Pete Sessions

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the distinguished gentlewoman from California, not only her comments and her ideas--I know they are well represented by the Democratic Party. I would say to her that the people who vote against this bill will turn their back on the people who had the wildfires in California, the tornadoes in Georgia, the opportunities to help provide proper instructive help on their taxes this year as they enter next year. After all, it did happen this year. But perhaps, more than that, Mr. Speaker, we recognize now more about shifting the blame for 8 years and $9 trillion worth of spending. They called it investment. This Republican Congress, 1 year ago, almost to the day, passed a tax bill that has created the greatest economy in the history of this country. More revenue is coming in today than has ever come in in the history of the country. More people are working today because of that tax bill done 1 year ago. More people, more African Americans, more women, more families have an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a job and the creation therein that they come home at night a little bit more satisfied, and their children, in the next generation, see work as a positive attribute, and communities are turning the corner. Mr. Speaker, gas is $1.82 in Dallas, Texas. What a far cry from when it was almost $5 at the same time in President Obama's administration when the Democrats were running the place: the House, the Senate, and the Presidency. Oh, Mr. Speaker, we have not forgotten what a difference it makes, but the finger-pointing still continues. Mr. Speaker, let the Record reflect, itself, that we have more revenue than ever coming in, more people working than ever, more opportunity for people, and part of that success has been because Republicans chose not to have a healthcare tax, a medical device tax, a Cadillac tax, choose not to make in order H.R. 676, Medicare for All, that would outlaw all employer-provided healthcare in this country. Mr. Speaker, the differences between our ideas really find themselves at the center point of what we do today. Last night in the Rules Committee, the distinguished gentleman from Lewisville, Texas, Dr. Michael Burgess, a retired physician who has delivered more than 3,000 babies, said that he had sat through, for years, these arguments at the Energy and Commerce Committee, and he lamented how the story really is not told about some 3 million people who now have jobs in this country, that a number of them that is undefined also got employer-provided healthcare; and that while there may be 1 million out of that 3 million who went to a larger company, it is their families that benefited because there was maybe a spouse behind that and a child or two who had previously been without employer-provided healthcare. Now we are going to find out that Grinch showed up at Christmas, this rush to get out the door where we failed to secure the door, where we were so eager to get home rather than do our work. Mr. Speaker, I can't imagine that somebody would just want to say, ``It is okay; it is Christmastime; let's get home,'' and then stick coal in each of the stockings of the American people who have healthcare, stick coal in the stockings of the medical device employees and employers, stick coal into the stockings of the medical community for doctors who had been providing these leading-edge ideas in medical devices, stick coal in the stockings of the workers of America who might have great healthcare only to find out that somebody who had voted for it for years turned their back. So that is why we are here. Mr. Speaker, here is the bill right here, pretty easy to do. We have seen it a number of times. Nobody complained they didn't have time to read the bill. They actually know what is in it this time. They actually know what they would not be supporting. They are going to put their vote and be on the line, and we are going to find out where people really are. So, Mr. Speaker, that is the debate, whether we are going to step up and do our job; whether we are willing to complete the task; whether we are willing to be consistent for the things that we have stood for; or whether we are willing to make excuses about, well, it is just Christmastime, and we have got to get home. Mr. Speaker, I want to say that my party believes that we should not have a white flag in our backpack, that we should not yield and just say, well, the timing was difficult. We should stand on our two feet, not beg on our knees. We should move forward and do our job for the American people, and that is what I am proud to say my party and myself and the Rules Committee stand for. We are men and women who can stay to get the job done, not want to get home and not have performed our duties. So that is the story. That is the story that we are going to tell. So I urge my colleagues to support this rule Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the distinguished gentleman, Mr. Newhouse, for giving me the time. Mr. Speaker, it is true that, from time to time, the Rules Committee does need to take the authority and the responsibility that they have, and the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts will soon learn this next year as I assume he will assume that role as the new chairman of the Rules Committee. In fact, the arguments that are being made today relate to the substance of the bill. The bill that is at hand is very important, and that is the farm bill, the farm bill that we know has a 10-year window, that is net neutral, that protects the balances that we have talked about. But it updates not only the opportunities for people who were in rural areas to update that policy, but it reinvigorates our establishment by this House, and the United States Senate, that has already handled this bill, and the President, to reassert that which they believe is important; and that is, the men and women who live in the rural areas, the men and women who get up at 4 o'clock in the morning; men and women who are there protecting the grass roots, the soil, the topsoil of this country. We need them to serve not only this Nation but the world. It is true that hemp was added. Mr. Comer, who is a Member of Congress from Kentucky, last year began engaging me on this issue. We agreed that we would put it in. It is an important agricultural product and will aid and help very much so, not only a marketplace, but farmers in Kentucky and other places. As it relates to the Authorization for Use of Military Force, AUMF, I would like to tell my colleagues that, in fact, I did make that decision that we would include by not allowing, not debate, but a vote that would take place on this floor.