ENTER AS PRIVATE-PAYING PATIENTS EXHAUST THEIR PERSONAL
           SAVINGS, LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE DURING THEIR STAY
           AND BECOME MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES. MEDICAID IS FOR MOST
           RETIREES THE LAST REFUGE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT. ON APRIL THE
           10TH, THE FLORIDA MEDICAID BUREAU RESPONDED TO EVIDENCE OF

           MEDICAID DUMPING IN TAMPA BY LEVYING A STEEP $260,000 FINE
           AGAINST THE TAMPA NURSING HOME. THAT WAS STRONG AND APPROPRIATE
           ACTION, BUT IT WAS ONLY A PARTIAL SOLUTION. MEDICAID FUNDING IS
           A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, SHARED BETWEEN THE STATES AND THE
           FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND WHILE THE MOST EGREGIOUS INCIDENT
           OCCURRED IN FLORIDA, MEDICAID DUMPING IS NOT THE PROBLEM OF A
           SINGLE STATE. WHILE NURSING HOMES WERE ONCE LOCALLY-RUN,

           FAMILY-OWNED, THEY ARE INCREASINGLY ADMINISTERED BY MULTISTATE,
           MULTIFACILITY CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE THE POWER TO AFFECT SENIOR
           AS CROSS THE UNITED STATES. -- SENIORS ACROSS THE UNITED
           STATES. MR. PRESIDENT, LET ME ALSO POINT OUT THAT THE LARGE
           MAJORITY OF NURSING HOMES IN AMERICA TREAT THEIR RESIDENTS
           WELL. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY CITIZENS. OUR BILL IS
           DESIGNED SOLE 8 TO PREVENT POTENTIAL FUTURE ABUSES BY THE BAD
           APPLES. THIS BILL IS SIMPLE AND FAIR. IT WOULD PROHIBIT CURRENT

           MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES OR THOSE WHO SPEND DOWN TO MEDICAID FROM
           BEING EVICTED FROM THEIR HOMES. THAT IS A CRUCIAL POINT, MR.
           PRESIDENT. ADELLA MONJOVI IS NOT JUST A BENEFICIARY. SHE IS A
           MOTHER. SHE IS A GRANDMOTHER. AND TO ADELLA MONJOVI, THE
           REHABILITATION AND HEALTH CARE CENTER OF TAMPA IS NOT AN
           ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY. TO ADELLA MONJOVI, IT IS HOME. THIS

           IS THE PLACE WHERE SHE WANTS AND DESERVES, LIKE ALL SENIORS, TO
           LIVE THE REST OF HER LIFE WITH THE SECURITY OF KNOWING THAT SHE
           WILL NOT BE EVICTED. AND THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL, MR.
           PRESIDENT, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT SECURITY TO ADELLA MONJOVI AND
           TO ALL OF OUR NATION'S SENIORS. MR. PRESIDENT, I, THEREFORE,
           SUBMIT AND ASK FOR ITS IMMEDIATE REFERRAL LEGISLATION

           INTRODUCED BY MYSELF, JOINED BY SENATORS CHAFEE, JOHNSON,
           HARKIN AND GRASSLEY.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK -- THE BILL WILL BE RECEIVED
           AND APPROPRIATELY REFERRED.
           

           MR. GRAHAM: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I ALSO ASK UNANIMOUS
           CONSENT THAT THE ARTICLE TO WHICH I REFERRED FROM THE APRIL 7,
           1998, "WALL STREET JOURNAL" BE INCLUDED IN THE RECORD
           IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY REMARKS.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. GRAHAM: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD
           NOW JUST RETURN TO A STATEMENT ON ANOTHER SUBJECT, THE SUBJECT
           OF NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION EXPANSION. APPROXIMATELY
           TEN DAYS AGO, THE SENATE VOTED TO RATIFY THE ACCESSION OF
           POLAND, HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC INTO THE NORTH ATLANTIC
           TREATY ALLIANCE. I JOINED 79 OF MY COLLEAGUES IN SUPPORTING
           THIS HISTORIC MEASURE. THIS VOTE OCCURRED AT THE END OF A WEEK

           OF DEBATE IN THE SENATE ON THIS MATTER BUT IT SIGNALED THE
           BEGINNING OF AN EQUALLY IMPORTANT PROCESS, THAT OF REDOUBLING
           OUR DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO BUILD GREATER TRUST AND COOPERATION
           WITH RUSSIA. MANY WHO ARGUED AGAINST EXPANDING THE ALLIANCE DID
           SO ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT SUCH EXPANSION WOULD SOUR OUR
           RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA AND REDUCE THE CHANCES FOR PROGRESS IN
           ARMS CONTROL. I BELIEVE THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF EXPANDING NATO

