Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019
Floor Speech
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Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, this week, we have been considering a regular appropriations package and voting on amendments.
Many of us have wanted this return to regular order in appropriations for quite some time. It didn't happen overnight. We owe thanks to Chairman Shelby and Ranking Member Leahy for the transparent, bipartisan process that has produced this bill. Thanks to the leadership of our colleagues at the subcommittee level, more bills will be on their way to the floor for prompt consideration.
The package before us today will cross three important items off the Senate's appropriations to-do list: funding for Energy and Water, for Military Construction and the VA, and for the Legislative Branch.
As I have discussed on the floor this week, the first set of funding measures attend to a number of major national priorities. The Energy and Water title allocates critical resources for the safety, security, and readiness of our Nation's nuclear arsenal. It delivers record funding for cutting-edge scientific research, and it directs support for mitigating flood damage, protecting shorelines, and upkeep for America's inland waterways, like those that support 13,000 jobs in my home State alone.
The Military Construction and VA title offers targeted resources to causes that are near and dear to servicemembers and their families: upgrades to military housing and school systems, improvements to training facilities, reinforcement of overseas partnerships and alliances, and maintenance of veterans' healthcare facilities.
There is so much important work contained in this package, and it is just the first step in this year's regular appropriations process.
With additional cooperation today, we will be able to continue processing amendments on both sides of the aisle and complete work on these bills.
Tax Reform
Now, Madam President, on another matter, yesterday marked 6 months since Congress passed our overhaul of America's Tax Code. Tomorrow is 6 months since the President signed it into law.
I remember debating the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act back in December. There were two different philosophies on display. Republicans believed working families should keep more of what they earn and send less to the IRS. We believe you don't build a healthy society or a growing economy by piling up money and power here in Washington, DC. We need to leave more money and power in the hands of individuals, families, and small businesses.
Our Democratic friends put forward a different view. They seem to think government knows best, so higher taxes, more regulations, and more restrictions on free enterprise are the way to go. As a result, they stood in lockstep opposition to these historic tax cuts, and I mean opposition.
The Democratic leader in the House said it was--and this is a direct quote--``the worst bill in the history of the United States Congress.'' So Republican majorities in the House and Senate passed the tax cuts with zero Democratic votes--not one.
Six months later, who was right? What has happened in America since this major policy shift began taking effect?
Just ask the men and women this law is affecting.
Mark Guilbeau in Louisiana says this of his tax cuts:
It's bigger than crumbs like the politicians were saying. I plan to pay down some credit card debt.
Try Brett Lancy in Ohio who has a 1-year-old son, Grayson. Brett said:
Due to the extra takehome pay in my paycheck--it's about $125 a month--we've been able to move him into one of the better daycares in our area. And it's just fabulous.
In addition to the tax cuts themselves, the business side of tax reform has helped employers raise pay and benefits for employees.
Chelsee Hatfield works at First Farmers Bank & Trust in Indiana. She has been taking college courses online and says the raise and bonus she received will help her pay tuition now and save for her kids to go to college. She said: ``These steps taken as a result of tax reform are specifically affecting me and small communities like my hometown.''
Bonnie Brazzeal from Missouri received a bonus too. She works in the cafeteria at the College of the Ozarks and got to share the news with President Trump when he visited the State earlier this year: ``I put mine in savings for my retirement.''
Families are immediately benefiting from this law, but what about the long-term impact?
We designed tax reform to lay the foundation for more investment, business growth, job creation, and higher wages for decades to come.
It is already doing just that. In my home State of Kentucky, Novelis is pushing ahead with a $300 million factory in Guthrie. They say their decision was caused by this ``favorable economic environment,'' reinforced by ``the significant positive impact of tax reform.''
It is a national trend. Just yesterday, the National Association of Manufacturers released data showing that optimism among many American manufacturers is above 95 percent--the highest level ever recorded.
Small business owners agree. An industry survey shows that more of them are looking to hire than at any time since the year 2000.
No wonder the job market is already better than it has been in years. Unemployment is at an 18-year low. More than two-thirds of Americans are saying it is a good time to find a quality job--the highest in 17 years.
Here is a remarkable fact: There are now more job openings all across this country than there are Americans looking for work. It is the first time that has ever happened since we started tracking the relevant data, and the optimism and prosperity unleashed by tax reform are part of the reason why.
The worst legislation in history? Armageddon? Our friends across the aisle should get their crystal balls checked.
Historically, tax reform had been a bipartisan priority. In 1986, the last major tax reform passed the House by a 100-vote margin. It sailed through the Senate. How times have changed.
Unlike in 1986, this time our historic proposal to let Americans keep more of their own money faced complete partisan opposition--not one Democratic vote, not one. Republicans had to go it alone.
But the people's Republican Senate, Republican House, and Republican President got the job done for the families who were counting on us.
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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, look, this is a big test for the Senate. There is broad bipartisan agreement that we need to quit doing Omnibus appropriations bills. Chairman Shelby and Senator Leahy have gotten not only the committee in a good place, but Senator Alexander has handled this bill in such a way that we have had broad cooperation in getting it across the floor so as to get it into conference and actually make a law--the three appropriations bills.
There is no doubt about it--I can't find many people on this side of the aisle who approve of the previous administration's waters of the United States regulation. It is on its way to the ash heap of history right now under this administration.
This is not about waters of the United States or about whether we are for it or against it; this is about whether we want to get away from annual Omnibus appropriations bills, and this is the first test here. We have a minibus consisting of three bills, and we have had widespread cooperation to get it across the floor. This amendment needs to be tabled because this is not the right place to offer it.
I will be joining the senior Senator from Tennessee, the chairman of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, in tabling this amendment. Make no mistake about it--it is not because I support the waters of the United States but because that is being taken care of, and we want to have regular order and the passage of appropriations bills this year. Amendment No. 3021, as Modified, to Amendment No. 2911
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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I call up Lee amendment No. 3021, as modified, to Alexander amendment No. 2911.
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Mr. McCONNELL. 2910 and the bill be withdrawn. I further ask that the managers' package, which is at the desk and has been cleared by both sides, be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, amendment No. 2911 be agreed to, the substitute amendment No. 2910, as amended, be agreed to; finally, that at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 25, the bill be read a third time, and the Senate vote on passage of H.R. 5895, as amended.
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