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, so what we are going to do is, we are going to have a classified briefing tomorrow that will further allow debate based upon the facts of the case. Mr. Speaker, I assure you that we will be here all next week, and if the facts of the case warrant, we will address the issue then.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a poem by Albert Carey Caswell: Our tears are deep In hearts of the love which speak As no longer upon this earth to keep You, as its for you Timber Wolf we now so weep With sadness and tears of joy so sweet For heaven is full of such men of grace Who stand strong in all of their love and courage, and in all their service and faith, in what they've faced And for whom our Nation have so bled, for that old Red, White, and Blue each day they wake in how they've led Who give, not take For you George, America Son our Lord holds so a place As an Angel who will watch over us, because of your service and faith ``A Patriot's plane was shot from the sky'' ``Would this brave heart live or die?'' ``What was to be?'' ``When, the Lord reached down and pulled this man from the sea'' George, Rise

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1160 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the ranking member, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. The rule provides for consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 88, showing the text of the Retirement Savings and Other Tax Relief Act of 2018 and the Taxpayer First Act of 2018. This past December, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in the interests of the American people. It was done around December 18, this last year. The legislation was a bold, pro-growth bill that helped overhaul our Tax Code, and I believe it has unleashed the free enterprise system all across this great Nation. Mr. Speaker, this was done because 8 years of anemic economic growth is what America had been working through. We had been working through high taxes, high rules, high regulations that were taking American jobs away from Americans and moving them elsewhere. It was limiting the future of not only America, but also Americans: the newest Americans in the job market, whether they be high school graduates, whether they be college graduates, or whether they be those that entered and finished professional school. The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that for too long, for some 8 years, we had had a circumstance where the American Dream for so many fathers and mothers became to get their child out of the house after college, and that became an American Dream if a job was possible. No longer, as a result of this tax act, do we find America in that sort of circumstance. Today we find not only are there jobs aplenty, but the market is rising, wages are being increased, and the opportunity for all Americans is bright again. That is because Republicans and President Trump worked together to pass not only a jobs and tax bill, but we had a bill that would increase the amount of revenue that is flowing into the United States coffers and Treasury right now. Despite what is being told by many in the marketplace, that we are simply running at a huge deficit, more money is coming into the Treasury supporting not only America, but the American Dream, and more people have money in their pockets. So growth and competition have always been keys to an expanding economy, more jobs, increased wages. And in my home city of Dallas, Texas, and across the country, it is seen by people every single day. Now, does that create new responsibilities and new issues? Yes, it does. And I will tell you that we must be prepared as a Nation to tackle those issues also. But today, this legislation is about the person that goes to work. This bill today is about the entrepreneur, the family, the small business owner, the American people. And also, as we will soon learn as we work through this debate, people who were impacted by disaster, whether it be floods, typhoons, tornados, fires, or other things that have occurred in this great Nation, we are turning the attention to ask for people back home to help and to help more, and we are going to do that through encouraging them as a part of the Tax Code. We are going to do much more. We are going to help the soldier and the soldier's family. We are going to help the people who are those that see tax cheats and tax fraud, and protect the whistleblower. We are going to take what is 300 pages of a small bill that can easily be read in a short period of time and understood, this is all about, not helping any one person or persons, it is helping millions across the country for an extension of their taxes and tax relief for yet one more year. This is simply a jump-start to make sure that the economy looks forward, not backwards, does not look to one year, but looks to two in the relief that we are going to have. Mr. Speaker, the question is, how is it going in America today? Well, the answer is we have the lowest number of people who are searching for jobs and entering the jobless market to about the same number since 1996. The annual skyrocketing amount that we have of business investment, of people who are taking jobs, people who are reinvesting in America is at a high level. This package today will build upon that, it will build upon the successes that we are presently having and will make sure that we are doing the right thing. We know that America is still hurting. We know that not all of America has recovered. As a matter of fact, we know that about 40 percent of Americans would not be able to cover an emergency expense of $400 or more without having to take out a loan. We