           ARE STILL UNDETERMINED AND THAT THOSE CONSEQUENCES WILL DEPEND
           LARGELY ON HOW WE CONDUCT OUR RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA IN THE
           COMING YEARS. RUSSIA CURRENTLY HAS 6,680 STRATEGIC NUCLEAR
           WARHEADS, THOUSANDS OF TACTICAL WARHEADS WARHEADS, AND HUNDREDS
           OF TONS OF FISSILE MATERIAL THAT COULD BE USED TO PRODUCE
           ADDITIONAL NUCLEAR WARHEADS. ASSURING THAT THESE WEAPONS ARE
           PROPERLY CONTROLLED AND THAT FURTHER REDUCTIONS IN STRATEGIC

           WARHEADS ARE MADE IS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL NATIONAL SECURITY
           INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THAT IS WHY IT IS
           CRITICAL THAT WE TAKE GREATER STEPS TO REACH OUT TO RUSSIA AND
           TO DEMONSTRATE OUR DESIRE TO WORK WITH RUSSIANS IN A
           COOPERATIVE FASHION. MR. PRESIDENT, IN 1996, I WAS A MEMBER OF
           THE COMMISSION ON AMERICA'S NATIONAL INTERES THIS COMMISSION,

           WHICH PUBLISHED ITS REPORT IN JULY OF 1996, INCLUDED MY
           COLLEAGUES, SENATOR MCCAIN AND ROBERTS AND FORMER SENATOR NUNN
           AS WELL AS OTHER FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS. THE COMMISSION WAS
           CHARGED WITH IDENTIFYING AMERICA'S NATIONAL INTERESTS IN THE
           POST-COLD WAR ERA. THE COMMISSION SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED THE
           QUESTION OF EXPANDING NATO AND SAID -- QUOTE -- "NATO
           ENLARGEMENT IS IN THE UNITED STATES INTEREST BUT IT WILL BE
           ESSENTIAL TO MANAGE THE PROCESS IN WAYS THAT TAKE ACCOUNT OF

           RUSSIAN CONCERNS." WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN SEVERAL IMPORTANT
           STEPS, INCLUDING THE U.S.-RUSSIAN FOUNDING ACT, THE NUNN-LUGAR
           PROGRAMS, AND THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE. INDEED, U.S. AND
           RUSSIAN FORCES HAVE SERVED SIDE BY SIDE IN BOSNIA. BUT, MR.
           PRESIDENT, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO BEONE. WE MUST SEEK NEW WAYS
           TO COOPERATE AND BUILD TRUST BETWEEN OUR TWO GREAT NATIONS.
           WHAT IS NEEDED IS A SUSTAINED, CREATIVE PROGRAM TO OUTREACH, TO

           DEMONSTRATE THAT NATO EXPANSION IS NOT A HOSTILE ACT DESIGNED
           TO BUILD A NEW IRON OCCUR DANE -- CURTAIN CLOSER TO RUSSIA'S
           BORDERS. NOR WAS IT A SIGNAL THAT WE HAVE LOST INTEREST IN
           HELPING RUSSIA WORK THROUGH ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
           SOCIETAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN HISTORY. ONE SUGGESTION FOR
           CREATIVE OUT OUTREACH INVOLVES THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM, WHICH IS
           SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS Y2K. WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN A MASSIVE

           EFFORT TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE OF THE RELIABILITY OF OUR
           INFORMATION SYSTEMS AFTER THE YEAR 2000. THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
           HAS ALONE IDENTIFIED 2,800 CRITICAL SYSTEMS THAT MUST BE CURED
           BEFORE Y2K. THE RUSSIANS HAVE NOT YET DETERMINED IF THEY HAVE A
           SIMILAR PROBLEM, NOT TO MENTION THEY HAVE NOT COMMENCED THE
           PROCESS OF ATTEMPTING TO FIX IT. IT IS IN OUR INTEREST TO WORK

           WITH RUSSIA TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY THE SCOPE OF THEIR Y2K
           PROBLEM AND TO REMEDY IT. IT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL IN THE
           EXTREME TO OUR INTERESTS IF THE RUSSIANS AWOKE ON THE MORNING
           OF JANUARY 1, 2000, WITH BLANK SCREENS ON THEIR EARLY-WARNING
           RADARS AND COMMAND-AND-CONTROL SYSTEMS. WHAT COULD BE EVEN
           WORSE IS THAT IF THEIR CRITICAL SYSTEMS CONTINUED TO OPERATE
           BUT WITH FALSE AND CORRUPTED INFORMATION INFORMATION. IT IS IN
           BOTH U.S. AND RUSSIAN INTERESTS FOR US TO HAVE THE HIGHEST
           LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN OUR COMMAND-AND-CONTROL SYSTEMS AND TO

