Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 5956.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time.

I know of no further debate on the bill.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 414, S. 2559.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn, to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted, on the following dates and times, and that following each pro forma session, the Senate adjourn until the next pro forma session: Friday, June 29, at 8:30 a.m.; Tuesday, July 3, at 9 a.m.; Thursday, July 5, at 1 p.m. I further ask that when the Senate adjourns on Thursday, July 5, it next convene at 3 p.m., Monday, July 9; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; further, that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Bennett nomination; finally, that notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXII, the cloture motions filed during today's session ripen at 5:30 p.m., Monday, July 9.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. President, it is my privilege today to welcome a special group of visitors to Washington. Thanks to Honor Flight Bluegrass, more Kentucky veterans are touching down today in our Nation's Capital. They are coming to remember fallen comrades and to visit the memorials dedicated to their own service.

Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to spend time with a flight of World War II veterans who arrived in time for the 74th anniversary of D-Day. Today's flight includes veterans of World War II, along with Korea and Vietnam. On behalf of the Commonwealth and all Americans, I am proud to thank them for their service.

Next week, we celebrate our Independence Day. So let's not forget that the freedoms we enjoy come at a cost. Let's take time to thank the heroes who have paid it and those who continue to pay it today.

Mr. President, today the Senate will continue our work on the farm bill. The bipartisan collaboration of Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow has given all Senators the opportunity to review and consider this important legislation.

Now we start the amendment process. Ideas from many of our colleagues have already been included in the Roberts substitute amendment, but the bill managers are open to considering additional amendments.

We will start with the Thune amendment regarding the Conservation Reserve Program and go on from there, but it remains our intention to finish consideration of the bill this week. This bill is too important to let it languish. This is our chance to support the farm families, producers, and rural communities on whom our Nation depends. Make no mistake about it. They need that support.

American farmers are staring down falling commodity prices and unstable markets and living under the constant threat of droughts, floods, or other natural disasters. They are looking for certainty and predictability. This farm bill delivers.

``The fact is, without the solid foundation of the farm bill and the certainty it provides, many farmers and ranchers would not be able to get operating loans to farm for another year.''

Those are the words of the president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, which passionately supports this bill. So do the agricultural equipment manufacturers. So do the National Association of Counties. So do many other groups dedicated to agriculture, business, hunger prevention, and the health of rural America.

That is because this legislation provides the immediate assistance and stability that farmers count on to keep feeding and supporting this country right now and because it will empower our farmers and ranchers to invest for the future.

Chairman Roberts described this perfectly yesterday. Here is what he said: ``It takes the government providing tools and then getting out of the producers' way.''

On the latter point, I am most excited about a provision in this bill that will clear the way for the legal farming of industrial hemp by removing current roadblocks that prevent farmers, in Kentucky and around the country, from capitalizing on this promising crop.

Since the 1970s, except in a few limited cases, American farmers have not been able to grow industrial hemp in their fields. That doesn't mean consumers aren't buying hemp--far from it. Hemp is in everything from health products to home insulation. The global market for hemp is estimated to consist of more than 25,000 products. According to one estimate, back in 2016, U.S. retail sales of hemp products totaled approximately $688 million. Last year alone, Kentucky hemp recorded more than $16 million in product sales through the State's pilot program.

So American consumers are buying hemp, but thanks to heavy-handed regulations, the only option at scale is importing hemp from foreign producers.

Enough is enough. Industrial hemp is a completely different plant than its illicit cousin. It is time we get Washington out of the way and let American farmers meet the growing demand of American consumers.

In the last farm bill, I championed a hemp pilot program that opened the door to some exploration. I recently heard from a fifth-generation Kentucky farmer from Garrard County who participates in the program. Here is what he said: ``We had no idea what it would turn into.'' He said: Growing hemp has been ``career-defining for me, beyond anything I'd ever imagined.''

At a time when the farm economy is struggling, it is encouraging to hear such enthusiasm for a new potential cash crop.

Another farmer from Marion County wrote and asked Congress to ``continue your efforts until we can grow, research, and market this crop freely without undue restriction. We have barely scratched the surface of the countless benefits that come from this plant.''

Hemp will be a bright spot for our future. It is full of economic potential in Kentucky and the Nation. So we should pass the farm bill without delay. Let's address farmers' immediate needs. Let's give them new tools to help secure their future. Let's get Washington out of the way in the cases where outdated policies are holding them back.

