Max Baucus

Thank you, Senator Kerry. I would also like to thank you for all of your efforts in helping both in the Committee and on the floor to draft a strong bill that addresses the needs of America's businesses, farmers, and workers. It was…

Today we stand on the precipice of passing a monumental expansion of trade adjustment assistance and overdue fast track trade negotiating authority for our country. Before the debate closes, I wanted to explain how important this…

before we conclude today, I would be remiss if I did not thank a number of people. First, in the House, I want to thank Chairman Bill Thomas. He and I disagree on some things--that's for sure. But we share a common goal of both expanding…

on March 28, 2002, Secretary Veneman declared Montana a drought disaster. This drought designation came two months earlier than in 2001, and eight months earlier than in 2000. The unrelenting drought Montana is suffering has brought…

I am going to vote for the Graham-Miller amendment because it is, to my mind, the best proposal before us. It will provide affordable prescription drug coverage throughout the country. I think that is the best policy. But it now appears…

I also agree with the remarks of my colleagues. As chairman of the Finance Committee, which also has jurisdiction over pension plans, I join the chairman of the HELP Committee and the ranking members of both the Finance and HELP Committees…

I rise today to briefly comment on my vote against Senator Kennedy's amendment to the Defense authorization bill. This amendment would have resulted in a fundamental change in the way the Department of Defense is structured. It mandated a…

I rise today to support permanent repeal of the estate tax. Permanent repeal of the estate tax will help boost Montana's economy and will help boost America's economy, create jobs, and protect the heritage of our farmers and ranchers. As…

Let me close by adding that the Finance Committee, and not the Appropriations Committee or any other Committee, should be making these policy decisions. The Finance Committee has worked to safeguard and improve the programs under its…

I have just looked over a list of amendments to the supplemental appropriations bill and noticed that several fall within the jurisdiction of the Finance Committee. I am most concerned about several hospital reclassification amendments…

Not to mention that these reclassifications are unfair to other hospitals. Reclassifications from rural to urban counties are budget neutral. That means that every change we make will decrease payments to all other hospitals. My Montana…

The intention of the members on this matter is clear: The definition of perishable and cyclical agricultural products includes livestock and meat production.

The TPA bill includes several additional provisions designed to ensure a forceful U.S. response to the WTO dispute settlement problem, and section 2(c)(9) presents no barrier whatsoever in that regard.

Yes, those are certainly changes that would weaken our current remedies, and which would fail the test set out in section 2(c)(9).

Last year, nearly two-thirds of the Senate sent a letter to President Bush emphasizing that new trade agreements must not weaken trade remedy laws such as antidumping and countervailing duty law. The fast track bill we are considering…

I thank all Senators who worked so hard on this trade bill. I particularly thank the majority leader, Senator Daschle. I think he is one of the main architects of the key provision, trade adjustment assistance. He and Senator Bingaman have…

Congress has its hands full with health policy issues this year, ranging from health insurance for workers displaced by trade policies, to the Patients' Bill of Rights, to Medicare prescription drugs. All of these issues are pressing. But…

I can confirm the Senator's understanding, and I would like to express my personal support with respect to preventing the unfair practices that have threatened our U.S. catfish industry. Our clear intent is that U.S. law be fully enforced…

Let me summarize by saying that I agree with my good friend Senator Grassley, that every so often there are circumstances that warrant an exception to our jurisdictional concerns, and this is one of them.

Current law requires Medicare beneficiaries to remain in their managed care plan for the full year. HMOs and beneficiary advocacy groups have both urged Congress to suspend this requirement as a way to stabilize this program. While I…

Yes, indeed. I look forward to working together in a bipartisan and bicameral fashion on all the other Medicare, Medicaid, and health issues that the Congress will be working on this summer and fall.

some of the provisions in the bioterrorism bill have not received much attention. These provisions affect Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. What we have done here is to give the HHS Secretary the…

All Senators should recognize the very hard work the majority leader has put into this legislation, particularly, in my judgment, the underlying strongest piece, and that is trade adjustment assistance. The majority leader, along with the…

I might say, early in the debate we were able to forge a historic compromise on trade adjustment assistance which expanded the program to deserving groups of workers and, for the first time, provided health care adjustment to TAA…

I thank our colleagues from Florida, Senator Graham and, in particular in this case, Senator Nelson. They are really good Senators. Senators are elected to defend the interests of their State and defend their people and try to help…