Floor Statements

Mr. President, now, on another matter, as we all know, Congress has until Friday to reach an agreement that ensures continued funding for the Federal Government. By now, it is clear we are not yet ready to move ahead with a major agreement on long-term funding for our Armed Forces, nor on our immigration policy. Serious, bipartisan talks are underway on these issues and other key priorities. Compromise solutions are not out of reach, but for now, Congress needs to keep the government running. There is no cause whatsoever for manufacturing a crisis and holding up funding for the vital services of the Federal Government.

What is more, the near-term solution that Congress must pass this week will not only provide uninterrupted government funding, it will also contain a 6-year reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. This is a Federal program that covers nearly 9 million children in low-income families. It ensures that economic hardship will not stand between struggling American families and medical coverage for their children. S-CHIP enjoys widespread, bipartisan support, with dedicated champions on both sides of the aisle.

The funding bill we will take up in the Senate will reauthorize the program for 6 years, even longer than the bipartisan compromise the Senate Finance Committee reached just last year. So Senators face a lot of hard decisions, but this is not one of them. A bill that prevents a government shutdown and funds S-CHIP for up to 6 years should be a simple choice for every Senator in this Chamber, and until very recently, our Democratic colleagues agreed. ``No-brainer'' was the exact phrase my colleague, the senior Senator from California, recently used on the Senate floor when discussing S-CHIP renewal.

The newest Member of this body, the junior Senator from Alabama, campaigned on this very issue. As Senator-elect, he insisted that his future colleagues should ``stop playing political football with the health care of our children.'' He called it ``absolutely unacceptable for partisan fighting to delay renewing funding for CHIP.''

I hope my friends, the Democratic leaders, are listening to their own Members because recently some have intimated that Democrats will filibuster any funding bill whatsoever over the issue of illegal immigration. I find it difficult to believe that my Democratic colleagues would want to shut down the government for American citizens and vote down a 6-year reauthorization of health insurance for American children all over illegal immigration.

Bipartisan negotiations over the DACA issue and other issues in immigration policy are certainly important, and they are ongoing. Our responsibility is to continue those discussions, not to jeopardize them by ginning up a manufactured crisis over an artificial deadline. We have until March, at least, to complete our ongoing negotiations on immigration. We have until Friday to fund the government.

I would urge my Democratic friends to honor their stated commitments to join in a bipartisan effort to keep the government funded and reauthorize S-CHIP for struggling families across our country.

Mr. President, now, finally, on an entirely different matter, I would like to say a few words about Reb Brownell, a key member of my team who is departing the Senate today.

Reb has served with distinction in my office for nearly 13 years. He began as an aide on foreign affairs, defense, and veterans issues. Since then, he has risen through the ranks, now serving as my personal office deputy chief of staff.

Reb is a tireless worker and a loyal public servant. He has been my point person on more important issues than I can name, including my support for democracy in Burma and research on prominent Kentucky leaders throughout history. I know he is especially proud of our work to help Dr. Noelle Hunter bring her daughter back to America.

I will miss more than Reb's fine work. I will miss him challenging my title as the biggest history buff in the office, and all his colleagues will miss Reb's genuine warmth, his quick wit and good humor, and his readiness to mentor young staffers. Of course, nobody is perfect. Reb is a diehard Michigan State fan. Fortunately, he never let it get in the way of serving the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

I am sorry to see Reb go. I thank him for his service, and I wish him and his wife Sandy every success in their future endeavors.

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

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

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 11 a.m., Thursday, January 18; further, that following the prayer and pledge, 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 resume consideration of the motion to concur in the House amendment to accompany S. 139; finally, that the time following leader remarks until 12:15 p.m. be equally divided between the two leaders or their designees.

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, following the remarks of Senators Graham, Flake, and our Democratic colleagues.

Mr. President, as we all know, Congress has until Friday to reach an agreement that ensures continuous funding for the Federal Government. There is too much at stake for Republicans and Democrats not to come together, particularly while serious bipartisan conversations are underway on shared priorities, such as rebuilding our military, fixing our broken immigration policy, and other issues.

