E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

Vol. 163 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017 No. 159 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was appoint the Honorable RAND PAUL, a Senator put it in yours. That is the essential called to order by the Honorable RAND from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, to goal of tax reform. That is our message PAUL, a Senator from the Common- perform the duties of the Chair. to the American people. It is what I be- ORRIN G. HATCH, wealth of Kentucky. lieve. It is what Chairman HATCH be- President pro tempore. f lieves. It is what Chairman ENZI be- Mr. PAUL thereupon assumed the lieves as well. PRAYER Chair as Acting President pro tempore. Chairman ENZI has an important role The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- f to play in this process, too, because fered the following prayer: RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY later today he will lead his committee Let us pray. in marking up a comprehensive budget Almighty God, we are grateful that LEADER for fiscal year 2018 that will help our Your will prevails when reliance on hu- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- country achieve balance by reining in manity is futile. pore. The majority leader is recog- Federal spending. It will also help our Give our Senators the wisdom to un- nized. derstand that without Your help, they economy grow, and one of the ways it cannot succeed. Today, use them to f will do so is by providing legislative tools to advance tax reform. I thank work and act to accomplish Your pur- TAX REFORM AND THE BUDGET poses on Earth. Help them not to repay the Budget Committee for all its good Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, yes- evil with evil but plant seeds of good- work so far, and I look forward to its terday, Chairman HATCH held another continued efforts to get our fiscal ness that will bring a harvest of joy. hearing on a subject that is incredibly Arise, O Lord. Lift Yourself up in house in order and our economy back important to the economic future of these dangerous times to bring Your on a path to solid growth after the lost our country: tax reform. peace to our hearts. Help us to remem- decade of disappointment I just spoke For too long, our economy has failed ber that You save the upright in heart, about. to live up to its full potential. For too and Your justice will sustain us. Keep long, Americans have suffered through f us from conceiving troubles and em- stagnant paychecks, a lack of steady bracing falsehoods, as we focus on lov- work, and retirement that can seem to NOMINATIONS ing and serving You. We pray in Your loving Name. Amen. slip further away by the day. These are Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, ear- the forgotten men, women, and fami- lier this week, I filed cloture motions f lies of the last decade. For many Amer- on four qualified nominees for various PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE icans living on the coasts, working in agencies throughout the Federal Gov- The Presiding Officer led the Pledge Silicon Valley, or in finance, the reces- ernment. I shouldn’t have had to. In of Allegiance, as follows: sion of 2008 to 2009 may seem like just different times, we may have even con- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the a moment in history, but for too many sidered them on voice votes. But this is United States of America, and to the Repub- Americans, the last 10 years have been where we are, and now it is time to ad- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, a lost decade where our economy has vance and confirm them as soon as pos- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. stumbled along and opportunities have sible. f declined for American workers and Later this morning, the Senate will APPOINTMENT OF ACTING their families. consider Eric Hargan to be Deputy Sec- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Tax reform represents the single retary of the Department of Health and most important thing we can do today Human Services. As the people of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The to get our economy back on track and Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the clerk will please read a communication give American workers a leg up. It is U.S. Virgin Islands continue to recover to the Senate from the President pro our once-in-a-generation opportunity from a series of devastating hurricanes, tempore (Mr. HATCH). to replace an outdated tax code that Mr. Hargan’s expertise in disaster re- The bill clerk read the following let- holds us back with one that works for sponse and public health will help the ter: American families and small busi- Department respond to these crises. I U.S. SENATE, nesses. We want to lower taxes and look forward to confirming Mr. Hargan PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, simplify rates. We want to expand job soon so he can help coordinate multiple Washington, DC, October 4, 2017. To the Senate: creation and grow paychecks. Put an- agencies under his supervision to re- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, other way, we want to take more spond to the hurricanes, deliver relief, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby money out of Washington’s pocket and and help save lives.

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

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VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:17 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC6.000 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6294 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 After that, this afternoon we will own A.B. ‘‘Happy’’ Chandler, who The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- take up the nomination of Randal served as Governor, Senator, and base- pore. Without objection, it is so or- Quarles, the President’s nominee to ball’s second commissioner. Tom’s pas- dered. help oversee the Federal Reserve Sys- sion for Kentucky’s rich history is ob- RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER tem. Mr. Quarles brings with him both vious. The Democratic leader is recognized. domestic and international financial He has been a wonderful friend and PUERTO RICO AND U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS experience from multiple administra- resource for me, a real champion and RECOVERY EFFORT tions, and he will be a strong guide for advocate for our Commonwealth, and Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I un- our Nation’s monetary policy. We also has made a lasting impact on the next derstand the administration intends to intend to confirm Mr. Quarles to the generation through his teaching. As submit its first request for disaster aid position of Vice Chair for Supervision. one former student recalled, ‘‘Dr. Ap- for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Is- This is an essential role created by pleton’s mission in teaching Kentucky lands today. It is a good first step, but Dodd-Frank, and it is critical that Mr. history was less about imparting facts it is just the start of the financial aid Quarles begin this work over at the and dates and more about ensuring we will need to provide to the Amer- Fed. that students departed the class with ican citizens in Puerto Rico and the Tomorrow, the Senate will confirm an enhanced understanding of the rich U.S. Virgin Islands. Lee Francis Cissna to be Director of cultural tapestry of Kentucky. He ad- I urge my colleagues to work quickly U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Serv- monished students to be worthy of the to add additional and urgent funding ices. Mr. Cissna has a wealth of experi- proud legacy of our Commonwealth’s for recovery, like community develop- ence in immigration policy, serving in great statesmen, military leaders, ment block grant dollars, just as we senior policy positions in both the writers, and sports legends.’’ That is a did for Texas after Hurricane Harvey, Bush and Obama administrations and legacy to be proud of. with the understanding that an addi- then working for the chairman of the After his final semester of teaching, tional and more comprehensive request Senate Judiciary Committee. He was Tom could be forgiven for wanting to for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, voted out of committee with bipartisan retire from his work as a historian al- Florida, Texas, and the western support. I look forward to his con- together, but that is not Tom. He plans wildfires will be coming from the ad- firmation to this important role. to continue his research and writing ministration once the damage assess- Then we will consider Callista Ging- about the lives and events that shaped ments are complete. rich, whom the President has nomi- our home State, and I plan to continue LAS VEGAS MASS SHOOTING nated to be our Nation’s Ambassador reading his fascinating take on our Mr. President, returning to the to the Holy See. Ms. Gingrich’s work shared Kentucky heritage. events in Las Vegas on Sunday, we will continue the strong relationship I wish Tom well, and I urge all of my cannot let this American tragedy, an- between our Nation and the Vatican, colleagues to join me in congratulating other in a long line of American trage- building upon shared values, goals, and Dr. Tom Appleton on a truly remark- dies, fall out of our hearts and minds global responsibilities. able career. I thank each of these nominees for too quickly. f their willingness to serve our Nation. Let us pledge to be there for the fam- They are each well qualified and suited RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME ilies of the 59 Americans who were killed and the over 500 Americans who for their role. I look forward to the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Senate confirming them very soon. are still injured and recovering. Seeing pore. Under the previous order, the the pictures of so many of these beau- f leadership time is reserved. tiful, young people in the prime of TRIBUTE TO DR. TOM APPLETON f life—young, excited about the world, some of them newly married, some of Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I CONCLUSION OF MORNING them a little older with young chil- would like to take a moment to con- BUSINESS gratulate Dr. Tom Appleton of Lex- dren—breaks your heart. So not just ington, KY, on his retirement from the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- today or this week, but in the weeks History Department at Eastern Ken- pore. Morning business is closed. and months to come, let us pledge to tucky University. One of Kentucky’s f continue to show our gratitude to premier historians, Tom has spent his those firefighters and cops, the emer- career writing about the Common- EXECUTIVE SESSION gency and medical personnel, and all wealth’s rich heritage. He joined EKU’s the other first responders who rushed faculty in the fall of 2000, and over the to the scene. Let us pledge to remem- years, he has left a positive imprint on EXECUTIVE CALENDAR ber the acts of everyday heroism that his students, his field, and his State. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- are a beacon of light in this moment of He has also proved to be an invalu- pore. Under the previous order, the darkness: the lines to give blood that able resource for me. A number of Senate will proceed to executive ses- stretched around the block at 6 a.m., years ago, I began a series of talks fo- sion and resume consideration of the the teachers who went to school the cused on former U.S. Senators from Hargan nomination, which the clerk day after the shooting to try and give Kentucky. In each speech, I have tried will report. their students a sense of normalcy. I to convey a bit of political history The bill clerk read the nomination of hope these are the things President through the lives of these distinguished Eric D. Hargan, of Illinois, to be Dep- Trump highlights in his visit to Las individuals. Tom’s counsel has been in- uty Secretary of Health and Human Vegas today. valuable in my work to prepare these Services. And one more thing: President speeches and pay tribute to some of The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Trump has an opportunity to wrench Kentucky’s prominent political lead- pore. Under the previous order, the his party out of the grasp of the NRA ers. time until 11 a.m. will be equally di- and get our country and our Congress Before joining EKU’s faculty nearly vided between the two leaders or their to start talking about commonsense 20 years ago, Tom spent more than two designees. gun safety reforms. Before President decades at the Kentucky Historical So- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Trump ran for office, he repeatedly ciety. It certainly shows. Even the TV suggest the absence of a quorum. supported several sane, rational gun show ‘‘Jeopardy’’ has used him as a his- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- safety measures, including the assault torical resource. Tom has been the co- pore. The clerk will call the roll. weapons ban and longer waiting peri- editor of six books on the history of The bill clerk proceeded to call the ods to purchase a gun. As recently as the American South, including a roll. 2012, President Trump supported Presi- groundbreaking look into the lives of Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask dent Obama’s response to Sandy Hook. Kentucky women, and he is currently unanimous consent that the order for In the wake of Sandy Hook, President working on a biography of Kentucky’s the quorum call be rescinded. Obama called for action. In the wake of

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.002 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6295 Las Vegas, President Trump should do shouldn’t increase the deficit. For This is what the Acting President pro the same. every reduction in rate, they ought to tempore, I believe, spoke about yester- We have heard it over and over again: close a loophole. We wanted it to go day. Now is not the time to talk about gun through regular order, not the way In the form of the repeal of the State safety because it would politicize the healthcare did, not reconciliation, but and local deduction—44 million Ameri- tragedy. My friend the majority leader work with us. You would get a much cans take the State and local deduc- said no less than three times at his more sensible product. Most impor- tion. That is one-third of all taxpayers. press conference yesterday that it is tantly, we didn’t want to give a tax cut This is not just a small, rarified group premature and inappropriate to talk to the top 1 percent. They are doing in California or New York. It is across about any legislative solutions to the great already. God bless them. They the country. They get an average of epidemic of gun violence. don’t need any more tax relief. It is the several thousand dollars off their taxes As Martin Luther King said in his middle class that does. But the frame- each year. That includes 40 percent of letter at the Birmingham Jail, ‘‘not work the GOP released last week vio- taxpayers making between $50,000 and now’’ means never. ‘‘Wait’’ means lates all three of these commonsense $75,000 per year and 70 percent of tax- never. That is what he said: Wait principles, vastly favoring the wealthy payers earning from $100,000 to $200,000. means never. over working Americans. This is a middle-class tax deduction The Republicans don’t want to talk I have spoken several times about worth several thousand dollars a year, about it today, tomorrow, next week, tax breaks for the rich included in this and the GOP tax plan yanks it away. next month, or next year. We know package—lowering the top rate from 39 Taking it away means double taxation why they don’t want to talk about it. to 36 percent, repealing the estate tax, on middle-class families. They know the country is totally opening up a gaping tax loophole for For many families, this will not be against their view. It is not political hedge fund managers, wealthy Wall offset by a larger standard deduction in out in the country. Over 90 percent of Street firms, lobbyists, and law firms the GOP plan. Largely due to the Americans support universal back- by lowering the rate on passthroughs elimination of State and local, the Tax ground checks. A significant majority so that these rich people would pay Policy Center estimates that 30 percent of Republicans support them. That is only 25 percent on their personal in- of those making between $50,000 and not political, I would say to my friend come tax while other people pay a lot $150,000 and 60 percent of those making the majority leader. more. between $150,000 and $300,000 will see a It is political for him because he is This morning, I want to highlight not tax increase with the GOP plan, and afraid of the NRA, a powerful lobby only how the Republican plan favors that is after doubling the standard de- that is off to the extreme. It is not po- the rich but also sticks it to the middle duction. By the way, don’t think that litical for American people or for Re- class. This is something that the Act- it is just a few States; the numbers are publicans. They are for it. Over 70 per- ing President pro tempore has brought astounding across the country, as folks cent of gun owners support background up. in every State claim this deduction. I checks for private sales and at gun Just this week we found a bombshell say to my dear friend the chairman of shows. The only place where this is po- contained within the GOP resolution the Finance Committee that 35 percent litical is here, and that is because the they are using to pass tax reform. The of Utahns take this deduction, 33 per- NRA, the gun manufacturers, and their Republicans plan to cut Medicare by cent of Georgians, and 32 percent of powerful lobby make these folks $473 billion and Medicaid by more than Coloradoans. afraid—afraid to do the right thing. $1 trillion. It can be a little hard to Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- They know it is the right thing. find, but it is right there in the GOP sent to have printed in the RECORD a The NRA and these lobbies are the budget—$473 billion for Medicare, $1 list of how many taxpayers are affected swamp the President is talking about. trillion for Medicaid. in every State by removing State and President Trump talks about the If you are an older American, if you local deductibility and how much it swamp, groups of lobbyists who thwart have a family in a nursing home or will cost them on average. the will of the American people. That someone in treatment for opioid addic- There being no objection, the mate- is what the NRA does. tion and you think the GOP plan rial was ordered to be printed in the So I say to the President, Mr. Presi- doesn’t affect you, think again. The RECORD, as follows: dent, you have an opportunity to buck AARP—not a political organization, it the NRA, buck the gun lobbyists, buck simply represents the interests of the FIGURE 7.—PERCENTAGE OF TAX UNITS THAT USE THE the swamp, and lead this country in an elderly—sent a letter yesterday oppos- SALT DEDUCTION AND THE AVERAGE DEDUCTION BY adult conversation about gun violence. ing this Republican plan, the one in the STATE The President can and should bring the House, and I think we have one in the Senate as well. It is the same group % with SALT Average SALT parties together—the leaders of this State Deductions Deduction* that represented senior citizens and Congress—and let both sides know he is fought the debacle on healthcare that MD ...... 46 $12,931 ready to address this issue head-on and CT ...... 41 19,664 the Republicans proposed. talk about sensible, moderate measures NJ ...... 41 17,850 The Republicans are proposing to pay DC ...... 40 16,442 of gun safety and, above all, back- for their giant tax cut to the rich by VA ...... 37 11,288 ground checks. MA ...... 37 15,571 gutting Medicare and Medicaid. That is OR ...... 36 12,616 The President’s visit is an important the bombshell this week. That is the UT ...... 35 8,291 one today. He should be going. He MN ...... 35 12,954 nugget that will destroy their whole NY ...... 35 22,169 should seek to provide comfort to the plan. Americans are so against those CA ...... 34 18,437 families and express gratitude to our GA ...... 33 9,158 kinds of cuts. RI ...... 33 12,434 first responders. But he should take it Amazingly, it is just like the inverse CO ...... 32 9,017 one step further. Call us together, lead DE ...... 32 9,194 of the Republican plan on healthcare. IL ...... 31 12,523 this Nation in a debate about rational, In each case, they gut healthcare for WI ...... 31 11,653 moderate gun safety laws. Get us start- NH ...... 31 10,121 Americans who need it most to pay for WA ...... 30 7,402 ed on the work that so many Ameri- taxes for Americans who need it the IA ...... 29 10,163 cans are desperate for us to do. HI ...... 29 9,905 least. NC ...... 29 9,587 TAX REFORM The healthcare plan focused on cuts PA ...... 29 11,248 AZ ...... 28 7,403 Mr. President, on one final matter, to Medicaid but snuck in tax cuts for MT ...... 28 9,357 the Republican tax plan, we Democrats the rich. This plan focuses on tax cuts ID ...... 28 8,862 ME ...... 28 11,431 have long said that we are willing to to the rich and sneaks in cuts to Medi- NE ...... 28 11,088 work with our Republican colleagues care and Medicaid. SC ...... 27 8,765 VT ...... 27 12,407 on tax reform, and we laid out our The GOP budget is another page out MI ...... 27 9,648 principles early on so that there would of the same playbook. The GOP plan MO ...... 26 9,886 OH ...... 26 10,444 be no mistake about them. We wanted contains another punch to the gut of KY ...... 26 9,955 tax reform to be deficit neutral. It the middle class. AL ...... 26 5,918

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:29 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.003 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6296 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 FIGURE 7.—PERCENTAGE OF TAX UNITS THAT USE THE What about Secretary Mnuchin? His self, with that kind of tax cut, that you SALT DEDUCTION AND THE AVERAGE DEDUCTION BY lack of credibility resembles Gary would be buying a very small car or re- STATE—Continued Cohn’s. He said that he believes the modeling a very small kitchen. The GOP plan would reduce deficits by $1 fact is, that is not, in my view, a com- % with SALT Average SALT State Deductions Deduction* trillion. ‘‘We think there will be $2 tril- ment that reflects a real understanding lion of growth. So we think this tax of what middle-class folks in America KS ...... 25 9,425 NV ...... 25 5,989 plan will cut the deficits by a trillion are going through. I don’t see very OK ...... 24 8,201 dollars.’’ Mnuchin’s claim is fake math many of them buying cars for $1,000 or MS ...... 23 6,302 LA ...... 23 6,742 at its worst. As was written in the remodeling their kitchens for $1,000. TX ...... 23 7,823 Washington Post, no serious econo- That comment was accompanied by IN ...... 23 8,756 FL ...... 22 7,373 mist, liberal or conservative, believes the comments of Treasury Secretary NM ...... 22 7,091 that a tax cut boosts economic growth Steve Mnuchin, who not only said a AR ...... 22 9,116 WY ...... 22 6,306 so much that the tax cut pays for couple of days ago that tax cuts would AK ...... 21 4,931 pay for themselves—a statement that TN ...... 19 5,611 itself, let alone adds $1 trillion in rev- ND ...... 18 6,864 enue as Mnuchin claims. Four was contradicted by Republican econo- WV ...... 17 9,462 SD ...... 17 6,098 Pinocchios were given by the Wash- mists yesterday in the Senate Finance ington Post. I am sure that he too— Committee—but that there would be * Calculated as SALT deduction amount divided by number of SALT de- ductions. Steve Mnuchin—would have earned something like $1 trillion left over. Mr. more Pinocchios. Mnuchin continues to make the case Mr. SCHUMER. I urge my colleagues Gary Cohn and Steve Mnuchin claim that there is somehow a magical to look in the RECORD and see how it to be economic experts, and they both growth fairy here in the American affects them. You are fooling yourself used to work at Goldman Sachs. If they economy that nobody else knows if you think that you are not affected had used this kind of math at Goldman about, including Republican econo- by the State and local deductibility. Sachs, they would have been shown the mists. Of course, if you are a family of four door a long time ago. As I said before, I am one who believes that behavior in one of those States, the repeal of they should know better, and they do does matter, and I am going to talk State and local could be a killer be- know better. They ought to stop delib- about a bipartisan approach to taxes in cause, again, you would lose the per- erately misleading the American peo- a minute—a responsible, bipartisan ap- sonal exemption. The larger the fam- ple. It demeans them. It demeans the proach to taxes, not one that helps the ily, the greater the loss of exemption. 1 percent or creates a huge new deficit I want to make one final point on tax administration. It demeans the debate or that kind of thing. I think that you reform. This is related to two people in this country. will generate some revenue, and Doug whom I know, and I knew one of them Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- Elmendorf said that when he was the before he ever arrived in Washington. I sent that the time during the quorum head of the Budget Office, but it is not have to make this point because what calls be divided equally between both going to generate hundreds and hun- I heard them say over the weekend just sides. turned my stomach. It was astounding. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. COT- dreds of billions of dollars, as in the It was awful. TON). Without objection, it is so or- case of what Mr. Mnuchin is talking Over the weekend, we heard some dered. about, which is something like $2 tril- pretty extraordinary claims from Re- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I sug- lion. There is no economic support for publican legislators and Cabinet offi- gest the absence of a quorum. that. cials about what the GOP tax plan was The PRESIDING OFFICER. The You have the President’s economic all about, but Gary Cohn and Secretary clerk will call the roll. team and his top advisers trying to de- of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin deserve The bill clerk proceeded to call the fend the indefensible, and I will go into a special admonition. roll. that more a little bit later today. Chief White House economic adviser Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask Right now, I think it is important Gary Cohn actually said: ‘‘The wealthy unanimous consent that the order for that we have a response that I am are not getting a tax cut under our the quorum call be rescinded. going to deliver to the distinguished plan.’’ That is not a surmising of what The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without majority whip, who is a member of the he said; that is a direct quote. ‘‘The objection, it is so ordered. Finance Committee, who made some wealthy are not getting a tax cut under Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I did not comparisons between the Republican our plan.’’ Comments like that should get a chance to hear the distinguished plan and the bipartisan legislation that make everyone’s head spin. According Democratic leader’s remarks, for I wrote—after months and months of to the Tax Policy Center, the top 1 per- Chairman HATCH and I were in the Sen- hard work—with two of our former Re- cent would reap 80 percent of the bene- ate Finance Committee. We managed publican colleagues, Senator Gregg and fits of the GOP plan. The top 0.1 per- to pass, by an overwhelming bipartisan Senator Coats. Senator Coats is now a cent—the folks who make more than $5 vote, the Children’s Health Insurance member of President Trump’s Cabinet. million a year—would get a break of Program—a vital program for 9 million The comparison that somehow the more than $1 million a year. kids. So that is a bit of good news in Republican plan is like the bipartisan Some might argue, of course, that it that this important piece of legislation approach that I wrote—these extreme will cause economic growth. I do not is advancing. I do know that the Demo- ideas in the Republican plan—is not think that it will, but at least make cratic leader touched on a number of just a bit of a stretch or a little off your real argument. Do not hide it. very important issues, particularly base; there is absolutely no compari- You know that the American people do some of these comments that have son—none—between the bipartisan pro- not agree with you. That is why you been made by top advisers to the Presi- posal and the extreme Republican plan. hide it. dent with respect to taxes. The distinguished majority whip, in Only in Wonderland, where down is I am struck by the fact that Mr. Gary my view, offered a complete and total up and up is down, could Gary Cohn’s Cohn, the President’s top economic ad- misrepresentation of what the two pro- comments be believed. It is something viser, said last week that middle-class posals are all about, and I am going to like out of the Ministry of Truth from folks were going to get $1,000 in tax re- illustrate this in two ways—first, with George Orwell’s ‘‘1984,’’ which would be lief—set aside the fact that that does respect to the policy. to cut the top rate by 4 percent and re- not look to be true for a number of The Republican tax cut framework peal the estate tax—yes, no tax cuts middle-class folks who have kids. I am green-lights the entire wish list for for the wealthy. Bunk. It is why the also struck by the comment that fol- major multinational corporations and Washington Post gave Gary Cohn four lowed. Mr. Cohn said that not only are the wealthy. There is a massive cor- Pinocchios for his statement. If they middle-class families going to get porate tax cut that overwhelmingly had allowed more Pinocchios on the $1,000 worth of tax relief but that they benefits shareholders. When it comes scale, I am sure he would have gotten would be able to go buy cars or remodel to international taxes, there is a pure them. He earned them, unfortunately. their kitchens. You just think to your- territorial system with barely a nod to

