Year-End Legislative Wrap-Up

Floor Speech

YEAR-END LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP -- (Senate - December 19, 2007)

Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, last night, when everybody was rushing around in the well during the last vote and wishing each other a Merry Christmas, I was reminded of something Senator LOTT said yesterday morning. He told us not to forget that we all have normal lives and families to get home to and the same basic concerns in life as everybody else; and that if we forget that, then this body is in serious trouble.

It is in that spirit that I would like to wrap up the year in pretty much the same way I tried to open it, by urging a little more cooperation and civility. About a year ago now, I called on my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to take advantage of the rare opportunity divided government gave us to tackle big issues on a bipartisan basis. Beyond that, I said Republicans had a few basic priorities: keeping Americans safe and secure, protecting their basic freedoms, protecting their wallets, and spending their money wisely. I said we would not hesitate to ensure these priorities by shaping worthy legislation or by blocking legislation that would undermine them.

Looking back on the year, I think we have been pretty successful at it.

Early on, Democrats presented us with a minimum wage bill that undermined small businesses, and it did not pass. When they agreed to include a tax break, it sailed through by a vote of 94-3. We shaped that one.

A little later, Democrats gave us an energy conservation bill that would have led to higher taxes, and it did not pass. When they agreed to remove the tax hikes 6 months later, it passed easily, 86-13. We shaped that one.

Then they offered to extend a ban on the AMT middle-class tax hike for 1 more year, but to cover the cost by imposing a new tax on the same 23 million Americans who are about to be whacked by it. The AMT was never meant to hit middle-class families, so a new tax to pay for the mistake was plainly unfair. When Democrats finally took it out, the AMT fix passed the Senate 88-5. We shaped that one.

Again and again, we have insisted the minority be heard and, in the end, we were. We have shaped a lot of legislation this year to ensure that Republican priorities were addressed. We are proud of it.

We have also stopped a lot of things that we thought would undermine our security.

The most prominent example, of course, is Iraq. After last night, Senate Democrats had held 34 votes this year related to the war in Iraq. And on every one that either attempted to substitute our judgment for the judgment of our commanders or cut off funds for our men and women in the field, we prevailed.

So we have shaped a lot of things we thought were worthy, things like the AMT fix and the energy conservation bill. And we have proudly blocked some things that we thought were just bad ideas altogether, like pulling our troops out of Iraq before the Petraeus Plan had time to take hold.

But our intention from the start was always, if possible, to avoid confrontation as an end unto itself. The history books are filled with examples of the things Congress achieved when opposite parties controlled the White House and the Congress. That was always our first option.

Unfortunately, our friends seemed intent on forcing votes all year, whether they be on Iraq or any number of domestic issues, that never had a chance of either passing the Senate or of becoming law. The practical effect, of course, is that very little would get accomplished in the end.

But it didn't have to be that way. On the bills I have mentioned, Democrats had a choice: they could have presented us first with the version they knew we could cooperate on. Or, as we saw all too often, they could present us with a partisan bill that could only serve them as a talking point. When they chose the former, we racked up some serious accomplishments together.

Over the last week, we have seen this kind of cooperation work on the energy conservation bill and on the AMT.

I have actually enjoyed working with the distinguished majority leader all year. I won't be the first person to remark that he has a tough job. But he has shown a lot of patience this year, and he has put up with a lot. So I want to thank him for his collegiality and his friendship.

I also want to thank him once again for speaking to the students at the McConnell Center in Louisville in October. It meant a lot to the students, and it meant a lot to me. A lot of people seem surprised when I tell them the last two Senators I have had speak at the center are Senator Kennedy and Senator Reid.

All of us were put here by voters with vastly different backgrounds who hold vastly different views. And the fact that we can work together and pass legislation that covers every one of them is really the glory of this institution and this country. But we will never be able to do that if we are not gentlemanly and respectful. Trent had it right. We can't lose sight of the important things.

In that spirit, I thank all of our colleagues and staffs on both sides of the aisle, Republicans and Democrats, for all the sacrifices they have made this year and for all the grief they took from their constituents, their wives, their husbands, and their kids for living the kind of life we all live in this fishbowl. I know a lot of them are on their way home at the moment. I am glad they are. I must say I am not far behind. But I do want to wish them all a very warm, happy, and Merry Christmas with their families.

I might say to my good friend the majority leader and to all of our colleagues, we are looking forward to a month off and then looking forward to getting back together at the end of January to see what we can accomplish next year for the American people.

I yield the floor.

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