Mitch McConnell

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, during the last decade, hard-working American families have tried to get ahead, but they too often faced insurmountable barriers. The economy was sluggish, paychecks were stagnant, and jobs and opportunities stayed literally out of reach. The people we represent deserve a whole lot better than that, and it is time for us to deliver. It is time to take our feet off the brakes and get our economy going again and growing again. We could do that through tax reform. Every American who has ever interacted with the IRS already knows that our Tax Code is broken. Rates are too high, deductions and loopholes are too complex to understand, and it is too easy for well- connected elites to take advantage. Passing tax reform is the single most important thing we can do right now to shift the economy into high gear and deliver much-needed relief to American families. The Senate Finance Committee has developed a bill that is the result of literally years of work, dozens of hearings, and a full committee markup. I once again commend Chairman Hatch for his leadership of this committee and thank him for producing legislation to unleash the potential of our economy, to create jobs, and to keep them right here in America. Throughout this process, we have kept middle-class families at the center of our efforts. We want to make their taxes lower, simpler, and fairer. That is why our plan would give the typical family of four with a median income a tax cut of close to $2,200 a year. A single parent raising his or her child on a modest income could also see a tax cut of nearly $1,400. These are real savings that can help families plan for their future and actually get ahead. The Finance Committee's tax reform proposal also provides substantial relief to small businesses. We want to make it easier for them to grow, to invest, and, of course, to hire. The bill also will remove incentives for corporations to ship jobs and investments overseas. Finally, our tax reform proposal delivers relief to low- and middle- income Americans by repealing ObamaCare's individual mandate tax. For too long, families have suffered under an unpopular tax from an unworkable law. Repealing this ObamaCare tax will help those who need it most. Yesterday, the Senate Budget Committee, under Chairman Mike Enzi's leadership, reported out a bill, including our proposal to reform the Tax Code. I thank Chairman Enzi and the members of the Budget Committee for their outstanding work to get us to this important moment. They have been strong advocates for tax reform, and I appreciate their efforts. The committee's report also included Chairman Murkowski's plan to further develop Alaska's oil and gas potential in an environmentally responsible way. Her legislation, which has the support of her Alaska colleague, Senator Sullivan, was designed to create good jobs, provide new sources of energy, and strengthen our national security. Now they will both advance to the Senate floor. Today, the Senate will take the next important step toward fixing the Tax Code and helping middle-class families keep more of their hard- earned money. Members will vote to begin debate on this once-in-a- generation opportunity to reform our Tax Code so it works for the middle class. I encourage any Member who thinks we need to fix the problems of our outdated Tax Code to vote to proceed to this legislation. Anyone who thinks that rates are too high or that loopholes are too prominent should vote to begin debate. To Members who have ideas about how to make the bill better, I would urge them to vote for the motion to proceed and offer their amendments. I believe my mandate from the people of Kentucky is to vote yes, and I certainly intend to do so. The bottom line is this: We must vote to begin debate because once we do, we will be one step closer to taking more money out of Washington's pocket and putting more money into the pockets of the hard-working men and women we represent. This is our chance. This is our chance to deliver relief for the people who sent us here, and the way we can do that is by voting to proceed to the bill. Every Member will have the opportunity later today to answer the calls of American families by voting to begin debate. I will vote yes on the motion to proceed, and I would urge all of my colleagues to do the same. Nomination of David Stras Now on another matter, Madam President, our colleague Senator Grassley has done an outstanding job of processing the Senate's judicial nominees, beginning with the President's selection of Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve on the Supreme Court. Chairman Grassley and members of the Judiciary Committee continue their important work today as the committee holds a hearing for three more of the President's judicial nominees, including two well-qualified nominees to our circuit courts, Justice David Stras and Mr. Stuart Kyle Duncan. The committee's hearing today is particularly important because it means that one member of this body--in this case, the junior Senator from Minnesota--cannot singlehandedly block the committee from considering an extraordinarily well-qualified nominee to serve on our circuit court. That nominee is Justice David Stras of the Minnesota Supreme Court. Justice Stras is an extremely qualified and widely admired member of Minnesota's highest court. He was raised by a single mother. He is the grandson of a survivor of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. Justice Stras graduated first in his class from the University of Kansas Law School. He clerked on the court of appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. He worked for several years in private practice until he joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota Law School. He was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2010, and in 2012, Minnesota voters elected him to a full term on their highest court. His reputation in the Minnesota legal community is impeccable. It is no wonder that the American Bar Association--hardly a rightwing organization--gave him its highest rating, unanimously ``well qualified.'' Nevertheless, the junior Senator from Minnesota does not support Justice Stras receiving so much as a hearing. That approach is untenable in light of the recent actions of our Democratic colleagues. A little more than 4 years ago, they eliminated the supermajority requirement for ending debate on lower court nominees. They did so, they said, because they believed that a minority of the Senate should not be able to prevent the confirmation of a nominee who enjoyed the support of a majority of this body. Perhaps our Democratic colleagues now feel buyer's remorse over the change to the Senate rules they jammed through this body, but they should not be allowed to use the committee's blue-slip courtesy--which is neither a committee rule nor a Senate rule--as another way to block the consideration of nominees with majority support. As Chairman Grassley has pointed out, that approach is not the way the blue-slip courtesy was first used, nor is it the way the vast majority of the Judiciary Committee chairmen have used it. After Senate Democrats have changed the Senate's rules to prevent 41 Senators from stopping a nominee, our Democratic colleagues surely cannot now think it is tenable to give just one Senator absolute power to do so. They decided that 41 Senators ought not to be able to stop a nominee. How can they now argue that one Senator should be able to, in effect, block all the nominees? In this case, the junior Senator from Minnesota acknowledges that it is ``undeniably true'' that Justice Stras is a ``committed public servant whose tenure as a professor at the University of Minnesota underscores just how much he cares about the law.'' Yet our colleague objects to the committee even considering his nomination. Why does he want to block a widely respected and accomplished State supreme court justice from his own State whom his constituents actually support? Because our colleague doesn't agree with the U.S. Supreme Court Justices whom the nominee admires, one of whom the nominee happened to clerk for. I applaud Chairman Grassley for not allowing the blue-slip courtesy to be abused in this fashion, and I look forward to learning more about Justice Stras's views from today's hearing. Recognition of the Minority Leader

