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Floor Speech

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Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to point out to the American people that the Republican plan for a safer, more prosperous nation has now been signed into law.

And yet already this morning on this Senate floor, I heard the minority leader engage in fearmongering about this historic piece of legislation.

Well, I am here to set the record straight. This is a historic triumph. This is a victory for working families all across America. It certainly includes the people of my home State of Wyoming.

It is fitting that President Trump signed our bill into law on Independence Day, July 4. That is because the law is about independence for working families. It means independence from soaring prices, independence from high taxes, independence from foreign countries on which we have become dependent, and it comes from independence for American energy.

This law is a direct attack on wasteful Washington spending. On Friday, I celebrated Independence Day in Cody, WY. It is the home of the world-famous Cody Stampede. I spoke with Wyoming families, Wyoming small business owners, Wyoming workers, Wyoming ranchers, talked about their lives and the impact of this legislation. Let me tell you, the people of Wyoming are very appreciative that this bill is signed into law.

The law does what voters sent Republicans here to do, it cuts taxes, secures the border, finishes building the wall, unleashes American energy, and it restores peace through strength.

Had Congress not passed the law, Americans would have seen their taxes go up cumulatively by $4 trillion. This was a vote against the largest tax increase in American history. Every Democrat in this Congress voted to raise taxes on the American people; Republicans prevented it.

Wyoming would have been hit very hard if the Democrats had gotten their way. Wyoming families were staring down the barrel of a $1,700 tax increase on Wyoming families, and 50,000 Wyoming small businesses would have seen their tax rates soar if the Democrats had their way.

Mr. President, 10,000 family farms in Wyoming and ranches would have faced higher death taxes.

Republicans stopped this highest tax rate rise in American history. We also cut tax: taxes on tips, taxes on overtime, taxes on Social Security. No tax on tips puts about $1,300 back into the pockets of waiters, barbers, bartenders. No taxes on overtime puts about $1,400 back into the paychecks of nurses, firefighters, and police officers.

Ten thousand Wyoming workers are going to be benefit from the no taxes on tips. Tens of thousands more will benefit from no taxes on overtime. Seniors will see more money at the end of each month because of a larger deduction. These are all things that were included in this bill that is going to help Americans all across the country.

Republicans also expanded the child tax credit. That gives more than 65,000 Wyoming families an extra $2,200 per child per year to help them pay their bills.

Additionally, this law is a win for Wyoming's hard-working families and ranchers. Our farmers and ranchers--they work hard. They do in your State, Mr. President. They certainly do in Wyoming. They do all across the country. They work hard to keep their operations running strong. Today, they face growing challenges. The challenge has been growing dramatically over the last 4 years--rising costs as well as natural disasters, predators that attack livestock. Our law ensures future success for our farmers and ranchers.

You know, in Wyoming, bears, wolves--they kill livestock. If they do, they are going to be compensated. If wildfires or droughts destroy your grazing land, you are covered by disaster assistance. If you invest in new equipment, you can fully expense up to $2.5 million to grow your business.

Now, with the changes to the death tax, families can keep their land instead of having to sell it to pay off the IRS.

Additionally, Republicans delivered for Wyoming and for the country-- energy. Our energy workers are the best in the world. This new law will unleash affordable, reliable Wyoming and American energy.

In the past 4 years under Joe Biden, the Democrats wanted to keep energy in the ground. Prices of energy rose 31 percent. Why? Because they declared war not just on energy but on the people who power our country. Oil and gas, coal miners, uranium--all of those things have been under attack by the Democrats. They handcuffed energy producers. They buried energy projects in redtape. You couldn't get things started. They locked up our Federal lands.

That has changed now as a result of our law and as a result of the elections. This law empowers States to produce more energy, and that certainly includes my home State of Wyoming and your home State of Oklahoma. It unlocks 4 million acres of coal leasing within the next 90 days. It encourages increased coal production on Federal lands. It cuts redtape. It creates new opportunities for our energy producers, and it mandates oil and natural gas leasing in Wyoming and across the West. This creates jobs, it lowers costs, and it restores America's energy independence.

Wyoming is America's energy breadbasket. We have the energy resources. Now we finally have the green light to unleash them.

Additionally, Republicans have strengthened healthcare in rural America and especially in our rural communities. There is a rural hospital fund. This directly supports our Wyoming clinics and our hospitals. There is also a renewed push for breakthrough treatments and innovative care and cures. This is a lifeline for patients with rare diseases. It is all in this bill.

With regard to Medicaid, there are now work requirements for Medicaid, as there should be, and the American people want that. Over 70 percent of the people say: If you are going to be on Medicaid, you ought to be working to prove that you are not taking the Medicaid benefits away from the people whom they were intended for in the first place. If you are able to work, you need to work.

These are just commonsense reforms under the law. Democrats voted against every single one of these commonsense reforms. What did Democrats vote for? Oh, continuing to give tax-funded healthcare to illegal immigrants. That is what Democrats are for--healthcare for illegal immigrants. Free.

Democrats voted for continuing the waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption that weakens Medicaid. I practiced medicine in Casper, WY, for over 24 years. The changes in this law will strengthen Medicaid for the people who truly need it.

I want to thank my colleagues from Wyoming, both Senator Cynthia Lummis--she led the charge on the Environment and Public Works Committee. Congresswoman Harriet Hageman made sure Wyoming's voice was heard in the House of Representatives. Because of their dedication, these Wyoming priorities are now part of the law.

This is a turning point for our country. After 4 years of record-high prices and wide-open borders, the people of Wyoming are going to feel relief. They will feel it at the grocery store, the gas station, and when they pay their bills. They are also going to feel it when they file their tax returns.

All of us Republicans made a promise to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. This law signed on the Fourth of July keeps that promise.

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