The bill before us is a prime example of the good that can come when we work together. I look forward to the Senate passing it for Kentucky's farm families. So let's continue our work to get it done.

Mr. President, this week I have been discussing how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is creating breathing room in family budgets. Yesterday I focused on the tax cuts themselves. Lower rates, a doubled standard deduction, a bigger child tax credit add up to serious savings for middle-class families.

Today I want to discuss the permanent pay raises, bonuses, and new benefits that tax reform has enabled U.S. businesses to provide for their workers. Remember, this is exactly what our Democratic colleagues insisted tax reform would not--would not--bring about. To quote my friend, the Democratic leader, right here on the Senate floor in December: ``There is nothing about this tax bill that is suited to the needs of the American worker.''

Well, Republicans knew better. We listened to the economists who explained in an open letter that ``the question isn't whether workers will be helped by a corporate tax rate reduction--it's how much'' they will be helped.

The reason is simple. American workers can only thrive if the American businesses that employ them are given the tools to compete and win on the world stage. Here is what they need to compete: a 21st century tax code.

Most economists agree that the real impact of tax reform on workers' wages is a long-term proposition. The wage gains will roll in over the months and years ahead, but it is remarkable how quickly a number of American businesses made immediate investments in their workers.

At Charter Communications, which employs 95,000 people Nationwide, the base wage has already risen to $15 per hour because of tax reform.

Beginning in April, CVS implemented a new, fully paid parental leave program for full-time employees because of tax reform.

Educational opportunities are expanding for nearly 400,000 McDonald's employees across the country, after tax reform allowed the company to ramp up tuition assistance.

Tax reform has enabled LHC Group, a major healthcare employer with more than 50 locations and 3,600 employees in Kentucky alone, to expand raises for its employees and to grow the 401(k) options the company sponsors.

Workers at businesses of every shape and size are being helped all across our country: bonuses at a grain merchandiser in Chester, MT; a quarter-million-dollar expansion plan that creates 20 new jobs at a roofing company in Massillon, OH. It appears tax reform is very well- suited to the needs of American workers after all.

It is well-suited to the needs of hard-working parents who pocketed thousand-dollar bonuses to help with grocery bills and summer camp costs. It is well-suited to the needs of young Americans on the first rungs of the economic ladder, whose employer can now offer more help with continuing education.

This might come as a surprise to our Democratic friends who opposed tax reform at every turn. It certainly doesn't surprise those of us who fought for the American people.

Mr. President, I call up the Thune amendment No. 3134.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

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

Mr. President, just a few moments ago, Justice Anthony Kennedy announced that he is retiring as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and taking senior status, effective July 31.

First and foremost, I want to pause and express our gratitude for the extraordinary service that Justice Kennedy has offered our Nation. He has served on the Federal bench for 43 years.

In particular, we owe him a debt of thanks for his ardent defense of the

First Amendment right to political speech. As Justice Kennedy concludes his tenure on the Court, we wish him, his wife, Mary, and their family every happiness in the years ahead.

The Senate stands ready to fulfill its constitutional role by offering advice and consent on President Trump's nominee to fill this vacancy. We will vote to confirm Justice Kennedy's successor this fall. As in the case of Justice Gorsuch, Senators will have the opportunity to meet with President Trump's nominee, examine his or her qualifications, and debate the nomination.

I have every confidence in Chairman Grassley's conduct of the upcoming confirmation process in the Judiciary Committee. It is imperative that the President's nominee be considered fairly and not be subjected to personal attacks.

Thus far, President Trump's judicial nominations have reflected a keen understanding of the vital role that judges play in our constitutional order. Judges must interpret the law fairly and apply it evenhandedly. Judicial decisions must not flow from judges' personal philosophies or preferences but from the honest assessment of the words and actual meaning of the law. This bedrock principle has clearly defined the President's excellent choices to date, and we will look forward to yet another outstanding selection.

But, today, the Senate and the Nation thank Justice Kennedy for his years of service on the bench and for his many contributions to jurisprudence and to our Nation.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk for Senate amendment No. 3224.

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk for

I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions be waived.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m., June 28; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed. Finally, I ask that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 2.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Madam President, last evening the Senate voted overwhelmingly to advance H.R. 2--the farm bill. The reason it has reached the floor in its current form--ready for consideration, amendments, and, ultimately, passage by the full Senate--is the leadership of Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow. They have carried on the committee's proud tradition of focusing on substance and putting partisanship aside.

As the senior Senator from Kentucky, I know exactly how important this legislation is to agricultural communities in my home State and around the Nation. Kentucky has 12.8 million acres dedicated to agriculture. That includes about $1 billion in soybean production last year alone, about three-quarters of a billion dollars in corn, and hundreds of millions of dollars in the production of hay and tobacco, just to name a few.

These crops are only part of the story. Our leading agricultural commodity is poultry--a billion-dollar-plus industry that employs about 7,000 Kentuckians on its own. These are just a few examples of what Kentucky farmers bring to the country and to the world.

Despite the impressive scale, we are a State that is dominated by small farms. They form the backbone of rural communities throughout my State. But our farm families and those across rural America face a lot of uncertainty: natural disasters, from droughts to floods, unstable world markets, and falling commodity prices.

Earlier this year, the USDA Economic Research Service forecasted that net farm income is in the process of falling to a 12-year low--a 12- year low. The farmers who feed and support this country are counting on us to provide the predictability and certainty of a long-term farm bill.

My colleagues and I on the Agriculture Committee have produced a farm bill that shows America's farmers that we understand their situation, share their concerns, and are taking action to address them.

My colleagues from every corner of the country can be proud of this legislation. First and foremost, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 strengthens the safety measures that directly help commodity producers as they confront low prices. It also seizes a number of opportunities to invest in the future of American agriculture and rural communities.

I am particularly excited about the provision that would empower farmers to begin cultivating industrial hemp, a crop that could play a key role going forward in Kentucky's economy and in the Nation's.

The bill also focuses on rural broadband, rural water infrastructure, and the fight against the opioid epidemic that has hit rural America very hard.

From top to bottom, this farm bill takes serious steps to ensure the future of American agriculture--for the sake of our farmers, our rural communities, and the entire country.

This week my colleagues will have ample opportunity to consider the legislation before us. In a few days I hope they will join me in voting to pass it.

Madam President, on another matter, it has been a little over 6 months since the passage of tax reform delivered measurable relief to working families and job creators, 6 months since Republicans implemented a simpler 21st century framework to help unleash a new generation of success stories, and 6 months since updated tax brackets and withholding tables provided for some 90 percent of American wage earners to take home more pay.

Thanks to lower tax rates, the IRS is withholding less of workers' paychecks. Because we doubled the standard deduction, married couples will benefit from what amounts to a new zero-percent tax bracket for the first $24,000 they earn. And parents are looking forward to the bigger child tax credit they can claim going forward--up to $2,000 per qualifying child.

These tax cuts are just the shot in the arm our economy needed, and they are exactly what middle-class families and workers deserved. At least that is what Republicans believe.

Our Democratic colleagues seem to see things quite differently. They don't think that $2,000--that is the average estimated tax cut this year for a family of four earning the median family income--seems like very much money, as far as they are concerned.

After all, every single Democrat voted against giving American families these tax cuts. They figured Washington knew how to spend the money better than the taxpayers who earned it. Of course, the bill became law without Democrats' help. Since then, they have set about trying to persuade middle-class families that getting to keep more of their own money is a terrible thing, so they should support Democrats' efforts to repeal tax reform.

I am glad I don't have to try and make that case. It looks like more take-home pay for workers is already beginning to have ripple effects throughout the U.S. economy. Fueled in part by our Republican policies, consumer confidence in 2018 reached its highest level since November of 2000.

Sure enough, just last month retail sales growth doubled the gains that experts had forecast and shot up at the fastest pace in half a year. Here is the L.A. Times headline: ``Retail sales post sharp gains in May, signaling a surge in U.S. economic growth.'' That is the L.A. Times.

That is more take-home pay for American taxpayers, more prosperity for American retailers, more demand for American goods and services, and thus, more demand for American workers.

This is what we call a virtuous circle, and Republicans' commonsense agenda is helping to make it happen. Our Democratic colleagues may want to put Washington's foot back on the brake by repealing tax reform and piling up more regulations, but they aren't just arguing with those of us across the aisle. They are arguing with the facts. They are arguing with the data. They are arguing with American families who are keeping more of their own money. They are arguing with the prosperity our agenda is already helping to unleash.

Madam President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk due for a second reading.

In order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to further proceedings.