INSTEAD OF $300,000. MR. PRESIDENT, I THANK THE CHAIR AND YIELD

           THE FLOOR. A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA.
           

           MR. WELLSTONE: MR. PRESIDENT, LET ME THANK YOU MY COLLEAGUES. I
           THANK SENATOR LEVIN FOR HIS REMARKS. I THANK HIM FOR HIS JUST
           UNBELIEVABLE DEDICATION TO TRYING TO PUSH THROUGH REFORM
           LEGISLATION. I MEAN HE HAS BEEN AT THIS A LONG TIME. THIS IS
           THE TIME TO DO IT. I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE. WE HAVE AN
           OPPORTUNITY -- WE HAVE A BILL THAT WAS PASSED ON THE HOUSE
           SIDE, A BIPARTISAN MEASURE, A PUBLIC CALLING FOR THE CHANGE, I
           AGREE NOW, SENATOR LEVIN NOW IS THE TIME TO PASS THE LEGISLATE

           ACTION. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE SENATOR MCCAIN FROM
           ARIZONA AND SENATOR FEINGOLD, A DEMOCRAT FROM WISCONSIN. I HAVE
           A SPECIAL KIND OF A FEGS TOWARD BOTH MY COLLEAGUES. I THINK
           SENATOR MCCAIN IS PRINCIPLED. HE SPEAKS OUT FOR WHAT HE
           BELIEVES IN. HE IS A COURAGEOUS LEGISLATOR, AND I THINK SENATOR
           FEINGOLD HAS EMERGED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE AS BEING
           A LEADING REFORMER. HE IS NAY EIGHBOR, I AM A SENATOR FROM
           MINNESOTA, A SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT

           PEOPLE FROM MINNESOTA WHO FOLLOW RUSS FEINGOLD'S WORK HAVE A
           TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT FOR HIM. I AM HAND ORDER TO BE AN
           -- HONORED TO BE AN ORIGINAL COSPONSOR OF THIS LEGISLATION. I
           DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO GET STARTED. IT IS INTERESTING,
           BARRY GOLDWATER, SENATOR GOLD WATER WHO TELLS IT LIKE IT IS, I
           WENT TO SENATOR GOLDWATER SERVICE IN ARIZONA NOT BECAUSE I WAS

           NECESSARILY IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM ON ALL THE ISSUES -- AS A
           MATTER OF FACT SOME OF MY GOOD FRIENDS, REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES
           WHO WERE ON THE PLANE WITH ME KEPT GIVING ME BARRY GOLDWATER'S
           BOOK, "CONSCIENCE OF A CONSERVATIVE," TELLING ME IF I READ THAT
           BOOK WHEN 15 WORK GOING DOWN THE RIGHT PATH. I TOLD THEM I DID
           READ THE BOOK WHEN I WAS 15, I JUST REACHED DIFFERENT
           CONCLUSIONS. SENATOR GOLDWATER SAID A DECADE AGO "THE FACT THAT
           LIBERTY DEPENDED ON HONEST ELECTIONS WAS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE

           TO THE FOUNDERS OF OUR NATION THAT WROTE THE CONSTITUTION. THEN
           KNEW CORRUPTION DESTROYED CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY. AN
           INDEPENDENT NATURE FREE FROM ANY INFLUENCE OTHER THAN THAT OF
           THE PEOPLE. APPLYING THESE PRINCIPLES TO MODERN TIMES WE CAN
           MAKE THE
           
           FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS: TO BE SUCCESSFUL, REPRESENTATIVE
           GOVERNMENT ASSUMES ELECTIONS WILL BE CONTROLLED BY THE
           CITIZENRY AT LARGE, NOT BY THOSE WHO GIVE THE MOST MONEY.
           ELECTIONS -- ELECT TORS MUST BELIEVE THEIR VOTE COUNTS. ELECTED
           OFFICIALS MUST OWE THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE PEOPLE, NOT TO THEIR

           OWN WEALTH OR TO THE WEALTH OF THE INTEREST GROUPS WHO SPEAK
           ONLY FOR THE SELFISH PHARYNX OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY." YOU KNOW,
           LET ME JUST START OUT WITH SOME EXAMPLES. I WAS INVOLVED IN
           DEBATE ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE LAST WEEK WHICH WAS
           EMOTIONAL. I MEAN IT WAS KIND OF A HEART-RENDING. YOU HAD A
           SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING ACTUALLY WHERE SOME OF
           OUR CITIZENS ARE SITTING TODAY, AND THEY WERE FROM SIERRA

           BLANCA. THEY WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY POOR, HISPANIC, AND WHAT
           THEY WERESAYING IS HOW COME WHEN IT COMES TO THE QUESTION OF
           WHERE A NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP SITE GOES, IT IS PUT IN OUR
           COMMUNITY?
           I MEAN, HOW COME IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE CASE THAT WHEN WE
           FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THESE INCINERATORS, OR WHERE TO PUT
           POWER LINES, OR WHERE TO PUT WASTE, IT ALMOST ALWAYS GOES TO
           COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE DON'T MAKE THE BIG CONTRIBUTIONS, THEY
           ARE NOT THE HEAVY HITTERS, DISPROPORTIONATELY POOR,

           DISPROPORTIONATELY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, THUS THE QUESTION OF
           ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. WELL I WOULD SAY THAT IS THIS WAS A
           DEBATE WHERE YOU HAD THE INTEREST OF BIG MONEY, BIG
           CONTRIBUTOR, CORPORATE UTILITIES VERSUS LOW-INCOME MINORITY
           COMMUNITIES. AND I WOULD ARGUE -- BY THE WAY, DIFFERENT
           COLLEAGUES VOTED FOR DIFFERENT REASONS AND SOME VOTED BECAUSE
           IT WASN'T THEIR STATE AND THEY FELT A CERTAIN KIND OF -- IF YOU
           WILL, DEFERENCE TO SENATORS FROM OTHER STATES. I UNDERSTAND

           THAT. BUT MY POINT IS DIFFERENT. I WILL TELL YOU THAT ALL TOO
           OFTEN THE CONCLUSION IS SORT OF PREDETERMINED, AND THOSE WHO
           HAVE THE CLOUT AND THOSE WHO MAKE THE BIG CONTRIBUTIONS ARE THE
           ONES THAT HAVE THE INFLUENCE AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE
           LISTEN TO. ALL TOO OFTEN A WHOLE LOT OF CITIZENS, IN THIS CASE
           THE PEOPLE OF SIERRA BLANCA, THEY ARE NOT LISTENED TO AT ALL.
           THIS IS WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT. BIG INTEREST PREVAILED, SPECIAL
           INTEREST PREVAILED, FOR THE SAME REASON THAT THE PEOPLE IN

           SIERRA BLANCA CAN'T GET A FAIR SHAKE IN TEXAS -- THAT IS TO SAY
           THEY DON'T GIVE THE BIG CONTRIBUTIONS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE
           POLITICAL CLOUT -- IS THE SAME REASON THEY COULDN'T GET A FAIR
           SHAKE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE. NOW IN ABOUT 20
           MINUTES, 25 MINUTES, I AM GOING TO BE IN A MEETING WITH SOME
           COLLEAGUES FROM THE MIDWEST. WE'VE GOT AN ECONOMIC CONVULSION
           IN AGRI CULTURE. I THINK -- LET ME JUST LET ME WEAR MY
           POLITICAL SCIENTIST HAT. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WHEN PEOPLE LOOK

           BACK 1998, 1999 GOING INTO THE SECTION CENTURY, AND RAISE
           QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR ECONOMY, BECAUSE I FEAR THAT WE ARE GOING
           TO BE FACED WITH SOME VERY DIFFICULT TIMES DRKS THEY ARE GOING
           TO LOOK AT THIS CRISIS IN AGRICULTURE AS THE PRECURSOR TO THIS.
           NOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS YOU HAVE RECORD LOW PRICES. PEOPLE WHO
           ARE WATCHING THE DEBATE, NOT EVERYBODY THAT BAUFNS THE DEBATE
           COMES FROM A STATE WHERE AGRICULTURE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE
           STATE I COME FROM, THE STATE OF MINNESOTA -- MINNESOTA, BUT LET

           ME SAY TO PEOPLE, IF YOU ARE RA CORN GROWER AND THE GET $1.40
           FOR A BUSHEL OF CORN, YOU CAN BE THE BEST MANAGER IN THE WORLD,
           WORK FROM 5 IN THE MORNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT, YOU'LL NEVER MAKE
           IT. RECORD LOW PRICES. PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO GIVE UP. THEY ARE
           JUST LEAVING. THE FARM IS NOT ONLY WHERE THEY WORK IT IS WHERE
           THEY LIVE. NOW, IT IS INTERESTING THAT WE HAD A FARM BILL, THE
           1996 FARM BILL, IT WAS CALLED THE FREEDOM TO FARM BILL, I

           CALLED IT THE "FREEDOM TO FAIL BILL," AND IT WAS A GREAT BILL,
           I AM NOT SAYING ANYTHING ON THE FLOOR I HAVEN'T SAID A MILLION
           TIMES OVER IN THE LAST YEAR, IT WAS A GREAT BILL FOR THE GRAIN
           COMPANIES -- A GREAT BILL FOR THE GRAIN COMPANIES -- BECAUSE
           WHAT THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION DID IS IT SAID TO FAMILY FARMERS
           WE ARE NO LONGER GOING TO GIVE YOU A LOAN RATE. WE ARE GOING TO
           CAP THE LOAN RATE AT SUCH A LOW-LEVEL THAT YOU WON'T HAVE THE
           BARGAINING POWER. IT SOUND TECH KNOW CRA PARTICULAR BUT TO MAKE
           A LONG STORY SHORT, YOU HAVE FAMILY FARMERS FACING A MONOPOLY

           WHEN IT COMES TO WHO DO THEY SELL AIN TO. IF THEY DON'T HAVE A
           GUARANTEE THAT BRINGS THE PRICE TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, THEY HAVE
           NO BARGAINING POWER IN THE MARKETPLACE. NOT SURPRISINGLY PRICES
           HAVE PLUMMETED, THERE IS NO SAFETY NET WHATSOEVER, AND NOW WE
           SEE IN OUR PART OF THE COUNTRY, IN THMIDWEST, A FAMILY FARM
           STRUCTURE OF AGRICULTURE WHICH IS IN REAL PERIL. WE SEE AN
           ECONOMIC CONVULSION. WE SEE FAMILY FARMERS BEING DRIVEN OFF THE
           LAND. WE ARE GOING TO BE COMING TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE --

           YOU BETTER BELIEVE WE ARE GOING TO COME TO THE FLOOR OF THE
           SENATE -- WE ARE GOING TO STAY TO OUR COLLEAGUES, LOOK YOU
           COULD HAVE BEEN FOR THE FREEDOM TO FAIL BILL OR NOT, BUT THERE
           HAS TO BE A MODIFICATION. WE HAVE TO TAKE THE CAP OFF THE LOAN
           RATE AND GET THE PRICES UP FOR FAMILY FARMERS. NOW I WOULD
           ARGUE IN 1996, AND I HOPE THIS WON'T BE THE DEBATE AGAIN, WHAT
           IS GOING ON HERE IS A FARM BILL THAT WAS WRITTEN BY AND FOR BIG
           CORPORATE AGRIBUSINESS INTERESTS. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. IT IS A

           GREAT BILL FOR THE GRAIN COMPANIES, BUT IT IS A DISASTER FOR
           FAMILY FARMERS. SO WE ARE GOING TO REVISIT THIS DEBATE, AND
           ONCE AGAIN IS IT GOING TO BE THE GRAIN COMPANIES AND BIG FOOD
           PROCESSORS AND BIG CHEMICAL COMPANIES AND THE TRANSPORTATION
           COMPANIES?
           OR IS IT GOING TO BE THE FAMILY FARMERS?
           WELL I HOPE IT WILL BE THE FAMILY FARMERS. I HOPE OUR APPEAL TO
           FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE WILL WORK ON THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED
           STATES SENATE. BUT I WILL TELL YOU, ALL TOO OFTEN AS I LOOK AT
           THESE DIFFERENT ISSUES AND DIFFERENT DEBATES, IT IS NO WONDER

           AS SENATOR LEVIN SAID THAT PEOPLE ARE SO DISAPPOINTED AND
           DISILLUSIONED WITH BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES. IT'S NO WONDER
           PEOPLE DON'T REGISTER AND DON'T VOTE. BECAUSE THEY HAVE REACHED
           THE CONCLUSION THAT IF YOU PAY YOU PLAY AND IF YOU DON'T PAY
           YOU DON'T PLAY AND THEY HAVE REACHED THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS
           POLITICAL PROCESS IS NOT THERE POLITICAL PROCESS. I MEAN MY
           GOD, WHAT HAPPENS IN A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY WHEN PEOPLE
           REACH THE CONCLUSION THAT THEY ARE NOT STAKEHOLDERS IN THE
           SYSTEM. THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THEMSELVES,

           THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEIR CONCERNS ARE OF
           LITTLE CONCERN IN THE CORRIDORS OF POWER IN AURG WASHINGTON. I
           MEAN THIS IS -- IN WASHINGTON. THIS IS REALLY DANGEROUS. WHAT'S
           AT STEAK IS NOTHING REST THAN OUR WONDERFUL 222 YEAR EXPERIMENT
           IN REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY. THAT'S WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. NOW
           LET ME GIVE SOME OTHER EXAMPLES. WE WENT THROUGH A DEBATE ABOUT
           WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO PROVIDE OUR

           CHILDREN WITH SOME PROTECTION FROM BEING ADDICTED TO TOBACCO.
           GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?
           TOBACCO COMPANIES, HUGE CNT TORS, INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO
           SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES, BIG SOFT MONEY, HUNDREDS OF
           THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PARTY. AND GUESS
           WHAT HAPPENED?
           AS A SPECIAL FAVOR TO THOSE BIG TOBACCO INTERESTS, WE DIDN'T
           EVEN PROVIDE OUR CHILDREN WITH SENSIBLE PROTECTION. I FEAR AS A
           SENSIBLE -- AS A SPECIAL FAVOR TO THE BIG INSURANCE COMPANIES,

           WE ARE FOUGHT GOING TO EVENTUALLY PROVIDE PATIENTS WITH THE
           KIND OF PROTECTION THAT THEY NEED. I FEAR THAT AS A SPECIAL
           FAVOR TO THOSE BOTTOM DWELL LETTERS OF COMMERCE WHO DON'T WANT
           TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE, WE ARE NOT EVEN GOING TO RAISE THE
           MINIMUM WAGE FOR HARD-PRESSED WORKING PEOPLE. AND WHAT I SEE
           OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS A POLITICAL PROCESS HIJACKED BY
           AND DOMINATED BY BIG MONEY.
           
           AND I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING: THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE VERY

           IDEA OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY. BECAUSE THE IDEA OF
           REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY IS THAT EACH PERSON COUNTS AS ONE AND
           NO MORE THAN ONE. BUT WHAT WE HAVE INSTEAD IS SOMETHING QUITE
           DIFFERENT. LET'S THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE TABLE
           AND WHAT ISN'T ON THE TABLE. I THINK THIS MIX OF MONEY AND
           POLITICS, THIS IS THE ETHICAL ISSUE OF OUR TIME. WE ARE NOT
           TALKING ABOUT CORRUPTION AS IN THE WRONGDOING OF INDIVIDUAL
           OFFICE HOLDERS, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION. AND

           WHAT SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION IS ALL ABOUT IS WHEN TOO FEW PEOPLE
           HAVE TOO MUCH WELT POWER AND SAY, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF
           PEOPLE ARE ROCKED OUT. SOME PEOPLE MARCH ON WASHINGTON EVERY
           DAY, AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE A VOICE THAT'S NEVER HEARD. MR.
           PRESIDENT, LET'S JUST THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE
           TABLE AND WHAT'S NOT ON THE TABLE, BECAUSE I THINK QUITE OFTEN
           MONEY DETERMINES WHO RUNS FOR OFFICE, I WILL TALK ABOUT ABOUT
           THAT IN A WHILE, WHO WINS, WHAT ISSUES GET PUT ON THE TABLE,
           WHAT PASSES, DOESN'T PASS, YOU NAME IT. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT

           IS NOT ON THE TABLE AND MAYBE SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE. WHAT'SNOT
           ON THE TABLE IS THE CONCENTRATION OF POWER IN CERTAIN KEY
           SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY WHICH POSE SUCH A THREAT TO CONSUMERS IN
           AMERICA. JUST THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THE CONCENTRATION OF
           POWER IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS JDS JDS INDUSTRY. IF THERE IS
           ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT IN DEMOCRACY THAN THIS, I DON'T KNOW
           WHAT IT IS. WE HAD A TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILL THAT PASSED A

           COUPLE YEARS AGO THAT I THINK LED TO MORE MONOPOLY. WHAT IS
           INTERESTING IS THAT IN THE ANTE ROONEL OUTSIDE OUR CHAMBER, IT
           WAS PACKED WALL TO WALL. YOU COULDN'T EVEN GET IN HERE IF YOU
           TRIED TO GO THROUGH THAT ANTE ROOM. PERSONAL I COULDN'T FIND
           TRUTH, BOOTH I AND JUSTICE ANYWHERE. THERE WAS A GROUP OF
           PEOPLE ARE REPRESENTING A BILLION DOLLARS OVER HERE, ANOTHER
           GROUP OF PEOPLE REPRESENTING MONEY OFFER THERE, YOU NAME IT.
           WHAT'S NOT ON THE TABLE IS THE CONCENTRATION OF POWER IN THE
           FINANCIAL SERVICES, OR CONCENTRATION OF POWER IN AGRICULTURE.

           ALL THE WAYS IN WHICH THESE CONGLOMERATES HAVE MUZZLED THEIR
           WAY TO THE DINNER TABLE AND TAKEN OVER THE FOOD INDUSTRY.
           WHAT'S KNOTS ON THE TABLE IS CONCENTRATION OF POWER IN THE
           HEALTH SYSTEM. THE WAY A FEW INSURANCE COMPANIES OWN AND
           CONTROL MOST OF THE MANAGED CARE PLANS IN THE UNITED STATES OF
           AMERICA. MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD JUST AGAIN SAY THAT YOU KNOW,
           WE ARE SORT OF MOVING TOWARD THIS NEW CENTURY. CLI. I HOPE THE
           BRAVE KNEW WORLD ISN'T TWO AIRLINE COMPANIES. I COME FROM A
           STATE WHERE WE NOW HAVE A STRIKE. YOU KNOW WHAT?
           IN MINNESOTA WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CHOICE. HE HE WE WANT WALK

           FROM WASHINGTON TO -- WE CAN'T WALK TO WASHINGTON D.C. WHAT
           WILL WE HAVE?
           TWO AIRLINES?
           TWO BANKS?
           TWO OIL COMPANIES?
           ONE SUPERMARKET?
           TWO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS?
           TWO HEALTH CARE PLANS?
           I MEAN, MR. PRESIDENT, IT IS INTERESTING THAT THIS ISN'T EVEN
           ON THE TABLE HERE. COULD IT BE THAT THESE POWERFUL ECONOMIC
           INTERESTS ARE ABLE TO PREEMPT SOME OF THE DEBATE AND SOME OF
           THE DISCUSSION BY VIRTUE OF THE HUGE CONTRIBUTIONS THEY CAN

           MAKE, WITHIN THIS SOFT MONEY LOOPHOLE THAT CAN ADD UP TO
{END: 1998/09/09 TIME: 13-45 , Wed.  105TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}