Mike Crapo

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, once again the targeted budget blueprint before us today is not about cutting Medicare or Medicaid. It doesn't deal with Medicare or Medicaid. It deals with securing the border, strengthening the military, facilitating the energy independence of our country and taking the initial steps to put our fiscal house in order. While the Finance Committee does have a $1 million deficit decreasing instruction, this is not a tax bill nor a healthcare reform bill, and the claims that we have heard continuously tonight, to me, seem just to be the politics of fear in the face of trying to deal with our Nation's critical issues. To meet this instruction, the Finance Committee will reverse a Biden administration nursing home rule that would increase taxpayer cost by billions, jeopardize patient access to long-term care, especially in our already underserved rural communities. I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment today, as it is not relevant to the Finance Committee's instruction. Vote on Amendment No. 407

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, once again, I think I have said this 10 times tonight. I will say it again. The budget blueprint we are working on does not deal with Medicare and Medicaid. It is to secure the border, strengthen the military, and facilitate our energy independence. The instruction given to the Finance Committee deals solely with reversing a Biden administration nursing home rule that would increase taxpayer costs by billions and jeopardize patient access to long-term care, especially in our rural communities. Point of Order Mr. President, I have also been advised that this amendment, too, would be corrosive to the privilege of the budget resolution if adopted. Because the amendment contains matter that is inappropriate for a budget resolution, its adoption could jeopardize the resolution's privilege. Additionally, this amendment violates the Congressional Budget Act because it is not germane to the budget resolution. Since the amendment does not meet that standard required by law, I raise a point of order against the amendment under section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I will just say what I said before: This amendment violates the Congressional Budget Act because it is not germane to the budget resolution. Since the amendment does not meet that standard, I raise a point of order against the amendment under section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I repeat what I have said before. Because this amendment violates the Congressional Budget Act, it is not germane to the budget resolution. Since the amendment does not meet that standard required by law, I raise a point of order against the amendment under section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, once again, this targeted budget blueprint before us would focus on the border, the military, and our energy independence. While the Finance Committee does have a $1 billion instruction, this is neither a tax bill nor a healthcare reform bill. That instruction makes that clear. I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment today as it is not relevant to the Finance Committee instruction.

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, this is the same as the last one. So I am going to adopt Senator Kennedy's debate and urge a ``no'' vote. Vote on Amendment No. 984

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, the third time around, Senator Kennedy's debate still remains. Vote no. Vote on Amendment No. 198

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment today because it is not relevant to the Finance Committee's instruction. Vote on Amendment No. 1207

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I rise today in support of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s nomination to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of his confirmation. Contrary to the attacks that have constantly been made on him, he has made it very clear that he will support safe vaccinations and just wants to see that the research on them is done and done well. When his nomination for the role of Secretary at HHS was announced, Mr. Kennedy stated: We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic facing Americans. I agree with him. We have got to get into the business of making America healthy again. Mr. Kennedy's dedication to this commitment has been apparent throughout the nomination process. He will bring a fresh perspective to healthcare, prioritizing consumer choice, information transparency, and early interventions to strengthen the well-being of all Americans. He has been responsive to a wide variety of questions from Members on both sides of the aisle, appearing before two committees and answering hundreds of questions for the record, not to mention going through the extensive vetting process of the Finance Committee, which I chair, which is the most extensive vetting process that any candidate for a position in this administration goes through in the Senate. While some of my colleagues continue to question his financial agreements, Mr. Kennedy met and then exceeded the requirements set forth by the Office of Government Ethics. Mr. Kennedy has participated in one of the most extensive processes, as I have said, that our Senate puts a nominee through and has succeeded in meeting those standards, and I encourage my colleagues to support his nomination.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have 30 seconds to just respond.

