WHILE I WAS GONE.
AS THE PRESIDING OFFICER,
SENATOR FRANKEN KNOWS, WE ARE
ASSIGNED WEEKLY DUTIES IN TERMS
OF PRESIDING, AND I WAS -- I WAS
SUPPOSED TO PRESIDE LAST WEEK,
AND THREE SENATORS, SENATOR
DURBIN, SENATOR MERKLEY AND MY
COUSIN MARK UDALL STEPPED UP TO
HELP ME WITH PRESIDING TIME.
I HAD AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS ON
THE FLOOR WHEN WE WERE DEALING
WITH THE RULES PACKAGE, AND
SENATOR HARKIN HELPED ME WITH
THAT PROPOSAL.
SO THERE WAS A REAL TEAM EFFORT
WITHIN OUR DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS TO
HELP ME TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON
THE WILDFIRE ISSUE OUT IN NEW
MEXICO AND BE ABLE TO STAY THERE
AND HAVE MY CAPABLE STAFF AND
THE OTHER SENATORS HELP OUT.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK
EVERYBODY FOR THAT TEAM EFFORT.
NOW, THE WILDFIRES THAT ARE
RAGING ACROSS NEW MEXICO ARE NOT
ONLY IN NEW MEXICO.
HIT.
TEXAS, ARIZONA, FLORIDA, AND
GENERALLY -- AND MY HOME STATE
OF NEW MEXICO.
GENERALLY WHAT WE SEE IN THIS
COUNTRY IS THE FIRE SEASON
STARTS AT THE SOUTHERN PART AND
MOVES UP TO THE NORTH AS WE GO
THROUGH THE SUMMER SEASON, AND
IN THE SOUTHWEST, WE HAVE HAD AN
EXTRAORDINARY FIRE SEASON.
I WAS JUST BRIEFED BY SECRETARY
VILSACK WHEN I WAS OUT THERE.
HE TALKED IN THE SOUTHWEST
REGION ABOUT 1,600-PLUS FIRES
BURNING 1.5 MILLION ACRES.
AND THIS IS STILL VERY EARLY IN
THE FIRE SEASON.
WE COULD SEE A LOT MORE BURNING
GOING ON.
AND THEN THE THING THAT REALLY
HIT ME WAS THAT THE -- THE FACT
THAT WE WERE TOLD THIS WAS THE
DRIEST RECORDED SUMMER SINCE THE
FOREST SERVICE HAS BEEN KEEPING
RECORDS.
SO PRETTY REMARKABLE THAT WE'RE
IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION WHERE
WE HAVE A DROUGHT, WE HAVE FIRES
THAT HEAT UP.
THIS PARTICULAR FIRE FOR NEW
MEXICO, THE NAME OF IT IS CALLED
THE LOS CONCHOS FIRE RIGHT NEAR
LOS ALAMOS.
AS WE SPEAK, IT IS MORE THAN
135,000 ACRES.
IT IS ALMOST THREE TIMES AS BIG
AS THE PREVIOUS FIRE SITUATION
THAT WE HAVE SEEN.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THESE
FOREST FIRES IN OUR DRY, ARID
REGION IS THAT WE GET EXTREME
HEAT WITHIN THE FOREST AND YOU
GET WHAT ARE CALLED CROWN FIRES
WHERE THE TOPS OF THE TREES,
THESE TREES MAY BE 30 TO 50 TO
100-FEET TALL AND THE FIRES BURN
IN THE TOP OF THE CROWN, AND
THEY CAN SPREAD WHEN THERE IS A
40 OR 50-MILE AN HOUR WIND AS
THERE WAS IN SOME CASES HERE.
THEY CAN BE IN THE CROWN OF THE
TREES AND THEY CAN JUMP OUT A
MILE IN ADVANCE WITH EMBERS AND
CREATING ADDITIONAL FIRE IN
FRONT OF IT, AND AS A RESULT OF
THE HEAT, VERY INTENSIVE HEAT, I
THINK CLOSE TO A THOUSAND
DEGREES WHEN YOU RIDE IN THE
HEAT OF THE FIRE, IT MAKES THE
SOIL SO THE SOIL WON'T ABSORB
WATER ANY LONGER, WHICH IS
SOMETHING THAT CREATES A
SITUATION WHEN WE GET OUR RAINY
SEASON, WHICH OCCURS RIGHT AFTER
THE FIRE SEASON, YOU CAN HAVE
SERIOUS FLOOD SITUATIONS.
THAT SOIL WON'T ABSORB WATER SO
WHEN THE RAINS COME, ALL OF THE
SOIL ON THE SURFACE WASHES OFF.
IT WASHES INTO RESERVOIRS, IT
CAN FILL THEM UP WITH SILT.
SOME OF THOSE ARE USED FOR
RECREATION, FOR FISHING.
WATER.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE -- SEVERAL OF
THE COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN NEW
MEXICO GET 40%, 50% OF THEIR
RESERVOIRS.
SO THESE KINDS OF FOREST FIRES
CAN BE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING TO
COMMUNITIES.
BUT THE ONE THING WE WERE
THANKFUL FOR BECAUSE OF THE
FEDERAL FIREFIGHTERS IS THE
WORST-CASE SCENARIOS DIDN'T
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS
EXPECTED -- AND I THINK MANY SAW
THIS COVERING ON THE NATIONAL
MEDIA, THIS MIGHT GET INTO THE
NATIONAL LABORATORY, LOS ALAMOS
NATIONAL LABORATORY, THAT THERE
WAS GOING TO BE RADIATION
RELEASED AND THOSE KINDS OF
THINGS, AND IN FACT WE DODGED A
BULLET THERE.
IT DIDN'T GO INTO LOS ALAMOS
NATIONAL LABORATORY.
THE LABS AND THE RESIDENCES WERE
THERE WAS ANOTHER FIRE BURNING
NEARBY THAT THREATENED THE SANTA
FE WATERSHED.
THE FIRE CHANGED DIRECTIONS AND
BECAUSE OF THE SKILLFUL
FIREFIGHTING, IT DIDN'T GET INTO
THE WATERSHED.
SO WE DODGED A BULLET, BUT MANY
OTHER AREAS, MANY OTHER AREAS
WERE SEVERELY IMPACTED AND MANY
OTHER GROUPS WERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, NEW MEXICO'S INDIAN
PUEBLOS.
WE HAVE 19 PUEBLOS IN NEW
MEXICO.
SOME OF THEM WERE TERRIBLY
IMPACTED BY THIS.
THE SANTA CLARA PUEBLO, SAN EL
DEFANZO, MANY OTHER PUEBLOS.
ONE OF THE MOST DAMAGED PUEBLOS
WAS THE SANTA CLARA PUEBLO, AND
THE GOVERNOR OF THAT PUEBLO IS A
GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF WALTER
DASHENEAU.
HE AND SOME OF HIS COUNSELORS
HAD COME TO A MEETING, AND THE
LAST TWO BIG FIRES, 85% OF THIS
INDIAN RESERVATION HAS BEEN
BURNED.
