In the Senate of the United States,
April 7, 2000.
Resolved, That the resolution from the House of Rep-
resentatives (H. Con. Res. 290) entitled ‘‘Concurrent resolu-
tion establishing the congressional budget for the United
States Government for fiscal year 2001, revising the congres-
sional budget for the United States Government for fiscal
year 2000, and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for
each of fiscal years 2002 through 2005.’’, do pass with the
following
AMENDMENT:
Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert:
SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001.
(a) DECLARATION.—Congress determines and declares
that this resolution is the concurrent resolution on the budg-
et for fiscal year 2001 including the appropriate budgetary
levels for fiscal years 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 as author-
ized by section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
and the revised budgetary levels for fiscal year 2000 as au-
HCON 290 EAS
thorized by section 304 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for
this concurrent resolution is as follows:
Sec. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2001.
TITLE I—LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts.
Sec. 102. Social Security.
Sec. 103. Major functional categories.
Sec. 104. Reconciliation of revenue reductions in the Senate.
Sec. 105. Appropriate levels for Function 920.
Sec. 106. Further appropriate levels for Function 920.
TITLE II—BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS AND RULEMAKING
Sec. 201. Congressional lock box for Social Security surpluses.
Sec. 202. Reserve fund for prescription drugs.
Sec. 203. Reserve fund for stabilization of payments to counties in support of
education.
Sec. 204. Reserve fund for agriculture.
Sec. 205. Tax reduction reserve fund in the Senate.
Sec. 206. Mechanism for additional debt reduction.
Sec. 207. Emergency designation point of order in the Senate.
Sec. 208. Reserve fund pending increase of fiscal year 2001 discretionary spend-
ing limits.
Sec. 209. Congressional firewall for defense and nondefense spending.
Sec. 210. Mechanisms for strengthening budgetary integrity.
Sec. 211. Prohibition on use of Federal Reserve surpluses.
Sec. 212. Reaffirming the prohibition on the use of revenue offsets for discre-
tionary spending.
Sec. 213. Application and effect of changes in allocations and aggregates.
Sec. 214. Reserve fund to foster the health of children with disabilities and the
employment and independence of their families.
Sec. 215. Exercise of rulemaking powers.
Sec. 216. Reserve fund for military retiree health care.
Sec. 217. Reserve fund for early learning and parent support programs.
TITLE III—SENSE OF THE SENATE PROVISIONS
Sec. 301. Sense of the Senate on controlling and eliminating the growing inter-
national problem of tuberculosis.
Sec. 302. Sense of the Senate on increased funding for the Child Care and Devel-
opment Block Grant.
Sec. 303. Sense of the Senate on tax relief for college tuition paid and for interest
paid on student loans.
Sec. 304. Sense of the Senate on increased funding for the National Institutes of
Health.
Sec. 305. Sense of the Senate supporting funding levels in Educational Opportu-
nities Act.
Sec. 306. Sense of the Senate on additional budgetary resources.
HCON 290 EAS
Sec. 307. Sense of the Senate on regarding the inadequacy of the payments for
skilled nursing care.
Sec. 308. Sense of the Senate on the CARA programs.
Sec. 309. Sense of the Senate on veterans’ medical care.
Sec. 310. Sense of the Senate on Impact Aid.
Sec. 311. Sense of the Senate on funding for increased acreage under the Con-
servation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program.
Sec. 312. Sense of the Senate on tax simplification.
Sec. 313. Sense of the Senate on antitrust enforcement by the Department of Jus-
tice and Federal Trade Commission regarding agriculture merg-
ers and anticompetitive activity.
Sec. 314. Sense of the Senate regarding fair markets for American farmers.
Sec. 315. Sense of the Senate on women and Social Security reform.
Sec. 316. Protection of battered women and children.
Sec. 317. Use of False Claims Act in combatting medicare fraud.
Sec. 318. Sense of the Senate regarding the National Guard.
Sec. 319. Sense of the Senate regarding military readiness.
Sec. 320. Sense of the Senate on compensation for the Chinese Embassy bombing
in Belgrade.
Sec. 321. Sense of the Senate supporting funding of digital opportunity initia-
tives.
Sec. 322. Sense of the Senate regarding immunization funding.
Sec. 323. Sense of the Senate regarding tax credits for small businesses providing
health insurance to low-income employees.
Sec. 324. Sense of the Senate on funding for criminal justice.
Sec. 325. Sense of the Senate regarding the Pell Grant.
Sec. 326. Sense of the Senate regarding comprehensive public education reform.
Sec. 327. Sense of the Senate on providing adequate funding for United States
international leadership.
Sec. 328. Sense of the Senate concerning the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Sec. 329. Sense of the Senate regarding tribal colleges.
Sec. 330. Sense of the Senate to provide relief from the marriage penalty.
Sec. 331. Sense of the Senate on the continued use of Federal fuel taxes for the
construction and rehabilitation of our Nation’s highways,
bridges, and transit systems.
Sec. 332. Sense of the Senate on the internal combustion engine.
Sec. 333. Sense of the Senate regarding the establishment of a national back-
ground check system for long-term care workers.
Sec. 334. Sense of the Senate concerning the price of prescription drugs in the
United States.
Sec. 335. Sense of the Senate against Federal funding of smoke shops.
Sec. 336. Sense of the Senate regarding the need to reduce gun violence in Amer-
ica.
Sec. 337. Sense of the Senate supporting additional funding for fiscal year 2001
for medical care for our Nation’s veterans.
Sec. 338. Sense of the Senate regarding medical care for veterans.
Sec. 339. Sense of the Senate concerning investment of Social Security trust
funds.
Sec. 340. Sense of the Senate concerning digital opportunity.
Sec. 341. Sense of the Senate on medicare prescription drugs.
Sec. 342. Sense of the senate concerning funding for new education programs.
Sec. 343. Sense of the Senate regarding enforcement of Federal firearms laws.
Sec. 344. Sense of the Senate regarding the census.
Sec. 345. Sense of the Senate that any increase in the minimum wage should be
accompanied by tax relief for small businesses.
HCON 290 EAS
Sec. 346. Sense of the Senate concerning the minimum wage.
Sec. 347. Sense of Congress regarding funding for the participation of members
of the uniformed services in the Thrift Savings Plan.
Sec. 348. Sense of the Senate concerning protecting the Social Security trust
funds.
Sec. 349. Sense of the Senate concerning regulation of tobacco products.
Sec. 350. Sense of the Senate regarding after school programs.
Sec. 351. Sense of Senate regarding cash balance pension plan conversions.
Sec. 352. Sense of the Senate concerning uninsured and low-income individuals
in medically underserved communities.
Sec. 353. Sense of the Senate concerning fiscal year 2001 funding for the United
States Coast Guard.
TITLE I—LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS.
The following budgetary levels are the revised levels for
fiscal year 2000 and the appropriate levels for the fiscal
years 2001 through 2005:
(1) FEDERAL REVENUES.—For purposes of the enforce-
ment of this resolution—
(A) The recommended levels of Federal revenues
are as follows:
Fiscal year 2000: $1,464,604,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001: $1,501,903,341,000.
Fiscal year 2002: $1,547,229,399,000.
Fiscal year 2003: $1,599,474,925,000.
Fiscal year 2004: $1,655,748,225,000.
Fiscal year 2005: $1,721,310,999,999.
(B) The amounts by which the aggregate levels of
Federal revenues should be changed are as follows:
Fiscal year 2000: ¥$877,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001: ¥$12,911,658,996.
Fiscal year 2002: ¥$24,157,600,996.
HCON 290 EAS
Fiscal year 2003: ¥$30,048,074,996.
Fiscal year 2004: ¥$36,894,774,996
Fiscal year 2005: ¥$42,790,999,997.
(2) NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY.—For purposes of the
enforcement of this resolution, the appropriate levels of total
new budget authority are as follows:
Fiscal year 2000: $1,467,259,500,000.
Fiscal year 2001: $1,478,583,890,003.
Fiscal year 2002: $1,503,416,000,003.
Fiscal year 2003: $1,614,843,200,003.
Fiscal year 2004: $1,670,986,800,003.
Fiscal year 2005: $1,731,182,000,003.
(3) BUDGET OUTLAYS.—For purposes of the enforce-
ment of this resolution and the revised fiscal year 2000 reso-
lution, the appropriate levels of total budget outlays are as
follows:
Fiscal year 2000: $1,441,461,500,000.
Fiscal year 2001: $1,451,702,341,003.
Fiscal year 2002: $1,470,727,399,003.
Fiscal year 2003: $1,590,481,125,003.
Fiscal year 2004: $1,644,813,025,003.
Fiscal year 2005: $1,706,375,000,003.
(4) DEFICITS.—For purposes of the enforcement of this
resolution, the amounts of the deficits are as follows:
Fiscal year 2000: $23,147,500,000.
HCON 290 EAS
Fiscal year 2001: $53,473,000,001.
Fiscal year 2002: $76,577,000,001.
Fiscal year 2003: $9,076,200,001.
Fiscal year 2004: $10,975,800,001.
Fiscal year 2005: $14,958,000,001.
(5) PUBLIC DEBT.—The appropriate levels of the pub-
lic debt are as follows:
Fiscal year 2000: $5,625,962,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001: $5,667,144,000,001.
Fiscal year 2002: $5,681,983,000,001.
Fiscal year 2003: $5,768,762,000,001.
Fiscal year 2004: $5,849,465,000,001.
Fiscal year 2005: $5,923,674,000,001.
(6) DEBT HELD BY THE PUBLIC.—The appropriate
levels of the debt held by the public are as follows:
Fiscal year 2000: $3,455,362,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001: $3,248,659,000,001.
Fiscal year 2002: $2,995,663,000,001.
Fiscal year 2003: $2,802,939,000,001.
Fiscal year 2004: $2,594,260,000,001.
Fiscal year 2005: $2,364,124,000,001.
SEC. 102. SOCIAL SECURITY.
(a) SOCIAL SECURITY REVENUES.—For purposes of
Senate enforcement under section 311 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974, the amounts of revenues of the Federal
HCON 290 EAS
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Fed-
eral Disability Insurance Trust Fund are as follows:
Fiscal year 2000: $479,648,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001: $501,533,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002: $524,854,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003: $547,179,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004: $569,907,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005: $597,326,000,000.
(b) SOCIAL SECURITY OUTLAYS.—For purposes of
Senate enforcement under section 311 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974, the amounts of outlays of the Federal
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Fed-
eral Disability Insurance Trust Fund are as follows:
Fiscal year 2000: $322,545,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001: $331,869,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002: $339,068,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003: $347,733,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004: $357,737,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005: $368,976,000,000.
(c) SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—
In the Senate, the amounts of new budget authority and
budget outlays of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insur-
ance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance
Trust Fund for administrative expenses are as follows:
Fiscal year 2000:
HCON 290 EAS
(A) New budget authority, $3,160,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,187,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $3,429,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,378,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $3,471,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,438,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $3,505,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,473,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $3,541,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,507,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $3,576,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,543,000,000.
SEC. 103. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES.
Congress determines and declares that the appropriate
levels of new budget authority, budget outlays, new direct
loan obligations, and new primary loan guarantee commit-
ments for fiscal year 2000 (as revised) and fiscal years 2001
through 2005 for each major functional category are:
(1) National Defense (050):
Fiscal year 2000:
HCON 290 EAS
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$291,585,500,000.
(B) Outlays, $288,114,500,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$309,843,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $296,074,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$309,091,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $302,278,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$315,489,200,000.
(B) Outlays, $309,366,200,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$323,193,800,000.
(B) Outlays, $317,463,800,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$331,534,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $327,950,000,000.
(2) International Affairs (150):
Fiscal year 2000:
HCON 290 EAS
(A) New budget authority, $21,967,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $16,019,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $20,139,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,625,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $20,868,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,932,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $21,420,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,573,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $21,907,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,741,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $22,645,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,892,000,000.
(3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $19,267,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,418,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $19,703,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,245,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
HCON 290 EAS
(A) New budget authority, $19,877,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,593,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $19,806,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,515,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $20,069,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,655,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $20,337,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,900,000,000.
(4) Energy (270):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $1,081,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$607,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $1,475,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $172,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, ¥$264,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$1,366,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $1,202,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$43,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
HCON 290 EAS
(A) New budget authority, $1,238,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$124,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $1,210,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$85,000,000.
(5) Natural Resources and Environment (300):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $24,487,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $24,245,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $24,936,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $24,905,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $25,023,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,045,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $25,019,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,203,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $25,066,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,065,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $25,059,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $24,876,000,000.
(6) Agriculture (350):
HCON 290 EAS
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $35,257,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,916,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $20,894,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,779,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $18,950,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,235,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $17,965,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $16,366,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $17,354,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $15,910,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $16,092,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $14,593,000,000.
(7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $7,594,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,141,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $6,117,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,977,000,000.
HCON 290 EAS
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $8,608,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,864,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $9,356,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,677,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $13,413,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $8,391,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $13,368,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $9,331,000,000.
(8) Transportation (400):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $54,352,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $46,656,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $59,247,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,822,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $57,536,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $53,486,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $59,101,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $55,516,000,000.
HCON 290 EAS
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $59,135,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $56,138,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $59,174,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $56,418,000,000.
(9) Community and Regional Development (450):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $11,336,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $10,725,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $9,271,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $10,438,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $8,822,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $9,878,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $8,665,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $8,823,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $8,657,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $8,290,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $8,744,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $7,904,000,000.
HCON 290 EAS
(10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social
Services (500):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $57,688,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $61,904,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $75,600,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $68,772,000,001.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $76,377,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $73,182,000,001.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $77,280,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $76,065,000,001.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $78,406,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $77,412,000,001.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $79,794,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $78,690,000,001.
(11) Health (550):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$159,224,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $153,473,000,000.
HCON 290 EAS
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$170,815,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $167,436,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$178,911,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $177,766,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$190,951,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $190,300,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$205,181,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $204,835,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$221,484,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $220,329,000,000.
(12) Medicare (570):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$199,601,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $199,507,000,000.
HCON 290 EAS
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$218,751,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $219,005,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$228,635,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $228,604,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$249,762,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $249,520,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$265,318,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $265,546,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$288,730,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $288,681,000,000.
(13) Income Security (600):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$238,891,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $248,071,000,000.
HCON 290 EAS
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$253,236,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $255,424,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$264,844,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $267,252,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$274,789,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $278,452,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$284,929,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $288,367,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$297,669,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $301,202,000,000.
(14) Social Security (650):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $11,532,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $11,533,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
HCON 290 EAS
(A) New budget authority, $9,728,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $9,727,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $11,572,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $11,572,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $12,271,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $12,271,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $13,020,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,020,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $13,841,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,841,000,000.
(15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $46,010,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $45,130,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $48,568,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $48,071,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $49,323,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $49,189,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
HCON 290 EAS
(A) New budget authority, $51,338,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $51,010,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $52,619,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $52,340,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $56,017,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $55,692,000,000.
(16) Administration of Justice (750):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $27,370,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $28,013,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $28,210,890,000.
(B) Outlays, $28,345,341,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $28,520,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $28,782,399,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $29,157,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $29,191,925,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $31,283,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,021,225,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
HCON 290 EAS
(A) New budget authority, $32,124,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,863,000,000.
(17) General Government (800):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) New budget authority, $13,670,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $14,727,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) New budget authority, $14,427,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $14,291,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) New budget authority, $13,605,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,883,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $13,578,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,768,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $13,570,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,882,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $13,595,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,604,000,000.
(18) Net Interest (900):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$284,491,000,000.
HCON 290 EAS
(B) Outlays, $284,493,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$286,920,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $286,920,000,001.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$285,291,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $285,290,000,001.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$279,465,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $279,465,000,001.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$275,502,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $275,502,000,001.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
$270,951,000,001.
(B) Outlays, $270,951,000,001.
(19) Allowances (920):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$3,829,000,000.
HCON 290 EAS
(B) Outlays, ¥$11,702,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$62,031,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$50,131,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$59,729,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$71,311,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, ¥$790,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, ¥$6,770,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, ¥$6,072,000,000.
(20) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950):
Fiscal year 2000:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$34,315,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$34,315,000,000.
Fiscal year 2001:
HCON 290 EAS
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$38,366,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$38,366,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$41,943,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$41,943,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$41,270,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$41,270,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$38,374,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$38,374,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$40,686,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$40,686,000,000.
SEC. 104. RECONCILIATION OF REVENUE REDUCTIONS IN
THE SENATE.
Not later than September 22, 2000, the Senate Com-
mittee on Finance shall report to the Senate a reconcili-
ation bill proposing changes in laws within its jurisdiction
necessary 
to 
reduce 
revenues 
by 
not 
more 
than
HCON 290 EAS
$12,911,658,999 in fiscal year 2001 and $146,803,109,999
for the period of fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
SEC. 105. APPROPRIATE LEVELS FOR FUNCTION 920.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this resolution
the appropriate levels for function 920 are as follows:
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$60,431,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$48,461,000,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$60,229,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$71,796,000,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, ¥$500,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$5,287,000,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, ¥$500,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$7,268,000,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, ¥$500,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$6,570,000,000.
HCON 290 EAS
SEC. 106. FURTHER APPROPRIATE LEVELS FOR FUNCTION
920.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this resolution,
the appropriate levels for function 920 are as follows:
Fiscal year 2001:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$60,214,890,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$48,152,341,000.
Fiscal year 2002:
(A) 
New 
budget 
authority,
¥$59,729,000,000.
(B) Outlays, ¥$71,395,399,000.
Fiscal year 2003:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, ¥$858,925,000.
Fiscal year 2004:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, ¥$6,779,225,000.
Fiscal year 2005:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, ¥$6,072,000,000.
TITLE II—BUDGETARY
RESTRAINTS AND RULEMAKING
SEC. 201. CONGRESSIONAL LOCK BOX FOR SOCIAL SECU-
RITY SURPLUSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
HCON 290 EAS
(1) under the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990,
the Social Security trust funds are off-budget for pur-
poses of the President’s budget submission and the
concurrent resolution on the budget;
(2) the Social Security trust funds have been
running surpluses for 18 years;
(3) these surpluses have been used to implicitly
finance the general operations of the Federal Govern-
ment;
(4) in fiscal year 2001, the Social Security sur-
plus will reach $166,000,000,000;
(5) in fiscal year 1999, the Federal budget was
balanced without using Social Security;
(6) the only way to ensure that Social Security
surpluses are not diverted for other purposes is to bal-
ance the budget exclusive of such surpluses; and
(7) Congress and the President should take such
steps as are necessary to ensure that future budgets
continue to be balanced excluding the surpluses gen-
erated by the Social Security trust funds.
(b) POINT OF ORDER.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall not be in order in the
House of Representatives or the Senate to consider
any revision to this concurrent resolution, or any
other concurrent resolution on the budget, or any
HCON 290 EAS
amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
sets forth a deficit for any fiscal year.
(2) DEFICIT LEVELS.—For purposes of this sub-
section, a deficit shall be the level (if any) set forth
in the most recently agreed to concurrent resolution
on the budget for that fiscal year pursuant to section
301(a)(3) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
(c) BUDGET COMMITTEE DETERMINATIONS.—For pur-
poses of this section, the levels of new budget authority, out-
lays, direct spending, new entitlement authority, revenues,
deficits, and surpluses for a fiscal year shall be determined
on the basis of estimates made by the Committee on the
Budget of the House of Representatives or the Senate, as
applicable.
(d) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (b) shall not apply if—
(1) the most recent of the Department of Com-
merce’s advance, preliminary, or final reports of ac-
tual real economic growth indicate that the rate of
real economic growth for each of the most recently re-
ported quarter and the immediately preceding quarter
is less than 1 percent; or
(2) a declaration of war is in effect.
(e) SOCIAL SECURITY LOOK-BACK.—If in any fiscal
year the Social Security surplus is used to finance general
operations of the Federal Government, an amount equal to
HCON 290 EAS
the amount used shall be deducted from the available
amount of discretionary spending for the following fiscal
year for purposes of any concurrent resolution on the budg-
et.
(f) WAIVER
AND APPEAL.—Subsection (b) may be
waived or suspended in the Senate only by an affirmative
vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen and sworn.
An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members of the Sen-
ate, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required in the Senate
to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point
of order raised under this section.
SEC. 202. RESERVE FUND FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
(a) ALLOCATION.—In the Senate, spending aggregates
and other appropriate budgetary levels and limits may be
adjusted and allocations may be revised for legislation re-
ported by the Committee on Finance to provide a prescrip-
tion drug benefit for fiscal years 2001, 2002, and 2003, pro-
vided that this legislation will not reduce the on-budget sur-
plus by more than $20,000,000,000 total during these 3 fis-
cal years, and provided that the enactment of this legisla-
tion will not cause an on-budget deficit in any of these 3
fiscal years.
(b) EXCEPTION.—The adjustments provided in sub-
section (a) shall be made for a bill or joint resolution, or
an amendment that is offered (in the Senate), that provides
HCON 290 EAS
coverage for prescription drugs, if the Senate Committee on
Finance has not reported such legislation on or before Sep-
tember 1, 2000.
(c) ADJUSTMENT.—If legislation is reported by the
Senate Committee on Finance that extends the solvency of
the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund without the
use of transfers of new subsidies from the general fund,
without decreasing beneficiaries’ access to health care, and
excluding the cost of extending and modifying the prescrip-
tion drug benefit crafted pursuant to section (a) or (b), then
the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget may change
committee allocations and spending aggregates by no more
than $20,000,000,000 total for fiscal years 2004 and 2005
to fund the prescription drug benefit if such legislation will
not cause an on-budget deficit in either of these 2 fiscal
years.
(d) BUDGETARY ENFORCEMENT.—The revision of allo-
cations and aggregates made under this section shall be con-
sidered for the purposes of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974 as allocations and aggregates contained in this reso-
lution.
SEC. 203. RESERVE FUND FOR STABILIZATION OF PAY-
MENTS TO COUNTIES IN SUPPORT OF EDU-
CATION.
(a) ADJUSTMENT.—
HCON 290 EAS
(1) IN GENERAL.—Whenever the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate reports
a bill, or an amendment thereto is offered, or a con-
ference report thereon is submitted, that provides ad-
ditional resources for counties and complies with
paragraph (2), the chairman of the Committee on the
Budget may increase the allocation of budget author-
ity and outlays to that committee by the amount of
budget authority (and the outlays resulting therefrom)
provided by that legislation for such purpose in ac-
cordance with subsection (b).
(2) CONDITION.—Legislation complies with this
paragraph if it provides for the stabilization of re-
ceipt-based payments to counties that support school
and road systems and also provides that a portion of
those payments would be dedicated toward local in-
vestments in Federal lands within the counties.
(b) LIMITATIONS.—The adjustments to the allocations
required by subsection (a) shall not exceed $200,000,000 in
budget authority (and the outlays resulting therefrom) for
fiscal year 2001 and shall not exceed $1,100,000,000 in
budget authority (and the outlays resulting therefrom) for
the period of fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
SEC. 204. RESERVE FUND FOR AGRICULTURE.
(a) ADJUSTMENT.—
HCON 290 EAS
(1) IN
GENERAL.—If the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate reports
a bill on or before June 29, 2000, or an amendment
thereto is offered, or a conference report thereon is
submitted that provides assistance for producers of
program crops and specialty crops, and enhancements
for agriculture conservation programs that complies
with paragraph (2), the appropriate chairman of the
Committee on the Budget may increase the allocation
of budget authority and outlays to that committee by
the amount of budget authority (and the outlays re-
sulting therefrom) provided by that legislation for
such purpose in accordance with subsection (b).
(2) CONDITIONS.—Legislation complies with this
paragraph if it does not cause a net increase in budg-
et 
authority 
and 
outlays 
of 
greater 
than
$1,640,000,000 for fiscal year 2001.
(b) LIMITATIONS.—The adjustments to the allocations
required by subsection (a) shall not exceed $5,500,000,000
in budget authority and outlays for fiscal year 2000, and
$3,000,000,000 in budget authority (and the outlays result-
ing therefrom) for the period of fiscal years 2001 through
2005.
HCON 290 EAS
SEC. 205. TAX REDUCTION RESERVE FUND IN THE SENATE.
In the Senate, the chairman of the Committee on the
Budget may reduce the spending and revenue aggregates
and may revise committee allocations for legislation that
reduces revenues if such legislation will not increase the def-
icit or decrease the surplus for—
(1) fiscal year 2001; or
(2) the period of fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
SEC. 206. MECHANISM FOR ADDITIONAL DEBT REDUCTION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—If any of the legislation described
in subsection (b) does not become law on or before October
1, 2000, then the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget
of the Senate shall adjust the levels in this concurrent reso-
lution as provided in subsection (c).
(b) LEGISLATION.—The adjustment required by sub-
section (a) shall be made with respect to—
(1) the reconciliation legislation required by sec-
tion 104; or
(2) the Medicare legislation provided for in sec-
tion 202.
(c) ADJUSTMENTS TO BE MADE.—The adjustment re-
quired in subsection (a) shall be—
(1) with respect to the legislation required by
section 104, to decrease the balance displayed on the
Senate’s pay-as-you-go scorecard and increase the rev-
enue aggregate by the amount set forth in section 104
HCON 290 EAS
(as adjusted, if adjusted, pursuant to section 205) and
to decrease the level of debt held by the public as set
forth in section 101(6) by that same amount; or
(2) with respect to the legislation provided for in
section 202, to decrease the balance displayed on the
Senate’s pay-as-you-go scorecard by the amount set
forth in section 202 and to decrease the level of debt
held by the public as set forth in section 101(6) by
that same amount and make the corresponding ad-
justments to the revenue and spending aggregates and
allocations (as adjusted by section 202).
SEC. 207. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION POINT OF ORDER IN
THE SENATE.
(a) DESIGNATIONS.—
(1) GUIDANCE.—In making a designation of a
provision of legislation as an emergency requirement
under section 251(b)(2)(A) or 252(e) of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985,
the committee report and any statement of managers
accompanying that legislation shall analyze whether
a proposed emergency requirement meets all the cri-
teria in paragraph (2).
(2) CRITERIA.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The criteria to be con-
sidered in determining whether a proposed ex-
HCON 290 EAS
penditure or tax change is an emergency require-
ment are—
(i) necessary, essential, or vital (not
merely useful or beneficial);
(ii) sudden, quickly coming into being,
and not building up over time;
(iii) an urgent, pressing, and compel-
ling need requiring immediate action;
(iv) subject to subparagraph (B), un-
foreseen, unpredictable, and unanticipated;
and
(v) not permanent, temporary in na-
ture.
(B) UNFORESEEN.—An emergency that is
part of an aggregate level of anticipated emer-
gencies, particularly when normally estimated in
advance, is not unforeseen.
(3) JUSTIFICATION FOR FAILURE TO MEET CRI-
TERIA.—If the proposed emergency requirement does
not meet all the criteria set forth in paragraph (2),
the committee report or the statement of managers, as
the case may be, shall provide a written justification
of why the requirement should be accorded emergency
status.
HCON 290 EAS
(b) POINT OF ORDER.—When the Senate is consid-
ering a bill, resolution, amendment, motion, or conference
report, a point of order may be made by a Senator against
an emergency designation in that measure and if the Pre-
siding Officer sustains that point of order, that provision
making such a designation shall be stricken from the meas-
ure and may not be offered as an amendment from the floor.
(c) WAIVER
AND APPEAL.—This section may be
waived or suspended in the Senate only by an affirmative
vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen and sworn.
An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members of the Sen-
ate, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required in the Senate
to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point
of order raised under this section.
(d) DEFINITION OF AN EMERGENCY REQUIREMENT.—
A provision shall be considered an emergency designation
if it designates any item an emergency requirement pursu-
ant to section 251(b)(2)(A) or 252(e) of the Balanced Budg-
et and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
(e) FORM OF THE POINT OF ORDER.—A point of order
under this section may be raised by a Senator as provided
in section 313(e) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
(f) CONFERENCE REPORTS.—If a point of order is sus-
tained under this section against a conference report the
HCON 290 EAS
report shall be disposed of as provided in section 313(d)
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
(g) EXCEPTION FOR DEFENSE SPENDING.—Subsection
(b) shall not apply against an emergency designation for
a provision making discretionary appropriations in the de-
fense category.
SEC. 208. RESERVE FUND PENDING INCREASE OF FISCAL
YEAR 2001 DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LIM-
ITS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) The functional totals with respect to discre-
tionary spending set forth in this concurrent resolu-
tion, if implemented, would result in legislation
which exceeds the limit on discretionary spending for
fiscal year 2001 set out in section 251(c) of the Bal-
anced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985. Nonetheless, the allocation pursuant to section
302 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act of 1974 to the Committee on Appropria-
tions is in compliance with current law spending lim-
its.
(2) Consequently unless and until the discre-
tionary spending limit for fiscal year 2001 is in-
creased, aggregate appropriations which exceed the
HCON 290 EAS
current law limits would still be out of order in the
Senate and subject to a supermajority vote.
(3) The functional totals contained in this con-
current resolution envision a level of discretionary
spending for fiscal year 2001 as follows:
(A) 
For 
the 
discretionary 
category:
$602,179,000,000 in new budget authority and
$593,926,000,000 in outlays.
(B) 
For 
the 
highway 
category:
$26,920,000,000 in outlays.
(C) 
For 
the 
mass 
transit 
category:
$4,639,000,000 in outlays.
(4) To facilitate the Senate completing its legis-
lative responsibilities for the 106th Congress in a
timely fashion, it is imperative that the Senate con-
sider legislation which increases the discretionary
spending limit for fiscal year 2001 as soon as pos-
sible.
(b) ADJUSTMENT TO ALLOCATIONS.—Whenever a bill
or joint resolution becomes law that increases the discre-
tionary spending limit for fiscal year 2001 set out in sec-
tion 251(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985, the appropriate chairman of the Com-
mittee on the Budget shall increase the allocation called for
HCON 290 EAS
in section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
to the appropriate Committee on Appropriations.
(c) LIMITATION
ON ADJUSTMENT.—An adjustment
made pursuant to subsection (b) shall not result in an allo-
cation under section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974 that exceeds the total budget authority and outlays
set forth in subsection (a)(3).
SEC. 209. CONGRESSIONAL FIREWALL FOR DEFENSE AND
NONDEFENSE SPENDING.
(a) DEFINITION.—In this section, for fiscal year 2001
the term ‘‘discretionary spending limit’’ means—
(1) for the defense category, $310,819,000,000 in
new budget authority and $297,050,000,000 in out-
lays; and
(2) for the nondefense category, $291,360,000,000
in new budget authority and $329,183,000,000 in
outlays.
(b) POINT OF ORDER IN THE SENATE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—After the adjustment to the
section 302(a) allocation to the Appropriations Com-
mittee is made pursuant to section 207 and except as
provided in paragraph (2), it shall not be in order in
the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution,
amendment, motion, or conference report that exceeds
HCON 290 EAS
any discretionary spending limit set forth in this sec-
tion.
(2) EXCEPTION.—This subsection shall not apply
if a declaration of war by Congress is in effect.
(c) WAIVER
AND APPEAL.—This section may be
waived or suspended in the Senate only by an affirmative
vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen and sworn.
An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members of the Sen-
ate, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required in the Senate
to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point
of order raised under this section.
SEC. 210. MECHANISMS FOR STRENGTHENING BUDGETARY
INTEGRITY.
(a) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the
term ‘‘budget year’’ means with respect to a session of Con-
gress, the fiscal year of the Government that starts on Octo-
ber 1 of the calendar year in which that session begins.
(b) POINT OF ORDER WITH RESPECT TO ADVANCED
APPROPRIATIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall not be in order in the
Senate to consider any bill, resolution, amendment,
motion or conference report that—
(A) provides an appropriation of new budg-
et authority for any fiscal year after the budget
HCON 290 EAS
year that is in excess of the amounts provided in
paragraph (2); and
(B) provides an appropriation of new budg-
et authority for any fiscal year subsequent to the
year after the budget year.
(2) 
LIMITATION
ON
AMOUNTS.—The 
total
amount, provided in appropriations legislation for
the budget year, of appropriations for the subsequent
fiscal year shall not exceed $23,000,000,000.
(c) POINT OF ORDER WITH RESPECT TO DELAYED
OBLIGATIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), it shall not be in order in the Senate to
consider any bill, resolution, amendment, motion, or
conference report that contains an appropriation of
new budget authority for any fiscal year which does
not become available upon enactment of such legisla-
tion or on the first day of that fiscal year (whichever
is later).
(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply
with respect to appropriations in the defense category;
nor shall it apply to appropriations reoccurring or
customary or for the following programs: Provided,
That such appropriation is not delayed beyond the
HCON 290 EAS
specified date and does not exceed the specified
amount:
(A) DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.—Op-
eration of Indian Programs School Operation
Costs (Bureau of Indian Affairs Funded Schools
and Other Education Programs): July 1 not to
exceed $401,000,000.
(B) DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.—
(i) Training and Employment Service:
July 1 not to exceed $1,650,000,000.
(ii) State Unemployment Insurance:
July 1 not to exceed $902,000,000.
(C) DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.—
(i) Education Reform: July 1 not to
exceed $512,000,000.
(ii) Education for the Disadvantaged:
July 1 not to exceed $2,462,000,000.
(iii) School Improvement Program:
July 1 not to exceed $975,000,000.
(iv) Special Education: July 1 not to
exceed $2,048,000,000.
(v) Vocational Education: July 1 not
to exceed $858,000,000.
(D) DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.—
Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Cor-
HCON 290 EAS
poration: 
September 
not 
to 
exceed
$343,000,000.
(E) 
DEPARTMENT
OF
VETERANS’ 
AF-
FAIRS.—Medical 
Care 
(equipment-land-struc-
tures): August 1 not to exceed $900,000,000.
(F) ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGEN-
CY.—Hazardous 
Substance 
Superfund: 
Sep-
tember 1 not to exceed $100,000,000.
(d) WAIVER AND APPEAL.—Subsections (b) and (c)
may be waived or suspended in the Senate only by an af-
firmative vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen
and sworn. An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Mem-
bers of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required
in the Senate to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair
on a point of order raised under this section.
(e) FORM OF THE POINT OF ORDER.—A point of order
under this section may be raised by a Senator as provided
in section 313(e) of the Congressional Budget and Impound-
ment Control Act of 1974.
(f) CONFERENCE REPORTS.—If a point of order is sus-
tained under this section against a conference report, the
report shall be disposed of as provided in section 313(d)
of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act
of 1974.
HCON 290 EAS
(g) PRECATORY AMENDMENTS.—For purposes of inter-
preting section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974, an amendment is not germane if it contains only
precatory language.
(h) SUNSET.—Except for subsection (g), this section
shall expire effective October 1, 2002.
SEC. 211. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL RESERVE SUR-
PLUSES.
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to ensure
that transfers from nonbudgetary governmental entities
such as the Federal Reserve banks shall not be used to offset
increased on-budget spending when such transfers produce
no real budgetary or economic effects.
(b) BUDGETARY RULE.—For purposes of points of
order under this resolution and the Congressional Budget
and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, provisions con-
tained in any bill, resolution, amendment, motion, or con-
ference report that affects any surplus funds of the Federal
Reserve banks shall not be scored with respect to the level
of budget authority, outlays, or revenues contained in such
legislation.
HCON 290 EAS
SEC. 212. REAFFIRMING THE PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF
REVENUE 
OFFSETS 
FOR 
DISCRETIONARY
SPENDING.
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to reaf-
firm Congress’ belief that the discretionary spending limits
should be adhered to and not circumvented by increasing
taxes.
(b) RESTATEMENT OF BUDGETARY RULE.—For pur-
poses of points of order under this resolution and the Con-
gressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974,
provisions contained in an appropriations bill (or an
amendment thereto or a conference report thereon) resulting
in increased revenues shall continue not to be scored with
respect to the level of budget authority or outlays contained
in such legislation.
SEC. 213. APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ALLO-
CATIONS AND AGGREGATES.
(a) APPLICATION.—Any adjustments of allocations
and aggregates made pursuant to this concurrent resolution
for any measure shall—
(1) apply while that measure is under consider-
ation;
(2) take effect upon the enactment of that meas-
ure; and
(3) be published in the Congressional Record as
soon as practicable.
HCON 290 EAS
(b) EFFECT OF CHANGED ALLOCATIONS AND AGGRE-
GATES.—Revised allocations and aggregates resulting from
these adjustments shall be considered for the purposes of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as allocations and aggre-
gates contained in this concurrent resolution.
SEC. 214. RESERVE FUND TO FOSTER THE HEALTH OF CHIL-
DREN WITH DISABILITIES AND THE EMPLOY-
MENT AND INDEPENDENCE OF THEIR FAMI-
LIES.
(a) ADJUSTMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Whenever the Committee on
Finance of the Senate reports a bill, or an amend-
ment thereto is offered, or a conference report thereon
is submitted, that facilitates children with disabilities
receiving needed health care at home and complies
with paragraph (2), the chairman of the Committee
on the Budget may increase the spending aggregate
and allocation of budget authority and outlays to that
committee by the amount of budget authority (and the
outlays resulting therefrom) provided by that legisla-
tion for such purpose in accordance with subsection
(b).
(2) CONDITION.—Legislation complies with this
paragraph if it finances health programs designed to
allow children with disabilities to access the health
HCON 290 EAS
services they need to remain at home with their fami-
lies while allowing their families to become or remain
employed.
(b) LIMITATIONS.—The adjustments to the spending
aggregates and allocations required by subsection (a) shall
not exceed $50,000,000 in budget authority (and the outlays
resulting therefrom) for fiscal year 2001 and shall not ex-
ceed $300,000,000 in budget authority (and the outlays re-
sulting therefrom) for the period of fiscal years 2001
through 2005.
SEC. 215. EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWERS.
Congress adopts the provisions of this title—
(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the
Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively,
and as such they shall be considered as part of the
rules of each House, or of that House to which they
specifically apply, and such rules shall supersede
other rules only to the extent that they are incon-
sistent therewith; and
(2) with full recognition of the constitutional
right of either House to change those rules (so far as
they relate to that House) at any time, in the same
manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any
other rule of that House.
HCON 290 EAS
SEC. 216. RESERVE FUND FOR MILITARY RETIREE HEALTH
CARE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In the Senate, aggregates, alloca-
tions, functional totals, and other budgetary levels and lim-
its may be revised for Department of Defense authorization
legislation reported by the Committee on Armed Services
of the Senate to fund improvements to health care programs
for military retirees and their dependents in order to fulfill
the promises made to them: Provided, That the enactment
of that legislation will not cause an on-budget deficit for—
(1) fiscal year 2001; or
(2) the period of fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
(b) REVISED LEVELS.—Upon the consideration of leg-
islation pursuant to subsection (a), the Chairman of the
Committee on the Budget of the Senate may file with the
Senate appropriately revised allocations under section
302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and revised
functional levels and aggregates to carry out this section.
These revised allocations, functional levels, and aggregates
shall be considered for the purposes of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974 as allocations, functional levels, and
aggregates contained in this resolution.
SEC. 217. RESERVE FUND FOR EARLY LEARNING AND PAR-
ENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS.
(a) ADJUSTMENT.—When the Committee on Education
and Workforce of the House of Representatives or the Com-
HCON 290 EAS
mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate reports a bill, an amendment is offered in the House
of Representatives or the Senate, or a conference report is
filed that improves opportunities at the local level for early
learning, brain development, and school readiness for young
children from birth to age 6 and offers support programs
for such families, particularly those with special needs such
as mental health issues and behavioral disorders, the rel-
evant chairman of the Committee on the Budget may in-
crease the allocation aggregates, functions, totals, and other
budgetary totals in the resolution by the amount of budget
authority (and the outlays resulting therefrom) provided by
the legislation for such purpose in accordance with sub-
section (b) if the legislation does not cause an on-budget
deficit.
(b) LIMITATIONS.—The adjustments to the aggregates
and totals pursuant to subsection (a) shall not exceed
$8,500,000,000 on-budget authority (and the outlays result-
ing therefrom) for the period fiscal year 2001 through 2005.
TITLE III—SENSE OF THE
SENATE PROVISIONS
SEC. 301. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON CONTROLLING AND
ELIMINATING THE GROWING INTERNATIONAL
PROBLEM OF TUBERCULOSIS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following:
HCON 290 EAS
(1) 
According 
to 
the 
World 
Health
Organization—
(A) nearly 2,000,000 people worldwide die
each year of tuberculosis-related illnesses;
(B) one-third of the world’s total population
is infected with tuberculosis; and
(C) tuberculosis is the world’s leading killer
of women between 15- and 44-years old and is
a leading cause of children becoming orphans.
(2) Because of the ease of transmission of tuber-
culosis, its international persistence and growth pose
a direct public health threat to those nations that had
previously largely controlled the disease. This is com-
plicated in the United States by the growth of the
homeless population, the rate of incarceration, inter-
national travel, immigration, and HIV/AIDS.
(3) With nearly 40 percent of the tuberculosis
cases in the United States attributable to foreign-born
persons, tuberculosis will never be eliminated in the
United States until it is controlled abroad.
(4) The means exist to control tuberculosis
through screening, diagnosis, treatment, patient com-
pliance, monitoring, and ongoing review of outcomes.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assumes that additional
HCON 290 EAS
resources should be provided to fund international tuber-
culosis control efforts at $60,000,000 in fiscal year 2001,
consistent with authorizing legislation approved by the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
SEC. 302. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON INCREASED FUNDING
FOR THE CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT
BLOCK GRANT.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) in 1998, 33.2 percent of women in the labor
force have children under 14;
(2) in 1998, 65.2 percent of women with children
younger than age 6, and 78.4 percent of women with
children ages 6 through 17 were in the labor force,
and 41.6 percent of women with children younger
than 3 were employed full-time;
(3) 1,920,000 couples both working and with
children under 18 had family incomes of under
$30,000 (10.3 percent);
(4)(A) in 1998, 11,700,000 children out of
21,300,000 (55.1 percent) under the age of 5 have em-
ployed mothers;
(B) 18.4 percent of children under 6 are cared
for by their fathers at home;
HCON 290 EAS
(C) another 5.5 percent (562,000) are looked
after by their mother either at home or away from
home; and
(D) in other words, less than a quarter (23.9
percent) of these children are taken care of by 1 par-
ent;
(5) a 1997 General Accounting Office study
found that the increased work participation require-
ment of the welfare reform law will cause the need for
child care to exceed the known supply;
(6) a 1995 study by the Urban Institute of child
care prices in 6 cities found that the average cost of
daycare for a 2-year-old in a child care center ranged
from $3,100 to $8,100;
(7) for an entry-level worker, the family’s child
care costs at the average price of care for an infant
in a child care center would be at least 50 percent of
family income in 5 of the 6 cities examined;
(8) a large number of low- and middle-income
families sacrifice a second full-time income so that a
parent may be at home with the child;
(9) the average income of 2-parent families with
a single income (a family with children, wife does not
work) is $13,566 less than the average income of 2-
parent families with 2 incomes;
HCON 290 EAS
(10) a recent National Institute for Child Health
and Development study found that the greatest factor
in the development of a young child is ‘‘what is hap-
pening at home and in families’’; and
(11) increased tax relief directed at making child
care more affordable, and increased funding for the
Child Care and Development Block Grant, would take
significant steps toward bringing quality child care
within the reach of many parents, and would increase
the options available to parents in deciding how best
to care for their children.
(b) SENSE OF SENATE.—It is the sense of the Senate
that the levels in this resolution and legislation enacted pur-
suant to this resolution assume—
(1) that tax relief should be directed to parents
who are struggling to afford quality child care, in-
cluding those who wish to stay home to care for a
child, and should be included in any tax cut package;
and
(2) a total of $4,567,000,000 in funding for the
Child Care and Development Block Grant in fiscal
year 2001.
HCON 290 EAS
SEC. 303. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON TAX RELIEF FOR COL-
LEGE TUITION PAID AND FOR INTEREST PAID
ON STUDENT LOANS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) in our increasingly competitive global econ-
omy, the attainment of a higher education is critical
to the economic success of an individual, as evidenced
by the fact that, in 1975, college graduates earned an
average of 57 percent more than those who just fin-
ished high school, compared to 76 percent more today;
(2) the cost of attaining a higher education has
outpaced both inflation and median family incomes;
(3) specifically, over the past 20 years, the cost
of college tuition has quadrupled (growing faster than
any consumer item, including health care and nearly
twice as fast as inflation) and 8 times as fast as me-
dian household incomes;
(4) despite recent increases passed by Congress,
the value of the maximum Pell Grant has declined 23
percent since 1975 in inflation-adjusted terms, forcing
more students to rely on student loans to finance the
cost of a higher education;
(5) from 1992 to 1998, the demand for student
loans soared 82 percent and the average student loan
increased 367 percent;
HCON 290 EAS
(6) according to the Department of Education,
there is approximately $150,000,000,000 in out-
standing student loan debt, and students borrowed
more during the 1990’s than during the 1960’s,
1970’s, and 1980’s combined; and
(7) in Congress, proposals have been made to ad-
dress the rising cost of tuition and mounting student
debt, including a bipartisan proposal to provide a de-
duction for tuition paid and a credit for interest paid
on student loans.
(b) SENSE OF SENATE.—It is the sense of the Senate
that the levels in this resolution and legislation enacted pur-
suant to this resolution assume that any tax cut package
reported by the Finance Committee and passed by Congress
during the fiscal year 2001 budget reconciliation process
include tax relief for college tuition paid and for interest
paid on student loans.
SEC. 304. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON INCREASED FUNDING
FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) the National Institutes of Health is the Na-
tion’s foremost research center;
(2) the Nation’s commitment to and investment
in biomedical research has resulted in better health
and an improved quality of life for all Americans;
HCON 290 EAS
(3) continued biomedical research funding must
be ensured so that medical doctors and scientists have
the security to commit to conducting long-term re-
search studies;
(4) funding for the National Institutes of Health
should continue to increase in order to prevent the
cessation of biomedical research studies and the loss
of medical doctors and research scientists to private
research organizations; and
(5) the National Institutes of Health conducts re-
search protocols without proprietary interests, thereby
ensuring that the best health care is researched and
made available to the Nation.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume increased fund-
ing in function 550 (Health) for the National Institutes of
Health of $2,700,000,000, reflecting the commitment made
in the fiscal year 1998 Senate Budget Resolution to double
the National Institute of Health budget by 2003.
SEC. 305. SENSE OF THE SENATE SUPPORTING FUNDING
LEVELS IN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
ACT.
It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this reso-
lution assume that of the amounts provided for elementary
and secondary education within the Budget Function 500
HCON 290 EAS
of this resolution for fiscal years 2001 through 2005, such
funds shall be appropriated in proportion to and in accord-
ance with the levels authorized in the Educational Opportu-
nities Act, S. 2.
SEC. 306. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON ADDITIONAL BUDG-
ETARY RESOURCES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) In its review of government operations, the
General Accounting Office noted that it was unable to
determine the extent of improper government pay-
ments, due to the poor quality of agency accounting
practices. In particular, the General Accounting Of-
fice cited the Government’s inability to—
(A) ‘‘properly account for and report bil-
lions of dollars of property, equipment, mate-
rials, and supplies and certain stewardship as-
sets’’; and
(B) ‘‘properly prepare the Federal Govern-
ment’s financial statements, including balancing
the statements, accounting for billions of dollars
of transactions between governmental entities,
and properly and consistently compiling the in-
formation in the financial statements.’’.
(2) Private economic forecasters are currently
more optimistic than the Congressional Budget Office
HCON 290 EAS
(CBO). Blue Chip expects 2000 real GDP growth of
4.1 percent, whereas the Congressional Budget Office
expects 3.3 percent growth. From 1999 through 2005,
Blue Chip expects real GDP to grow more than 0.3
percentage points faster per year than the Congres-
sional Budget Office does. Using budgetary rules of
thumb, this latter difference translates into more than
$150,000,000,000 over the 5-year budget window.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels contained in this resolution assume
that—
(1) there are billions of dollars in wasted expend-
itures in the Federal Government that should be
eliminated; and
(2) higher projected budget surpluses arising
from reductions in government waste and stronger
revenue inflows could be used in the future for addi-
tional tax relief or debt reduction.
SEC. 307. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON REGARDING THE INAD-
EQUACY OF THE PAYMENTS FOR SKILLED
NURSING CARE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) Congress confronted and addressed the fund-
ing crisis for medicare beneficiaries requiring skilled
HCON 290 EAS
nursing care through the Balanced Budget Refine-
ment Act of 1999;
(2) Congress recognized the need to address the
inadequacy of the prospective payment system for cer-
tain levels of care, as well as the need to end arbi-
trary limits on rehabilitative therapies. Congress re-
stored $2,700,000,000 to reduce access threats to
skilled care for medicare beneficiaries; and
(3) Currently, more than 1,600 skilled nursing
facilities caring for more than 175,000 frail and el-
derly Americans have filed for bankruptcy protection.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that—
(1) the Administration should identify areas
where they have the authority to make changes to im-
prove quality, including analyzing and fixing the
labor component of the skilled nursing facility market
basket update factor; and
(2) while Congress deliberates funding structural
medicare reform and the addition of a prescription
drug benefit, it must maintain the continued viability
of the current skilled nursing benefit. Therefore, the
committees of jurisdiction should ensure that medi-
care beneficiaries requiring skilled nursing care have
access to that care and that those providers have the
HCON 290 EAS
resources to meet the expectation for high quality
care.
SEC. 308. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE CARA PROGRAMS.
It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this reso-
lution assume that, if the Congress and the President so
choose, the following programs can be fully funded as discre-
tionary programs in fiscal year 2001, including—
(1) the Land and Water Conservation Fund pro-
grams;
(2) the Federal aid to Wildlife Fund;
(3) the Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery
Grants;
(4) the National Historic Preservation Fund;
(5) the Payment in Lieu of Taxes; and
(6) the North American Wetlands Conservation
Act.
SEC. 309. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON VETERANS’ MEDICAL
CARE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) this budget addresses concerns about veterans’
medical care;
(2) we successfully increased the appropriation
for veterans’ medical care by $1,700,000,000 last
year, although the President had proposed no increase
in funding in his budget; and
HCON 290 EAS
(3) this year’s budget proposes to increase the
veterans’ 
medical 
care 
appropriation 
by
$1,400,000,000, the level of funding in the President’s
budget.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume an increase of
$1,400,000,000 in veterans’ medical care appropriations in
fiscal year 2001.
SEC. 310. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON IMPACT AID.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) the Impact Aid, as created by Congress in
1950, fulfills a Federal obligation to local educational
agencies impacted by a Federal presence;
(2) the Impact Aid provides funds to these local
educational agencies to help them meet the basic edu-
cational needs of all their children, particularly the
needs of transient military dependent students, Native
American children, and students from low-income
housing projects; and
(3) the Impact Aid is funded at a level less than
what is required to fully fund ‘‘all’’ federally con-
nected local educational agencies.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that the Impact
Aid Program strive to reach the goal that all local edu-
HCON 290 EAS
cational agencies eligible for Impact Aid receive at a min-
imum, 40 percent of their maximum payment under sec-
tions 8002 and 8003.
SEC. 311. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON FUNDING FOR IN-
CREASED ACREAGE UNDER THE CONSERVA-
TION RESERVE PROGRAM AND THE WET-
LANDS RESERVE PROGRAM.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) have been
successful, voluntary, incentive-based endeavors that
over the last decade and a half have turned millions
of acres of marginal cropland into reserves that pro-
tect wildlife in the United States, provide meaningful
income to farmers and ranchers (especially in periods
of collapsed commodity prices), and combat soil and
water erosion. CRP and WRP also provide increased
opportunities for hunting, fishing, and other rec-
reational activities.
(2) CRP provides landowners with technical and
financial assistance, including annual rental pay-
ments, in exchange for removing environmentally sen-
sitive farmland from production and implementing
conservation practices. Currently, CRP includes
around 31,300,000 acres in the United States.
HCON 290 EAS
(3) Similarly, WRP offers technical and finan-
cial assistance to landowners who select to restore
wetlands. Currently, WRP includes 785,000 acres na-
tionwide.
(4) Furthermore, bipartisan legislation has been
introduced in the 106th Congress to increase the acre-
age permitted under both CRP and WRP. The Ad-
ministration also supports raising the acreage limita-
tions in both programs.
(5) Unfortunately, both CRP and WRP may
soon become victims of their own success and their re-
spective statutory acreage limitations unless Congress
acts. Given the popularity and demand for these con-
servation programs, the statutory acreage limitations
will likely exhaust resources available to producers
who want to participate in CRP or WRP. As cur-
rently authorized, CRP has an enrollment cap of
36,400,000 acres and WRP is limited at 975,000
acres. As of October 1, 1999, enrollment in CRP stood
at approximately 31,300,000 acres and enrollment in
WRP at just over 785,000 acres.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that Congress
and the Administration should take steps to raise the acre-
age limits of the CRP and WRP in order to make these
HCON 290 EAS
programs available to aid the preservation and conserva-
tion of sensitive natural soil and water resources without
negatively effecting rural communities. Further, such ac-
tions should help improve farm income for agricultural pro-
ducers and restore prosperity and growth to rural sectors
of the United States.
SEC. 312. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON TAX SIMPLIFICATION.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
(1) the tax code has become increasingly com-
plex, undermining confidence in the system, and often
undermining the principles of simplicity, efficiency,
and equity;
(2) some have estimated that the resources re-
quired to keep records and file returns already cost
American families an additional 10 percent to 20
percent over what they actually pay in income taxes;
and
(3) if it is to enact a greatly simplified tax code,
Congress should have a thorough understanding of the
problem as well as specific proposals to consider.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that the Joint
Committee on Taxation shall develop a report and alter-
native proposals on tax simplification by the end of the
year, and the Department of the Treasury is requested to
HCON 290 EAS
develop a report and alternative proposals on tax sim-
plification by the end of the year.
SEC. 313. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON ANTITRUST ENFORCE-
MENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION REGARDING
AGRICULTURE MERGERS AND ANTICOMPETI-
TIVE ACTIVITY.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
(1) the Antitrust Division of the Department of
Justice is charged with the civil and criminal enforce-
ment of the antitrust laws, including the review of
corporate mergers likely to reduce competition in par-
ticular markets, with a goal of protecting the competi-
tive process;
(2) the Bureau of Competition of the Federal
Trade Commission is also charged with enforcement
of the antitrust laws, including the review of cor-
porate mergers likely to reduce competition;
(3) the Antitrust Division and the Bureau of
Competition are also responsible for the prosecution of
companies and individuals who engage in anti-com-
petitive behavior and unfair trade practices;
(4) the number of merger filings under the Hart-
Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976,
which the Department of Justice, in conjunction with
HCON 290 EAS
the Federal Trade Commission, is required to review,
has increased significantly in fiscal years 1998 and
1999;
(5) large agri-businesses have constituted part of
this trend in mergers and acquisitions;
(6) farmers and small agricultural producers are
experiencing one of the worst periods of economic
downturn in years;
(7) farmers currently get less than a quarter of
every retail food dollar, down from nearly half of
every retail food dollar in 1952;
(8) the top 4 beef packers presently control 80
percent of the market, the top 4 pork producers con-
trol 57 percent of the market, and the largest sheep
processors and poultry processors control 73 percent
and 55 percent of the market, respectively;
(9) the 4 largest grain processing companies
presently account for approximately 62 percent of the
Nation’s flour milling, and the 4 largest firms control
approximately 75 percent of the wet corn milling and
soybean crushing industry;
(10) farmers and small, independent producers
are concerned about the substantial increase in con-
centration in the agriculture industry and signifi-
HCON 290 EAS
cantly diminished opportunities in the marketplace;
and
(11) farmers and small, independent producers
are also concerned about possible anticompetitive be-
havior and unfair business practices in the agri-
culture industry.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that—
(1) the Antitrust Division and the Bureau of
Competition will have adequate resources to enable
them to meet their statutory requirements, including
those related to reviewing increasingly numerous and
complex mergers and investigating and prosecuting
anticompetitive business activity; and
(2) these departments will—
(A) dedicate considerable resources to mat-
ters and transactions dealing with agri-business
antitrust and competition; and
(B) ensure that all vertical and horizontal
mergers implicating agriculture and all com-
plaints regarding possible anticompetitive busi-
ness practices in the agriculture industry will re-
ceive extraordinary scrutiny.
HCON 290 EAS
SEC. 314. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING FAIR MAR-
KETS FOR AMERICAN FARMERS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) United States agricultural producers are the
most efficient and competitive in the world;
(2) United States agricultural producers are at
a competitive disadvantage in the world market be-
cause the European Union outspends the United
States (on a dollar/acre basis) by a ratio of 10:1 on
domestic support and by a ratio of 60:1 on export
subsidies;
(3) the support the European Union gives their
producers results in more prosperous rural commu-
nities in Europe than in the United States;
(4) the European Union blocked consensus at the
World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Se-
attle because Europe does not want to surrender its
current advantage in world markets;
(5) despite the competitiveness of American
farmers, the European advantage has led to a declin-
ing United States share of the world market for agri-
cultural products;
(6) the United States Department of Agriculture
reports that United States export growth has lagged
behind that of our major competitors, resulting in a
HCON 290 EAS
loss of United States market share, from 24 percent
in 1981 to its current level of 18 percent;
(7) the United States Department of Agriculture
also reports that United States market share of global
agricultural trade has eroded steadily over the past 2
decades, which could culminate in the United States
losing out to the European Union as the world’s top
agricultural exporter sometime in 2000;
(8) prices of agricultural commodities in the
United States are at 50-year lows in real terms, cre-
ating a serious economic crisis in rural America; and
(9) fundamental fairness requires that the play-
ing field be leveled so that United States farmers are
no longer at a competitive disadvantage.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that—
(1) the United States should take steps to in-
crease support for American farmers in order to level
the playing field for United States agricultural pro-
ducers and increase the leverage of the United States
in World Trade Organization negotiations on agri-
culture as long as such support is not trade dis-
torting, and does not otherwise exceed or impair exist-
ing Uruguay Round obligations; and
HCON 290 EAS
(2) such actions should improve United States
farm income and restore the prosperity of rural com-
munities.
SEC. 315. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON WOMEN AND SOCIAL
SECURITY REFORM.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) without Social Security benefits, the elderly
poverty rate among women would have been 52.2 per-
cent, and among widows would have been 60.6 per-
cent;
(2) women tend to live longer and tend to have
lower lifetime earnings than men do;
(3) during their working years, women earn an
average of 70 cents for every dollar men earn; and
(4) women spend an average of 11.5 years out of
their careers to care for their families, and are more
likely to work part-time than full-time.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that—
(1) women face unique obstacles in ensuring re-
tirement security and survivor and disability sta-
bility;
(2) Social Security plays an essential role in
guaranteeing inflation-protected financial stability
for women throughout their old age;
HCON 290 EAS
(3) the Congress and the Administration should
act, as part of Social Security reform, to ensure that
widows and other poor elderly women receive more
adequate benefits that reduce their poverty rates and
that women, under whatever approach is taken to re-
form Social Security, should receive no lesser a share
of overall federally funded retirement benefits than
they receive today; and
(4) the sacrifice that women make to care for
their family should be recognized during reform of So-
cial Security and that women should not be penalized
by taking an average of 11.5 years out of their careers
to care for their family.
SEC. 316. PROTECTION OF BATTERED WOMEN AND CHIL-
DREN.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings:
(1) Each year an estimated 1,000,000 women
suffer nonfatal violence by an intimate partner.
(2) Nearly 1 out of 3 adult women can expect to
experience at least 1 physical assault by a partner
during adulthood.
(3) Domestic violence is statistically consistent
across racial and ethnic lines. It does not discrimi-
nate based on race or economic status.
HCON 290 EAS
(4) The chance of being victimized by an inti-
mate partner is 10 times greater for a woman than
a man.
(5) Past and current victims of domestic violence
are over-represented in the welfare population. It is
estimated that at least 60 percent of current welfare
beneficiaries have experienced some form of domestic
violence.
(6) Abused women who do seek employment face
barriers as a result of domestic violence. Welfare stud-
ies show that 15 to 50 percent of abused women re-
port interference from their partner with education,
training, or employment.
(7) The programs established by the Violence
Against Women Act of 1994 have empowered commu-
nities to address the threat caused by domestic vio-
lence.
(8) Since 1995, Congress has appropriated close
to $1,800,000,000 to fund programs established by the
Violence Against Women Act of 1994, including the
STOP program, shelters for battered women and chil-
dren, the domestic violence hotline, and Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention injury control pro-
grams.
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(9) The programs established by the Violence
Against Women Act of 1994 have been and continue
to comprise a successful national strategy for address-
ing the needs of battered women and the public health
threat caused by this violence.
(10) The Supreme Court could act during this
session to overturn a major protection and course of
action provided for in the Violence Against Women
Act of 1994. In United States v. Morrison/Brzonkala,
the Supreme Court will address the issue of the con-
stitutionality of the Federal civil rights remedy under
the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and may
overturn congressional intent to elevate violence
against women to a category protected under Federal
civil rights law.
(11) The actions taken by the courts and the fail-
ure to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of
1994 has generated a great deal of concern in commu-
nities nationwide.
(12) Funding for the programs established by the
Violence Against Women Act of 1994 is the only life-
line for battered women and Congress has a moral ob-
ligation to continue funding and to strengthen key
components of the Violence Against Women Act of
1994.
HCON 290 EAS
(13) Congress and the Administration should
work to ensure the continued funding of programs es-
tablished by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that, in light
of the pending litigation challenging the constitutionality
of the Federal civil rights remedy in the Violence Against
Women Act of 1994 and the lack of action on legislation
reauthorizing and strengthening the provisions of that
Act—
(1) Congress, through reauthorization of the pro-
grams established by the Violence Against Women Act
of 1994, should work to eliminate economic barriers
that trap women and children in violent homes and
relationships; and
(2) full funding for the programs established by
the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 will be pro-
vided from the Violent Crime Reduction Fund.
SEC. 317. USE OF FALSE CLAIMS ACT IN COMBATTING MEDI-
CARE FRAUD.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) the solvency of the medicare trust funds is of
vital importance to the well-being of the Nation’s sen-
iors and other vulnerable people in need of quality
health care;
HCON 290 EAS
(2) fraud against the medicare trust funds is a
major problem resulting in the depletion of the trust
funds; and
(3) chapter 37 of title 31, United States Code
(commonly referred to as the False Claims Act) and
the qui tam provisions of that chapter are vital tools
in combatting fraud against the medicare program.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that chapter
37 of title 31, United States Code (commonly referred to
as the False Claims Act) and the qui tam provisions of that
chapter are essential tools in combatting medicare fraud
and should not be weakened in any way.
SEC. 318. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE NA-
TIONAL GUARD.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) the Army National Guard relies heavily
upon thousands of full-time employees, Military Tech-
nicians and Active Guard/Reserves, to ensure unit
readiness throughout the Army National Guard;
(2) these employees perform vital day-to-day
functions, ranging from equipment maintenance to
leadership and staff roles, that allow the drill week-
ends and annual active duty training of the tradi-
tional Guardsmen to be dedicated to preparation for
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the National Guard’s warfighting and peacetime mis-
sions;
(3) when the ability to provide sufficient Active
Guard/Reserves and Technicians end strength is re-
duced, unit readiness, as well as quality of life for sol-
diers and families is degraded;
(4) the Army National Guard, with agreement
from the Department of Defense, requires a minimum
essential requirement of 23,500 Active Guard/Reserves
and 25,500 Technicians; and
(5) the fiscal year 2001 budget request for the
Army National Guard provides resources sufficient
for approximately 22,430 Active Guard/Reserves and
23,957 Technicians, end strength shortfalls of 1,052
and 1,543, respectively.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.— It is the sense of the
Senate that the levels in the resolution assume that the De-
partment of Defense will give priority to funding the Active
Guard/Reserves and Military Technicians at levels author-
ized by Congress in the fiscal year 2000 Department of De-
fense authorization bill.
SEC. 319. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING MILITARY
READINESS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
HCON 290 EAS
(1) the Secretary of the Air Force stated that the
United States Air Force’s top unfunded readiness pri-
ority for fiscal year 2000 was its aircraft spares and
repair parts account and top Air Force officers have
said that getting more spares is a top priority to im-
prove readiness rates;
(2) the Chief of Naval Operations stated that the
aircraft spares and repair parts account for a top
readiness priority important to the long-term health
of the Navy;
(3) the General Accounting Office’s study of per-
sonnel retention problems in the armed services cited
shortages of spares and repair parts as a major rea-
son why people are leaving the services;
(4) the fiscal year 2001 budget request decreases
the Air Force’s spares and repair parts account by 13
percent from fiscal year 2000 expected levels; and
(5) the fiscal year 2001 budget request decreases
the Navy’s spares and repair parts account by 6 per-
cent from the fiscal year 2000 expected levels.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the functional totals in the budget resolution as-
sume that Congress will protect the Department of Defense’s
readiness accounts, including spares and repair parts, and
operations and maintenance, and use the requested levels
HCON 290 EAS
as the minimum baseline for fiscal year 2001 authorization
and appropriations.
SEC. 320. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON COMPENSATION FOR
THE CHINESE EMBASSY BOMBING IN BEL-
GRADE.
It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this reso-
lution assume funds designated to compensate the People’s
Republic of China for the damage inadvertently done to
their embassy in Belgrade by NATO forces in May 1999,
should not be appropriated from the international affairs
budget.
SEC. 321. SENSE OF THE SENATE SUPPORTING FUNDING OF
DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY INITIATIVES.
(a) The Senate finds that—
(1) computers, the Internet, and information net-
works are not luxury items but basic tools largely re-
sponsible for driving the current economic expansions;
(2) information technology utility relies on soft-
ware applications and online content;
(3) access to computers and the Internet and the
ability to use this technology effectively is becoming
increasingly important for full participation in
America’s economic, political, and social life; and
(4) unequal access to technology and high-tech
skills by income, educational level, race, and geog-
HCON 290 EAS
raphy could deepen and reinforce the divisions that
exist within American society.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that the Com-
mittees on Appropriations and Finance should support ef-
forts that address the digital divide, including tax incen-
tives and funding to—
(1) broaden access to information technologies;
(2) provide workers and teachers with informa-
tion technology training;
(3) promote innovative online content and soft-
ware applications that will improve commerce, edu-
cation, and quality of life; and
(4) help provide information and communica-
tions technology to underserved communities.
SEC. 322. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING IMMUNIZA-
TION FUNDING.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) vaccines protect children and adults against
serious and potentially fatal diseases;
(2) society saves up to $24 in medical and soci-
etal costs for every dollar spent on vaccines;
(3) every day, 11,000 babies are born—4,000,000
each year—and each child needs up to 19 doses of
vaccine by age 2;
HCON 290 EAS
(4) approximately 1,000,000 2-year-olds have
not received all of the recommended vaccine doses;
(5) the immunization program under section
317(j)(1) under the Public Health Service Act, ad-
ministered by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, provides grants to States and localities
for critical activities including immunization reg-
istries, outbreak control, provider education, outreach
efforts, and linkages with other public health and wel-
fare services;
(6) Federal grants to States and localities for
these activities have declined from $271,000,000 in
1995 to $139,000,000 in 2000;
(7) because of these funding reductions States are
struggling to maintain immunization rates and have
implemented severe cuts to immunization delivery ac-
tivities;
(8) even with significant gains in national im-
munization rates, underimmunized children still exist
and there are a number of subpopulations where cov-
erage rates remain low and are actually declining;
(9) rates in many of the Nation’s urban areas,
including Chicago and Houston, are unacceptably
low; and
HCON 290 EAS
(10) these pockets of need create pools of suscep-
tible children and increase the risk of dangerous dis-
ease outbreaks.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in the resolution assume that Congress
should enact legislation that provides $214,000,000 in fund-
ing for immunization grants under section 317 of the Pub-
lic Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b) for infrastructure
and delivery activities, including targeted support for im-
munization project areas with low or declining immuniza-
tion rates or who have subpopulations with special needs.
SEC. 323. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING TAX CREDITS
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES PROVIDING HEALTH
INSURANCE TO LOW-INCOME EMPLOYEES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) 25,000,000 workers in the United States were
uninsured in 1997 and more than two-thirds of the
uninsured workers earn less than $20,000 annually,
according to a Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
report;
(2) the percentage of employees of small busi-
nesses who have employer-sponsored health insurance
coverage decreased from 52 percent in 1996 to 47 per-
cent in 1998; for the smallest employers, those with 3
to 9 workers, the percentage of employees covered by
HCON 290 EAS
employer-sponsored health insurance fell from 36 per-
cent in 1996 to 31 percent in 1998;
(3) between 1996 and 1998, health premiums for
small businesses increased 5.2 percent; premiums in-
creased by 8 percent for the smallest employers, the
highest increase among all small businesses;
(4) monthly family coverage for workers at firms
with 3 to 9 employees cost $520 in 1998, compared
to $462 for family coverage for workers at large firms;
and
(5) only 39 percent of small businesses with a
significant percentage of low-income employees offer
employer-provided health insurance and such compa-
nies are half as likely to offer health benefits to such
employees as are companies that have only a small
percentage of low-income employees.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that Congress
should enact legislation that allows small businesses to
claim a tax credit when they provide health insurance to
low-income employees.
SEC. 324. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON FUNDING FOR CRIMI-
NAL JUSTICE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
HCON 290 EAS
(1) our success in the fight against crime and
improvements in the administration of justice are the
result of a bipartisan effort; and
(2) since 1993 the Congress and the President
have increased justice funding by 92 percent, and a
strong commitment to law enforcement and the ad-
ministration of justice remains appropriate.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that funds to
improve the justice system will be available as follows:
(1) $665,000,000 for the expanded support of di-
rect Federal enforcement, adjudicative, and correc-
tional-detention activities.
(2) $50,000,000 in additional funds to combat
terrorism, including cyber crime.
(3) $41,000,000 in additional funds for construc-
tion costs for the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
(4) $200,000,000 in support of Customs and Im-
migration and Nationalization Service port of entry
officers for the development and implementation of the
ACE computer system designed to meet critical trade
and border security needs.
(5) Funding is available for the continuation of
such programs as: the Byrne Grant Program, Vio-
HCON 290 EAS
lence Against Women, Juvenile Accountability Block
Grants, First Responder Training, Local Law En-
forcement Block Grants, Weed and Seed, Violent Of-
fender Incarceration and Truth in Sentencing, State
Criminal Alien Assistance Program, Drug Courts,
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment, Crime Iden-
tification 
Technologies, 
Bulletproof 
Vests,
Counterterrorism, Interagency Law Enforcement Co-
ordination.
SEC. 325. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE PELL
GRANT.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) public investment in higher education yields
a return of several dollars for each dollar invested;
(2) higher education promotes economic oppor-
tunity for individuals; for example recipients of bach-
elor’s degrees earn an average of 75 percent per year
more than those with high school diplomas and expe-
rience half as much unemployment as high school
graduates;
(3) access to a college education has become a
hallmark of American society, and is vital to uphold-
ing our belief in equality of opportunity;
HCON 290 EAS
(4) for a generation, the Federal Pell Grant has
served as an established and effective means of pro-
viding access to higher education;
(5) over the past decade, Pell Grant has failed to
keep up with inflation. Over the past 25 years, the
value of the average Pell Grant has decreased by 23
percent—it is now worth only 77 percent of what Pell
Grants were worth in 1975;
(6) grant aid as a portion of student aid has
fallen significantly over the past 5 years. Grant aid
used to comprise 55 percent of total aid awarded and
loans comprised just over 40 percent. Now that trend
has been reversed so that loans comprise nearly 60
percent of total aid awarded and grants only com-
prise 40 percent of total aid awarded;
(7) the percentage of freshmen attending public
and private 4-year institutions from families whose
income is below the national median has fallen since
1981.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that within the
discretionary allocation provided to the Committee on Ap-
propriations, the funding for the maximum Pell Grant
award should be at or above the level requested by the Presi-
dent.
HCON 290 EAS
SEC. 326. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING COMPREHEN-
SIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION REFORM.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) Recent scientific evidence demonstrates that
enhancing children’s physical, social, emotional, and
intellectual development before the age of 6 results in
tremendous benefits throughout life.
(2) Successful schools are led by well-trained,
highly qualified principals, but many principals do
not get the training in management skills that the
principals need to ensure their school provides an ex-
cellent education for every child.
(3) Good teachers are a crucial catalyst to qual-
ity education, but 1 in 4 new teachers do not meet
State certification requirements; each year more than
50,000 underprepared teachers enter the classroom;
and 12 percent of new teachers have had no teacher
training at all.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that the Federal
Government should support State and local educational
agencies engaged in comprehensive reform of their public
education system and that any public education reform
should include at least the following principles:
(1) Every child should begin school ready to
learn.
HCON 290 EAS
(2) Training and development for principals and
teachers should be a priority.
SEC. 327. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON PROVIDING ADEQUATE
FUNDING 
FOR 
UNITED 
STATES 
INTER-
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) United States international leadership is es-
sential to maintaining security and peace for all
Americans;
(2) such leadership depends on effective diplo-
macy as well as a strong military;
(3) effective diplomacy requires adequate re-
sources both for operations and security of United
States embassies and for international programs;
(4) in addition to building peace, prosperity,
and democracy around the world, programs in the
International Affairs (150) budget serve United States
interests by ensuring better jobs and a higher stand-
ard of living, promoting the health of our citizens and
preserving our natural environment, and protecting
the rights and safety of those who travel or do busi-
ness overseas;
(5) real spending for International Affairs has
declined more than 40 percent since the mid-1980’s,
at the same time that major new challenges and op-
HCON 290 EAS
portunities have arisen from the disintegration of the
Soviet Union and the worldwide trends toward de-
mocracy and free markets;
(6) current ceilings on discretionary spending
will impose severe additional cuts in funding for
International Affairs;
(7) improved security for United States diplo-
matic missions and personnel will place further
strain on the International Affairs budget absent sig-
nificant additional resources;
(8) the United States cannot reduce efforts to
safeguard nuclear materials in the former Soviet
States or shortchange initiatives aimed at maintain-
ing stability on the Korean peninsula, where 37,000
United States forces are deployed. We cannot reduce
support for peace in the Middle East or in Northern
Ireland or in the Balkans. We cannot stop fighting
terror or simply surrender to the spread of HIV/
AIDS. We must continue to support all of these
things, which are difficult to achieve without adequate
and realistic funding levels; and
(9) the President’s request for funds for fiscal
year 2001 would adequately finance our Inter-
national Affairs programs without detracting from
our defense and domestic needs. It would help keep
HCON 290 EAS
America prosperous and secure. It would enable us to
leverage the contributions of allies and friends on be-
half of democracy and peace. It would allow us to
protect the interests of Americans who travel, study,
or do business overseas. It would do all these things
and more for about 1 penny of every dollar the Fed-
eral Government spends.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that additional
budgetary resources should be identified for function 150
to enable successful United States international leadership.
SEC. 328. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING THE HIV/
AIDS CRISIS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) More than 16,000,000 people have been killed
by Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
since the epidemic began.
(2) 14,000,000 Africans have died as a result of
the AIDS epidemic. Eighty-four percent of the world-
wide deaths from AIDS have occurred in sub-Saharan
Africa.
(3) Each day, AIDS kills 5,500 Africans, and
infects 11,000 more.
HCON 290 EAS
(4) By the end of 2000, 10,400,000 children in
sub-Saharan Africa will have lost one or both parents,
to AIDS.
(5) Over 85 percent of the world’s HIV-positive
children live in Africa.
(6) Fewer than 5 percent of those living with
AIDS in Africa have access to even the most basic
care.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that—
(1) the functional totals underlying this resolu-
tion on the budget assume that Congress has recog-
nized the catastrophic effects of the HIV/AIDS epi-
demic, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, and seeks
to maximize the effectiveness of the United States’ ef-
forts to combat the disease through any necessary au-
thorization or appropriations;
(2) Congress should strengthen ongoing programs
which address education and prevention, testing, the
care of AIDS orphans, and improving home and com-
munity-based care options for those living with
AIDS; and
(3) Congress should seek additional or new tools
to combat the epidemic, including initiatives to en-
courage vaccine development and programs aimed at
HCON 290 EAS
preventing mother-to-child transmission of the dis-
ease.
SEC. 329. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING TRIBAL COL-
LEGES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) More than 26,500 students from 250 tribes
nationwide attend tribal colleges. The colleges serve
students of all ages, many of whom are moving from
welfare to work. The vast majority of tribal college
students are first-generation college students.
(2) While annual appropriations for tribal col-
leges have increased modestly in recent years, core op-
eration funding levels are still about half of the
$6,000 per Indian student level authorized by the
Tribally Controlled College or University Act.
(3) Although tribal colleges received a $3,000,000
increase in funding in fiscal year 2000, because of
rising student populations and other factors, these in-
stitutions may face an actual per-student decrease in
funding over fiscal year 1999.
(4) Per-student funding for tribal colleges is
roughly half the amount given to mainstream commu-
nity colleges.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that—
HCON 290 EAS
(1) the Senate recognizes the funding difficulties
faced by tribal colleges and assumes that priority con-
sideration will be provided to them through funding
for the Tribally Controlled College and University
Act, the 1994 Land Grant Institutions, and title III
of the Higher Education Act; and
(2) such priority consideration reflects Congress’
intent to continue work toward current statutory Fed-
eral funding goals for the tribal colleges.
SEC. 330. SENSE OF THE SENATE TO PROVIDE RELIEF FROM
THE MARRIAGE PENALTY.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) marriage is the foundation of the American
society and a key institution for preserving our val-
ues;
(2) the tax code should not penalize those who
choose to marry;
(3) a report to the Treasury Department’s Office
of Tax Analysis estimates that in 1999, 48 percent of
married couples will pay a marriage penalty under
the present tax system;
(4) the Congressional Budget Office found that
the average penalty amounts to $1,400 a year.
HCON 290 EAS
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the level in this budget resolution assume that the
Congress shall—
(1) pass marriage penalty tax relief legislation
that begins a phasedown of this penalty in 2001;
(2) consider such legislation prior to April 15,
2000.
SEC. 331. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE CONTINUED USE
OF FEDERAL FUEL TAXES FOR THE CON-
STRUCTION AND REHABILITATION OF OUR
NATION’S HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES, AND TRANSIT
SYSTEMS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) current law, as stipulated in the Transpor-
tation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA–21), re-
quires all Federal gasoline taxes be deposited into the
Highway Trust Fund;
(2) current law, as stipulated in TEA–21, guar-
antees that all such deposits to the Highway Trust
Fund are spent in full on the construction and reha-
bilitation of our Nation’s highways, bridges, and
transit systems;
(3) the funding guarantees contained in TEA–21
are essential to the ability of the Nation’s Governors,
highway commissioners, and transit providers to ad-
HCON 290 EAS
dress the growing backlog of critical transportation
investments in order to stem the deterioration of our
road and transit systems, improve the safety of our
highways, and reduce the growth of congestion that is
choking off economic growth in communities across
the Nation;
(4) any effort to reduce the Federal gasoline tax
or de-link the relationship between highway user fees
and highway spending pose a great danger to the in-
tegrity of the Highway Trust Fund and the ability of
the States to invest adequately in our transportation
infrastructure; and
(5) proposals to reduce the Federal gasoline tax
threaten to endanger the spending levels guaranteed
in TEA–21 while providing no guarantee that con-
sumers will experience any reduction in price at the
gas pump.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the functional totals in this budget resolution do
not assume the reduction of any Federal gasoline taxes on
either a temporary or permanent basis.
SEC. 332. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE INTERNAL COM-
BUSTION ENGINE.
It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this reso-
lution assume that the Senate will not, on behalf of Vice
HCON 290 EAS
President Al Gore, increase gasoline and diesel fuel taxes
by $1.50 per gallon effective July 1, 2000, and by an addi-
tional $1.50 per gallon effective fiscal year 2005, as part
of ‘‘a coordinated global program to accomplish the stra-
tegic goal of completely eliminating the internal combustion
engine over, say, a twenty-five year period’’ since ‘‘their
cumulative impact on the global environment is posing a
mortal threat to the security of every nation that is more
deadly than that of any military enemy we are ever again
likely to confront’’.
SEC. 333. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE ESTAB-
LISHMENT OF A NATIONAL BACKGROUND
CHECK SYSTEM FOR LONG-TERM CARE WORK-
ERS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings:
(1) The impending retirement of the baby boom
generation will greatly increase the demand and need
for quality long-term care and it is incumbent on
Congress and the President to ensure that medicare
and medicaid patients are protected from abuse, ne-
glect, and mistreatment.
(2) Although the majority of long-term care fa-
cilities do an excellent job in caring for elderly and
disabled patients, incidents of abuse and neglect and
HCON 290 EAS
mistreatment do occur at an unacceptable rate and
are not limited to nursing homes alone.
(3) Current Federal and State safeguards are in-
adequate because there is little or no information
sharing between States about known abusers and no
common State procedures for tracking abusers from
State to State and facility to facility.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the assumptions underlying the functional totals
in this concurrent resolution on the budget assume that a
national registry of abusive long-term care workers should
be established by building upon existing infrastructures at
the Federal and State levels that would enable long-term
care providers who participate in the medicare and med-
icaid programs to conduct background checks on prospective
employees.
SEC. 334. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING THE PRICE
OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN THE UNITED
STATES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings:
(1) Today, two-thirds of senior citizens in the
United States have access to prescription drugs
through health insurance coverage.
HCON 290 EAS
(2) However, it is difficult for many Americans,
including senior citizens, to afford the prescription
drugs that they need to stay healthy.
(3) Many senior citizens in the United States
leave the country and go to Canada or Mexico to buy
prescription drugs that are developed, manufactured,
and approved in the United States in order to buy
such drugs at lower prices than such drugs are sold
for in the United States.
(4) According to the General Accounting Office,
a consumer in the United States pays on average 1⁄3
more for a prescription drug than a consumer pays
for the same drug in another country.
(5) The United States has made a strong com-
mitment to supporting the research and development
of new drugs through taxpayer-supported funding of
the National Institutes of Health, through the research
and development tax credit, and through other means.
(6) The development of new drugs is important
because the use of such drugs enables people to live
longer and lead healthier, more productive lives.
(7) Citizens of other countries should pay a por-
tion of the research and development costs for new
drugs, or their fair share of such costs, rather than
just reap the benefits of such drugs.
HCON 290 EAS
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the budgetary levels in this resolution assume that
the cost disparity between identical prescription drugs sold
in the United States, Canada, and Mexico should be reduced
or eliminated.
SEC. 335. SENSE OF THE SENATE AGAINST FEDERAL FUND-
ING OF SMOKE SHOPS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings:
(1) Smoking begun by children during their teen
years and even earlier turns the lives of far too many
Americans into nightmares decades later, plagued by
disease and premature death.
(2) The Federal Government should leave a leg-
acy of more healthy Americans and fewer victims of
tobacco-related illness.
(3) Efforts by the Federal Government should
seek to protect young people from the dangers of smok-
ing.
(4) Discount tobacco stores, sometimes known as
smoke shops, operate to sell high volumes of cigarettes
and other tobacco products, often at significantly re-
duced prices, with each tobacco outlet often selling
millions of discount cigarettes each year.
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HCON 290 EAS
(5) Studies by the Surgeon General and the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrate
that children are particularly susceptible to price dif-
ferentials in cigarettes, such as those available
through smoke shop discounts.
(6) The Department of Housing and Urban De-
velopment is using Federal funds for grants to con-
struct not less than 6 smoke shops or facilities that
contain a smoke shop.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the budget levels in this resolution assume that no
Federal funds may be used by the Department of Housing
and Urban Development to provide any grant or other as-
sistance to construct, operate, or otherwise benefit a smoke
shop or other tobacco outlet.
SEC. 336. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE NEED TO
REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) On average, 12 children die from gun fire ev-
eryday in America.
(2) On May 20, 1999, the Senate passed the Vio-
lent and Repeat Offender Accountability and Reha-
bilitation Act, by a vote of 73 to 25, in part, to stem
gun-related violence in the United States.
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(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in function 750 of this resolution assume
that Congress should—
(1) pass the conference report to accompany
H.R. 1501, the Violent and Repeat Juvenile Offender
Accountability and Rehabilitation Act, including
Senate-passed provisions, with the purpose of limiting
access to firearms by juveniles, convicted felons, and
other persons prohibited by law from purchasing or
possessing firearms; and
(2) consider H.R. 1501 not later than April 20,
2000.
SEC. 337. SENSE OF THE SENATE SUPPORTING ADDITIONAL
FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001 FOR MED-
ICAL CARE FOR OUR NATION’S VETERANS.
(a) It is the sense of the Senate that the provisions
in this resolution assume that if the Congressional Budget
Office determines there is an on-budget surplus for fiscal
year 2001, $500,000,000 of that surplus will be restored to
the programs cut in this amendment.
(b) It is the sense of the Senate that the assumptions
underlying this budget resolution assume that none of these
offsets will come from defense or veterans, and to the extent
possible should come from administrative functions.
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SEC. 338. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING MEDICAL
CARE FOR VETERANS.
It is the sense of the Senate that—
(1) the provisions of this resolution assume that
if the Congressional Budget Office determines there is
an 
on-budget 
surplus 
for 
fiscal 
year 
2001,
$500,000,000 of that surplus will be restored to the
programs cut by this amendment; and
(2) the assumptions underlying this resolution
assume that none of the offsets made by this amend-
ment will come from defense or veterans and should,
to the extent possible, come from administrative func-
tions.
SEC. 339. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING INVEST-
MENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUNDS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) Government investment of the Social Secu-
rity trust funds in the stock market is a gamble Con-
gress should be unwilling to make on behalf of the
millions who receive and depend on Social Security
to meet their retirement needs;
(2) in 1999, the Senate voted 99–0 to oppose
Government investment of the Social Security trust
funds in private financial markets;
(3) in addition to the unanimous opposition of
the United States Senate, Federal Reserve Chairman
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HCON 290 EAS
Alan Greenspan and Securities and Exchange Com-
missioner Arthur Levitt also oppose the idea; and
(4) despite this opposition, and despite the dan-
gers inherent in having the Government invest Social
Security trust funds in private financial markets,
President Clinton has once again suggested, on page
37 of the Administration’s proposed fiscal year 2001
Federal budget, that the Government invest part of
the Social Security trust funds in corporate equities.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the assumptions underlying the functional totals
in this resolution assume that the Federal Government
should not directly invest contributions made to the Federal
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Fed-
eral Disability Insurance Trust Fund established under sec-
tion 201 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401), or any
interest derived from those contributions, in private finan-
cial markets.
SEC. 340. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING DIGITAL OP-
PORTUNITY.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings:
(1) A digital divide exists in America. Low-in-
come, urban and rural families are less likely to have
access to the Internet and computers. African Amer-
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ican and Hispanic families are only 2⁄5 as likely to
have Internet access as white families. Access by Na-
tive Americans to the Internet and to computers is
statistically negligible.
(2) Regardless of income level, Americans living
in rural areas lag behind in Internet access. Individ-
uals with lower incomes who live in rural areas are
half as likely to have Internet access as individuals
who live in urban areas.
(3) The digital divide for the poorest Americans
has grown by 29 percent since 1997.
(4) Access to computers and the Internet and the
ability to use this technology effectively is becoming
increasingly important for full participation in
America’s economic, political and social life.
(5) Unequal access to technology and high-tech
skills by income, educational level, race and geog-
raphy could deepen and reinforce the divisions that
exist within American society.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the functional totals underlying this resolution on
the budget assume that—
(1) to ensure that all children are computer lit-
erate by the time they finish the eighth grade, regard-
less of race, ethnicity, gender, income, geography or
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HCON 290 EAS
disability, to broaden access to information tech-
nologies, to provide workers, teachers and students
with information technology training, and to promote
innovative online content and software applications
that will improve commerce, education and quality of
life, initiatives that increase digital opportunity
should be provided for as follows:
(A) $200,000,000 in tax incentives should
be provided to encourage private sector donation
of high-quality computers, sponsorship of com-
munity technology centers, training, technical
services and computer repair;
(B) $450,000,000 should be provided for
teacher training;
(C) $150,000,000 for new teacher training;
(D) $400,000,000 should be provided for
school technology and school libraries;
(E) $20,000,000 should be provided to place
computers and trained personnel in Boys &
Girls Clubs;
(F) $25,000,000 should be provided to create
an E-Corps within Americorps;
(G) $100,000,000 should be provided to cre-
ate 1,000 Community Technology Centers in
low-income urban and rural communities;
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HCON 290 EAS
(H) $50,000,000 should be provided for pub-
lic/private partnerships to expand home access to
computers and the Internet for low-income fami-
lies;
(I) $45,000,000 should be provided to pro-
mote innovative applications of information and
communications technology for underserved com-
munities;
(J) $10,000,000 should be provided to pre-
pare Native Americans for careers in Informa-
tion Technology and other technical fields; and
(2) all Americans should have access to
broadband telecommunications capability as soon as
possible and as such, initiatives that increase
broadband deployment should be funded, including
$25,000,000 to accelerate private sector deployment of
broadband and networks in underserved urban and
rural communities.
SEC. 341. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON MEDICARE PRESCRIP-
TION DRUGS.
It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this budg-
et resolution assume that among its reform options, Con-
gress should explore a medicare prescription drug proposal
that—
(1) is voluntary;
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HCON 290 EAS
(2) increases access for all medicare beneficiaries;
(3) is designed to provide meaningful protection
and bargaining power for medicare beneficiaries in
obtaining prescription drugs;
(4) is affordable for all medicare beneficiaries
and for the medicare program;
(5) is administered using private sector entities
and competitive purchasing techniques;
(6) is consistent with broader medicare reform;
(7) preserves and protects the financial integrity
of the medicare trust funds;
(8) does not increase medicare beneficiary pre-
miums; and
(9) provides a prescription drug benefit as soon
as possible.
SEC. 342. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING FUNDING
FOR NEW EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
It is the sense of the Senate that the budgetary levels
in this resolution assume that Congress’ first priority
should be to fully fund the programs described under part
B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20
U.S.C. 1411 et seq.) at the originally promised level of 40
percent before Federal funds are appropriated for new edu-
cation programs.
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HCON 290 EAS
SEC. 343. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING ENFORCE-
MENT OF FEDERAL FIREARMS LAWS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings:
(1) The Clinton Administration has failed to
adequately enforce Federal firearms laws. Between
1992 and 1998, Triggerlock gun prosecutions—pros-
ecutions of defendants who use a firearm in the com-
mission of a felony—dropped nearly 50 percent, from
7,045 to approximately 3,800.
(2) The decline in Federal firearms prosecutions
was not due to a lack of adequate resources. During
the period when Federal firearms prosecutions de-
creased nearly 50 percent, the overall budget of the
Department of Justice increased 54 percent.
(3) It is a Federal crime to possess a firearm on
school grounds under section 922(q) of title 18,
United States Code. The Clinton Department of Jus-
tice prosecuted only 8 cases under this provision of
law during 1998, even though more than 6,000 stu-
dents brought firearms to school that year. The Clin-
ton Administration prosecuted only 5 such cases dur-
ing 1997.
(4) It is a Federal crime to transfer a firearm
to a juvenile under section 922(x) of title 18, United
States Code. The Clinton Department of Justice pros-
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HCON 290 EAS
ecuted only 6 cases under this provision of law during
1998 and only 5 during 1997.
(5) It is a Federal crime to transfer or possess
a semiautomatic assault weapon under section 922(v)
of title 18, United States Code. The Clinton Depart-
ment of Justice prosecuted only 4 cases under this
provision of law during 1998 and only 4 during
1997.
(6) It is a Federal crime for any person ‘‘who
has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has
been committed to a mental institution’’ to possess or
purchase a firearm under section 922(g) of title 18,
United States Code. Despite this Federal law, mental
health adjudications are not placed on the national
instant criminal background system established under
section 103(b) of the Brady Handgun Violence Pre-
vention Act (18 U.S.C. 922 note).
(7) It is a Federal crime for any person know-
ingly to make any false statement in the attempted
purchase of a firearm under section 922(a)(6) of title
18, United States Code. It is also a Federal crime for
convicted felons to possess or purchase a firearm
under section 922(g) of title 18, United States Code.
(8) More than 500,000 convicted felons and other
prohibited purchasers have been prevented from buy-
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HCON 290 EAS
ing firearms from licensed dealers since the Brady
Handgun Violence Prevention Act was enacted. When
these felons attempted to purchase a firearm, they vio-
lated section 922(a)(6) of title 18, United States Code,
by making a false statement under oath that they
were not disqualified from purchasing a firearm.
Nonetheless, of the more than 500,000 violations, only
approximately 200 of the felons have been referred to
the Department of Justice for prosecution.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the assumptions underlying the functional totals
in this concurrent resolution on the budget assume that Fed-
eral funds will be used for an effective law enforcement
strategy requiring a commitment to enforcing existing Fed-
eral firearms laws by—
(1) designating not less than 1 Assistant United
States Attorney in each district to prosecute Federal
firearms violations and thereby expand Project Exile
nationally;
(2) upgrading the national instant criminal
background system established under section 103(b) of
the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (18
U.S.C. 922 note) by encouraging States to place men-
tal health adjudications on that system and by im-
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HCON 290 EAS
proving the overall speed and efficiency of that sys-
tem; and
(3) providing incentive grants to States to en-
courage States to impose mandatory minimum sen-
tences for firearm offenses based on section 924(c) of
title 18, United States Code, and to prosecute those of-
fenses in State court.
SEC. 344. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE CENSUS.
It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this reso-
lution and legislation enacted pursuant to this resolution
assume that no American will be prosecuted, fined or in
anyway harassed by the Federal Government or its agents
for failure to respond to any census questions which refer
to an individual’s race, national origin, living conditions,
personal habits or mental and/or physical condition, but
that all Americans are encouraged to send in their census
forms.
SEC. 345. SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT ANY INCREASE IN
THE MINIMUM WAGE SHOULD BE ACCOM-
PANIED BY TAX RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSI-
NESSES.
It is the sense of the Senate that the functional totals
underlying this resolution on the budget assume that the
minimum wage should be increased as provided for in
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HCON 290 EAS
SEC. 348. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING PRO-
TECTING 
THE 
SOCIAL 
SECURITY 
TRUST
FUNDS.
It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this reso-
lution assume that the Congress shall pass legislation which
provides for sequestration to reduce Federal spending by the
amount necessary to ensure that, in any fiscal year, the
Social Security surpluses are used only for the payment
of Social Security benefits, retirement security, Social Secu-
rity reform, or to reduce the Federal debt held by the public.
SEC. 349. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING REGULA-
TION OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings:
(1) Cigarette smoking and tobacco use is the sin-
gle most preventable cause of death and disability in
the United States.
(2) Cigarette smoking and tobacco use cause ap-
proximately 400,000 deaths each year in the United
States.
(3) Health care costs associated with treating to-
bacco-related diseases are $80,000,000,000 per year,
and almost half of such costs are paid for by tax-
payer-financed government health care programs.
(4) In spite of the well established dangers of cig-
arette smoking and tobacco use, there is no Federal
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HCON 290 EAS
agency that has authority to regulate the manufac-
ture, sale, distribution, and use of tobacco products.
(5) 
Major 
tobacco 
companies 
spend 
over
$5,600,000,000 each year ($15,000,000 each day) to
promote the use of tobacco products.
(6) Ninety percent of adult smokers first started
smoking before the age of 18.
(7) Each day 3,000 children become regular
smokers and 1⁄3 of such children will die of diseases
associated with the use of tobacco products.
(8) The Food and Drug Administration regulates
the manufacture, sale, distribution, and use of nico-
tine-containing products used as substitutes for ciga-
rette smoking and tobacco use and should be granted
the authority to regulate tobacco products.
(9) Congress should restrict youth access to to-
bacco products and ensure that tobacco products meet
minimum safety standards.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the budgetary levels in this resolution assume
that—
(1) the Food and Drug Administration is the
most qualified Federal agency to regulate tobacco
products; and
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HCON 290 EAS
(2) Congress should enact legislation in the year
2000 that grants the Food and Drug Administration
the authority to regulate tobacco products.
SEC. 350. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING AFTER
SCHOOL PROGRAMS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate makes the following find-
ings:
(1) The demand for after school education is very
high, with more than 1,000,000 students waiting to
get into such programs.
(2) After school programs improve educational
achievement and have widespread support, with over
90 percent of the American people supporting such
programs.
(3) 450 of the Nation’s leading police chiefs,
sheriffs, and prosecutors, along with the presidents of
the Fraternal Order of Police, and the International
Union of Police Associations, support government
funding of after school programs.
(4) Many of our Nation’s governors endorse in-
creasing the number of after school programs through
a Federal and State partnership.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that this resolution assumes that the President’s level
of funding for after school programs in fiscal year 2001 will
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HCON 290 EAS
be provided, which will accommodate the current need for
after school programs.
SEC. 351. SENSE OF SENATE REGARDING CASH BALANCE
PENSION PLAN CONVERSIONS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds the following:
(1) Defined benefit pension plans are guaranteed
by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and
provide a lifetime benefit for a beneficiary and
spouse.
(2) Defined benefit pension plans provide mean-
ingful retirement benefits to rank and file workers,
since such plans are generally funded by employer
contributions.
(3) Employers should be encouraged to establish
and maintain defined benefit pension plans.
(4) An increasing number of major employers
have been converting their traditional defined benefit
plans to ‘‘cash balance’’ or other hybrid defined ben-
efit plans.
(5) Under current law, employers are not re-
quired to provide plan participants with meaningful
disclosure of the impact of converting a traditional
defined benefit plan to a ‘‘cash balance’’ or other hy-
brid formula.
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HCON 290 EAS
(6) For a number of years after a conversion, the
cash balance or other hybrid benefit formula may re-
sult in a period of ‘‘wear away’’ during which older
and longer service participants earn no additional
benefits.
(7) Federal law should continue to prohibit pen-
sion plan participants from being discriminated
against on the basis of age in the provision of pension
benefits.
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the Sen-
ate that the levels in this resolution assume that pension
plan participants whose plans are changed to cause older
or longer service workers to earn less retirement income, in-
cluding conversions to ‘‘cash balance plans,’’ should receive
additional protection than what is currently provided, and
Congress should act this year to address this important
issue. In particular, at a minimum—
(1) all pension plan participants should receive
adequate, accurate, and timely notice of any change
to a plan that will cause participants to earn less re-
tirement income in the future; and
(2) pension plans that are changed to a cash bal-
ance or other hybrid formula should not be permitted
to ‘‘wear away’’ participants’ benefits in such a man-
ner that older and longer service participants earn no
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additional pension benefits for a period of time after
the change.
SEC. 352. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING UNINSURED
AND LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS IN MEDI-
CALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Senate finds that—
(1) the uninsured population in the United
States continues to grow at over 100,000 individuals
per month, and is estimated to reach over 53,000,000
people by 2007;
(2) the growth in the uninsured population con-
tinues despite public and private efforts to increase
health insurance coverage;
(3) nearly 80 percent of the uninsured popu-
lation are members of working families who cannot
afford health insurance or cannot access employer-
provided health insurance plans;
(4) minority populations, rural residents, and
single-parent families represent a disproportionate
number of the uninsured population;
(5) the problem of health care access for the un-
insured population is compounded in many urban
and rural communities by a lack of providers who are
available to serve both insured and uninsured popu-
lations;