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 165, S. 1519.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 228, which was received from the House.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 249, S. 1285.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 12 noon tomorrow, Wednesday, November 29; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; finally, that following leader remarks, the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order, following the remarks of Senator Casey.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Boozman amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1892 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to S. 1519.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that with respect to the Katsas nomination, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this resolution concerns a request for testimony in a criminal action pending in Arizona State court. In this action, the defendant is charged with threatening to cause physical injury to Senator Flake and for trespassing on his Tucson, AZ, office. A trial is scheduled for November 29, 2017. The prosecution is seeking in this case testimony from an employee in the Senator's office who witnessed the relevant events. The enclosed resolution would authorize that staffer, and any other current or former employee of the Senator's office from whom relevant evidence may be necessary, to testify and produce documents in this case, with representation by the Senate legal counsel.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 12 noon, Tuesday, November 28; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; finally, that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Katsas nomination, then subsequently recess until 4 p.m.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. McCONNELL. I now ask for a second reading and, in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, during the last decade, our complex Tax Code left hard-working families behind and allowed the wealthy and well connected to get ahead. It is so bad that one small business owner in Paducah, KY, recently wrote to my office asking for relief because, as he said, ``Taxes are suffocating my company, and me personally.'' The pain isn't just being felt in Kentucky. It is an urgent problem nationwide. Families and job creators are doing their best to get ahead, but too often our Tax Code keeps them from reaching for the American dream. Working families and small businesses in our country deserve better than our outdated Tax Code, and that is what we are trying to deliver. Tax reform represents the single most important thing we can do right now to spur economic growth, help support good jobs, and boost the middle class. This is our once-in-a-generation opportunity, and we should meet the challenge. Overhauling our Tax Code can mean more money for small businesses to hire, to invest, and to expand. It can mean families keeping more of what they earn to save for a rainy day or an emergency. This relief can even mean getting one step closer to sending a child to college, buying a new car, or saving more for retirement. This week, the Senate will continue our years-long effort toward tax reform. Under the leadership of Chairman Hatch, the Senate Finance Committee reported out legislation to replace our noncompetitive, complex, and outdated Tax Code. Through dozens of hearings, substantial hard work, and an open amendment process, the committee has produced a bill that would prioritize the middle class and small businesses so they can keep more of their hard-earned money. Our plan doubles the child tax credit, preserves the adoption tax credit, and roughly doubles the standard deduction to reduce how much income is taxed in the first place. Put it all together, and a typical middle-class family of four making a median family income could see a tax break of around $2,200. As families sit around the table to balance their budgets and plan for the future, this money will make a significant impact. In addition, our tax reform proposal will provide much needed relief for low- and middle-income families by repealing ObamaCare's individual mandate tax. By ending an unpopular tax from an unworkable law, this plan can help those who need it most. The bottom line is this: We want to take more money out of Washington's pocket and put more money into the pockets of American families. To accomplish this goal, we will continue to consider the plan under regular order. Every Member will have a chance to offer amendments on the floor, and then we will vote. There are many places in this legislation where we should all-- Republicans and Democrats--be able to agree. For instance, our Democratic colleagues have the opportunity to help us end tax incentives that contribute to American jobs going overseas. That sounds like something our friends across the aisle should support. In fact, many of them have identified those incentives as the fundamental problem in our current Tax Code. This is our chance to put an end to it. I hope they will join us in our effort to help jobs and investments stay right here at home. I am proud to continue working with my colleague to get this legislation one step closer to the President's desk. Let's keep working together to deliver tax relief for the American people. Now, Madam President, on another matter. Later today, the Senate will consider two more talented nominees to the Federal judiciary. First, we will vote to confirm the nomination of Dabney Friedrich to serve as district court judge for the District of Columbia.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, notwithstanding rule XXII, that at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 28, there be 90 minutes of postcloture debate remaining on the Katsas nomination, equally divided between the leaders or their designees.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, during the past decade, many in the middle class struggled to make ends meet. The economy was sluggish, paychecks were often stagnant, and jobs for many were too hard to find--perhaps not on the coasts, where the well-to-do were able to flourish under the Obama economy--but in middle America, in States like Kentucky, the pain was real. Hard-working families across the country deserved better. They continue to deserve an economy that reaches for its true potential, one in which more Americans can find a good job to support their families and achieve the American dream. So now this is our chance to set a new course. This is our opportunity to jump-start the economy and boost job growth. Passing tax reform is the single most important thing we can do right now to support those left behind by the Obama economy. Though obvious, it is worth repeating: Our Nation's Tax Code is broken. First, the rates are too high. Americans are sending too much of their hard-earned money to Uncle Sam. Second, the structure is too complicated for most Americans to understand, and it is too easy for the wealthy and well-connected to exploit. Third, the incentives are often outdated or simply make no sense at all--like those that actually encourage American jobs and companies to move overseas. That is bad for our country, bad for the middle class, and bad for small business. In my home State of Kentucky, a small business CEO wrote a column in a publication about her experiences with our broken tax system, calling for tax reform to fix it. Here is what she said: The federal government takes too much. Our small businesses--which according to the U.S. Small Business Administration total 96.5 percent of Kentucky's employers-- often face the greatest tax burden. This Kentuckian continued: If we want better lives for the nearly 700,000 employees across the [C]ommonwealth who work for small enterprises, we must lift this weight off their backs. Small businesses deserve a tax code that works for them. Middle-class families and individuals deserve the same. That is why we are working so hard to enact tax reform. Over in the Senate Finance Committee, Chairman Hatch has laid down a tax reform proposal that is premised on a single idea; that we should take more money out of Washington's pockets and put more money in the pockets of the middle class. It cuts taxes for middle-class families. It doubles the child tax credit. This plan does a lot of things, including providing relief for businesses so they can create more jobs here in America and then keep them here. The Nation's leading small business advocacy organization endorsed this legislation, saying that it ``will provide much needed tax relief to enable small businesses to grow and create jobs.'' There is another important provision of the Finance Committee's tax reform proposal as well. It will deliver relief to low- and moderate- income families by repealing ObamaCare's individual mandate tax. In other words, we can deliver even more relief to the middle class by repealing an unpopular tax from an unworkable law. It just makes sense. I would like to once again thank Chairman Hatch for his commitment to an open process and regular order. The Finance Committee will report a bill soon. Before it does, however, it will continue to consider a number of amendments from both sides of the aisle. In fact, the chairman's modified mark already incorporated amendments from both Republican and Democratic members of the committee. I look forward to the Finance Committee completing its work on this crucial legislation very soon. As it does, our colleagues in the House will continue working on their own tax reform legislation. I commend Chairman Brady and the members of the Ways and Means Committee for their efforts. I look forward to the full House passing their bill. Once both Chambers pass their tax reform bills, we will keep working together to get a bill to President Trump's desk for his signature. I am also grateful to Chairman Murkowski and members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for reporting bipartisan legislation yesterday to secure our Nation's energy future. By further exploring the responsible development of Alaska's resources, this bill can help grow our economy, support high-paying jobs, and strengthen our national security. I look forward to promoting American energy independence through this legislation.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that, notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4374, which was received from the House. I further ask consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; further, that at a time to be determined between the majority leader and the Democratic leader, the Chair lay before the Senate the conference report to accompany H.R. 2810, and the Senate vote on the adoption of the conference report with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. McCONNELL

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

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that, notwithstanding rule XXII, at 1:30 p.m. today, the Senate proceed to legislative session and the Chair lay before the Senate the conference report to accompany H.R. 2810, as under the previous order, and that there be 15 minutes of debate equally divided between the managers or their designees prior to the vote on the adoption of the conference report; further, that following disposition of the conference report, the Senate resume executive session and all postcloture time on the Coggins and Friedrich nominations be yielded back and the Senate vote on confirmation of the Coggins nomination immediately, and that the confirmation vote on the Friedrich nomination occur at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, November 27; finally, that if the nominations are confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the Senate be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. On another matter, today, the Senate will continue to fulfill its important responsibility of providing advice and consent on President Trump's nominations. So far this week, we have confirmed talented individuals to important positions in the Departments of Transportation, Labor, and Defense. Yesterday, the Senate advanced the nomination of Joseph Otting to serve as Comptroller of the Currency. Mr. Otting's experience as a leader in various financial agencies has helped prepare him to serve in this new role. I look forward to voting to confirm him later today. Next, the Senate will consider two well-qualified nominees to serve on Federal district courts. Donald Coggins and Dabney Friedrich both have the experience and temperament to excel as judges. Both of these individuals have stellar legal credentials. Their careers demonstrate a serious commitment to the law, and by confirming them both, the Senate will continue to ensure the Federal judiciary fulfills its particular role in our constitutional system. I would like to thank Chairman Grassley for his leadership of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which reported both of these nominees on a voice vote. I look forward to advancing their nominations very soon.

Mr. McCONNELL

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.