November 19, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10619 

I understand the Government is trying to prevent drug stockpiling. But 

this rigid program requirement does 

not give doctors the flexibility they 

need to practice medicine. This is especially true in emergency situations. 

So who is liable when a patient 

comes to the doctor’s office needing 

immediate treatment but the doctor 

cannot help because he has to call the 

Government to send the medicine in 

the first place, even if he has a supply 

on hand for another patient? The program’s current design has turned out 

to be a bureaucratic nightmare. 

After only 3 months in the program, 

Randy Johnston wrote Medicare a letter begging—I say begging—to be let 

out of the program. Why? Well, it was 

not just the excessive paperwork and 

the excessive phone calls to get the 

medication; Randy saw how absolutely 

wasteful this Government program had 

become. 

When Dr. Johnston purchased Medicaid vials himself from a local pharmacy, the local pharmacy would divide 

it into multiple doses that could be 

used for different patients. Using the 

new Medicare program, Dr. Johnston 

had to order an entire vial for each patient, use the one dose the patient 

needed, and then throw the rest away. 

Why would Medicare force seniors 

and taxpayers to foot the bill for an entire vial of medication containing 400 

doses when the patient only needed 1 

dose? At a time when Americans are 

facing such painful financial times, 

this wasteful Government spending is 

appalling. We are talking about lifesaving medicine, expensive medicine. I 

do not know anyone who buys a loaf of 

bread, takes out one piece and eats it, 

and throws away the rest of the loaf. 

This makes no sense to anyone. 

It is well past the time that Washington bureaucrats start treating taxpayer dollars like the money in their 

own personal checkbooks. When emergencies, illnesses, or major household 

repairs occur in our families, we find a 

way to pay the bill. We look at our 

budgets, we tighten our belts, and we 

find alternative places to save. We 

eliminate luxury items. We stop wasteful spending. 

Dr. Johnston was absolutely right to 

try to get out of this absolutely wrong, 

wasteful program. Washington bureaucrats who have never been on the front 

lines treating Medicare patients developed this program. They do not understand the practical applications. So I 

was not surprised when Medicare announced in September of this year they 

were putting the entire program on 

hold starting in January 2009. Washington bureaucrats claim they are considering alternative ways—alternative 

ways—to improve the program because 

they want it to succeed. 

The new administration has a tremendous opportunity to learn from 

Randy Johnston and from the 4,200 

other participating doctors. Rather 

than hamstring providers, perhaps 

Washington should start to focus its efforts on eliminating waste, eliminating 

fraud, and eliminating abuse in the 

Medicare system. 

This year alone, we have seen one 

news report after another uncovering 

Medicare wasting money. These news 

reports sound the alarm to every hardworking taxpayer in the sound of my 

voice and all hard-working taxpayers 

across America. 

Who is holding these bureaucrats accountable? Just this week, the Department of Health and Human Services 

issued the Agency Financial Report. 

This document shows that in fiscal 

year 2008, these Government check 

writers made $10.4 billion—$10.4 billion—in improper Medicare fee-forservice payments. We can do better. We 

can do much better than this. 

Wasteful spending strips Medicare of 

the vital resources that are needed to 

care for our elderly, to care for our 

frail, to care for the vulnerable. The 

new administration has a real opportunity to show leadership. Working together, we can fix this flawed policy. 

Medicare patients, doctors who take 

care of Medicare patients, and the 

American taxpayers deserve nothing 

less. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor and 

suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll of the Senate. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask 

unanimous consent that the order for 

the quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

RECESS 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under 

the previous order, the Senate stands 

in recess until the hour of 4 p.m. 

Thereupon, the Senate, at 2:28 p.m., 

recessed until 4 p.m. and reassembled 

when called to order by the Presiding 

Officer (Mrs. MCCASKILL). 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate will come to order. 

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I 

suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I ask 

unanimous consent that the order for 

the quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

The Senator from West Virginia is 

recognized. 

f 

ECONOMIC STIMULUS 

Mr. BYRD. Madam President, in September, the Senate considered a $56 billion economic recovery bill, authored 

by Senator REID and myself. While the 

bill received 52 votes, the minority succeeded in blocking its consideration. 

In the following 2 months, the economy has continued to deteriorate. On 

Monday, Senator REID and I renewed 

our effort to stimulate the economy 

and help the millions of Americans 

hurt by the recession by introducing a 

$100 billion economic recovery bill. 

In response to higher unemployment, 

rising food costs, higher energy costs, 

State budgets in crisis, and increased 

dependence on foreign oil, Presidentelect Obama has called for passage of a 

second stimulus bill. I spoke with the 

President-elect yesterday, and I committed myself to helping the President 

implement his agenda. 

Madam President, it is time to deliver to Main Street USA. S. 3689 is a 

$100.3 billion economic stimulus package that would create over 635,000 jobs. 

I will repeat that. S. 3689 is a $100.3 billion economic stimulus package that 

would create over 635,000 jobs. The unemployment rate now stands at 6.5 percent, the highest rate since March 1994. 

The unemployment rate is up by 1.7 

percentage points since October 2007. 

The U.S. economy has lost jobs every 

month this year—a total of 1.2 million 

jobs, with almost half of the job losses 

coming in the last 3 months alone. New 

unemployment claims filed exceeded 

500,000, the highest number since just 

after 9/11. 

In order to respond to these grim statistics—and they are grim—the stimulus package extends unemployment 

benefits by 7 weeks in all States, as 

well as another 13 weeks in high-unemployment States. Thirty-seven States 

are facing a shortfall of over $70 billion 

in their fiscal year 2009 budget, necessitating cutbacks in education, cutbacks 

in health care, and cutbacks in law enforcement. 

The stimulus package includes $37.8 

billion—that is $37.80 for every minute 

since Jesus Christ was born—to reduce 

the State’s share of Medicaid costs by 

increasing the Federal share—increasing, I say—the Federal share by 8 percent. 

The economic recovery package 

also—I emphasize the word ‘‘also’’—includes a temporary increase in food 

stamp benefits. These funds—hear me 

now—these funds will be spent quickly, 

and they will help to stimulate the 

economy. 

Over $37 billion is included for essential infrastructure and investment programs. Now hear me, listen closely. I 

measure each word. There are consequences for failing to invest in America. For 8 years—8 long years—we have 

failed to make adequate investments in 

highways, transit systems, housing, in 

clean and safe drinking water systems, 

and in energy independence. This bill 

funds such investments, as well as 

small business loans, assistance for 

rural communities, and disaster relief 

for farmers hurt by the hurricanes and 

the floods this summer. 

I understand, I am sorry to say, there 

is going to be an objection to debating 

this bill. This would be a mistake. I 

will say that again. I understand there 

will be an objection to debating this 

bill. This would be a mistake—a mistake. Why? Because it is time to act. 


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S10620 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 19, 2008 

Delaying is not acceptable. And so I 

ask all Senators, every Senator, to do 

the right thing for this country—your 

country, our country—and support this 

measure. 

Madam President, I ask unanimous 

consent to have printed in the RECORD

information related to rule XLIV of the 

Standing Rules of the Senate for title I 

of S. 3689. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the 

RECORD, as follows: 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING ITEMS 

Account Project Funding Member 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES 

Department of Agriculture: Farm Service Agency. ......... Agricultural crop disaster assistace .................................................................................................................... ........................ Senators Landrieu, Hutchison, and Vitter. 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT 

Department of Energy .................................................... Extend a certain cooperative agreement to carry out the FutureGen program .................................................. ........................ Senators Durbin and Bond 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT 

GSA ................................................................................. District of Columbia, DHS Consolidation and development of St. Elizabeths campus ...................................... $346,639,000 The President, Senators Lieberman and Collins 

Mr. BYRD. I yield the floor. I suggest 

the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, 

I ask unanimous consent that the order 

for the quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 

objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO SENATORS 

ELIZABETH DOLE

Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, 

it is my sad task today to say farewell 

to our friend, the Senator from North 

Carolina, ELIZABETH DOLE. It is hard to 

know where to begin with a woman 

who has done it all and is admired 

across America. 

There is an old saying that all politics is local. That is true even for the 

Senator from North Carolina, who was 

the first viable female candidate for 

President, held two different Cabinet 

positions, and worked for four Presidents. You see, ELIZABETH’s first campaign was for the presidency of her 

third grade Bird Club. She won that 

race. 

ELIZABETH began impressing many 

early on as she earned her bachelor’s 

degree from Duke University and both 

a master’s and a law degree from Harvard. Of the 550 members of her Harvard Law class, only 29 were women. 

From there, ELIZABETH went to the 

White House Office of Consumer Affairs, and then the Federal Trade Commission. In 1972, she met a Senator 

from Kansas when she lobbied him on a 

consumer-affairs issue. 

In 1975, ELIZABETH and Bob Dole were 

married in Washington Cathedral, creating one of the most prominent and 

successful partnerships in American 

public life. 

ELIZABETH later headed President 

Reagan’s Public Liaison Office, and 

then in 1983 became his Secretary of 

Transportation. She served for 41⁄2

years, longer than any previous transportation secretary at that time. And 

as transportation secretary, she was 

fond of pointing out that she was the 

first woman to ever head a branch of 

the Armed Services: the Coast Guard. 

When her husband Bob introduced 

ELIZABETH at her confirmation hearings, he displayed some of his trademark wit by remarking, ‘‘I only regret 

that I have but one wife to give for my 

country’s infrastructure.’’ 

When ELIZABETH had her turn at the 

microphone, she got him right back. 

She assured the committee that she 

knew all about airbags, because she 

had been driving around with one for 

years. 

In 1989, ELIZABETH became one of the 

few Americans honored to lead more 

than one Federal department by becoming the first President Bush’s Secretary of Labor. Among the highlights 

of her tenure there was playing a key 

role in resolving a bitter 11-month coal 

strike in southwest Virginia. 

I would even go so far as to say that 

ELIZABETH was the second-best Secretary of Labor this country’s ever 

had. 

ELIZABETH went on to become the 

president of the Red Cross, and revitalized that important institution. And of 

course, she became a familiar face to 

all Americans in 1996 when Bob became 

the Republican nominee for President 

of the United States, and when ELIZABETH blazed yet another trail in 2000 as 

the first viable female candidate for 

that same office. 

During her time here in the Senate, 

ELIZABETH used the same desk her husband used. From behind that desk, she 

has been a powerful advocate for her 

State and her country. 

North Carolinians can be proud of her 

record to strengthen our military and 

to support military personnel and veterans. She worked to craft a farm bill 

to benefit North Carolina agriculture. 

She has done much to address hunger 

in America, by championing tax incentives to encourage volunteerism and 

charitable giving, and through grant 

programs to benefit food banks and relief organizations. 

The ‘‘Dole’’ in the McGovern-Dole 

International Food for Education and 

Child Nutrition Program may be for 

her husband, Bob, as the program is 

named after him and former Senator 

George McGovern. But it was ELIZABETH DOLE who secured more than $400 

million for the McGovern-Dole program to go toward school-feeding and 

child-nutrition programs in the world’s 

poorest countries. 

Let me take this moment to say, on 

behalf of my wife Elaine and myself, 

that ELIZABETH and Bob have been dear 

friends of ours for many years. In fact, 

had it not been for ELIZABETH, Elaine 

probably never would have come to 

Washington in the first place, therefore 

I obviously never would have met her, 

so I feel a special obligation to—and 

thanks to—Senator DOLE for that. We 

value their friendship, and I know we 

will continue to do so for many years 

to come. 

ELIZABETH, I want to thank you for 

always bringing wisdom, grace and integrity to this chamber. Over decades 

of accomplishments in many prominent posts, you have served the people 

of America and of North Caroline extremely well. 

I know your constituents are proud, 

and Bob is proud, of your service. 

Elaine and I wish you both well in 

whatever the future has in store for 

you. And we look forward to hearing 

all about it. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Carolina is recognized. 

Mrs. DOLE. Madam President, I wish 

to express my deepest thanks for the 

very kind words of the distinguished 

‘‘gentleman’’ from Kentucky. I feel 

very close to this gentleman because 

we have been very good friends for so 

many years. Certainly your wife, 

Elaine Chao, who is doing a tremendous job as Secretary of Labor, has 

been a friend for many years. In fact, 

we worked together at the Department 

of Transportation as colleagues and 

then also when she was president of 

United Way and I was president of the 

American Red Cross. So our paths have 

continued to cross in terms of our professions but also in terms of personal 

relationships and the warmth and 

friendship. 

MITCH, I can’t tell you how proud I 

am of your leadership as the Republican leader, and I am so proud you 

have been reelected by your colleagues. 

You do a tremendous job. You are a 

master of the Senate. Through the 

years, you and I have had a chance to 

work together on many issues. Of 

course, it was my privilege early on—I 

believe in my first year in the Senate— 

to visit the University of Louisville 

and the McConnell Center for Political 

Leadership and to speak to the McConnell Scholars. That is just one of many 

things you are doing to help others 

outside the Senate as well as the tremendous work within the Senate. 

Just know I treasure your friendship. 

I look forward to being in close touch 


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