Family Prosperity Act

FAMILY PROSPERITY ACT -- (Senate - September 26, 2006)

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Mr. CORNYN. Will the Senator yield for a question?

Mr. DeMINT. Yes.

Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I would inquire of the distinguished Senator from South Carolina--he has just described the blocking of the Family Prosperity Act, which, as I recall, combines the death tax, an increase in the minimum wage, and so-called extension of the tax relief, including the teacher classroom deduction, the State and local tax deduction, and the R&D--research and development--tax credit. But I believe he also referenced a press conference that was held at 10 o'clock this morning here at the Capitol where Republicans were charged with raising taxes against the middle class for failing to extend the very tax extenders that they blocked just in August.

Is that the Senator's understanding?

Mr. DeMINT. The Senator from Texas knows as well as I do that this has become the pattern of our Democratic colleagues: to purposely block important legislation and then attempt to come down and blame Republicans or blame the President when it doesn't actually get done.

I am excited, as the election nears, that the American people are much smarter than that. They are going to clearly see through those attempts. These important things which need to be done, many of which we have been able to accomplish despite Democratic obstruction, are still being blocked by our Democratic colleagues.

Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, will the Senator yield for an additional question?

Mr. DeMINT. Yes.

Mr. CORNYN. Is the Senator aware that in addition to blocking the Family Prosperity Act, which would have achieved the No. 1 item on the Democratic agenda, which is raising the minimum wage, in addition to reducing the death tax and providing additional tax relief, which we discussed, that there have been other efforts to block and then blame Republicans for being a do-nothing Congress?

I would just like to read a short list--I know the Senator has some other prepared remarks he is going to focus on--just to cover sort of a survey of the field, of areas which our friends on the other side of the aisle have sought to block and blame the majority while, at the same time, being the ones responsible for blocking important legislation.

For example, is the Senator aware that there is now an attempt on the Democratic side to block the Child Custody Protection Act--and we mentioned the estate tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, which would help us become less dependent on imported energy and oil, the Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act, the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act, the Legislative Line Item Veto Act, the Federal Election Integrity Act, and the Social Security Guarantee Act? Is the Senator aware that in each of those instances, but for blocking by our friends on the other side of the aisle, we would actually be able to make bipartisan reforms and actually advance the agenda of the American people in very positive and constructive ways?

Mr. DeMINT. Yes, I am aware. And I am aware that all of the bills and legislation that my colleague mentioned have majority support in the Senate. But by using procedural blocking techniques, the Democrats have kept these from coming to a vote, or even debated in some cases. But, again, I am confident the American people, as they focus on what we have been doing--and I realize our Democratic colleagues produced their commercials to call us a do-nothing Congress several months ago, so it has become very important for them in the last days of this Congress to block everything that they can. But we have several important pieces of legislation this week related to the security of this country that we need to pass, and we are going to have the opportunity in a few minutes to hopefully get unanimous consent to pass the Family Prosperity Act, to give people a raise in the minimum wage, to pass these tax extenders, and to create a compromise on this death tax, which is so immoral and hurts so many families.

Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, if the Senator would yield for one last question.

Mr. DeMINT. Yes.

Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I know the Senator's focus is on the Family Prosperity Act. But one of the bills that I mentioned, just as a final example of this tactic of blocking and then blaming the majority for being a do-nothing Congress, is the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act. As I recall, this is sometimes called the small business health insurance bill, which would be designed to allow small businesses and other associations to pool together to buy health insurance for their employees at about 12 percent lower rates than are otherwise available.

Is the Senator aware that while we attempted to close off debate, 55 Senators voted to be able to close off debate and go to that important small business health reform legislation, and 43 Senators voted against closing off debate, thus preventing us--again, blocking us--from passing this important health care legislation which appears to otherwise have broad bipartisan support?

Mr. DeMINT. I am glad the Senator from Texas brought that up because this morning our distinguished colleague from New Mexico was talking about how Republicans have done nothing significant to lower health insurance costs when, in fact, the small business health plan would have done just that. I was a small businessman for many years. Health care is one of the highest expenses we had. The chance to pool together with small businesses all over the country to buy insurance, just like large companies can do, is a commonsense measure that should have been passed in the Senate, yet was blocked by our colleagues.

Mr. CORNYN. I thank the Senator.

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