Richard Neal

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. A reminder, Mr. Speaker, that this is $3 trillion of borrowed money to provide for a tax cut for the wealthy. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), who is a longtime and valuable member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis), who is a very valuable member of the Ways and Means Committee and the voice of Chicago.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Texas an additional 1 minute.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Republican tax sham. It has been 8 months since the Republicans passed their massive, unpaid-for tax cut without a single Democratic vote. At that time, Democrats and independent experts warned that their so-called tax reform plan that wasn't paid for and that was so heavily skewed to the wealthy and big corporations would harm our economy and damage important programs like Medicare and Social Security. Now we are beginning to see what many of us feared coming true. Health insurance companies in State after State are announcing higher premiums for next year, while health coverage for those living with preexisting conditions happens to be on the chopping block. To make matters worse, the Medicare trustees have cut 3 years off the life of the Medicare trust fund because of the Republican tax bill. Think of it: This vote this morning will add $631 billion to the national debt, on top of the $2.3 trillion that they have already embraced with the recklessness of their tax package. But instead of backing away from this mistake, they are doubling down this morning. Their second round of tax cuts for the wealthy will further compromise the future of Medicare and Social Security, depriving seniors of the benefits that they have earned. Today's bill will, once again, demonstrate that they are hardly the party of fiscal rectitude or conservatism. The original tax bill, as I noted a moment ago, adds $2.3 trillion to the debt. So that people understand, this is all borrowed money that will go to corporations and high-income earners, who undoubtedly will receive the bulk of these benefits in the tax cut. Now, Republicans want to give the most well-off and well-connected Americans even more tax cuts with their new proposal, again, emphasizing the following: an additional $3 trillion of debt, all based upon borrowed money. The Republicans are doubling down on this tax law's attack and, once again, harming the American middle class. There is virtually nothing in here that comes to the aid of the middle class, because they give it to them on one hand and take it away on the other. This proposal would make permanent the $10,000 cap on the State and local tax deduction for individuals, even while corporations will face no limits on their SALT deductions. This, at the same time, we should recognize, eliminates many tax incentives and pretty important incentives for middle class families to get ahead. So, once again, this package, like the one before it, is being rushed through with no hearings, with no witnesses, and with no input from stakeholders. A rushed and lopsided process resulted in the disaster that we voted on just weeks ago. In fact, my staff has identified more than 100 problems with this proposal, and we are happy to share those with any who are interested. This provision that we are voting on today is reckless, and it is a cut for the wealthy that leaves behind hardworking families. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the highly effective Democratic leader.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, a reminder that this adds $3 trillion of debt that is all borrowed money. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), who is a champion of all issues related to infrastructure in America.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and congratulate the Ludlow Lions Club on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. As the world's largest service club organization, Lions Club International is full of members who volunteer their time to humanitarian causes, fundraising projects, and service endeavors not only in their local communities but also around the globe. The Ludlow Lions Club, chartered in 1943, certainly embodies this commitment to helping those in need, wherever need exists. The Ludlow Lions Club is one of the busiest clubs in Massachusetts and currently has over 30 members who give their time freely to help others. Their leadership, dedication, and exemplary character is undoubtedly worthy of recognition. Over the past 75 years, the Ludlow Lions have devoted themselves to a near countless number of diverse ventures and fundraisers, including annual food drives, college fundraisers, diabetes awareness campaigns, environmental conservation activities, emergency sight and hearing projects, and various youth development programs like the Peace Poster Project to just name a few. It is evident that the Ludlow Lions Club has made numerous positive contributions to the community of which it takes pride in being an integral part. I am confident that they will continue to serve and represent western Massachusetts with honor and distinction for years to come. Mr. Speaker, over the course of its history the Ludlow Lions Club has truly embodied the motto ``We Serve.'' Its loyal members have routinely demonstrated an exceptional commitment to helping those less fortunate. That passionate dedication is a hallmark of the agency's long and admirable tradition of service in western Massachusetts. On the occasion of the Ludlow Lions Club's 75th anniversary, I wish the organization and its devoted members all the best and much continued prosperity.