Floor Statements

Mr. President, tax reform is working. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has been the law of the land for just 2 months, but it is already helping American workers.

When it came time to draft tax reform legislation, we had one objective, and that was to make hard-working Americans' lives better. To accomplish that, we focused on two important priorities.

First, we focused on immediately increasing Americans' take-home pay. We lowered tax rates across the board, we nearly doubled the standard deduction, and we doubled the child tax credit. All of those provisions went into effect on January 1, and by the end of this month, according to the IRS, 90 percent of the American people should see lower paychecks.

While immediate relief for hard-working Americans was crucial, we wanted more than that. We wanted to give the American people access to the kinds of jobs and the kinds of wages and opportunities that would set them up for long-term security. We wanted to give them the kinds of jobs and wages where they wouldn't be forced to choose between sending their kids to college and saving for a secure retirement or between paying the mortgage or medical bills. So in addition to lowering the tax burden on Americans directly, we set about improving the playing field for American businesses so that we could make things better for American workers.

Needless to say, in order for American workers to thrive, the American economy has to thrive, and that means that American businesses have to thrive. It is pretty hard for a small business to hire a new worker or to raise wages if the owner can barely pay the tax bill. It is unlikely that an American company is going to have a lot of spare cash for investing in its workforce if it is struggling to compete with foreign companies that are paying far less in taxes. It is unlikely that America's global companies are going to focus on reinvesting in the United States if they face a tax penalty for bringing foreign earnings back home. So we lowered our Nation's massive corporate tax rate, which, up until January 1, was the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world. We lowered tax rates across the board for owners of small- and medium-sized businesses, farms, and ranches. We expanded business owners' ability to recover investments they make in their businesses, which will free up cash that they can reinvest into their operations and their workers. We brought the U.S. international tax system into the 21st century by replacing our outdated worldwide system with a modernized territorial tax system so that American businesses are not operating at a disadvantage next to their foreign competitors.

The goal in all of this was to free up businesses to increase their investments in the American economy and in American workers, and that is exactly what businesses are doing. The list of tax reform good news keeps growing--wage increases, new jobs, increased investment, bonuses, benefit increases, and the list goes on and on.

Take utility bills. Lower utility bills might not be the first result we think of from tax reform, but tax reform is saving utility companies money, and they are passing those savings on to consumers.

Washington, DC, radio station WTOP reports:

In a flip-flop related to tax reform, [utility company]

Pepco now says it wants to cut rates instead of raise them.

In December and January, the utility announced plans to

raise rates in D.C. and Maryland respectively. . . . But the

sweeping Federal tax bill signed into law late last year

meant a significant tax savings for the utility. As a result,

Pepco is now asking the Maryland Public Service Commission to

approve a rate cut.

That is right--they were talking about a rate increase, but now they are talking about a rate cut in their utility rates.

Take this story from the Daily Energy Insider titled ``Federal Tax Cut More Than Reverses Eversource Rate Increase in Massachusetts.''

The Daily Energy Insider:

Many Eversource Energy electricity customers in

Massachusetts who were expecting to see a rate increase this

year instead will see a rate reduction because of the recent

Federal corporate tax cut.

``What was expected to be about a $36 million annual rate

increase has turned into a $20 million annual decrease,''

said the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.

In my home State of South Dakota, Black Hills Energy in Rapid City is working with regulators to pass tax savings on to South Dakotans. So far, utility companies in at least 39 States are passing tax savings on to consumers, and that can be a real help to family budgets. Everybody knows how much gets spent out of every family's budget on utilities, on energy, and certainly in my part of the country in South Dakota, with the cold winters, that is even amplified. It can be a real help to family budgets, particularly families who are living paycheck to paycheck.

In Florida, Florida Power and Light Company announced that thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, it will no longer require its customers to pay a surcharge for Hurricane Irma restoration. Instead, the company reports:

Florida Power and Light plans to apply federal tax savings

toward the $1.3 billion cost of Hurricane Irma restoration,

which will save each of Florida Power and Light's 4.9 million

customers an average of approximately $250.