Now that a Federal judge has issued a nationwide injunction preventing the administration from winding down the Obama administration's DACA Program, it is clear that Congress has at least until March, at a minimum and possibly even longer, to reach a compromise that resolves the DACA question but also strengthens our security and makes other needed reforms to our broken immigration system. With no imminent deadline on immigration and with bipartisan talks well underway, there is no reason why Congress should hold government funding hostage over the issue of illegal immigration.

I am confident that Senators on both sides of the aisle will choose to avoid a manufactured crisis, reach a bipartisan funding agreement in the coming days, and then continue our negotiations in these important areas.

Now, on another matter, later this afternoon the Senate will vote to advance reauthorization of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. This includes section 702, one of the most important tools that our warfighters and intelligence professionals use to wage the war on terror and to keep Americans safe.

It allows the United States to collect communications from foreign terrorists who wish harm on America and our allies. To be clear, it does not permit the targeting of American citizens anywhere in the world. Let me repeat that. Section 702 does not allow the targeting of American citizens, nor does it permit the targeting of anyone of any nationality who is known to be located here in the United States. With respect to foreigners on foreign soil, 702 gives the men and women who keep us safe the vital tools they need to fulfill their missions.

Five years ago, Congress reauthorized the title with overwhelming bipartisan support. It is imperative that we do so once again. The world remains dangerous. Al-Qaida, ISIL, and associated terror groups are still intent on harming our people and those working with us overseas.

Yet with each day that passes since the Nation was attacked on September 11, 2001, it seems that concern over terrorism has waned. This is in part due to the success of our defense and intelligence community in preventing another major attack. They rely upon section 702 to accomplish that mission.

I look forward to renewing the bipartisan consensus on this issue and reauthorizing this important provision as the Senate votes later this week.

Now, on a final matter, in the wake of last month's historic tax reform legislation, the news is filled with stories of economic optimism and increasing prosperity for workers and middle- class families.

In fact, I am proud to announce that earlier today I spoke with the leadership of Humana, which employs more than 12,000 people in my home State of Kentucky. Yesterday they notified their staff that they will be accelerating pay incentives for associates and raising the minimum hourly wages for both part-time and full-time employees--all thanks to tax reform. For these Kentucky workers, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will mean more money in their paychecks.

Just last week, the international automaker Fiat Chrysler announced that it will invest 1 billion new dollars

in the Warren Truck Assembly Plant just outside of Detroit. The production line for Ram heavy-duty trucks is leaving Mexico and coming back to America. This will create 2,500 new jobs and inject relief right into the local economy. According to officials who announced the change, all this is only happening because tax reform is remaking the business climate in our country.

Besides the revival in manufacturing, Fiat Chrysler announced a new wave of $2,000 bonuses for 60,000 hourly and salaried employees. They will join a growing list of more than 150 companies that have announced plans to distribute significant bonuses, permanent pay raises, more generous retirement contributions, or other benefits to their employees, all thanks to tax reform.

Prior to tax reform, companies that wanted to manufacture goods in America and hire American employees faced the highest statutory corporate tax rate in the developed world. American workers were ready to clock in, but our outdated burdensome Tax Code told potential investors to move along and find somewhere else to set up shop. Those days are over, thanks to the President and Republican majorities in the House and Senate that voted to modernize our Tax Code.

Now we are the ones with a competitive advantage. The Wall Street Journal's editorial board believes that our tax reform will benefit investment in the United States ``at the expense of high-tax countries such as Germany.'' The Journal also reports that China ``fears the tax changes could make the U.S. a more attractive place to do business.'' That is China. It is becoming clear that these fears are entirely justified, and it is good news for families and workers in Kentucky and all across America.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, anyone who has read the news lately will have come across some pretty remarkable headlines about the state of the U.S. economy.

On Tuesday, Gallup announced that at the close of 2017, Americans' optimism about the job market set a new record. The same day, the S&P 500 hit an all-time high. Last week, the New York Times ran a story about ``a wave of optimism [that] has swept over American business leaders.'' This optimism, the reporters continued, ``is beginning to translate into the sort of investments in new plants, equipment and factory upgrades that bolsters economic growth, spurs job creation--and may finally raise wages significantly''--raise wages significantly.

Markets are optimistic, manufacturers are optimistic, and workers are optimistic. Investment is ramping up, wages are growing, and unemployment is low. By all accounts, 2018 is off to a very bright start.