WHAT THEY SAID WHEN WE WERE
SITTING IN A ROOM -- AND THESE
ARE THE ELDERS FROM THE PUEBLO
CAME TO TALK TO US.
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, OUR HEARTS
ARE IN A VERY SAD STATE.
THE -- THE FIRE DEVASTATED OUR
SITES.
WE HAD MEDICINEAL PLANTS WE
WOULD COLLECT IN THIS AREA.
WE CAN'T DO THAT ANY LONGER.
AND WITH GREAT EMOTION, THESE
ELDERS SAID WE -- WE ARE NEVER
GOING TO SEE THIS FOREST IN THE
SAME CONDITION AGAIN.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY, THE LOSS WAS
GREAT AT SANTA CLARA, BUT IT
WAS -- IT WAS ALL ACROSS, IT WAS
ALL ACROSS NEW MEXICO OF THOSE
PUEBLOS THAT I JUST NAMED, AND
LOSS.
AND THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO
IN SPEAKING TODAY IS TO THANK
ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT WERE
INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT.
WE HAVE, I THINK, FIGHTING JUST
THIS ONE FIRE 2,600 FIREFIGHTERS
FROM ALL OVER THE NATION, 15
DIFFERENT STATES PUT
FIREFIGHTERS IN TO DO THIS.
IT'S INCREDIBLY TOUGH WORK,
DIFFICULT, TOUGH, DIRTY WORK.
I MET MANY OF THESE FIREFIGHTERS
OUT ON THE FRONT WHERE THEY WERE
FIGHTING THE FIRES.
SOME OF THEM WOULD TALK ABOUT
HOW THEY HAD BEEN AWAY FROM
THEIR FAMILIES FOR TWO WEEKS.
HADN'T HAD A SHOWER.
SLEEPING IN TENTS.
TREMENDOUSLY TRYING, OCCUPATION
OCCUPATION -- TREMENDOUSLY
TRYING OCCUPATION BEING A
FIREFIGHTER, BUT THEY BELIEVE IN
IT, THEY SHOW UP EVERY DAY, AND
THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
AND THEY WERE SUPPORTED BY OUR
NATIONAL GUARD WHO GUARDED THE
COMMUNITY OF LOS ALAMOS WHILE
THE PEOPLE WERE EVACUATED TO
MAKE SURE THERE WASN'T ANY CRIME
GOING ON.
THE STATE POLICE PATROLLED THE
ROADS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY COULD KEEP ORDER.
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, LOCAL
FIREFIGHTERS PARTICIPATED.
THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
SO IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EFFORT
TOGETHER.
AND ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE
THINGS IS THE EXPERTISE AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL, IN FEDERAL LAND
MANAGEMENT AGENCIES OF
FIREFIGHTERS.
THESE TEAMS ARE HEADED UP.
TYPICALLY YOU WILL HAVE A TYPE
ONE AND A TYPE TWO TEAM, AND THE
HEAD OF THE TEAM CALLED THE
INCIDENT COMMANDER WILL PROBABLY
HAVE 20, 25, 30 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE IN FIGHTING FIRES
EVERY SUMMER AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THESE ARE CAREER PEOPLE FROM THE
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, THE
FOREST SERVICE, THE PARK
SERVICE, AND A VARIETY OF
OTHER -- OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES
THAT REALLY STEP UP TO THE PLATE
AND HELP OUT WHEN WE GET IN
THESE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
AND AS I SAID, THEY COME FROM
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO WORK IN
THE STATES THAT ARE IMPACTED AND
AS THE FIRE SEASON SPREADS NORTH
UP TO COLORADO AND WYOMING AND
MONTANA, THOSE SAME FIREFIGHTERS
MOVE ON UP TO -- TO CONTINUE THE
BATTLE UP THERE.
AND ONE OF THE POINTS I TAKE
FROM THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS I
LEARNED FROM THIS -- AND
PRESIDENT LINCOLN, I THINK, SAID
THIS VERY WELL.
GOVERNMENT DOES FOR PEOPLE WHAT
THEY CAN'T DO FOR THEMSELVES.
COLLECTIVELY, WE PULL TOGETHER
WHEN WE HIT SITUATIONS WHERE IF
YOU HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS A
HOME IN LOS ALAMOS, THERE IS NOT
MUCH HE CAN DO WITH A BIG FOREST
FIRE COMING IN THE DIRECTION,
BUT WE CAN ORGANIZE AS A
GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY TO SAY WHEN
WE GET BIG CATASTROPHIC FIRES
LIKE THIS THAT WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMPETENT,
THAT ARE CAPABLE AND THAT HAVE
ALL OF THIS EXPERIENCE IN
FIGHTING FIRES THAT WILL COME
TOGETHER AND THAT WILL HELP OUT,
PROTECT.
WHEN WE THINK OF DEBATING
BUDGETS AND DEFICITS AND ALL OF
THAT, THERE IS A VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT FUNCTION THAT
GOVERNMENT SERVES OUT THERE, AND
WE NEED TO PROTECT THAT SAFETY
NET FUNCTION, THAT COLLECTIVE
FUNCTION WHERE WE HELP EACH
OTHER, AND THIS FIREFIGHTERRING,
I THINK, IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF
WHERE GOVERNMENT IS NEEDED AND
WE COULD BE DEVASTATEED IF WE
DIDN'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE THAT
THE GOVERNMENT HAS IN TERMS OF
FIGHTING FIRES.
NOW, THE OTHER THING I SAW AT
THESE FIRES -- AND IT WAS PRETTY
IT'S WHEN I HAVE BEEN TO TORNADO
SITES IN NEW MEXICO, WHEN I HAVE
SITUATIONS, THE THING THAT
STANDS OUT TO ME IS HOW NEW
MEXICANS PULL TOGETHER IN THE
SITUATION, NEW MEXICANS HELPING
NEW MEXICANS.
THE PUEBLOS THAT I TALKED ABOUT
THAT WERE SO IMPACTED BY THE
FIRES, THEY ACTUALLY OPENED UP
OTHER SITES ON THEIR
RESERVATIONS SO THAT THE
EVACUEES THAT WERE COMING OUT OF
LOS ALAMOS, THE 12,000 PEOPLE,
SEVERAL OF THESE PUEBLOS SAID,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP
OUR CONVENTION CENTER AND LET
THEM SET UP COTS AND WE'RE GOING
TO FEED THE PEOPLE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE
CAN TO HELP WITH THIS SITUATION.
AT THE SAME TIME, THEIR
PARTICULAR PUEBLO WAS BEING
DEVASTATED BY A FOREST FIRE.
SO THERE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY
OUTPOURING OF GOODWILL THAT NEW
MEXICANS HAVE SHOWN IN THIS KIND
OF EMERGENCY SITUATION, AND WHAT
THE REMARKABLE THING TO SEE IS
IN A TIME OF NEED, PEOPLE
PULLING TOGETHER AND DOING THAT
IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT REALLY
BRINGS TEARS TO YOUR EYES.
