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ON THE PART OF OUR MEMBERS TO
LOOK AT THIS LEGISLATION AND TO
GET BEHIND IT.
I THANK THE PRESIDENT.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
I SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A
QUORUM.
THE
CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QU
QUORUM CALL:
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT.
THE
SENATOR FROM NEW YORK.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT THE QUORUM BE DISPENSED
WITH.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
FIRST I WOULD LIKE
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
UPCOMING FEMA BILL.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE HOUSE
INTENDS TO SEND US A C.R. WITH
FEMA FUNDING ONLY AT THE LEVEL
OF $3.65 BILLION, WHICH IS A
LEVEL THAT IS COMPLETELY
INADEQUATE TO MEET FEMA'S NEEDS.
THEY INTEND TO PUT A BILLION
DOLLARS IN FOR 2011, WHICH IS
MORE THAN IS ACTUALLY NEEDED IN
2011 BUT THEN THEY ASK IT BE
PAID FOR WITH $1.5 BILLION,
WHICH IS NOT THE WAY MATHEMATICS
IS SUPPOSED TO WORK.
BUT THE REAL PROBLEM IS THE
TOTAL AMOUNT OF 3.65 IS
INADEQUATE GIVEN THE TERRIBLE
TRAGEDIES THAT WE HAVE HAD OVER
SEVERAL YEARS.
THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND
WE'RE STILL REBUILDING FROM
KATRINA, THE JOPLIN TORNADO WAS
DEVASTATING, AND OF COURSE THE
STORMS THAT HIT THE NORTHEAST,
INCLUDING MY BELOVED STATE OF
NEW YORK ARE JUST AWFUL.
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT JUST IN NEW
YORK STATE ALONE CLEANUP COULD
NOW COST -- ALL THE COSTS WOULD
BE CLOSER TO $2 BILLION.
YOU CAN IMAGINE $3.65 BILLION IS
NOT EVEN CLOSE TO ENOUGH.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WHAT WE
INTEND TO DO HERE UNDER LEADER
REID'S LEADERSHIP IS TO TAKE THE
C. THEY SEND US AND ADD TO IT
THE VERY BILL THAT PASSED LAST
THURSDAY NIGHT.
WHICH ADDS APPROXIMATELY
$7 BILLION TO FEMA.
THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
THAT'S NEEDED P. IT ADDS MONEY
TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS,
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND THE OTHER PLACES
THAT THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATES
HAVE TOLD US ARE NEEDED.
AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT TEN
REPUBLICANS VOTED FOR IT, WE
HAVE EVERY EXPECTATION THAT THAT
AMENDMENT WILL PASS AND WE WILL
SEND IT BACK TO THE HOUSE.
SO THE HOUSE SHOULD UNDERSTAND
THAT THERE WILL BE A MEASURE TO
ADEQUATELY FUND FEMA, AND WE
WILL DO THAT THIS WEEK.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE EVERY
EXPECTATION THAT THE TEN
SENATORS WILL VOTE -- THE TEN
REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO VOTED
WITH US LAST TIME, THURSDAY
NIGHT, WILL CAST THE SAME VOTE
ON THE SAME EXACT MEASURE
BECAUSE THE DISASTERS IN THEIR
STATES ARE NOT ANY LESS THIS
WEEK THAN THEY WERE LAST WEEK.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO
ADDRESS, MADAM PRESIDENT, IS
THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL ON
BUDGET DEFICIT, PARTICULARLY ON
THE TAX SIDE.
THERE ARE SO MANY ARGUMENTS
BEING TOSSED AROUND BY MANY OF
OF THE AISLE.
OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE
YESTERDAY THE PRESIDENT PUT
FORWARD A BLUEPRINT FOR THE
JOINT COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THIS
FALL, AND IT INCLUDED A VERY
COMMONSENSE PRINCIPLE, AND THAT
IS THAT THOSE VERY FEW AMONG US
FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE OVER A
MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR SHOULD
SAME EFFECTIVE TAX RATES
AT THE END OF THE DAY AS
MIDDLE-CLASS HOUSEHOLDS.
A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS REJECTED
THE PRESIDENT'S PLAN BEFORE HE
EVEN ANNOUNCED IT.
AS SOON AS IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT
WE SHOULD ASK THE WEALTHIEST FEW
AMONG US TO PAY THEIR FAIR
SHARE, MANY ON THE OTHER SIDE
BEGAN LABELING IT CLASS WARFARE.
APPARENTLY, THEY THINK THEY CAN
SLAP THAT OLD LABEL ON THE
PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL AND BE DONE
WITH IT.
BUT THEIR REFUSAL TO ADDRESS THE
PROPOSAL ON THE MERITS IS
REVEALING.
THEY KNOW THEY WILL LOSE ANY
ARGUMENT ABOUT THE POLICY ITSELF
BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE
ECONOMICALLY AND BECAUSE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE SUPPORT IT.
EVEN REPUBLICANS IN THE
COUNTRY, 59% IN A RECENT POLL I
SAW, SUPPORT THE WEALTHIEST
AMONG US PAYING FAIR SHARE.
SUPPORT NOT GIVING THEM THE
CONTINUED BUSH TAX BREAK AT A
TIME WHEN WE HAVE RECORD
DEFICITS AND WE'RE ASKING
EVERYBODY ELSE TO SACRIFICE.
AND EMPHATICALLY THIS IS NOT
CLASS WARFARE.
IT'S NOT CLASS WARFARE TO FIGHT
FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
IT'S NOT CLASS WARFARE TO SAY
THAT WE NEED FUNDING FOR ROADS
AND BRIDGES, FOR TEACHERS, AND
THAT THE WEALTHIEST AMONG US
SHOULD PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE TO
DO IT.
NOW, LET ME ASK A QUESTION,
MADAM PRESIDENT.
IS IT CLASS WARFARE WHEN
REPUBLICANS ADVOCATE TAX CUTS
FOR THE WEALTHY?
DO WE CALL THOSE CLASS WARFARE?
THE DEBATE ABOUT THE PROGRESS
IVITY OF THE TAX CODE IS
ONE THAT HAS EXISTED FOR OVER A
HUNDRED YEARS IN THIS COUNTRY
AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT POLICY
PRESCRIPTIONS.
MOST DEMOCRATS AND MOST
AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT TWELTY
DON'T -- THE WEALTHY DON'T PAY
THEIR FAIR SHARE.
THAT IS NOT TO BEGRUDGE THE
MONEY THEY HAVE MADE.
THERE ARE LOTS OF WEALTHY
CITIZENS IN MY STATE AND I'M
PROUD OF THEM.
I'M PROUD THEY MADE A LOT OF
MANY OF THEM BELIEVE
THAT THEY SHOULD PAY FAIR SHARE.
IT'S NOT JUST WARREN BUFFETT.
IT IS NOT CLASS WARFARE TO DO
THAT.
IT IS NOT CLASS WARFARE TO
ADVOCATE TAX CUTS FOR THE
WEALTHY OR TAX INCREASES FOR THE
MIDDLE CLASS.
THAT'S NOT CLASS WARFARE.
AND TO TRY AND CALL IT THIS NAME
IS UNFAIR.
LET ME MAKE A SECOND POINT.
WE HAVE A NEED TO DO THIS.
THE PRESIDENT IS NOT PROPOSING
OF VENGEANCE.
THINGS LIKE THE BUFFETT RULE OUT
HE SAID YESTERDAY IT'S NOT
BECAUSE ANYBODY LOOKS FORWARD TO
THE PROSPECT OF RAISING TAXES OR
PAYING MORE TAXES BUT WE DO HAVE
A CONSENSUS THAT HAS BEEN
REACHED HERE, IT'S ONE OF THE
FEW, THAT IS WE SHOULD REDUCE
THE DEFICIT.
WE ALL KNOW WE HAVE TO.
THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO DO IT.
ONE IS BY CUTTING SPENDING, AND
WHEN WE CUT SPENDING, IT HURTS
MIDDLE-CLASS CITIZENS.
MIDDLE-CLASS CITIZENS NEED HELP
TO PAY FOR COLLEGE.
WEALTHY PEOPLE DON'T.
SO IF YOU CUT STUDENT LOANS OR
PELL GRANTS OR STAFFORD LOANS
THAT GO TO THE MIDDLE CLASS,
IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT WEALTHY
CITIZENS.
THEY CAN AFFORD COLLEGE
THEMSELVES BUT IT AFFECTS THE
MIDDLE CLASS.
WHEN YOU CUT MEDICARE, IT
DOESN'T HURT THE WEALTHY.
THEY CAN AFFORD ANY DOCTOR,
HOSPITAL, THEY WANT.
GOD BLESS THEM.
THEY DESERVE THAT.
THEY'VE EARNED THEIR MONEY,
WE DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM THAT
MANDATES EVERYONE HAS THE SAME.
BUT IT SURE HURTS THE MIDDLE
CLASS.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS VERY
SIMPLE: IF EVERYONE HAS TO PAY
THEIR FAIR SHARE SO WE CAN GET
THE DEFICIT DOWN, THE ONLY WAY
THE WEALTHY PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE
IS BY MAKING SURE THAT THEIR TAX
RATES ARE AT LEAST THE SAME AS
AVERAGE AMERICANS AND PERHAPS
SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
THERE'S A CHOICE.
WE DON'T DO THIS BECAUSE WE WANT
TO RAISE TAXES.
CERTAINLY NOT BECAUSE WE THINK
THE WEALTHY HAVE GOTTEN UNFAIR
ADVANTAGE.
THAT'S A DIFFERENT ARGUMENT.
WE DO IT -- AND I DON'T BELIEVE
THAT.
I'M PROUD WHEN NEW YORKERS OR
AMERICANS CLIMB THE LADDER UP
AND MAKE A LOT OF MONEY DUE TO
HARD WORK AND THEIR IDEAS.
