Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 6.djvu/113

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CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—APR. 13, 2000 114 STAT. 3169 and does not otherwise exceed or impair existing Uruguay Round obligations; and (2) such actions should improve United States farm income and restore the prosperity of rural communities, SEC. 339. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON WOMEN AND SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM. It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this resolution assume that— (1) women face unique obstacles in ensuring retirement security and survivor and disability stability; (2) Social Security plays an essential role in guaranteeing inflation-protected financial stability for women throughout their old age; (3) 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 reform 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 Social 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. 340. USE OF FALSE CLAIMS ACT IN COMBATTING MEDICARE FRAUD. It is the sense of the Senate 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 tarn provisions of that chapter are essential tools in combatting Medicare fraud and should not be weakened in any way. SEC. 341. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE NATIONAL GUARD. It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in the resolution assume that the Department of Defense will give priority to funding the Active Guard/Reserves and Military Technicians at levels authorized by Congress in the fiscal year 2000 Department of Defense authorization bill. SEC. 342. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING MILITARY READINESS. It is the sense of the Senate that the functional totals in the budget resolution assume 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 as the minimum baseline for fiscal year 2001 authorization and appropriations. SEC. 343. SENSE OF THE SENATE SUPPORTING FUNDING OF DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY INITIATIVES. It is the sense of the Senate that the levels in this resolution assume that the Committees on Appropriations and Finance should support efforts that address the digital divide, including tax incentives and funding to— (1) broaden access to information technologies; (2) provide workers and teachers with information technology training;