THERE WAS ONE INDIVIDUAL I JUST
WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL -- I WAS
IN TALKING TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE
THAT WERE TRAINING FOR A CHARITY
THAT WAS GOING TO HELP -- HELP
THE EVACUEES, HELP THEM SERVE
MEALS, HELP THEM SET UP COTS,
HELP THEM BE ORGANIZED, AND I
GOT A QUESTION FROM THE FLOOR
AND THE INDIVIDUAL SAID TO ME,
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, I -- I
LIVED IN LOS ALAMOS AND I HAD TO
COME DOWN HERE.
I'M AN EVACUEE.
BUT I FOUND A FRIEND THAT WAS
ABLE TO PUT ME UP, AND I KNOW
THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT
DON'T HAVE THAT SITUATION.
SO I WANT -- I'M OUT HERE TODAY
TRAINING WITH THE AMERICAN RED
CROSS BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP THE
OTHERS AND I WANT TO TRY TO GIVE
I MEAN, THAT'S THE SPIRIT THAT
WE SAW IN NEW MEXICO OF, EVEN IF
YOU WERE IN NEED AND BEEN DRIVEN
FROM YOUR HOME, YOU WERE STILL
TRYING TO HELP OWVMENT AND I
THINK IT IS A PRETTY REMARKABLE
-- PRETTY REMARKABLE STORY.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO AS WE
LOOK ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WE
SEE FLOODS IN THE MIDWEST AND
WILDFIRES IN THE SOUTHWEST AND
FOR NEIGH DOSE, ALL OF THESE
THINGS REQUIRE A DISASTER RELIEF
THEY REQUIRE DISASTER RELIEF
FUNDING FOR AGENCIES WHO DEAL
WITH FIRES AND ALL OF THESE
OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS.
AND THESE THINGS ARE VERY COSTLY
FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
FEMA STEPS IN AND HELPS OUT,
WITH THE GOVERNOR MAKING A
THE FOREST SERVICE HELPS OUT.
THERE ARE BURN AREA
REHABILITATION TEAMS THAT MOVE
IN RIGHT AFTER A FIRE TO TRY TO
PROTECT THE EROSION AND SO THERE
AREN'T BAD FLOODS.
AND WE'VE GOT TO TRY TO DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE
WE MAINTAIN, ONCE AGAIN IN THIS
DEFICIT SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN,
THAT KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY.
WE'VE -- THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS TO HELP.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO
HELP IN DEFICIT, EVEN WITHIN A
DEFICIT SITUATION, WE HAVE TO
HAVE A DISASTER RELIEF KIND OF
EFFORT.
AND THE IDEA THAT WE'RE -- WE
ARE GOING TO SOMEHOW CHANGE THE
WAY WE DO DISASTERS NOW, THAT
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE MONEY AWAY
FROM MEDICAID IN ORDER TO PUT IT
INTO DISASTERS, IS--
I DON'T THINK, A VERY GOOD IDEA.
SO I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
HOW WE DO DISASTER RELIEF, WE
NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE ALL
IN THIS TOGETHER AND WHEN WE HIT
DISASTERS, WE NEED TO HELP EACH
OTHER.
AND TO SHOW YOU THE KIND OF
PRESSURE THAT WE'RE UNDER IN NEW
MEXICO, SECRETARY VILSACK, WITH
THE FOREST SERVICE, WAS OUT IN
NEW MEXICO AND THE ONE PLEA HE
MADE TO THE CONGRESSIONAL
DELEGATION, BECAUSE WE WERE
TALKING TO HIM ABOUT WATERSHEDS
THAT MEAN CLEAN DRINKING WATER
IN THAT KIND OF DISWAITION, AND
THE SECRETARY SAID, YOU KNOW,
IT IS CALLED THE EMERGENCY
WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM.
IT IS FOR ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
IT'S WHEN WE GET IN THESE KIND
SITUATION IS.
HE SAYS, WE HAVE $9 MILLION,
$-9D MILLION IN THE ACCOUNT.
HE SAYS, ALREADY BEFORE YOUR
REQUESTS OR ANY OTHERS HAVE COME
IN FROM NEW MEXICO AND ANY OTHER
STATES -- I KNOW THERE ARE FIRES
DOWN IN FLORIDA AND TEXAS AND
ARIZONA -- WE HAVE $45 MILLION
IN REQUESTS.
SO $-9D MILLION IN THE ACCOUNT,
$45 MILLION IN REQUESTS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WATERSHEDS,
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS
DRINKING WATER NOT DETERIORATING
AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO WE NEED -- WE NEED TO
REMEMBER THAT THERE IS A LOT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES IN A
SHARED WAY WITH LOCAL
COMMUNITIES.
AND JUST MY FINAL NOTE, TO TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BIGGEST
PICTURE HERE, AND THAT'S ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL
WARMING.
WE'RE SEEING THESE WILDFIRES,
DROUGHTS, AND FLOODS LIKE WE'VE
NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
I'VE SEEN SENATORS FROM ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY TALKING ABOUT THESE
DISASTER SITUATIONS.
AND THE SCIENTISTS HE WILL US
THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH
CARBON DPIE DIOXIDE INTO THE
WE'RE WARMING THE ATMOSPHERE.
IN THE WEST SCIENTISTS TELL US
IT IS GOING TO BE TWICE AS HIGH
IN THE WEST, THE COMPUTER MODELS
SHOW, THAN IN OTHER PLACES IN
THE COUNTRY.
AND WHILE THE CLIMATE SCIENTISTS
ARE VERY CAUTIOUS WITH THEIR
MODELING AND WHAT THEY SAY, THEY
SAY YOU CAN'T POINT TO ANY
PARTICULAR STORM.
I CAN'T SAY THAT THAT PARTICULAR
FIRE THAT OCCURRED IN NEW
MEXICO, THE LAS CONCHAS FIRE,
THAT FIRE WAS CAUSED BY GLOBAL
WARMING OR CLIMATE CHANGE.
THEY ALL TELL US -- AND THIS IS
THE PART WE REALLY NEED TO
LISTEN TO.
THE SCIENTISTS HE WILL US WHAT
WE ARE GOING TO SEE, AS A RESULT
OF THIS, IS MORE SEVERE WEATHER
EVENTS, MEANING MORE SEVERE --
SAY, IF YOU GET INTO A DROUGHT
SITUATION, IT'S GOING TO BE A
MORE SEVERE DROUGHT, WHICH IS
EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN NEW
MEXICO RIGHT NOW.
WHEN YOU GET FLOODS, YOU'RE
GOING TO BE SEEING MORE SEVERE
FLOODS.
YOU ARE HE GOING TO SEE MORE IS
HE -- YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE
SEVERE WILDFIRES.
THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS WE'RE
SEEING IN NEW MEXICO.
WE'RE SEEING THEM ACROSS THE
AND WE'VE SEEN EXTREME FLOODS IN
NEW MEXICO, CATASTROPHIC FOREST
FIRES, WE'RE SEEING DROUGHTS WE
HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.