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate my friend Wayne Phaneuf for being named an awardee of the Yankee Quill by the Academy of New England Journalists. The Yankee Quill is presented by fellow journalists to recognize the lifetime achievement of those who have had a broad influence for good, both inside and outside the newsroom. It is considered the highest individual honor of its kind in the New England region. The award is a fitting testament to Wayne's hard work, dedication, and exemplary character as a respected and committed journalist of 49 years with The Republican newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts. Wayne grew up in the McKnight neighborhood of Springfield and attended public schools in the area. He went on to American International College in Springfield and graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He then went on to work as a reporter, columnist, assistant managing editor, and now executive editor over the course of his remarkable career with The Republican in his hometown. In those capacities, Wayne has undoubtedly contributed greatly to the communities of Western Massachusetts and beyond. Since The Republican's establishment in 1824, individuals like Wayne have played a significant role in growing the newspaper and keeping the people it serves informed, educated, and connected. Wayne has not only demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ethical, objective, and high-quality journalism, but also maintained a meaningful connection with the community he has served, including making regular public speaking appearances and authoring several books about the history of the region, especially Springfield's Union Station. Mr. Speaker, I would like to again extend my sincerest congratulations to Mr. Wayne Phaneuf. He has demonstrated exceptional service, leadership, and dedication over his 49-year career. The Yankee Quill recognizes those admirable traits, and also Wayne's broad influence for good in serving the public welfare. The Yankee Quill is certainly a well-deserved honor for him. I wish Wayne all the best in his future endeavors, including at the annual conferences of the New England Society of News Editors and the New England Newspaper and Press Association on October 11, 2018, where he will be officially presented The Yankee Quill.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6084, which will provide needed assistance to victims of identity theft. The Committee on Ways and Means has been engaged for some time on the issue of identity theft. In particular, we are stewards of the Social Security number which is a target for identity thieves because it is the key to unlocking a stolen identity. Identity theft is a growing problem and online hacking has led to major security breaches in both government, and extensively in the private sector. Americans of all ages, even children, are vulnerable to having their identity stolen. This can wreak havoc in people's lives. One thing we can do, which we are doing today, is to make sure that individuals can get the assistance they need from the Social Security Administration, SSA, when identity theft has caused problems with their benefits, or if their number has been severely compromised. For example, fraudsters have been able to steal a Social Security number and use it to file a fraudulent benefit application or to file a false tax return and claim a refund. For some individuals, the theft of their identity creates such damage that they are forced to request a new Social Security number. Right now, identity theft victims trying to resolve an issue related to the misuse of their Social Security numbers may have to contact SSA multiple times, speaking to several different people, before the issue can be fully resolved. This legislation provides individuals with a single point of contact in the Social Security Administration that will be responsible for resolving all Social Security-related issues in connection with a theft. This unit will be accountable to identity theft victims until completion, and will track the individual's case and coordinate with other units to resolve all of these issues as quickly as possible. I certainly support this legislation, which was reported out of the Ways and Means Committee by a unanimous vote. I urge support for H.R. 6084, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the sponsors for their hard work, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today's debate reminds me of the words of Will Rogers who used to say that: ``The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets.'' Although I concede that he had a point during most of the past year, hopefully, today will be an exception to the Rogers rule. That is because we are taking up H.R. 3500, a good bill that would prevent the IRS from rehiring employees who have previously been terminated due to poor conduct or performance. I want to say at the outset that I know most, if not overwhelmingly all, IRS employees tend to be ethical and diligent public servants who have, in recent years, been asked to do much more with much less. That is exactly what the American people deserve and expect from them and we all appreciate those efforts. The IRS employees collecting our Nation's revenue enable the Federal Government to support veterans benefits, pave roads, protect the environment, fund medical research, care for needy children, and meet all of the other needs our Federal Government asks. This is an enormous task, and we need intelligent men and women of integrity in those roles who will administer our Tax Code in a fair, even-handed, reasonable, and ethical manner. Most IRS employees meet this standard with the utmost attention to their professional responsibilities and we honor their contributions to the country. When we learn of situations that fall short of those high standards or employees who have conducted themselves dishonorably, though, it is critically important to rectify the situation swiftly. Jobs at the IRS are positions of great public trust, and last year the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration alerted us to a practice of hiring individuals who had previously violated that trust. During 15 months covering parts of 2015 and 2016, TIGTA found that the IRS hired almost 7,500 people, including 2,000 rehires. About 10 percent of the rehired employees, who were mostly seasonal workers, had been terminated or separated while under investigation for substantiated conduct or performance issues. Four of the more than 200 rehired employees failed to file their own tax returns. Four were under investigation for unauthorized access to taxpayer information. Twenty- seven failed to disclose a prior termination or conviction on their applications, as required. Although these hires represent but a fraction of IRS employees overall, it is important that we rectify the situation swiftly and prevent this from happening in the future. So I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3500, and at the same time remind them that the outliers we are addressing today should not diminish our respect for the men and women at the IRS who serve the public with, I think, dignity every single day. Mr. Speaker, let me thank those Internal Revenue Service employees for their hard work. Mr. Speaker, I urge our colleagues on both sides to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, what did the Republican majority do to the cost subsidies for those people?

