Kevin Brady

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, due to inclement weather, I was unavoidably prevented from voting on today's legislation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 18 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 19.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following: Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, January 16, 2018. Mr. Speaker: Consistent with section 3(b)(3)(F) of the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 (P.L. 114- 159), attached, please find a list of petitions recommended by the International Trade Commission in its final report but excluded from the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill Act of 2018 (H.R. 4318) due to Member objections. Sincerely, Kevin Brady, --- Chairman, Committee on Ways & Means.-- Richard E. Neal, Ranking Member, Committee on Ways & Means. The following petitions were objected to by Mr. Bucshon (IN): Petition 1566, Table-tennis tables of aluminum-clad particleboard; Petition 2692, Table-Tennis Table with Metal Legs; Petition 2708, Table-Tennis Table with Metal Legs; and Petition 2733, Table-Tennis Table with Metal Legs. The following petitions were objected to by Mr. McCaul (TX): Petition 2928, Certain Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioners; Petition 2660, Air Conditioning Units; and Petition 2656, Self-Contained Air Conditioning Units. The following petitions were objected to by Senator Brown (OH) and Senator Graham (SC): Petition 1920, Boys' Cotton Woven Blue Denim Jacket; Petition 1891, Girls' Cotton Blue Denim Skirts or Divided Skirts; Petition 948, Beach Shelters; Petition 949, Tents with Floor and integrated LED Lighting; Petition 950, Tents with Automatic Window Rollers; Petition 954, Tents with Hinged Doors; and Petition 957, Tent Shelters Without Floors and with LED Lighting. The following petitions were also objected to by Senator Brown (OH): Petition 1950, Six-Sided Screen Houses, and Petition 1952, Six-Sided Canopies. The following petition was objected to by Senator Donnelly (IN): Petition 1579, Akolidine; Pyridine, Alkyl Derivatives Unspecified.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of Ann Elizabeth Lee, a longtime resident of Conroe, TX, and a devoted educator, community leader, and friend. Born in Austin, TX, Ann Lee discovered her natural talent and love for music at an early age. After relocating with her family to Taylor, TX, Ann worked to improve her musical abilities and became heavily involved in music programs, such as the Honors Band, Stage Band, and the choir at Taylor High School. Upon her graduation, Ann attended Sam Houston State University, where she majored in Music Education and continued to refine her talent. Ultimately, Ann graduated magna cum laude, ranking in the top ten percent of her class. In 1977, Ann moved to Conroe, TX, where she began a new chapter of her life as the choral director for Conroe High School--a position she held for eight years. Throughout her time in Conroe, Ann worked with countless young men and women, instilling in them a love for music and a discipline that would guide them throughout the remainder of their lives. In addition to her position at the high school, Ann took on the role of Director of Music at the First United Methodist Church in Conroe. There, Ann uncovered her passion for music ministry, began performing for her church's congregation, and worked tirelessly to serve her community. Her love for the people of Conroe led her to join the Conroe Lions Club, where she worked in her community for over thirty years. In 1984, Ann became the director of the Conroe Chorale. Ann took the Chorale, now known as the Montgomery County Choral Society, to new heights. She organized community concerts and traveled with the group on multiple international trips, taking their performances and concerts across Europe. Ann's passion for her students, her church, her community, and her music led her to positively influence the lives of everyone who crossed her path. She made a lasting impact on the people of Conroe, and I was honored to call her my friend. I join Ann's family, friends, and the thousands of people she impacted over her lifetime in recognizing and honoring her many years of service to the Conroe Community. Ann passed away on November 13, 2017, and she will be sorely missed.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the hard work of those who made the Conference Report possible. Thank you to the expert drafters at the House and Senate offices of legislative counsel who worked together on the Conference report after having worked for so many months with the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee on the underlying bills: Henry Christrup, Scott Probst, Fiona Heckscher, and House Legislative Counsel Wade Ballou; and Mark McGunagle, Allison Otto, Vince Gaiani and former Senate Legislative Counsel Jim Fransen. Thank you also to the hardworking team of JCT economists, lawyers, and accountants, who support all aspects of our work on tax legislation: Nick Bull, Jim Cilke, Tim Dowd, Chris Giosa, Lucas Goodman, Rob Harvey, Tom Holtmann, Paul Landefeld, Joe LeCates, Kathleen Mackie, Jamie McGuire, Pam Moomau, Rachel Moore, Jake Mortenson, Chris Overend, Brandon Pecoraro, Zach Richards, Heidi Schramm, David Splinter, Lori Stuntz, Brent Trigg, Jeff Arbeit, Nita Asher, Lillian Aston, Paul Chen, Gordon Clay, Adam Gropper, Andrew Grossman, Nick Gutmann, Viva Hammer, Heather Harman, Harold Hirsch, Deirdre James, Sally Kwak, David Lenter, Bert Lue, Tricia McDermott, Paul McLaughlin, Veena Murthy, Cecily Rock, Kristine Roth, Karl Russo, Natalie Tucker, and Kashi Way. And a special thank you to JCT chief of staff Tom Barthold for his excellent leadership of this outstanding team.