Thanks to tax reform, good news for American workers seems to just pour in daily, whether it is lower utility bills, new jobs, bonuses, or, as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina announced last week, lower rate increases on health insurance.

I am proud that tax reform is accomplishing our goal of making life better for hard-working Americans, and I look forward to seeing even more benefits for American workers in the weeks and months to come.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, today I recognize the hard work of my Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee intern Anthony Stoks. Anthony hails from Adelaide, Australia, and is a law student at Flinders University.

While interning for the Commerce Committee, Anthony assisted the Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness. He is a dedicated worker who was committed to getting the most out of his internship. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Anthony for all of the fine work he did for the committee and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, today I recognize McKenzie Bobbitt, an intern in my Washington, DC, office, for all of the hard work she has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota over the past several months.

McKenzie is a graduate of Texas A&M University--Commerce, in Commerce, TX, having earned a degree in business administration. She is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of her experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to McKenzie for all of the fine work she has done and wish her continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, when we set out to do tax reform, we had two big goals we wanted to achieve for the American people.

First, we wanted to provide them with immediate relief on their tax bills, which we did, by lowering tax rates across the board, doubling the child tax credit, and nearly doubling the standard deduction. Thanks to lower rates and the new withholding tables, Americans across the Nation will start seeing bigger paychecks this month. Yet our objective went beyond tax cuts, as important as that relief is to the American people.

We wanted to create an economy that would produce the jobs and opportunities that would provide Americans with security and prosperity for the long term. Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, our Tax Code was not helping to create that kind of an economy. In fact, it was working against it. Businesses, large and small, were weighed down by high tax rates and growth-killing tax provisions and all of the regulatory and compliance burdens that went along with them, and our outdated international tax rules left America's global businesses at a competitive disadvantage in the global economy. That had real consequences for American workers.

A small business owner who struggled to afford the annual tax bill for her business was highly unlikely to be able to hire a new worker or to raise wages. A larger business that struggled to stay competitive in the global marketplace, while having paid substantially higher tax rates than its foreign competitors, too often had limited funds to expand or increase investment in the United States.

So, when it came time for tax reform, we set out to reform the business side of the Tax Code to benefit American workers. We knew that for American workers to have access to good jobs and opportunities, the American economy had to thrive, and that meant American businesses had to thrive, so we took action to lessen the challenges that faced American businesses.

We lowered tax rates across the board for the owners of small- and medium-sized businesses, farms, and ranches. We expanded the ability of business owners to recover the investments they make in their businesses, which will free up cash that they can reinvest in their operations and their workers. We lowered our Nation's massive corporate tax rate, which, up until January 1, was the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world. We also brought the U.S. international tax system into the 21st century by replacing our outdated worldwide system with a modernized territorial tax system so American businesses would not be operating at a disadvantage next to their foreign competitors.

The goal in all of this was to free up businesses to increase investments in the U.S. economy, to hire new workers, and to increase wages and benefits. I am happy to report that is exactly what they are doing. Even though tax reform has been the law of the land for less than 2 months, businesses are already announcing new investment, new jobs, better wages, and better benefits for workers.

Tech giant Apple announced that thanks to tax reform, it will bring home almost $250 billion in cash, which it has been keeping overseas, and invest it in the United States. It also announced it will create 20,000 new jobs. Fiat Chrysler announced it will be adding 2,500 jobs at a Michigan factory in order to produce the pickups it had been making in Mexico. Nexus Services is hiring 200 more workers. JPMorgan Chase is adding 4,000 new jobs and opening 400 new branches. Boeing is investing an additional $100 million in infrastructure and facilities and an additional $100 million in workforce development. Regions Financial Corporation is investing an additional $100 million in capital expenditures. FedEx is investing $1.5 billion to expand its FedEx Express hub in Indianapolis. ExxonMobil is investing an additional $35 billion in the U.S. economy over the next 5 years--and on and on.

We are starting to see similar results, not just from larger and medium-sized companies but from smaller companies too. For example, Jones Auto and Towing in Riverview, FL, is putting two new tow trucks into service,

which means new jobs for local workers.