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I would simply say that we hear this every time we look at trying to address the spending excesses in our government. And I will just say to my colleague and to everyone: We are not going to take healthcare away from children. We are not going to take healthcare away from adults, from seniors, or from middle-aged people. We are not going to attack the benefits that people get under Medicare. And, frankly, we will reform some of the spending, yes, but we will not do all of the terrible things that are being spun up to try to attack this effort to control the excessive spending in our government.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, in a moment, the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I rise to encourage my colleagues to support this motion. As Secretary of HHS, Mr. Kennedy would oversee our Nation's expansive healthcare system, from sources of coverage to advancement of public health. Mr. Kennedy's decades of experience and deep drive to advocate on behalf of consumers will set a patient-centered tone at the Department. As he has demonstrated in both public and private settings, Mr. Kennedy is committed to reorienting our healthcare approach and restoring faith in our institutions. His passion for addressing America's chronic disease epidemic will save lives, reduce costs, and establish a foundation for a healthier, stronger country. His dedication to transparency will empower patients to make more informed decisions about their healthcare and form a responsive rapport with Congress. As Mr. Kennedy stated during his hearing, ``if Congress asked me for information, you will get it immediately.'' Over the course of his vetting process, Mr. Kennedy met with dozens of Members on both sides of the aisle, spoke with bipartisan Senate Finance Committee staff, appeared before two committee hearings, and answered over 900 questions for the record, not to mention presenting thousands of pages of documents. Mr. Kennedy has gone through the same Office of Government Ethics process as all nominees who come before the Finance Committee and has received support for his efforts. Similar to all other nominees, we have a letter from the Director of the Office of Government Ethics stating: Based thereon, we believe that this nominee is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of interest. He even amended his ethics agreement, going beyond what was required by the Office of Government Ethics, in response to the request from one of our Finance Committee members. I urge my colleagues to join me in advancing this nomination so we can begin to make our country healthier.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, the Committee on Finance has adopted rules governing its procedures for the 119th Congress. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the accompanying rules for the Senate Committee on Finance be printed in the Record.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the confirmation of Mr. Scott Bessent, who has been nominated to serve as Secretary of the Treasury. Over the weekend, the Senate voted with broad bipartisan support to advance Mr. Bessent's nomination. In fact, 15 of my Democrat colleagues joined Republicans in advancing Mr. Bessent's nomination. Despite Mr. Bessent's prolific experience and qualifications, which cannot be disputed, a few detractors frame their policy preferences-- and I emphasize ``policy preferences''--as if they are compliance issues with regard to his taxes. Let me be clear: Mr. Bessent followed all applicable law and met the Finance Committee's longstanding and rigorous diligence standard. The Finance Committee has the most rigorous standards for vetting nominees of any committee in this Congress, including looking at their past tax returns and having tax experts come in and evaluate their tax returns with us. His diligence matched that which has applied to nominees in previous administrations. Contrary to what you heard, he provided extensive supporting material for all of the attacks on him, including more than 3,000 pages' worth. And he and his staff spent countless hours with Republican and Democrat Senate Finance Committee members and staff going over all of these allegations and all of these claimed failures to pay taxes. He has gone further by not only divesting all of his business ties, which is no small task, but by publicly committing that if there is any change in the law in the future on these policy arguments, that he would comply with those changes in the law. But let me state this again as clearly as it can be said: Scott Bessent paid his taxes. I have heard it said twice on this floor that he did not pay his taxes. Experts have gone over his tax returns, and he has complied with standard, prevailing interpretations of the Tax Code every time. The issue here is that the IRS wants to change the interpretation of the Tax Code. But the IRS doesn't get to decide what our Tax Code says; Congress does. And Congress has not made the changes that the IRS wants to see. Even in the face of that, arguing that he should have done what the IRS wanted him to do--in fact, they didn't even say they wanted him to do it; they said it to other taxpayers, and other taxpayers have taken the IRS to court over this issue--but Mr. Bessent has said if the IRS prevails and changes the Tax Code, the interpretation of the Tax Code, he will comply. But the argument that he has not complied with longstanding tax policy and interpretation is false. I don't know anybody who can go through a more rigorous standard than what we put him through in the Finance Committee. As for the nominee, Mr. Bessent has worked for the last three decades as one of the sharpest minds in the global finance industry. He has decades of academic, professional, and leadership experience relevant to the position of Treasury Secretary. His performance at the committee was stellar. His background and training are tailor-made for this role. And he has the demeanor and character to be an effective Secretary. Mr. Bessent is committed to restoring the prosperity and opportunity experienced under President Trump's leadership. This includes ensuring that we avert an over $4-trillion tax hike on the American people if the Trump tax cuts are allowed to expire, which he rightly described at his nomination hearing as a pass-fail exercise. There should be no question that we will extend these tax cuts. I have also heard it argued on this floor here today that this is just a tax cut for rich billionaires. The reality is that the vast majority of it--the vast majority--of this tax cut goes to everyday people, to people making less than $400,000 a year. And the $400,000 is computed by $200,000 per individual so a married couple could equal the $400,000 level. The vast majority of those tax cuts, however, go to people in the lower- and middle-income tax brackets. The tax cuts that we are talking about gave tax cuts to every single solitary income cohort in the Tax Code and the greatest tax cuts went to those in the lower- and middle-income categories. It would be terrible if we did not extend these tax cuts. Yet Mr. Bessent is attacked for saying he supports extending these tax cuts. It doesn't make sense. I look forward to working closely with him to make sure that we extend the policies that benefited Americans of every income bracket and enabled families and businesses to get ahead. I should also say that under this tax policy, when it was passed, the richest in America paid a greater percentage of the overall tax burden than they had before. Yet he is attacked for wanting to extend these tax cuts that will hammer every single tax-paying American if they are allowed to expire. If qualifications--and I might add, character--are one of the tests for supporting a nominee, voting to confirm Mr. Bessent is one of the easiest that we could take. In previous Congresses, many of my Republican colleagues and I have voted for candidates we considered to be qualified to serve as Treasury Secretary, even when they were nominated by Democratic Presidents and we disagreed with many of their policy positions. Mr. Bessent's candidacy ought to enjoy similar bipartisan support. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with me in confirming his nomination. He is the right person for this job, and I commend President Trump in making such an excellent selection.