WE DO IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT
TO LAY OFF MORE TEACHERS, WE
DON'T WANT TO SEE OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE CRUMBLE, WE
DON'T WANT TO SAY WE CAN'T
CREATE JOBS, AND YET WE DON'T
WANT TO INCREASE DEFICIT
SPENDING.
AND THE ONLY WAY IF YOU WANT TO
KEEP THE DEFICIT DOWN BUT KEEP
OUR SCHOOLS GOOD AND OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE GOOD AND OUR
BASIC RESEARCH GOOD, THE ONLY
WAY TO DO IT IS ASK THE WEALTHY
TO PAY A FAIR SHARE.
THAT'S WHY WE DO IT.
THAT'S NOT CLASS WARFARE.
THAT'S A POLICY DEBATE WHICH WE
WELCOME.
FINALLY, I'D SAY ONE OTHER
THING.
I THINK OUR REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES FROM A POLITICAL
POINT OF VIEW -- I JUST WANT TO
SUM UP THAT POINT.
E.P.A. EITHER WE ASK BIG OIL
COMPANIES TO GIVE UP SPECIAL
SUBSIDIES OR WE GUT EDUCATION
AND MEDICAL RESEARCH.
EITHER WE ASK THE HE WEALTHIEST
AMERICANS TO PAY THEIR FAIR
SHARE OR WE'LL HAVE TO ASK
SENIORS TO PAY MORE FOR
MEDICARE.
WE CAN'T DO BOTH IF WE WANT TO
DEEP THE DEFICIT IN LINE AND
AMERICANS, MIDDLE-CLASS
AMERICANS KNOW THIS.
WE KNOW THEIR MEDIAN INCOME IS
DECLINING, WE KNOW THE ONLY
PLACE ON THE ECONOMIC SPECTRUM
WHERE INCOMES ARE GOING UP IS
THE VERY HIGHEST END AND WE KNOW
THAT THE RIGHT POLICY IS TO MAKE
THOSE FOLKS AT THE HIGH END PAY
A FAIR SHARE.
ONE FINAL POINT, MADAM
PRESIDENT.
AWAKENING.
MY COLLEAGUES ARE IN FOR A RUDE
I'VE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF THE
PEOPLE WHO STUDY THE POLLING
DATA AND WHAT AVERAGE AMERICANS
THINK.
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE AVERAGE
AMERICAN THINKS WHEN THEY HEAR
THE TERM CLASS WARFARE.
THEY THINK IT MEANS WAR ON THE
MIDDLE CLASS AND THAT THE
WEALTHY GET AWAY WITH THINGS AND
THEY DON'T.
SO WHEN OUR COLLEAGUES TALK
ABOUT CLASS WARFARE, MAYBE IT
RESONATES WITH A FEW ON THE HARD
RIGHT AMONG THE VERY WEALTHY WHO
DON'T WANT TO PAY ANY TAXES AT
ALL, WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM,
LORD KNOWS, ENOUGH IN THIS
PLACE BUT TO THE MIDDLE CLASS IT
MEANS THAT THE MIDDLE CLASS IS
BEING BELEAGUERED, NOT BEING
HELPED AND EVEN BEING ATTACKED
BY CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THEIR
CONTROL.
SO WHEN WE SAY THAT THE
WEALTHIEST SHOULD PAY THEIR FAIR
SHARE, MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS
WARFARE.
WILL NOT SEE THAT AS CLASS
THEY WILL NOT.
THEY WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE
DOING.
AND I AM SO GLAD THAT THE
PRESIDENT HAS DECIDED TO TAKE
PEOPLE.
THIS FIGHT TO THE AMERICAN
IT'S A FIGHT WHERE WE ARE ON
THEIR SIDE.
THAT'S WHAT ALL MY EXPERIENCE
SHOWS, WHEN I GO AROUND NEW
YORK, THAT'S WHAT IT SHOWS.
AND THE POLLING DATA SHOWS.
AND WE ARE DOING WHAT'S RIGHT
FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY
AND FOR OUR CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN.
SO LET'S HAVE THE DEBATE, AND
LET'S DISPEL THIS IDEA THAT
SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU WANT THE
WEALTHY TO PAY YOUR FAIR SURE,
YOU DISLIKE THEM, IT'S CLASS
THEM.
WARFARE, IT'S NEGATIVE TOWARDS
IT'S NOT.
IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR
ALL AMERICANS TO MAKE THE PIE
GROW IN AMERICA AND NOT HAVE THE
VARIOUS PARTS OF AMERICA FIGHT
WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE
MEDICARE IS BEING CUT, TEACHERS
ARE BEING CUT AND THE DEFICIT IS
GOING UP AND HURTING OUR
CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE
THE
FLOOR.
SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT, I HAVE SEVEN UNANIMOUS
CONSENT REQUESTS FOR COMMITTEES
TO MEET TODAY DURING THE SESSION
OF THE SENATE WITH THE APPROVAL
OF THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY
LEADERS AND I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT THESE REQUESTS BE AGREED
TO AND PRINTED IN THE RECORD.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I
WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM
NEW YORK AND I'D LIKE TO ASK HOW
MUCH TIME IS REMAINING IN
MORNING BUSINESS ON THE
DEMOCRATIC SIDE.
19
MINUTES.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT.
LET ME THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM
NEW YORK FOR HIS STATEMENT ABOUT
THE CHALLENGES WE FACE.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FOR OVER A
YEAR AND A HALF IN DEFICIT
REDUCTION TALKS, A LOT -- ON A
BIPARTISAN BASIS WITH THE
BOWLES-SIMPSONSONS COMMISSION,
THE GANG OF SIX, NOW THE GANG
OF 38 I BELIEVE WAS THE LAST
NUMBER, NUMBER OF DEMOCRATIC
AND REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO HAVE
PUBLICLY STATED THAT THEY ARE
WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD IN A
PROCESS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES
COMMISSION.
OF THE BOWLES-SIMPSON
AT A TIME WHEN MOST AMERICANS
HAVE GIVEN UP HOPE THAT CONGRESS
WILL EVER WORK ON A BIPARTISAN
BASIS TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS, I
HOPE THAT OUR EFFORT WILL BE
VIEWED AS POSITIVE AND HELPFUL
TO THE SUPER COMMITTEE'S WORK.
WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
SUCCESSFUL AND THEY HAVE A VERY
DIFFICULT ASSIGNMENT AND A
DIFFICULT TIMETABLE.
IN THE MEANTIME, THOUGH, I
UNDERSTAND AS THE SENATOR FROM
NEW YORK, MY COLLEAGUE, SPOKE
EARLIER, THAT IF WE ARE SERIOUS
ABOUT DEFICIT REDUCTION, IT NOT
ONLY MUST INVOLVE CUTS IN
SPENDING BUT IT ALSO MUST
INVOLVE REVENUE AND A SERIOUS
LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF
ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS.
CURRENTLY SOCIAL SECURITY
UNTOUCHED WILL PAY EVERY
PROMISED BENEFIT FOR THE NEXT 25
ADJUSTMENT.
YEARS, WITH A COST-OF-LIVING
THEN IT LUNCHEONS INTO TROUBLE,
22% CUT IN BENEFITS IF WE DON'T
DO SOMETHING.
THE SAME CANNOT BE SAID FOR
MEDICARE.
AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS RS IT HAS
ABOUT 12 YEARS OF SOLVENCY.
MEDICAID, WHICH IS A VERY
CRITICAL HEALTH INSURANCE
PROGRAM FOR MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS, IS THREATENED BY
STATE REVENUE DECLINES AND ALL
OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE
DEFICIT.
HERE IN WASHINGTON WITH OUR OWN
AND SO THESE THREE ENTITLEMENT
PROGRAMS NEED TO BE VIEWED IN AN
HONEST CONTEXT TO KEEP THEM
STRONG, TO PROTECT THE BASIC
BENEFIT STRUCTURE THAT UNDERLIES
EACH OF THESE BILLS AND LAWS,
AS WELL.
WE NEED TO PUT IT ALL ON THE
TABLE, MADAM PRESIDENT.
IT'S SPENDING CUTS, IT'S
REFORM.
REVENUE, IT'S ENTITLEMENT
IT'S AALL HAS TO COME TOGETHER.
WHEN THE PRESIDENT SAYS THAT THE
WEALTHIEST AMONG US SHOULD BE
WILLING TO HELP US THROUGH THIS
CRISIS BY SHARING PART OF THE
BURDEN, THAT'S NOT UNREASONABLE.
I HAVE YET TO HEAR THE
REPUBLICAN PLAN FOR GETTING THIS
ECONOMY MOVING FORWARD.
IT APPEARS THAT THEY HAVE NO
PLAN AND ARE DEDICATED ONLY TO
PROTECTING THOSE AT THE HIGHEST
INCOME IN AMERICA.
THAT IS NOT A RECIPE FOR
SUCCESS.
IT MAY BE SOMEBODY'S IDEA OF A
CAMPAIGN PLATFORM, BUT IT SAN
PLATFORM TO BUILD THE ECONOMY.
I ALSO HEARD THIS MORNING WHEN
THE REPUBLICAN LEADER CAME TO
THE FLOOR, SENATOR McCONNELL,
AND TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO
PASS TRADE AGREEMENTS.
AGREEMENTS.
I HAVE VOTED FOR TRADE
I BELIEVE THAT THE UNITED
STATES, ITS WORKERS AND
BUSINESSES CAN COMPETE IN THIS
WORLD SUCCESSFULLY IF THE RULES
ARE FAIR AND WE'RE GIVEN A
CHANCE AT THE MARKETS.
AND I VOTED FOR TRADE AGREEMENTS
IN THE PAST.