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:36 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC6.001 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6297 the kind of tough rules that are needed Big 6 and the Trump administration ter century. Senator Coats, to his cred- to protect workers and the middle- want. The bipartisan plan was scored it, did yeoman’s work in updating it. class folks in the center of our tax as revenue neutral by authoritative There is no comparison from a process base. independent tax experts. It made the standpoint between that bipartisan There is, in the Republican plan, a Tax Code more progressive. The fact is, work that was done to update the sys- brand-new passthrough loophole. It is what we offered—Senator Coats, Sen- tem of more than a quarter century as big as the Grand Canyon. It is the ator Gregg, and I—was an actual bill. ago and the Republican tax cut frame- Grand Canyon of loopholes in the Re- It was the product of weeks and work. publican tax proposal, which invites months of work. The majority leader said from day tax cheats to skip out from paying Senator Gregg and I—and I think it one, at the beginning of the year, that their fair share to Social Security and is fair to say that all Senators may not he didn’t want Democratic input on tax Medicare. be aware of this, but Senator Gregg reform. He said: We are just going to do The Republican plan eliminates the was a top economic thinker with whom it on the ‘‘our way or the highway’’ ap- estate tax, which today only touches the majority leader consulted—sat proach with reconciliation. Reconcili- estates worth more than $11 million or next to each other for months in order ation is a rejection of bipartisanship $5.5 million for a single individual. The to put together what is still the first through and through. top rate goes down, and the bottom in- and only comprehensive Federal bipar- I note that the Presiding Officer is come tax rate goes up. When doing the tisan tax reform plan since 1986. It was the tallest Member of the Senate, math on what the Republicans have on an actual bill. It wasn’t four pages of along with Senator STRANGE, and I offer, we are looking at upwards of $4, rhetoric. talked fairly frequently with our $5, $6, or $7 trillion in tax giveaways to In the spring we got one page. It was former colleague Senator Bradley, who the most fortunate. shorter than your typical drugstore re- was another tall Democrat on the Fi- It is a different story under the Re- ceipt. Now I guess we are up to four nance Committee with a much better publican proposal if you are middle pages, when you take out all this kind jump shot than me. He has described class. You probably have a lot of unan- of white space. Our bill was an actual the bipartisan efforts of 1986, with key swered questions. All you know right bill and was designed to give everybody officials in President Reagan’s admin- now is that it virtually guarantees in America a chance to get ahead, not istration, Jim Baker and Don Regan, that, in order to pay for the giveaways just those in the 1 percent, not just who spent months talking to Demo- to the wealthy and corporations, cur- those who have real clout and power. crats—months and months—before rent middle-class tax breaks are going I have always said that this is the anything happened. That is not what to be on the chopping block—the per- heart of the difference. We have two happened here. The specifics are very sonal exemption, incentives for retire- Tax Codes in America. We have one for different, and the process is very dif- ment savings, education, and home the cops and the nurses. It is compul- ferent. ownership, to name just a few. From sory. Their taxes come right out of Recently, my Democratic colleagues everything we know, when you set up their paychecks—no Cayman Islands and I came forward with our principles these kinds of extreme approaches, deal for them. Then we have another for reform, and it was just a matter of when you raise the parts of the Tax Tax Code for the high flyers—the fortu- a few hours before Leader MCCONNELL Code that are a giveaway to those at nate and well-connected. They can rejected them in the media. One ad- the top, what you see is the middle pretty much pay what they want when ministration official actually said that class getting hurt. they want to. The bipartisan proposal tax reform would be worse if it in- Instead of tripling the standard de- that I wrote with Senator Gregg and cluded Democratic ideas, and the ‘‘go it duction, which is what we did in our bi- Senator Coats helps the first group, the alone’’ mentality is pretty obvious partisan bill, the Trump people double cops and nurses, but it was also fair to when you look at the framework that it, but then they take away the per- everybody. It gave everybody a chance came out last week. sonal exemptions for working-class to get ahead. The Republican plan is The tough questions haven’t been an- folks. So unlike our proposal, where another big gift to that second group, swered. For those at the top, it is all the middle class can count on hundreds the group that can decide what they sweet and no sour. There was not a sin- and hundreds of dollars in their pay- are going to pay in taxes and when gle shred of Democratic input in the check when you triple the standard de- they are going to pay it. So we really framework—not one Democratic fin- duction, under the Republican pro- couldn’t have two proposals that are gerprint anywhere to be found. The ad- posal, they give it with one hand by more different. ministration officials in charge of sell- doubling the standard deduction and The fact is, the Republican frame- ing it to the public are, in my view, take it away with the other hand by work looks less like a real effort at tax executing a con job on the middle eliminating the personal exemption. So reform than a shameless attempt, in ef- class. you have a very stark difference be- fect, to accommodate the President’s So I wanted to come here today to tween the bipartisan proposal that I of- boast about the biggest tax cut ever. highlight some of the recent comments fered with Senator Coats, a member of The bottom line is that it is a give- that the Senate Democratic leader has the President’s Cabinet, and what the away to those at the top, and it robs made with respect to some of these Republican extreme plan is all about. from the middle class. out-of-touch comments we have heard The bottom line is that the Repub- The differences don’t just end with recently from key administration offi- lican plan seeks to raise those parts of these specifics that I have described cials, like Gary Cohn and Steve our Tax Code that are all about the here. We took a fundamentally dif- Mnuchin, and I wanted to make sure middle class, and they are doing it to ferent approach. With Senator Gregg that Senators heard—after the com- pay for the giveaways for those folks at and Senator Coats, we were digging ments of the Senate Republican whip— the top. That is not what we did in the into the cobwebs of every dark corner that they now know that there is no bipartisan plan at all. Any middle-class of the Tax Code. We brought together comparison, none, between the bipar- person can sit at their kitchen table principles on which both sides had to tisan proposal that I had the honor to and look at the bipartisan plan that I find common ground with a lot of write with Senators Coats and Gregg, was involved with and see how the mid- sweat equity. which brought the two parties to- dle class wins. They get hundreds and If you are going to write a partisan gether, and the framework that came hundreds of dollars more in every pay- bill, you can go off on your own and do out last week that forced even more check by tripling the standard deduc- your thing. The fact is, if Senators polarization between the parties. The tion, and they can see how they as mid- Gregg, Coats, and I had written sepa- reality is that this Republican pro- dle-class folks—say, who make $70,000 rate bills on our own, they would have posal, this tax cut framework, is so and have a couple of children—lose looked very different, but the bill we radically skewed toward the wealthy under the Trump proposal. wrote together, starting with Senator and the big corporations, that it makes Now there are other differences be- Gregg and I, was the first comprehen- Ronald Reagan’s landmark reform look tween our bipartisan plan and what the sive bipartisan tax proposal in a quar- like the work of rabid socialists.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.007 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6298 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 So I appreciate the chance to set the Hoeven, John Thune, Mike Crapo, Bill ate jobs and how to put more money record straight by outlining the dif- Cassidy, James M. Inhofe, Tom Cotton. back in the pockets of the hard-work- ferences between a recent bipartisan The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- ing Americans who earn it. bill with two influential Republican imous consent, the mandatory quorum Even though the framework is just 1 Senators with whom I had the honor to call has been waived. week old, there are some who are imag- work and the extreme Republican The question is, Is it the sense of the ining the worst-case scenario. Rumors framework that came out last week. Senate that debate on the nomination are spreading like wildfire. Last week, These plans are not just trillions of of Eric D. Hargan, of Illinois, to be the Tax Policy Center fanned the dollars apart based on the numbers. It Deputy Secretary of Health and Human flames when it published a report ana- is clear they are written with entirely Services, shall be brought to a close? lyzing the plan—which, I want to em- different goals in mind. The yeas and nays are mandatory phasize, hasn’t been written yet. Let Our view is that tax reform ought to under the rule. me say that again. The Tax Policy Cen- be about giving everybody in America The clerk will call the roll. ter published a report criticizing a plan the opportunity to get ahead. What we The assistant bill clerk called the which hasn’t been written yet. have said is that, instead of it being an roll. This alleged or so-called nonpartisan ‘‘our way or the highway’’ partisan ap- Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators think tank has looked into its crystal proach, we ought to be doing—particu- are necessarily absent: the Senator ball and now claims to be able to see larly in the area of tax reform—what from Mississippi (Mr. COCHRAN), the the future, and it said the future has a storied history. The key to a suc- Senator from Nevada (Mr. HELLER), doesn’t look very good. The tax plan, it cessful tax reform, based on that his- and the Senator from Arizona (Mr. says, will be a resounding flop. Well, tory, is working in a bipartisan way. MCCAIN). give me a break. I, for one, am sick and I will close with the comments about Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the tired of this sort of pessimism parading the Democratic principles, which is Senator from Nevada (Ms. CORTEZ as expertise—people talking about that we are not going to give relief to MASTO) and the Senator from New Jer- things they know nothing about and the people at the 1 percent, we are not sey (Mr. MENENDEZ) are necessarily ab- claiming to be the experts. It is pretty going to break the bank, and we are sent. common here, in Washington, DC, you going to focus on the middle class. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SUL- might have noticed. It is not helpful to assume the worst Those principles don’t even go as far as LIVAN). Are there any other Senators in prematurely and to condemn this im- ideas advanced by President Reagan, the Chamber desiring to vote? portant exercise before we are even where he said that we are going to The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 57, starting, and it is irresponsible to mas- treat income from a wage and income nays 38, as follows: querade biased, partisan analysis as from investment in the same way. [Rollcall Vote No. 210 Ex.] somehow objective. I close by way of saying this. No. 1, YEAS—57 As the Wall Street Journal wrote a the distinguished Republican whip is Alexander Ernst Moran couple of days ago, in response to the wrong when he compares the bipartisan Barrasso Fischer Murkowski Tax Policy Center’s economists, they Blunt Flake Paul bill I have been a part of to what the made at least two baseless claims: administration’s tax framework is all Boozman Gardner Perdue Burr Graham Portman first, that our proposal would ‘‘reduce about. No. 2, the right way to do this is Capito Grassley Risch federal revenues by $2.4 trillion over to focus in a bipartisan way, not Carper Hatch Roberts the first ten years and $3.2 trillion over through partisanship only. The prin- Cassidy Heitkamp Rounds Collins Hoeven Rubio the subsequent decade’’; second, the ciples that we have outlined on our Coons Inhofe Sasse top 1 percent of taxpayers would ‘‘re- side, when you compare them, do not Corker Isakson Scott ceive about 50 percent of the total tax even go as far as some of the ideas em- Cornyn Johnson Shelby Cotton Kennedy Strange benefit.’’ braced by the late President Reagan. Crapo King Sullivan These statistics were pretty quotable I yield the floor. Cruz Lankford Thune and indeed raged like a prairie fire I suggest the absence of a quorum. Daines Lee Tillis across the news media in our country, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Donnelly Manchin Toomey Durbin McCaskill Wicker especially when the media is pre- clerk will call the roll. Enzi McConnell Young disposed to believe the worst, without The senior assistant legislative clerk NAYS—38 any question or semblance of skep- proceeded to call the roll. ticism. After all, the Tax Policy Cen- Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unan- Baldwin Hassan Sanders ter’s report made for easy headlines, imous consent that the order for the Bennet Heinrich Schatz Blumenthal Hirono Schumer reciting the same tired refrains we quorum call be rescinded. Booker Kaine Shaheen have all heard before that are all too The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Brown Klobuchar Stabenow predictable; that, somehow, our tax objection, it is so ordered. Cantwell Leahy Tester Cardin Markey plan is only designed to help the rich. Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unan- Udall Apparently, the temptation was just Casey Merkley Van Hollen imous consent that we start the sched- Duckworth Murphy Warner too great to resist, even though the re- Feinstein Murray uled 11 a.m. vote now. Warren port didn’t have a real author since no Franken Nelson The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Whitehouse Gillibrand Peters self-respecting economist wanted his or objection, it is so ordered. Harris Reed Wyden her name attached to it. As the Wall CLOTURE MOTION NOT VOTING—5 Street Journal pointed out, however, Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays last week’s tax blueprint was just before the Senate the pending cloture Cochran Heller Menendez Cortez Masto McCain that—a starting place, a plan, a frame- motion, which the clerk will state. work, and nothing more. It excluded The senior assistant legislative clerk The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this many important data points which read as follows: vote, the yeas are 57, the nays are 38. would be important to a real analysis. CLOTURE MOTION The motion is agreed to. For example, the income ranges for The majority whip. We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- the three consolidated tax brackets, ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the TAX REFORM those weren’t in the blueprint. The Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, begin- value of the expanded child tax credit move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- ning today, the Senate Budget Com- and when it would be phased out, that nation of Eric D. Hargan, of Illinois, to be mittee will take the next step in our wasn’t in the blueprint either, and you Deputy Secretary of Health and Human effort to enact pro-growth tax reform, would need to know that information Services. this time by marking up a budget reso- Mitch McConnell, Lamar Alexander, in order to make a reasoned, logical John Cornyn, John Barrasso, Mike lution. analysis. The blueprint also doesn’t Rounds, Chuck Grassley, Thad Coch- The committee’s work follows the re- mention tax rates for small businesses ran, Steve Daines, Roger F. Wicker, lease last week of our unified frame- and what deductions will be eliminated John Boozman, Thom Tillis, John work—the tax blueprint on how to cre- as part of the base broadening.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.008 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6299 As we all know, an army of lobbyists, GDP growth speeds up from the Obama The Internet Crimes Against Chil- lawyers, and other folks have, since administration’s pace of 2 percent a dren Task Force is a national network 1986, larded the Tax Code with a wide year to 3 percent, incomes would rise of 61 coordinated entities that rep- variety of deductions, credits, and and revenues would increase to the resent 3,500 Federal, State, and local other special preferences. What we Treasury by some $2.5 trillion. That is law enforcement agencies that inves- need to do is clear out some of that what is most often underlooked, in- tigate and prosecute child predators. thicket so we can lower the rates for cluding by some of the people who They develop victim support programs, everybody, so everybody gets a tax cut, score these bills. provide training and technical assist- and I mean everybody. If we are successful in passing pro- ance, and advance forensic methods. It is not going to be easy because we growth tax reform and tax cuts and we They also help facilitate community can imagine that army of lobbyists de- can get this sleeping giant of an econ- education to make parents more aware scending upon Capitol Hill trying to omy awake and roaring again just to of this threat against all of our chil- protect the special deals they were able get it to 3 percent—which is below the dren so we can prevent internet crimes to carve out of the Tax Code since 1986, average growth of the economy over against children before they even hap- but we have to do it. the last three decades—just at 3 per- pen. This is an issue I have cared about None of these facts that would be im- cent, it would put $2.5 trillion more in for a long time, starting with my serv- portant in order to conduct a reasoned the Treasury. That would be great be- ice as attorney general of Texas. I saw and objective analysis was included in cause it would help us not only pay our firsthand how vulnerable children can the framework, but all of them would bills, it would help us pay down the quickly become victimized at the have great potential to greatly move deficit and the debt. hands of some truly despicable individ- Obviously, these are important fac- the final numbers. These, and many uals. I also learned about the resources tors to acknowledge. The best way to other details, are essential for any hon- it takes to stop and prosecute these accomplish meaningful tax reform is to est fiscal assessment of changes in our predators. Like the Presiding Officer, lower rates and simplify provisions who also served as attorney general, we Tax Code. across the board, to give Americans When will we begin to see some of know that not all of our jurisdictions more take-home pay and have to spend those numbers? We need to pass the have access to the same sort of exper- less time hiring somebody just to com- budget resolution out of the Budget tise and resources so it is important to plete their tax return. We can’t simply Committee this week—which we will. have this resource in order to help throw up our hands, do nothing, and them investigate and prosecute these Then, after Columbus Day, we will accept the status quo because Amer- come back and have a debate and a crimes. ican workers and job creators can’t af- Back in 2000, when I started it in vote-arama to pass the budget resolu- ford the status quo. tion, which will equip us with the tech- Texas, we called it the Internet Bu- I am optimistic about the framework reau. It is kind of a quaint title these nical tools we need in order to pass a that has been released and look for- reconciliation bill. days. Now I think they call it the ward to working with my colleagues on Cyber Crime Unit, but we call it the Then the real work is going to be oc- the Finance Committee in the days and curring in the Finance Committee on Internet Bureau to fight internet weeks ahead. What we have now is a crimes like child pornography. Trag- this side of the Capitol, where we will useful starting point, and we need to take the chairman’s mark—the origi- ically, in this day and age, the internet fill in the blanks—and we will—so then provides a safe harbor for too many nal bill which Senator HATCH will in- we can have a debate based on the troduce at the committee—which will people who want to use it for their own facts, not based on somebody’s wild, fe- nefarious purposes. It can be a difficult fill in a lot of these details. I predict vered imagination about what the tax that will be sometime around the third arena for our law enforcement to navi- bill might look like. gate, but this bill ensures that they or maybe fourth week of this month. One last point on that. We have the Then we are going to have an amend- will have the resources to fight cyber highest tax rate in the world for cor- crimes and keep our communities safe ment process. The real question in my porations and businesses. This used to mind is, Will our Democratic col- by reauthorizing programs until 2022. be something that even the President I am happy the House has now acted, leagues participate and make this a bi- of the United States, Barack Obama, and I am thankful for the work of my partisan bill? I hope they will. back in 2011 acknowledged and said we colleagues from Connecticut, Min- I also want to mention two other re- need to reduce that in order to be com- lated points that deserve mention but nesota, and Nevada for joining me in petitive globally. We know too many of this effort. I look forward to working which were left out of the Tax Policy’s our jobs are moving overseas. expeditiously to ensure that we repass report. One is, the committees in Con- I mentioned yesterday that IBM, one this legislation in the Senate as soon gress will actually have the ability to of the largest businesses in the world, as possible. come up with the details I mentioned. has more employees in India than they I suggest the absence of a quorum. That will happen in the Ways and have in the United States. Now, there The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Means Committee in the House and in are probably varied reasons for that, clerk will call the roll. the Finance Committee in the Senate. including our Tax Code. Some of it is The legislative clerk proceeded to There will be, as there should be, dis- access to highly trained workers, lower call the roll. cussion, deliberation, and compromise costs of operation, and the like, but Mr. KING. Mr. President, I ask unan- as the normal legislative process works our Tax Code is a self-inflicted eco- imous consent that the order for the out. nomic wound for our country, and the quorum call be rescinded. There have been many around Cap- people who pay the price are the people The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without itol Hill who have said we don’t have whose wages are stagnant or people objection, it is so ordered. enough ‘‘regular order.’’ What that who are looking for a job and can’t find HEALTHCARE means is, we need to conduct the nor- one. We need to put more money back Mr. KING. Mr. President, I rise today mal legislative process and have the in their pocket, let them keep more of to talk about a subject that has been committees actually do what they are what they earn, and get this economy on our minds in recent weeks and designed to do—which is to have hear- growing again. months and, in fact, years; that is, ings and vote on amendments and pass PROTECT OUR CHILDREN ACT healthcare—one of the most complex the bill out so it is available to be Finally, just yesterday, the House and confusing but important topics heard on the floor of the Senate. Then passed a bill I introduced with Sen- that we have to consider. the Senate has a chance to amend it, ators BLUMENTHAL, KLOBUCHAR, and Before I get into the bulk of what I vote on it, and debate it. HELLER called the PROTECT Our Chil- want to address, I want to make the The second point I want to make is, dren Act. This bill helps to stop the ex- point once again that as we are debat- any analysis of tax reform must con- ploitation of children across the coun- ing healthcare and debating who pays, sider what will be the impact on eco- try and over the internet by reauthor- how much they pay, whether it is the nomic growth that will result from it. izing the Internet Crimes Against Chil- ACA or Medicare or Medicaid or pri- As the Journal stated, if the rate of dren, or ICAC, Task Force Program. vate insurance or private pay, we also

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.012 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6300 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 have to begin a serious discussion been working on proposals since the ments not being made. The testimony about the underlying cost of day I got here on how to improve it, is—it depends somewhat on the State, healthcare. how to fix some of the problems, how but roughly a 20-percent increase is at- Regardless of who is paying, it is to make it better, how to have the ef- tributable to just this fact. going to break us. If healthcare con- fects be less intense on some parts of If we could pass legislation here—un- tinues to grow in cost as it has over the our economy. It is the law of the land. fortunately, we missed the deadline, last 20 years, it is going to eat the Fed- The impacts of what we do here or but we may be able to work on that be- eral budget, family budgets, individual don’t do here fall on real people—real cause the deadline was just last week. budgets, and it is going to be some- people, in my case, in my home State But if we could simply ensure those thing we absolutely have to address. of Maine. payments are made, that in itself Usually around here we don’t address The Affordable Care Act is not col- would lower rates by 20 percent next something until it is a crisis. lapsing; it is being sabotaged. Here is a year on a silver plan. I would argue, as we are approaching partial list. By the way, if those CSRs aren’t 20 percent of GDP, with $1 out of every In January, during the period of the made and the rates go up, ironically, $5 in the country being committed to last open enrollment, one of the first that means the mandatory payments of healthcare costs—more than twice as acts of the new administration was to subsidies to individuals under the Af- much as most other countries in the cut the advertising on television, ad- fordable Care Act will also go up. So it world, far more than any other country vising people that they had this will cost the Treasury money—addi- in the world—we have to address this healthcare option. Cut the ads, that is tional money not accounted for, rough- issue. No. 1. That was in January. ly $200 billion over the next 10 years. Arguing about who pays is not going Then they announced they were What else has gone on? In May, there to solve the problem. That is impor- going to minimize the enforcement of was another one from the head of the tant because in the interim, that is the personal mandate. If you tell some- Office of Management and Budget. The what is going to protect our citizens’ body you are not going to enforce administration has not decided wheth- coverage and what is going to protect something, that is an invitation to not er to pay the CSRs. That is a big red our citizens from a healthcare disaster, abide by it, to not pay any attention to signal to the insurance companies: You a healthcare crisis. it. People can argue about whether can’t count on this, so you better raise I want to preface my remarks with— that is desirable, but that is the law. rates. In May, the budget was released. I think this is something we all need to To announce that administratively you In the budget, there were drastic cuts be thinking about—how do we move be- are not going to enforce it, again, what in the call centers for the Affordable yond the discussion we are having now, does that do? It reduces the number of Care Act, in the in-person assistance, not that it is unimportant, but we also people who are going to get healthcare. and in marketing. And just for good need to move beyond the discussion That, in turn, undermines the indi- measure, they announced they were and start talking about the underlying vidual market, and that, in turn, cutting the enrollment period in half, cost and why is it that Americans are from 3 months to 6 weeks. What pos- makes it less financially viable. That paying virtually twice as much as any- sible reason can there be to do that, ex- is a deliberate act that will undermine one in the world for healthcare per cap- cept that you want fewer people to sign the viability of this law. ita—or as a percent of GDP or however In April, there began a series of what up? That is called sabotage—reducing you want to calculate it—without no- turned into seven different threats from 3 months to 6 weeks. ticeably better results? In fact, most Then, all along, the Health and from various people in the administra- worldwide studies indicate the results Human Services Department has been tion to not make the legally mandated of our healthcare system are not as monkeying around with the website, CSR payments—the cost-sharing reduc- good as those in many other countries. taking down explanatory material It would be one thing if we were pay- tion payments—which are not bailouts about the Affordable Care Act, taking ing a lot of money and getting abso- to insurance companies but which were down material indicating why this lutely superior care across the board in designed as part of the law to hold the would be a good deal for people and, in- our country, but that is not the case. rates down and to hold the deductibles stead, putting up critical material. In measurements such as infant mor- down for those people buying coverage On August 31, the administration an- tality, longevity—standard basic under the Affordable Care Act. Con- nounced reductions in outreach of 90 healthcare indicators—we are not tinuously threatening the reduction or percent and cuts in assistance to peo- doing very well. Yet we are paying the elimination of these payments has ple trying to navigate this system by twice as much. There is something created an uncertainty in the market- 40 percent. This is complicated mate- wrong with that, and we have to ad- place that is now coming home to rial. Any of us who have signed up for dress it. roost. insurance—we all have the Affordable I want to talk about the Affordable Just last week, Anthem announced Care Act. Most people don’t know that. Care Act. I want to start with the point they are leaving the Maine market- But we had to go on the website and that it is the law of the land. It is the place. They cited a number of reasons, choose a policy for ourselves. It is law of the land. but one of the chief reasons was the un- hard, it is complicated, and to take I am rising today in sadness but also certainty created by whether these away the people who are in the commu- in anger because there is a lot of talk payments are going to be made. nities helping people work through about the Affordable Care Act col- Recently, the HELP committee had a these various decisions and weigh the lapsing, imploding. It is not collapsing. series of hearings on this subject. They different policies, the deductibles, and It is being mugged. It is being stabbed had a bipartisan group of Governors. how to compare them is the same as in the back. It is being sabotaged delib- They had a bipartisan group of insur- taking away the coverage. It is an act erately and consciously by the actions ance commissioners, health experts of sabotage. of the administration. from across the country. I was at all The most recent one I just learned I want to emphasize that this isn’t but one of those hearings. I believe I about this morning. This is amazing. about ideology. It is not about politics. am right in saying it was unanimous The Affordable Care Act is based on a It is not about who wins and who loses that we must ensure the continuation website, healthcare.gov. We all know it or which party is up or who voted or of the CSR payments in order to sta- had terrible problems when it started. who didn’t. This is about people. It is bilize the market and reduce premiums There is no excuse for that. I was crit- about people in Maine. It is about peo- projected to increase this coming year. ical of it at the time. Those were prob- ple, many of whom got care for the The number nationally is estimated lems that were not intentional. first time under the Affordable Care to be about 20 percent—a 20-percent in- Now intentional problems are being Act; lobstermen, small farmers, small crease attributable to the failure to en- created. This is the one that really gets businesspeople, individuals finally had sure that the CSR payments will be me. I just learned this morning that a shot at reasonably priced healthcare. made because an insurance company, if every Sunday during the bobtail enroll- It is not perfect by any means. I they are setting rates, has to factor ment period, the 6-week enrollment pe- would never argue that. In fact, I have into their rates the risk of these pay- riod, the website is going to be closed