THE FOREST SERVICE HAS BEEN
KEEPING RECORDS FOR 117 YEARS,
AND THEY JUST REPORTED TO US
THAT THERE IS NO RECORD FOR HOW
DRY WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS THE DRYEST YEAR WE'VE
EVER HAD, WHICH LAID THE
GROUNDWORK FOR THE WILDFIRES WE
HAD, WITH THE WIND AND ALL THE
OTHER THINGS THAT OCCURRED.
SO WE CAN'T PUT OUR HEADS IN THE
SAND IN TERMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE,
IN TERMS OF GLOBAL WARMING.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS
AND REALIZE THAT WE'RE
CONTRIBUTING TO THEM.
AND WE NEED TO PUT POLICIES IN
PLACE, SOLID POLICIES, THAT PUT
US ON A PATH TO REDUCING THAT
CARBON DIOXIDE POLLUTION THAT IS
OUT THERE.
SO, WITH THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, I
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK
THE SENATE FOR THE TIME, AND I
YIELD THE FLOOR.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM UTAH.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO
DISCUSS A PROBLEM THAT'S OF
CONCERN TO 300 MILLION
IT RELATES TO OUR NATIONAL DEBT,
A DEBT THAT WILL SOON CROSS THE
$15 TRILLION THRESHOLD.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO RAISE THE
DEBT LIMIT, EXTEND THE NATION'S
CREDIT ONE MORE TIME.
THIS WE HAVE THE POWER TO DO,
BUT WE HAVE TO ASK OUR QUESTION:
-- OURSELVES THE QUESTION,
SHOULD WE EXERCISE THAT POWER,
SHOULD WE INCUR ADDITIONAL DEBT
YET AGAIN WITHOUT ANY PLAN
MOVING FORWARD TO CHANGE
FUNDAMENTALLY THE WAY THAT WE
SPEND MONEY IN WASHINGTON,
D.C.,?
OUR CURRENT LAW REQUIRING US TO
RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT
PERIODICALLY EVERY TIME OUR
EXISTING LINE OF CREDIT DRIES UP
DATES BACK TO 1-9D 82.
WE'VE RAISED THE DEBT LIMIT
SINCE 1982 NEARLY 40 TIMES.
I FEAR THAT IF WE DO IT AGAIN
THIS TIME WITHOUT ANY PERMANENT,
BINDING PLAN IN PLACE, LEGAL
RESTRICTIONS, CHANGING THE WAY
THAT CONGRESS SPENDS MONEY, IT
WILL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE SAME
TROUGH, JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER.
THAT'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE AS WE
DO THIS OVER TIME, WE INEVITABLY
PUT PRESSURE ON OUR FINANCIAL
SYSTEM.
PRESSURE THAT WILL SOON CAUSE
OUR ECONOMY DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PRESSURE THAT WILL IN TIME
RESULT IN EXCESSIVE JOB LOSSES,
SKYROCKETING INTEREST RATES, AND
LOTS OF OTHER ECONOMIC
CONDITIONS THAT WOULD BE, TO SAY
THE LEAST, UNPLEASANT.
IT'S FOR THIS REASON THAT 100
SENATORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
HAVE CANCELED THEIR PLANS THAT
THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY MADE TO
SPEND TIME WITH THEIR
CONSTITUENTS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE
HOME STATES THIS WEEK THAT.
HAD BEEN OUR PLAN, TO SPEND TIME
IN OUR HOME STATES.
WE CANCELED THOSE PLANS SO THAT
WE COULD COME BACK HERE AND HAVE
SERIOUS, ERNEST DEBATE AND
DISCUSSION SURROUNDING THE BEST
PATH FORWARD TOWARD MOVING IN
THE DIRECTION OF A BALANCED
BUDGET, TOWARD FIGURING OUT WHAT
CONDITIONS, IF ANY, WOULD
SATISFY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WHO
ARE UNDERSTANDABLY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF YET
ANOTHER NEAR-JERK REFLECTIONIVE
DEBT LIMIT INCREASE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
THE FACT THAT IF WE CHOOSE TO DO
NOTHING MORE THAN SAY, WELL, IF
WE'RE GOING TO RAISE THE DEBT
LIMIT BY MORE THAN $2 TRILLION,
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE CUT $2
TRILLION FROM OUR ANTICIPATED
SPENDING.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THAT KIND
OF PROMISE IS ONE THAT ISN'T
BINDING ON THE CONGRESS.
IF THOSE SPENDING CUTS ARE
STRETCHED OUT OVER THE COURSE OF
10 OR 15 YEARS OR MORE%, AS HAS
BEEN DISCUSSED -- BECAUSE WE
HERE IN THIS CONGRESS CANNOT
BIND THE CONGRESS THAT WILL BE
SWORN INTO POWER IN JANUARY OF
2013 OR JANUARY OF 2015 OR
JANUARY OF 2017.
WE CAN'T BIND A FUTURE CONGRESS.
WE CAN MAKE SUGGESTIONS THAT
THEY CAN FOLLOW, BUT WE CAN'T
BIND THEM.
UNLESS OF COURSE WE CHOOSE TO DO
THAT WHICH HAS BEEN DONE ONLY 27
TIMES IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY,
WHICH IS AMEND THE CONSTITUTION.
THALD THATTHAT WILL BEND BIND A FUTURE
CONGRESS.
IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT
JUST A FEW MONTHS FROM NOW TO DO
EXACTLY THE SAME THING, LEADING
US CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE DIRE
IS THAT I'VE DESCRIBED A FEW
MINUTES AGO.
WHILE WE'VE BEEN HERE THIS WEEK
CONVENING DURING THE WEEK THAT
WAS PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED FOR A
RECESS, WE AS A GROUP OF SENATE
REPUBLICANS HAVE COME TOGETHER
AND OFFERED A REAL MEANINGFUL
SOLUTION.
WE HAVE OFFERED TO RAISE THE
DEBT LIMIT, INTRODUCED
LEGISLATION TODAY WITH 21
REPUBLICAN COSPONSORS IN THE
SENATE IN A PIECE OF REGULATION
THAT WE'RE CALLING THE CUT, CAP,
BALANCE ACT.
AND WHERES IT SAYS.
LIMIT.
WE'LL DO SO ONLY UNDER THREE
CIRCUMSTANCES, ONLY AFTER THREE
CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN MET.
THE FIRST TWO RELATE TO
IMMEDIATE SPENDING CUTS TO
DISCRETIONARY SPENDING AND
STATUTORY SPENDING CAPS MAKING
SURE THAT WE START PUTTING
OURSELVES RIGHT NOW ON A
STATUTORILY MANDATED GLIDE PATH
TOWARD A BALANCED BUDGET.
THE THIRD STEP WHICH IS BY FAR
THE MOST IMPORTANT INVOLVES
PASSAGE OUT OF BOTH HOUSES OF
CONGRESS BY THE REQUISITE
TWO-THIRDS MARGIN A BALANCED
BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE
CONSTITUTION, ONE THAT WOULD CAP
SPENDING AS A PRAFNLG G.D.P. AND
ONE THAT WOULD REQUIRE A
TWO-THIRDS SUPERMAJORITY IN
ORDER TO RAISE TAXES.