Mr. CRAPO. I ask unanimous consent to speak for just 15 seconds. I am going to state again, Mr. Bessent went through the most rigorous evaluation of his tax returns that anybody in America has ever faced. He passed the entire test every time. He has paid the taxes he has owed under the U.S. Government's Tax Code.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, in about an hour or so, we are going to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Scott Bessent to be the Treasury Secretary of the United States, and I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this motion. A Treasury Secretary heads the Agency charged with supporting economic growth, representing U.S. interests before foreign nations and global financial markets and organizations, managing the Federal Treasury, and overseeing financial institutions--to name just a few of those important responsibilities. Past successful Treasury Secretaries have understood business and financial markets, as well as foreign policy, national security, budgets, and regulation. Mr. Bessent's impressive background positions him for similar success. He has worked for the last three decades as one of the sharpest minds in the global financial industry. He has decades of academic, professional, and leadership experience relative to these positions. When it comes to Mr. Bessent's qualifications, there is no room for debate. His background and training are tailor-made for this role, and he has the demeanor and character to be an effective Secretary. His powerful presentation at his hearing about his desire to serve in government in order to make a meaningful difference was impressive to all. It includes restoring prosperity and opportunity that our Nation experienced during President Trump's first term in office. As Mr. Bessent stated, accomplishing key tasks like extending vital tax cuts for all Americans is literally a pass-fail exercise, and I look forward to working closely with him to ensure that we succeed. I strongly agree with a sentiment that my colleague Senator Graham shared at the nomination hearing that if qualifications--and I might add character--are one's test, voting to confirm Mr. Bessent is one of the easiest we could ever take. In prior Congresses, I have joined with many of my Republican colleagues in voting for well-qualified Treasury Secretary candidates put forward by a Democrat President, even though I didn't agree with all of the positions they advocated. Mr. Bessent's candidacy ought to enjoy similar support, and I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with me in advancing his nomination. He is the right person for this job, and I commend President Trump in making such an excellent selection. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I expect that sometime this evening, the Senate will move to the consideration of the Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal two Social Security provisions: the windfall elimination provision, pronounced ``WEP,'' and the government pension offset, GPO. I agree with my colleagues that the WEP and GPO should be improved to ensure that teachers, firefighters, police officers, and others receive fair treatment under Social Security; however, I am disappointed that the Finance Committee did not have the opportunity to examine ways to address the WEP and GPO that would be fair to all Social Security beneficiaries and not hurt Social Security's long-term solvency. In its current form, the Social Security Fairness Act would cost nearly $200 billion over the next 10 years and exhaust the balance of the old-age and survivors insurance trust fund roughly 6 months earlier for all Social Security beneficiaries. The share of OASI benefits that could be paid when the trust fund is exhausted would be smaller under this bill than under current law, meaning all Social Security beneficiaries will see their Social Security benefits reduced earlier, and their benefits then will be even smaller than they would have been. I filed an amendment that would delay the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act until changes are made that would offset the bill's negative impact on Social Security's actuarial balance as determined by the Social Security Board of Trustees. The amendment does not specify what the changes should be or how the changes should be determined. While I continue to have concerns with the approach taken in the Social Security Fairness Act, at the very least, this amendment needs to be adopted so that we do not have a negative impact on Social Security's solvency and impact the Social Security benefits of all Social Security recipients. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment when it comes up. That will be the Crapo amendment No. 3331. I yield the floor.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, I call up my amendment No. 3331, and I ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, throughout this entire debate, no one has denied that this bill will raise the insolvency of the Social Security trust fund and cost our hard-working Social Security recipients to lose $200 billion in Social Security benefits when it does go insolvent. My amendment simply would delay the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act until changes are made that would offset the bill's negative effects on Social Security's actuarial balance as determined by the Social Security board of trustees. Let the Finance Committee fix this bill.