know that half of American working age adults say they do not still have enough savings to be prepared for their retirement. That is why Republicans are here, once again at the end of the year, to say we need to look at the aggregate, the whole country, and to make sure that we are looking at the effects of a year. We are trying to make sure that we continue making sure that the American family has a chance with an opportunity, not just to save, but to be able to use the Tax Code to their advantage. Mr. Speaker, what this is about is continuing economic success, economic development, the ability that we have to continue giving the American worker, the American who is out of perhaps work, the newest student, or someone who was deeply impacted by a natural disaster, or a person who serves in the United States military, or for a person who sees a tax fraud or tax cheat to have a fair and equal footing to continue to call out those that take advantage of our system rather than using it properly. That is what this small bill is about. It is about trying to end the year to give the American people the advantage that they need. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Yesterday, we had an opportunity in the Rules Committee to hear many of the same words, words certainly of very kind and sincere remarks. I appreciate the distinguished gentleman. He and I personally get along very well and have enjoyed my time during the some, I guess, 18 years or so that we have worked together in the Rules Committee. But, Mr. Speaker, I also would say to you that there is kind of a different story to be told, and the different story is the actual bill. That is what we are going to focus on today. I had a chance to read the bill--I actually read it--and there was a conversation yesterday about that. I actually read it for comprehension to understand what is in it rather than to read it with the viewpoint of opposing it--actually, read it to learn more about it, to learn the business behind a lot of work that had been taking place by the Ways and Means Committee, a lot of work that had been public debate and public discussion for a long time. For instance, if we were to talk about those seniors who are required to begin taking part of their IRA at 70\1/2\ and start spending down that money that they have saved hard for over the years, government coming and telling them how they are going to become less able to support themselves by diminishing, taxing, using their IRA when they may not want to, that is a policy discussion. That is not related to millionaires and our GOP friends. That is related to some common sense and some policy. Perhaps, page 73, as an example, Mr. Speaker, disaster-related tax relief, providing for people who were in hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, and wildfires, it says here the Camp and Woolsey wildfire disaster area. These were declared disasters that had become national priorities, not only people from my home State of Texas, my home city of Dallas going to help our neighbors to the west, but actually getting this in legislation quickly to make sure that people who live there are able to give more charitable deductions and get credit not just for that, but doing the right thing. Mr. Speaker, it goes on and on, treatment of payments to Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It is undeniable, as you read the bill, that you do this with an idea of understanding, comprehension. This isn't about special interests. This is about everybody who lived in these areas. The deferral of people who are in the military, for reservists of the armed services. For the American people, Mr. Speaker, and you, page 131 of the bill, this is what we are attempting to get across, that this is for the American people. Mr. Speaker, page 203, the IRS Free File Program, this is something that came from lots of work with one of my colleagues, Lynn Jenkins. Ms. Jenkins from Kansas, as a member of the Ways and Means Committee, worked carefully for a long period of time with a large group of people who were involved in this program. We were able to upgrade not just tax law, but also to look at retaliation when people see tax cheats, tax frauds. They were given on page 238, Mr. Speaker, antiretaliation whistleblower protection for employees who see this. Mr. Speaker, I could keep going and might in a few minutes. That is what this bill is about. This bill is not as you have heard, but, as advertised, it is a year- end extension to make sure that the things during the year that needed to be addressed are getting addressed. I read for comprehension to find a good deal, and, Mr. Speaker, I found one. The Ways and Means Committee, our young chairman, Kevin Brady, his membership, these hardworking people, this is done for the American people. This is not done, as we have heard, for special interests, rich people, or millionaires. It is done for the right reason. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I appreciate the feedback from the gentleman from Wisconsin, a very dear and very good friend of mine, and I appreciate the differences between our parties. The differences between the philosophies of the parties and the differences of the direction are apparent. But what is also apparent, Mr. Speaker, is that what these dadgum Republicans did is working: more money is coming into the Treasury; millions more people have a job. The opportunity that happened--a result of the Tax Code changes--have brought, at minimum, $50 billion back into America in less than about 9 months, money flowing back in, which is the reverse of what was described in the nineties with that sucking sound of jobs leaving America. It is now the rush of the beautiful breeze of jobs coming back in, manufacturers not just in Wisconsin, but all through the Midwest, down even as far as Dallas, Texas. Mr. Speaker, there was one point where I held a meeting and a press conference at a manufacturer, and that manufacturer said that this is the most robust period of time he had had in the history of the company and actually challenged the TV stations to say he was looking for 12 more workers. He found two the next day, people who called who were looking for jobs. Mr. Speaker, we