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to reiterate the importance of dynamic scoring as part of the tax legislative process. Ever since 1996, when the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation began to investigate how best to apply macroeconomic analysis to tax legislation, Congressional scorekeepers have continued to hone their expertise and produce ever more sophisticated analyses of various tax reforms. All of this hard work culminated in 2015 when macroeconomic analysis, commonly known as ``dynamic scoring,'' was formally adopted in the House of Representatives for the purposes of official cost estimates for major legislation. Ever since the formal adoption of dynamic scoring, first in the House and later in the Senate, the goal has been to produce pro-growth tax reform that was informed by the dynamic scoring process. Although a dynamic estimate was not used for official scoring purposes with respect to H.R. 1 due to constraints in the reconciliation process, macroeconomic analysis will be critical to major legislative efforts in the years ahead. It is important that members of Congress be informed by non-partisan analysis about whether legislation under consideration would shrink or grow the economy as well as how that change in growth would affect the nation's finances and, most importantly, the American people.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I say to my Democratic colleagues: The worst bill in 29 years? With ObamaCare, don't sell yourselves short. Today, we have a choice to make. We can either stick with the status quo--we just heard it--or we can take bold action to overhaul this broken Tax Code and restore hope, opportunity, and prosperity to Americans. Our choice is clear, and I have made mine. I will vote to send this bill to President Trump's desk to get real tax reform done for the American people for the first time in 31 years. We will deliver for the American people. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we hear a lot of false claims these days by opponents of tax reform. We hear that this isn't relief for the middle class, that people will see their taxes increase. But the Tax Policy Center, the most liberal economic group there is, just grudgingly admitted yesterday that 90 percent of Americans will see real tax cuts in this Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. In fact, the only ones who won't are the one- tenth of 1 percent who could. We hear today about betrayal. Well, let's talk about that. This tax reform bill doubles the child tax credit and expands it to nearly four times as many Americans, helping them with the expensive costs of childcare. Democrats oppose helping our parents raise their children. That is betrayal. In this tax reform bill, we increase the amount of medical expenses Americans can write off--medical expenses driven up by ObamaCare. Democrats oppose helping families write off these costs. That is betrayal. Now we are expanding the number of Americans who can, and how much, give in charity to our churches and to their causes. Democrats oppose helping people give to the community and to the causes they believe in. That is betrayal. In this bill, we, for the first time, allow families who are saving for their kids' future to be able to use that and transfer it to the new ABLE accounts because their child has special needs and may need help throughout their life. Democrats oppose letting families save for their disabled children's future. That is betrayal. Then we hear over and over again how some stand for small business, our Main Street businesses. Republicans, for the first time ever, provide a 20 percent deduction for our Main Street and small businesses across America. Democrats oppose helping our Main Street businesses. That is betrayal. For too long, we have watched our jobs move overseas. This changes. This tax cut bill brings those jobs back and, more importantly, allows our companies, when they compete and win around the world, to bring those dollars back to be reinvested in our communities, in jobs, in manufacturing, and in research. Democrats oppose bringing jobs back to America and bringing those dollars back to reinvest in our community. Mr. Speaker, that is betrayal. At the end of the day, we have a choice. Do we give back to families, parents, small businesses, and to America the hope and opportunity of a new economy driven by what is important to them, not what is important to special interests in Washington, D.C.? That is what this bill is all about. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. Mr. Speaker, let's talk deficits. Our Democrat opponents just hate the thought that we would give Americans back what they earned. In 2009, when President Obama lifted the national debt by $1.6 trillion--more than this tax bill--they cheered. In the next year, when President Obama raised the national debt by almost $2 trillion in 1 year, they cheered. Three more times, President Obama and Democrats raised our national debt more than $1 trillion every year. And now-- now--they oppose it. Why? Because that was about Washington spending your money. This is about giving it back to the American people, and now, suddenly, you object. Two trillion dollars of deficit in 1 year. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, both the House and now the Senate have taken action on legislation to reform America's Tax Code for the first time in 31 years. Unfortunately, two targeted provisions did not meet Senate rules and had to be removed. Today, the process continues to move forward, and, with this vote, it will be the House, the people's House, that officially sends this historic legislation to President Trump's desk. I know the American people are excited. More than that, I know they are feeling a sense of relief. They are relieved that, for the first time in years, they are going to see more money in their paychecks that they can keep. Think about that middle-income family of four, earning $70,000 a year. These are working families, and the tax cut of more than $2,000 they will see under this bill, that $2,000 is real money. It is real money these families worked hard to earn, but, until now, they have had to send it to Washington instead of being able to use it for their own needs, whether that is paying bills, saving for the future, or putting new tires on a car. Think about the relief our job creators and our workers will feel. For so long, Americans have barely seen any growth in their paychecks, yet they are going to their jobs every day, and they are working harder than ever. With this bill, that hard work is finally going to be rewarded, and we are going to see the growth of jobs and paychecks like we haven't seen in years. For our businesses, large and small, no matter if they are a small startup with just three workers or a large company with 3,000, they are finally going to have a Tax Code that works with them as they grow, innovate, and invest in our communities. They are going to see relief from complexity and high rates and the feeling they are always having to compete with one hand tied behind their back. For all these Americans, all the hardworking men, women, and families who bring life to our communities and to our economy, I think the major source of relief is knowing that, starting in the new year, none of us has to accept this broken Tax Code and this slow-growth status in America any longer. With the new tax system we will deliver today, things will change for the better, and they will change immediately. This new Tax Code will be simple, it will be fair, and it will be focused on the needs of the American people, not on Washington's special interests. This new Tax Code will be modern. It will be competitive. It will create more good-paying jobs right here in our communities, not drive them overseas. Above all, this new Tax Code, America's Tax Code, will not belong to the special interests anymore. It will belong to the American people. It will help more Americans realize their own American Dream, whatever that may be. For all the Americans who struggle and who have been left behind under today's broken Tax Code, that has to be the biggest relief of all. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Kentucky.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 668, I call up the bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018, with the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from the Retail Industry Leaders Association, Dow Chemical Company, Semiconductor Industry Association, Information Technology Industry Council, Coalition for American Insurance, AT&T, and the National Roofing Contractors Association: Retail Industry Leaders Association. To Members of the United States Congress: The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) urges Congress to pass the conference report to H.R. 1, the ``Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,'' which is scheduled for floor consideration this week. The bill provides for comprehensive tax reform, which is critical to growing the economy and improving U.S. international competitiveness. It accomplishes these goals by doing, among other things: immediately reducing the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent; replacing our current worldwide tax system with a territorial tax system; and modifying individual tax rates, with a focus on providing a tax cut for middle income taxpayers. RILA is the trade association of the world's largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers located both domestically and abroad. Over 42 million jobs in the United States are either in retail or supported by retail, making retail America's largest private sector employer. With more than $3.8 trillion in sales and hundreds of billions paid in wages, retail is one of America's most powerful economic engines. In fact, consumer spending represents two-thirds of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Despite the retail industry's prominent place in the economy, retailers pay among the highest effective tax rates among U.S. industries. In 2016, retailers paid an average domestic effective tax rate of 34.6 percent. As a result, retailers paid $32.5 billion in federal taxes, representing 11 percent of the total federal corporate income tax paid by all corporate taxpayers. This tax treatment for the retail sector stifles job creation, investment, and consumer savings for a sector so important to our nation's economy. It has been 31 years since the tax code has been fundamentally reformed. RILA and its member companies urge passage of the conference report to H.R. 1, ``Tax Cuts and Jobs Act'' to finalize this once in a generation opportunity to reform the tax code to benefit the economy and America's workers, consumers, and businesses.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from Heritage Action, American Action Network, SBE Council, and Americans for Prosperity: Americans for Prosperity. Letter No. 1 AFP: Historic Tax Reform Agreement Will Unleash Economic Growth and Prosperity Arlington, VA.