UPON EACH OF THOSE CONDITIONS
WOULD RAISE.
BUT ONLY THEN.
WE WOULD NOT RAISE IT WITHOUT
THOSE CONDITIONS HAVING BEEN
MET.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T MEET THOSE
CONDITIONS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO
LOOK OUR CONSTITUENTS IN THE EYE
AND SAY, WE'VE DONE WHAT NEEDS
TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO
BE, IN ORDER TO GET TO THE POINT
AT WHICH WE WILL NO LONGER BE IN
A POSITION OF HAVING TO GO BACK
TO THE SAME TROUGH EVERY FEW
MONTHS, TO GO THROUGH THE
CEREMONY OF RAISING THE DEBT
LIMIT YET AGAIN.
WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT EVERY
TIME WE DO THIS, WE RUN AN
INCREASED RISK THAT WE'LL START
HAVING TO PAY HIGHER AND HIGHER
YIELDS ON OUR TREASURY
INSTRUMENTS.
EVERY TIME THAT HAPPENS, WE
INCUR MORE EXPENSES THAT RELATE
TO OUR ABILITY TO REMAIN CURRENT
ON OUR DEBT INTEREST PAYMENTS.
EVERY TIME INTEREST RATES,
YIELDS ON THOSE DEBT INSTRUMENTS
GO UP BY ONE PERCENTAGE POINT,
WE HAVE TO SPEND AN ADDITIONAL
$150 BILLION A YEAR JUST IN
INTEREST, ONCE OUR DEBT
INSTRUMENTS CATCH UP WITH THE
INCREASED RATE.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
THAT MEANS THAT IF WE WERE JUST
TO RETURN -- LET'S SAY IF
INTEREST RATES WERE TO GO UP 3%,
WE COULD SOON FIND OURSELVES IN
A POSITION IN WHICH WE MIGHT BE
SPENDING AS MUCH AS $700 BILLION
A YEAR ON INTEREST.
WE'RE SPENT CURRENTLY PAYING
ABOUT $250 BILLION.
$700 BILLION A YEAR IS ROUGHLY
WHAT WE SPEND ON NATIONAL
DEFENSE.
IT'S ROUGHLY WHAT WE SPEND ON
YEAR.
IT'S CLOSE TO WHAT WE PAY IN
MEDICARE AND MEDICAID COMBINED
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IN AN
ENTIRE YEAR.
SO WHERE'S THE DIFFERENCE GOING
TO COME FROM WHEN INTEREST RATES
START TO CREEP UP?
EVEN IF THEY GO UP THREE
PERCENTAGE POINTS, THEY'D STILL
BE BELOW THEIR HISTORICALLAGE.
THAT MONEY HAS TO COME FROM
SOMEWHERE AND IT WILL.
IT'LL END UP COMING FROM THE
VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT AMERICANS
ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT.
SO WHITHER A CONSERVE STIFF --
AND YOU MIGHT -- SO WHITHER ARE
MIGHT BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
MONEY COMING FROM THE DEFENSE
BUDGET -- OR ON THE OTHER HAND
YOU'RE LIBERAL AND MOST
CONCERNED ABOUT IT COMING FROM
ENTITLEMENTS, OUGHT TO BE
CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PRACTICE OF OF
PERPETUAL LIE RAISING THE DEBT
LIMIT AND ENGAGING IN PERPETUAL
DEBT SPENDING ESPECIALLY WHEN IT
IS IN EXCESS OF $1.5 TRILLION
EVERY SING YEAR SINGLE YEAR.
THIS THREATENS EVERY FEDERAL
PROGRAM OUT THERE.
IT ALSO INTERFERES WITH THE
ABILITY OF EACH AMERICAN TO FIND
THE PROSPERITY THAT HE OR SHE
SEEKS, THE ABILITY OF EACH
AMERICAN TO LIVE HIS OR HER LIFE
IN THE TWHAI HE OR SHE CHOOSES.
THAT'S DISTRESSING.
IT INTERFERES WITH THE LIBERTY
OF THE INDIVIDUAL, WHICH IS WHAT
WE'VE BEEN ELECTED TO PROTECT.
I'M VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF
COALITION, A
GROUP CONSISTING OF SENATORS WHO
ARE CONCERNED ENOUGH ABOUT THIS
ISSUE THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO
SAY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN'T
JUST NOT RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT.
THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO ARE
CONCERNED ENOUGH IN THIS COUNTRY
ABOUT NOT RAISING IT, THE ABRUPT
HALT THIS SPEND SPENDING THAT THAT
COULD CREATE CHAOS.
SO RECOGNIZING THAT REALITY,
WE'VE TAKEN THE BULL BY THE
HORNS AND WE'RE WILLING TO DO
THE DIFFICULT THING.
WE'RE SAYING IN ORDER FOR US TO
RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT WE HAVE TO
BE WILLING TO SET THINGS IN
MOTION IN SUCH A WAY THAT WILL
SOLVE THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM,
WILL CREATE PERMANENT STRUMPLE
SPENDING-- PERMANENT STRUCTURAL REFORM
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
I WANT TO CLOSE BY RESPONDING TO
AN ARGUMENT MADE BY TIM KNEE
GEITHNER, THE SECRETARY OF THE
UNITED STATES TREASURY.
THE ARGUMENT HE MADE WAS TO THE
EFFECT THAT WE IN CONGRESS ARE
ESSENTIALLY MERE SURPLUS WHEN IT
COMES TO THE DEBT LIMIT
INCREASE.
HE MADE THE ARGUMENT THAT ACE
UNDERSTAND IT -- THAT AS I
UNDERSTAND IT, SECTION 4
AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH,
PROGRAMS THE TREASURY SERKTS
PERHAPS JUST THE PRESIDENT, TO
SOMEHOW RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT
WITHOUT CONSULTING CONGRESS,
WITHOUT AN ACT OF CONGRESS IN
PLACE.
THAT ARGUMENT IS NOT ACCURATE.
THAT ARGUMENT IS BASED ON AN
IMPROPER READING OF THE 14th
THE LANGUAGE TO WHICH HE REFERS
READS IN PERTINENT PART AS
FOLLOWS, "THE VALIDITY OF THE
PUBLIC DEBT OF THE UNITED STATES
QUESTIONED."
ADOPTED IN THE IMMEDIATE
AFTERMATH OF THE CIVIL WAR, THIS
PROVISION SIMPLY ACKNOWLEDGES
THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T IGNORE
OUR DEBT OBLIGATIONS, THAT WHEN
INTEREST OR PRINCIPLE COME DUE
DUE -- INTEREST OR PRINCIPAL
COME DUE ON OUR NATIONAL DEBT,
THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE HONORED.
YOU NOTICE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT,
SET OFF BY COMMAS, IS A PHRASE
THAT SAYS, "AUTHORIZED BY LAW."
TO CREATE LAW IN THIS COUNTRY,
YOU HAVE TO MOVE SOMETHING
THROUGH CONGRESS.
THAT SOMETHING HAS TO BE
PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT FOR
SIGNATURE OR VETO.