There are all of the companies that are boosting their base wages: Bank of Hawaii; Charter Communications, Incorporated; Berkshire Hills Bancorp; Rod's Harvest Foods in St. Ignatius, MT; Walmart; Cigna Corporation; Great Western Bancorp in my home State of South Dakota; Webster Financial Corporation; Capital One; Humana. The list keeps going and going and going.

Then there are the companies that are increasing their 401(k) matches, boosting wages, creating or expanding parental leave benefits, and improving health benefits.

Tax reform is already working for American workers, and as the benefits of tax reform accrue, we can expect more jobs, more benefits, higher wages, and more opportunities for American workers in the future. That is what tax reform was designed to do--to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit in this country and provide incentives for American businesses to expand and grow their businesses. In doing that, they will create those better paying jobs, those higher wages, and a better standard of living for American workers and American families. It is having the desired effect, and we are seeing it every single day in this country.

This is not only a short-term thing; this will have a long-term effect and be a change that will be good for the American economy and American workers.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I have 5 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Committee on Armed Services

The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at 10 a.m., to conduct a closed hearing.

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Improving Animal Health: Reauthorization of FDA Animal Drug User Fees.''

Select Committee on Intelligence

The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Worldwide Threats''.

Select Committee on Intelligence

The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a closed hearing.

Subcommittee on Cybersecurity

The Subcommittee on Cybersecurity of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess subject to the call of the Chair.

Mr. President, the good news for American workers continues to roll in. Just take a look at the headlines from the last week: ``Pfizer Plans $5 Billion Boost in U.S. Manufacturing From Tax Law Changes''; ``Cigna raises wages, benefits following tax law''; ``CEO: Lehigh Valley small businesses to benefit from federal tax overhaul''; ``Altria Group will pay $3,000 bonus to all non-executive employees''; ``Ozarks workers to receive bonuses, benefits thanks to tax changes''; ``Charter Sets $15 Minimum Wage''; ``Lowe's to pay U.S. staff $1,000 bonus following tax reform.''

The number of companies increasing wages, boosting retirement contributions, or handing out bonuses thanks to tax reform continues to soar. Last week at this time, the number was over 250; now it is up over 300, and it keeps growing. Businesses are making plans to invest in their workers, raise wages, create new jobs, and invest in the U.S. economy. Fiat Chrysler, AT&T, Boeing, Home Depot, Great Western Bank in my home State of South Dakota, AaLadin Industries, Southwest, Best Buy, AccuWeather, Visa, Nationwide Insurance, Jet Blue--the list of companies announcing good news for American workers thanks to tax reform goes on and on.

The Nation's largest private employer, Walmart, announced an increase in its starting wage for hourly employees and bonuses for eligible employees. It also announced expanded maternity and parental leave benefits and the creation of a new adoption benefit for employees. More than 1 million Walmart employees will benefit from these changes.

JPMorgan Chase announced that it will raise wages for 22,000 workers, add thousands of jobs, and open 400 new branches in the United States. It also plans to increase its lending to small businesses.

Tech giant Apple announced that thanks to tax reform, it will bring home to the United States almost $250 billion in cash it has been keeping overseas and finally now invest it here in the United States. It also announced that it will create 20,000 new jobs and provide $2,500 stock bonuses to its employees.

FedEx announced plans to expedite raises and invest $1.5 billion to expand its FedEx Express hub in Indianapolis. It is also making a $1.5 billion contribution to its pension plan.

Last week, ExxonMobil announced that thanks in part to tax reform, it will invest an additional $35 billion in the U.S. economy over the next 5 years. That means a lot of new jobs and opportunities for American workers.

As I said before, I could go on and on. It is important to remember that this is just the beginning. To date, companies have barely experienced the benefits of tax reform, and already they are moving to invest in their workers and in the economy. As the benefits of tax reform continue to sink in and accrue, we can expect to see more growth, more jobs, and more opportunities for American workers.