THE SENATOR FROM KENTUCKY ASKED
FOR US TO PASS MORE AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
BUT HE DID SAY SOMETHING WHICH
CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, AND I QUOTE
HIM.
"IN A MOMENT WHEN 14 MILLION
AMERICANS ARE LOOKING FOR WORK,"
SENATOR McCONNELL SAID, "IT IS
INDEFENSIBLE FOR THE TWHOWS
DEMAND A VOTE ON TRADE
ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE AS A
CONDITION FOR ACTION."
I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EARS WHEN
I HEARD THAT.
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE IS
DESIGNED TO PUT PEOPLE BACK TO
WORK WHO HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS
BECAUSE OF TRADE AGREEMENTS.
SO IT IS TOTALLY DEFENSIBLE,
TOTALLY CONSISTENT, AND AN
IMPORTANT PART OF ECONOMIC
RECOVERY.
MADAM PRESIDENT, THE ALLIANCE
FOR AMERICAN MANUFACTURING
RELEASE ADD REPORT THIS MORNING
THAT 2.8 MILLION JOBS HAVE BEEN
LOST OR DISPLACED IN AMERICA
2.8 MILLION JOBS.
BETWEEN 2001 AND 2010.
AS WE SPEAK ABOUT EXPANDING
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE SO
THAT THOSE WHO'VE LOST THEIR
JOBS TO NONFREE TRADE AGREEMENT
COUNTRIES LIKE INDIA AND CHINA,
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING
AMERICANS BACK TO WORK.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE VIEWED AS AN
OBSTACLE, A DIVERSION, OR
INCONSISTENT WITH ECONOMIC
RECOVERY.
I COULDN'T FOLLOW THE LOGIC OF
THE SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER
THIS MORNING WHEN HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT TRADE ADJUSTMENT
ASSISTANCE BEING INDEFENSIBLE AT
A TIME OF HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT.
IT IS TOTALLY DEFENSIBLE,
TOTALLY CONSISTENT WITH PUTTING
AMERICANS BACK TO WORK.
FOR THE RECORD, SINCE 2009,
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE HAS
PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO 447,235
WORKERS IN AMERICA WHO'VE BEEN
DISPLACED DUE TO TRADE
AGREEMENTS.
IT HELPS THEIR FAMILIES WITH
INCOME, WITH HEALTH CARE, WITH
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RETRAINING AND
EDUCATION.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I ASK THAT THE
SECOND PART OF MY REMARKS BE
PLACED IN A ACCEPT PART OF THE
RECORD.
WITHOUT
MADAM PRESIDENT,
OBJECTION.
IT WAS TEN YEARS AGO WHEN I
INTRODUCED THE "DREAM" ACT, AN
IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION
FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIVING
IN AMERICA WHO WERE LITERALLY
COUNTRY.
WITHOUT STATUS, WITHOUT A
THE "DREAM" ACT SAYS IF YOU CAME
TO THE U.S. AS A CHILD, IF YOU
ARE A LONG-TERM U.S. RESIDENT,
IF YOU HAVE GOOD MORAL
CHARACTER, IF YOU'VE GAD GRADUATED
FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND PREPARED TO
COMPLETE TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE OR
ENLIST IN OUR MILITARY, WE WILL
AMERICA.
GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO BE LEGAL IN
THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.
AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE
AFFECTED BY IT ARE MANY TIMES
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN
ANOTHER COUNTRY IN THEIR LIVES.
THEY GOT UP AT SCHOOL, AS
SENATOR MENENDEZ HAS SAID SO
ARTFULLY, THEY PLEDGED
ALLEGIANCE TO THE ONLY FLAG
THEY'VE ONLY KNOWN, THEY SING
THE ONLY NATIONAL ANTHEM THOUGH
KNOW, THEY SPEAK ENGLISH AND
WANT A FUTURE IN AMERICA AND YET
THEY HAVE NO COUNTRY.
BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS BROUGHT
THEM TO THIS COUNTRY AS
BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS
DID NOT FILE THE NECESSARY
PAPERS, THEY ARE WITHOUT A
COUNTRY AND WITHOUT A FUTURE,
AND THE "DREAM" ACT GIVES THEM A
CHANCE, A CHANCE TO EXCEL AND
PROVE THEY CAN MAKE THIS A
BETTER NAISMTION THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION RECENTLY MADE AN
ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I THINK IS NOT
ONLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO BUT
REALLY PAVES THE WAY FOR US TO
GIVE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE A
CHANCE.
WE THINK WE HAVE 10 MILLION
DOWNLTED PEOPLE IN AMERICA.
AND IT IS VERY CLEAR THE DMENT
OF HOMELAND SECURITY IS NOT
GOING TO DEPORT 10 MILLION
PEOPLE.
THAT'S PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE,
NOR SHOULD WE.
I CERTAINLY WOULD BE OPPOSED TO
THAT NOTION.
BUT WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS
TO REMOVE THOSE PEOPLE FROM
AMERICA HORN DOCUMENTED, THAT
POSE A THREAT TO OUR NATION.
THEY'VE BEEN CRITICIZED BY SOME.
THE DEPOURATIONS UNDER THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION ARE EVEN HIGHER
THAN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION.
THEY'VE TRIED TO GO AFTER THOSE
WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS AND THOSE
WHO REALLY ARE NOT GOING TO BE A
COMBIEST TO THE UNITED STATES
AND I THINK THAT IS THE -- GOING
TO BE A BENEFIT TO THE UNITED
STATES, AND I THINK THAT IS THE
RIGHT WAY TO GO.
BUT THEY SAID RECENTLY THAT
THOSE ELIGIBLE FOR THE "DREAM"
ACT, GOOD MORAL CHARACTER,
GRADUATES OF HIGH SCHOOL AND
PURSUING COLLEGE DEGREES ARE NOT
GOING TO BE THEIR TARGETS.
THEY HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES TO
GO AFTER PEOPLE WHO CAN THREATEN
OUR COUNTRY, THOSE WHOM WE DON'T
WANT THE UNITED STATES.
I THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT THING
TOVMENTD AND I THINK THAT THAT
WAS A POLICY CONSISTENT WITH
KEEPING AMERICA STRONG AND
BUILDING FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE.
BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE.
IN ADDITION TO HAVING A SENSIBLE
POLICY WHEN IT COMES TO
DEPORTATION, WE NEED A SENSIBLE
IMMIGRATION POLICY.
AND I THINK IT STARTS WITH THE
DREEMENT"DREAM" ACT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I HAVE KEEP IN
MIND TO THE FLOOR MANY AYES
TIMES AND TOLD THE STORIES ABOUT
THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED
AFFECTED BY THE "DREAM" ABILITY.
LET ME TELL YOU TWO STORIES THIS
MORNING THAT I THINK ARE
ILLUSTRATIVE OF WHY THIS IS
MORALLY IMPORTANT AND IMPORTANT
FOR US AS A NATION TO CONSIDER
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THIS WONDERFUL YOUNG LADY, WHOM
HAHAL.
I'VE MET, IS NAMED NANDEEP, IS
SHE WAS BROUGHT TO THE UNITED
OLD.
STATES WHEN SHE WAS SIX YEARS
TODAY MONDEEP IS 20, AN ACADEMIC
ALL-STARKS AN HONORS PREMED
STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA-DAVIS WHERE SHE'S
MAJORING IN NEUROLOGY,
PHYSIOLOGY, AND BEHAVIOR.
MONDEEP HAS ALSO BEEN DEDICATED
TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
IN HIGH SCHOOL SHE HELPED TO
FOUND ON ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS
ONE DOLLAR FOR LIFE FOR POVERTY
RELIEF AROUND THE WORLD.
SHE WAS VOTED THE MEMBER OF HER
CLASS MOST LIKELY TO SAVE THE
WORLD.
AT HER COLLEGE, MONDEEP IS THE
COPRESIDENT OF "STAND."
SHE HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER
AMERICA.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY SHE WAS PLACED
IN DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS
EARLIER THIS YEAR.
MONDEEP AND HER FRIENDS
PEOPLE DO TODAY.
WAY MANY YOUNG
THEY WENT TO FACEBOOK.
THE RESPONSE WAS AMAZING.
20,000 PEOPLE SENT FAXES TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
DEPORTATION.
TO SAVE THIS YOUNG LADY FROM
ON THE DAY SHE WAS CONCEALED
SCHEDULED TO BE DEPORTED SHE WAS
GRANT ADD ONE-YEAR STAY.
SHE TRIED TO PREVENT OTHER
PEOPLE FROM GOING THROUGH WHAT
SHE 4 EXPERIENCED.
SHE CAME TO THE U.S. CAPITOL
WHERE I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
MEET HER.
SHE SPOKE PUBLICLY ABOUT HER
EXPERIENCE AND SHE CALLED FOR
THE DEPOURATIONS OF ALL "DREAM"
ACT STUDENTS TO BE SUSPENDED.
I MET HER WHILE SHE WAS HERE AND
ASKED HER TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY
SHE WANTS TO STAY.
LETTER.
SHE SAID, I'LL SEND YOU A
AND SHE D HERE'S WHAT IT SAID.
"I'VE SPENT 14 YEARS IN THE
UNITED STATES AND CONSIDER IT MY
ONLY HOME.
MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FUTURE
ARE IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH
IS WHERE I BELONG.
MY DREAM IS BECOME A
PEDIATRICIAN SO I CAN TREAT THE
MOST HELPLESS AND INNOCENT AMONG
US.
I HOPE TO SERVE FAMILIES IN
LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES WHO ARE
OTHERWISE UNA ABLE TO AFFORD
MEDICAL CAIMPLET YOU WISH TO
REMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES SO
THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE A
POSITIVE DIFFERENCE AND GIVE
BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS
GIVEN ME SO MUCH."
WOULD AMERICA BE BETTER OFF IF
INDIA?
WE DEPORTED MONDEEP BACK TO
I DON'T THINK SO.
SHE LEFT THAT COUNTRY WHEN SHE
WAS SIX YEARS OLD.
IN HER HEART SHE IS AN AMERICAN.
SHE JUST WANTS A CHANCE TO PROVE
IT AND TO MAKE THIS A BETTER
NATION.
NOW LET ME INTRODUCE TO YOU ONE
OTHER PERSON WHOM I'VE ALSO MET,
ANOTHER WONDERFUL STORY.
FANNIE MARTINEZ BROUGHT TO THE
UNITED STATES FROM MEXICO NINE
YEARS WHEN SHE WAS 13.
SHE LIVES IN THE STATE OF
ILLINOIS, STRAIGHT-A STUDENT IN
HIGH SCHOOL.
EARLIER THIS YEAR SHE GRADUATED
SUMMA *** LAUDE AT DOMINICAN
UNIVERSITY IN RIVER FOREST,
ILLINOIS.
IS THIS MONTH SHE IS BEGINNING
TO WORK ON A MASTER'S DEGREE AT
POLICY.
THE HARRIS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC
SHE STUDENTS GET NO HELP -- NONE
-- FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IF YOU THINK COLLEGE IS A BURDEN
NOW FOR THOSE WHO BORROW THE
MONEY OR ARE GIVEN THE GRANTS,
MOST OF THESE STUDENTS HAVE TO
EARN THE MONEY, IF THEY'RE GOING
TOE TO GO THROUGH SCHOOL.
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE
ABOUT FANNIE MARTINEZ.
SHE IS MARRIED TO DAVID MARTINEZ
MARTINEZ, WHO HAS SERVED IN THE
U.S. ARMY RESERVES FOR THE LAST
EIGHT YEARS.
HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE TWO OF
THEM TOGETHER.
AFGHANISTAN.
DAVID IS CURRENTLY DEPLOYED TO
PUTTING HIS LIFE ON THE LINE FOR
OUR COUNTRY AND YET HIS WORRY IS
NOT JUST THE ENEMY IN
AFGHANISTAN; HIS SWORE THAT HIS
WIFE FANNIE IS GOING TO BE
DEPORTED WHILE HE'S SERVING
OVERSEAS.
FANNIE SENT ME A LETTER.
SHEER'S WHAT SHE SAID.
"MY HUSBAND IS CONSTANTLY
WORRIED ABOUT MY STATISTIC NEWS
THIS COUNTRY.
HE IS KNOWS I'M ALWAYS AT RISK
OF BEING PLACED IN DEPORTATION
PROCEEDINGS.
HE IS AS A FRAID OF NOT HAVING
HIS WIFE WITH HIM WHEN HE COMES
HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN.
THE PASSAGE OF THE "DREAM" ACT
WILL GIVE ME THE CONFIDENCE TO
FRUSTRATION.
LIVE WITHOUT FEAR AND
IT WILL ALLOW ME AND MY HUSBAND
TO PLAN OUR FUTURE WITHOUT
HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE
POSSIBILITY OF DEPORTATION AND
LACK OF OPPORTUNITY.
FANNIE WROTE.
I CARE ABOUT MY COMMUNITY,"
"AND I KNOW THAT I CAN HELP
IMPROVE SOCIETY IF I AM ALLOWED
TO REMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES
AND AM GIVEN LAWFUL, PERMANENT
RESIDENCE.
DAVID MARTINEZ, HER HUSBAND IS
COUNTRY.
WILLING TO GIVE HIS LIFE FOR OUR
WE SHOULD GIVE HIM AND HIS WIFE
FANNIE A CHANCE TO PURSUE THEIR
DREAMS, THE AMERICAN DREAM.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER
DEALT WITH AN ISSUE THAT HAS
MEANT SO MUCH TO ME PERSONALLY
BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A PLACE I GO
IN AMERICA ANYWHERE THAT I DON'T
HAVE SOME YOUNG PERSON COME UP
AND LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND SAY,
I'M A DREERM.
I'M COUNTING ON YOU.
WELL, THEY'RE COUNTING NOT JUST
ON ME, BUT THEY'RE COUNTING ON
THE SENATE, THEY'RE COUNTING ON
THE CONGRESS, THEY'RE CONTINENT COUNTING
ON OUR GOVERNMENT AND NATION TO
STEP UP AND REALIZE THAT THIS IS
MORALLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO
THAT THESE DYNAMIC,
WONDERFUL YOUNG PEOPLE WILL MAKE
THIS A BETTER NATION.
PLEASE, PUT PARTISANSHIP ASIDE,
SUPPORT THE "DREAM" ACT.
IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR
THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
I SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A
QUORUM.
THE
CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
CALL:
Mr. REID: MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE
MAJORITY LEADER.
Mr. REID: IT IS MY
--
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MAJORITY
THE
SENATE IS IN A QUORUM CALL.
I'M SORRY.
I ASK THAT THE CALL FOR THE
QUORUM BE TERMINATED.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
IT IS MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MAJORITY
STILL HAS A FEW MINUTES LEFT ON
MORNING BUSINESS.
IS THAT TRUE?
FOUR
MINUTES.
I YIELD THAT BAFNLGT
BAFNLGT.
TIME IS
YIELDED BACK.
MORNING BUSINESS IS CLOSED.
UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE
MOTION TO PROCEED TO H.R. 2832
IS GREED AND THE CLERK WILL
REPORT THE MEASURE.
CALENDAR NUMBER
166, H.R. 2832, AN ACT TO EXTEND
THE GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF
PREFERENCES AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.
MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE
MAJORITY LEADER.
ON BEHALF OF
SENATORS CASEY AND BROWN, THAT'S
BROWN OF OHIO, AND SENATOR
BAUCUS, I CALL UP AMENDMENT 633.
THE
CLERK WILL REPORT.
MR. REID FOR
MR. CASEY AND OTHERS PROPOSES AN
AMENDMENT NUMBERED 633.
AT THE END, ADDING FOLLOWING:
ASSISTANCE.
TITLE 2: TRADE ADJUSTMENT
MR. PRESIDENT, I
WOULD SCUKD THAT FURTHER READING
WITHOUT
BE WAIBD.
OBJECTION.
IT IS MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE
REPUBLICAN LEADER SON HIS WAY TO
THE FLOOR.
TO OFFER AN AMENDMENT OF AND I
THINK EVERYONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND
THERE WILL BE NO BUSINESS
CONDUCTED UNTIL HE SHOWS UP.
SO I WOULD NOTE THE ABSENCE OF A
QUORUM.
THE
CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL.
CALL:
QUORUM CALL:-P.
THE
REPUBLICAN LEADER.
ARE WE IN A
QUORUM?
YES, WE
I ASK UNANIMOUS
ARE.
CONSENT THAT FURTHER PROCEEDINGS
DISPENSED WITH.
UNDER THE QUORUM CALL BE
I CALL UP MY AMENDMENT WHICH IS
AT THE DESK.
THE
CLERK WILL REPORT.
THE SENATOR FROM
KENTUCKY, MR. McCONNELL FOR
HIMSELF AND OTHERS PROPOSES
AMENDMENT 626.
AT THE END ADD THE FOLLOWING --
I ASK FURTHER
DISPENSED WITH.
READING OF THE AMENDMENT BE
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PRESIDENT,
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
I RISE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
AMENDMENT THAT THE MAJORITY
LEADER JUST CALLED UP, THE TRADE
ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE IS WHAT
I'LL FOCUS ON IN PARTICULAR IN
MY REMARKS.
I WANT TO, FIRST OF ALL, THANK
THE MAJORITY LEADER FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE IN
HELPING US GET IT STARTED TODAY.
I'M PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL FOR
THE STRONG LEADERSHIP CHAIRMAN
BAUCUS HAS PROVIDED.
I WANT TO THANK HIM AND THEIR
STAFF FOR THEIR TIRELESS EFFORTS
NOT JUST IN LEADING UP TO TODAY
BUT OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME,
BEING SUCH A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR
THIS PROGRAM.
FOR MANY MONTHS CHAIRMAN BAUCUS
LED THE CHARGE TO MAKE SURE A
STRONG TRADE ADJUSTMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS REINSTATED
BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT PUBLIC
POLICY FOR OUR WORK TOERS GET
THEM RE -- WORKERS TO GET THEM
RETRAINED AND TO MAKE SURE THEY
HAVE THE SKILLS NEEDED TO
COMPETE IN SUCH A TOUGH ECONOMY.
SO I APPRECIATE HIS WORK.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATE CHAIRMAN
BAUCUS' WORK FOR MANY YEARS
FIGHTING FOR WORKERS, ESPECIALLY
WHEN THEIR JOBS ARE AT RISK,
THEIR LIVELY HAO PBD THEIR
FAMILY'S ECONOMIC SECURITY.
BECAUSE I THINK CHAIRMAN BAUCUS
MY
COLLEAGUE SENATOR BROWN FROM
OHIO WHO HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS
LEADER ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL.
ONE THING WE UNDERSTAND, WE
UNDERSTAND WE'RE STILL IN THE
GRIP OF A JOBS CRISIS ALL ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
AND IT KNOWS NO GEOGRAPHIC
BOUNDARIES AND IT KNOWS NO
PARTY.
PEOPLE ARE WORRIED AND CONCERNED
THAT THEIR JOBS WILL CONTINUALLY
BE AT RISK, AND SOME OF COURSE
HAVE ALREADY LOST THEIR JOB.
ALMOST 14.5 MILLION AMERICANS AT
LAST COUNT.
SO IN THE MIDST OF THAT CRISIS,
IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT
WE TAKE THE STEPS HERE TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE WHO WANT TO GET
BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE, THOSE
WHO WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS
OR BE RETRAINED IN SOME WAY OR
ANOTHER HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE KNOW IN THE NEXT COUPLE
OF WEEKS THE CONGRESS WILL BE
TAKING UP FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, BEFORE WE
CONSIDER THE DEBATE, BEFORE WE
CONSIDER THOSE AGREEMENTS, WE'VE
GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
WORKERS HAVE THE PROTECTIONS
THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH THE
RAVAGES OF FOREIGN COMPETITION.
LET ME REVISE THAT.
THE RAVAGES OF UNFAIR FOREIGN
COMPETITION.
AND THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS TO
TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND THIS
ISSUE, AND SOME OF THEM,
FRANKLY, GET A LITTLE ACADEMIC.
THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO
UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE IS
VERY, VERY MUCH CONSISTENT WITH
THE RECENT AND UNFORTUNATE
ECONOMIC HISTORY OF MY HOME
STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.
IN OUR COMMONWEALTH, JUST BY WAY
OF ONE EXAMPLE BUT IT'S THE BEST
EXAMPLE I CAN CITE BECAUSE OF
THE NUMBERS OF WORKERS AFFECTED.
IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF
PENNSYLVANIA IN THE 1970'S AND
1980'S IN A SHORT PERIOD OF
TIME, IN LESS THAN A DECADE WE
HAD TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
STEELWORKERS LOSE THEIR JOBS.
THESE WERE FOLKS WHO WORKED IN
STEEL MILLS NOT JUST FOR A
COUPLE OF YEARS BUT FOR MANY
INSTANCES DECADES.
THEY WOULD GRADUATE FROM HIGH
SCHOOL, GO INTO THE STEEL MILL
AND BE VIRTUALLY GUARANTEED A
JOB FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE.
A GOOD JOB WITH GOOD BENEFITS
THAT THEY COULD SUPPORT THEIR
FAMILY ON.
THEN WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO
THOSE WORK TPHERS THAT INDUSTRY.
-- WORKERS IN THAT INDUSTRY.
A LOT OF THEIR JOBS WERE
DESTROYED IN THE 1970'S AND
1980'S BECAUSE OF THE STEEL
INDUSTRY.
IT IS AT TIMES LIKE THAT WHEN
SOMEONE HAS WORKED THEIR WHOLE
LIFE AND PUT ALL OF THEIR
ENERGIES INTO A JOB AND THAT JOB
GOES AWAY IN A MATTER OF WEEKS,
MONTHS OR A FEW SHORT YEARS, WE
HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE THERE
FOR THEM AT THAT MOMENT.
ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN BE THERE
FOR THEM IS WITH TRADE
ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE.
I COULD POINT TO AND OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE COULD
OTHER EXAMPLES AS WELL.
BUT I REMEMBER THAT HORRIFIC
HISTORY IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE
FAMILIES WERE DESTROYED BECAUSE
OF THE LOSS OF A JOB.
OUR TRADE POLICIES HAVE HIT A
LOT OF AMERICAN WORKERS VERY
HARD, AND ESPECIALLY TODAY WE'RE
SEEING THAT.
I MENTIONED PENNSYLVANIA'S
MANUFACTURING JOBS AS AN
EXAMPLE.
ACCORDING TO AN ANALYSIS BY THE
JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE, OF
WHICH I'M THE CHAIRMAN, FROM
1997 TO 2010, JUST 13 YEARS,
MANUFACTURING WENT FROM 16.4% OF
THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT,
GROSS STATE PRODUCT OF
PENNSYLVANIA, DOWN TO 12.1%.
13 YEARS, JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF
TIME, THAT KIND OF DECLINE IN
MANUFACTURING JOBS, FROM ROUGHLY
16.5 TO 12.
IN TOTAL, THE JOB LOSS IN
PENNSYLVANIA MANUFACTURING WAS
NEARLY 300,000 GOOD-PAYING
JOCKS.
WHILE -- GOOD PAYING JOBS.
WHILE TRADE ADJUSTMENT
ASSISTANCE CAN'T BRING THOSE
JOBS BACK, WE CAN TAKE STEPS TO
HELP THOSE WORKERS IN A TOUGH
TIME AS THEY TRANSITION TO NEW
EMPLOYMENT, TO NEW SKILLS AND TO
NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
MANY DISPLACED WORKERS NEED
CONSIDERABLE TRAINING TO REENTER
THE LABOR MARKET.
JUST IMAGINE IF ANY ONE OF US
DID THE SAME JOB FOR YEARS AND
DECADES AND THEN HAD TO TURN ON
A DIME TO ADJUST TO DIFFICULTIES
IN THE ECONOMY.
IT TAKES AWHILE.
ACCORDING TO A REPORT BY THE
JOINT COMMITTEE COMMITTEE AS
WELL, MANY OF THESE FOLKS WHO
HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS ARE MUCH
OLDER THAN THE REST OF THE
WORKFORCE AND THEY NEED TO GAIN
A NUMBER OF SKILLS.
57% OF COUNTRY PARTICIPANTS IN
THE TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM ARE 45 YEARS OF AGE OR
57%.
OLDER.
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE CAN
BETTER ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF
THESE DISPLACED WORKERS BY
REQUIRING TRAINING AND GIVING
ADDITIONAL TIME FOR WORKERS TO
GAIN THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO
REENTER THE WORKFORCE TO
PREPARER TO COMPETE -- TO
PREPARE TO COMPETE IN A TOUGH
ECONOMY, IN A WORLD ECONOMY.
WE KNOW THESE PROGRAMS WORK.
WE KNOW THAT BASED UPON THE
J.E.C. REPORT THAT I CITED
EARLIER, 53% OF THOSE WHO
PARTICIPATED IN TRADE ADJUSTMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS WERE
REEMPLOYED WITHIN THREE MONTHS.
53% REEMPLOYED WITHIN THREE
MONTHS AFTER LEAVING THE PROGRAM
ITSELF.
THESE PARTICIPANTS ALSO FOUND
LASTING EMPLOYMENT WITH 80% OF
THOSE WORKERS EMPLOYED WITHIN
THE FIRST THREE MONTHS REMAINING
EMPLOYED FOR AN ADDITIONAL SIX
MONTHS.
WE KNOW THAT IN 2009 SEVERAL
REFORMS WERE MADE TO THE PROGRAM
TO REFLECT THE REALITIES OF THE
LABOR MARKET.
MODERN WORKFORCE AND THE MODERN
WITH
MY COLLEAGUE SENATOR BROWN OF
OHIO WOULD REINSTATE THESE
REFORMS, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING
BY WAY OF A QUICK SUMMARY.
NUMBER ONE, PROVIDING TRADE
ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE BENEFITS
TO SERVICE-SECTOR WORKERS.
NUMBER
TWO, COVERING WORKERS WHOSE
FIRMS SHIFT PRODUCTION TO
COUNTRIES.
NONFREE TRADE AGREEMENT PARTNER
FOR EXAMPLE, CHINA AND INDIA.
WE HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING
AROUND HERE ABOUT HOW WE HAVE
GOT TO COMPETE WITH CHINA AND
INDIA AND KEEP OUR WORKERS AT A
HIGH SKILL LEVEL TO DO THAT.
THIS IS ONE WAY TO DO THAT.
NUMBER THREE AND FINALLY,
INCREASING THE HEALTH CARE TAX
CREDIT SUBSIDY TO 72.5% AND
HEREBY ADDRESSING ONE OF THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT COSTS FOR THOSE
WITHOUT A JOB, THE COST OF
HEALTH INSURANCE.
WE ALL KNOW, AND I KNOW
FIRSTHAND, THE BENEFITS OF A
STRONG TRADE ADJUSTMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, BASED UPON
WHAT'S HAPPENED IN PENNSYLVANIA
OVER MANY YEARS.
TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR, FROM MAY OF 2009 THROUGH
JUNE, 2011, JUST A LITTLE MORE
THAN TWO YEARS, NEARLY 10,000
ADDITIONAL WORKERS QUALIFY FOR
ASSISTANCE DUE TO THESE
ESSENTIAL REFORMS IN
PENNSYLVANIA.
SO THE REFORMS THAT WE MADE THEN
IN 2009 THAT WE PUT IN PLACE
HAVE HELPED NEARLY 10,000
WORKERS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
IF YOU LOOK AT IT NATIONWIDE,
185,783 ADDITIONAL WORKERS WERE
CERTIFIED FOR T.A.A.
PARTICIPATION BECAUSE OF THOSE
REFORMS.
IN TOTAL, TRADE ADJUSTMENT
ASSISTANCE HAS ASSISTED NEARLY
HALF A MILLION PEOPLE OVER THIS
TIME PERIOD.
SO OUR ACTION THIS WEEK WILL
ENSURE THAT THOUSANDS OF
AMERICAN WORKERS WILL BE ABLE TO
COUNT ON RETRAINING AND OTHER
SUPPORT IF THEY LOSE THEIR JOB
THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
MORE AND MORE JOBS -- AND WE ALL
KNOW THIS, BUT IT BEARS
REPEATING -- MORE AND MORE JOBS
SENT OVERSEAS, LEAVING
WORKERS OUT IN THE COLD.
NOTHING THEY DID HAS CAUSED
OUTSOURCING OF THEIR JOB, AND
YET THEY ARE LEFT WITH THE
CONSEQUENCES, AND THEIR FAMILIES
SUFFER WITH THOSE SAME
CONSEQUENCES.
TO GET JOBS IN NEW INDUSTRIES,
WORKERS NEED NEW SKILLS.
THEY NEED TO BE RETRAINED AND
INTRODUCED TO NEW SKILLS.
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE
HELPS THOSE WORKERS HURT BY
FOREIGN TRADE BACK TO WORK WHILE
ALSO ENSURING THE EMPLOYERS HAVE
A SKILLED WORK FORCE AT THE SAME
TIME.
SO FINALLY, LET ME URGE ALL MY
COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS
AMENDMENT.
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE HAS
A LONG AND PROUD HISTORY OF
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN THE
SENATE, AND I HOPE WE CAN
CONTINUE THAT WITH THIS -- WITH
THIS AMENDMENT AND WITH THIS
WORK.
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY
THIS KNOW THIS STORY BETTER THAN
I OR BETTER THAN ANY OF US, AND
IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT WE STOOD
WITH THOSE WORKERS WHEN THEY AND
THEIR FAMILIES ARE SUFFERING,
FLOOR.
THE
SENATOR FROM UTAH.
MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING MY
REMARKS, IF IT IS ALL RIGHT WITH
THE DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM
OHIO, THAT THE FORMER TRADE
REPRESENTATIVE, THE
DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM
THE -- THE OTHER DISTINGUISHED
SENATOR FROM OHIO, MR. PORTMAN,
BE ALLOWED TO GIVE HIS REMARKS.
IS THERE
OBJECTION?
WITH YOUR CONSENT.
IS THERE
OBJECTION?
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
I APOLOGIZE TO
SENATOR BROWN, BUT SENATOR
PORTMAN WAS PROMISED THAT HE
WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK AT 11:45.
THE
SENATOR FROM OHIO.
I -- I DIDN'T QUITE
HEAR THAT.
I THOUGHT THAT SENATOR HATCH
SAID THAT THE SENIOR SENATOR
FROM OHIO, THEN THE JUNIOR
SENATOR FROM OHIO.
WAS THAT THE U.C. REQUEST?
NO.
THE U.C. REQUEST WAS FOR THE
FROM UTAH, THE JUNIOR
SENATOR FROM OHIO, THEN THE
SENIOR SENATOR FROM OHIO.
OKAY.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT FROM MY
CONVERSATIONS, BUT I DO NOT
OBJECT.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
STRONGLY OPPOSE THE T.A.A.
AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MY GOOD
FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM
MONTANA, CHAIRMAN BAUCUS.
BUT BEFORE I GET INTO THE
SPECIFICS, I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO PUT THIS DEBATE IN
CONTEXT.
FOR YEARS, I HAVE BEEN WORKING
TO ENSURE THAT OUR PENDING TRADE
AGREEMENTS WITH COLOMBIA, PANAMA
AND SOUTH KOREA RECEIVE FAIR
CONSIDERATION IN THE UNITED
STATES CONGRESS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHILE I WORKED TO
GET THESE AGREEMENTS APPROVED,
OTHER PLACED OBSTACLES IN THE
WAY.
AS A RESULT, DAYS, WEEKS AND
MONTHS PASSED.
EVENTUALLY, THOSE MONTHS TURNED
INTO YEARS.
NOW FOUR YEARS LATER, WE ARE
TAKING UP THE SIXTH RENEWAL OF
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE IN
THE TIME THAT THESE JOB-CREATING
LANGUISHED.
TRADE AGREEMENTS HAVE
TO ME IT'S HIGHLY IRONIC THAT WE
NOT ONLY PASSED BUT EXPANDED
LEGISLATION TO HELP WORKERS WHO
WERE ALLEGEDLY HARMED BY TRADE
AGREEMENTS FIVE TIMES OVER THE
LAST FOUR YEARS, WHILE WE HAVE
YET TO ACTUALLY PASS A SINGLE
TRADE AGREEMENT.
THIS MARCH, PRESIDENT OBAMA MADE
HIMSELF PERFECTLY CLEAR.
UNLESS CONGRESS AGREED TO SPEND
MORE MONEY FOR THIS PET TRADE
PRIORITY, HE WOULD NEVER SEND
THE TRADE AGREEMENTS TO
CONGRESS, AND U.S. WORKERS WOULD
AGREEMENTS.
NEVER BENEFIT TO THESE
BASICALLY, THE PRESIDENT HELD
U.S. EXPORTERS HOSTAGE WHILE HE
CONGRESS.
SQUEEZED MORE SPENDING OUT OF
DESPITE MY DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT
IN THE PRESIDENT'S FAILURE TO
MAKE THESE AGREEMENTS A
PRIORITY, I'M PLEASED THAT WE
ARE HAVING THIS DEBATE TODAY.
EARLIER THIS SUMMER, THE
ADMINISTRATION TRIED TO JAM THIS
DOMESTIC SPENDING PROGRAM INTO
THE KOREA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
IMPLEMENTING BILL.
I STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS MOVE.
I BELIEVE THAT VIOLATED
LONG-STANDING TRADE RULES AND
SERIOUSLY JEOPARDIZED APPROVAL
OF THE SOUTH KOREA AGREEMENT.
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE WHITE
HOUSE TO RECONSIDER SO WE COULD
HAVE A ROBUST DEBATE WITH T.A.A.
CONSIDERED SOLELY ON ITS MERITS.
AFTER ALL, IF THERE IS SUCH A
STRONG BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR
THE PROGRAM, IT SHOULD NOT BE
FROM A DEBATE IN AN OPEN FORUM.
THE ADMINISTRATION REALIZED
THEIR POSITION WAS UNTENABLE IN
THE FACE OF AN UNEQUIVOCAL
REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION.
THANKFULLY THEY DECIDED TO HEED
MY VOICE AND TODAY WE HAVE A
CHANCE TO FULLY CONSIDER AND
VOTE ON T.A.A.
IF T.A.A. PASSES THE SENATE, WE
WOULD REMOVE THE LAST OBSTACLE
THAT THE PRESIDENT AND HIS PARTY
PLACED IN FRONT OF THE F.D.A.'S.
WE WILL SEE.
TODAY WE SEE THERE IS LITTLE
EVIDENCE THAT THE PRESIDENT IS
FINALLY READY TO STEP UP TO THE
PLATE.
IT HAS NOT BEEN FOR LACK OF
EFFORT ON OUR PART.
HOUSE LEADERSHIP MADE IT CLEAR
THAT T.A.A. WILL BE CONSIDERED
IN TANDEM WITH THE F.T.A.'S THAT
THE PRESIDENT REQUESTED.
CHAIRMAN CAMP WORKED WITH
SENATOR BAUCUS TO DEVELOP A
SUBSTANTIVE DEAL ON T.A.A., AS
THE PRESIDENT REQUESTED.
DESPITE MY DEEP RESERVATIONS
ABOUT THE PROGRAM, A NUMBER OF
MY REPUBLICAN SENATE COLLEAGUES
STEPPED UP IN SUPPORT OF THE
T.A.A. COMPROMISE NEGOTIATED BY
CHAIRMAN BAUCUS AND CHAIRMAN
CAMP AND EVEN PUT THEIR
ASSURANCE IN WRITING TO SUPPORT
T.A.A.
BEFORE THE AUGUST WORK PERIOD,
SENATORS McCONNELL AND REID
ARTICULATED A PROCESS FOR
CONSIDERING OF T.A.A. AND
F.T.A.'S AS THE PRESIDENT
REQUESTED.
STILL THE ADMINISTRATION REFUSES
TO PROVIDE ANY REAL ASSURANCE
THAT IT WILL ACTUALLY SEND THE
PENDING FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS TO
CONGRESS FOR A VOTE.
NOW, I'M VERY DISAPPOINT THAD WE
STILL HAVE NOT HEARD
DEFINITIVELY FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE THAT THEY WILL SEND UP THE
THREE F.T.A.'S.
AS FOR THE TRADE ADJUSTMENT
ASSISTANCE AMENDMENT BEFORE US
TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SUMMARIZE
FOR MY COLLEAGUES MY CONCERNS
PROGRAM.
WITH THE PROPOSED EXPANDED
AND MY OBJECTIONS TO ADDITIONAL
DOMESTIC SPENDING FOR THIS
PROGRAM AT A TIME OF IMMENSE
BUDGET DIFFICULTIES.
FIRST, THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE
ACTUALLY WORK.
THAT THE T.A.A. PROGRAMS
IN FACT, THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.
RECENT STUDIES BY PROFESSORS AT
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY HAVE FOUND
THAT THE T.A.A. PROGRAM -- QUOTE
-- "HAS NO DISCERNIBLE IMPACT
ON THE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES OF
THE PARTICIPANTS."
UNQUOTE.
NOW, IF THAT IS THE CASE, I
CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD
EXPAND THIS INEFFECTIVE PROGRAM.
I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN FROM AN
ARTICLE IN "THE WALL STREET
JOURNAL" THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR IS FOUR YEARS LATE ON
PRODUCE AGO REPORT TO CONGRESS
INTENDED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE
NUMEROUS TRADE ADJUSTMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ACTUALLY
IMPROVED THE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOME
FOR T.A.A. PARTICIPANTS.
YESTERDAY, TODAY WE ARE
CONSIDERING AN AMENDMENT TO NOT
ONLY REAUTHORIZE THE PROGRAM FOR
THREE YEARS BUT TO MAKE MANY OF
THE BENEFITS RETROACTIVE.
BEFORE WE AUTHORIZE A BILLION
DOLLARS MORE IN TAXPAYER
SPENDING, SHOULDN'T WE KNOW IF
THE PROGRAM ACTUALLY IMPROVES
FOR T.A.A.
BENEFICIARIES?
MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM
OKLAHOMA, DR. COBURN, HAS MADE
IT A PRIORITY TO IDENTIFY AND
ELIMINATE WASTEFUL GOVERNMENT
PROGRAMS.
IN HIS FIRST REPORT ON THE
SUBJECT, THE GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE IDENTIFIED
DOZENS OF PROGRAMS WITHOUT ANY
IDENTIFIABLE METRICS ON WHETHER
MISSION.
THEY ACTUALLY SUCCEEDED IN THEIR
AT A TIME OF CRUSHING BUDGET
DEFICITS AND INCREASING DEBT,
CONGRESS COULD EASILY START BY
ELIMINATING THESE PROGRAMS THAT
HAVE NO PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF
SUCCESS, AND IN MY OPINION WE
WOULD HAVE TO PUT T.A.A. AT THE
TOP OF THAT LIST.
CONSIDER THAT WE ARE STILL
WAITING ON THE REPORT FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ON T.A.A.'S
EFFICACY.
I SUSPECT THAT IF THE FACTS AND
THE DATA CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED
BENEFITS TO WORKERS
PARTICIPATING IN THE T.A.A.
PROGRAMS, THE REPORT WOULD HAVE
BEEN ISSUED YEARS AGO.
I AM SURE THIS REPORT WILL BE
ISSUED BUT ONLY AFTER T.A.A. HAS
BEEN PASSED.
I CANNOT SUPPORT INCREASING
FUNDING FOR A PROGRAM WITHOUT
ANY REAL EVIDENCE THAT IT WORKS.
SOME WILL ARGUE THAT MORE PEOPLE
ARE USING THE PROGRAM, THEREFORE
IT MUST BE WORKING.
I STRONGLY REJECT THAT ARGUMENT.
SPENDING MORE MONEY AND
CERTIFYING MORE WORKERS DOES NOT
MEAN A PROGRAM OF SUCCEEDING
EXCEPT IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT THE
PROGRAM IS EXPANDING.
AND THAT IS MY SECOND CONCERN.
LIKE MANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
PROGRAMS, THIS DOMESTIC SPENDING
GROW.
PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW AND
T.A.A. MONEY NOW GOES TO
FARMERS, FIRMS, COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND SERVICE WORKERS.
EVEN MORE TROUBLING, THE
CRITICAL NEXUS BETWEEN JOB LOSS
CAUSED BY TRADE AGREEMENTS AND
JETTISONED.
T.A.A. ELIGIBILITY HAS BEEN
TODAY, ALL WORKERS WHO LOSE
THEIR JOBS ALLEGEDLY DUE TO --
QUOTE -- "GLOBALIZATION"
UNQUOTE -- COULD BE ELIGIBLE.
AS THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND GLOBAL
SUPPLY CHAINS BECOME MORE
INTEGRATED, I SUSPECT THE NUMBER
OF BENEFICIARIES AND THE COST TO
ENORMOUSLY.
WILL GROW
THIRD, AT A TIME WHEN WE NEED TO
SEVERELY CONSTRAIN FEDERAL
IT.
SPENDING, THIS PROGRAM INCREASES
IN 2009, T.A.A. WAS
SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED AS PART
OF THE PRESIDENT'S FAILED
STIMULUS BILL.
MOST OF THOSE INCREASED COSTS
ARE INCLUDED IN THE T.A.A.
AMENDMENT BEFORE US TODAY, BUT
THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL HIDDEN
COSTS.
BECAUSE THE INCOME SUPPORT AND
THE HEALTH COVERAGE TAX CREDIT
ARE ENTITLES, THERE IS NO CAP ON
FUTURE SPENDING, AND ALTHOUGH
THE HEALTH COVERAGE TAX CREDITS
ARE SET TO EXPIRE WHEN OBAMACARE
GOES INTO FULL EFFECT, I HAVE
SERIOUS DOUBTS THAT THEY
ACTUALLY WILL.
HISTORY SHOWS AGAIN AND AGAIN
THAT IT IS MUCH EASIER TO CREATE
AN ENTITLEMENT THAN TO END ONE.
AS I SAID, I SUSPECT THAT THIS
PROGRAM, LIKE MOST FEDERAL
PROGRAMS, WILL COST MORE THAN
EXPECTED, ESPECIALLY AFTER
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE RETURNS
TO ITS TRADITIONAL 26-WEEK
LEVEL, WHICH WILL CONSEQUENTLY
INCREASE THE USE OF TRADE
RE-ALLOCATION ALLOWANCES AND
INCREASE THE T.A.A. PROGRAM
COSTS.
FOURTH, THE PROGRAM IS
FUNDAMENTALLY UNFAIR.
SUPPOSE THAT ONE OF OUR FELLOW
AMERICANS LOSES THEIR JOB OR HIS
DOWN.
JOB BECAUSE THEIR FACTORY BURNS
ANOTHER LOSES HIS JOB BECAUSE
HIS OR HER COMPANY COULDN'T
COMPETE WITH A DOMESTIC
COMPETITOR.
AND A THIRD LOSES HIS OR HER JOB
BECAUSE OF FOREIGN COMPETITION.
HOW CAN WE TELL TWO OF OUR
FELLOW AMERICANS TOUGH LUCK, YOU
ONLY CAN USE THE GENERAL JOB
TRAINING AND UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE PROGRAMS WHILE
PROVIDING THE THIRD WORKER WITH
A HOST OF MORE GENEROUS
TRAINING, INCOME SUPPORT AND
HEALTH CARE BENEFITS?
THIS SIMPLY DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT
TO ME.
WHY ARE WE PICKING WINNERS AND
LOSERS AMONGST THE OVER
14 MILLION AMERICANS LOOKING FOR
WORK?
I AM -- I HAVE ALSO TRAVELED
ALTHOUGH UNION WORKERS ARE LESS
THAN 7% OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR
WORK FORCE, UNION WORKERS
RECEIVE OVER A THIRD OF THE
T.A.A. CERTIFICATIONS.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE SHOULD
SUPPORT THIS VICIOUS CYCLE.
UNIONS DRIVE INDUSTRY AFTER
INDUSTRY INTO BANKRUPTCY BY
ON RESTRICTIVE WORK
RULES AND OVERLY GENEROUS
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS PLANS,
AND THE TAXPAYER GETS TO COME IN
AND CLEAN UP THE MESS BY
PROVIDING THE NOW-UNEMPLOYED
UNION WORKERS WITH A NEW SET OF
BENEFITS FAR MORE GENEROUS THAN
THOSE RECEIVED BY OTHERS WHO ARE
OUT OF WORK.
UNFORTUNATELY, ENCOURAGING
VICIOUS CYCLES APPEARS TO BE AN
OBJECTIVE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION
WHEN IT COMES TO T.A.A.
LET ME SHARE WITH YOU ANOTHER
ONE.
BY NOW, MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD
OF A COMPANY CALLED SOLYNDRA.
IT WAS HELD UP BY THE PRESIDENT
AND HIS ADMINISTRATION AS AN
EXAMPLE OF THE WONDERS OF THE
STIMULUS AND ITS ABILITY TO
TRANSFORM TAXPAYER DOLLARS INTO
GREAT JOBS.
HERE IS HOW PRESIDENT OBAMA
DESCRIBED IT -- QUOTE -- "WE
CAN SEE THE POSITIVE IMPACTS
RIGHT HERE AT SOLYNDRA.
THROUGH THE RECOVERY ACT, THIS
COMPANY RECEIVED A LOAN TO
EXPAND ITS OPERATIONS.
THIS NEW FACTORY IS THE RESULT
OF THOSE LOANS."
UNQUOTE.
ABOUT THAT.
WELL, THE PRESIDENT WAS RIGHT
THE NEW FACTORY WAS THE RESULT
OF THE TAXPAYER-PROVIDED LOANS.
AND ACCORDING TO THE "WALL
STREET JOURNAL," THOSE VERY SAME
TAXPAYER LOAN GUARANTEES ALSO
WERE A PRIME CAUSE OF SOLYNDRA'S
BANKRUPTCY.
THE -- QUOTE -- "TAXPAYERS TO
GREEN JOBS" ALCHEMY WORKED ABOUT
AS WELL AS THE ATTEMPT TO TURN
LEAD INTO GOLD.
THAT'S NOT THE END OF THE STORY.
THE FORMER SOLYNDRA EMPLOYEES
HAVE NOW APPLIED FOR TRADE
ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
AS REPORTED FIRST BY AMERICANS
FOR LIMITED GOVERNMENT AND THEN
CONFIRMED BY INVESTORS BUSINESS
DAILY, SOLYNDRA EMPLOYEES HAVE
APPLIED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
ASSISTANCE.
LABOR FOR TRADE ADJUSTMENT
SO TO RECAP, THE ADMINISTRATION
PROVIDES LOAN GUARANTEES TO A
FAILING COMPANY, AND IN THE
PROCESS SADDLES THE AMERICAN
TAXPAYER WITH OVER HALF A
BILLION DOLLARS OF POTENTIAL
LIABILITY.
THESE SAME LOAN GUARANTEES
THE DEMISE OF SAID
COMPANY, AND THIS IN TURN
JUSTIFIES THE RECEIPT OF NEW
TAXPAYER-FUNDED BENEFITS FOR THE
NOW-UNEMPLOYED WORKERS, BENEFITS
THAT GO FAR BEYOND AND COST FAR
MORE THAN THOSE THE OTHER
UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE IN THIS
COUNTRY RECEIVE.
THE ADMINISTRATION LIKES TO TALK
ABOUT THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT OF
NEW FEDERAL SPENDING BUT I DON'T
THINK THIS IS WHAT THEY HAD IN
MIND.
FOR EACH INITIAL WASTED TAXPAYER
DOLLAR, THE GOVERNMENT
MULTIPLIES THE LOSSES AND
MANAGES TO WASTE ANOTHER
QUARTER.
SOLYNDRA TRIED TO MAKE SOLAR
PANELS BUT RAN UP THEIR COSTS
COMPETITORS.
FAR HIGHER THAN EVEN DOMESTIC
WITH COSTS ABOVE THE COMPETITION
THE COMPANY FAILED.