Of course, Washington is not the source of all this. The engine of American free enterprise is not here in the Nation's Capital, it is in the ingenuity, talent, and work ethic of workers and entrepreneurs all across our country.

Government does not create prosperity, the American people do, but the Federal Government can certainly get in the way. Draconian tax policy and runaway regulation make it more difficult for American workers to find jobs and get pay raises. It becomes harder to start new businesses, harder to expand and invest in existing businesses, and more tempting to send money and jobs overseas.

During the Obama years, that is precisely what happened. For 8 years, his administration seized every single opportunity it could find to increase taxes, pile on more regulations, and literally micromanage the lives of the American people. Many middle-class families, like the ones I represent in Kentucky, were drowning in all this.

Now all of that is changing. In 2017, a Republican President, Republican House, and Republican Senate brought back bedrock, free market principles: tax less, regulate less, micromanage less, and empower the American people to work hard and keep more of what they earn. And we are already seeing results.

The most significant accomplishment was the historic tax reform law the President signed into law just over 3 weeks ago. It hadn't been done in 30 years, but in 2017 Congress and the White House worked together to overhaul the Tax Code. We cut rates for families and businesses, expanded key deductions, closed wasteful loopholes, and repealed ObamaCare's individual mandate tax. We took a lot of money out of Washington's pocket and put it back in the pockets of middle-class families, who, after all, earned it in the first place.

Earlier in the year, we made major progress in rolling back the tangled web of Obama-era redtape using the Congressional Review Act. Congress repealed 15 major Federal regulations that were literally stifling American enterprise. This alone is expected to save employers up to $36 billion in compliance costs. This was in addition to the 860 obsolete rules the Trump administration revisited in 2017.

Small businesses and large companies are all benefitting from these victories, and so are their workers. Boeing has announced plans to invest $100 million in developing its workforce and another $100 million to enhance its facilities and its infrastructure. AT&T intends to invest a billion dollars in capital upgrades. Just this morning, Walmart announced it would raise starting wages for hourly associates, along with bonuses and an expansion of paid family leave. That is great news for more than 1 million people, including the nearly 30,000 people working at more than 100 Walmart stores across my home State of Kentucky. This is in addition to all of the other employers across the State who have already begun passing tax reform savings along to their employees.

What is true for nationwide employers is proving to be true on Main Streets across the country as well. In

New Jersey a family-owned car dealership is giving each of its full- time employees a $500 bonus and looking to create more jobs. In Florida, a family-owned cookie bakery is planning to immediately expense new equipment purchases, enabling them to develop specialized products and boost wages for their team. All told, more than 100 companies have announced intentions to deliver special bonuses, pay increases, or other benefits to employees as a result of tax reform. This in addition to the direct savings from tax cuts. Thanks to lower rates and bigger deductions, American workers will get to keep more of their paychecks.

These are just a few of the ways a growing economy can make life better for the American people. This is what happens when a Republican President and Republican majorities in Congress work to get Washington out of the way.

It is a shame that none of our Democratic colleagues in the House or the Senate--not one, not a single one--voted for tax reform--not a one. If they had their way, American businesses would not have had a 21st century tax code giving them a fairer fight with overseas competitors, American workers wouldn't have these bonuses and special benefits, and a typical family of four earning just over $70,000 wouldn't be on track to keep $2,000 more of their own money this year.

Fortunately, Republican majorities passed the bill anyway, and the American people are sure glad that we did.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. President, I understand the Senate has received a message from the House to accompany S. 139.

I move that the Chair lay before the Senate the message to accompany S. 139 and ask for the yeas and nays on my motion.

Mr. President, I move to concur in the House amendment to S. 139.

Cloture Motion

I send a cloture motion to the desk on the motion to concur.

Mr. President, I move to concur in the House amendment to S. 139, with a further amendment.

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

I ask for the yeas and nays on the motion to concur with amendment.

Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.

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

I move to refer the House message on S. 139 to the Committee on the Judiciary with instructions to report back forthwith with an amendment numbered 1872.

I ask for the yeas and nays on my motion.

I have an amendment to the instructions.

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

I ask for the yeas and nays on the amendment.

I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Earl Bush, the judge-executive in Bracken County, KY, who will retire at the end of his current term. In my home State, a judge-executive is the highest elected county official, and since 2011, Earl has earned a reputation for accomplishment on behalf of the people of Bracken County.

