Kevin Brady

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.

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 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. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 667, I call up the conference report on 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, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill currently under consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), the majority leader of the House.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Kansas (Ms. Jenkins).

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan), who has devoted his life to this moment and tax reform, our Speaker of the House.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Walorski).

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

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let's pass this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam), chairman of the Tax Policy Subcommittee.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Black), the chairwoman of the Budget Committee and a member of the Ways and Means Committee.

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

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Mrs. Noem).

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 4 minutes. Mr. Speaker, there is only one fundamental question today: Who gets to decide? When Americans work hard for their money, who gets to decide what you do with it? Is it you? Or is it some nameless, faceless government worker here in Washington? When a family with young children is working feverishly to fund their kids' future, who gets to decide how they spend their money: them or Washington? The single mom fighting every day trying to get by and give a good life to her daughter, who decrees where her money goes? When a Main Street businessowner works late into the night and through the weekend, risking every penny they own to reach their dream, who gets that meager profit each day? Does it go to you, who earned it, exhausted at the end of a long day? Or is it grabbed by a Federal Government who doesn't even know your name except on April 15? Our communities have watched their companies, jobs, and futures move overseas for too long. Our local businesses have been fighting other countries with one hand tied behind their back from an old, outdated Tax Code. They deserve a new Tax Code that allows them to compete and win anywhere in the world, especially here at home. When they compete and win, who decides where that money goes? Today, Washington says spend it overseas. Our new Tax Code says bring it home, spend it here in America to grow our jobs, our paychecks, our communities. That is why this moment is so important. Opponents of this tax bill don't really worry about tax cuts for the rich. They worry about tax cuts for you because if you spend your money, they can't. If you have the first claim over your earnings, they no longer do. And if your dreams come before theirs, everything in Washington changes, everything. Given a choice between the Federal Government and you, we choose you, the hardworking American taxpayers. We choose you, the only special interest that truly matters. Americans deserve a Tax Code for a new era of American prosperity. We deliver on that promise because it is your money. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Nunes).

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

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reed).

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Holding).

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

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith), the secretary of the Republican Conference.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the majority whip of the Republican Conference.

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