are talking about things that work, not axioms of these feel-good things: Oh, we can do better. Well, for 8 years, they didn't do better. For 8 years, the philosophy was tax, spend, regulate, overregulate, move jobs overseas, blame somebody else for their problem. That is not a winning hand. A winning hand is more people having jobs. Today, the highest numbers of people ever are working in America. The facts of the case are: more African Americans today work than ever, more Hispanics, more women, more opportunity, better chances for you to get a higher paying job, better opportunities. Mr. Speaker, I wouldn't have to say too much, but these same policies that they talk about here today are the same policies that you would get out of the State of California that has 125,000 homeless people, 55,000 homeless people in Los Angeles. How can that be? Well, it is easy to understand. The same policies that they want for us in Washington are the same policies they have in Los Angeles and in California. That is called overregulate, overtax, and run them the heck out of town. That is why there are so many unemployed people. That is why there are 55,000 homeless people in Los Angeles. Friends of mine who visit the beautiful, coveted city of San Francisco come back and tell the story of heartbreaking demise of people living on the streets of San Francisco, a drug-ridden, crime-ridden, despicable opportunity for people to see a great city in despair, in ruin. That is what you get when you raise taxes, when you don't give opportunity, and when America fails to be able to look forward for the best opportunity. Mr. Speaker, I get what they want. They don't want this bill that gives opportunity. They don't want the opportunity for people to have a fighting chance, and then they will blame it on somebody else. Mr. Speaker, we are going to stand behind this bill, and we are going to pass it. I think there will be some Democrats who will vote for it. We are going to be proud to have them. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the distinguished gentleman who will, presumptively, be the new chairman of the Budget Committee. I think what is interesting is, he said that Republicans promised more investment. Yes, that happened. Republicans promised more jobs. He said thousands. It is millions, Mr. Speaker, not thousands. We promised millions more jobs. He then said we promised thousands. Mr. Speaker, then he went to a very interesting perspective, and that was: all companies really use this money just to buy back their own stock. Mr. Speaker, investment in a company is great, and while that might not be necessarily one of the greatest ways to do it, it buoyed the stock market up 40 percent. It buoyed the stock market up to where every senior, every person that would have a stock market account, a savings account, a saving for their future, saving for their children, it buoyed that opportunity with value. That is what we promised, and it worked, and they don't like that. They don't like the success of the stock market. They don't like the success, and so they act like it didn't even happen. Mr. Speaker, the difference between thousands and millions is literally a thousand times difference. I spoke about this earlier when we were talking about this bill right here. Oh, it is full of giveaways, they say, to millionaires and GOP fat cats. It is extenders. It is continuing the success. It is doing the right thing. It is about people who had fire ravaging their homes and their areas, not just the Republican houses. It was about helping members of the military. It was about good policy from the Ways and Means Committee that was equally known as bipartisan with the work that was done there to make sure that we acknowledged tax cheats and let the employees who saw that get a better footing. There were lots of hearings, lots of information. But if you simply read to have a jaundiced view of the world and to oppose it, as opposed to reading for substance, I see how you could get it wrong, Mr. Speaker. I see clearly how you could get it wrong if you don't read for comprehension. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Once again, I will reiterate that this bill is about doing great things for events that have happened in this country. I really can't imagine that Members would want to simply take the things that the leadership class of people from Mrs. Pelosi want to vote against-- disaster tax relief for people all across California, all across the Mariana Islands, and all across the country--except just to say that I do know that people in their party oppose the tax bill. I get that. But there is more money coming in today than there was yesterday. There are millions of more people who have a job today than yesterday. I do know the numbers that were expressed are numbers that they want to tout, but that is not the way it worked. That was what the CBO said. But the reality of the circumstance is some 4 million people today have a job who did not have one and had been looking. Mr. Speaker, just a few years ago, the major newspapers and major magazines across America said: We are going to just have to get used to this is the way the world is now--high unemployment, higher taxation. Newsweek magazine had on its cover: ``Is America Really Turning Socialist?'' The answer came back that the American people disagree with unemployment. The American people disagree with high taxes. The American people see what is happening in California, 55,000 homeless people in Los Angeles. That is not an accident. That is policy in action; 125,000 homeless people in California, that is not an accident, that is policy directly from the Democratic Party that ran jobs out of the State so that the average family there didn't have a job. That is what they are pushing right here. We are not going to do that. We are going to stand up and say: We read the bill. We read the bill. That is what it is here for. That is why we can stand up and tout this. By the way, Mr. Speaker, when you are from Texas, if there is one riot, all it takes is one Ranger. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Just one Ranger, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining on my side?

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I, of course, want to acknowledge and thank the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts. His time in the committee has been forthright, honest, and straightforward. The opportunity that he has to serve in the minority will be reflected with an opportunity for him to serve in the majority. I think the Rules Committee is also headed for a bright future with an opportunity to fully vet ideas, the opportunity to talk, and to hear dialogue. I must say I have been through a number of chairmen, several at least, and I attempted to craft my own way for the committee. I appreciate and respect the gentleman. I think it is also important to state that it extended to his young wife and his daughter who visited the committee several times. His wife, who, in a most genuine, professional and straightforward spousal context, to my wife, Karen, enjoyed a relationship and they found common interests, not only in working with cancer, but Jim's wife sent me a gracious letter acknowledging the work that I personally have done in cancer and in the areas of the FDA and dealing with cancer research and trials. That professionalism extended not just from Jim but to his young bride who was most genuine in her remarks. Mr. Speaker, the opportunity for us to close today is a chance to reflect upon not just the ideas that we represent, but really our commitment to the American people. The American people do deserve a right to see a better process, and that I acknowledge. They have a right to know that the forthrightness of a committee, whether they are up at 2 in the morning or 8 in the morning because we had not completed necessarily our work the night before, the Rules Committee did its service. It did its service to this body on a bipartisan basis. It did it from professional content of a professional staff, not only from the minority that was led at the very top with Don Sisson, who did an awesome job, but also Steve Cote, the staff director. It was a relationship that has been successful for this body. Mr. Speaker, I do want to say this, that just as the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts, the soon-to-be chairman--I assume chairman of the Rules Committee--as he has asked his side to look at and how they would vote, I would also ask you, Mr. Speaker, and the team, which today is in the majority, to make sure they read this bill with content orientation to the needs of the American people, to look at the real successes as we walk outside today to see that the booming economy that is taking place in America where people who did not have jobs do; for those who have been on our TV sets and in our prayers where some natural disaster has claimed them, whether it be through a mistake or through necessarily Mother Nature, that we as America are better when we work to solve problems together. We are better in America when we believe there is no problem bigger than a solution, where we in America want to put our best foot forward and can work together. Mr. Speaker, we are all better, all of us, than any one of us. My party is better with the Democratic Party than without the Democratic Party. My ideas are better to be vetted and even challenged. That way, the American people have a chance to see not only the possibility and probability, but also to vet the ideas that have made this Nation a great nation for so many years. While it is true my service to this body will be coming to a close after 22 years, I would say to you, Mr. Speaker, that your service, too, to this great Nation has made our country better. For those who are on the floor today, I would thank the distinguished gentleman from Texas. I would thank the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts. I would thank the distinguished gentleman from Florida, one of my fraternity brothers, who has brought forth ideas on this for other colleagues of Texas, like Mr. Green, who might be in attendance today. I would say that we have tried to make this work as evidence that the American people can see, and I think they can see it today. Mr. Speaker, I end my statement with a focus on this innovation and entrepreneurship. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order at any time on the legislative day of November 29, 2018, for the Speaker to entertain motions that the House suspend the rules as though under clause 1 of rule XV.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the order of the House of January 8, 2018, regarding morning-hour debate not apply tomorrow.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1084 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), who is my friend and the ranking member of the Rules Committee, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. This rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6760, the Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act of 2018; H.R. 6757, the Family Savings Act of 2018; and H.R. 6756, the American Innovation Act of 2018. Mr. Speaker, just yesterday we had members of the Ways and Means Committee and other Members who came to the Rules Committee. They came to the Rules Committee to discuss before the committee the important aspects of continuing the economic growth that we have currently right now in our lifetime in the United States of America. What a great time to be an American. Perhaps more importantly, what a great time to look forward to a great future, a future not only where the American Dream becomes available to each and every person, but even if you happen to be on the lowest end of the totem pole, perhaps beginning work today, those are the people who have benefited from not only the tax cut that President Trump, this House, and the Republican Senate made sure that we pass, but, more importantly, giving to the American worker the opportunity to have, not just a sense of accomplishment, not just a job, but potentially a career that moves forward. What has happened as a result of that is what brings us to where we are here today. They say that success has many fathers and mothers. In this case, it is aunts, uncles, and