--Americans for Prosperity today cheered the final version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act released by the tax reform conference committee. The organization commended lawmakers for crafting a bill that remains true to the principles of the Unified Framework and advances the ultimate goal of unrigging the economy for hardworking Americans. In praising the package, the group is pointing out that it would provide tax relief for individuals at every income bracket, make U.S. businesses significantly more competitive by lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, and includes efforts to simplify and ease the burden of tax compliance. In addition, the tax plan includes provisions long championed by AFP, such as repealing Obamacare's unpopular individual mandate. Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips issued the following statement: ``This final tax reform plan delivers relief to the working class while unleashing opportunity and growth for America's small business owners and job creators. All year, we've been calling on Congress to go bold and focus on making this pro-growth. We think they've done that. Although not perfect, the House and the Senate should be commended for their diligent work to significantly improve our broken system, and the Trump White House deserves credit for its relentless focus on getting tax reform done this year. ``Lawmakers now face a historic moment--a once-in-a- generation opportunity to overhaul our nation's broken tax code in order to create jobs, increase wages, fuel the economy and unleash U.S. investment, which will usher in a new era of American innovation. We urge all members of Congress to embrace this historic plan and fulfill their promise to create a simpler, fairer and more competitive tax code by sending it to the president's desk this year.'' Letter No. 2 AFP Key Vote: YES Vote on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Dear Senators: On behalf of more than 3.2 million Americans for Prosperity activists in all 50 states, I urge a YES vote on the Senate version of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This tax reform package will deliver a fairer, flatter, and simpler tax code that will lead to stronger economic growth, more job creation, and higher wages. Lawmakers should not miss this once-in-a-generation opportunity. We urge you to vote YES on the Senate version of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Americans for Prosperity will include this vote in our congressional scorecard. This comprehensive tax reform plan will bring tax relief to middle-class households and businesses across the country. Americans would see individual tax rates fall from the current rate of 22.5 percent to 22 percent; 25 percent to 24 percent; and 32.5 rate to 32 percent. They would also benefit from an expanded standard deduction and repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax. Businesses would see the corporate tax rate fall to 20 percent permanently as well as improvements in the structure of our punishing international tax system. Meanwhile, small businesses--the economy's top job creators--would also see welcome tax relief. Americans have suffered under an unfair, complex, and burdensome tax code which pits the least fortunate against the well-connected for far too long. It's encouraging to see lawmakers follow through on their commitment to the American people to overhaul the tax code and make it work better for everyday Americans. This vote will inform our engagement on the grassroots level in lawmakers' districts. We urge you to vote YES on the Senate version of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Americans for Prosperity will include this vote in our congressional scorecard.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from the Real Estate Roundtable, National Association of Home Builders, Financial Services Roundtable, American Bankers Association, RATE Coalition, and the National Milk Producers Federation: Real Estate Roundtable. Tax Bill Will Spur Economic Growth: Real Estate Roundtable Washington, DC.--Real Estate Roundtable President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey DeBoer today commended congressional policymakers on reconciling differences between the Senate and House versions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1)--historic tax legislation that faces a final vote in both chambers next week. DeBoer stated: ``Today's agreement by Senate and House leaders on the final details of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a significant effort to encourage capital formation and investment in all types of businesses. New investment incentives in this bill should spur economic growth and boost job creation throughout the United States. We applaud the dedicated efforts of congressional lawmakers and Administration officials who brought this legislation to fruition. In addition to reducing the tax rate for American corporations to make them more globally competitive, the legislation also encourages capital formation and investment by ushering in a new tax regime focused on businesses conducted in pass-through format such as partnerships and Subchapter S corporations. These pass-through entities are the backbone of the American economy, representing over 60 percent of all business income and creating more than 60 percent of all jobs in America over the past 25 years.'' Mr. DeBoer added: ``We anticipate that many provisions in the bill, including the pass-through tax regime, will require the immediate focus and attention of the Treasury Department to draft interpretative regulations. This process will be critical in maintaining needed guardrails to prevent abuse, but also to make certain the new rules function as efficiently as possible and result in robust economic activity. The Act also ensures that commercial real estate development and ownership continues to be taxed on an economic basis, thereby avoiding significant market distortions that could harm local communities and lender portfolios.''

