THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: THE SENATE WILL COME TO ORDER.
           TODAY'S PRAYER WILL BE OFFERED BY OUR GUEST CHAPLAIN, THE MOST
           REVEREND ROGER KAFFER, AUXILIARY BISHOP, JOLIET, ILLINOIS. WE
           ARE GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US
           
           GUEST CHAPLAIN: THANK YOU. LET US PRAY. GOD BLESS OUR SENATORS,
           LEADERS WE LOVE. STAND BESIDE THEM AND GUIDE THEM DAY BE NIGHT
           WITH YOUR LIGHT FROM ABOVE. FROM RHODE ISLAND TO NEVADA, TO THE

           ROCKIES WHITE WITH SNOW, GOD HELP OUR SENATORS, YOUR WILL TO
           KNOW. GOD HELP OUR SENATORS IN WISDOM GROW. GOD BLESS OUR
           SENATORS, WOMEN AND MEN GIVE THEM COURAGE AND PATIENCE TO SHARE
           INSIGHTS AGAIN AND AGAIN. FATHER, NO ONE HAS ALL ANSWERS, BUT
           TOGETHER HELP THEM FIND, ANSWERS THAT COME FROM YOU TO THOSE

           NOT BLIND. IN GOD WE TRUST AND PRAY, TEACH US YOUR MIND. LIFE,
           JUSTICE, LIBERTY, HAPPINESS, TOO, FOUNDING FATHERS HAVE TAUGHT
           US, GOD ENDOWED THESE ARE OURS TO PURSUE. WHEN OUR SENATE MEETS
           IN SESSION TO DETERMINE WHAT IS BEST, GOD BLESS OUR SENATORS IN
           TRUTH'S GREAT QUEST, GOD BLESS OUR SENATORS NORTH, SOUTH, EAST,
           WEST. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF

           THE SON AND OF THE HOLLY SPIRIT, AMEN.
           

           THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: SENATOR FITZGERALD IS NOW DESIGNATED
           TO LEAD THE SENATE IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
           
           MR. FITZGERALD:I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED
           STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE
           NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR
           ALL.
           

           THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: THANK YOU, VERY MUCH.
           

           MR. FITZGERALD: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS.
           

           MR. FITZGERALD: MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR A
           COUPLE OF MOMENTS ABOUT BISHOP ROGER KAFFER FROM JOLIET,
           ILLINOIS, WHO JUST GAVE THE OPENING PRAYER THIS MORNING. BISHOP
           KAFFER IS AN OLD FRIEND OF MY FAMILY. IN FACT HE WENT TO GRADE
           SCHOOL AND TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH MY MOTHER BACK IN JOLIET,
           ILLINOIS, WENT TO SAINT RAYMOND'S GRADE SCHOOL IN JOLIET

           TOWNSHIP. HE IS NOW THE AUXILLARY BISHOP IN THE JOLIET DIOCESE
           OUTSIDE OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND I WANTED TO THANK HIM FOR HIS
           PRAYER AND WELCOME HIM TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE. THANK YOU,
           BISHOP, WE APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. A

           SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM MISSOURI.
           

           MR. ASHCROFT: MR. PRESIDENT, TODAY THE SENATE WILL BE IN A
           PERIOD OF MORNING BUSINESS UNTIL THE SENATE RECESSES FOR THE
           WEEKLY PARTY CONFERENCE
           
           LUNCHES FROM 12:30 UNTIL 2:15 P.M. WHEN THE SENATE RECONVENES
           IT WILL BEGIN CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5, THE SOCIAL SECURITY
           EARNINGS LEGISLATION. UNDER A PREVIOUS AGREEMENT, THERE WILL BE
           APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS OF DEBATE WITH THREE AMENDMENTS IN
           ORDER TO THE BILL. ANY NECESSARY VOTES ON THOSE AMENDMENTS WILL
           OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON WITH A VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE TO OCCUR ON

           WEDNESDAY MORNING. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK THE SENATE MAY
           BEGIN CONSIDERATION OF THE CROP INSURANCE LEGISLATION OR ANY
           OTHER LEGISLATIVE OR EXECUTIVE CANDAR ITEMS AVAILABLE FOR
           ACTION. I THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR ATTENTION. MR. REID:
           MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM NEVADA.
           

           MR. REID: MR. PRESIDENT, I KNOW THE SENATOR FROM MISSOURI WANTS
           TO SPEAK AS IF IN MORNING BUSINESS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE
           ARE READY TO PROCEED ON THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN OUTLINED. WE
           ARE ANXIOUS TO GET TO THE EARNINGS LIMIT WITHDRAWAL AS FAR AS
           SOCIAL SECURITY. ALSO, MR. PRESIDENT, WE ARE ANXIOUS TO LOOK
           FORWARD TO THE BUDGET DEBATE WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE, WE HOPE,
           NEXT WEEK. AND WE WOULD HOPE THAT WE KEEP OUR EYES EYE ON THE
           PRIZE AND THAT IS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE $5 TRILLION DEBT
           THAT IS ACCUMULATED RECOGNIZING THAT IS FOR EVERYBODY IN
           AMERICA, A TAX CUT.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER THE LEADERSHIP
           TIME IS RESERVED AND THERE WILL NOW BE A PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE
           TRANSACTION OF MORNING BUSINESS NOT TO EXTEND
           
           BEYOND THE HOUR OF 12:30 P.M. WITH SENATORS PERMITTED TO SPEAK
           FOR UP TO TEN MINUTES EACH. ALSO UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER THE
           SENATOR FROM MISSOURI, MR. ASHCROFT, IS NOW RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK
           FOR UP TO 15 MINUTES. THE SENATOR FROM MISSOURI.
           

           MR. ASHCROFT: MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS HAS BEEN
           NOTICED, WE WILL BE DEALING TODAY WITH THE REPEAL OF THE SOCIAL
           SECURITY EARNINGS LIMIT. THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH I THINK
           INDIVIDUALS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE -- IT IS THE KIND OF
           THING THAT WE ARE EAGER TO DEAL WITH. WHAT IS THE EARNINGS
           LIMIT?
           THE EARNINGS LIMIT IS SIMPLY A WAY OF SAYING THAT FOR CITIZENS
           BETWEEN 65 AND 70 YEARS OF AGE, THEY, IF THEY EARN OVER A

           MODEST AMOUNT OF MONEY WHEN THEY EARN OUTSIDE INCOME BY
           WORKING, THE GOVERNMENT DUCTS FROM THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY $1 FOR
           EVERY $3 THEY EARN. THAT IS FOR EVERY -- FOR EVERY DOLLAR OVER
           $17,000, THE GOVERNMENT REDUCES THE BENEFITS $1 FOR EVERY $3 OF
           EARNING. THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
           WHO ARE BETWEEN 65 AND 70 YEARS OF AGE, WANT  BE ABLE TO
           SUSTAIN THEMSELVES, WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEIR FAMILIES,

           WANT TO BE ABLE TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT AND NOT DEPENDENT ON
           GOVERNMENT, AND YET GOVERNMENT HAS THIS RATHER ON HUSBAND
           DISCRIMINATORY -- ONEROUS DISCRIMINATORY EFFECT ON THEIR WORK
           HABITS. WE SAY IF YOU MAKE MONEY, WE WILL TAKE AWAY MONEY YOU
           PREVIOUSLY EARNED AS A SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT. IT IS A
           MISGUIDED, OUTDATED RELIC OF A TIME WHEN JOBS WERE SCARCE,

           UNEMPLOYMENT WAS HIGH, WHEN PEOPLE DID NOT LIVE AS LONG AND
           HEALTHY A LIFE AS THEY DO TODAY, AND IT IS CLEARLY A
           DISINCENTIVE FOR SENIOR TOSS WORK. BY TELLING SENIORS THAT IF
           YOU WORK HARD AND YOU EARN MONEY, WE WILL JUST TAKE IT AWAY
           FROM YOU, OR WE WILL DEDUCT IT FROM YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY, WE
           REALLY ARE SAYING TO SENIORS, "SENIORS NEED NOT APPLY, SENIORS
           NEED NOT ASPIRE TO A BETTER LIFE, SENIORS NEED NOT EXPECT TO

           REMAIN INDEPENDENT" -- ALL OF THOSE ARE THE WRONG STATEMENTS TO
           BE MAKING TO OUR SENIORS. THERE ARE A GREAT NUMBER OF SENIORS
           WHO ARE WORKING ANYHOW AND PAYING A PENALTY FOR WORKING. AND IT
           SEEMS STRANGE THAT IN A COUNTRY THAT NEE WORKERS, WE ARE ASKING
           PEOPLE TO PAY A HIGH PENALTY FOR WORKING. 1.2 MILLION WORKING
           SENIORS ARE PENALIZED NOW. 17,523 WORKING SENIORS IN MISSOURI
           SUFFER LOSSES IN THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY AS A RESULT OF THEIR

           INDUSTRY AND AS A RESULT OF THEIR WILLINGNESS TO WORK. BUT THE
           ACTUAL NUMBER OF SENIORS THAT IS AFFECTED BY THIS PERNICIOUS
           IDEA OF DISCRIMINATING AGAINST SENIORS IN THE WORKPLACE, IS
           MUCH GREATER THAN THIS 1.2 MILLION NATIONWIDE OR 17,523 IN THE
           STATE OF MISSOURI. BECAUSE THERE ARE MILLIONS OF SENIOR WHO IS
           CHOOSE NOT TO WORK, OR CHOOSE TO WORK ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT
           BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WILL

           ERODE OR UNDERCUT, UNDERMINE, DIMINISH THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY
           INCOME. NOW KEEPING SENIORS OUT OF OUR WORKFORCE HAS A SERIOUS
           CONSEQUENCE. IT IS AGAINST OUR BEST INTEREST TO REMOVE THE
           KINDS OF THINGS THAT THE SENIORS DO BRING TO THE WORKFORCE.
           THEY ARE GREAT WORKERS. THEY ARE SKILLED WORKERS. THEY ARE
           WORKERS OF VALUE AND EXPERIENCE. CURRENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF
           4% INDICATES TO US THAT WE NEED SKILLED AND EXPERIENCED

           WORKERS. SENIORS ARE HIGHLY VALUABLE MEMBERS OF THE WORKFORCE.
           THEIR CONTINUING CONTRIBUTIONS ARE CRUCIAL. THE ONLY LIMIT TO
           WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER IS THE EARNINGS LIMIT AND WE SHOULD NOT
           LIMIT WHAT GOOD PEOPLE CAN OFFER TO THIS COUNTRY. NOW, I HAVE
           SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN MY HOME STATE OF MISSOURI TALKING
           WITH CONSTITUENTS, AND THERE ARE REFER LIFE EXAMPLES. BEVERLY
           PACKS TON FROM BELLTON, MISSOURI, WHO REPRESENTS THE GREEN
           THUMB ORGANIZATION, SAYS HUNDREDS OF SENIORS WOULD BE EAGER TO

           WORK OUT THE ERX TEST. FURTHERMORE SOME DON'T TRY TO WORK FOR
           FEAR THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MIGHT TAKE BENEFITS
           AWAY. SENIORS DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO VISIT A C.P.A. TO FIND OUT
           IF THEY GO TO WORK IF THEY WILL LOSE BENEFITS OR BE TAXED AT
           SUCH A HIGH RATE THAT WORKING WILL ACTUALLY END UP COSTING
{END: 2000/03/21 TIME: 10-15 , Tue.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}