Mr. CRAPO. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, we join in honoring Roger Christensen for his decades of service to Idahoans as Bonneville County Commissioner. Roger Christensen of Idaho Falls has been a steady, experienced hand at the helm of Bonneville County for the past 30 years. He became commissioner in January 1995 and has served faithfully until his upcoming retirement in January 2025, giving him the distinction of being the longest serving Bonneville County commissioner. Roger has led the Bonneville County Board of Commissioners as its chairman for the majority of his time as commissioner. He has dedicated those years meaningfully, as he has been influential in strengthening the fiscal health of the county. This financial discipline has helped the county provide for necessities and plan for the future, setting it on a more secure economic path. Throughout, he has lent his experience in accounting, business, and as a college professor to advancing local priorities in the county that has grown considerably over his tenure. Some of the many efforts he moved forward and resolved over the years include relocating the Bonneville County Fairgrounds and selecting judges, to name just a couple. When facing considerable challenges, he kept a perceptive focus on completing the task at hand. His work has been marked by principles of transparency, treading lightly, forging partnerships, aiming for a smooth and simple government, and well-reasoned decision-making. In addition to his service as commissioner, Roger has pursued his passion for community service through many other capacities. He served in leadership roles for the Idaho Association of Counties, including his service as the association's president in 2009. He dedicated 14 years to service on the Catastrophic Health Care Cost, CAT, Program Board; 4 years to the Supreme Court Drug Court Oversight Committee; 2 years to the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counties; 21 years to the Magistrates Commission; and 16 years to the Eastern Idaho Regional Sewer District. Thank you, Roger, for your unwavering leadership of Bonneville County. You can retire knowing you have made a lasting, positive impact. And you have, undoubtedly, etched a clear example of outstanding governance in the minds and hearts of all those who have been fortunate enough to know you and benefit from your service. We wish you all the best for a retirement filled with more time with your wife, grandchildren, and many other loved ones.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, we congratulate Wes Collins as he retires from serving as Butte County Commissioner. Wes Collins has served the people of Butte County in multiple positions spanning over 33 years. He began his career in Butte County as a deputy sheriff in 1991 and served in the capacity until he was appointed sheriff on September 8, 2003. During his tenure as sheriff, he ably took on many responsibilities. He was the Butte County emergency manager for 10 years, a member of the Idaho Sheriffs Association's Marketing Committee, played an instrumental role in Safe & Drug Free Schools from 2005 to 2018, served as president of the Butte County Sheriff's Christmas for the Children Wish Upon a Star Program from 2003 to 2018, and served on the Butte County Board of Guardians and the Pretty City Committee. Wes has always been willing to step up and ensure the individuals of his community received the care they needed. Wes played a notable role in the region's search and rescue efforts, especially involving mountain climbing accidents. He contributed to public safety by responding to incidents in challenging terrains like Mount Borah, where climbers often encountered difficulties. Collins was also recognized for his involvement in documenting mountaineering history, including a significant traverse of the Lost River Range, which highlighted his personal climbing achievements and contributions to Idaho's climbing community. Wes served as Butte County sheriff until his retirement from law enforcement in 2018. Following his retirement from law enforcement, Wes believed he still had something to offer the community, so he ran for the open commissioner's seat and won. Wes took office as a Butte County commissioner on January 14, 2019, and continued his work to improve the communities of Butte County. As commissioner, Wes has played a key role in ensuring local tax dollars are being spent thoughtfully. He has served on various board positions, including the Moore Community RV Park Project, Rural Development Association, and the 3B Juvenile Corrections Facility Board. Wes has been an institution in Butte County, and his leadership will be missed. Beyond his service to the communities, Wes is an avid outdoorsman, never missing an opportunity to hike to a mountain lake to fish, downhill ski, hunt, and practice photography. Many of his prints are hanging in the county buildings. Wes, thank you for your decades of service to Idahoans. We congratulate you on a career well spent and express our heartfelt gratitude for keeping Idahoans safe and strengthening the communities and landscapes we hold dear.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I pay tribute to Staci Lancaster, an indispensable part of my Senate staff for more than 20 years. Staci's writing acumen and understanding of the policy process have proven invaluable assets to the Senate and work on behalf of Idaho's citizens. Staci Lancaster, nee Stevenson, graduated from the University of Washington, Seattle, with a bachelor's degree in political science and communications. During her senior year of college, Staci interned for then U.S. Representative Richard Norman ``Doc'' Hastings and was tasked with a unique opportunity to work on drafting a bill to enable the transfer of a park within Washington's fourth congressional district. Staci also interned with the victims assistance unit of the King County Prosecutor's Office. Although she initially had plans of attending law school, Staci's remarkable work for Representative Hastings earned her a full-time position on his staff in 1998, advising him on issues related to agriculture, trade, the judiciary, immigration, labor, foreign affairs, defense, transportation, and education. Staci joined my office in 2003 to handle agriculture and environment issues and later served as my minority staff director for the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, and Rural Revitalization and, then, the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness. Staci's planned 1 to 2 years in Washington, DC, quickly turned into 12. Staci left Washington with her husband Arlen--whom she met in my office and to whom she has been married for 19 years--in August 2010. I have had many staff over the years, but none quite like Staci. Her impeccable attention to detail and writing skills are irreplaceable, so when she approached me about remaining on staff and working remotely as part of the communications staff, it was an easy decision. She has served as my most trusted staff writer ever since. Staci advises my writing on a wide range of issues from detailed policy papers for the Senate Finance Committee, to op-eds on veterans and rural issues, to highlighting encouraging and uplifting stories like adoption. Staci's background growing up in a farm town gave her a deep respect for farming and ranching and has allowed her to thrive in her work on agriculture and trade policy. Her passion for others stretches her work even further. She recalls working on the authorization and expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program, which provides a variety of free, fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to children at eligible elementary schools. That work has come full circle as she now relishes in hearing about fresh produce at her daughter's local school, as well as others across the country. As the daughter of a Vietnam war veteran and granddaughter of World War II veterans, Staci's reverence and commitment to Idaho veterans comes naturally. She has compiled beautiful summaries of Idaho's veterans and their services to others and jumps at every opportunity to honor their heroic dedication to our Nation. Beyond her professional scope, Staci is a devoted mother and wife who enjoys walks and enriching her mind through reading. She is an active member of her local community and has served as president and service committee chairwoman for the Rotary Club of Lander, as well as a member of the Museum of the American West Board of Directors and Lander Valley Farmers Market Board of Directors. Staci resides in Lander, WY, with her husband Arlen, their daughter Gracie, and their dog, Addie. Staci Lancaster is a rare gem of the Senate who holds a deep understanding of the legislative process and the needed communication of important issues. She has a heart for positive stories, as well as for policy issues that improve the lives of so many across the country, and her knowledge is often reflected in thoroughly detailed explorations of complex issues. Staci is a go-to resource for staff at every level in my offices, having provided counsel, friendship, and patience to all. She has a kindness and approachable demeanor unmatched in these halls of Congress. I am eternally grateful for Staci's dedicated service to the U.S. Senate and the people of Idaho and congratulate her on a job very well done. I look forward to her contributions in the years ahead.