After graduating from Western Kentucky University, Earl served our Nation in the U.S. Air Force, earning the rank of captain. For the next three decades, Earl worked at Dayton Power and Light in various construction management positions.

In 2010, Earl decided to put his efforts to work for his neighbors because, like so many of us in public life, he wanted to make a difference. Along with his team, Earl has spent his time in office working to help the men and women of Bracken County. As a former county judge-executive myself, I know firsthand about Earl's wide-ranging responsibilities. Looking at his results, Earl seems to have found success.

In addition to equipment upgrades and road improvements, Earl has also championed the addition of recreational trails and a fishing lake at a local industrial park. Working with other officials, Earl also lowered taxes and helped the county's largest employer bring new jobs to Bracken County. By nearly any standard, that is an impressive record of accomplishment for a public official.

I have enjoyed every opportunity I have had to work with Earl. Throughout his time in office, he has been a strong partner as we serve the people of Kentucky. In retirement, Earl looks forward to spending more time with his wife and grandchildren. He also plans to work with his brother to restore classic cars. Along with many in Bracken County, I wish him a relaxing next chapter, and I am confident that my Senate colleagues will join me.

Mr. President, we have been talking all week about the ways our historic tax reform law is immediately helping middle-class families. It has been less than a month since Congress passed and the President signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but already more than 1 million Americans are on track to receive special bonuses, permanent raises, and other benefits, and their employers are attributing these changes directly to tax reform.

In fact, 100,000 employees of American Airlines are each receiving a $1,000 tax reform bonus; U.S. Bank is raising its minimum wage to $15 and is also giving $1,000 bonuses to 60,000 employees; 29,000 employees of Nationwide Insurance are also receiving bonuses, and 33,000 are getting an increase in their retirement match. These are just a few of the 100-plus companies that have already announced new benefits for American workers as a direct result of tax reform. These are only the immediate benefits.

Mainstream economists agree that in the months and years to come, the permanent changes we made in the way we tax businesses will make our economy more vibrant and more competitive. That means greater investment and higher wages for American workers. Of course, all this is in addition to the direct effects the tax cuts themselves will soon have on family budgets.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will reduce income tax rates and significantly expand key deductions. We took money out of Washington and put it right back in the pockets of middle-class Americans. Starting as early as February, the IRS will withhold less from paychecks, and workers will get to deposit more of their hard-earned money right into their own bank accounts. In 2018 alone, for a typical family of four earning just over 70,000, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could mean a tax savings of more than $2,000.

Nearly every day, reports come out about a new way this historic tax reform bill is helping Americans. Here is a subject that is particularly relevant around many kitchen tables this winter: utility bills. All around the country, utility companies that will benefit from our new tax cuts are already discussing plans to pass their savings on to customers.

Major power companies in Illinois, Maryland, and Massachusetts are already proposing plans to give their customers tens of millions of dollars in relief by lowering the rates they charge for energy. And get this: According to CNBC, a South Carolina electric and gas utility is planning to give a cash payment directly to its customers, averaging $1,000 per household. More are following suit. In Montana, Louisiana, and Indiana, regulators are already working with utilities to determine how households will benefit from the tax savings. In my own State of Kentucky, the Public Service Commission directed a number of the electric, gas, and water companies to track their savings and make plans to cut rates for consumers.

As any mother or father who has to balance a checkbook and pay bills every month can attest, this is welcome news for middle-class families. These reductions will be especially helpful to the most vulnerable in our society.

According to data from the Department of Health and Human Services, energy costs eat up a significantly higher percentage of household income for poor families than for other families. In other words, for a software engineer in Silicon Valley, a lower heating or air conditioning bill may go unnoticed, but for workers who clean that office overnight, this relief will make a real difference.

A drop in utility bills effectively amounts to progressive tax relief. This is just another example of how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is rapidly proving to be a serious asset to poor and middle-class families--precisely the people whom my Democratic friends in the House and Senate loudly claimed would get nothing at all from this bill.

It has been 3 weeks--3 weeks--lower utility bills, 1 million special tax reform bonuses and pay raises, and this is only the beginning.

A Republican majority in the House and a Republican majority in the Senate and President Trump listened to the facts instead of the political spin. I am proud that we passed this historic bill and gave families across America the tax relief they have waited decades to receive.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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