The past month of good news is the reason we made business tax reform a key part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We are deeply committed to immediate relief for the American people, which is why we cut tax rates, doubled the standard deduction, and doubled the child tax credit, delivering immediate, meaningful tax relief to middle-class families in this country. But we want more for American workers than just a tax cut, as valuable as those are; we also want American workers to have access to the kinds of jobs and opportunities that will set them up for security and prosperity for the long term. Good jobs, good wages, and good opportunities were in short supply during the last Presidency, and we are determined to improve things for American workers. So we took action to improve the situation for American businesses since the only way individual Americans thrive is if American businesses and the American economy thrive.

Prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, American businesses large and small were weighed down by high tax rates and growth-killing tax provisions. Plus, our outdated international tax rules left America's global businesses at a competitive disadvantage in the global economy.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changed all that. We lowered tax rates across the board for owners with small- and medium-sized businesses, farms, and ranches. We expanded business owners' ability to recover investments they make in their businesses, which will free up cash that they can invest in their operations and their workers. We lowered our Nation's massive corporate tax rate, which, up until January 1 of this year, was the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world. We brought the U.S. international tax system into the 21st century by replacing our outdated worldwide system with a modernized territorial tax system so that American businesses are not operating at a disadvantage next to their foreign competitors.

Now, just a month and a half into the new tax law, we are already seeing the results: increased investment in the American economy, job creation, higher wages, and benefit increases. As the tax law helps U.S. businesses large and small grow and thrive, we can expect to see a lot more benefits and opportunities for American workers in the future.

Before I close, Mr. President, I would like to say a couple words about the Defense appropriations bill we are taking up this week.

By the end of the Obama administration, our military was facing a serious readiness shortfall. The Obama administration's failure to prioritize defense left our Armed Forces with manpower deficits and delayed the acquisition of 21st-century weapons and equipment.

The Defense appropriations bill we will vote on this week provides critical funding for restoring military readiness and would be a downpayment on equipping our troops with the resources they need to meet the threats of the 21st century. Unfortunately, passage of this bill is in jeopardy here in the Senate, thanks to Senate Democrats. Democrats have blocked a Defense appropriations bill six times over the past almost 3 years now, and they look set to block that bill once again. That is not acceptable.

Funding the government by continuing resolution rather than by appropriations bills is never ideal, but it is particularly problematic for the military. Under a continuing resolution, new programs are delayed, and the military's ability to transfer money between accounts--for acquisition purposes, for example--is restricted. That is a big problem when the security of our Nation depends on the very programs and purchases the military makes.

Defense Secretary James Mattis has warned that ``long-term CRs impact the readiness of our forces and their equipment at a time when security threats are extraordinarily high''--not to mention at a time when our military is already under extra pressure as it works to repair the deficits of the Obama years.

Passing a defense appropriations bill, instead of subjecting the military to a constant procession of continuing resolutions, would go a long way toward ensuring our military men and women are prepared to confront the threats that are facing our Nation. It is too bad that Democrats seem to be unable to look beyond politics to the needs of our military. Democrats may not pay a price for opposing this bill this week, but our military will.

It is high time that we pass the Defense appropriations bill. We need to stop this obstruction, stop this blocking. Six times in the last 3 years already they have blocked passage of Defense appropriations, and here we are again faced this week with yet another opportunity to provide the critical and necessary funding for the American military-- our men and women in uniform who every single day are out there defending our freedoms--and it looks as though yet again the Democrats intend to block that critical, important funding. This needs to come to an end. This isn't about politics; this is about America's national security interests. I hope we can come together and recognize that and put the best interests of America's national security and our men and women in uniform ahead of politics.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, the good news about tax reform continues to roll in--wage increases, better benefits, increased investment, and employee bonuses. So far, more than 250 companies have announced good news for their employees--pay hikes, increased retirement contributions, or bonuses, and the list continues to grow.