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.014 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6301 for 12 hours for maintenance. Isn’t that The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. tax reform that will spur economic amazing? For 12 hours on the one day ERNST). The Senator from Utah. growth, increase wages and well-paying of the week when many working people TAX REFORM jobs, and simplify our existing system. are going to have an opportunity to try Mr. HATCH. Madam President, last We need to deliver on that promise and to understand this system and enroll, week I joined with the Secretary of the not just because we will suffer politi- they are going to be down from mid- Treasury, the Director of the National cally if we do not. We need to deliver night Saturday night until noon on Economic Council, our Senate major- because the cost of doing nothing—the Sunday, the middle of the day on Sun- ity leader, the Speaker of the House, cost of maintaining the status quo for day. and the chairman of the House Ways the foreseeable future—will be too I want to go back to the beginning. and Means Committee in releasing a much for the American people and our This isn’t about ideology. This is about unified framework for tax reform. economy to bear. seeing that the laws are faithfully exe- This is a big step in the ongoing ef- The last major overhaul of our Tax cuted. That is why they call it the ad- fort to overhaul our Nation’s miserable Code was 31 years ago, and in many re- ministration. The administration is Tax Code. I have been in the Senate spects, our current tax system was supposed to administer the laws, not awhile, and I can only remember a few built for the economy of 1986 and is ill- unadminister them. times when the White House and the suited for the needs of today. In the We are talking about people. Why House and Senate leadership were in last 31 years, we have seen a dramatic does anyone want to have fewer people agreement on an issue as complicated increase in international trade and ex- with insurance? I am at a loss to un- as tax reform so the current state of af- panded globalization. We have seen the derstand the motivation. I can under- fairs is pretty remarkable. Still, as we fall of the Soviet Union and the col- stand if you don’t like the ACA. If you made clear in the framework docu- lapse of most centrally run economies, don’t like the ACA, let’s work together ment, this is only a step; it is not a and of course we have seen the develop- and find ways to improve it and change final product. ment and rapid expansion of the inter- it, but figure out how to keep people The House and the Senate tax-writ- net, which has, in many respects, re- with health insurance. ing committees will be tasked with made the entire world several times The uninsured rate in America has putting together legislation that is over. fallen 50 percent because of the Afford- aimed at meeting the goals and prin- America no longer has a competitive able Care Act. That is an enormous ciples that are outlined in the frame- Tax Code. Instead, we have a Byzantine achievement. It is one that should be work. Therefore, as the chairman of system with exceptionally high rates celebrated, not sabotaged. That is what the Senate Finance Committee, my top and an array of overlapping and often is so puzzling to me about this: fewer goal at the moment is to produce a less-than-effective deductions, exclu- people with coverage and higher costs comprehensive tax reform bill that can sions, and credits. This is not just a pa- to the Treasury. get at least 14 votes in the committee rade of horribles trotted out by Repub- We can do better than this. These are because, without that, there likely will licans, these problems have been ac- all things the administration in good not be any tax reform. Yet, before we knowledged by a number of prominent faith can say: OK, we don’t like the can get to that point, we have to pass Democrats, like Presidents Clinton and ACA, but we are going to move beyond the fiscal year 2018 budget resolution. Obama, not to mention our current the politics of this and try to help peo- Make no mistake, the budget resolu- Senate minority leader and the rank- ple get the coverage they desperately tion is critical to our tax reform ef- ing member of the Finance Committee, need. forts. If we are going to move a tax re- Senator WYDEN. This is about real people’s lives. This form vehicle in the current environ- We all know the system is not work- is about lifting the threat, the cloud of ment, we need a resolution in place ing. Still, in many respects, we have a healthcare disaster, both physically with a workable reconciliation instruc- politics as usual around here when we and financially, from families across tion that will allow us to produce a bill talk about tax reform. While both par- America. We are talking about mil- of sufficient size and scope to give mid- ties have supported reforms in the re- lions of families—not tens of thousands dle-class taxpayers a pay raise, grow cent past, including a number of re- but millions of families. I don’t get our economy, and create more Amer- forms that are included in the frame- why we are deliberately trying to un- ican jobs. work, we are already hearing the same, dermine and sabotage something that As we all know, the Budget Com- tired arguments that come up every is so meaningful to so many people. As mittee will begin marking up its reso- time Republicans want to talk about one can tell, it makes me angry. Most- lution later today, and it will include tax reform. ly, it makes me sad because I know the type of instruction we need in According to the opponents of re- people in Maine who have benefited, order to produce a bill that will fix our form, our ‘‘plan’’ will cut taxes on the who have gotten coverage, who did not broken tax system, boost economic superrich. Our ‘‘plan’’ will raise taxes have it before and who will not have it growth, and give a pay raise to middle- on the poor. Our ‘‘plan’’ will harm the if this is taken away—people who need class Americans. middle class. Our ‘‘plan’’ is a giveaway those navigators to help them, people I am grateful for the leadership of to greedy corporations. These are some who need to be able to use the website Chairman ENZI and all of our col- pretty odd claims given that as of right on a Sunday morning, people who need leagues on the Budget Committee for now, no completed ‘‘plan’’ exists. We to have rates that are lower because their work in crafting the resolution, have a framework, and we are not call- the CSRs have been funded, and we are and I urge everyone who supports tax ing it that simply for PR reasons. We not continuously raising the uncer- reform, whether he is in Congress or have some basic principles and targets tainty of that piece of this law. elsewhere, to support the budget reso- that the leaders have agreed upon, but We can do better. This is about the lution. as the framework makes clear, the Fi- health of our people. I cannot think of Once again, that is the next big step nance and Ways and Means Commit- anything more important. We can have in this process, and it is an absolutely tees have been tasked with filling in different ways of getting there, but essential step. Once that is done, the the details and writing legislation. right now we have a law that is in Finance Committee will be able to Here are just some of the details that place, and until we change it—and we move forward on crafting and marking are not included in the framework: should change it; we should fix it—we up a tax reform bill. Income thresholds for individual tax should administer it straight up, Some have said tax reform is a do-or- brackets. The framework includes rate straightforwardly, as it was written die moment for the GOP. I whole- targets for three brackets, but the and as it was intended. This is too im- heartedly believe that to be true, not breakdown of those brackets is still to portant for politics, and it is too im- just because we might lose an election be determined. portant for ideology. This is all about or that our poll numbers might go The size of the enhanced Child Tax people and their health. down, it is that Republicans have Credit. The framework anticipates an Thank you. promised, for some time now, that we increase, but it does not specify an I yield the floor. will deliver meaningful, comprehensive amount.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.015 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6302 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 The existence and rate of the highest report, authored by the TPC’s staff. ments of the country. The framework bracket. Our document leaves room for Evidently, no one in an organization specifies two deductions that should the creation of a fourth bracket at the that describes itself as ‘‘nonpartisan’’ stay in place because they benefit high end, but it does not include any wanted to put their name on a docu- many in the middle class and they are rate target. ment that would be used in such a par- designed to achieve important policy Safeguards to prevent abuse of the tisan manner, but let’s be clear. We goals. Everything else is currently on separate passthrough rates. cannot separate this kind of specula- the table, including items that I have These are just some of the key de- tive ‘‘analysis’’ from the way it is personally championed in the past. tails that need to be filled in. being used by our friends on the other We have already seen stories about My point is, no one can make any de- side. It has become fodder for more of how Republicans are already divided on finitive statements or make any cred- the same partisan attacks. the fate of the State and local tax de- ible estimates about the fiscal impact In going forward, I hope the TPC and duction. Make no mistake—that is a of the plan until the committees do other think tanks will acknowledge the pretty popular deduction, particularly more work. Still, that has not stopped still undefined features of the frame- among Democrats, but it has some Re- people from trying. work, including the commitment to publican supporters as well. I would re- Last week, the left-leaning Tax Pol- maintaining the current progressivity mind my colleagues who are adamant icy Center released an unattributed of the Tax Code, which will require ad- about preserving the State and local ‘‘analysis’’ of the framework that ap- justments in order to achieve. I think tax deduction that the benefits of that peared to confirm a number of blanket groups like the TPC can be helpful if particular provision skew heavily to- claims that critics have made about they avoid the partisan criticisms and ward higher income earners, especially our ‘‘plan.’’ As we all know, left-lean- focus on shedding light and providing those living in high-tax cities and ing pundits, liberal media outlets, and accurate assessments of various pro- States. So if our main goal is to help many of our friends on the other side posals. Everyone who has an interest in the middle class, I would hope that seem to love the TPC, apparently be- these issues should wait and let the there won’t be many Senators who will cause the TPC is willing to provide es- tax-writing committees do their work. fall on their swords in order to keep timates and analysis about tax plans In the Finance Committee, we are this particular deduction in place. without waiting for all of the boring going to write a committee bill. Any Still, nothing is set in stone, and details. Member who is sincerely interested in most items are currently still up for We all remember well when the TPC working with us will get a chance to negotiation. The State and local tax wrote Mitt Romney’s tax plan for him contribute, whether he is a Republican deduction is, like virtually every other and claimed that he wanted to raise or Democrat. We are going to have a tax provision, currently on the table, taxes on the middle class to finance a markup during which the bill will be and we may very well have to pare it tax cut for the top 1 percent. Their debated and amended in the light of back one way or the other. We need to analysis of the Romney plan—a plan the day. Thereafter, I expect that we see how the numbers work out before that was not yet in existence beyond a will have a fair and open amendment we can speak definitively on this or broad set of principles—became the process on the floor. Despite some odd any other tax policy item. gospel for our friends on the other side, claims to the contrary, the Joint Com- Before I conclude, let me just say and their estimates were repeated time mittee on Taxation will score the bill. that this is a once-in-a-generation op- and again; never mind the fact that At the end of the day, people will be portunity. There is currently more mo- they did not have nearly enough evi- free to disagree with the final bill and mentum in favor of tax reform than at dence to support their assertions. to vote against it, but no one will be any other time in the past three dec- The TPC appears to be on the same able to credibly claim that the legisla- ades. All of us should be willing to take track with regard to the unified frame- tion was written behind closed doors or advantage of this opportunity. All of us work. I guess they think they can get that the American people did not get a should be able to give in order to get a away with it again. Maybe they can. I chance to see what was in the bill and final bill done that will make sense and don’t know. The TPC’s document from read accurate accounts of its fiscal and will get us back on track. I am hopeful last week included a relatively precise economic impacts. that we can have a bipartisan effort estimate of lost revenue that they I want to work with anyone who is here, but whether we do or don’t, I in- claim would result from the frame- willing to come to the table in good tend to see that we get tax reform done work. It also estimated how much of faith. I think the framework puts for- and that we get it done in the best in- the tax benefit of the framework would ward a number of general proposals terest of our country, the best interest go to the top 1 percent of earners, that both parties can support. There is of our people, and above all, the best again with a fair amount of precision. fertile ground for bipartisanship here if interest of the middle class. How they got to these results is, cer- my Democratic colleagues are willing I suggest the absence of a quorum. tainly, to me, a mystery. to set aside some of the unreasonable The PRESIDING OFFICER. The There is simply no way for the TPC preconditions that they have put on clerk will call the roll. or anyone to deliver these kinds of spe- their involvement in tax reform. The The legislative clerk proceeded to cific estimates with the information last time I checked, both Republicans call the roll. that is provided in the framework. To and Democrats supported tax relief for Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I ask get their estimates, they filled in low- and middle-income families. The unanimous consent that the order for blanks with numbers from other pro- last time I checked, reducing our un- the quorum call be rescinded. posals, added a pile of exceptionally competitive corporate tax rate was a The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without pessimistic and biased economic as- bipartisan objective. The last time I objection, it is so ordered. sumptions, and came up with a tax checked, both Republican and Demo- LAS VEGAS MASS SHOOTING plan that, for all intents and purposes, cratic voters were in need of higher Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I is their own. Just because they say this wages, more jobs, and a more competi- come to the floor today for the second analysis was performed on the unified tive economy. time this week to highlight the tragic framework and was not just a plan This is going to be a difficult process, human cost of gun violence. I will they made up themselves does not sud- whether it is bipartisan or partisan. speak today about just one victim, but denly make their estimates credible. There is a long list of sacred cows in of course we are thinking as well about Still, I expect to hear a lot about the our Tax Code, each of them with a con- the 58 victims in Las Vegas. Not count- TPC’s ‘‘analysis’’ in the coming weeks. stituency that will fight to keep them ing the killer in that total, the last Some will treat their estimates as fact, in place. We are going to have to elimi- count was 58 victims and well over 500 and I expect we will see them cited in nate a number of tax deductions and injured. a few campaign commercials before too credits if we are going to be fiscally re- We have some sense of the gravity of long. Breaking from any notion of pro- sponsible, including a number of provi- the violence that played out in Las fessional accountability, the TPC’s sions that are, under the current sys- Vegas. I am not sure any of us can fully ‘‘analysis’’ was, according to the TPC’s tem, pretty popular in certain seg- understand it, and some of us will

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.017 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6303 never quite understand what happened work on legislation and policy that happening, and we are selling more there, but I think we have to dedicate will at least—at least—reduce the like- internationally. In America, over the ourselves to taking action. I will get to lihood that someone like Gerry will last 100 years, it has just slowly grown that in a moment. lose his life. It is part of a longer con- and grown and grown until the last 10 REMEMBERING GERARD GRANDZOL versation. I won’t get into the list of years, and, then, it has flattened out. Madam President, today I am here to issues we should be working on—some We are stuck. honor the memory of Gerard Grandzol, of those I have outlined already—but Now, when I was younger, we had a a resident of Philadelphia who lost his we can’t simply, as we often do, express record player in the house. Now, for all life to gun violence last month as he condolence and pay tribute that is ap- of you under 40, I would explain that a protected his 2-year-old daughter from propriate to those whose lives have record player is kind of like a CD play- carjackers. This was truly a senseless been lost and those who may have been er, only it was larger and made of tragedy, one that took a father from injured in Las Vegas and so many vinyl. But if I say that, then, all the his wife and two young daughters, one other places around the country. We under-20 crowd will say: What is a CD that robbed the Spring Garden neigh- have to do more than that. We can’t player? borhood in Philadelphia of a man who stop with those expressions—those ap- Let me just say this. The big black was a beloved member of the commu- propriate and essential expressions of pieces of vinyl that played music at my nity, and I think that is an understate- sympathy and solidarity and com- house occasionally would get stuck. ment. mendation for the great work of law The record needle would land in the Gerard was known as Gerry. His wife enforcement and emergency personnel. same groove and play the same part of Kristin and their 2-year-old daughter We have to do more than that. the song over and over. It was my job, had welcomed a second baby girl into Today, as we remember Gerry, we as the youngest one in the house, to go their family this past July. offer not only condolences but we offer over to the record and bump it and get In addition to raising his family and prayers to his wife Kristin, to their it out of that. Our economy needs that. working at a legal recruiting firm, daughters, and to the family and We need to be able to get over to our economy, which is stuck in the same Gerry dedicated his time and energy to friends of the Spring Garden neighbor- groove at 1.9 percent in this incredibly making his community a better place. hood in Philadelphia. As a member of the Spring Garden Once again, stopping there is not low-growth rate, and give it a bump. Civic Association, he was the go-to guy enough. There are plenty of examples Now, that bump can come in a lot of in his community, in the words of of people who have lost their lives in a ways: increasing international trade Philadelphia City Council president city like Philadelphia or in cities would be a great help, engaging more Darrell Clarke. Gerry was an avid around the country that may not add internationally, keeping our regula- hockey player, the neighborhood up to the 58 deaths, may not add up to tions common sense and as nonintru- sive as possible so that small busi- handyman, and the person who would 500-plus injured, but when you take nesses and medium-sized businesses man the grill at block parties and re- just one life—in this case, the life that aren’t panicked all the time of what pair bikes for kids in the neighborhood. we highlight today, Gerry’s life—it is the Federal Government is going to do His neighbors and friends have spoken reason enough to come together to to them with a new regulation. Just of his happy, magnetic personality and work on new approaches, commonsense keep them common sense and simple. his willingness to help others. approaches to, as I said before, reduce How about making sure that there You can tell how important Gerry the likelihood. No one is suggesting are fewer Federal forms and that the was to his family, friends, and commu- that we can pass something that will Federal forms that people have to fill nity. You can tell what an impact he be a magic wand to take away all of out not only are simple to do but they had on the people he met because thou- these acts of violence, but we shouldn’t don’t duplicate over multiple different sands of people lined up at the Cathe- throw up our hands and say there is ab- agencies. It would be good if people dral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul solutely nothing we can do to reduce who worked in small, medium, and a few weeks ago to pay their respects the likelihood that people will lose large businesses spent more time sell- to Gerry and to celebrate his life. The their lives due to an act of gun vio- ing products than they did filling out a people who knew him are keeping his lence. I refuse to accept that as an form for some Federal bureaucracy memory alive on his Facebook page, American, that there is nothing we can that is never going to read that form where they shared pictures of Gerry do legislatively to reduce that likeli- anyway. hiking, painting, playing hockey, full hood or even, God willing, to substan- The obvious way to be able to bump of life and surrounded by friends and tially reduce the likelihood. the record needle in our economy right family. So when we are thinking about Gerry now is tax reform. It is not the main This is a man who became yet an- today, I hope we can commit ourselves thing that is going to do everything, other victim of gun violence last to action and debate and maybe even but it is a pretty big element. If we can month after he refused to give a pair of reach consensus on legislation and pol- get tax reform done, it actually gives robbers his car keys because his 2-year- icy to move forward in the right direc- our economy a little bit of a boost. old daughter was in the back seat. This tion. Now, I have folks that will say: How was a truly senseless act of violence Madam President, I yield the floor. does that make a difference? When you that has shaken his family, friends, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- do tax reform, why does that actually and his community. Two suspects in ator from Oklahoma. increase economic activity? this terrible crime are now in custody, TAX REFORM Well, quite frankly, people around and I hope that proceedings in the jus- Mr. LANKFORD. Madam President, I the country and in my State of Okla- tice system in Philadelphia can provide would recommend to this body some- homa are struggling to be able to save some measure of relief, some measure thing that is obvious to all of us. Our money because their wages aren’t of comfort, and, we pray, even closure economy is stuck. We are in a bad spot growing at the same speed that every- to the Grandzol family. Whatever relief of just treading water. Over the last 11 thing else is going up in price. So peo- it might provide, justice can’t heal years, our gross domestic product— ple need to be able to save more money every wound. It can’t bring Gerry back that is how much our economy is grow- and to be able to have more money to to Kristin, their daughters, and their ing—has been 1.9 percent, and 1.9 per- be able to spend. family, friends, and neighbors. But we cent is a tiny change. Also, we need to create more jobs and can make sure his memory lives on in Just to give you a perspective, over we need to get companies going again the way we treat each other, and I hope the last 100 years, there has not been a and actually developing more jobs. If we can honor Gerry’s life by dedicating single decade when we have not had a people can actually get a job, if people ourselves to improving the lives of our year without at least 3 percent growth, can make more money at that job, and neighbors and working together to until the last decade. Literally, our if people actually have more take- solve problems. economy, is typically growing; that is, home pay, they spend a little more, One thing I hope we can do here on more jobs are being added, people are they save a little more, and the com- the specific issue of gun violence is to making more money, there is more pany expands a little more. If each

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.018 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6304 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 place does that a little bit, it dramati- every American is paying some taxes. So let’s increase the standard deduc- cally increases our economy around For those folks at the lowest end of the tion so everybody gets a flatter, sim- the country, and we know it because scale, I would propose dropping the pler, and fairer system, and let’s keep we feel it. rate to zero for them on income taxes, the biggest of the deductions that most Making the Tax Code simpler for but they are paying their fair share in Americans use, like the charitable de- every person in every business means property tax, in gas tax, and in sales duction or the mortgage interest de- people don’t have to pay as much to tax. They are helping their local fire duction. If there are any two deduc- have their taxes done. Maybe you can department and their local police de- tions that most people use, it is those do your own taxes because it would be partment. They are paying for the two. So let’s protect those two in the simple enough to do it, and it wouldn’t roads that are federally subsidized, system. cost so much. Accountants who work based on their gas tax. They are paying As for reducing the corporate tax for businesses could go back to work- taxes, but if they are not at a rate and rate, I have folks say that it only bene- ing for their businesses to see how they at an income high enough to be able to fits the biggest businesses. I always can make their businesses more effi- survive at that rate, then let’s drop smile and say: Those are actually peo- cient rather than spending all of their theirs to 0 percent for income tax. ple who employ people. If you reduce time just on tax policy. They will keep some of the other taxes the corporate rate, that means they I think we should follow the lead of so they can still contribute to society are more competitive internationally the President on this. The President and still be a part of this great Nation. and that means they are not having to made a very clear statement. He said: Dropping those rates down to the move their corporate headquarters Let’s help our companies compete, but lowest bracket being 0 percent for in- overseas. to do that we have to also knock down come tax, then 12 percent, 25 percent, For years, as a nation we have used barriers that stand in the way of their and 35 percent is a pretty standard the carrot-and-stick approach on try- success. For example, the President rate. Quite frankly, this is something ing to keep businesses here in the said: that was proposed in the Simpson- United States; that is, if they go over- Over the years, a parade of lobbyists have Bowles proposal before, which was a bi- seas, beat them with a stick and try to rigged the tax code to benefit particular partisan proposal, for it to be able to punish them for trying to move. Why companies and industries. Those with ac- come out, on how we can reform the don’t we use the carrot approach? Why countants or lawyers to work the system can system. don’t we find out why they are moving end up paying no taxes at all. But all the Eliminating the alternative min- overseas and fix that? Many of these rest are hit with one of the highest corporate imum tax—do you want to talk about a companies are moving overseas be- tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, complicated tax code? Basically, we and it has to change. cause of the very high corporate tax So tonight, I’m asking Democrats and Re- have two Tax Codes. We have the rate here in the United States. Let’s fix publicans to simplify the system. Get rid of standard Tax Code, and then we have that. Over the decades, many of our the loopholes. Level the playing field. And the alternative minimum tax. Every- competing nations have done that. We use the savings to lower the corporate tax one who does their taxes has to do should fix that. That increases the rate for the first time in 25 years. them twice to be able to evaluate number of jobs, that increases eco- Did I fail to mention that the Presi- which one of the codes they actually fit nomic activity, and that keeps Amer- dent who said that is President Obama? into. Now, if are using an electronic ican jobs in America. President Obama did, right down the system, you lose track of it because We should deal with the child tax hallway, in 2011, in his State of the the electronic system on the computer credit and continue to be able to pro- Union address. That is what he said we is doing that for you. But the AMT dra- tect that for families. should do: simplify the system, lower matically increases the complexity of We can deal with how we do expens- the corporate tax rate, and be able to the code. We should do away with that. ing. Now, if you don’t run a business, deal with all of the loopholes that are If we want to be able to protect the that doesn’t matter much to you. But in the system. folks who are in the lowest bracket, if you are the one who owns the small This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. then let’s double what is the standard business, you understand how expens- Everyone sees this, Republicans and deduction. Right now the standard de- ing works. If you have a cost to your Democrats alike. duction is about $12,000. Let’s double business this year and if you can’t So my focus is this. How do we actu- that to about $24,000. That $24,000 write it off in this year, you have to ex- ally get this done and not make it into amount for families would mean that pand that out, and you know that a partisan food fight here but actually the first $24,000 of income that you slows you down. do what is right for the American peo- would make as a family would fall into Here are the basics. If you are run- ple and help bump the economy to be that 0-percent bracket. So you are pay- ning a small business and you need to able to help get us going again? ing zero income tax to the Federal buy a new pickup for your business, if In my State—whether you live in Government until you make more than it takes you years to be able to depre- Valliant, Gotebo, Healton, Sayre, $24,000. That protects a lot of families ciate that out, you are slower to do it. Muskogee, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, or in the lowest end of the bracket to But if you know you can depreciate it Lawton—this matters because every- make sure they are not falling into out this year in your business, you are one unfortunately pays taxes. Every- this. more likely to buy that. So that busi- one knows it is a necessary thing, but Quite frankly, in Oklahoma, most ness buys a new truck this year. Well, we want to have it as simple as pos- Oklahomans just use the standard de- that not only benefits that business in sible and to have it as low as possible, duction. They don’t itemize. Doubling having new equipment, but it also ben- and we want to make sure it is as fair the standard deduction would mean efits the Ford dealership down the as possible. that for a lot of those specialized de- street that actually sold them the So the framework has been presented ductions that everyone else gets, it ac- truck, and it benefits all of the people this past week. It is a simple frame- tually flattens that out. It makes it in the area who helped supply that ve- work for how we deal with tax policy. fair. The No. 1 thing I hear from people hicle. So it trickles down through the It talks about consolidating our rates. when they fill out their taxes is not rest of the economy. We have seven rates now. We would only that they filled them out and There are ways to be able to accom- drop that down to four rates. There turned them in, but they say: I have no plish all of these things and to be able would be a 0-percent rate, a 12-percent, idea whether I did them right. It was so to be as simple as we possibly can be. a 25-percent, and a 35-percent rate. complicated, and I don’t know if it is There has been a lot of conversation Now, some folks have asked me about right. Then, the second thing they say, about worldwide taxation as well. Peo- the 0-percent rate, because a lot of though, right behind that, is this: Why ple seem to get confused on that area Americans say one simple thing: Every is it that, when I read through the hun- because most people don’t live in that American is an American, and every dred pages of instructions on the 1040 world. Here are the basics of it: Right American should pay a little bit in form, every deduction seems to be for now, if you are an American company taxes. I would agree, by the way. But someone else? and you are selling things overseas and

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.019 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6305 doing business overseas, when you trated with it. May I remind us that There are basic rule changes that make a profit overseas and you try to the rules of the Senate are set by the will help that are not partisan issues. bring that money back, you get taxed Senate? So if we are frustrated with They are designed to get the Senate overseas at their tax rate, which you the rules, we should address them. moving regardless of who is in the ma- should, in that country you are making Many of you have heard me speak jority. We have to resolve this long the product and selling it, but you get about this in the past. term. If we don’t, the American people taxed again when you bring it back to There are three basic rule changes will continue to be frustrated, and we the United States. We are the only that I think will change dramatically as Senators will continue to be frus- country that does it that way. how business gets done in the Senate. trated. If we will just simplify the system, it The biggest one is the filibuster rule. DETENTION OF DR. ANDREW BRUNSON will actually encourage companies to We have two filibusters for every single Madam President, this weekend is an be able to stay in America and then do bill that comes up. There is one at the anniversary I don’t like bringing up. business all over the world rather than beginning. You have to get 60 votes to One year ago this weekend, a gen- moving their company out of America. start debate; you have to get 60 votes tleman named Dr. Andrew Brunson was It is a simple way to be able to do it, to stop debate; then the bill passes detained in Turkey. He has been a pas- and it is a way that we can do and with 51. That needs to change. We tor in Turkey for more than 20 years, should do. You will hear the term ‘‘re- should take away the first 60 votes at and he is a U.S. citizen. He has faith- patriation,’’ and that is really what it the beginning. We should be able to get fully served the people of Turkey for is about. It is Americans being able to onto a bill. Regardless of whether it is two decades. A year ago this weekend, move their money from overseas ac- Republicans or Democrats in the ma- he was picked up by local authorities counts back to the United States and jority, the majority party should be and was detained for months and get that money moving. able to bring up a bill and debate it months without charges. He was just There was a lot of conversation about without being stopped. Let’s bring up swept up and held. the stimulus plan back in 2009 trying any issue and actually debate it. Let’s Things are changing rapidly in Tur- to get almost a trillion dollars of gov- not inhibit debate in this body. If we key right now. Turkey is not the same ernment money—that is money from can’t find agreement, keep the 60 votes NATO ally and friend of the United you and me—and to be able to move at the end of it so we can keep the de- States that they have been. The leader- that around in a stimulus package. Let bate going until it gets resolved, but ship of Turkey is radically changing me give you the figure. Right now, it is we should be able to debate the issues. the nature of that very open democ- estimated that American companies The second big issue is that we have racy and is shutting it down to become have about $2.5 trillion of private to deal with nominations in an appro- more and more of an authoritarian money parked overseas that they are priate time period. Currently, my government. American citizens who do not going to bring back to our econ- Democratic colleagues are forcing the business there, who do mission work omy because of the high cost of the tax long periods of time in debate for every there, who have friends and family coming back. If we were able to change single nominee who comes up. I had there, need to be aware that Americans that system, $2.5 trillion of private folks say that is what Republicans did are being swept up and detained with- money would move from overseas back in the past. That is actually not true. out charges and held. In the case of Dr. into the United States. What effect This is the first time it has happened Brunson, he has been held for a year. I would that have on our economy? I like this. have to warn fellow Americans that would stipulate that it would be a pret- This week, we are going to move four Turkey is not necessarily a safe place ty dramatic effect that it would have nominees for the President in 1 week— to do business in and travel to any- on our economy. four. Under the current structure, it more. We can fix this. We can resolve this. will take 11 years for President Trump Right now, Turkey has the authority This shouldn’t be as hard as we are to get his staff. Let me give you a ba- to release Dr. Brunson. He is an Amer- making it, and it can be a bipartisan rometer of where things have been in ican citizen and a pastor. They have approach to be able to address some the past. As of yesterday, President the ability to do that. basic things—taking care of our fami- Trump had 153 confirmations. At this Recently, the Appropriations Com- lies, making sure we are watching out same point, President Obama had 337 mittee passed an amendment in an ap- for those who are in poverty, simpli- total. President Bush had 358 total at propriations bill giving additional au- fying the code, making sure deductions this same point. President Trump is thorities to our State Department to aren’t for a few but that they are not getting his nominees heard, and take action against Turkish officials spread out across the way that we han- they are being slow-walked through who hold American citizens like this dle it, protecting things like charitable the process. and to put specific sanctions on those giving and the mortgage interest de- We have to fix that. A simple way to individuals. I hope that in the days duction and things that most Ameri- fix it is to allow only 2, 4, or 8 hours of ahead, our State Department will use cans use. These are the parameters we debate, not this protracted 30 hours of that tool in their toolbox to apply pres- are trying to be able to work through debate per nominee. It is already a re- sure on the Turkish people to not im- over the next couple of weeks. solved issue. Everybody knows it. pose arbitrary detention on U.S. citi- Hopefully in the coming months, as These individuals have already gone zens. We can push back on the Turks. we work through all the details in the through committee. They were already I hope that in the days ahead, the committee process with amendments voted on in committee. By the time Turkish Government turns back and coming to the floor and being able they get to the floor, it is resolved. The around to more of an open democracy. fight our way through the process, we 30 hours of debate time is purely delay They have been a nation in the past will be able to actually get to a deci- tactics. We should be able to resolve that was historic for their stand for re- sion that will help us long term as a that within 2, 4, or 8 hours total. ligious liberty and democracy in that nation. This is something that can and Here is a radical idea: If we want to region. We would like to see a Turkish should be resolved. It is one of the get the Senate going again, we can ally that still stands for religious lib- issues I have to raise to this body agree to a rule change that would allow erty and the protection of all citizens again. for what is called dual-tracking. We in the days ahead. This body has had a hard time actu- would do nominations in the morning With that, I yield the floor. ally moving on the biggest issues we and legislation in the afternoon. Right The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- face as a nation because the rules of now, we can only do one thing at a ator from Oregon. this body prohibit us from debating time in the Senate, so while we are TAX REFORM them. The rules haven’t changed over waiting on a nomination vote, every- Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, as the past multiple decades, but the way thing waits until that is done. It slows the ranking Democrat on the Senate we operate has. The American people down the process. Why can’t we do Finance Committee, I followed the are ticked about it, and rightfully so. nominations in the morning and legis- Senator’s comments with respect to The Senators in this body are frus- lation in the afternoon? taxes and the debate over tax reform