YOU CAN'T MAKE A LAW IN THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WITHOUT
ARTICLE 1, EKS SECTION, CLAUSE 2,
MAKES THAT POINT CLEAR BY GIVING
THE AUTHORITY TO CONGRESS TO
INCUR DEBT IN THE NAME OF THE
UNITED STATES.
SO NECESSARILY, BY DEFINITION,
BY OPERATION OF THE PLAIN TEXT
OF THE CONSTITUTION, YOU CANNOT
RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT WITHOUT AN
ACT OF CONGRESS.
IF ANYTHING, SECTION 4 OF THE
14th AMENDMENT SIMPLY MAKES
CLEAR THAT WHICH I WISH
SECRETARY GEITHNER WOULD --
WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE AND I HEREBY
CALL UPON HIM TO ACKNOWLEDGE,
WHICH IS THAT HE HAS A LEGAL AND
A MORAL OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE
THAT IF THE DEBT LIMIT IS NOT
INCREASED DURING WHATEVER TIME
THAT IT REMAINS IN LIMBO, DURING
WHATEVER TIME THAT WE FACE A
DEBT LIMIT INDUCED SHORTFALL, IT
IS HIS OBLIGATION AS THE
SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY TO USE
THE FIRST TAX REVENUES COMING IN
THE DOOR TO PAY OUR DEBT
OBLIGATIONS, TO PAY THE INTEREST
THAT'S BEING ACCRUED ON OUR
NATIONAL DEBT.
IT'S HIS OBLIGATION NOT ONLY AS
A FIDUCIARY OR A QUASI-FIDUCIARY
BUT ALSO UNDER THE VERY
PROVISION OF THE CONSTITUTION.
SECTION 4 OF THE 14th
AMENDMENT, THE SAME PROVISION
THAT HE CITES BINDS HIS HANDS
AND REQUIRES HIM TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT INTEREST GETS PAID,
PROHIBITS HIM FROM BRINGING
ABOUT A DEFAULT ON OUR NATIONAL
DEBT, WHICH IS WHAT HE'S BEEN
THREATENING ON MANY OCCASIONS.
THERE IS A WAY FORWARD.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH WE
NOW FIND OURSELVES ARE, TO BE
SURE, THREATENING.
THEY ARE INTEM INTIM INTIMIDATING.
THEY ARE DAUNTING.
AND THEY BRING ABOUT SUBSTANTIAL
DISAGREEMENT WITHIN THIS BODY
AND WITHIN THE BODY THAT MEETS
JUST DOWN THE HAUL FROM US.
HALL FROM US.
BUT THERE ARE ANSWERS, THERE ARE
SOLUTIONS SO WHICH WE CAN AGREE.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CUT-CAP
BALANCE ACT PROVIDES THE PROPER
SOLUTION AND IT'S A SOLUTION
THAT CAN APPEAL TO LIBERALS AND
CONSERVATIVES ALIKE, TO
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ALIKE,
AND I CALL UPON ALL WITHIN THE
SOUND OF MY VOICE TO TAKE A
CAREFUL LOOK AT THIS LEGISLATION
AND TO JUMP ONBOARD AND BECOME
PART OF THE SOLUTION.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM RHODE ISLAND.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
RISE TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT A
SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE IN
MY HOME STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
AND TO COMMEND THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY FOR ITS
ACTIONS TO ADDRESS IT.
RHODE ISLAND HAS THE SIXTH
HIGHEST RATE OF ASTHMA IN THE
ACCORDING TO OUR DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH, MORE THAN 25,000 RHODE
ISLAND CHILDREN, OR 11%, OF
CHILDREN IN OUR STATE -- MORE
THAN 1 IN EVERY 10 KIDS --
SUFFERS FROM ASTHMA.
82,000 ADULT IN RHODE ISLAND,
WHICH IS ALSO ABOUT 11% OF OUR
ADULT POPULATION, SUFFERS ALSO
FROM THIS CHRONIC DISEASE.
FROM 2005-2009, ASTHMA WAS THE
UNDERLYING CAUSE OR A
CONTRIBUTING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR
240 PEOPLE IN RHODE ISLAND,
INCLUDING FOUR CHILDREN.
IN 2009, THERE WERE 1,750
HOSPITAL DISCHARGES IN RHODE
ISLAND FOR ASTHMA CASES.
THOSE HOSPITAL STAYS COST ABOUT
$8 MILLION IN JUST THAT ONE YEAR
IN DIRECT MEDICAL COSTS, NOT
COUNTING THE COSTS ASSOCIATED
WITH DAYS OF WORK AND SCHOOL
MISSED OR THE MEDICATION FOR
ONGOING TREATMENT.
ON A CLEAR SUMMER DAY IN RHODE
ISLAND, MANY OF US HAVE HAD THE
EXPERIENCE COMMUTING IN TO WORK
OF HEARING THE WARNING ON DRIVE
TIME RADIO "TODAY IS A BAD AIR
DAY IN RHODE ISLAND.
INFANTS, SENIOR CITIZENS, AND
PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY
DIFFICULTIES SHOULD STAY INDOORS
TODAY."
IN FACT, YESTERDAY WAS JUST SUCH
A DAY IN RHODE ISLAND.
AN AIR QUALITY ALERT WAS ISSUED
BY OUR STATE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT WARNING
THAT OZONE WAS EXPECTED TO REACH
DANGEROUS LEVELS IN THE SOUTHERN
HALF OF OUR STATE BY AFTERNOON.
THEY RECOMMENDED THAT ALL
RESIDENTS LIMIT PHYSICAL
EXERTION AND TAKE REFUGE IN
AIRCONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT FOR
THE BETTER PART OF THE DAY.
IN ADDITION, RHODE ISLAND'S
PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERATING, RIPTA,
THE RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC TRANSIT
AGENCY, OFFERED FREE BUS RIDES
ALL DAY LONG TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE
OUT OF THEIR CARS.
THESE ARE REAL COSTS, COSTS PAID
IN FREEDOM, IN REDUCED QUALITY
OF LIFE, IN MEDICAL BILLS, IN
BURDENED PUBLIC SERVICES TO
RESPOND TO THE HEALTH RISKS OF
DIRTY AIR, AND IN MORE MISSED
DAYS OF WORK AND SCHOOL.
THERE IS STILL A LOT TO LEARN,
MR. PRESIDENT, ABOUT THE CAUSES
AND CURES OF ASTHMA BUT WE KNOW
THAT AIR POLLUTION TRIGGERS
ASTHMA ATTACKS AND WE KNOW THAT
AIR POLLUTION IS A PREVENTABLE
PROBLEM.
ARMED WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE, RHODE
ISLAND HAS TAKEN GREAT STRIDES
TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION.
IN 2006, RHODE ISLAND PASSED A
LAW TO PROHIBIT CARS AND BUSES
ON.
IN 2007, RHODE ISLAND PASSED A
LAW TO RETROFIT ALL STATE SCHOOL
CONTROLS.
