Making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Economic Recovery for The Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2008--Motion to Proceed

Floor Speech

MAKING EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2008--MOTION TO PROCEED -- (Senate - September 26, 2008)

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Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the bill offered by Majority Leader Reid and Chairman Byrd. I commend them for their leadership during this economic crisis. This bill helps families who are struggling with rising food and energy costs and it creates jobs by investing in America's infrastructure. Simply put, this bill says to the American people--your government is on your side and help is on the way.

We need this bill to show Americans whose side we are on. Americans are mad as hell. They have watched Wall Street executives pay themselves lavish salaries, engage in irresponsible lending practices, practice casino economics and gamble on risky investment mechanisms. Now those very same Americans who've worked hard and played by the rules, who were prudent investors, prudent savers, and prudent citizens are asked to pay the bill for those who didn't.

Now, it is for these people that government must do something. It is for these people that this bill is so important. We have to show them that we are fighting for the middle class. Since we're about to shell out $700 billion to help Wall Street, we need to put government on the side of those who need it.

I agree with the President that Congress must act promptly in order to restore confidence to our markets. But there are still tough questions to be asked. Congress will act with resolve but we will not be a rubberstamp. The administration originally sent us a plan for a blank check. I say no blank checks and no checks without balances. I will continue to work to put in the oversight and accountability into this plan. This plan needs to work. I will fight for the middle class and for the people who play by the rules.

I am supporting the Reid-Byrd stimulus bill for three reasons. First, it provides a safety net for families. Second, the bill creates jobs in America with infrastructure investments. Third, it fights price gouging and fraud.

The stimulus is a safety net for America's families. It is for families who are struggling to pay for food, energy, and housing. It also extends unemployment insurance up to 13 weeks in States with high unemployment. It increases Medicaid payments to States, so States with shortfalls can continue health care. It also helps the elderly pay their energy bills.

The stimulus makes important investments in America's physical infrastructure, which will create jobs. Specifically, it provides: $8 billion to build and repair bridges and highways; $2 billion for mass transit systems, including important work to improve and expand bus, subway, and light-rail services; and $350 million for AMTRAK to help repair tracks and tunnels. These transportation infrastructure investments will create 384,000 jobs. The bill also provides $600 million for water and sewer grants to fix aging sewer systems; helps take burden off ratepayers and protects public health and the environment. These investments will create 24,000 jobs.

The stimulus fights price gouging and fraud on American taxpayers. The foreclosure crisis is ruining lives and ruining neighborhoods. The FBI Director told the CJS Subcommittee that mortgage fraud investigations are growing rapidly. The Reid-Byrd stimulus provides $5 million to increase the FBI's investigations of mortgage fraud, which will allow the FBI to add at least 20 agents and support staff to keep up with the rising caseload. And the stimulus includes $13.1 million for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for increased oversight of commodity, energy, and food pricing.

As chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee, I am pleased this bill includes important funding to make America's communities safer and stronger. This bill makes America's neighborhoods safer; safer communities are stronger communities. The bill provides $490 million for Byrne grants, which is the main Federal grant program that helps State and local law enforcement pay for police training, antidrug task forces and equipment like radios and computers. Specifically, this funding will help keep over 6,000 cops on the beat in our local communities and install almost 45,000 mobile laptops in police vehicles. The 2008 Omnibus provided just $170 million for Byrne grants because the President threatened to veto the CJS bill. The $490 million in the Reid-Byrd bill will result in a final 2008 Byrne grant amount of $660 million. This is the level in the Senate passed 2008 CJS bill. The Reid-Byrd bill also includes $500 million for the COPS hiring program, the competitive grant program that pays for new cops on the beat. This funding will put 6,500 new cops on the street in neighborhoods around the Nation. This is the first time since 2005 that the COPS hiring program would receive substantial dedicated funds to help communities hire new police. I'm so pleased the Reid-Byrd stimulus bill includes $50 million to enforce the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act. This funding will enable the U.S. Marshals to hire 150 new deputy marshals devoted to apprehending fugitive sex offenders who prey on our children.

In the area of science and innovation, I'm pleased the bill includes $250 million for NASA to help shorten the 5-year gap in time between the Space Shuttle's retirement in 2010 and the availability of our new vehicle in 2015. During this 5-year gap, the only way U.S. astronauts will be able to go into space is aboard Russian vehicles. The United States of America must remain a leader in science, innovation and space exploration. The Reid-Byrd bill helps close our gap in space access.

The Reid-Byrd bill tells those who are struggling that help is on the way and that your government is on your side. The bill makes important investments in our infrastructure and creates jobs. It makes our communities and our Nation safer and stronger. I urge my colleagues to support the Reid-Byrd stimulus bill.

I yield the floor.

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