Executive Session

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this week, as I stated yesterday, the Senate will focus on personnel business.

Six well-qualified nominees are currently before the Senate. They are awaiting the full consideration they clearly deserve. Their nominations have been vetted. Their expertise is well known. Their positions sit empty, waiting to be filled. The American people are waiting for their President to have his full team and for their Federal Government to be appropriately staffed.

If last evening's vote to advance Claria Horn Boom's district court nomination were any indication, we would be in for a productive week. Ninety-six of our colleagues voted in support--96. With such broad bipartisan support, you might think that filing cloture should not have been necessary in the first place.

With nominees as uncontroversial as these, you might think the Senate would roll quickly through them and move on to other business, but unfortunately, for more than a year now, our Democratic friends have used the partisan playbook to delay and obstruct even the least controversial nominees. So unless we can reach the kind of bipartisan agreement that was once the norm around here and process noncontroversial nominees more promptly, we are left with no choice but to proceed the hard way, and that is just what we have done.

Facing historic obstruction, Republicans have confirmed ambitious reformists to crucial posts where fresh ideas were long overdue, and we have confirmed top-notch legal minds to the Federal bench, including a record number of circuit court judges for a President's first year and the generational choice of Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was confirmed to the Supreme Court 1 year ago today.

I have already stated that the Senate will remain in session as long as it takes to clear this slate of nominees. Following the confirmation of Ms. Boom, we will move to consideration of John Ring to serve on the National Labor Relations Board. After Mr. Ring comes nominees to the Department of Labor, the EPA, and two more nominees to fill district court vacancies--all vetted, all qualified, all sitting right here in the Senate. In at least one case, several of my Democratic friends have already proactively announced support for the nominee. So let's get back on track together. Let's consider and confirm these nominees without delay. Tax Reform

Mr. President, on a further matter, something exciting has started to happen all across our country. In America's small towns and suburbs, Main Street businesses are dusting off ``Help Wanted'' signs. In our small cities, American manufacturers are expanding facilities and creating new products. In rural America, family farmers are investing in new equipment and looking forward to increased prosperity.

For years, all of these parts of our great Nation were more or less forgotten. Millions and millions of Americans were left behind. Whether by accident or by design, the Obama administration's economic policies brought some prosperity to America's biggest and richest urban areas, but our small towns, our suburbs, our smaller cities, and our rural areas and farming communities year after year saw next to no progress. This is the disparity that President Trump and this Republican Congress were elected to change.

Our Democratic friends say they are proud of a record in which urban centers like New York and San Francisco thrived, but most other areas slipped behind. I wouldn't be proud of that record. Republicans wouldn't settle for that kind of outcome. That is why, as soon as this President and this Congress took office, we began implementing an inclusive, pro-growth agenda to reignite prosperity in every corner of our Nation. We cut taxes for middle-class families and small businesses. We repealed one burdensome job-killing regulation after another. We are grabbing every tool we can find to make life easier for middle-class families who were neglected by the previous administration's policies.

One prime example is our colleague Senator Scott's provision in last year's historic tax reform. His legislation lets economically depressed communities across the country be designated as ``opportunity zones,'' earning special tax treatment to make investment and job creation more attractive. In effect, this piece of tax reform will help struggling American communities set up big neon signs saying ``We are open for business.''

Just yesterday, in my State of Kentucky, Governor Bevin announced the certification of 144 opportunity zones. My friends and colleagues on the State and local level are excited and optimistic again. This creative policy, along with the rest of tax reform, has the Kentuckians I serve looking forward to a brighter future. More States are following suit.

From the West End in Louisville and distressed areas in Eastern Kentucky to Stockton, CA, and everywhere in between, this Congress will have helped deliver new opportunities and new hope to many of the most vulnerable communities all across our country. All this progress--all because Republicans overcame lockstep partisan opposition and passed this historic tax reform law.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source