IN 2010, RHODE ISLAND BEGAN
REQUIRING HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES
USED IN FEDERALLY FUNDED
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO INSTALL
DIESEL POLLUTION CONTROLS, TO
ADHERE TO THE STATE ANTIIDLING
LAW AND TO USE ONLY LOW-SULFUR
DIESEL FUEL.
RIPTA HAS VOLUNTARILY
RETROFITTED HALF OF ITS BUS
FLEET WITH DIESEL POLLUTION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT.
HOWEVER, RHODE ISLAND CANNOT
SOLVE THIS PROBLEM ON ITS OWN.
WE COULD STOP DRIVING ENTIRELY
AND SHUT DOWN EVERY INDUSTRY IN
OUR STATE AND WE WOULD STILL
HAVE PROBLEMS WITH GROUND-LEVEL
OZONE AND PARTICULATE MATTER
POLLUTION.
WHY IS THAT?
IT'S BECAUSE, AS E.P.A. HAS
EARNED,HASDETERMINED, MOST OF THE
POLLUTION THAT LANDS IN I WILLRY I RHODE
STATES.
AND MUCH OF THAT OUT-OF-STATE
POLLUTION COMES FROM VIRTUALLY
UNCONTROLLED MIDWESTERN
COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS THAT ARE
TIED TO EXCESSIVELY TALL
SMOKESTACKS THAT SEND POLLUTION
HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY FROM THE
SOURCE.
LAST MONTH, AT MY REQUEST, THE
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
COMPLETED A REPORT ABOUT TALL
SMOKESTACKS AT COAL POWER
HERE'S WHAT THE REPORT SAID.
IN 1970, THE YEAR THE CLEAN AIR
ACT WAS ENACTED, THERE WERE TWO
TALL STACKS, STACKS OVER 500
FEET, IN THE UNITED STATES.
BY 1985, THIS NUMBER OF TALL
STACKS HAD GROWN FROM TWO TO
MORE THAN 180.
UTILITIES AND INDUSTRY LITERALLY
BUILT THEIR WAY INTO COMPLIANCE
WITH THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
AND THE TREND CONTINUED.
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2010, THE END
OF LAST YEAR, 284 TALL STACKS
WERE OPERATING AT 172 COAL POWER
PLANTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THESE TALL SMOKESTACKS ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH 64% OF THE COAL
GENERATING CAPACITY IN OUR
COUNTRY.
MOST OF THE COAL GENERATING
CAPACITY IN OUR COUNTRY VENTS
ITS POLLUTION THROUGH TALL
SMOKESTACKS.
MOST OF THE TALL STACKS, 207 OF
THEM, NEARLY THREE-QUARTERS OF
THEM, ARE BETWEEN 500 AND 699
FEET TALL.
63 OF THEM ARE BETWEEN 700 AND
999 FEET TALL.
AND THE REMAINING 14 ARE OVER
1,000 FEET TALL.
THE TALLEST STACK AT A COAL
POWER PLANT IN THE UNITED
STATES, AT 1,038 FEET, IS AT THE
ROCKPORT POWER PLANT IN INDIANA.
THIS GRAPHIC COMPARES SOME OF
THE STACKS WITH SOME OF THE
WELL-KNOWN LANDMARKS IN OUR
COUNTRY.
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY AT 305
FEET, THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT AT
555 FEET.
STACKS AT A THOUSAND FEET, 10,03
10,03, AND 1,204 FEET.
THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING IN NEW
YORK, AND THE WILLIS TOWER IN
CHICAGO.
AS I'VE NOTED IN PREVIOUS FLOOR
REMARKS ON THIS SUBJECT, ONCE A
STACK GETS OVER A THOUSAND FEET,
IT ACTUALLY HAS TO BE MARKED ON
AVIATION MAPS AS A HAZARD TO
AVOID PLANE COLLISIONS.
SO WHAT DO I MEAN WHEN I SAY
THAT UTILITIES BUILT THEIR WAY
INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THESE TALL
STACKS?
WELL, IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE
CLEAN AIR ACT, SOME STATES
ALLOWED POLLUTION SOURCES TO
BUILD TALL STACKS INSTEAD OF
INSTALLING POLLUTION CONTROLS.
THE CONCEPT WAS THAT POLLUTION
SENT HIGH ENOUGH UP IN THE
ATMOSPHERE WOULD BE SENT FAR
AWAY FROM THE SOURCE AND WOULD
NOT CONTRIBUTE TO AIR POLLUTION
PROBLEMS IN THAT STATE AND
EVERYBODY WOULD BE HAPPY.
WELL, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS
AIR POLLUTION CAUSES PROBLEMS
DOWNWIND IN OTHER STATES.
AS THE G.A.O. REPORT PUT IT,
TALL STACKS GENERALLY DISBURSE
POLLUTANTS OVER GREATER
DISTANCES THAN SHORTER STACKS
AND PROVIDE POLLUTANTS GREATER
TIME TO REACT IN THE ATMOSPHERE
TO FORM OZONE AND PARTICULATE
MATTER, WHICH ARE THE PRECURSORS
TO ASTHMA.
AND YET PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY HAS
NOT YET CAUGHT UP WITH THIS
PRACTICE, AND RHODE ISLAND PAYS
THE PRICE.
MAKING MATTERS WORSE, THE G.A.O.
FOUND THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE
BOILERS ATTACHED TO THESE TALL
STACKS AT THE COAL POWER PLANTS
HAVE NO SCRUBBER TO CONTROL
SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS.
NONE.
APPROXIMATELY 85% OF THESE
BOILERS WENT INTO SERVICE BEFORE
1980, SO THEY'RE ANTIQUATED AND
THEY'RE DIRTY AND THEY RUN THE
POLLUTION UP THE TALL STACK AND
IT ENDS UP BEING DUMPED ON RHODE
ISLAND INSTEAD OF CLEANED UP AT
THE SOURCE.
NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF BOILERS
CONNECTED TO THESE TALL STACKS
HAVE NO POST-COMBUSTION CONTROLS
FOR NITROGEN OXIDE, CONTROLS
THAT ARE VASTLY MORE EFFECTIVE
THAN SO-CALLED LOW-NOX BURNERS.
AGAIN, UNCONTROLLED AT THE
SOURCE, THEY DUMP THE POLLUTION
UP THE TALL STACKS, THEY EXPORT
IT ELSEWHERE, IT IS NOT THEIR
PROBLEM AND IT THEN LANDS ON
RHODE ISLAND.
HERE IS A GRAPHIC THAT SHOWS
MORE THAN 70 COAL PLANTS WHICH
HAVE TALL STACKS, HAVE BOILERS
THAT OPERATE WITHOUT SCRUBBERS
OXIDE CONTROLS.
THESE BOILERS ARE SENDING
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TONS --
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TONS --
OF UNABATED POLLUTION UP VERY
TALL SMOKESTACKS INTO THE JET
STREAM AND THEN THE JET STREAM
DELIVERS IT DOWNWIND ON TO
STATES LIKE RHODE ISLAND.
AS THE G.A.O. INDICATED, IN THE
MID-ATLANTIC UNITED STATES, THE
WIND GENERALLY BLOWS FROM WEST
TO EAST DURING THE DAY.