Last week, JPMorgan Chase, Disney, Starbucks, and FedEx all announced increased investment in American workers. JPMorgan Chase announced that it will raise wages for 22,000 workers, add thousands of new jobs, and open 400 new branches in the United States. It also plans to increase its lending to small businesses. Disney will invest in employees' education and provide employee bonuses. Starbucks is raising wages, increasing benefits, and rewarding employees with company stock. FedEx announced plans to expedite raises and invest $1.5 billion to expand its FedEx Express hub in Indianapolis. It is also making a $1.5 billion contribution to its pension plan. To top it off, yesterday ExxonMobil announced that, thanks in part to tax reform, it will invest an additional $35 billion into the U.S. economy over the next 5 years. That means a lot of new jobs and opportunities for American workers.

Stories like this are why we made business tax reform a key part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Obviously, a huge priority was immediately lowering Americans' tax bills, which is why we lowered rates across the board, nearly doubled the standard deduction, and doubled the child tax credit. But our other priority was creating the kind of economy in which Americans can thrive for the long-term--an economy that would create good jobs, higher wages, and more opportunities.

So how do we go about doing that? Well, the only way for individual Americans to thrive is for American businesses and the American economy to thrive. So we took action to improve the situation for American businesses.

Prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, American businesses, large and small, were weighed down by high tax rates and growth-killing tax provisions. Plus, our outdated international tax rules left America's global businesses at a competitive disadvantage in the global economy.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changed all that. We lowered tax rates across the board for owners of small and medium-sized businesses, farms, and ranches. We expanded the business owners' ability to recover investments they make in their businesses, which will free up cash that they can reinvest in their operations and their workers.

We lowered our Nation's massive corporate tax rate, which up until January 1 was the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world. We brought the U.S. international tax system into the 21st century by replacing our outdated worldwide system with a modernized territorial tax system so that American businesses are not operating at a disadvantage next to their foreign counterparts. Now, just a month into the new tax law, we are already seeing the results.

Thanks to the new tax law, businesses are seeing a future of growth, and based on those forecasts, they are making plans to invest in their workers, raise wages, create new jobs, and invest in the American economy: AT&T, Boeing, Fiat Chrysler, Bank of America, Home Depot, Great Western Bank in my State of South Dakota, First Hawaiian Bank, SunTrust Bank, Comcast, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Humana, Visa, Nationwide Insurance, JetBlue Airlines. The list of companies announcing good news for American workers thanks to tax reform goes on and on and on.

Tech giant Apple announced that as a result of tax reform, it will bring home almost $250 billion in cash that it has been keeping overseas and invest it here in the United States. That is good news for the American economy, and it is a direct result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, our Tax Code encouraged American businesses to keep cash overseas. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ended that. Now that we have altered the Tax Code to remove the penalty for bringing profits home to the United States, we can expect to see more companies bringing profits home and investing in the U.S. economy the way that Apple is doing.

We have seen a tremendous amount of good news this month, but it really is only the beginning. As the benefits of tax reform continue to sink in, we expect to see more growth, more jobs, and more opportunities for American workers, and we expect to see the kind of economy that will provide security and prosperity for Americans for the long term.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I recognize Colton Meehan, an intern in my Washington, DC, office, for all of the hard work he has done for me, my staff, and the State of South Dakota.

Colton is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz, having earned a degree in politics. He is a dedicated worker who has been committed to getting the most out of his experience.

I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Colton Meehan for all of the fine work he has done and wish him continued success in the years to come.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Powell nomination.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, at 5 p.m., all postcloture time be considered expired and the Senate vote on confirmation of the Powell nomination; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Azar nomination.

Mr. President, I am glad that Democrats decided that they needed to reopen the government. The political theater they engaged in over the weekend endangered funding for our military, threatened the future of the Children's Health Insurance Program, and created uncertainty about important government services, from programs for veterans, to worker and product safety, to public health. And for what? For politics. Democrats were feeling pressure from certain interest groups within their party, and so they decided to use the government funding bill to take a stand on an unrelated illegal immigration issue. It didn't matter that Republicans had already expressed an interest in working on an immigration bill with Democrats or that the deadline for such a bill was not imminent. No, Democrats weren't getting the bill that they and their interest groups wanted, when they wanted it, so they decided to jeopardize the operation of the entire government.