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from Ford Motor Company, MetLife, Coalition Letter, Americans for Tax Reform, National Taxpayers Union, and a letter signed by National Taxpayers Union, 60 Plus Association, ALEC Action, American Action Network, American Commitment, American Conservative Union, Americans for a Strong Economy, Americans for Tax Reform, Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC), Campaign for Liberty, Center for Freedom and Prosperity, Center for Individual Freedom, Center for Worker Freedom, Club for Growth, Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE), Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Digital Liberty, Faith & Freedom Coalition, Family Business Coalition, Freedom Foundation of Minnesota, FreedomWorks, Heritage Action for America, Hispanic Leadership Fund, Independent Women's Voice, Institute for a Policy Innovation, Invest in Education Coalition, The James Madison Institute, The John K. Maclver Institute for Public Policy, Middle Class Growth Initiative, Niskanen Center, Property Rights Alliance, Rio Grande Foundation, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund, and Women for Trump: Ford Motor Company. As an American automaker with more than 85,000 U.S. employees, we applaud your strong commitment to producing tax reform that we believe will help support continued investment in American manufacturing and the good-paying jobs it supports. Over the last five years, Ford has invested more than $12 billion in its U.S. factories. We have more U.S. hourly employees and produce more vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker. We also continue to expand our ranks of high-tech engineering, research and IT jobs in the U.S. and each year, we invest nearly $7 billion in research and development, the vast majority of which is conducted in the United States. We believe these investments will not only enhance our products today, but lead to the innovation that transforms the future of transportation. Your collective work and perseverance in driving tax reform is critical to America's continued leadership in today's globally competitive marketplace. We urge you to quickly pass this proposal and seize this generational opportunity to make tax reform a reality.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, National Association of Manufacturers, National Federation of Independent Business, and the Alliance for Competitive Taxation: U.S. Chambers of Commerce. To The Members of the United States Congress: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce urges Congress to complete its final step to enact comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform legislation and pass the conference report to accompany H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Chamber will include votes related to this legislation in our How They Voted scorecard. By passing the conference report, Congress would unleash resources for businesses large and small to hire new workers, expand facilities, and purchase new equipment. Bringing about tax reform would help ensure that these investments are made here in the United States, and these investments would lead to higher wages and catalyze broad economic growth. Moreover, H.R. 1 would provide additional growth by allowing for environmentally-sensitive oil and gas production in an area in northern Alaska set aside by Congress for energy exploration in 1980. The Chamber applauds the work of the conferees for reporting a strong pro-growth tax reform bill. The members of the Finance and Ways and Means Committees from this and previous congresses also deserve much credit for their work during this multi-year effort. Tax reform is a big engine that will power a growing economy for years to come. Only one step remains for Congress to keep its commitment to approving pro-growth, comprehensive tax reform legislation.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Reginald Greene, a longtime and outstanding staffer for the Committee on Ways and Means, who passed away on December 11, 2017. Known around the halls of the Ways and Means Committee as simply ``Reggie,'' for four decades he held job titles ranging from staff assistant to documents clerk. But around the committee he was really Mr. Everything. He could make out-of-print documents appear out of thin air, and whether it was manning the doors, handling special requests, or enforcing committee procedures, you name it, Reggie did it. No one was fiercer than Reggie in protecting our committee and making sure that everyone respected its rules and procedures. Reggie never condoned sloppiness and always frowned on carelessness. He could be stern with staff--and more than a few Members--if they strayed from the rules. And he could silence disorderly conduct in our hearing room with a single look. So much so that you might think that the Ways and Means hearing room was really Reggie's hearing room--and you would be right. There he was both respected and feared by staff, lobbyists, and even Members when they entered his domain. Any photographer who stayed too long, or Member or staffer who dared to cross the dais without proper attire, or drink from a can of soda with the logo visible to the cameras--a little-known violation of our committee's rules--would soon hear about it. But underneath his outer tough-guy demeanor, Reggie was also a friendly and warm soul with a generous laugh. He would always encourage children visiting the committee hearing room to sit in the chairman's chair for a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity. Reggie had so many friends on the Hill, and he created a network of relationships to get our work done. He always had a kind word or joke at the ready when you needed it. His humor was dry, and legendary. If you asked him if he needed anything, he would say ``a million bucks and a hot tub for my office.'' At times like this, if you asked him when he thought Congress would complete its work for the year, he would say ``not soon enough.'' More than anything, Reggie's career celebrated his deep love for the Ways and Means Committee, its traditions, and its enormous responsibilities to the American people. That is a love he surely inherited from his father, who preceded him on the committee staff. And like the proud grandfather he was at home, Reggie also prided himself on helping raise the next generation of staffers to share in and carry on his profound respect for the committee. Whether through a gentle tug on the elbow or a low whisper, young staffers might get that day's lesson in committee decorum, history, or tradition. On behalf of the entire Committee on Ways and Means, I offer our sincerest condolences to the Greene family on Reggie's passing. And I thank them for sharing Reggie with us for so many years of outstanding service to the committee, its Members, and our great country.