OZONE CAN TRAVEL HUNDREDS OF
MILES AT NIGHT WITH THE HELP OF
HIGH-SPEED WINDS KNOWN AS THE
LOW-LEVEL JET.
THIS PHENOMENON TYPICALLY OCCURS
AT NIGHT DUE TO THE GROUND
COOLING QUICKER THAN THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE WHICH CAN ALLOW THE
LOW-LEVEL JET TO FORM AND
TRANSPORT OZONE AND PARTICULATE
MATTER WITH ITS HIGH WINDS.
THE MAP SHOWS A TYPICAL
PREVAILING WIND PATTERN IN THE
SPRING.
NOTICE HOW THE PREVAILING WINDS
SEND SO MUCH OF THIS POLLUTION
UP AND OVER TO RHODE ISLAND AND
ON OTHER STATES ALONG THE
IN FACT, FIVE OF THE STATES
ALONG THIS MAP -- OHIO,
PENNSYLVANIA, WEST VIRGINIA,
ILLINOIS, AND NORTH CAROLINA --
HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY E.P.A.
AS CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO
RHODE ISLAND'S POLLUTION
PROBLEMS.
THE ELECTRICITY THAT COMES FROM
THESE UNCONTROLLED POWER PLANTS,
WHICH DON'T STOP THE PLIEWG AT
THE START BUT IN-- POLLUTION AT
THE START BUT INSTEAD JET IT UP
INTO THIS LOW-LEVEL JET SO THAT
IT GETS DUMPED IN OTHER STATES,
THE ELECTRICITY THAT COMES FROM
THEM MIGHT SEEM CHEAPER TO
CONSUMERS THAN ELECTRICITY FROM
PLANT.
BUT THAT'S REALLY NOT SO.
THAT WOULD BE WRONG TO CONSIDER
OR CONCLUDE.
THE COSTS WEREN'T CHEAPER.
THE COSTS JUST GOT SHIFTED.
THEY GOT SHIFTED FROM THE
COMPANIES AND THE CONSUMERS IN
THE POLLUTING STATES TO THE
LUNGS OF CHILDREN IN RHODE
STATES.
IT IS THE LUNGS OF CHILDREN AND
ADULTS AND SENIORS IN RHODE
ISLAND THAT ARE ACTUALLY PAYING
FOR THAT CHEAP ELECTRICITY.
HAPPILY, MR. PRESIDENT, AND AT
LAST THE E.P.A. HAS BEGUN TO
REMEDY THIS UNFAIR AND WRONGFUL
PUBLIC HEALTH SITUATION BY
REQUIRING UTILITIES IN UPWIND
STATES TO CONTROL THEIR
UNDER THE GOOD NEIGHBOR
PROVISION OF THE CLEAN AIR ACT.
BECAUSE WHILE A TALL STACK WILL
SEND UNCONTROLLED POLLUTION
FARTHER THAN A SHORT STACK
WOULD, THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO
REDUCE POLLUTION IS TO INSTALL
POLLUTION CONTROLS.
PROMPTED BY PETITIONS FROM OUR
DOWNWIND STATES, THE BUSH E.P.A.
ATTEMPTED TO SET POLLUTION
LIMITS FOR STATES TO CONTRIBUTE
TO UNHEALTHY POLLUTION LEVELS
OUTSIDE THEIR BORDERS.
HOWEVER, ON REVIEW, THE D.C.
CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS TOLD
THEM THAT THEY HAD NOT GONE FAR
SO THE E.P.A. WENT BACK TO THE
DRAWING BOARD AND CRAFTED THE
CROSS-STATE AIR POLLUTION RULE
THAT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED TODAY
WHICH WILL CAP THE POLLUTION
THAT CAN BE PRODUCED IN UPWIND
STATES LIKE OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA,
WEST VIRGINIA, ILLINOIS AND
NORTH CAROLINA.
THOSE CAPS WERE DESIGNED BASED
ON EACH STATE'S CONTRIBUTION TO
POLLUTION IN STATES LIKE RHODE
AND IT WILL RATCHET DOWN
WHENEVER E.P.A. TIGHTENS AIR
QUALITY STANDARDS BASED ON THE
LATEST AND BEST SCIENCE.
AS I SAID, THAT RULE WAS
SO THANK YOU, E.P.A.
I COMMEND THE E.P.A. FOR
TPAOEUPBZING THAT CROSS -- FOR
POLLUTION RULE.
I ALSO URGE THE E.P.A. TO UPDATE
THE NATIONAL OZONE AIR QUALITY
STANDARD BASED ON THE
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CLEAN
AIR SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THIS WILL LEAD TO FURTHER
POLLUTION REDUCTIONS UPWIND OF
RHODE ISLAND AND FURTHER BENEFIT
FOR RHODE ISLANDERS.
THESE RULES WILL BRING US CLOSER
TO THE DAY WHEN THE COAL POWER
PLANTS ON THIS CHART START
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR
POLLUTION AND STOP EXPORTING
THAT POLLUTION INTO RHODE ISLAND
AND OTHER STATES.
WHEN THEY INSTALL POLLUTION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT RATHER THAN
SENDING THEIR POLLUTION TO WHERE
IT BECOMES SOMEONE ELSE'S
PROBLEM AND TO WHEN RHODE ISLAND
CHILDREN CAN PLAY OUTDOORS
SAFELY WITHOUT THE RISK OF AN
ASTHMA ATTACK.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DAY,
AND I KNOW THE PEOPLE OF RHODE
ISLAND ARE TOO.
WHEN YOU DRIVE IN AND THAT
PHORBG RADIO TELLS -- AND THAT
MORNING RADIO TELLS YOU THAT
TODAY IS ANOTHER BAD DAY AND
THAT CHILDREN AND SENIORS SHOULD
STAY INDOORS AND CAN'T PLAY,
CAN'T TAKE A WALK, CAN'T ENGAGE
IN ANYTHING THAT HAS EXERTION,
IT'S FRUSTRATING WHEN THERE'S
NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT
THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COULD
PASS REGULATIONS UNTIL IT WAS
BLUE IN THE FACE.
THE RHODE ISLAND GENERAL
ASSEMBLY COULD WRITE NEW LAWS
ALL DAY LONG, AND IT WOULD MAKE
NO DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THE
BOMBARDMENT OF OUTSIDE POLLUTION
ON OUR STATE IS WHAT IS DRIVING
THESE HEALTH PROBLEMS.
THAT'S WHY E.P.A. IS SO
WE WOULD HAVE NO VOICE IN THIS
IF IT WERE NOT FOR A NATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
THAT CAN LOOK OUT FOR SMALL
STATES LIKE OURS THAT ARE ON THE
RECEIVING END OF THIS KIND OF A
POLLUTION DUMP FROM THE
COAL-FIRED UNCONTROLLED PLANTS
IN THE MIDWEST.
SO I THANK VERY MUCH THE
PRESIDING OFFICER, AND I YIELD
THE FLOOR.
QUORUM.
THE
CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL: