THIS FLOOR DAY IN AND DAY OUT TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS
           TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR PEOPLE. AND THAT IS WHAT
           WE TO AND THE REPUBLICANS -- THE ONLY THING THEY DO, THEY TAKE
           CARE OF THE WEALTHY. YES, THEY TAKE CARE OF SOME OF SOCIAL
           SECURITY, BUT IN THE SECOND FIVE YEARS, THEY ARE DIPPING INTO
           THAT POT, TOO. SO, DOES MY FRIEND AGREE WITH THE SORT OF WRAP
           UP THAT I HAVE GIVEN OF HIS REMARKS?
           ARE WE ON THE SAME PAGE HERE?
           AND IN CONCLUSION, DOES HE FEEL THAT OUR PLAN MEETS THE NEEDS

           OF OUR PEOPLE AND THEIR PLAN IS RISKY, IT IS FRIGHTENING, IT
           MAYS OFF THE WEALTHY, AND IT DOES NOTHING FOR OUR OTHER NEEDS?
           
           

           MR. DURBIN: I AGREE WITH THE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA, AND I
           WILL SAY THIS ONLY ONE MORE TIME ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE BUT
           SHE MAY HAVE MISSED YEARLY E. EARLIER WHEN I CHARACTERIZED THIS
           WHOLE DISCUSSION OF THE LOCKBOX, THERE IS THIS PROPOSAL THAT
           COMES FORWARD HERE THAT WE CREATE A LOCKBOX FOR SOCIAL SECURITY
           AND MEDICARE. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN'T GET YOUR HANDS HON IT
           IF YOU WANT TO CREATE A NEW PROGRAM OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, IT
           WILL BE SEPARATE, LOCKED, AWAY FROM THE GRASPING HANDS OF ANY
           POLITICAL LEADERS. SO THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE DEBATE WILL HERE

           HEAR THIS LOCKBOX, LOCKBOX, LOCKBOX, BUT AS WE LOOK CAREFULLY
           AT THE REPUBLICAN PROPOSALS, THEY REACH INTO THE LOCKBOX IN THE
           YEAR 2005, AND START TAKING MONEY OUT FOR TAX BREAKS FOR
           WEALTHY PEOPLE. SO I SAID ON THE FLOOR EARLIER THAT POINT IT IS
           NOT A LOCKBOX, IT IS A LOX-BOX BECAUSE IT SMELLS FISHY. THIS IS
           NO LOCKBOX IF YOU CAN REACH IN AND GRAB IT. THAT'S WHAT WE FACE
           WITH THE REPUBLICAN TAX BREAK PROPOSAL. I WOULD SAY TO THE
           SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA AND I AM SURE FEDERAL KA SOUTH CAROLINA

           WHO THE ACCLAIMED EXPERT AND RECOGNIZED EXPERT WHEN IT COMES TO
           BUDGET ON THIS FLOOR AND WE ARE ANXIOUS TO HEAR HIS COMMENTS
           AND CONTRIBUTION, THAT THE OTHER THING THAT IS INTERESTING IS
           THE REPUBLICAN TAX BREAK PLAN IS BASED ON THE THEORY THAT WE
           ARE GOING TO STICK WITH SPENDING CAPS FOREVER. WE ARE GOING TO
           KEEP LIMITATIONS ON SPENDING AND APPROPRIATIONS FOREVER. AND
           WITH THOSE LIMITATIONS THE SURPLUS GROWS, THEY GIVE IT AWAY IN
           TAX BREAKS PRIMARILY TO WEALTHY PEOPLE. BUT LOOK AT WHAT'S
           HAPPENING AROUND HERE. THE SO-CALLED CAPS ARE BEING BREACHED