           BUILD CONFIDENCE THROUGH TRANSPARENCY AND OTHER COOPERATIVE
           MEASURES. ANOTHER AREA THAT PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR
           SUSTAINED OUT OUTREACH TO RUSSIA IS IN INTERPARLIAMENTARY
           COOPERATION COOPERATION. EACH MEMBER OF CONGRESS, REGARDLESS OF
           THEIR FEELINGS ON NATO ENLARGEMENT, SHOULD MAKE AN EFFORT TO
           REACH OUT TO OUR COUNTERPARTS IN RUSSIA TO FOSTER GREATER TRUST
           AND COOPERATION. DURING THE COLD WAR, INTERMITTENT ATTENTION
           WAS PAID TO INTERPARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS RELATIONS.

           UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE 1989, RUSSIANS BELIEVE THAT U.S. INTEREST
           IN SUCH CONTACTS HAS DWINDLED. NOW SOME EFFORTS AT
           INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION ARE UNDERWAY.
           
           I WOULD CITE TWO OF THESE: THE ASPEN INSTITUTE HAS HELD YEARLY
           MEETINGS SINCE 1994, MEETINGS THAT BRING TOGETHER U.S. AND
           RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS. SPEAKER GINGRICH HAS ESTABLISHED AN
           INITIATIVE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CONGRESSMAN KURT WELDON, TO
           REACH OUT TO THE RUSSIAN DUMA. BUT MORE SHOULD BE DONE. AND

           BECAUSE OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE ADVICE AND CONSENT ON
           TREATIES, THE SENATE HAS A SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PLAY A
           ROLE IN THIS EFFORT. WE CAN BE INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING AN
           ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE RUSSIAN DUMA WOULD SEEK TO COOPERATE
           WITH THE UNITED STATES. IN FACT, THE COMMISSION ON AMERICA'S
           NATIONAL INTEREST SPOKE OF -- QUOTE -- "DIRECT CONTACT,
           ENGAGING RUSSIA IN WAYS THAT DEMONSTRATE THE BENEFITS OF
           NONAGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR." AS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL WAYS THAT WE

           CAN PROMOTE A BENIGN RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY. THESE TYPES OF
           CONTACTS WILL ALSO SERVE TO STRENGTHEN RUSSIAN DEMOCRACY. ALL
           OF THESE ARE VERY MUCH IN THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL INTEREST.
           WHILE I SUPPORTED NATO EXPANSION, I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE
           SENATE ENTERED INTO THE DEBATE AFTER THE UNITED STATES HAD
           ALREADY COMMITTED TO EXPANDING THE ALLIANCE. THE VOTE FOR NATO
           EXPANSION IN THE SENATE WAS BIPARTISAN, BUT, IN MY JUDGMENT,

           THE SUPPORT WAS NOT VERY DEEP. MANY SENATORS, INCLUDING MYSELF
           MYSELF, FELT THAT WE WERE TOO DEEPLY COMMITTED TO REJECT
           EXPANSION. CALCULATING THE COSTS OF NONACTION AT THIS POINT
           WOULD BE GREATER THAN THE RISK OF ACTION. PREVENTING A
           REPETITION OF THIS AND IF AND WHEN THERE IS TO BE ADDITIONAL
           EXPANSION OF THE NATO ALLIANCE IS CRITICAL. A SERIOUS DIALOGUE
           MUST INVOLVE CONGRESS, THE WHITE HOUSE AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY,
           THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND THAT DIALOGUE MUST TAKE PLACE BEFORE

           COMMITMENTS ARE MADE. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WAS THE STRUCTURED
           CONSULTATIONS THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN A CONGRESS WHICH WAS
           SHIFTING IN TERMS OF ITS PARTISAN LEADERSHIP AND A DEMOCRATIC
           PRESIDENT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD
           WAR. IN FACT, SENATORS TOM CONLEY AND ARTHUR VAND ENBERG, WHO
           WERE ALTERNATELY CHAIRMAN AND RANKING MEMBER OF THE SENATE
           FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE, WERE PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN

           NEGOTIATING MANY OF THE POST-WAR TREATIES, SPENDING MUCH OF
           1946, FOR INSTANCE, NOT IN THE SENATE CHAMBERS BUT OVERSEAS
           INVOLVED IN THE DETAILED NEGOTIATION OF WHAT WAS TO BECOME THE
           FRAMEWORK OF OUR COLD WAR STRATEGY. PRESIDENT TRUMAN USED THESE
           CLOSE CONSULTATIONS TO BUILD A BIPARTISAN CONSENSUS THAT LED,
           AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC
           TREATY ORGANIZATION IN 1949 AND THE STRONG VOTE OF SUPPORT

           WHICH THAT TREATY RECEIVED FROM THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
           DIVIDED GOVERNMENT RAISES THE LEVEL OF PARTISANSHIP ON DOMESTIC
           ISSUES. AS A NATION, WE CANNOT ACCEPT SIMILAR DESTABILIZATION
           OF OUR INTERNATIONAL VALUES, GOALS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. IT
           WILL BE ON OUR ABILITY TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES THAT THE
           ULTIMATE TEST OF THE WISDOM OF OUR VOTE TO EXPAND THE NORTH
           ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION WILL BE PREDICATED. THANK YOU, MR.
           PRESIDENT.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WHO SEEKS TIME?

           A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA.
           

           MR. GRAMS: MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT I BE
           ALLOWED TO SPEAK AS IF IN MORNING BUSINESS FOR UP TO FIVE
           MINUTES.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. GRAMS: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. PRESIDENT, I WANTED TO RISE
           TODAY TO RECOGNIZE AND ALSO TO HELP CELEBRATE THE 140TH
           ANNIVERSARY OF MY HOME STATE OF MINNESOTA'S ADMISSION INTO THE
           UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. NOW, LET ME BEGIN, MR. PRESIDENT, BY
           QUOTING JAMES HILL, THE FOUNDER OF GREAT NORTHERN RAILROAD AND
           ONE OF MINNESOTA'S TRUE PIONEERS. IT IS SAID THAT MR. HILL
           PROCLAIMED HIS REASONS FOR LIVING AND WORKING IN MINNESOTA BY
           SAYING, "YOU CAN'T INTEREST ME IN ANY PROPOSITION IN ANY PLACE
           WHERE IT DOESN'T SNOW." WELL, MINNESOTA HAS NEVER HAD A
           SHORTAGE OF SNOW, WHICH, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK AND JUST HOW

           MANY MONTHS THE WINTER HAS LINGERED, IS CONSIDERED EITHER A
           BLESSING OR A CURSE. BUT EVEN MR. HILL RECOGNIZED THAT SNOW IS
           JUST ONE OF MINNESOTA'S MANY RICHES. EVER SINCE WORD BEGAN TO
           SPREAD LAST CENTURY ABOUT A NORTHERN LAND OF PROMISE AND
           PROSPERITY, A LAND WITH ABUNDANT NATURAL RESOURCES AND
           INDESCRIBABLE BEAUTY, PEOPLE HAVE TRAVELED TO MINNESOTA TO
           LIVE, TO WORK AND TO PROSPER. AND DURING ITS 140 YEARS OF
           STATEHOOD, MINNESOTA HAS PRODUCED SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S BEST
           AND BRIGHTEST, MAKING IT A WORLD LEADER IN AGRICULTURE,

           TECHNOLOGY, MEDICINE AND IN BUSINESS. ALONG THE WAY,
           MINNESOTANS HAVE ENDURED COLD WINTERS, HOT SUMMERS, FLOODS,
           TORNADOES AND ANY OTHER NATURAL DISASTER MOTHER NATURE HAS
           THROWN HER WAY. AND AT NO TIME HAS THE RESOLVE 6 OUR PEOPLE
           BEEN MORE TESTED THAN WITH THE NATURAL DISASTERS THAT HAVE
           PLAGUED OUR STATE DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS. LAST SPRING, THE
           PEOPLE OF NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA WERE HIT WITH THE WORST
           FLOODING IN OUR STATE'S HISTORY. EARLIER THIS SPRING, THE
           RESIDENTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA LIVED THROUGH ONE OF THE
           LARGEST TORNADOES EVER TO HIT OUR STATE. YET IN BOTH CASES,

           MINNESOTANS WORKED TOGETHER TO REBUILD AND TO RECOVER. OUR --
           AND MINNESOTA IS STRONGER FOR THOSE EFFORTS. YOU KNOW,
           STRANGERS THAT LABELED THAT WILLINGNESS TO STEP FORWARD AND
           HELP ONE ANOTHER AS "MINNESOTA NICE." WE THINK THAT IT'S JUST
           THE WAY THINGS OUGHT TO BE.
{END: 1998/05/11 TIME: 18-30 , Mon.  105TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}