Unfortunately, obstructing for political reasons has been the Democrats' modus operandi so far this Congress. Democrats were supposedly fervent advocates of extending the Children's Health Insurance Program, but they chose to obstruct the substantial 6-year extension of CHIP included in the government funding bill because they wanted to make a political point. On Presidential nominees, they have obstructed and obstructed again, even when they planned to eventually support the nominee. And of course I don't need to remind anyone of Democrats' refusal to accept Republicans' offer to work together on tax reform--this, of course, despite the fact that Democrats had previously called for tax reform and supported many of the proposals that were included in the law.

Obviously, there are going to be disagreements in politics, sometimes very serious ones. Sometimes opposing legislation is absolutely the right thing to do, but opposing legislation because you have a serious disagreement with it and opposing legislation for political reasons are two very different things. But unfortunately, since their defeat in the 2016 elections, Democrats have spent a lot of time doing the latter. That is irresponsible, it is shortsighted, and it is a disservice to their constituents. Democrats are missing the chance to help deliver major benefits for the American people.

That tax reform legislation Democrats fiercely decried despite their previous support for many of the included proposals, well, that legislation, which has been the law of the land for barely a month, is already delivering big benefits for the American people. More than 200 companies have announced wage hikes, 401(k) increases, and/or bonuses.

The Nation's largest private employer, Walmart, announced an increase in its starting wage for hourly employees and bonuses for eligible employees. It also announced expanded maternity and parental leave benefits and the creation of a new adoption benefit for their employees. More than 1 million Walmart employees will benefit from the changes.

Tech giant Apple announced last week that thanks to tax reform, it will bring home almost $250 billion in cash that it has been keeping overseas and invest it here in the United States. It also announced that it will create 20,000 new jobs and provide $2,500 stock bonuses to employees.

The list goes on--better retirement benefits at Aflac; increased capital investment and bonuses at AT&T; bonuses at PNC; increased investment in infrastructure and facilities at Boeing; a hike in starting wages at Capital One; new jobs, bonuses, and investment from Fiat Chrysler; bonuses at Southwest, JetBlue, and American Airlines; better retirement benefits at Visa; and the list goes on and on. There are the utility companies that are seeking approval from the regulators to pass savings on to consumers. These benefits are going to make a real difference in families' lives this year and, in some cases, well into the future.

The main benefits of tax reform are still to come. The IRS has released the new withholding tables for the tax law, and Americans should start seeing the results in February. Thanks to lower income tax rates and the near doubling of the standard deduction, 90 percent of American workers should see bigger paychecks starting next month. On top of that, the doubling of the child tax credit will mean even greater tax relief for hard-working parents, and that is just the beginning.

One major goal of tax reform was to provide immediate, direct relief to hard-working Americans, and that is happening right now. But our other goal was to create the kind of robust, long-term economic growth that would provide long-term security for American families. That is already starting with the wave of wage increases and bonuses, but there is a lot more to come. As businesses large and small experience the benefits of tax reform, American workers will see increased access to the kinds of jobs, wages, and opportunities that will secure their American dream for the long term.

I am proud that we passed tax reform, and I am very excited about the benefits that it is already delivering for American families and American

workers. We have a lot more to accomplish this year, from improving our Nation's infrastructure to strengthening our military, to border security.

I hope yesterday's vote to end the shutdown is a sign that the Democrats are ready to stop obstructing. We can get a lot more done for the American people when we are working together.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, today I recognize Ms. Emily Patrolia, a Knauss Sea Grant fellow on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, for all of the hard work she has done for me, my staff, and other members of the committee over the past year. Ms. Patrolia has used her scientific expertise to inform public policy. I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Ms. Patrolia for all of the fine work she has done.

Ms. Patrolia has had a significant impact during her time as a fellow. She has worked on several pieces of legislation that have passed the Senate and several others being considered by the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Her contributions have helped ensure the proper management of our natural resources and the continued protection and prosperity of our Nation. I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Ms. Patrolia and wish her success in the years to come.