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.021 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6306 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 with considerable interest. I will just formation from a fellow Congressman in half. People across the country used tell you, my goodness, how I wish we to get a sweetheart stock deal that to be able to sign up for healthcare could have what the Senator called an made him hundreds of thousands of from the beginning of November until uninhibited process with respect to the dollars. He frequently bought stocks in the end of January, and now they have debate over tax reform. I have written industries that he was overseeing as a literally half that time. That is going an actual bipartisan tax reform bill Member of Congress. He pushed to cause a whole lot of disruption for with our colleague who is now part of healthcare legislation that benefited people who are working hard and living the Trump administration, Senator industry insiders rather than patients. their lives rather than trying to follow Coats. He was confirmed on a party-line every little press account from Wash- Unfortunately, what our colleague vote, and it wasn’t very shortly after ington, DC. laudably called for is not on offer. The that that he proceeded to go forward Let’s imagine for a moment a 29- Senate majority leader has said that he with what I and others consider a sabo- year-old who just got locked out of the intends to use reconciliation—the most tage campaign that, in effect, has been healthcare system because he has had a partisan process for considering tax re- executed since day one. He was a top 3-year routine of signing up for health form. When we were talking about salesman for TrumpCare. He came be- insurance around the new year. That is healthcare, which is one-sixth of the fore our committee and made countless exactly the kind of individual the pri- economy, we had the same process— other public appearances in which he vate insurance market needs to attract reconciliation, all partisan. Now we are willfully misrepresented the massive in order to hold costs down—a young talking about taxes that involve the scale of the harm TrumpCare would person who is probably signing up right whole economy, and we are seeing the have done to American healthcare. He toward the deadline. Senate majority leader say once again also appeared on national television Then think of the single mom with that it is his intent, his preference, and and argued, in effect, that healthcare two kids who marked January 30, prob- his plan to use that same process. I funding cuts aren’t actually cuts. He ably with a big, bright pen on her cal- sure wish the world was like my col- denied that individuals would lose endar because she cut it close to the league has called for because I have health coverage or see increases as a end of enrollment last year. Her life is written a bipartisan plan. result of TrumpCare, even after there busy enough. She doesn’t read trade What is so striking is that the Senate were independent analysis showing publications from health industry majority leader has called for 20 hours that was wrong. Then, of course, he sources to see what is happening with of discussion, which is essentially what flew about the country scaring folks open enrollment. Because of the early you get with reconciliation, as opposed who just wanted affordable healthcare. enrollment cutoff, this mom and her to what happened when Ronald Reagan As far as the President’s promise to family, who just want affordable, pri- and a big group of Democrats got to- bring down the high prices of prescrip- vate healthcare from the private mar- gether in 1986 and spent a whole month tion medicine—that was a promise the ketplace, are going to be locked out. on tax reform. American people heard stop after stop The Department of Health and So before the Senator leaves—and it on the campaign trail in 2016. That Human Services is taking the is a pleasure to serve with him on the promise is nowhere to be seen or heard healthcare.gov website offline for Senate Select Committee on Intel- from at this point. It is my hope that maintenance on all but one Sunday ligence as well—I sure wish the world the President’s next pick to lead during the open enrollment period. The was along the lines of what my col- Health and Human Services will follow fact is, Sunday has been one of the league has called for. Perhaps he can through on what the American people most popular times for well-meaning use his intellect and energy to per- were told in the campaign they were assistance groups to help folks get suade the Senate majority leader to going to get—lower the cost of signed up at community centers. It is use that process on taxes because that healthcare and get our citizens cov- like the State Department of Transpor- is what some Democrats have called ered—but that nominee hasn’t been put tation blocking the highways and for. forward. digging up the blacktop with construc- I can just tell my friend, given my in- In the meantime, Mr. Hargan’s nomi- tion crews every Monday morning dur- terest in the subject, which goes back nation has him in line to serve as Act- ing the peak commute time. It is just well over a decade—we have a bipar- ing Secretary. I will tell you, having the opposite of common sense. tisan proposal written, coauthored by a examined the record as closely as I The Department is kneecapping the member of the President’s Cabinet, so could, I don’t think there is any reason programs that are designed to get high- we would very much like to have what to believe Mr. Hargan would deviate ly trained people. These are folks the Senator is talking about. from Secretary Price’s ideological called navigators, and what they do is Madam President, I rise now to op- agenda that included a constant effort get out into the communities and go to pose the nomination of Eric Hargan to to undermine and in my view sabotage various places where they know a lot of be Deputy Secretary of the Department the implementation of the Affordable folks aren’t signed up, and they help of Health and Human Services. This is Care Act. This campaign is driving up them get signed up. the No. 2 position at HHS, the chief op- premiums and confusing Americans The Department of Health and erating officer. Of course, with Sec- who just want to be able to see a doc- Human Services has slashed the budget retary Price’s departure, Mr. Hargan tor and get affordable healthcare serv- for getting the word out, including ze- would fill the top spot if he is con- ices. roing out the budget for TV ads. That firmed. I am going to tick through some of has been a big factor in getting enroll- My concern is that I don’t have any the actions the administration has ment up in the past. confidence that Mr. Hargan is going to taken that would undermine the up- Let’s be clear about what the Depart- lead the Department in a different di- coming open enrollment period and the ment has done under Secretary Price’s rection than it took under Dr. Price. effect that is going to have on our peo- leadership. They have been working Last week, the country watched as ple’s healthcare costs. overtime to make it harder for people more and more details emerged about First, just a few weeks into his ten- to get healthcare, plain and simple. Secretary Price’s travel. In my view, ure, Secretary Price cut the enroll- The sabotage doesn’t really end with the flights were an abuse of office. ment period. This is the period during just making enrollment a headache. In my view, from the very outset, which Americans sign up for health in- The administration continues to dan- there was reason to be concerned about surance. We are talking about a private gle the threat of cutting off cost-shar- Secretary Price and how he would han- marketplace. I am really struck by this ing payments as if it were a political dle the public trust. Ever since our debate about the role of government. gain without consequences in the real committee received the Price nomina- We are talking about a private market- world. In State after State after State, tion, it was clear that he had a little place where private healthcare plans insurers have made it clear that this trouble following the rules when it offer coverage. Secretary Price cut the gamesmanship is causing premiums to served his own personal interests rath- enrollment period for private go up. If the payments are cut off, fam- er than taxpayers. He used insider in- healthcare in the private marketplace ilies will face premium increases of

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.023 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6307 hundreds of dollars or more, and it is tration’s abysmal record of responding There are plenty of ways in which this all because they are searching for a po- to oversight letters from Congress, es- Senate and an administration that litical trophy. pecially the Democrats. As far as I can really want to accomplish that can I want to talk about what this means tell, some of this is shared on both work together in a bipartisan way. for private sector healthcare. When sides. What I have been more interested in you have the President and the pre- I think this is profoundly undemo- than any other aspect of public service vious Secretary of Health and Human cratic, and our obligation to perform is to work in a bipartisan way on Services pouring gasoline on the fires oversight as Members of Congress is de- healthcare. That has been my No. 1 in- of uncertainty in the private health in- rived from the powers laid out in the terest. So nothing would please me surance marketplace, it makes it very Constitution, in article I. The issues we more than to be able to say: OK. We hard for insurers to make the calcula- raise in oversight inquiries to the De- have an official who is going to break tions that are involved in spreading partment of Health and Human Serv- with the past and, instead of trying to risk and getting people signed up and ices relate directly to the well-being of make the implementation of the Act as pricing products. people in North Carolina, in Oregon, bad as possible, is prepared to roll up The reality is, an administration and everywhere in between. I don’t his or her sleeves and make it as good that says they really care about the think Senators on either side, Demo- as possible. Unfortunately, that person private sector—the President contin- crats or Republicans, do it for sport. is not Mr. Hargan. I urge a no vote. ually says that he is from the business But the administration’s behavior is I yield the floor. community and he wants to be sen- not that of a government that sees I suggest the absence of a quorum. sitive to private sector economic itself as answerable to the public—ei- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. forces. The last thing you would do is ther that or it just doesn’t have good TILLIS). The clerk will call the roll. pour all this uncertainty into the pri- answers as to why it constantly, con- The bill clerk proceeded to call the vate healthcare landscape, which is stantly is out there undermining pri- roll. what they have been doing with the vate health insurance markets to make Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask gamesmanship in terms of whether it harder for people to get affordable unanimous consent that the order for they are going to pay these cost-shar- healthcare. Either way, they aren’t the quorum call be rescinded. ing payments so that folks who face doing their jobs, and they aren’t put- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without big deductibles and extra prices for ting the interests of the American peo- objection, it is so ordered. medicine and the like would know ple first. NOMINATION OF RANDAL QUARLES there is going to be help in their health Members on both sides of the aisle Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, today we plan for those costs. have expressed concern about the De- are considering the nomination of The Secretary was out jetting all partment of Health and Human Serv- Randal Quarles to be a member of the about, spreading falsehoods about the ices stonewalling important oversight Federal Reserve Board of Governors. private healthcare landscape. Some- issues presented by Members on both Since 1984, Mr. Quarles has revolved times he would say that it would be sides. Chairman HATCH and Senator between the public and private sectors. collapsing, and I would say: We know a GRASSLEY are two very senior Repub- He was most recently the director of lot of people who are trying to stabilize licans. Chairman GRASSLEY and Chair- the Carlyle Group from 2007 to 2013, and it, but you are making it harder by man HATCH deserve a lot of credit for then founded Cynosure Group, an in- pouring all this gas on the fires of un- calling out the Trump administration vestment management company. certainty. on this lack of responsiveness to basic I appreciate Mr. Quarles’ willingness While this was going on, they were oversight. to serve the public once again, but I also neglecting to work with States. The fact is, what our committee has don’t think he is the person we want in For example, Oklahoma designed a re- heard is basically a lot of sweet talk this important role at the Federal Re- insurance system intended to stabilize from nominees about how, of course, serve. the private insurance market and con- they are going to be responsive, and The financial crisis devastated com- trol costs, and they sought a waiver ap- then they go out, and it is business as munities in my State and across the plication to the Department of Health usual. We see them for that confirma- country—devastated in terms of lost and Human Services. But the Depart- tion hearing, and there is not much of jobs, foreclosed homes, and evaporated ment of Health and Human Services any kind of response when we ask the savings. We have made a lot of progress didn’t get around to approving it in questions. in the 7 years since we passed Wall time to help Oklahomans in 2018, so the I will not support Mr. Hargan’s nomi- Street reform. The Vice Chair of Super- State just pulled their application. nation today. In my view, under Tom vision at the Federal Reserve, a posi- I have been a strong supporter of Price and this administration, the De- tion created in Dodd-Frank, is sup- these waivers. I authored a provision in partment of Health and Human Serv- posed to look out for our financial sys- the Affordable Care Act, the innova- ices has done a miserable job of work- tem and make sure that our financial tion waiver, 1332. For the Secretary to ing to improve the health and well- system is sound. not work with Oklahoma in a timely being of the American people. The Mr. Quarles served as Treasury’s way and in a way that would stabilize irony is, it seems that one of the objec- Under Secretary for Domestic Finance the private insurance market is not tives from day one was to set out and in the years leading up to the 2008 fi- what those of us on this side are in try to accomplish that, to make it ap- nancial crisis. It was his job to coordi- favor of. pear that there were problems when nate oversight of the financial indus- There is no reason to believe Mr. the Affordable Care Act was being im- try. Many of his statements, however, Hargan would come in and clean up the plemented. Instead of rolling up their leading up to the crisis were far too mess. In my view, many States want to sleeves and tackling it, the idea was to credulous. He seemed to believe what- see stable or reduced premiums this try and get an ideological trophy: Let’s ever the banks were telling him. They coming year, but so far the Depart- tell the American people that every- were far too credulous when it came to ment is just marching in lockstep with thing about the Affordable Care Act is industry claims that we simply need the status quo. The President appar- horrible so we can get it repealed. not worry; the economy is in good ently is committed to continuing this The Affordable Care Act is far from shape and we don’t have to worry about kind of mismanagement and willful perfect. In fact, when we were debating a credit bubble. wrongdoing. Mr. Hargan has made it, I had an alternative plan. We had In the early 2000s, while at the Treas- clear what his stance is on the Afford- seven Senators on both sides of the ury Department, Mr. Quarles espoused able Care Act in plenty of public state- aisle. It was a bipartisan plan, but that the following view of the role of regu- ments. is history. lators in financial markets. It is a long Beyond this question of undermining The Affordable Care Act has made an quote, and I will quote him directly: the Affordable Care Act, we were also enormous difference for millions of Markets are always ahead of the regu- particularly troubled that Secretary Americans. What we ought to be doing lators, and frankly that’s how it should be. Tom Price shared the Trump adminis- is working together to improve it. It’s analogous to the advice that my father

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.024 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6308 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 provided me that ‘‘if you don’t miss at least tion, which said it wants to drain the There seems to be a collective amne- two or three planes a year, you’re spending swamp, instead looks like a retreat for sia in this body, in the White House, too much time in airports.’’ If the regulators Goldman Sachs executives. The num- and in the Banking Committee about aren’t a little behind the market in a few ber of people on Wall Street who have what people in our country went areas at any given time, they would be sti- fling innovation and evolution. The regu- influence on our government is just far through in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and lators’ task is to promote investor protec- and away worse than we have ever seen 2012, which was, in large part, because tion, while ensuring that prudential and su- it. of the influence of Wall Street in our pervisory activities do not stifle efficiency Putting Mr. Quarles—who should government. We can’t let that happen. gains. For effective regulation, the regu- know better but apparently doesn’t, That is why I urge my colleagues to op- lators must work with the markets. from his statements—at the Federal pose the nomination of Mr. Quarles to I am not sure where to start on pick- Reserve, in charge of financial regula- the Federal Reserve. ing that apart. More importantly, it is tion, is just the wrong thing. In 2015, I suggest the absence of a quorum. showing that someone who says that when asked about Dodd-Frank, he said: The PRESIDING OFFICER. The shouldn’t be in charge of financial reg- The macro issue is that the government clerk will call the roll. ulation at the Federal Reserve. should not be a player in the financial sec- The bill clerk proceeded to call the He said at his Senate nomination tor. It should be a referee. And the practice, roll. hearing: ‘‘That is probably the most and the policy, and the legislation that re- Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, I ask sulted from the financial crisis tended to unanimous consent that the order for unfortunate use of language that I ever make the government a player. They put it made, and I do not stand behind that on the field as opposed to simply reffing the the quorum call be rescinded. statement.’’ That is what he said when game. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. COT- presented with these words at his con- How could he think that, when he TON). Without objection, it is so or- firmation hearing. He made other simi- was part of the government when it dered. larly unfortunate statements in the didn’t do its job and didn’t do the job TAX REFORM years leading up to the financial crisis. that regulators are supposed to do? In Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, I am not In 2006, as Under Secretary for Do- response to questions for the record at aware of any Missouri constituents, for mestic Finance, he discussed the pros- his nomination hearing, he stated: ‘‘My whom I work, who wouldn’t like to see pects for an impending financial crisis. approach to policy making, and par- a tax code that was simpler, fairer, This was before things looked really, ticularly to regulation, has been that that did more to create jobs, that was really bad. He said: the discretion of policy makers, and better for individuals, and one that How would our current financial system particularly of regulators, should be as they understood. I don’t have anybody stand up to this sort of canonical crisis? On constrained as possible.’’ come up to me and say: What can we do the whole, I would say that the U.S. econ- He is really saying: Let Wall Street to complicate the Tax Code further, or omy is well positioned to weather such a re- do what it wants to do; let Wall Street what can we do to make us less com- trenchment in risk-taking. run the financial sector of our econ- petitive, or how much more of my This was about a year and a half be- omy, and government regulators money would you like to have to do fore the economy began to implode. He should sort of step aside. what you think the government ought was in a high position in the Treasury As vice chair for supervision and as a to do? I don’t have anybody say that to Department, and he had access to all of Member of the Federal Reserve Board me. the information he might possibly of Governors, Mr. Quarles will be mak- We are now at a time when we have want, and he said that the ‘‘economy is ing decisions about risk-based capital, the tools available. We have the focus well positioned to weather such a re- leverage and liquidity requirements, available that will allow us to move in trenchment.’’ resolution plans, concentration limits, the right direction. For almost a dec- In the same speech, on the potential risk committees, stress tests, and ade now, hard-working families and harm posed by increases in mortgage other important safeguards put into hard-working individuals have had to payments for families with exotic place after the crisis for the Nation’s deal with a below-average economy and mortgages he said: largest banks. The crisis showed we with below-average wage growth in While that is certainly a large number, it need strong financial watchdogs, not, that below-average economy. Surely, represents only a small hit to aggregate per- as he said, ‘‘constrained’’ ones. If con- we don’t want that to be the new nor- sonal income. Moreover, market reports in- firmed, I am not sure who Mr. Quarles mal. dicate that borrowers using such non-tradi- I kept hearing the last 3 or 4 years tional mortgages tend to be upper income in- will be working for, taxpayers and dividuals that can manage a sizable increase working families or Wall Street. that 2 percent growth is what we in their mortgage payment. Let me close by reminding my col- should expect now. The growth since He concluded by saying, again, in leagues that, last Congress, the Bank- World War II has averaged 3.4 percent 2006: ing Committee refused to consider for over 70 years. Suddenly, we were President Obama’s nominees to the told: No, 2 percent is the best we can Fundamentally, the economy is strong, the financial sector is healthy, and our future Federal Reserve Board. Mr. Quarles is do. looks bright. We will surely face challenges the first nominee President Trump has I understand that, even counting the in the future, but we can take comfort in the chosen. There are currently three other Great Depression, growth in the entire knowledge that our economy and financial vacancies. The term for Chair of the 20th century was over 3 percent. What system have proven remarkably resilient to Federal Reserve expires early next do we need to do to get our economy all manner of adverse shocks in the past. year. Because of that, President Trump growing in a way that creates better That was a lot of comfort to the mil- will likely fill at least five of the seven opportunities and better jobs? lions of Americans afflicted by the fi- Federal Reserve Board seats, which are Why would it create better jobs? Be- nancial crisis. 14-year terms. cause you have people who are looking My wife and I live in Cleveland, in Again, if the first one is someone who for workers who are more eager to pay ZIP Code 44105. The year after Mr. is so close to Wall Street, what does and keep a workforce in a growing Quarles made that statement and the that tell you about who is in the White economy than you do in an economy economy started to really tank, my House? What does it tell you about the that is not growing. You have people ZIP Code had more foreclosures than advisers in the White House? What does who understand they can compete bet- any other ZIP Code in the United it tell you about that executive retreat ter if they have a workforce that is the States. I know what that does to a for Goldman Sachs I talked about in workforce they want rather than the neighborhood. the White House? workforce they just happen to get and I am not confident Mr. Quarles took If all the nominees to the Federal Re- that there is competition for that to heart the costly lessons of the finan- serve are like Mr. Quarles, average workforce. So our goal here in tax re- cial crisis. He seems far too ready to Americans may once again pay the duction and tax reform should be to relax the rules for Wall Street and price. We can’t return to a time when help families and individuals keep those who protect consumers. He is an- financial watchdogs are asleep on the more of their hard-earned money, to other example that this administra- job. empower people to invest in their own

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.026 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6309 future in ways that we currently are how much they have gamed the tax I think the Senator from Georgia has not encouraging or just simply not al- system, they are still going to pay an come to talk about this same topic, lowing because we don’t let them take alternative minimum tax. This was along with Senator BARRASSO from Wy- enough of their money home from work just a few years ago. oming. that they make at work, and to make By 2015, the 155 had gone to 4.4 mil- I yield the floor. it easier for families to see a pathway lion people who paid the alternative The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- toward success and not to penalize peo- minimum tax. It is unbelievably suc- ator from Georgia. ple when they make the right deci- cessful if you are trying to collect peo- Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I thank sions. ple’s money in a way they don’t under- the Senator from Missouri. I make the The tradition has always been this: If stand. It is not very successful if all point that I have enjoyed the last 19 you want more of something, you don’t you were trying to do was to prevent years serving with him in the Congress tax it. You don’t regulate it. You en- 155 wealthy people a couple of decades of the United States. He was elected 2 courage it. ago from being able to not pay any tax years before me to the House of Rep- We need a tax code that encourages at all. They took a shot at 155 people resentatives. I came a little bit later, more success, that encourages higher and wound up hitting 5 million. but I preceded him in the Senate in take-home pay and better jobs. Most That is unacceptable. That is not 2004. He has been great to work with. people don’t realize that the individual what the Tax Code is supposed to do. The Show Me State of Missouri is an income tax is still the biggest source of We need to work hard to simplify that. awful lot like my State of Georgia. Federal money. More than half of all There are 14 pages of instructions that They are proud of their country. They Federal taxes collected come from the tell you or, more likely, your tax pre- are proud to be Americans. They are income tax. parer how to comply with the alter- proud of the chance to have an oppor- One of our goals should be how do we native minimum tax guidelines. tunity to make an honest living and get more taxpayers and not how do we I don’t have the one page with me, want to be a part of a country that make more from the taxpayers we but I was handed the one page of in- continues to grow and have prosperity have. Perhaps the greatest voluntary structions for the Tax Code from 1913. for the future. compliance in the history of the world By the way, the estimate was that not We had a hearing in the Finance is how Americans have complied with only not many people would pay it, but Committee yesterday where there was the income tax system. nobody would ever pay it because you an interesting study I had not seen be- The more Americans think the sys- didn’t pay anything unless you made at fore. It had been done by a Harvard tem is fair and understandable and ev- least $3,000, which in 1913 was a lot of student, who I assume was correct. erybody else is being treated the same money. But it was one page of instruc- Ninety percent of the people born in way they are being treated, they are tions. Now we have 1 page of index to the 1940s ended up making more than much more likely to comply with that the 100 pages of instructions, and 14 of their parents did when they went to system than a system where they hear: those pages are just for the alternative work. But only about 40 percent of the Well, some company made a lot of prof- minimum tax. When you fill the form people born in the 1980s will end up it, but because of the complexity of the out, there are 64 different lines that making more than their parents did, Tax Code, they paid zero taxes, or this you use to calculate now how almost 5 meaning that as we have gone along neighbor has figured out that and that million people are impacted by a part the way since World War II, we have neighbor has figured out that, and be- of the Tax Code that was designed for taken more and more away from the cause of the Tax Code, you work just as 155 people. opportunity in the earning level and hard as they did, but the Federal Gov- We can do a better job. We can do a more money has gone to different ernment somehow got a lot of your better job of being sure that hard- places, like taxation. money because you hadn’t set up your working families get to take home Personally, I think the Finance Com- tax planning in the right way. more of the money they have earned mittee and the leadership of the Big 6, Tax planning doesn’t need to be that with that hard work. We can also do a so to speak, have done us a great favor difficult. Right now the Tax Code has better job with the rest of the Tax Code to open the debate on tax reform in seven individual rates. We are pro- to make sure we are creating the kind America. Unlike some of the debates posing three individual rates, which of opportunity for us to compete as a we have had recently, this debate is maybe could go to four, but that would country, for us to compete as a nation, open-ended. We are starting with a still be barely half the number we for us to be more fairly aligned with framework, not an absolute dictate but have, even if it got to four. There are the other countries in the world that a framework. We are talking about an seven individual rates, and there are we compete with, and to make sure opportunity we have to see if we can more than 100 deductions, credits, and those hard-working families have bet- lower the burden of taxes on the Amer- exclusions that people use when they ter jobs with more take-home pay to ican people, while incentivizing the fill out their tax form. American peo- start with. American people to work more, to ple collectively pay billions and bil- If you are working hard for a living— make more, and to earn more. lions of dollars just to figure out how and Americans do; we are a working There are two ways to increase rev- much of their money the Federal Gov- country—the best of all circumstances enue to the government. First, you can ernment is going to get. is that you have a better job than you increase the rate of taxation. But then Most people would like to have the used to have and less money comes out you are not necessarily taking in any certainty of a postcard form that you of every dollar you make than used to more money. You might incentivize fill out, but instead they see this sys- come out of every dollar you make, and somebody to go somewhere else. The tem that has gotten increasingly com- that needs to be our goal. Whatever we other way is to improve the oppor- plex, often not indexed for inflation. So do on the individual side needs to be fo- tunity to make money and the atmos- you start with something that you cused on that. Whatever we do on the phere in which people make money so think is only going to apply to a few job-creating side needs to be focused on they invest their time and effort and people, and, before you know it, it ap- that. If we do that, we will not have they grow their revenue, which grows plies to a whole lot of people. the people we work for come in com- the revenue of the United States of I think that when the alternative plaining: What have you done? The Tax America. minimum tax was added to the Tax Code is too simple now. It is too easy The proposal in the framework before Code, there had been 155 wealthy indi- to fill out my tax form. I am walking us has any number of outlines and any viduals who hadn’t paid any income out on Friday with more money than I number of targets. The four things I tax. So the Federal Government de- used to walk away with, and, oh, by the want to focus on are these. One is the cided, and Congress decided, that we way, they tell me there is a better job middle class. I have gotten tired of are going to put the alternative mini- about to develop that I can apply for. hearing this reference to dividing us as mal tax in to be sure those 155 people, That is what we ought to do. I hope Americans by class. We are all Ameri- who are clearly wealthy people, are we keep focused on that and get this cans. Regardless of our station in life, going to pay income tax. No matter tax bill passed this year. we are all important. The code ought

