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Floor Speech
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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, before I speak on the tax bill, I come to the floor with really good news.
After years of brutal and wrongful detention in Russia at the hands of Putin's regime, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza are on their way home.
It is great news, and I was proud to work and stand with Leader McConnell in a bipartisan show of unity. We spent many, many hours working hard, sending letters, making calls to get Evan's return. I commend President Biden for getting them all home.
For all other Americans held hostage or unjustly imprisoned around the world, today shines as a beacon of hope that America will never give up on you, and we will continue to do everything we can to bring you home. You are in our thoughts and minds, including those from New York who are still imprisoned unjustly by authoritarian regimes around the world. Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024
Now, Mr. President, on the tax bill, today, the Senate has a chance to move forward on the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act.
Democrats are ready to advance bipartisan--bipartisan--tax relief today. The question is, will Senate Republicans join us to give Americans a tax break or will they stand in the way? Will Senate Republicans join us to give businesses a tax break; to give families with children a tax break; to give our housing market a tax break; or will they stand in the way?
This is bipartisan legislation if there ever was any. The bipartisan tax bill passed the House 357 to 70. It won majorities from both parties. It was written, along with Senator Wyden who did a great job, by the conservative Republican chair of the Ways and Means Committee-- hardly a liberal. So we know this is not only a good bill, it is a bipartisan bill. If the tax break was able to unite a group as divided as House Republicans, it should certainly not be blocked by Republicans in the Senate. It is good to talk about standing up for families and business but not if you turn around and then vote against them here in the Senate.
Today is a good opportunity for both sides to show we back up good talk with strong action. So, if you care about helping families, vote yes. If you care about taking a half a million kids out of poverty and giving relief to 16 million other families so that they have enough money to give their kids clothes and books and food, vote yes. If you care about promoting business and getting an R&D tax credit, something that has always had bipartisan support, passed so that business can invest in new machinery and equipment and hire new workers, vote yes; and if you care about solving the housing crisis whether it is rural-- where it has become a big problem--or urban or suburban, please vote yes.
I want to give many thanks to my colleagues: Chairman Wyden for his leadership, the whole Finance Committee, and, particularly, Senators Brown and Casey and Bennet as well as Cantwell and Hassan, who worked so long and hard on this bill.
Cloture Motion
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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I enter a motion to reconsider.
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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, once again, let me just repeat quickly, I am just really saddened by the fact that our Republican colleagues have not voted for a bill that passed so overwhelmingly in the House, put together by a conservative Republican chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and that would do so much to help housing, help kids and families, and help businesses.
It is a shame that they put politics over helping the American people.
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