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. Mr. Speaker, anybody who doesn't understand what $2.3 trillion of tax cuts and further tax cuts of this measure mean as a threat to Medicare and Social Security and Medicaid down the road, that is a short-term view of where we are headed financially in America. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to address the reference that my friend from Minnesota offered a moment ago when he referred to the device tax as mythology. I negotiated that agreement with the industry. They asked for the following: that it be applied to foreign competition. We said yes. This was done in Speaker Pelosi's office with the industry. They suggested at the time that the 5 percent tax be cut to 2.3 percent. We went along with that. Even though the United States Senate had sent over a revenue package of $40 billion, we cut it by $20 billion. So that wasn't mythology. It was the way the institution once worked, how we negotiate, go back and forth, discuss, and then come to rational conclusions that might help and acknowledge the 20 million more Americans who have coverage now under the Affordable Care Act--20 million Americans. I want to say something at this point, Mr. Speaker, if I may. In the State of Massachusetts, do you know what we are really proud of on this day? One hundred percent of the children in Massachusetts are covered with health insurance, and 97 percent of the adults in our State are covered with health insurance. It is a remarkable statistic, and it is based, in some measure, on the negotiations we had with respective industries to get this legislation over the goal line. So I know exactly what happened here, and I understand fully what negotiations mean. But we rejected the $40 billion price tag that came from the U.S. Senate, cut it in half and said to the industry: This is, we hope and expect, your share of making sure that 20 million more Americans have health insurance. That is what this issue is about: accessibility, earlier stages of prevention, getting people into health insurance earlier in life. That is precisely what we did with the Affordable Care Act. And let me just say this, if I may, as well. Let me talk about the mandate, while they are waiting for their next speaker to arrive. Here is what makes the mandate and its importance. Why should the rest of us in America pay $1,000 a year in our health insurance plans because there are those who don't want to buy health insurance and end up in the emergency rooms of America, and they thumb their noses at us on the way out because of uncompensated care and they don't pay the bill? So do you know what would be great, Mr. Speaker? If we all knew the day that our house was going to burn down, then--do you know what?--the day before, we would buy homeowners insurance. If we all knew the day that we were going to get in that accident, we would buy automobile insurance. But the truth is that insurance spreads risk, and we all know we don't know when those things might occur, so we buy insurance in advance. So, today, 20 million more Americans have insurance because of what we did with the Affordable Care Act. This idea that you can continually sabotage it and take it apart piece by piece makes no sense. On this particular issue with the device revenue, I can tell you and I can state to you, under oath, Mr. Speaker, what we did to negotiate this contribution to making America's healthcare more effective and better for all members of the American family, the understanding being that, at the end of life, if you have earlier intervention with healthcare, the end of life might be a heck of a lot more pleasant along the way. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time, but I am prepared to close.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this week has been dubbed ``health week'' on the House floor. However, based on the legislation we are considering, it is hard to take that challenge seriously. The bills before us today simply don't do very much. Instead, we should be considering measures that go to the heart of what Americans need: lower healthcare costs and high- quality care. That includes lower drug costs and prescription benefits that should be extended to all members of the American family based on the following notion that we should continue to make sure that preexisting conditions remain part of the Affordable Care Act. More and more families are facing difficult healthcare decisions. All too often, it comes down to not going to an important doctor appointment or cutting pills in half or stopping the taking of prescription medicines altogether. This, coupled with other challenges Americans face at home, like retirement security, addiction issues, and education costs, will make it harder, not easier, for them to move forward. At home in western Massachusetts, I hear about how people need to make complicated decisions for their families. Congress can simplify these things by bringing bills to the floor that truly address the cost of healthcare without making consumers shoulder more of the cost and give tax benefits to the wealthy, leaving patients to ever growing medical bills. Unfortunately, I have not seen any efforts to address these growing costs in a meaningful way. Instead, our Republican colleagues continue to lead efforts to sabotage critical health programs. This has led to more uncertainty for American families. This uncertainty also impacts the marketplace and leads to premium increases and adds to the burden for American families already having trouble making ends meet. Instead of placing more anxiety on individuals facing discrimination for preexisting conditions, we should protect and strengthen already existing programs like Medicare and Medicaid. The legislation before us is another billion, billion, billions of dollars in unpaid tax cuts. This is on top of the $2.3 trillion this Congress has already passed into law, all with borrowed money. Republicans are using the deficit, which they keep making larger, to justify the deep cuts they plan to make to Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid. These bills will only intensify Republican calls for further cuts to those critical programs. American families need certainty, Mr. Speaker. What is happening to our Nation's healthcare at the moment is anything but. It is another obstacle for families to get a leg up and ensure their children and grandchildren are safe and have opportunities well into the future. The same is true for our seniors and those working to prepare for retirement. They should be in a place knowing they can retire without anxiety and have health programs they can count on in their later years. The bills before us this day do nothing to solve problems for everyday Americans. Instead, it leaves them further behind, with increased healthcare costs, lower coverage, and certainly sacrifices the quality of care they might receive. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), who is a well-known champion of Americans' healthcare plans.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that the gentlewoman from Indiana, my friend, just mentioned the tax cut, so let me just point this out. We have gone from a rate of 35 percent in the corporate world to 21 percent, a 14 point cut in the corporate tax rate, and we are being asked to do this on top of it. Now, Medicare purchases most of the medical devices in America-- taxpayer supported. It is an earned benefit. But here is the other important part of it that I think bears some noting today. It is a terrific industry. It is not in dispute. It is an important industry in America. But when the gentlewoman says: ``Well, the economy is booming because of these tax cuts,'' a reminder, a fact, not from my Twitter account, but stated on the House floor: The American economy has been growing for 94 straight months. The idea that this all happened 500 days ago doesn't stand up underneath the magnifying glass of critical analysis. The stock market has been going up since March of 2009. So when I look at the corporate cut--astounding, by the way-- remember, President Obama said we should have a corporate rate of 28 percent and the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, a good friend of mine, a Republican, he said, no, we should have 25 percent. So what did the other side do? Let's see, the difference between 28 and 25? Aha, it is 21. I mean, I haven't figured that out yet. So, day after day, we roll through here with another tax cut proposal, and we watch the deficits and the debt go to $20 trillion. Whatever happened to the Republican idea of fiscal rectitude, which year after year they lectured us on? We negotiated this agreement over the device tax, Mr. Speaker, guaranteed. It was accepted by the industry. Again, we applied it to foreign competition. They would be taxed at the same rate. Medicare would remain the largest vendor, the largest purchaser of medical devices. This is a step backward on America's healthcare plan. If they would just give the Affordable Care Act a chance to work, instead of these deliberate efforts day after day to sabotage it, we could move on with the business of the country. Mr. Speaker, I gladly yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6124, which closes a longstanding gap in Social Security coverage for members of Indian Tribal councils. Let me thank Representatives Dave Reichert and Suzan DelBene for their good work to resolve this issue. H.R. 6124 allows Indian Tribal councils to voluntarily cover their members under Social Security in a way that is similar to how State and local governments do so today. This would allow individuals employed as members of Tribal councils to contribute to Social Security and Medicare and, therefore, earn benefit protection. I want to emphasize that the decision to participate would be voluntary. Each Tribal council will have the right to decide for itself. In addition, because there has been confusion around this issue for many years, the legislation allows Tribal council members to receive benefit credit if they have erroneously paid Social Security taxes in the past, even though they were not required to. This is only fair, and I am pleased that the legislation addresses this problem as well. Social Security and Medicare coverage are valuable protections for all Americans. I am pleased that this bipartisan legislation is moving forward, and I urge its support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I want to thank the sponsors for their hard work. I urge colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the House has passed this bill before, making clarifications on existing religious exemptions for healthcare. I understand that religious groups have important healthcare concerns that should be taken seriously. While I support this bill, we should be talking about issues in healthcare that our constituents bring up every day: skyrocketing prescription drug costs, increasing premiums, and threats to guaranteed coverage. I just wanted to make those points, never losing the opportunity. This bill is pretty simple, Mr. Speaker. Right now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, has an advisory panel for hospital outpatient issues that is comprised of outside experts. The problem is this panel does not include representation for an ambulatory surgical center, or ASC, in its membership, despite the panel counseling on Medicare or ASC payment issues. This legislation would require the addition of someone from ASC on the advisory panel on hospital outpatient concerns. Given that Medicare pays ASCs more than $4 billion a year through the outpatient payment rule, it just makes sense that ASCs be represented on this panel. The bill requires more transparency in determining what types of surgeries are safe to perform on an outpatient basis. More than 3 million Medicare beneficiaries receive care at an ASC for cataract surgery and other surgeries. This bill makes sure that Medicare hears the voice of the ASC provider, so that millions of Medicare beneficiaries can continue to receive the outpatient care they want. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 6138, and I yield back the balance of my time.