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.029 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6310 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 to be important to every single person torial system is the way in which most tax for the people who would inherit who is an American and, if they can of the world competes, and we are the the assets. Those are normally the come to this country, to improve their biggest competitor within the rest of children or the spouses or maybe the life, raise their children, and live a the world. It is time we put an end to employees with whom they work in good life. a company making a dollar in Delhi, their companies. I am not into a class society. I am India, on a product they made there Have you ever thought about this? into an opportunity society. If you and sold there, pays the Indian tax, and If somebody were taxing you at 50 take a look at this proposal, for those then brings it back into America and percent or close thereto and you file people you put in the middle class has to pay the differential on the your first estate tax return after you today, it proposes lower rates, less American tax as well. It is time we did are dead, then if this were the value of brackets, and more opportunity to gain what the territorial tax does, which is your estate, you would be telling the wealth in the future through work, to tax the money where it is earned; government: OK, you get this half, through investment, and through earn- therefore, you will never have to do re- while my children, my wife, my family ings. patriation again, and you will never get the other half. A year later, when Second, this framework encourages have to talk about offshore tax havens you go back to the well—or a genera- job creation. I know that people are al- again because the Tax Code will not in- tion later—those kids who inherited ways demonizing the rich. Most people duce those things to happen. Instead, the business will have to go back and who are rich are people providing peo- people will pay the tax where it is pay taxes, and a quarter of it will be ple who aren’t rich with jobs. I don’t earned, bring the money back here to gone. So, in two generations, you took think it is bad to provide people with hire people, invest, build new products, an asset that was worth a lot and re- jobs. I think it is good to provide them and then take them overseas and sell duced it to 25 percent of what it was with jobs. We need a Tax Code that them. There is nothing more important worth. You are incentivizing people to incentivizes the creation of jobs. than going to the territorial tax sys- liquidate something that was paying The focus on the passthrough rate, tem. I am excited about this. taxes on an ongoing basis and pay a which is talked about by the Big 6, Have you ever thought about this? onetime exit in terms of an estate tax. may lower the passthrough rate to 25 If you were the president of a major That is backward thinking. percent. It is a job-creating proposal American corporation and it was com- What we should do is take those that works. ing to the end of the year and you were things people have worked for and I have run a sub-S corporation. I getting ready to have your stock- striven for and tried their best to build have been a partner in limited partner- holders’ meeting for the year and you and have an incentive for them to take ships. I have known people who have were looking at ways to show how the that and leave it to their heirs and had sole proprietorships. I have known stock could grow and how, next year, leave that company in a tax-paying people who have had independent oper- you were going to improve the profits mode or that farm in a tax-paying ations. They all pay their taxes at the of the company and, in turn, the net of mode so America benefits and they regular, ordinary tax rate on the indi- the company and, in turn, the divi- benefit as well. Just because you are vidual. They don’t pay at the corporate dends to the stockholders—right now, not taxing something does not mean rate. They pay at what is called the if you have a home office in America, you are not taking advantage of your passthrough rate, where the profits at that is your principal office, and you company or the benefit of that item. the end of the year of the partnership are taxed at 35 percent in America. If By abolishing the estate tax, you will or the LLC or the sub-S corporation you have a competitive company that actually put more money, over time, in flow in a K–1 to the individual and are is in Ireland and it is taxed at 121⁄2, it the Treasury of the United States of taxed at the ordinary income tax rate; just might cross your mind: If I move America in taxes than you ever will by whereas, corporations in C-corps, or my headquarters from America to Ire- taxing the one-time 50 percent. stock-held companies, pay a top rate of land, I could take my stockholders and So as we enter this debate—and I 35 percent. put 18 percent or 20 percent—or what- have been joined on the floor by a num- That rate is being proposed to go to ever the differential is—on the bottom ber of my colleagues who, I know, want 25 percent conceptually. If that goes to line for them. When your Tax Code to talk—let’s talk about what benefits 20 percent and the 25 percent rate is ap- causes people to think about things the American people, what incentivizes plied to passthroughs, we will have a like that, you are predicting a future innovation and competition, what puts good environment in which companies for a country that is not as bright, as more money in the pockets of middle- can form investments, form new com- rich, or as important as it should be. class Americans today but also creates panies, make investments of those Lastly, everybody thinks I am a city more people in the middle and upper companies, build opportunity, and, in slicker because I am from Atlanta, but classes in the future, not because we turn, build jobs. So it motivates Amer- I did grow up working on a farm in gave them anything except an oppor- ica to create more jobs. With jobs come Fitzgerald, GA, and Ocilla, GA. I love tunity, a fair place to compete, and income. With income comes money. farmers and I love farms. I know one of that competitive drive that only people With money comes investment. At the the proposals of the Big 6 is to do away in the United States of America have, end of that comes profit, which ends up with the remainder of the estate tax possess, and will always use to the ben- being taxed, which is revenue to our that is still with us. A few years ago, efit of our country. country, and it increases. we exempted all estates at $5 million or I yield the floor. We also need to recognize that we are less from the estate tax. Now it is $5.49 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- not as competitive as we used to be, in million because the index has been ator from Wyoming. large measure because of the code we used on inflation. The tax rate used to Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, it is have, not because we are not competi- be 55 percent, and it is now 40. Yet, in always such a privilege to come to the tive people. America is the most com- my State of Georgia, with the effective floor and hear Senator ISAKSON, of petitive environment in the world in application of the income tax, the tax Georgia, speak, as he speaks so elo- which to do business. Americans by is about 46 percent. So, for round fig- quently. He comes here and makes per- themselves were explorers to get here. ures and argumentative figures, for fect points. He was talking about the Americans by themselves are investors someone who dies in our State, after tax system looking to the future. What and inventors. Americans by them- the first $5 million, he pays a tax closer we have is a tax system that looks selves are risk-takers. We want to im- to 50 percent. backward, regrettably. A number of prove in every competitive opportunity A lot of people say that is rich people years ago, we had a Treasury Secretary we have, but the current code we have taking a benefit of the Tax Code. I named Bill Simon, who said: ‘‘The Na- suppresses competitiveness. don’t call being dead in order to collect tion should have a tax code that looks This proposal by the Big 6 takes us to a tax benefit a good idea. I do not like someone designed it on purpose.’’ a territorial tax system. We are one of think that that is a benefit to me at all That is what we are trying to do now— the few countries in the world that because the estate tax is on somebody’s have a Tax Code that looks like it was taxes the old-fashioned way. The terri- estate who passes away, who pays that designed on purpose.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.030 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6311 The person who really understood and the 106 pages of instructions. They go into the pockets of the people who this was Ronald Reagan. As we take a get that standard deduction, which has are shopping in the store or using that look at tax proposals, it is not about now doubled, making it a lot easier, business rather than into the pocket of taxes; it is about much more—about a with a lot less time having to be spent the Federal Government. better life for the American people. on taxes. Senator ISAKSON was talking about Ronald Reagan said that tax reform is What else are we going to do? something called repatriation and the the door to a bigger future and, I would We want to cut out a lot of the loop- amount of money businesses are taxed add, to a brighter future. He said it was holes and complicated rules so most that do some business overseas. If we the door to a future as big and hopeful people will be able to just fill out a can cut the taxes they pay on the and full of heart as the American form on a single page. Think of the money they earn overseas, it means dream. That is what we are talking hours that is going to save families— those businesses can bring back that about here today, a bright, big future, the millions and millions of hours— money to the United States and spend as big and bright as the American when you multiply it across the coun- it here. How much is it? Right now, dream. That is what we are aiming at try. Plus, think of the stress people about $2.6 trillion is sitting overseas with this plan, a big and hopeful future will not have to be living under in their because those businesses get taxed for all Americans. wondering if they actually followed the twice—once on the business done over- It all starts with increasing the instructions properly. When you call seas and then once on the business amount of money Americans get to the IRS help line, you get different an- done when they bring those profits keep in their pockets as a result of swers from different people with whom back to the United States. When we get their hard-earned paycheck dollars. you talk. It is hard to get a single an- that money back, that is going to help That is the most important thing. That swer because the complicated system grow the economy here as well. It is what families are concerned about. makes it hard to get the answer right. makes sure the American Tax Code That is what I hear about every week- So you end up with the expense of hir- ought to be helping American busi- end in Wyoming. Under the outline the ing lawyers, tax accountants, and peo- nesses and the American economy, not Republicans have proposed, every ple who can help you navigate a com- helping foreign countries. We need to working man and woman in this coun- plicated system. get that money back and put it to work try will be better off. That is our goal, People are looking for simpler lives, in the United States. to make everyone better off and to more free time, and more money of Those are all of the things the Re- make the country better off, more their own they can keep, not com- publicans are proposing. It means more money in the pockets of American prosperous, with a strong, healthy plicated government forms so the gov- workers, and it means simpler taxes economy. That is what we are hearing ernment takes more of their money. and more jobs for American workers. about today on the floor and what we There is a lot of room for us to improve Isn’t that what we are looking for? heard about from the Senator from the simplicity of the tax system and Isn’t that what prosperity means for Georgia. the actual challenges that come from America? Isn’t that what a healthy When we cut the amount of money filling out the forms. people have to pay in taxes, it is essen- The third thing we want to do with economy means—job growth and the sort of things that happen when we get tially like giving them a raise. That is the plan, of course, is to get the econ- the kind of tax reform we have pro- what this is about, giving people a omy growing faster so it is a strong and healthy economy, with more pros- posed? raise. We want working people to keep I want to address one other thing I perity and higher take-home pay in the more of their hard-earned money. One have heard over the past couple of days paychecks. With that, you will actu- of the ways you can do that, which is as our plan has come out. I have heard ally get an economy that creates more very popular, is by doubling the stand- some Members on the other side of the ard deduction. It is easy math to do. jobs and has more people working, aisle say that under the Republican The current standard deduction is which is a big part of tax reform. It is plan, certain people will win more than around $12,000 for a couple who files a direct benefit for American families. others. Under the Republican plan, the jointly. The Republican proposal dou- When you cut taxes on small busi- goal is for everyone to win. The Amer- bles it to $24,000. That means the first nesses, they can afford to hire more ican economy will win. When we have a $24,000 of a couple’s income will not be people or they can use the extra money growing economy, people keep more of taxed at all. to pay their workers more. There is a their hard-earned money. That is the Beyond that, we are going to reduce lot that can be done to reach that level goal. That is why the President and the the number of tax brackets. People will of prosperity—in individual paychecks Republicans in Congress wanted to like that. It is so complicated, the sys- as well as in having more people in the take up tax relief right now in the first tem we have now. We will move people workforce. place. We need to do this to help all into lower brackets. Isn’t that what we Under the outline the Republicans re- American families. are trying to do? Yes, it is. If you used leased last week, the top rate for most This gets back to Ronald Reagan, in to be in a bracket and paid 25 percent, small businesses is going to drop from that tax reform—tax reductions, tax there is a pretty good chance that a almost 40 percent down to 25 percent, relief—means a big and hopeful future significant amount of your income is allowing the businesses to pass on for all Americans. That should be the going to be moved down to the 12-per- those savings to their customers and goal. It should be the goal of every cent range. For most people, that is the savings to their employees. Larger Member of the U.S. Senate. It should like getting a big raise when they take businesses are going to get a tax break be the goal of every American. We a look at their paychecks at the end of too. The idea is to lower taxes for ev- want to make taxes fairer and simpler the week. That is what Republican tax eryone. and lower for everyone. relief looks like. When you take a look at it from a There are too many people in Wash- The second thing we want to do is to business owner’s standpoint, 70 percent ington right now who want to use actually make it a lot simpler. We of the cost of corporate taxes actually America’s tax laws to punish or reward talked about lowering the number of does not get paid by a corporation; it one group of Americans or another. brackets, making it simpler for every- gets paid by the people who work for Too many people in Washington want one who does their taxes. The instruc- those businesses. If we cut taxes, more to use this debate over tax reform to tions you get now from the IRS for the of that money is going to go to the stir up conflict and resentment. We 1040 tax form are 106-pages long, and workers. You will have higher wages, hear it already in the Democrats’ talk- that is if you just limit yourself to the better benefits, and more jobs, and ing points. There are some Democrats instructions. Remember that there are businesses will actually be able to in this Senate who think that is good 15 different worksheets to fill out just lower their prices. Every time there is politics. Well, it is terrible policy and so you can fill out your 1040 form. a tax increase, a business has to raise terrible for the direction of our coun- When more people take the standard the cost of a product to be able to col- try and economy. deduction, they can save a lot of time lect that tax and send it to the govern- The tax plan the Republicans have and not have to go to the 15 worksheets ment. I would rather have that money released this last week does nothing to

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.032 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6312 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 change who bears the burden of taxes money that we spend today is found paying jobs from going overseas. Doing in the country. People who are fortu- within the 12 appropriations bills that so will unleash the full potential of nate and have high incomes will pay make up the defense and the non- this American economy. their fair share; people who make less defense discretionary side of the budg- One thing we can all agree on is that will pay less. That is how the Tax Code et. All of the remaining items, making taxes are too high and that the tax is spread today. Nothing in this plan up 72 percent, are in areas of manda- rate, no matter who you are, should be changes that. tory payments—Medicare, Medicaid, lowered. Allowing all American fami- We have a lot of work ahead of us. We Social Security, and interest on the lies to keep more of their hard-earned have to figure out the exact income debt. If we don’t do anything and if we dollars by taking them out of the levels for each of the tax brackets and continue on this same path, with the hands of Washington and putting them the size of some of the tax credits fami- type of growth we have, then we can back into their pocketbooks will result lies get. These are all important de- expect that within 9 years now, by the in a more prosperous America. That tails. That is the kind of debate we are year 2026, our country’s 250th birthday, means more people investing in Amer- going to be having—the markup on the 99 percent of all of the revenue we take ica long term. When our economy is budget and the mathematics of the tax in will go into Medicare, Medicaid, So- healthy, every American will feel the bill coming through committee. cial Security, and interest on the debt. positive effects. I am so grateful to Senator HATCH That means there will be only 1 per- I am encouraged by the ongoing dis- and members of the Finance Com- cent remaining for defense of our coun- cussions and progress being made to al- mittee for all of the hard work they try, roads, bridges, research, education, leviate the tax burden on American will be putting into this over the next and all of those other items that many businesses and American families, and several weeks. people really want to see and that help I will continue to work with anyone se- I will refer back to the quote of the us to move ahead as a country. rious about lowering taxes and reform- Treasury Secretary, Bill Simon, who We have to make changes now that ing the code to provide a much needed said: ‘‘The nation should have a tax will allow our country’s economy to boost to our sluggish economy. The code that looks like someone designed grow and prosper the way it used to. American people deserve better than it on purpose.’’ This is our chance. We The way we believe we do that is by the uncertain growth and burdens still need to make sure we take full advan- changing our Tax Code, changing the lingering from the previous adminis- tage of it. regulatory environment in the United tration. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. States, and sending the message back I yield the floor. I yield the floor. to the businesses that this is the place The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- where they want to do business. They ator from North Carolina. ator from South Dakota. don’t have to leave our shores in order Mr. TILLIS. Thank you, Mr. Presi- Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, today I to actually make a profit and be able dent. rise to speak about our country’s need to keep that profit. I appreciate the opportunity to speak for tax reform. As our previous speak- It is our intention to deliver policies today. Like last week, I didn’t plan on ers have indicated, this is a critical that will jolt our economy, allow hard- speaking on this subject, so my staff is time in our country, and we have an working families to keep more of their probably wondering once again what opportunity to make some good deci- paychecks, and provide financial op- their boss is going to say. But I was sions that will impact our Nation for portunities to lower and middle-class thinking that maybe we could trans- literally generations to come. families. Tax reform is a vital compo- late a little bit of what we are trying Reforming our Tax Code is a top pri- nent of this. to do with tax reform, because we talk ority not only for myself but for many Our current overly complicated Tax about tax rates, exemptions, excep- of my colleagues and the President. We Code is more than 70,000 pages in tions, and simplification—all this stuff are committed to delivering tax reform length. It takes Americans more than that is important because it gets baked that will provide more jobs, bigger pay- 8.1 billion hours each year to file their into the bill—but we don’t spend a lot checks, and a fairer tax system for the taxes. A fairer, simpler Tax Code will of time explaining why we are trying American people. grow the economy, increase wages for to do what we are doing. Over the 8 years of the previous ad- American families, improve American The last time we had real, meaning- ministration, economic growth aver- competitiveness overseas, and provide ful, impactful tax reform was back in aged a paltry 1.5 percent annually, much needed certainty for our business 1986. That is when Republicans and which is about half of the post-World community. Democrats came together and decided War II average. This anemic growth It has been 30 years since our Tax that the stagnant economy that I grew has led to stagnant wages and, accord- Code was last reformed. The rest of the up in—I graduated from high school in ing to the Joint Economic Committee, industrialized world has learned from 1978. I didn’t immediately go to col- has cost families an average of $8,600 in America what it takes to be competi- lege. I moved away from home when I income on an annual basis. It is no tive. They have seen what our tax rates was 17 years old, and I was working. It wonder that half of the American pub- have become. They have lowered their was an economy that was not unlike lic says they are living paycheck to tax rates. They are now inviting busi- today’s. In many respects, it may have paycheck. This is simply not accept- nesses to their shores rather than to been a little bit worse. The environ- able. ours. Businesses that can go anyplace ment was the same. Iran was behaving Even more concerning, the Congres- in the world they want to are not badly, and Russia was behaving badly. sional Budget Office is projecting eco- choosing America as their location We had sort of the same sort of global nomic growth to remain under 2 per- anymore. We have to change that be- environment that we have today. We cent over the next 10 years if we do not cause when they come back, they bring had the threats that we have to con- act. If that happens, let me just share good-paying jobs with them. They keep front every single day, and we had the with you the real concern. If we allow the profits here, which are reinvested threat to the future of a generation. I economic growth to stay under 2 per- within our borders rather than over- mean, literally, people had no earthly cent, then we will literally bring in seas, and that adds to a growing econ- idea, if they were getting an education, revenue based upon the size of our omy here, which allows us more rev- whether they would be able to get a job economy. If we allow economic growth enue through even lower tax rates. because the job-creation numbers when to move at a paltry 2 percent or less, The average corporate rate in the I was 26 years old were terrible. People then we won’t have the revenue to pay United States today is 39 percent, com- were worried about whether they could our bills. pared to 25 percent by our foreign com- pay for college. Today, right now, we are looking at petitors. This puts American busi- So why are we doing tax reform? We trillion-dollar deficits. Yet, if we take nesses at a disadvantage right out of are doing tax reform because it is time a look at where the dollars are going, the gate. We must reform the tax rate for the American economy to grow they go basically—looking at our en- to one that incentivizes businesses to back to what it is capable of doing, tire budget, about 28 percent of the remain here in America and keep good- what it has done in the past.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.033 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6313 We need tax reform so we can create As many know, the United States is Dreamers shared with me the hard economic expansion that lets us pay home to more than 56 million people of work and struggles they have endured down our debt, which many people in Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, com- to be successful in this country. Ending the military say is the single greatest prising over 17 percent of the Nation’s DACA, in my judgment, is wrong. First threat to our national security. total population. We set aside Sep- of all, it is wrong to break a sacred We need tax reform and we need to tember 15 to October 15 to mark Na- promise to hundreds of thousands of grow the economy because we owe it to tional Hispanic Heritage Month. This people living in our country, young this generation to have the same op- month is a reminder of the vibrant cul- people who were promised by their gov- portunities that I did. ture and substantial contributions that ernment, if they came forward, they It can be done, but we have to do it people of the Hispanic community have would be protected. Ending DACA probably through reconciliation be- made to our Nation. Although we have would be breaking that sacred promise. cause right now, even though many of only a 30-day time period as a designa- In Pennsylvania alone, estimates say the proposals that we are putting for- tion, we recognize the contributions that ending DACA would cost the Com- ward—the tax rate and the kinds of made by Latinos in this country every monwealth of Pennsylvania nearly $357 policies we are putting forward have day, not just between September 15 and million per year in GDP losses to our been supported by our colleagues and October 15. State, and that is according to the Cen- many of my friends on the other side of I have held a number of meetings ter for American Progress. Ending the aisle. For some reason, they don’t with Latinos and Latino leaders this DACA would result in the loss of $460.3 make sense anymore. They made sense past year in Pennsylvania and here in billion—not million but billion—from back in 1986 when Democrats and Re- Washington and recently just a couple the Nation’s GDP over the next decade, publicans joined together to do tax re- weeks ago, as well, to discuss issues of again according to the Center for form. If you were in your midtwenties concern to Hispanic Americans and American Progress. then, you saw prosperity unlike any- Latinos. The resounding theme I heard So it would be a betrayal to violate thing we have seen right up to today. from Pennsylvanians is the strong eco- this covenant with hundreds of thou- That was the last time we saw great nomic drive that Latinos and Hispanic sands of young people, and it is really growth in our economy. We need to get Americans share. a bad move for the economy of my back to providing those same sorts of As the second fastest growing minor- State of Pennsylvania and the econ- opportunities. ity in the United States, the Hispanic omy of our Nation. People will tell you that we are not community’s economic power con- I was proud to vote for the DREAM giving a cut to the little guy or the tinues to grow. Small businesses are Act in both 2007 and 2010, and I hope working man. Well, one thing you the backbone of our economy both in the Senate will have a clean vote on don’t see when you see the percentage Pennsylvania and across the Nation. the Dream Act soon. We should be fo- rates that we are talking about on in- Latinos are 1.4 times more likely than cused on humane and commonsense so- dividual tax rates that we are tar- the general population to become en- lutions that keep our Nation safe as geting is that there will be tens of trepreneurs. In fact, Latinos own some well as allowing it to thrive. Hispanic thousands of people who will pay zero 3.3 million businesses in the United Americans are a vital part of the fabric taxes. There is a actually a zero tax States, accounting for more than 40 of American society. bracket. There are people who, because percent of all minority-owned busi- With that, I yield the floor. of the exceptions and exemptions that nesses. Together, these businesses gen- I suggest the absence of a quorum. we are proposing, will actually fall erate almost $500 billion in economic The PRESIDING OFFICER. The below having a Federal tax liability. activity. Overall, the Latino commu- clerk will call the roll. We need to talk about that. nity accounts for a combined $1.3 tril- The senior assistant legislative clerk We need to recognize that we have to lion in economic activity. Their con- proceeded to call the roll. provide relief to the entire spectrum, Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask from the businesses that hire people tributions are projected to top $1.7 tril- lion by 2020—from $1.3 to $1.7 trillion in unanimous consent that the order for and create jobs to the working families the quorum call be rescinded. and the people who don’t make enough just a few years. Last month, I was proud to join The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without where we can take any more away from many of my Senate colleagues in desig- objection, it is so ordered. them because they need it to pay their nating the week beginning September THE BUDGET AND TAX REFORM bills. They need to pay their electric 18 as National Hispanic-Serving Insti- Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, The bills, their utility bills, their school tutions Week. This resolution recog- most powerful words in our Constitu- tuition, and all the other things that tion are the first three words: ‘‘We the working families are struggling to do nizes the achievements and goals of the today, just as I was struggling to do 472 Hispanic-serving institutions, People.’’ It sets out the mission state- back in 1986. known by the acronym HSI. These ment for our Nation, or, as President So I hope this Congress will deliver HSIs are throughout the Nation, and Lincoln put it, a nation ‘‘of the people, on the promise we made last year to they improve their local communities by the people, and for the people.’’ Our cut taxes, to get this economy moving and play a vital role in expanding ac- Founders did not start out our Con- again, and to provide the same oppor- cess to college for students across the stitution with ‘‘we the powerful’’ or tunities for the generation going to country. These HSIs represent 13 per- ‘‘we the powerful and privileged.’’ They school and the people who aren’t in cent of nonprofit colleges and univer- didn’t proceed to say that our form of school, who are struggling to make a sities. Yet they enroll 63 percent of all government is all about the powerful living—the same opportunities that I Latino students. These Hispanic-serv- and privileged ruling for themselves to got when I was that 26-year-old back in ing institutions are located in 18 States make themselves richer at the expense 1986. We can do it. I know we can do it and Puerto Rico. I am proud to be a co- of everyone else. because we have done it before. It is a sponsor of the resolution which recog- Thus, going back to the foundation, promise we made and a promise we nizes the important work these institu- the vision of our Nation is appropriate need to keep. tions play in expanding access to high- because our Republican colleagues Thank you, Mr. President. er education for everyone. have put forward a document—a budg- I yield the floor. This year, Hispanic Heritage Month et—with a tax plan that is all about The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- has become a month of advocacy and government for the powerful. It is all ator from Pennsylvania. action. I would be remiss if I didn’t about self-serving government for the NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH mention the Dream Act. This issue has privileged. There is nothing about Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I want to been on the forefront in recent discus- fighting for a foundation for ordinary speak today with regard to a month we sions, not only among the Latino com- people to be able to thrive here in the set aside—or I should say the equiva- munity, the Hispanic-American com- United States of America. lent of a month that spans two dif- munity but with many of my constitu- Indeed, the plan put forward by my ferent months—as National Hispanic ents across the board, and I am sure Republican colleagues is a plan fit for a Heritage Month. that is true in every Senate office. king living in a gilded castle—maybe

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.034 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6314 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 fit for King Trump living in Trump cent. For the seniors in middle Amer- doesn’t benefit from today because he Tower, but certainly not for working ica, this plan takes a trillion dollars hasn’t died. But when he dies, his es- Americans living and striving to build away from Medicare. Not only do my tate would benefit massively. If he is the wealth of America. No, this is not Republican friends hate having taking out insurance to be able to pay a plan for them. This is a plan for the healthcare for working people, but his tax bill when he dies, then he has to King Trumps of our Nation, who be- they want to destroy healthcare for take out less insurance. In that case, it lieve they can deceive the country older Americans at the same time. does benefit him today. Most wealthy again and again by putting forward an So if the bottom third doesn’t benefit individuals do have that kind of insur- argument that they are going to do and the middle third has taxes going ance investment to pay the estate tax. something to help the people while up, who benefits here? Simple answer: A very small number of Americans fall writing it for themselves. It is the billionaires. The millionaires into this category, and that very small We can take a look at this and real- and billionaires of America are those number have a whole team of financial ize that the President himself leads whom this plan is written for. planners. That means that, yes, even that effort to do the sales pitch when Well, let’s just look at the provisions though, technically, he wouldn’t pay he unveiled his tax plan at the Na- that cost so much money to the Treas- the tax benefit until he dies, he pays tional Association of Manufacturers ury. The alternative minimum tax is less for the preparation of paying that. last week. President Trump said: ‘‘My wiped out. Remember how the rich and As for the AMT, the lower tax bracket, plan is for the working people.’’ He powerful rigged the system so they the passthroughs, and the estate tax, said: ‘‘There’s very little benefit for were paying no taxes at all? We here in the President benefits enormously people of wealth.’’ And he went on to America established an alternative from every single one. say: ‘‘I don’t benefit. I don’t benefit.’’ minimum tax, saying that, if you are There you have it. There is nothing for the bottom third. The middle third He repeated it twice. wealthy, with a ton of money coming Well, as soon as you look at the tax in the door, you should pay at least a get hit with Medicare being slashed, plan, you see that this is wrong. He little. The one tax return we have for and also with an increase in taxes for a sent out his other Secretaries to rein- President Trump shows he paid taxes good share of them, but the billionaires at the top benefit enormously. Let’s be force his message. Secretary Mnuchin because of the alternative minimum fair. The President understands this. showed up on the shows and said: ‘‘The tax. That is the only reason he paid His advisers understand it. His Cabinet objective of the President is that rich taxes. So when President Trump says he is full of the types of individuals at the people don’t get tax cuts.’’ Well, that is doesn’t benefit, clearly that is wrong. very top—the 1 percent, the 0.1 per- a little bit of lawyerly work there. He If he knows it is wrong, it is a lie. Let’s cent—full of the richest Americans. didn’t want to confront the reality just say he is either incredibly igno- They wrote this plan for themselves that this plan is all about tax cuts for rant or trying to be incredibly mis- and to hurt the rest of America. That the wealthy. So he said the objective leading about the fact that this would is shameful. wasn’t to do that. benefit him enormously to get rid of There is another provision that the Well, let’s talk about the reality. The President has put in that probably bottom third economically here in the alternative minimum tax. What is the second thing it does? helps himself, and that is cutting the America get zero help from the tax pro- Where it raised the tax rate at the low- corporate tax rate to 20 percent. It is visions in this plan—none whatsoever. est bracket for working Americans, it keeping with the President’s demon- Plus, the broader budget slashes Med- lowers the tax rate for the wealthiest strably false statement that the United icaid by about $473 billion—you know, Americans, from 39.6 percent to 35 per- States is the most taxed nation in the the one thing that has improved for cent. That is a huge reduction that world. That is simply not true, as a working people. It has been tougher in benefits people at the very top, percentage of GDP. We have seen the a blue-collar communities to get a full- wealthy enough to be paying in the top share of tax revenue that companies time job. It has been tougher to get a bracket. Certainly, President Trump, pay decline. living wage. It has been tougher to by his own description of his own afflu- Here we have the argument that save for retirement, with pensions dis- ence, would be in that category. So somehow there will be prosperity be- appearing and employer-supported re- clearly, he benefits enormously from cause we reduce the tax rate. Let’s tirement and savings plans dis- that. look at those companies that already appearing. The third huge provision is getting a pay less than 20 percent in corporate One thing got better, and that is ac- special rate for passthrough entities. taxes because of the big difference be- cess to healthcare, thanks to Let’s say you own a big development, tween the nominal rate—the stated ObamaCare. In my State, over half a like a shopping complex or a Trump rate of corporations—and the reality of million Oregonians gained access to Tower, and it generates a lot of money what they actually paid. A report from healthcare. It didn’t just help them; it and you pass it through to pay your the Institute for Policy Studies ana- helped everyone. The uncompensated personal taxes from your limited liabil- lyzed 92 U.S. corporations that paid care rate went way down in hospitals ity corporation. Well, instead of being less than 20 percent in corporate taxes. and way down in clinics, which meant charged 39.6 percent, the current rate, Did they find that these firms have me- stronger clinics and stronger hospital or 35 percent, at the lower rate or at dium job growth of 20 percent? No. Ten services for everybody in the State. Ev- the corporate rate, no, you get this percent? No. Five percent? No. Zero? eryone benefited. special deal on this passthrough of 25 No. It is negative 1 percent. There is So the one thing that has improved percent. So you paid an enormous negative job growth even though these for working America the Republicans amount less. companies paid less than 20 percent in in this Chamber wanted to rip it Who benefits from this? Well, the corporate taxes, while the private sec- away—stomp on it, destroy it, shred it. people who own LLCs and pass through tor job growth over those years as a They couldn’t bear the thought that huge amounts of money are the ones whole was 6 percent positive. So those working Americans might finally have who benefit from this. Who has a lot of paying less than 20 percent had nega- affordable, quality healthcare. They LLCs? Who has, by various estimates, tive 1 percent growth, while the entire couldn’t stand the vision of healthcare hundreds and hundreds? I heard an esti- private sector grew with job growth at as a right. They wanted to return it to mate that the President has over 500 6 percent. In fact, during that period, healthcare being only for the wealthy LLCs. So if the President has hundreds these 92 firms that were studied—in and the healthy, but not for ordinary and hundreds of LLCs, passing through fact, just a fraction of them, or 48 of working people. income that is lowered from a 39.6-per- them together—eliminated basically Well, the bottom third is totally cent rate to a 25-percent rate—basi- about half a million jobs. They had unhelped—in fact, hurt by this plan. cally, a 15-percent reduction—he bene- very low taxes. How about the middle third? For the fits enormously from this, as do all of The argument is that they will do middle third—25 percent of the middle his millionaire and billionaire friends. more because they don’t have to pay as third—taxes go up, not down. The tax Finally, there is the estate tax. This much taxes. They will expand the num- bracket goes from 10 percent to 12 per- one, I have to admit, President Trump ber of people they hire. But instead,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.036 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6315 they slashed half a million jobs—just 48 work here not representing the people Nathali Bertran from Columbus, OH, of these firms that pay less than 20 per- of your State but just millionaires and is a student who graduated from col- cent. billionaires? If you are, then you lege after great sacrifice and has gone What happened to the CEOs of those should be full-throated supporting the on to become an engineer. She is cur- firms? Their salaries went through the Republican tax plan and the Repub- rently working in the Columbus area roof. Part of the plan here is that you lican budget on the floor of this Sen- for a global automotive company. She cut as many people as you can, and you ate. But if you believe in the mission of has a bright future if she is allowed to have a net profit increase. Sometimes, the United States of America, the ‘‘we stay in the United States. She doesn’t even when you don’t, you get a big in- the people’’ mission of providing a know the answer to that because we crease. foundation for families to thrive across haven’t come up with a replacement So if we take this as a model of what this land, then there is no choice but to for DACA, which was rescinded by the President wants to achieve, he take this budget and this tax plan and President Trump. wants to empower other companies to shred it, destroy it, burn it, put a stake Jesus Perez is from Tulsa, OK. He follow this track of having this model through its heart in every way pos- had given up on a college education of slashing hundreds of thousands of sible. and a future, and then DACA came jobs and jacking up the salaries of the I, for one, believe in this mission of along, and he decided he wanted to be already richest CEOs in the country. ‘‘we the people.’’ a doctor. He is on his way. He has fin- Who were these companies? Thank you. ished community college. He is now AT&T had an effective tax rate of 8 The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. about to complete his studies at Okla- percent. Wouldn’t that be nice for mid- TOOMEY). The Senator from Illinois. homa State, and he wants to go to Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask dle-class Americans, to have an effec- medical school. He works as a trans- unanimous consent to speak as in tive tax rate of 8 percent? While they porter and a surgical orderly in a hos- had that beneficial 8 percent tax rate, morning business. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without pital to make enough money to stay in they slashed 80,000 jobs and doubled objection, it is so ordered. school. His future is completely in their CEO’s pay to $28.4 million. Think doubt because of the uncertainty DACA of how many ordinary working people around what is going to happen to Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, there would have a better life if they raised are many lobbyists around Capitol Hill. those who were protected by DACA. their pay by one dollar an hour. But I have said many times that these They perform the important task of in- no, the CEO slashes 80,000 jobs and young people were brought here by forming Members and their staff about raises to pay himself $28.4 million. their parents. They didn’t make the de- issues that are going to come before us. How about GE, which boosted its cision. I don’t want to look negatively Some of them are volunteers, and some CEO’s pay nearly $18 million in 2016, on their parents. If I were given a of them are paid very handsomely. while cutting 14,700 jobs over 9 years There is a special group of lobbyists choice of skirting the law or even and achieving a negative tax rate? A who are roaming the corridors of Cap- breaking the law to save my child’s life negative tax rate—get that. They itol Hill in the House and Senate today or to give them security and safety, I didn’t pay a dollar to the National and tomorrow. They are young people know what I would do. I also know Treasury—not a dollar. They had a from across the United States. Many of what these parents did. But the kids negative tax rate. The company got them are college students, and all of themselves were not in on that deci- more money back from the government them have one thing in common: They sion process. than it paid in taxes. are Dreamers. They are young people Now, all they are asking for is a How about ExxonMobil? Between 2008 who came to the United States under chance to be a part of the only country and 2015, they had an effective tax rate the age of 18, many of them 2 years old, they have ever known. They got up in of 13.6 percent. That is way below 20 4 years old, brought here by their par- the classroom every day at school and percent. In that time period, did we see ents. They grew up in this country. pledged allegiance to the only flag they a significant growth in the number of They went to our schools. Some of ever knew, and most of them can sing people they employed because they got them were excellent students. Many of only one national anthem, the anthem this hugely beneficial 13.6 percent tax them have gone on to college—at their of the country they believe is their rate? No, we did not. In fact, they cut own expense many times. Some have own, the United States. That is an im- their global workforce by a third. At even enlisted in our military. They portant part of this conversation. the same time, the CEO of that com- have a nagging problem. The problem If we believe in fairness and justice in pany, who just happens to be our Sec- is that they are not legally citizens of America—and I think we do—we want retary of State at the moment, saw his the United States. They don’t have to be fair and just to these young peo- compensation grow to $27.4 million. legal status in the United States, and ple. If they have not done something in The record shows that these compa- so the uncertainty about that status their lives that is dangerous, such as nies that are getting these low tax has led many of them to wonder what commit a crime, for example, that is rates are slashing their employees and their future will be. serious, they ought to be given a boosting their CEO salaries. Is that the About 5 years ago, President Obama, chance. If they are willing to go to model that makes for a prosperous at my urging, issued an Executive school or to work or to enlist in our middle-class America, slash jobs and a order that changed their lives. It was military, why wouldn’t we welcome dramatic increase of inequality in this called DACA. It gave them a chance to them in so that they can be a part of country? come forward and register with the our future, as they should be. The al- That is why this entire tax plan and government, submit themselves to a ternative, in many cases, is to ship the budget are so diabolical. It is ev- criminal background check, get them back to a country they cannot re- erything contrary to ‘‘we the people.’’ fingerprinted, pay a $500 fee, have their member or never really knew, to a lan- It is a vision of basically hijacking the background looked at in detail, and guage they don’t speak. That is not the National Treasury to inflate the gave them a chance to stay in the right outcome. wealth of the wealthiest in America, United States for 2 years at a time, and I want to thank LINDSEY GRAHAM of while doing as much harm as possible in that 2-year period not be subjected South Carolina. He is my Republican to working Americans, laying down a to deportation and be able to work. cosponsor of the Dream Act. Senator model on the corporate side of reward- Four weeks ago, President Trump an- GRAHAM has been a stalwart. He and I ing companies for slashing hundreds of nounced that the DACA Program was may disagree on an issue every other thousands of jobs and inflating the sal- going to be rescinded. Many of these day, but on this issue, we agree. We aries of their CEOs. young people don’t know what their fu- agree that America should step forward Here is the question every Member of ture will be from this point forward. A and do the right thing for these young this Chamber should ask: Is your pri- number of them came out to the steps people. ority adding more zeros to the bank of the Capitol this afternoon to talk I hope these lobbyists—I will use that balances of millionaires and billion- about their lives. Two in particular I term—who are Dreamers, who are aires? Is that your mission? Are you at wanted to mention. roaming the Halls of Congress, will

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.037 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6316 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 make the same impression on my col- Senate the pending cloture motion, NOT VOTING—5 leagues that they made on me—that which the clerk will state. Cochran Heller Menendez their special lives and their special fu- The bill clerk read as follows: Cortez Masto McCain ture will make this Nation a better Na- CLOTURE MOTION The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this tion in the years to come. We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- vote, the yeas are 62, the nays are 33. I yield the floor. ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the The motion is agreed to. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby f question is, Will the Senate advise and move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- consent to the Hargan nomination? nation of Randal Quarles, of Colorado, to be EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ask a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for the unexpired The PRESIDING OFFICER. The for the yeas and nays. clerk will report the nomination. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a term of fourteen years from February 1, 2004. Mitch McConnell, Orrin G. Hatch, James The legislative clerk read the nomi- sufficient second? Lankford, Jerry Moran, Johnny Isak- nation of Randal Quarles, of Colorado, There appears to be a sufficient sec- son, John Thune, Thom Tillis, Shelley to be a Member of the Board of Gov- ond. Moore Capito, Mike Crapo, James E. ernors of the Federal Reserve System The clerk will call the roll. Risch, Mike Rounds, John Barrasso, for the unexpired term of fourteen The bill clerk called the roll. John Cornyn, Chuck Grassley, John years from February 1, 2004. Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators Boozman, John Hoeven, Rob Portman. are necessarily absent: the Senator The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- f from Mississippi (Mr. COCHRAN), the imous consent, the mandatory quorum LEGISLATIVE SESSION Senator from Nevada (Mr. HELLER), call has been waived. and the Senator from Arizona (Mr. The question is, Is it the sense of the MCCAIN). Senate that debate on the nomination MORNING BUSINESS Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the of Randal Quarles, of Colorado, to be a Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask Senator from Nevada (Ms. CORTEZ Member of the Board of Governors of unanimous consent that the Senate MASTO) and the Senator from New Jer- the Federal Reserve System, shall be proceed to legislative session and be in sey (Mr. MENENDEZ) are necessarily ab- brought to a close? a period of morning business, with Sen- sent. The yeas and nays are mandatory ators permitted to speak therein for up The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there under the rule. to 10 minutes each. any other Senators in the Chamber de- The clerk will call the roll. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without siring to vote? The assistant bill clerk called the objection, it is so ordered. The result was announced—yeas 57, roll. f nays 38, as follows: Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators [Rollcall Vote No. 211 Ex.] are necessarily absent: the Senator INDONESIA YEAS—57 from Mississippi (Mr. COCHRAN), the Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to Alexander Ernst Moran Senator from Nevada (Mr. HELLER), speak briefly about a recent report by Barrasso Fischer Murkowski and the Senator from Arizona (Mr. the Secretary of State concerning, Blunt Flake Paul MCCAIN). Boozman Gardner Perdue among other things, impunity within Burr Graham Portman Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Indonesia’s military. This has been a Capito Grassley Risch Senator from Nevada (Ms. CORTEZ concern of mine, and of many others, Carper Hatch Roberts MASTO) and the Senator from New Jer- Cassidy Heitkamp Rounds for decades. Senate Report 114–290, Collins Hoeven Rubio sey (Mr. MENENDEZ) are necessarily ab- which accompanies division J of the Coons Inhofe Sasse sent. fiscal year 2017 Consolidated Appro- Corker Isakson Scott The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cornyn Johnson Shelby priations Act, requires the Secretary of ARDNER Cotton Kennedy Strange G ). Are there any other Sen- State to submit a report on steps taken Crapo King Sullivan ators in the Chamber desiring to vote? by the Indonesian military to, No. 1, Cruz Lankford Thune The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 62, deny promotion, suspend from active Daines Lee Tillis nays 33, as follows: Donnelly Manchin Toomey service, and/or prosecute and punish Durbin McCaskill Wicker [Rollcall Vote No. 212 Ex.] military officers who have violated Enzi McConnell Young YEAS—62 human rights, and to refine further the NAYS—38 Alexander Flake Perdue military’s mission and develop an ap- Baldwin Hassan Sanders Barrasso Gardner Peters propriate defense budget to carry out Bennet Heinrich Schatz Bennet Graham Portman that mission; No. 2, cooperate with ci- Blunt Grassley Blumenthal Hirono Schumer Risch Boozman Hatch vilian judicial authorities to resolve Booker Kaine Shaheen Roberts Burr Heitkamp cases of violations of human rights; No. Brown Klobuchar Stabenow Rounds Capito Hoeven Cantwell Leahy Tester Rubio 3, implement reforms that increase the Cardin Markey Carper Inhofe Sasse transparency and accountability of the Udall Cassidy Isakson Casey Merkley Van Hollen Scott military’s budget and operations, and Duckworth Murphy Collins Johnson Warner Shaheen Feinstein Murray Coons Kennedy achieve divestment of military busi- Warren Shelby Franken Nelson Corker King nesses; and No. 4, allow unimpeded ac- Whitehouse Cornyn Lankford Strange Gillibrand Peters Sullivan cess to Papua; respect due process and Harris Reed Wyden Cotton Lee Crapo Manchin Tester freedom of expression, association, and NOT VOTING—5 Cruz McCaskill Thune assembly in Papua; and release Daines McConnell Tillis Cochran Heller Menendez Papuans and Moluccans imprisoned for Donnelly Moran Toomey Cortez Masto McCain Enzi Murkowski Warner peaceful political activity. The nomination was confirmed. Ernst Nelson Wicker The Secretary submitted this report The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under Fischer Paul Young on September 12, 2017, and the informa- the previous order, the motion to re- NAYS—33 tion it contains is both disturbing and consider is considered made and laid Baldwin Gillibrand Murray disappointing. upon the table and the President will Blumenthal Harris Reed Indonesia became a democracy after be immediately notified of the Senate’s Booker Hassan Sanders many years of brutal, corrupt dictator- Brown Heinrich Schatz action. Cantwell Hirono Schumer ship under President Suharto. He had f Cardin Kaine Stabenow the unwavering support of the Indo- Casey Klobuchar Udall nesian military, which was responsible CLOTURE MOTION Duckworth Leahy Van Hollen for widespread atrocities not only Durbin Markey Warren The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant Feinstein Merkley Whitehouse against Indonesian citizens who op- to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Franken Murphy Wyden posed Suharto but later against the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:17 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.039 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6317 people of East Timor and Papua. He banned separatist flag during a peace- facilities. More recently, his leadership was also a Cold War ally of the United ful pro-independence demonstration in and endless resourcefulness was on dis- States. 2014. . . NGOs in Papua continued to re- play through his work at Wholesome Suharto is gone, and Indonesia has port widespread monitoring of their ac- Wave. For Gus, the only things that changed for the better. It remains an tivities by intelligence officials as well mattered were that there were strug- important ally of the United States, as indirect threats and intimidation.’’ gling farmers and hungry people who but no democracy can achieve its po- Accusing people of being traitors and needed help. It did not matter where tential without an independent judici- imprisoning them for peacefully sup- because Gus understood that hunger ary and security forces that are profes- porting self-determination is itself a transcends all languages and cultures. sional and accountable or that fails to violation of human rights. We were fortunate to have Gus come defend such fundamental rights as free- Indonesia has come a long way since to Vermont several times, both during dom of expression and association. the dark days of President Suharto, his work at the USDA and Wholesome While the Indonesian military is no but when it comes to military reform, Wave. During his visits with the longer the criminal enterprise it was it has fallen far short. In January 2018, USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service, during the Suharto period, impunity it will be 10 years since Suharto’s Gus’s unflinching public service was al- for past crimes remains the norm. As death; yet the military remains a ways on display. He came to meet with the Secretary of State’s report notes, largely opaque, unaccountable institu- the farmers, the food processors, and the Government of Indonesia continues tion that has not even acknowledged the dairy co-ops. He came to help to take inadequate steps to hold mem- the extent of its responsibility for past Vermonters improve their lives, and I bers of the Indonesian military ac- crimes. That needs to change. will always be grateful for that. countable for human rights violations. His recent passing reminds all of us f of the need to continue his fight. The One stark example includes the re- REMEMBERING AUGUST ‘‘GUS’’ fight for the hungry, for our farmers, emergence on active duty and pro- SCHUMACHER, JR. and for the constant work of more fully motions of several former members of realizing America’s potential as both a the Special Forces’ Rose Team, who Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I would great and a good nation. Gus believed, were convicted in 1999 of kidnapping like to take a moment to pay tribute as should we all, that hunger should pro-democracy activists. In another de- to August ‘‘Gus’’ Schumacher, Jr., who not exist in this country. We have the plorable incident, the Government of passed away on September 24. Gus was an altruist who dedicated his life to food and know-how to end it. Gus of- Indonesia appointed as the head of the fered creative solutions to fight it. Now Armed Forces Strategic Intelligence discovering ways to help both farmers and those who are hungry, both here in we need the political will to do it. Agency a military officer who was con- I ask unanimous consent that the the United States and abroad. His in- victed in 2003 for the murder of promi- September 27 Washington Post obit- tegrity, creativity, and his great cour- nent Papuan civil society leader Theys uary that describes Gus’s life and ca- age over decades to sustain a pas- Eluay. reer be printed in the RECORD. Furthermore, military-related enti- sionate commitment to assisting the There being no objection, the mate- ties, such as foundations and coopera- poor and hungry, as well as our farmers rial was ordered to be printed in the and rural communities, leaves an im- tives, continue to hold large amounts RECORD, as follows: measurable legacy that will not soon of land and other properties and busi- [From The Washington Post, Sept. 27, 2017] be forgotten. nesses, despite the government’s claim GUS SCHUMACHER, A FORCE IN THE FARM-TO- I have known Gus since his days in that the military has largely divested TABLE MOVEMENT, DIES AT 77 itself of private enterprises. Massachusetts. From the first time I (By Bert Barnes) met him, it was clear his passion was Military personnel are still not sub- Gus Schumacher, a fourth-generation ject to civilian judicial authorities. In- infectious. He brought that passion and farmer and third-ranking official at the Ag- stead, they are tried by military tribu- his creative ideas to us here in Con- riculture Department, told the story of his nals which lack transparency and often gress when he was the Massachusetts epiphany about food hundreds of times. grant much shorter prison sentences secretary of agriculture. It was that It was the end of a summer afternoon in than any credible judicial authority passion that propelled Senator Kerry 1980 at a farmers market in Boston, and he and me to craft the first legislation— was helping his brother load up his truck would deem appropriate. Although four with unsold produce grown on their family district courts are authorized to adju- which became law—to create a farmers’ property in Lexington, Mass. The bottom fell dicate cases involving human rights market coupon demonstration project out of a box of pears, scattering the fruit violations, none of them have heard or in 10 States. In 1988, the first year of into the gutter. ruled on any human rights cases since the demonstration program, we secured There, a young mother with two little boys 2005. $2 million in the Agriculture appropria- eagerly gathered them into the folds of her Simply authorizing changes or es- tions bill for the Women, Infants and unhemmed shirt. She was a single mom, she Children, WIC, Farmers Market Dem- explained, dependent on food stamps, which pousing rhetoric without following up back then made fresh fruit and vegetables with tangible action makes a mockery onstration Project. I was—and re- prohibitively expensive for her. The pear of the concept of reform. main—proud that Vermont was one of spill was a bonanza. Other findings in the report are also those 10 States chosen for the initial For Mr. Schumacher, he would say later, it illustrative of a resistance to reform. WIC Farmers Market Demonstration was a seminal moment in his life. He grew up For example, the report states, ‘‘Indo- Project. Now, nearly 30 years later, the on a farm, and it had never occurred to him nesian law provides that military pros- program helps over 7 million nutrition- that parents would find it hard to provide their children with fresh fruit and vegeta- ecutors are accountable to the Su- ally at risk women, infants, and chil- bles. preme Court. In practice, however, dren across the United States. None of He would change it, he told himself. they are responsible to the Indonesian this would have been possible without Mr. Schumacher—who in a 50-year career Armed Forces for the application of Gus’s brilliant innovation, determina- also served as the Massachusetts commis- laws.’’ tion, and leadership. sioner of food and agriculture, a food project With respect to the Moluccas and Gus put into action his innovative manager and agriculture development officer Papua, the report states that ‘‘accord- ideas first in Massachusetts and then for the World Bank and finally a co-founder of a nonprofit group that tries to improve af- ing to international NGO reports, ap- across the country and around the fordable access to fresh, locally grown food— proximately 10 Moluccan independence world with his work at the Foreign Ag- died Sept. 24 at his home in Washington. The activists, who were arrested in 2007, re- ricultural Service and as Under Sec- cause was an apparent heart attack, said his main in custody. . . In January 2015, a retary of Farm and Foreign Agricul- wife, Susan Holaday Schumacher. He was 77. court sentenced Simon Siya, a leader tural Service. His work led to a greater Since that farmers-market epiphany, Mr. in the Moluccan independence move- emphasis on organizing direct mar- Schumacher helped make food assistance programs more generous in allowances for ment, to five years in prison on treason keting, farmers’ co-ops, farmers’ mar- fresh fruit and vegetables. He also became a charges. He remains in prison. The kets, crop diversifications, and expand- force in the farm-to-table movement, en- court also sentenced seven others to ing opportunities for farmer-owned couraging restaurants and retail stores to two-to-three years for displaying a packaging, distributing, and processing buy produce locally.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:17 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G04OC6.043 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6318 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 In 2013, Mr. Schumacher received the Mr. President, I was unavailable for Mr. Erickson, and the Senate Judiciary James Beard Foundation’s Leadership Award rollcall vote No. 211, on the nomination Committee unanimously voted to ad- for ‘‘his lifelong efforts to improve access to of Eric D. Hargan to be Deputy Sec- vance his nomination to the full Sen- fresh local food in underserved commu- nities.’’ retary of Health and Human Services. ate. In Boston, the Globe wrote about a time Had I been present, I would have voted I hope Mr. Erickson’s confirmation several years ago when Mr. Schumacher, din- nay. reinforces the importance of biparti- ing out at tony Hamersley’s Bistro, sat down Mr. President, I was unavailable for sanship and the importance of main- at a table, reached into a brown paper bag rollcall vote No. 212, on the motion to taining the blue slip process. The Judi- and pulled out a shiny, ripe red tomato. He invoke cloture on the nomination of ciary Committee has used the blue slip asked for a serrated knife, olive oil and a Randal Quarles to be a member of the process since at least 1917, and the plate, then proceeded to make himself a salad. Board of Governors of the Federal Re- process is integral to maintaining the ‘‘Who’s this guy who’s making his own serve System. Had I been present, I bipartisan nature of the Senate. Under salad?’’ chef-owner Gordon Hamersley want- would have voted nay.∑ both Presidents Obama and George W. ed to know. His own tomatoes came from f Bush, even when a party had unified California. Where had Mr. Schumacher’s control of the Presidency and the Sen- come from? ‘‘Twenty minutes from your CONFIRMATION OF HALSEY ate, if a home State Senator objected doorstep,’’ Mr. Schumacher said. FRANK to a nominee, the nomination did not That scene, or a version of it, would play Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish over and over again between 1984 and 1990 proceed. There have been recent discus- when Mr. Schumacher was agriculture chief to express my strong support for the sions to suspend the blue slip tradition for Massachusetts. He was always asking confirmation of Halsey Frank to serve in order to force nominations through chefs whether they knew any farmers who as the U.S. Attorney for the District of the Judiciary Committee. I encourage could supply them food directly. He created Maine. Mr. Frank has 30 years of expe- my colleagues to reject any such meas- market coupon programs for seniors and low- rience working for the U.S. Depart- ures and to continue in the blue slip income families with children. He chastised ment of Justice in Washington, DC, tradition. breakfast diners for serving English jellies and in Maine, and he is highly qualified instead of American ones. f to assume this crucial law enforcement ‘‘Gus was instrumental in bringing two MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE seemingly obvious groups together who position. I thank the Senate for swiftly never talked to each other—chefs and farm- confirming him. At 10:22 a.m., a message from the ers,’’ Hamersley told the Globe. ‘‘He’s basi- Mr. Frank is an intelligent, highly House of Representatives, delivered by cally the architect of chefs featuring locally competent, experienced law enforce- Mrs. Cole, one of its reading clerks, an- grown produce. As always, there was a team ment professional. Mr. Frank has nounced that the House has passed the of people with him, but he was sitting in the served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney following bills, without amendment: chair.’’ The Washington Post reported on Mr. for Maine for the past 17 years, during S. 178. An act to prevent elder abuse and Schumacher’s work with refugee and immi- which he has shown an indepth knowl- exploitation and improve the justice sys- grant farmers all over the United States. He edge of our country’s criminal justice tem’s response to victims in elder abuse and encouraged them to grow and market their system and significant experience in exploitation cases. native vegetables, such as amaranth. From both criminal and civil law. In this S. 652. An act to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a program for New England, the New York Times reported, role, he has prosecuted Federal crimes Mr. Schumacher made personal deliveries of early detection, diagnosis, and treatment re- related to fraud, drugs, white-collar of- garding deaf and hard-of-hearing newborns, Asian greens that included pea tendrils, Chi- fense, violence, civil rights, and envi- nese chive blossoms and Cambodian spear- infants, and young children. mint to the Washington restaurant TenPenh. ronmental violations. He has defended The message further announced that August Schumacher Jr. was born in Lin- the United States in civil cases and the House has passed the following coln, Mass., on Dec. 4, 1939. He grew up on a handled numerous appeals. Prior to his bills, in which it requests the concur- farm in Lexington, and his father was one of current post, Mr. Frank was an Assist- rence of the Senate: the largest parsnip growers in Massachu- ant U.S. Attorney for the District of setts. His grandfather and great-grandfather H.R. 36. An act to amend title 18, United Columbia, one of the country’s largest States Code, to protect pain-capable unborn were farmers in New York City. They grew offices, where he worked on a wide winter vegetables in glass-enclosed hot- children, and for other purposes. houses. range of civil and criminal matters. He H.R. 1624. An act to require the appropriate Mr. Schumacher graduated from Harvard is presently a resident of Portland, ME, Federal banking agencies to treat certain University in 1961 and attended the London and a graduate of Wesleyan University municipal obligations as no lower than level School of Economics. and Boston University School of Law. 2B liquid assets, and for other purposes. H.R. 1918. An act to oppose loans at inter- Over his career, he had a variety of Based on his demonstrated pro- consultancies, served as Massachusetts agri- national financial institutions for the Gov- ficiency and character, I have every ernment of Nicaragua unless the Govern- culture chief from 1984 to 1990 and was the confidence that Mr. Frank will success- USDA undersecretary of agriculture for farm ment of Nicaragua is taking effective steps and foreign agricultural services from 1997 to fully lead and coordinate local and to hold free, fair, and transparent elections, 2001. Federal law enforcement activities in and for other purposes. Since 2008 he had served as founding board Maine to faithfully uphold our Nation’s H.R. 2408. An act to enhance the trans- chairman of Wholesome Wave in Bridgeport, laws and ensure public safety and parency, improve the coordination, and in- Conn., which seeks to increase access to af- order. Throughout his long and distin- tensify the impact of assistance to support access to primary and secondary education fordable, locally grown fruits and vegetables. guished career, Mr. Frank has shown a His first marriage, to Barbara Kerstetter, for displaced children and persons, including ended in divorce. Survivors include his wife strong commitment to public service, women and girls, and for other purposes. of 25 years, Susan Holaday Schumacher of and I am confident that he will serve The message also announced that the Washington; a stepdaughter, Valarie Karasz the State of Maine and our Nation very House passed the following bill, with of Brooklyn; and two grandchildren. A step- well. an amendment, in which it requests son, Andrew Karasz, died earlier this month. f the concurrence of the Senate: (At the request of Mr. SCHUMER, the CONFIRMATION OF RALPH R. S. 782. An act to reauthorize the National following statement was ordered to be ERICKSON Internet Crimes Against Children Task printed in the RECORD.) Force Program, and for other purposes. f Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I wish to support the confirmation of f VOTE EXPLANATION U.S. district judge Ralph Erickson to MEASURES REFERRED ∑ Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for The following bills were read the first was unavailable for rollcall vote No. the Eighth Circuit. and the second times by unanimous 210, the motion to invoke cloture on Mr. Erickson received the support of consent, and referred as indicated: the nomination of Eric D. Hargan to be both of his home State Senators, Dem- H.R. 36. An act to amend title 18, United Deputy Secretary of Health and Human ocrat HEIDI HEITKAMP and Republican States Code, to protect pain-capable unborn Services. Had I been present, I would JOHN HOEVEN. Both HOEVEN and children, and for other purposes; to the Com- have voted nay. HEITKAMP submitted their blue slips for mittee on the Judiciary.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:17 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC6.006 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6319 H.R. 1624. An act to require the appropriate rarily Stored in the United States Following EC–2985. A communication from the Pro- Federal banking agencies to treat certain Hurricane Irma or Hurricane Maria’’ (Notice gram Analyst, National Highway Traffic municipal obligations as no lower than level 2017–55) received in the Office of the Presi- Safety Administration, Department of 2B liquid assets, and for other purposes; to dent of the Senate on September 28, 2017; to Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and the Committee on Finance. law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Federal Urban Affairs. EC–2976. A communication from the Chief Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Electric- H.R. 1918. An act to oppose loans at inter- of the Publications and Regulations Branch, Powered Vehicles: Electrolyte Spillage and national financial institutions for the Gov- Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Electrical Shock Protection’’ (RIN2127–AL68) ernment of Nicaragua unless the Govern- Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the received in the Office of the President of the ment of Nicaragua is taking effective steps report of a rule entitled ‘‘2017–2018 Special Senate on September 28, 2017; to the Com- to hold free, fair, and transparent elections, Per Diem Rates’’ (Notice 2017–54) received in mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Office of the President of the Senate on tation. Foreign Relations. September 28, 2017; to the Committee on Fi- EC–2986. A communication from the Man- H.R. 2408. An act to enhance the trans- nance. agement and Program Analyst, Federal parency, improve the coordination, and in- EC–2977. A communication from the Chief Aviation Administration, Department of tensify the impact of assistance to support of the Publications and Regulations Branch, Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to access to primary and secondary education Internal Revenue Service, Department of the law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Prohibi- for displaced children and persons, including Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the tion Against Certain Flights in the Damas- women and girls, and for other purposes; to report of a rule entitled ‘‘Revised Guidance cus (OSTT) Flight Information Region the Committee on Foreign Relations. Related to Obtaining and Reporting Tax- (FIR)’’ (RIN2120–AL07) received in the Office payer Identification Numbers and Dates of of the President of the Senate on September f Birth by Financial Institutions’’ (Notice 28, 2017; to the Committee on Commerce, EXECUTIVE AND OTHER 2017–46) received in the Office of the Presi- Science, and Transportation. dent of the Senate on September 28, 2017; to COMMUNICATIONS EC–2987. A communication from the Man- the Committee on Finance. agement and Program Analyst, Federal The following communications were EC–2978. A communication from the Chief Aviation Administration, Department of laid before the Senate, together with of the Publications and Regulations Branch, Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to accompanying papers, reports, and doc- Internal Revenue Service, Department of the law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the uments, and were referred as indicated: ment of Class E Airspace; Falls City, NE’’ report of a rule entitled ‘‘Extension of Re- ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2016–9593)) EC–2970. A communication from the Coun- placement Period for Livestock Sold on Ac- received in the Office of the President of the sel, Legal Division, Bureau of Consumer Fi- count of Drought’’ (Notice 2017–53) received Senate on September 28, 2017; to the Com- nancial Protection, transmitting, pursuant in the Office of the President of the Senate mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Equal on September 28, 2017; to the Committee on tation. Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B) Eth- Finance. EC–2988. A communication from the Man- EC–2979. A communication from the Chief nicity and Race Information Collection’’ agement and Program Analyst, Federal of the Publications and Regulations Branch, ((RIN3170–AA65) (Docket No. CFPB–2017– Aviation Administration, Department of Internal Revenue Service, Department of the 0009)) received in the Office of the President Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the of the Senate on October 2, 2017; to the Com- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- report of a rule entitled ‘‘Extension of Re- mittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af- ment of Class E Airspace; Arkadelphia, AR’’ placement Period for Livestock Sold on Ac- fairs. ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0182)) count of Drought’’ (Notice 2017–53) received EC–2971. A communication from the Sec- received in the Office of the President of the in the Office of the President of the Senate retary of the Treasury, transmitting, pursu- Senate on September 28, 2017; to the Com- on October 2, 2017; to the Committee on Fi- ant to law, a six-month periodic report on mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- nance. the national emergency that was declared in tation. Executive Order 13694 of April 1, 2015, with EC–2980. A communication from the Chief of the Publications and Regulations Branch, EC–2989. A communication from the Man- respect to significant malicious cyber-en- agement and Program Analyst, Federal abled activities; to the Committee on Bank- Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Aviation Administration, Department of ing, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to EC–2972. A communication from the Direc- report of a rule entitled ‘‘2017–2018 Special Per Diem Rates’’ (Notice 2017–54) received in law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- tor of Congressional Affairs, Office of Re- ment of Class E Airspace; Mason, MI’’ search, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Office of the President of the Senate on October 2, 2017; to the Committee on Fi- ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0722)) transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of received in the Office of the President of the a rule entitled ‘‘Emergency Planning for Re- nance. EC–2981. A communication from the Execu- Senate on September 28, 2017; to the Com- search and Test Reactors and Other Non- tive Analyst (Political), Department of mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- Power Production and Utilization Facilities’’ Health and Human Services, transmitting, tation. ((Regulatory Guide 2.6, Revision 2) (NUREG– pursuant to law, a report relative to a va- EC–2990. A communication from the Man- 1537 and NUREG–0849)) received in the Office cancy in the position of General Counsel, De- agement and Program Analyst, Federal of the President of the Senate on October 2, partment of Health and Human Services, re- Aviation Administration, Department of 2017; to the Committee on Environment and ceived during adjournment of the Senate in Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Public Works. the Office of the President of the Senate on law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- EC–2973. A communication from the Direc- September 29, 2017; to the Committee on ment of Class E Airspace; Pauls Valley, OK’’ tor of Congressional Affairs, Office of Re- Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0184)) search, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, EC–2982. A communication from the Execu- received in the Office of the President of the transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of tive Analyst (Political), Department of Senate on September 28, 2017; to the Com- a rule entitled ‘‘Regulatory Guides: ‘Conduct Health and Human Services, transmitting, mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- of Nuclear Material Physical Inventories’ pursuant to law, a report relative to a va- tation. and ‘Statistical Evaluation of Material Un- cancy in the position of General Counsel, De- EC–2991. A communication from the Man- accounted For’ ’’ (NRC–2017–0196) received in partment of Health and Human Services, re- agement and Program Analyst, Federal the Office of the President of the Senate on ceived during adjournment of the Senate in Aviation Administration, Department of October 2, 2017; to the Committee on Envi- the Office of the President of the Senate on Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ronment and Public Works. September 29, 2017; to the Committee on law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend- EC–2974. A communication from the Direc- Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. ment of Class E Airspace; West Plains, MO’’ tor of Congressional Affairs, Office of Re- EC–2983. A communication from the Execu- ((RIN2120–AA66) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0165)) search, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, tive Analyst (Political), Department of received in the Office of the President of the transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of Health and Human Services, transmitting, Senate on September 28, 2017; to the Com- a rule entitled ‘‘Physical Inventories and pursuant to law, a report relative to a va- mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- Material Balances at Fuel Cycle Facilities’’ cancy in the position of General Counsel, De- tation. (Regulatory Guide 5.88, Revision 0) received partment of Health and Human Services, re- EC–2992. A communication from the Man- in the Office of the President of the Senate ceived during adjournment of the Senate in agement and Program Analyst, Federal on October 2, 2017; to the Committee on En- the Office of the President of the Senate on Aviation Administration, Department of vironment and Public Works. September 29, 2017; to the Committee on Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to EC–2975. A communication from the Chief Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Standard of the Publications and Regulations Branch, EC–2984. A communication from the Li- Instrument Approach Procedures, and Take- Internal Revenue Service, Department of the brarian of Congress, transmitting, pursuant off Minimums and Obstacle Departure Proce- Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the to law, the Annual Report of the Librarian of dures; Miscellaneous Amendments (12); report of a rule entitled ‘‘Treatment Under Congress for fiscal year 2016; to the Com- Amdt. No. 3764’’ (RIN2120–AA65) received in Section 956(c) of Certain Property Tempo- mittee on Rules and Administration. the Office of the President of the Senate on

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:17 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC6.010 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6320 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 September 28, 2017; to the Committee on EC–3001. A communication from the Man- EC–3009. A communication from the Man- Commerce, Science, and Transportation. agement and Program Analyst, Federal agement and Program Analyst, Federal EC–2993. A communication from the Man- Aviation Administration, Department of Aviation Administration, Department of agement and Program Analyst, Federal Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Aviation Administration, Department of law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ness Directives; Airbus Airplanes’’ ((RIN2120– ness Directives; Dassault Aviation Air- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Standard AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0808)) received planes’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– Instrument Approach Procedures, and Take- in the Office of the President of the Senate 2017–0529)) received in the Office of the Presi- off Minimums and Obstacle Departure Proce- on September 28, 2017; to the Committee on dent of the Senate on September 28, 2017; to dures; Miscellaneous Amendments (82); Commerce, Science, and Transportation. the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Amdt. No. 3763’’ (RIN2120–AA65) received in EC–3002. A communication from the Man- Transportation. the Office of the President of the Senate on agement and Program Analyst, Federal EC–3010. A communication from the Man- September 28, 2017; to the Committee on Aviation Administration, Department of agement and Program Analyst, Federal Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Aviation Administration, Department of EC–2994. A communication from the Man- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to agement and Program Analyst, Federal ness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. Helicopters’’ law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- Aviation Administration, Department of ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0308)) ness Directives; Rolls-Royce Corporation Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to received in the Office of the President of the Turboshaft Engines’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Dock- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Standard Senate on September 28, 2017; to the Com- et No. FAA–2011–0961)) received in the Office Instrument Approach Procedures, and Take- mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- of the President of the Senate on September off Minimums and Obstacle Departure Proce- tation. 28, 2017; to the Committee on Commerce, dures; Miscellaneous Amendments (106); EC–3003. A communication from the Man- Science, and Transportation. Amdt. No. 3761’’ (RIN2120–AA65) received in agement and Program Analyst, Federal EC–3011. A communication from the Man- the Office of the President of the Senate on Aviation Administration, Department of agement and Program Analyst, Federal September 28, 2017; to the Committee on Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Aviation Administration, Department of Commerce, Science, and Transportation. law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to EC–2995. A communication from the Man- ness Directives; Ameri-King Corporation law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- agement and Program Analyst, Federal Emergency Locator Transmitters’’ ness Directives; Textron Aviation Inc. Air- Aviation Administration, Department of ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2016–6673)) planes’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to received in the Office of the President of the 2017–0608)) received in the Office of the Presi- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Standard Senate on September 28, 2017; to the Com- dent of the Senate on September 28, 2017; to Instrument Approach Procedures, and Take- mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- the Committee on Commerce, Science, and off Minimums and Obstacle Departure Proce- tation. Transportation. EC–3004. A communication from the Man- dures; Miscellaneous Amendments (99); f Amdt. No. 3762’’ (RIN2120–AA65) received in agement and Program Analyst, Federal the Office of the President of the Senate on Aviation Administration, Department of EXECUTIVE REPORTS OF Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to September 28, 2017; to the Committee on COMMITTEES law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- Commerce, Science, and Transportation. ness Directives; B/E Aerospace Protective The following executive reports of EC–2996. A communication from the Man- nominations were submitted: agement and Program Analyst, Federal Breathing Equipment Part Number 119003–11 By Mr. THUNE for the Committee on Com- Aviation Administration, Department of and Part Number 119003–21’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) merce, Science, and Transportation. Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to (Docket No. FAA–2017–0439)) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on Sep- *David J. Redl, of New York, to be Assist- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- ant Secretary of Commerce for Communica- ness Directives; Airbus Airplanes’’ ((RIN2120– tember 28, 2017; to the Committee on Com- merce, Science, and Transportation. tions and Information. AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0339)) received EC–3005. A communication from the Man- *Ann Marie Buerkle, of New York, to be a in the Office of the President of the Senate agement and Program Analyst, Federal Commissioner of the Consumer Product on September 28, 2017; to the Committee on Aviation Administration, Department of Safety Commission for a term of seven years Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to from October 27, 2018. EC–2997. A communication from the Man- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- *Ann Marie Buerkle, of New York, to be agement and Program Analyst, Federal ness Directives; The Boeing Company Air- Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Aviation Administration, Department of planes’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– Commission. Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to 2016–9184)) received in the Office of the Presi- *Timothy Gallaudet, of California, to be law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- dent of the Senate on September 28, 2017; to Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans ness Directives; Airbus Airplanes’’ ((RIN2120– the Committee on Commerce, Science, and and Atmosphere. *Howard R. Elliott, of Indiana, to be Ad- AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0809)) received Transportation. in the Office of the President of the Senate EC–3006. A communication from the Man- ministrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous on September 28, 2017; to the Committee on agement and Program Analyst, Federal Materials Safety Administration, Depart- Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Aviation Administration, Department of ment of Transportation. *Walter G. Copan, of Colorado, to be Under EC–2998. A communication from the Man- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to agement and Program Analyst, Federal law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Aviation Administration, Department of ness Directives; Bombardier, Inc., Airplanes’’ Technology. By Ms. MURKOWSKI for the Committee on Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2016–8177)) Energy and Natural Resources. law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- received in the Office of the President of the ness Directives; Airbus Airplanes’’ ((RIN2120– *Bruce J. Walker, of New York, to be an Senate on September 28, 2017; to the Com- Assistant Secretary of Energy (Electricity AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0560)) received mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- in the Office of the President of the Senate Delivery and Energy Reliability). tation. *Steven E. Winberg, of Pennsylvania, to be on September 28, 2017; to the Committee on EC–3007. A communication from the Man- an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Fossil En- Commerce, Science, and Transportation. agement and Program Analyst, Federal ergy). EC–2999. A communication from the Man- Aviation Administration, Department of agement and Program Analyst, Federal By Mr. JOHNSON for the Committee on Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to Homeland Security and Governmental Af- Aviation Administration, Department of law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to fairs. ness Directives; Dassault Aviation Air- *John Marshall Mitnick, of Virginia, to be law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- planes’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– General Counsel, Department of Homeland ness Directives; Airbus Airplanes’’ ((RIN2120– 2017–0524)) received in the Office of the Presi- Security. AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2016–0451)) received dent of the Senate on September 28, 2017; to in the Office of the President of the Senate the Committee on Commerce, Science, and *Nomination was reported with rec- on September 28, 2017; to the Committee on Transportation. ommendation that it be confirmed sub- Commerce, Science, and Transportation. EC–3008. A communication from the Man- ject to the nominee’s commitment to EC–3000. A communication from the Man- agement and Program Analyst, Federal respond to requests to appear and tes- agement and Program Analyst, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of tify before any duly constituted com- Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to mittee of the Senate. Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Airworthi- ness Directives; Dassault Aviation Air- f ness Directives; Airbus Airplanes’’ ((RIN2120– planes’’ ((RIN2120–AA64) (Docket No. FAA– INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND AA64) (Docket No. FAA–2017–0533)) received 2017–0525)) received in the Office of the Presi- JOINT RESOLUTIONS in the Office of the President of the Senate dent of the Senate on September 28, 2017; to on September 28, 2017; to the Committee on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and The following bills and joint resolu- Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Transportation. tions were introduced, read the first

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC6.012 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6321 and second times by unanimous con- By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself and S. 946 sent, and referred as indicated: Mr. LEAHY): At the request of Mr. FLAKE, the S. Res. 281. A resolution urging the Presi- By Mr. THUNE (for himself, Ms. KLO- name of the Senator from Delaware dent of the United States to allow for the BUCHAR, Mr. ROUNDS, and Mr. BEN- (Mr. COONS) was added as a cosponsor full public release of all remaining records NET): of S. 946, a bill to require the Secretary S. 1913. A bill to amend the Federal Crop pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy that are held by the Na- of Veterans Affairs to hire additional Insurance Act and the Federal Agriculture Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to tional Archives and Records Administration make the native sod provisions applicable to and to reject any claims for the continued to provide treatment court services to the United States and to modify those provi- postponement of the full public release of justice-involved veterans, and for other sions, and for other purposes; to the Com- those records; to the Committee on Home- purposes. mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and For- land Security and Governmental Affairs. S. 1015 By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself and estry. At the request of Mr. HATCH, the Mr. LEAHY): By Mr. WARNER (for himself and Mr. name of the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. SCOTT): S. Res. 282. A resolution commending the SCHATZ) was added as a cosponsor of S. S. 1914. A bill to amend title XVIII of the National Archives and Records Administra- Social Security Act in order to strengthen tion and its staff for working to comply with 1015, a bill to require the Federal Com- rules in case of competition for diabetic test- the President John F. Kennedy Assassina- munications Commission to study the ing strips, and for other purposes; to the tion Records Collection Act of 1992 and re- feasibility of designating a simple, Committee on Finance. lease all records related to the assassination easy-to-remember dialing code to be By Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Ms. of President John F. Kennedy by October 26, used for a national suicide prevention WARREN, and Mr. VAN HOLLEN): 2017; to the Committee on Homeland Secu- and mental health crisis hotline sys- rity and Governmental Affairs. S. 1915. A bill to provide for the develop- tem. ment and use of technology for personalized By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Ms. handguns, to require that all handguns man- STABENOW, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. ENZI, S. 1498 ufactured or sold in, or imported into, the Mr. DONNELLY, and Mr. COCHRAN): At the request of Ms. COLLINS, the United States incorporate such technology, S. Res. 283. A resolution designating the names of the Senator from Illinois (Ms. and for other purposes; to the Committee on week beginning October 15, 2017, as ‘‘Na- DUCKWORTH) and the Senator from Or- Commerce, Science, and Transportation. tional Character Counts Week’’; considered egon (Mr. WYDEN) were added as co- By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. and agreed to. sponsors of S. 1498, a bill to establish in By Mr. CASSIDY (for himself, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Ms. the Smithsonian Institution a com- KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MUR- MURPHY, Ms. WARREN, Mr. GRAHAM, prehensive American women’s history PHY, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. KING, and Mr. BOOZ- Mr. CASEY, Mr. REED, Ms. HASSAN, MAN): museum, and for other purposes. Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. CARPER, Mr. S. Res. 284. A resolution calling on Con- S. 1632 CARDIN, Mr. COONS, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. gress, schools, and State and local edu- At the request of Mr. MORAN, the BOOKER, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. WHITE- cational agencies to recognize the signifi- names of the Senator from North Da- HOUSE, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. cant educational implications of dyslexia kota (Mr. HOEVEN) and the Senator that must be addressed, and designating Oc- LEAHY, Ms. WARREN, Mr. SCHUMER, from Indiana (Mr. DONNELLY) were tober 2017 as ‘‘National Dyslexia Awareness Ms. CANTWELL, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. added as cosponsors of S. 1632, a bill to NELSON, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. UDALL, Month’’; considered and agreed to. and Mr. KAINE): establish an additional fund in the f S. 1916. A bill to prohibit the possession or Treasury to meet existing statutory transfer of certain firearm accessories, and ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS obligations to reimburse costs reason- for other purposes; to the Committee on the ably incurred as a result of the reorga- Judiciary. S. 251 nization of broadcast television spec- By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. At the request of Mr. WYDEN, the trum, and for other purposes. DURBIN, Mr. LEE, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, name of the Senator from Pennsyl- S. 1706 Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. FLAKE, vania (Mr. CASEY) was added as a co- At the request of Mr. BOOKER, his Mr. BOOKER, Mr. SCOTT, Mrs. FEIN- sponsor of S. 251, a bill to repeal the STEIN, and Mr. BLUNT): name was added as a cosponsor of S. S. 1917. A bill to reform sentencing laws Independent Payment Advisory Board 1706, a bill to prevent human health and correctional institutions, and for other in order to ensure that it cannot be threats posed by the consumption of purposes; to the Committee on the Judici- used to undermine the Medicare enti- equines raised in the United States. ary. tlement for beneficiaries. S. 1718 By Mr. SCHATZ (for himself, Mr. PAUL, S. 298 Mrs. GILLIBRAND, and Mr. MERKLEY): At the request of Mr. KENNEDY, the S. 1918. A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime At the request of Mr. TESTER, the name of the Senator from Missouri Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to au- name of the Senator from Iowa (Mrs. (Mr. BLUNT) was added as a cosponsor thorize a grant program to assist State and ERNST) was added as a cosponsor of S. of S. 1718, a bill to authorize the mint- local law enforcement agencies in pur- 298, a bill to require Senate candidates ing of a coin in honor of the 75th anni- chasing body-worn cameras and securely to file designations, statements, and versary of the end of World War II, and storing and maintaining recording data for reports in electronic form. for other purposes. law enforcement officers; to the Committee S. 479 on the Judiciary. S. 1724 By Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mr. At the request of Mr. BROWN, the At the request of Mr. WARNER, the MERKLEY, Mr. PETERS, Mrs. MURRAY, name of the Senator from Nebraska name of the Senator from Michigan and Mr. CASEY): (Mrs. FISCHER) was added as a cospon- (Ms. STABENOW) was added as a cospon- S. 1919. A bill to end the use of body-grip- sor of S. 479, a bill to amend title XVIII sor of S. 1724, a bill to amend the Inter- ping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge of the Social Security Act to waive co- nal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a System; to the Committee on Environment insurance under Medicare for and Public Works. new tax credit and grant program to By Mr. BOOKER: colorectal cancer screening tests, re- stimulate investment and healthy nu- S. 1920. A bill to amend title 40, United gardless of whether therapeutic inter- trition options in food deserts, and for States Code, to direct the Administrator of vention is required during the screen- other purposes. General Services to incorporate bird-safe ing. S. 1757 building materials and design features into S. 832 At the request of Mr. CORNYN, the public buildings, and for other purposes; to name of the Senator from Oklahoma the Committee on Environment and Public At the request of Mr. CARDIN, the Works. name of the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. LANKFORD) was added as a cospon- sor of S. 1757, a bill to strengthen bor- f (Mr. BOOKER) was added as a cosponsor of S. 832, a bill to enhance the trans- der security, increase resources for en- SUBMISSION OF CONCURRENT AND parency and accelerate the impact of forcement of immigration laws, and for SENATE RESOLUTIONS programs under the African Growth other purposes. The following concurrent resolutions and Opportunity Act and the Millen- S. 1774 and Senate resolutions were read, and nium Challenge Corporation, and for At the request of Mr. HATCH, the referred (or acted upon), as indicated: other purposes. name of the Senator from Alabama

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:36 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC6.017 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6322 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 (Mr. STRANGE) was added as a cospon- MCCAIN) was added as a cosponsor of S. and Records Administration all records in sor of S. 1774, a bill to provide protec- Res. 211, a resolution condemning the their custody related to the assassination of tions for workers with respect to their violence and persecution in Chechnya. President Kennedy; Whereas former President and ninth Direc- right to select or refrain from selecting S. RES. 245 representation by a labor organization. tor of Central Intelligence George H.W. Bush At the request of Mr. CRUZ, the declared in his signing statement for the S. 1823 names of the Senator from New Jersey Records Collection Act that ‘‘[b]ecause of le- At the request of Mr. BLUNT, the (Mr. BOOKER) and the Senator from gitimate historical interest in this tragic name of the Senator from Louisiana New Jersey (Mr. MENENDEZ) were added event, all documents about the assassination (Mr. KENNEDY) was added as a cospon- as cosponsors of S. Res. 245, a resolu- should now be disclosed’’; sor of S. 1823, a bill to amend the Rob- tion calling on the Government of Iran Whereas the Records Collection Act estab- ert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and to release unjustly detained United lished the Assassination Records Review Emergency Assistance Act to clarify States citizens and legal permanent Board to ensure that Federal agencies com- plied with the law; that houses of worship are eligible for resident aliens, and for other purposes. certain disaster relief and emergency Whereas the Records Collection Act estab- S. RES. 280 lished a deadline 25 years after enactment assistance on terms equal to other eli- At the request of Ms. STABENOW, the for the full public disclosure of all assassina- gible private nonprofit facilities, and names of the Senator from Maine (Mr. tion records whose disclosure was postponed for other purposes. KING) and the Senator from Minnesota or that were subject to redaction; S. 1827 (Ms. KLOBUCHAR) were added as cospon- Whereas the 25-year deadline for the full At the request of Mr. HATCH, the sors of S. Res. 280, a resolution desig- public disclosure of all remaining assassina- name of the Senator from Iowa (Mr. nating the week of October 2 through tion records is October 26, 2017; Whereas the Assassination Records Review GRASSLEY) was added as a cosponsor of October 6, 2017, as ‘‘National Health In- S. 1827, a bill to extend funding for the Board uncovered records that were withheld formation Technology Week’’ to recog- from the staff of the President’s Commission Children’s Health Insurance Program, nize the value of health information and for other purposes. on the Assassination of President John F. technology in transforming and im- Kennedy, the House Select Committee on As- S. 1859 proving the healthcare system for all sassinations, and other Government entities; At the request of Mr. GARDNER, the people in the United States. Whereas the former Chairman of the Assas- name of the Senator from Georgia (Mr. sination Records Review Board has publicly f ISAKSON) was added as a cosponsor of S. commented that records held by the Na- 1859, a bill to extend the moratorium SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS tional Archives and Records Administration on the annual fee on health insurance should be made public; providers. Whereas the National Archives and Records Administration holds approximately S. 1869 SENATE RESOLUTION 281—URGING 3,100 fully redacted records and approxi- At the request of Mr. GRASSLEY, the THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED mately 31,000 partially redacted records con- name of the Senator from New Hamp- STATES TO ALLOW FOR THE cerning the assassination of President Ken- shire (Ms. HASSAN) was added as a co- FULL PUBLIC RELEASE OF ALL nedy; sponsor of S. 1869, a bill to reauthorize REMAINING RECORDS PER- Whereas Congress declared in the Records and rename the position of Whistle- TAINING TO THE ASSASSINATION Collection Act that all Government records blower Ombudsman to be the Whistle- OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KEN- related to the assassination should be pre- blower Protection Coordinator. NEDY THAT ARE HELD BY THE served for historical and governmental pur- S. 1874 NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND poses and eventually disclosed to enable the At the request of Mr. WYDEN, the RECORDS ADMINISTRATION AND public to become fully informed about the name of the Senator from Delaware TO REJECT ANY CLAIMS FOR history surrounding the assassination; THE CONTINUED POSTPONEMENT Whereas Congress declared in the Records (Mr. COONS) was added as a cosponsor Collection Act that legislation was necessary of S. 1874, a bill to direct the Secretary OF THE FULL PUBLIC RELEASE because the implementation of the Freedom of Energy to establish certain dem- OF THOSE RECORDS of Information Act (section 552 of title 5, onstration grant programs relating to Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself and Mr. United States Code) by the executive branch the demonstration of advanced dis- LEAHY) submitted the following resolu- prevented the timely public disclosure of tribution systems, smart water heat- tion; which was referred to the Com- records relating to the assassination of ers, vehicle-to-grid integration, and mittee on Homeland Security and Gov- President Kennedy; granular retail electricity pricing, and ernmental Affairs: Whereas public opinion surveys suggest for other purposes. that a large majority of the American public Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I re- supports the full release of all remaining as- S. 1875 quest unanimous consent that the text sassination records; At the request of Mr. WYDEN, the of the resolution urging the President Whereas Congress recently reaffirmed its name of the Senator from Delaware of the United States to allow for the commitment to transparency, account- (Mr. COONS) was added as a cosponsor full public release of all remaining ability, and the public disclosure of Govern- of S. 1875, a bill to move the United records pertaining to the assassination ment records by enacting the FOIA Improve- States toward greater energy independ- of President John F. Kennedy that are ment Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–185; 130 ence and security, to increase the flexi- held by the National Archives and Stat. 538), which codifies a presumption of bility, efficiency, and reliability of the Records Administration and to reject openness; Whereas there is legitimate interest from electric grid, to increase the competi- any claims for the continued postpone- tiveness of the United States economy, the academic community, historical re- ment of the full public release of those searchers, and the general public in having to protect consumers, and to improve records, be printed in the RECORD. access to withheld records for research pur- the energy performance of the Federal There being no objection, the text of poses and general knowledge; and Government, and for other purposes. the resolution was ordered to be print- Whereas the National Archives and S. 1876 ed in the RECORD, as follows: Records Administration was formed to pre- serve and document Government and histor- At the request of Mr. WYDEN, the S. RES. 281 name of the Senator from Delaware ical records and to increase public access to Whereas May 29, 2017, marked the 100th an- those documents: Now, therefore, be it (Mr. COONS) was added as a cosponsor niversary of the birth of President John F. of S. 1876, a bill to direct the Secretary Kennedy; Resolved, That the Senate urges the Presi- of Energy to establish a program to ad- Whereas nearly 54 years have passed since dent of the United States to— vance energy storage deployment by the tragic assassination of President Ken- (1) allow for the full public release of all reducing the cost of energy storage nedy on November 22, 1963; remaining records pertaining to the assas- through research, development, and Whereas the President John F. Kennedy sination of President John F. Kennedy that are held by the National Archives and demonstration, and for other purposes. Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 U.S.C. 2107 note; Public Law 102–526) (re- Records Administration; and S. RES. 211 ferred to in this preamble as the ‘‘Records (2) reject any claims for the continued At the request of Mr. TOOMEY, the Collection Act’’), directed all Federal agen- postponement of the full public release of name of the Senator from Arizona (Mr. cies to transmit to the National Archives those records.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:17 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC6.018 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6323 SENATE RESOLUTION 282—COM- S. RES. 283 SENATE RESOLUTION 284—CALL- MENDING THE NATIONAL AR- Whereas the well-being of the United ING ON CONGRESS, SCHOOLS, CHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINIS- States requires that the young people of the AND STATE AND LOCAL EDU- TRATION AND ITS STAFF FOR United States become an involved, caring CATIONAL AGENCIES TO RECOG- WORKING TO COMPLY WITH THE citizenry of good character; NIZE THE SIGNIFICANT EDU- Whereas the character education of chil- PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY dren has become more urgent, as violence by CATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF ASSASSINATION RECORDS COL- and against youth increasingly threatens the DYSLEXIA THAT MUST BE AD- LECTION ACT OF 1992 AND RE- physical and psychological well-being of the DRESSED, AND DESIGNATING OC- LEASE ALL RECORDS RELATED people of the United States; TOBER 2017 AS ‘‘NATIONAL DYS- TO THE ASSASSINATION OF Whereas, more than ever, children need LEXIA AWARENESS MONTH’’ strong and constructive guidance from their PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY Mr. CASSIDY (for himself, Mr. MUR- BY OCTOBER 26, 2017 families and their communities, including schools, youth organizations, religious insti- PHY, Ms. WARREN, Mr. GRAHAM, Mrs. Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself and Mr. tutions, and civic groups; CAPITO, Mr. KING, and Mr. BOOZMAN) LEAHY) submitted the following resolu- Whereas the character of a nation is only submitted the following resolution; tion; which was referred to the Com- as strong as the character of its individual which was considered and agreed to: mittee on Homeland Security and Gov- citizens; S. RES. 284 Whereas the public good is advanced when ernmental Affairs: Whereas dyslexia is— Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I re- young people are taught the importance of (1) defined as an unexpected difficulty in quest unanimous consent that the text good character and the positive effects that reading for an individual who has the intel- good character can have in personal relation- ligence to be a much better reader; and of the resolution commending the Na- ships, in school, and in the workplace; tional Archives and Records Adminis- (2) most commonly caused by a difficulty Whereas scholars and educators agree that in phonological processing (the appreciation tration and its staff for working to people do not automatically develop good of the individual sounds of spoken language), comply with the President John F. character and that, therefore, conscientious which affects the ability of an individual to Kennedy Assassination Records Collec- efforts must be made by institutions and in- speak, read, and spell, and often, the ability tion Act of 1992 and release all records dividuals that influence youth to help young to learn a second language; related to the assassination of Presi- people develop the essential traits and char- Whereas dyslexia is the most common acteristics that comprise good character; learning disability and affects 80 percent to dent John F. Kennedy by October 26, Whereas, although character development 2017, be printed in the RECORD. 90 percent of all individuals with a learning is, first and foremost, an obligation of fami- disability; There being no objection, the text of lies, the efforts of faith communities, the resolution was ordered to be print- Whereas dyslexia is persistent and highly schools, and youth, civic, and human service prevalent, affecting as many as 1 out of 5 in- ed in the RECORD, as follows: organizations also play an important role in dividuals; S. RES. 282 fostering and promoting good character; Whereas dyslexia is a paradox, in that an Whereas the President John F. Kennedy Whereas Congress encourages students, individual with dyslexia may have both— Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 teachers, parents, youth, and community (1) weaknesses in decoding that result in leaders to recognize the importance of char- (44 U.S.C. 2107 note; Public Law 102–526) di- difficulties in accurate or fluent word rec- acter education in preparing young people to rected the National Archives and Records ognition; and play a role in determining the future of the Administration (commonly known as (2) strengths in higher-level cognitive func- United States; ‘‘NARA’’) to establish a collection of records tions, such as reasoning, critical thinking, Whereas effective character education is to be known as the President John F. Ken- concept formation, or problem solving; based on core ethical values, which form the nedy Assassination Records Collection (re- Whereas great progress has been made in foundation of a democratic society; ferred to in this preamble as the ‘‘Collec- understanding dyslexia on a scientific level, Whereas examples of character are trust- tion’’); including the epidemiology and cognitive worthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, Whereas the Collection includes all Fed- and neurobiological bases of dyslexia; and caring, citizenship, and honesty; Whereas early screening for and early diag- eral Government records relating to the 1963 Whereas elements of character transcend assassination of President John F. Kennedy, nosis of dyslexia are critical for ensuring in- cultural, religious, and socioeconomic dif- dividuals with dyslexia receive focused, evi- including records of Presidential commis- ferences; sions, congressional committees and inves- dence-based intervention that leads to fluent Whereas the character and conduct of reading, promotion of self-awareness and tigations, executive branch agencies, and the youth reflect the character and conduct of judiciary, in addition to a variety of donated self-empowerment, and the provision of nec- society, and, therefore, every adult has the essary accommodations that ensure success historical materials; responsibility to teach and model ethical Whereas NARA has compiled a JFK Master in school and in life: Now, therefore, be it values and every social institution has the Resolved, That the Senate— System database of 319,106 documents com- responsibility to promote the development of prising 5,000,000 pages of assassination-re- (1) calls on Congress, schools, and State good character; and local educational agencies to recognize lated records, photographs, motion pictures Whereas Congress encourages individuals and recordings, and artifacts; and that dyslexia has significant educational im- and organizations, especially those that have plications that must be addressed; and Whereas the processing team at NARA, in- an interest in the education and training of cluding archivists and technicians from the (2) designates October 2017 as ‘‘National the young people of the United States, to Dyslexia Awareness Month’’. Special Access and Freedom of Information adopt the elements of character as intrinsic Act staff, staff from the Office of Innovation, to the well-being of individuals, commu- f and Public Affairs staff, have worked dili- nities, and society; AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO gently to fully release records related to the Whereas many schools in the United States MEET assassination of President Kennedy: Now, recognize the need, and have taken steps, to therefore, be it integrate the values of their communities Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I have Resolved, That the Senate commends the into teaching activities; and 17 requests for committees to meet National Archives and Records Administra- Whereas the establishment of ‘‘National during today’s session of the Senate. tion and its staff for working to comply with Character Counts Week’’, during which indi- They have the approval of the Majority the President John F. Kennedy Assassina- viduals, families, schools, youth organiza- and Minority leaders. tion Records Collection Act of 1992 and re- tions, religious institutions, civic groups, lease all records related to the assassination Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph and other organizations focus on character 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Sen- of President John F. Kennedy by October 26, education, is of great benefit to the United 2017. States: Now, therefore, be it ate, the following committees are au- f Resolved, That the Senate— thorized to meet during today’s session (1) designates the week beginning October of the Senate: SENATE RESOLUTION 283—DESIG- 15, 2017, as ‘‘National Character Counts COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING AND URBAN NATING THE WEEK BEGINNING Week’’; and AFFAIRS OCTOBER 15, 2017, AS ‘‘NATIONAL (2) calls upon the people of the United The Committee on Banking, Housing CHARACTER COUNTS WEEK’’ States and interested groups— and Urban Affairs is authorized to Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Ms. (A) to embrace the elements of character meet during the session of the Senate identified by local schools and communities, STABENOW, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. ENZI, such as trustworthiness, respect, responsi- on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at 10 Mr. DONNELLY, and Mr. COCHRAN) sub- bility, fairness, caring, and citizenship; and a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled, ‘‘An mitted the following resolution; which (B) to observe the week with appropriate Examination of the Equifax cybersecu- was considered and agreed to: ceremonies, programs, and activities. rity breach.’’

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC6.022 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S6324 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 4, 2017 COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in room Hart 216, to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The TRANSPORTATION conduct a business meeting considering clerk will report the bill by title. The Committee on Commerce, the following: S. 943, Johnson-O’Malley The assistant bill clerk read as fol- Science, and Transportation is author- Supplemental Indian Education Pro- lows: ized to hold an Executive Session dur- gram Modernization Act. A bill (H.R. 1117) to require the Adminis- ing the session of the Senate on COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS trator of the Federal Emergency Manage- Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at 10 a.m. The Committee on Indian Affairs is ment Agency to submit a report regarding in room Hart 216. authorized to meet during the session certain plans regarding assistance to appli- cants and grantees during the response to an COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC of the Senate on Wednesday, October 4, emergency or disaster. WORKS 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in room Hart 216, to There being no objection, the Senate The Committee on Environment and conduct an oversight hearing entitled proceeded to consider the bill. Public Works is authorized to meet ‘‘Doubling Down on Indian Gaming: during the session of the Senate on Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask Examining New Issues and Opportuni- unanimous consent that the bill be Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at 10 a.m., ties for Success in the Next 30 years.’’ in room Dirksen 406, to conduct a hear- considered read a third time and passed COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY and the motion to reconsider be consid- ing on the following nominations: Mi- The Committee on Judiciary is au- chael Dourson, Matthew Leopold, ered made and laid upon the table. thorized to meet during the session of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without David Ross, and William Wehrum to be the Senate, on Wednesday, October 4, Assistant Administrators of the Envi- objection, it is so ordered. 2017, at 10 a.m., in room Dirksen 226 to The bill (H.R. 1117) was ordered to a ronmental Protection Agency; and conduct a hearing on nominations. Jeffery Baran to be a Member of the third reading, was read the third time, COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS Nuclear Regulatory Commission. and passed. The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs f COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL is authorized to meet during the ses- RESOURCES sion of the Senate on Wednesday, Octo- COMMEMORATING THE 25TH ANNI- The Committee on Energy and Nat- ber 4, 2017, at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a VERSARY OF THE 1992 LOS AN- ural Resources is authorized to meet hearing on pending nominations. GELES CIVIL UNREST during the session of the Senate on Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask Wednesday, October 4, 2017, after the SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING The Special Committee on Aging is unanimous consent that the Com- first vote scheduled at 11 a.m., in room mittee on the Judiciary be discharged S–216, to hold a business meeting to authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, October 4, from further consideration of S. Res. consider the following nominations: 147 and the Senate proceed to its imme- Bruce J. Walker and Steven E. 2017, at 9 a.m. in room Dirksen 562, to conduct a hearing ‘‘Still Ringing off diate consideration. Winberg, to be Assistant Secretaries of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Energy. the Hook: An Update on Efforts to Combat Robocalls.’’ objection, it is so ordered. COMMITTEE ON FINANCE The clerk will report the resolution SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE The Committee on Finance is author- by title. ized to meet during the session of the The Select Committee on Intel- The assistant bill clerk read as fol- Senate on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, ligence is authorized to meet during lows: the session of the Senate on Wednes- at 9:30 a.m., in room Dirksen 215, to A resolution (S. Res. 147) commemorating consider favorably reporting the Keep day, October 4, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. in room the 25th anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles Kids’ Insurance Dependable and Secure Hart 219 to hold a closed briefing. civil unrest. (KIDS) Act of 2017. SUBCOMMITTEE ON WESTERN HEMISPHERE There being no objection, the Senate COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS The Committee on Foreign Relations proceeded to consider the resolution. The Committee on Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask is authorized to meet during the ses- is authorized to meet during the ses- unanimous consent that the resolution sion of the Senate on Wednesday, Octo- sion of Senate on Wednesday, October be agreed to, the preamble be agreed ber 4, 2017, at 9:15 a.m., to hold a brief- 4, 2017, at 11 a.m., to hold a hearing to, and the motions to reconsider be ing ‘‘Ordered Departure of Personnel ‘‘The Future of Iraq’s Minorities: considered made and laid upon the from the U.S. Embassy in Havana, What’s Next after ISIS.’’ table with no intervening action or de- Cuba.’’ SUBCOMMITTEE ON PRIVACY, TECHNOLOGY AND bate. THE LAW COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The Committee on Foreign Relations The Committee on Judiciary Sub- objection, it is so ordered. is authorized to meet during the ses- committee on Privacy, Technology and The resolution (S. Res. 147) was sion of the Senate on Wednesday, Octo- the Law is authorized to meet during agreed to. ber 4, 2017, at 10:30 a.m., to hold a hear- the session of Senate on Wednesday, The preamble was agreed to. (The resolution, with its preamble, is ing on nominations. October 4, 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in room Dirksen 226, to conduct a hearing printed in the RECORD of April 27, 2017, COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND ‘‘Equifax: Continuing to Monitor Data- under ‘‘Submitted Resolutions.’’) PENSIONS The Committee on Health, Edu- Broker Cybersecurity.’’ f cation, Labor, and Pensions is author- f NATIONAL CHARACTER COUNTS ized to meet, during the session of the PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR WEEK Senate on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask at 3 p.m., in room Dirksen 406 to con- unanimous consent that my intern unanimous consent that the Senate duct a hearing entitled ‘‘Department of Nissa Koerner be granted floor privi- proceed to the consideration of S. Res. Labor and National Labor Relations leges for the remainder of the day. 283, submitted earlier today. Board Nominations.’’ The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The PRESIDING OFFICER. The COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND objection, it is so ordered. clerk will report the resolution by GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS f title. The Committee on Homeland Secu- The assistant bill clerk read as fol- rity and Governmental Affairs is au- REQUIRING THE ADMINISTRATOR lows: thorized to meet during the session of OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY A resolution (S. Res. 283) designating the the Senate on Wednesday, October 4, MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO SUB- week beginning October 15, 2017, as ‘‘Na- 2017, at 10 a.m. for a business meeting. MIT A REPORT tional Character Counts Week.’’ COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask There being no objection, the Senate The Committee on Indian Affairs is unanimous consent that the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution. authorized to meet during the session proceed to the immediate consider- Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask of the Senate on Wednesday, October 4, ation of Calendar No. 222, H.R. 1117. unanimous consent that the resolution

VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:50 Oct 05, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC6.027 S04OCPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE October 4, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6325 be agreed to, the preamble be agreed There being no objection, the Senate ness be closed; finally, that following to, and the motions to reconsider be proceeded to consider the resolution. leader remarks, the Senate proceed to considered made and laid upon the Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask executive session and resume consider- table with no intervening action or de- unanimous consent that the resolution ation of the Quarles nomination, with bate. be agreed to, the preamble be agreed the time until 10 a.m. equally divided The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without to, and the motions to reconsider be between the two leaders or their des- objection, it is so ordered. considered made and laid upon the ignees. The resolution (S. Res. 283) was table with no intervening action or de- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without agreed to. bate. objection, it is so ordered. The preamble was agreed to. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without (The resolution, with its preamble, is objection, it is so ordered. f printed in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Sub- The resolution (S. Res. 284) was mitted Resolutions.’’) agreed to. ADJOURNMENT UNTIL 9:30 A.M. f The preamble was agreed to. TOMORROW NATIONAL DYSLEXIA AWARENESS (The resolution, with its preamble, is Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, if there is MONTH printed in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Sub- no further business to come before the Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask mitted Resolutions.’’) Senate, I ask unanimous consent that unanimous consent that the Senate f it stand adjourned under the previous proceed to consideration of S. Res. 284, order. submitted earlier today. ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER There being no objection, the Senate, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 5, 2017 at 4:29 p.m., adjourned until Thursday, clerk will report the resolution by Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask October 5, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. title. unanimous consent that when the Sen- The assistant bill clerk read as fol- ate completes its business today, it ad- f lows: journ until 9:30 a.m., Thursday, Octo- A resolution (S. Res. 284) calling on Con- ber 5; further, that following the pray- CONFIRMATION gress, schools, and State and local edu- er and pledge, the morning hour be cational agencies to recognize the signifi- Executive nomination confirmed by cant educational implications of dyslexia deemed expired, the Journal of pro- the Senate October 4, 2017: that must be addressed, and designating Oc- ceedings be approved to date, the time DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES for the two leaders be reserved for their tober 2017 as ‘‘National Dyslexia Awareness ERIC D. HARGAN, OF ILLINOIS, TO BE DEPUTY SEC- Month.’’ use later in the day, and morning busi- RETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

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