OF COURSE THE FAILURE WAS BLAMED
ON CHINA, BUT IF YOU CANNOT EVEN
OUTCOMPETE U.S. COMPANIES, IT
WASN'T FOREIGN COMPETITION THAT
RUINED YOUR BUSINESS.
IT WAS SIMPLY A FAILED BUSINESS
MODEL.
DURING OUR HEARING ON THE SOUTH
KOREA TRADE AGREEMENT, DEPUTY
U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
MORANOS TESTIFIED THE PURPOSE OF
THE T.A.A. PROGRAM IS TO HELP
WORKERS MANAGE THE TRANSITION TO
GLOBALIZATION AND HELP WORKERS
TRAIN TO BE ABLE TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES
PRESENTED IN THE NEW ECONOMY.
WELL, ACCORDING TO PRESIDENT
OBAMA AND VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN,
GREEN JOBS LIKE THOSE FOUND AT
SOLYNDRA WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE
JOBS OF THE NEW ECONOMY.
NOW THAT NEW ECONOMY VENTURE
FAILED, THOSE VERY SAME WORKERS
ARE GOING TO BE RETRAINED AT
TAXPAYERS' EXPENSE FOR OTHER
JOBS IN THE NEW ECONOMY.
GOVERNMENT UNDER THE PRESIDENT'S
GREEN AGENDA PICKS WINNERS AND
LOSERS AND THEN PAYS OFF THE
LOSERS WHEN IT MAKES THE WRONG
PICKS.
PARDON THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER FOR
JUMPING TO THE CONCLUSION THAT
THIS PLAIN DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
LET'S NOT FORGET THAT A HANDFUL
OF STATES RECEIVED THE LION'S
SHARE OF T.A.A. MONEY.
AGAIN THIS IS UNFAIR ON ITS FACE
AND REPRESENTS A DISTORTED
ALLOCATION OF FEDERAL RESOURCES.
PRESIDENT REAGAN DID NOT
GRADUATE FROM AN IVY LEAGUE
COLLEGE AND HE WAS NOT THE
EDITOR OF ANY LAW REVIEW.
BUT THE MAN UNDERSTOOD HOW THE
ECONOMY GROWS AND WHAT TYPES OF
PROGRAMS WASTE PRECIOUS
GOVERNMENT RESOURCES.
THIS WAS HIS ASSESSMENT OF
T.A.A. -- QUOTE -- "THE PURPOSE
OF T.A.A. IS TO HELP THESE
WORKERS FIND JOBS IN GROWING
SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT,
BUT BECAUSE THESE BENEFITS ARE
PAID OUT ON TOP OF NORMAL
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WE WIND
UP PAYING GREATER BENEFITS TO
THOSE WHO LOSE THEIR JOBS
BECAUSE OF FOREIGN COMPETITION
THAN WE DO TO THEIR FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBORS WHO ARE LAID OFF DUE
TO DOMESTIC COMPETITION.
ANYONE MUST AGREE THAT THIS IS
UNFAIR."
THAT WAS PRESIDENT REAGAN.
I CERTAINLY DO, AS DO MOST OF MY
CONSTITUENTS WHO THINK THE LAST
THING THIS ECONOMY NEEDS IS
ANOTHER BIG SPENDING PROGRAM.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT
T.A.A. FUELS THE FIRE OF THE
VIRULENT ANTITRADE PROPAGANDAS.
T.A.A. SUPPORTERS SAY THE
PROGRAM KEEPS FAITH WITH THE
AMERICAN WORKERS AND HELPS BUILD
SUPPORT FOR TRADE.
JUST THE OPPOSITE IS
TRUE.
UNIONS AND OTHER ANTITRADE
ZEALOTS LETHALLY USE T.A.A. DATA
TO MAKE THE CASE THAT TRADE
CASES -- TRADE CAUSES
OUTSOURCING AND JOB LOSS.
AFTER ALL, THE NUMBER OF TRADE
DISLOCATED WORKERS IS CERTIFIED
BY THE GOVERNMENT.
AS THE PROGRAM IS EXPANDED TO
INCLUDE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE AND
ENTITIES, INCLUDING COMMUNITY
COLLEGES, FIRMS, FARMERS AND
FISHERMEN, THE MYTH THAT TRADE
IS BAD FOR THE AMERICAN WORKER
FINDS READY FODDER AND CONTINUES
TO BUILD.
INSTEAD OF HELPING BUILD THE
CASE FOR TRADE, T.A.A.
CERTIFICATIONS ARE USED TO SHOW
THAT TRADE IS BAD.
IN THE END, T.A.A. REALLY IS
JUST A GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY FOR AN
ANTITRADE PROPAGANDA.
MANY OF THOSE DEDICATED TO
FINDING A MARKET OPENING TRADE
LIBERALIZATION AGENDA AND WHO
ARE HOSTILE TO A THOUGHTFUL AND
AMBITIOUS TRADE POLICY CITE EACH
T.A.A. CERTIFICATION AND EACH
T.A.A. BENEFIT CONFERRED AS
FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT TRADE AND
AMERICA.
TRADE AGREEMENTS ARE BAD FOR
THESE SAME GROUPS USE T.A.A.
CERTIFICATIONS AND T.A.A.
WORKERS TO ATTACK THE COMPANIES
WHO LAID THOSE WORKERS OFF AS
OUTSOURCERS EVEN ATTEMPTING TO
NAME AND SHAME THE C.E.O.'S OF
THOSE COMPANIES.
FOR GOODNESS' SAKE, WHY SHOULD
WE EXPAND A PROGRAM THAT ARMS
THE HARSHEST TRADE CRITICS WITH
MORE FODDER FOR THEIR
ILL-INFORMED AND RELENTLESS
ATTACK ON TRADE.
FINALLY T.A.A. SHOULD MOVE WITH
T.P.A.
DESPITE WHAT MANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES AND MANY SO-CALLED
TRADE EXPERTS SAY, T.A.A. DOES
AGREEMENTS.
MINORITY MOVE WITH TRADE
IN FACT, HISTORICALLY
SIGNIFICANT SPANKS SHOW T.A.A.
MOVED WITH OMNIBUS LEGISLATION
THAT INCLUDED GRANTS OF TRADE
NEGOTIATING AUTHORITY TO THE
PRESIDENT.
THERE IS A MYTH THAT T.A.A. HAS
ALWAYS RECEIVED STRONG
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
AGAIN, THE HISTORICAL RECORD
DOES NOT BEAR THIS OUT.
A SIMPLE REVIEW OF A VERY
HELPFUL HISTORY OF T.A.A.
C.R.S. THIS AUGUST
SHOWS JUST HOW CONTROVERSIAL
T.A.A. HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND
CONTINUES TO BE AND CONFIRMS
THAT T.A.A. REFORMS
TRADITIONALLY MOVE WITH T.P.A.
INEXPLICABLY THIS PRESIDENT
DOESN'T WANT T.P.A. OR TRADE
PROMOTION AUTHORITY, AND THE
WHITE HOUSE IS ACTUALLY
ENCOURAGING LEADER REID AND
DEMOCRAT SENATORS TO VOTE DOWN A
T.P.A. AMENDMENT LEADER
McCONNELL WILL OFFER.
LEADER REID AND CHAIRMAN BAUCUS
AND THE WHITE HOUSE HAVE ALSO
APPARENTLY ASKED THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY TO OPPOSE AN AMENDMENT
ON T.P.A. AS WELL.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE TKEUS
COMMUNITY HAS UNIFORMLY
SUPPORTED THE GRANTING OF TRADE
NEGOTIATED AUTHORITY TO EVERY
PRESIDENT REGARDLESS OF PARTY.
THIS IS ALL BAFFLING TO ME, BUT
I AGREE WITH LEADER McCONNELL
THAT THE PRESIDENT NEEDS T.P.A.,
WHOEVER THE PRESIDENT IS, AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND I CAN'T IMAGINE ANY
PRESIDENT NOT WANTING THAT
AUTHORITY AS I SUSPECT THE
DEMOCRATS WILL VOTE DOWN
GRANTING THEIR PRESIDENT
TRADE-NEGOTIATING AUTHORITY, I
MUST ALSO BE INCLINED TO VOTE
AGAINST THIS T.A.A. AMENDMENT.
MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT T.A.A.,
AND THAT IS THE PRICE FOR FREE
TRADE AGREEMENTS, BUT WE ARE
PAVING NEW AND DANGEROUS GROUND
BY HOLDING THREE TRADE
AGREEMENTS HOSTAGE TO
EXPANDINGED T.A.A.
EACH TIME WE HAVE TRIED TO MOVE
THESE AGREEMENTS A NEW ROADBLOCK
HAS BEEN ERECTED.
WHILE WE DILLY AND DALLY OUR
TRADE COMPETITORS TAKE MORE
MARKET SHARE AROUND THE WORLD
AND AMERICAN BUSINESSES AND
FARMS LOSE MORE MONEY AND MORE
JOBS.
MR. PRESIDENT, THERE HAS TO BE A
BETTER WAY.
I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR
TRADE PRIORITIES INSTEAD OF
EXPENDING YOUR POLITICAL CAPITAL
ON EXPANDING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
LIBERATE THE U.S. WORKER BY
ACCEPTING OUR OFFER WITH THE
AUTHORITY TO OPEN NEW MARKETS TO
U.S. EXPORTS.
OUR ECONOMY IS IN DIRE STRAITS.
UNEMPLOYMENT IS SKY-HIGH AND
CONTROL.
FEDERAL SPENDING IS OUT OF
MR. PRESIDENT, WE NEED YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND WE NEED IT NOW.
MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
JUNIOR SENATOR FROM OHIO.
LET ME START BY
THANKING THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM