Tom Harkin

The only question is whether veterans health care should be a priority or an afterthought.

For me, fully funding the VA is a national security issue.

Mr. Secretary, you did the right thing. It was not popular, but doing something popular is not always right, and doing something right is not always popular.

I congratulate Mr. Snow on his nomination for Secretary of the Treasury and will join with my colleagues in supporting that nomination.

It is more than the NIH's entire budget, now get this, for research on prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, Parkinson's disease, and muscular dystrophy all combined.

The cuts we now have before us will cut $778 million out of the NIH. That is more than the entire budget for research on Alzheimer's disease.

I would add my commendations also to my good friend, the Senator from Rhode Island, for his forthrightness in coming out as he did. I appreciate that.

Then we wonder why kids in the cities are hanging around the streets and get into drug, joining gangs and things like that. They need jobs. They need to be put to work.

I was aware of the fact we lost 100,000 jobs in December. It was Christmas. Imagine, at Christmas, to have 100,000 jobs lost. I also know we are at the highest unemployment level in over 8 years.

I was so depressed after reading the newspapers this weekend, I didn't pick up the Wall Street Journal this morning. I guess I could get depressed further reading that.

I believe that we must put our energies toward ensuring that we protect the rights of nursing home residents and help them to resolve problems with the quality of the care that they receive. I am committed to working with my colleagues on…

I also want to provide additional explanation about a section that originated from our mutual concern about the safety of food that enters our country. Like you, I have been concerned that agencies that inspect foods and food products that…

Is the intent of the mangers in including this provision merely to provide a permanent authorization for the Plant Genome Project, and not to state a preference by the Senate for plant genomics over other agricultural genomics programs…

I see that in this legislation, there is an authorization for the Plant Genome Project, a program that had previously been authorized only in appropriations acts.

I thought there was no controversy on the sense-of-the-Senate resolution that the Senate and the Congress and the President act promptly to address these inequities on the Medicare repayment, of which the Senator from Idaho has been a very…

They cut them in half, or they decide whether or not to pay their heating bills in the winter or take their drugs; and when they have to cut back on their drugs, they get sicker and sicker, and they go to the hospital, and of course then…

It is too bad he wasn't here in 1965 because he could have joined the chorus of voices on that side of the aisle that argued against Medicare. He would have fit right in. If you read the debate, it is almost like listening to it again. So…

A lot of people wanted to do that in 1965, to turn Medicare over to the insurance companies.

Today I chaired a hearing on Parkinson's Disease in the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. I was profoundly touched by the victims of this disease who came to testify and by the many, many victims…

This expansion of authority should not be viewed by anyone as a loosening of financial feasibility standards at the RUS. Simply put, if there is not a reasonable likelihood of repayment, the loan should not be made. That is how the RUS and…

The legislation seeks to foster significant advancement in all rural applications of broadband. In this context, technological neutrality should not be used to preclude progress in any given technology. For example, what is broadband in a…

I thank you Senator Hollings. When Senator Hollings and Senator Inouye brought this matter to my attention, I welcomed their expertise in marine matters, and did my best to have the suggested technical amendment included. Regrettably…

Even so, Senator Wyden, the $50,000,000 provided by this farm bill conference report for the Klamath Basin used under this program should benefit endangered species and the refuges in the Klamath Basin. Any program that improves water…

Your dogged attention to the Klamath provision was critical and appreciated. I thank you for all your support in getting this important legislation off the Senate floor.

I supported retroactive eligibility for TAP and supported that provision in the bill that passed out of the committee. A majority of the Senate also supported this provision.