           AND BROKEN EVEN AS WE SPEAK. THEY CAME UP LAST WEEK AND SAID,
           WHAT A SURPRISE, IT TURNS OUT WE HAVE TO TAKE A CENSUS IN
           AMERICA EVERY TEN YEARS. THAT IS AN EMERGENCY. AN UNANTICIPATED
           EVENT. A CENSUS?
           AN UNANTICIPATED EVENT?
           WHY, WE HAVE BEEN TAKE TAKING -- WE HAVE BEEN TAKING THE CENSUS
           FOR CENTURIES -- MAYBE NOT THAT LONG, BUT AT LEAST FOR A LONG
           TIME. NOW THEY ARE CALLING THE CENSUS AN EMERGENCY SO THEY CAN
           GO AROU THE CAPS AND SPEND THE MONEY. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IN

           THE LAST FEW HOURS THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DECIDED
           SPENDING FOR VETERANS' HOSPITALS IS AN EMERGENCY. THEREFORE WE
           WILL GO AROUND THE CAPS. FRANKLY, FUNDING THE CENSUS AND
           FUNDING VETERAN'S HOSPITAL WOULD BE HIGH ON THE LIST HERE, BUT
           TO CALL THIS AN UNANTICIPATED EMERGENCY, MOST OF THE MEN AND
           WOMEN IN THOSE HOSPITALS SERVED US IN OUR COUNTRY AND IN KOREA
           AND WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND THE GENERAL STATE OF THEIR HEALTH,
           AND IT IS PREDICTABLE THEY WOULD NEED HELP AT HOSPITALS, IT IS
           NOT AN UNANTICIPATED EMERGENCY. WE ARE DEALING IN IF I CAN

           SHUNS. WE ARE DEALING IN DOUBLE TALK IN AN EFFORT -- FIXES. WE
           ARE DEALING IN DOUBLE-TALK TO GET AROUND THE CAPS. IT IS A
           PREMISE THAT WE ARE STICKING TO CAPS FOREVER. THEY ARE
           VIOLATING THEIR PREMISE EVEN AS THEY OFFER THIS TAX BREAK
           PROPOSAL. THE LAST POINT I WILL MAKE TO THE SENATOR FROM
           CALIFORNIA IS SHE REALLY ADDRESSES, I THINK, ONE OF THE BASICS.
           THERE WERE MANY ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE WHO BELIEVED THAT
           FRANKLY GOVERNMENT JUST GETS IN THE WAY OF A GOOD LIFE FOR
           AMERICANS. I DISAGREE. I THINK IN MANY RESPECTS GOVERNMENT IS
           IMPORTANT TO A GOOD LIFE FOR MANY AMERICANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

           FEDERAL CALIFORNIA AND THE SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS CAN CERTAINLY
           AGREE ON THE ISSUE OF TRANSPORTATI. IN CHICAGO, WHICH I AM
           HONORED TO REPRESENT, VIRTUALLY ANY RADIO STATION YOU TURN ON
           WILL TELL YOU EVERY TEN MINUTES THE STATE OF TRAFFIC ON THE
           MAJOR EXPRESS WAYS AROUND CHICAGO. I AM SURE STROFM CALIFORNIA
           CAN TELL THE SAME STORY -- I AM SURE THE SENATOR FROM
           CALIFORNIA CAN TELL THE SAME STORY. AND IT IS GETTING WORSE.
           MORE DELAYS, MORE COMPROMISING OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE. WE DON'T

           WANT TO STEP AWAY FROM  FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION TO TRANSPORTATION,
           AND IF WE MOVE DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE REPUBLICANS IT WOULD
           JEOPARDIZE IT. THE SAME IS TRUE WITH CRIME. I WOULD SAY IT
           RANKS IN THE TOP THREE OF ISSUES PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT. THE "COPS"
           PROGRAM WE SUPPORTED WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON, CREATED 100,000
           NEW POLICE, THAT BROUGHT DOWN THE CRIME RATE IN AMERICA, WE
           WANT TO CONTINUE OUR COMMITMENT TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO MAKE
           OUR SCHOOLS AND STREETS SAFER AROUND THE NATION. FINALLY,
           EDUCATION, AND I AM GLAD THE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA NOTED

           THIS. THE FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION IS SMALL COMPARED
           TO STATE SPENDING. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT. WE HAVE SHOWN
           LEADERSHIP IN THE PAST AND CAN IN THE FUTURE. IT TROUBLES ME TO
           THINK WE ARE AT A POINT IN OUR HISTORY WHERE IF NO LAW IS
           CHANGED AND EVERYTHING CONTINUES AS ANTICIPATED, WE WILL NEED
           TO BUILD ON A WEEKLY BASIS FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS -- THAT'S
           ONCE EVERY WEEK FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS -- A NEW 1,000 BED
           PRISON EVERY SINGLE WEEK FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS, BECAUSE OF THE

           ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN INCARCERATION. I THINK DANGEROUS PEOPLE
           SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE STREET AND OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND
           YOURS. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT AMERICANS ARE GENETICALLY
           INCLINED TO BE VIOLENT CRIMINALS. I THINK THAT THERE ARE THINGS
           THAT WE CAN DO TO INTERVENE IN LIVES, PARTICULARLY ALBERTAN
           EARLY STAGE, TO MAKE KIDS BETTER STUDENTS, AND ULTIMATELY
           BETTER -- -- AT AN EARLY STAGE. TO MAKE KIDS BETTER STUDENTS,
           AND ULTIMATELY BETTER ADULTS. WE DON'T WANT TO STEP BACK FROM

           OUR COMMITMENT. THAT IS SHORT-SIGHTED. WE WILL PAY FOR IT FOR
           DECADES TO COME. THIS DEBATE, PEOPLE SAY, IS ABOUT A TAX BREAK.
           IT IS ABOUT A LOT MORE. WILL THE ECONOMY MOVE FORWARD?
           WILL WE MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS SO THE NEXT GENERATION OF
           AMERICANS IS NOT BURDENED WITH PAYING INTEREST ON OUR OLD DEBT?
           WILL WE MAKE GOOD ON OUR COMMITMENT TO AMERICAN FAMILIES WHEN
           IT COMES TO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS INVOLVING TRANSPORTATION,
           CRIME, EDUCATION, BE THE QUALITY OF LIFE?
           
           

           MRS. BOXER: WILL MY FRIEND YIELD TO ME?
           
           

           MR. DURBIN: HAPPY TO YIELD TO THE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA FOR A
           QUESTION.
           

           MRS. BOXER: THANK YOU. I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT AN
           ISSUE WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ON YEARS. IT TAKES US BACK TO
           WHEN WE WERE IN THE HOUSE TOGETHER. WE SERVED THERE TOGETHER
           FOR TEN YEARS. AND THAT IS THE ISSUE OF HEALTH RESEARCH. RIGHT
           NOW, ONLY ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED
           IS ACTUALLY BEING FUNDED. SO IS THAT MEANS THAT CURES FOR
           CANCER, PARKINSON'S, AIDS, HEART DISEASE, STROKE, YOU NAME IT,

           THE BIGGEST KILLERS, WE ARE NOT FINDING CURES. HERE, IN OTHER
           WORDS, LET ME REPEAT WE HAVE THREE GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN
           APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES FOR HEALTH BECAUSE THEY ARE
           VERY PROMISING. SOME SCIENTIST HAS A THEORY ON HOW TO CURE
           LET'S SAY PROSTATE CANCER OR BREAST CANCER, AND HE CAN'T GET IT
           FUNDED. SO I SAY TO MY FRIEND AS HE GOES THROUGH THIS LIST, AND
           THIS WILL BE MY FINAL QUESTION, AND AS HE GOES THROUGH THE
           REPUBLICAN PLAN WHICH LEAVES VIRTUALLY ZERO ROOM -- ZERO ROOM

           -- AS I READ IT, FOR INCREASES IN THIS KIND OF BASIC SPENDING,
           DOES HE NOT THINK THAT WE ARE SHORTCHANGING AMERICA'S FAMILIES?
           BECAUSE WHEN I TALK TO THEM THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE SCARED OF MOST?
           
           

           MR. DURBIN: I THANK THE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA FOR HER
           OBSERVATION. YES, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE BOTH ON THE HOUSE
           BUDGET COMMITTEE, THERE WAS A YEAR WE WORKED TOGETHER ON
           MEDICAL RESEARCH AND INCREASED THE FUNDING FOR T ONE OF MY
           PROUDER MOMENTS SERVING ON CAPITOL HILL. AND I HAVE FOUND AS I
           HAVE GONE ACROSS ILLINOIS AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, THAT
           VIRTUALLY EVERY AMERICAN FAMILY AGREES THAT THIS IS AN
           APPROPRIATE THING FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO. TO INITIATE
           AND SPONSOR MEDICAL RESEARCH. A FAMILY NEVER FEELS MORE

           HELPLESS THAN WHEN DISEASE STRIKES SOMEONE THAT THEY LOVE. THEY
           PRAY TO GOD THAT PERSON WILL SURVIVE. THAT THEY FIND THE VERY
           BEST DOCTORS. AND IN THE BACK OF THEIR MIND TH ARE HOPING, JUST
           PLAYING, THAT SOMEWHERE, SOMEONE IS DEVELOPING A DRUG OR SOME
           TREATMENT THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND THAT SOMEWHERE IS
           MANY TIMES THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, RIGHT HERE IN
           WASHINGTON, D.C. IN THE MARYLAND SUBURBS NEARBY. AND IF WE TAKE
           THE REPUBLICAN APPROACH OF CUTTING DRAMA -- DRAMATICALLY
           CUTTING THE FEDERAL BUDGET IN YEARS TO COME FOR A TAX BREAK FOR

           WEALTHY PEOPLE, WE JEOPARDIZE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE N.I.H.,
           THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES FOR HEALTH, WILL HAVE MONEY FOR THIS
           MEDICAL RESEARCH. THAT IS SO SHORT-SIGHTED. IT IS NOT ONLY
           EXPENSIVE TO CONTINUE PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE TO PEOPLE THAT ARE
           DISEASED AND ILL, BUT FRANKLY IT IS INHUMANE FOR US TO TURN OUR
           BACKS ON THE FACT THAT SO MANY FAMILIES NEED A HELPING HAND.
           AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT BEFORE THIS DEBATE ENDS, THAT WE ARE
           ABLE TO BRING OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES AROUND TO THE POINT OF
           VIEW WHERE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPENDING ON

           THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, IT IS FOR THE BASICS. TRANSPORTATION,
           FIGHTING CRIME, HELPING EDUCATION, AND MEDICAL RESEARCH. AND I
           WOULD TAKE THAT OUT IN A REFERENDUM ACROSS THIS LAND. YOU PICK
           THE STATE OR CITY. I THINK THAT'S A SENSIBLE WAY TO GO. MR.
           PRESIDENT, I YIELD BACK THE PAL OF MY TIME. MR. HOLLINGS:
           ELEMENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE SENATOR FROM
           SOUTH CAROLINA.
           

           MR. HOLLINGS: I ASK THE DISTINGUISHED CHAIR IF I COULD PROCEED
           AS IF IN MORNING BUSINESS FOR TEN MINUTES?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WE ARE IN A PERIOD OF MORNING BUSINESS.
           TIME EQUALLY DIVIDED. 21 MINUTES 29 SECONDS REMAINING FOR YOUR
           SIDE.
           

           MR. HOLLINGS: VERY GOOD. I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT. I REALLY
           APPRECIATE THE SIGNIFICANCE AND EMPHASIS THAT THE DISTINGUISHED
           SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS AND DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA
           HERE ARE EXCHANGING ON THE FLOOR ABOUT THE REALITIES OF THE
           BUDGET. MR. PRESIDENT, SOME YEARS AGO THERE WAS THIS DEBATE
           BETWEEN WALTERLY MAN AND THE FAMOUS EDUCATOR JOHN DEWEY --
           WALTERLY MAN AND THE FAMOUS EDUCATOR -- WALTER LIT MAN AND THE

           FAMOUS EDUCATOR JOHN DEWEY. AND MR. LIPPMA SAID THE WAY TO
           MAINTAIN A STRONG DEMOCRACY WAS TO GET THE BEST OF MINDS AND
           VARIOUS DISCIPLINES, COUNTRY WIDE, WHETHER IN EDUCATION,
           HOUSING, FOREIGN RELATIONS, FINANCIAL OR FISCAL POLICY OR
           OTHERWISE, LET THEM MEET AROUND THE TABLE, DETERMINE THE NEEDS
           OF THE NATION AND THE POLICY THERE OFF TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE
           NEEDS, GIVE IT TO THE POLITICIANS, GIVE IT TO THE CONGRESS, AND
           LET THEM ENACT IT. AND IT WAS JOHN DEWEY'S CONTENTION, NO, HE

           SAID, WHAT WE NEED IS THE FREE PRESS TO TELL THE AMERICAN
           PEOPLE THE TRUTH. AND THESE TRUTHS WOULD BE REFLECTED THROUGH
           THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ON THE FLOOR OF THE NATIONAL CONGRESS.
           AND THE DEMOCRACY WOULD CONTINUE STRONG. FOR 200-SOME YEARS NOW
           WE HAVE HAD THAT FREE PRESS, REPORTING THOSE TRUTHS, BUT
           UNFORTUNATELY, UNTIL THIS MORNING -- UNTIL THIS MORNING, MR.

           PRESIDENT -- THEY HAVE BEEN COCONSPIRATORS, SO TO SPEAK, IN
           THAT THEY HAVE JOINED IN CALLING SPENDING INCREASES, SPENDING
           CUTS, AND DEFICITS, SURPLUSES. BUT U REKA! U REKA! -- EUREKA! I
           PICKED UP THE POST THIS MORNING, THE FRONT PAGE, THE HEADLINE,
           THEY TALKED ABOUT THE SHENANIGANS OF EMERGENCY SPENDING, AND

           CALLING UP THE C.B.O. WITH DIFFERENT ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS,
           FINDING $10 BILLION. JUST GO TO THE PHONE, IF YOU ARE CHAIRMAN
           OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, CALL UP MR. CRIPPEN OVER AT THE
           CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE AND SAY WAIT A MINUTE, THOSE
           ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS WE USED IN THE BUDGET RESOLUTION ARE --
           I'VE GOT DIFFERENT ONES. AND THEREFORE, GIVE ME $10 BILLION
           MORE. YOU KNOW, IT IS LIKE CALLING UP A RICH UNCLE. THAT IS NOW

           BEING EXPOSED. AND "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL", OF ALL THINGS, IS
           TALKING ON THE FRONT PAGE, THE FRONT LITTLE MIDDLE SECTION
           TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES, IS
           TALKING ABOUT DOUBLE ACCOUNTING, AND HOW THEY GIVE THEM CREDIT
           FOR THE SAVING THE MONEY AND SPENDING IT AT THE SAME TIME, AND
           THAT IS HAS WHOLE COLUMN STORY BY OUR FRIEND DAVID ROGERS ON

           THE BACK PAGE, PAGE 24. SO EUREKA I FOUND IT. WE ARE STARTING
           TO BREAK THROUGH AND SPEAKING THE TRUTES. I KNOW THE PRESIDENT
           OF THE CHAIR IS ACCURATE ACCOUNTING. THE TULING FACT IS THAT WE
           ARE RUNNING A DEFICIT. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE SAYS $103
           BILLION THIS YEAR THAT ENDS WITH AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, JUST TWO
           MORE MONTHS AFTER THIS JULY, AND WE WILL HAVE SPENT $103

           BILLION MORE THAN WE TAKE IN, NAMELY A DEFICIT. AND SO, MR.
           PRESIDENT, WHEN YOU HEAR ALL OF THIS JARGON AND PLANS ABOUT
           SURPLUSES AND HOW THEY FIND THEM AND WHATEVER ELSE, YOU GO TO
           THE BOOKS AND YOU TURN TO THEIR REPORTS AND YOU SAY WAIT A
           MINUTE NOW, THE PRESIDENT CAME OUT AND HIS DOCUMENT HERE, THE
           C.B.O. REPORT, AND I HOLD IT IN MY HAND, "MID-SESSION
{END: 1999/07/27 TIME: 11-30 , Tue.  106TH SENATE, FIRST SESSION}