all sorts of people, Mr. Speaker, who can proudly look up and say: I am a part of what is probably the greatest economy that so many people can now enjoy. Instead of being isolated to one section of this economy, it will abound. You will hear me talk about even people who get up early in the morning, early risers. I used to be one of those because I threw a paper route. I would have to get up in the morning, and it gave me a lot of time to think about my future as I served what was my paper route, my small business, and my opportunity in second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, as I developed myself as a young man--not just as a Scout, to become an Eagle Scout--but as a person who saw himself growing up in a great country, America. That is how I developed my American Dream. I developed my American Dream by sitting down with my family at a table and understanding Americanism and opportunity. It was about the free enterprise system. It was about a dream that I would have. For too long, Mr. Speaker, we have had those in government who controlled our lives. They controlled our lives with high taxes, more rules and regulations, and a demand that Washington knew more about our dream than we did. No more, Mr. Speaker, because last December there was an opportunity--a historic opportunity--that was seen as political because our friends on the other side did not vote for the bill. Even today they take advantage and talk about what are supposedly its frailties. But the American people know differently, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have today in America a higher GDP rate than we do unemployment rate. Today we have the opportunity to see that we are going to grow that GDP by asking this Congress to make permanent that which today is in law for only a short 10 years. We believe that what we have done is to give the American people--even people at the lowest end--the opportunity to take part in making America great again. At that same time, we will make their lives so much better. So, Mr. Speaker, what we are going to do is we are going to talk about this today, and you will see that there are two different visions. One vision wants to go back to higher taxation, rules and regulations, and government control--government control not just in taxation, but also in healthcare--and we are, as a Republican Party and as the free enterprise party, going to stand up and say that we will be there on behalf of all workers and that we believe that the free enterprise system in this country has produced much that has helped so many people. That is how we pay for Social Security. That is how we pay for Medicare. That is how we pay for Medicaid. It is done through more people working, not through higher taxes, higher unemployment, and more misery. So, Mr. Speaker, you are going to hear today the argument that is taking place all across this country on the floor of the House of Representatives, and you are going to see that you, Mr. Speaker, and every single Member, will have an opportunity to say that we believe that the economic opportunity for all Americans is equity. It is opportunity, and it is available at not just a theater near you but in your hometown. So we are proud of who we are. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As my colleague was talking about the dismal results, I turned to my phone here and it is all green up and down on the stock market, because the stock market knows that today we are talking about making permanent the things that work for the American people; things that work well for employers; things that work well for bringing stock market prices, not only back, but understanding that many, many Americans and our seniors across this country have invested in the stock market. It is up 40 percent since we have had an opportunity to pass the tax cut. The success of the free enterprise system is what my colleagues hate. They want to sell government, they want to sell defeat, they want to sell the things that are the fear about making progress. The facts of the case are real simple, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article from, of all places, The New York Times, that was dated August 3 of this year. On August 3, The New York Times, who does some inciteful reporting, said, ``Workers Hardest Hit by Recession Are Joining in Recovery.'' [From the New York Times, Aug. 2, 2018] Workers Hardest Hit by Recession Are Joining in Recovery (By Nelson D. Schwartz and Ben Casselman) The least educated American workers, who took the hardest hit in the Great Recession, were also among the slowest to harvest the gains of the recovery. Now they are a striking symbol of a strong economy. The unemployment rate for those without a high school diploma fell to 5.1 percent in July, the Labor Department reported Friday, the lowest since the government began collecting data on such workers in 1992. At the economy's nadir in the summer of 2009, the unemployment rate for high school dropouts hit 15.6 percent, more than three times the peak unemployment rate for college graduates. Buffeted by technological change and seemingly out of place in an economy where skills and credentials are in ever more demand, this cohort struggled while more educated workers scored jobs and promotions and rose on the economic ladder. High school dropouts make up 7.2 percent of the labor force, and some experts doubted they and other low-skilled workers would ever fully recover from the effects of the recession, said Betsey Stevenson, a professor of economics at the University of Michigan. ``As economists, we worried these workers would be shut out forever,'' she said. ``But the long duration of the recovery has pulled them back in. As the economy adds more jobs, employers have had to dig a little deeper.'' reaching fuller employment Unemployment among the least educated, the group hit hardest in the recession, has been cut by two-thirds since its peak of almost 16 percent in 2010. The improvement in the fortunes of less-educated workers was a highlight in a jobs report that showed continuing gains across a broad variety of sectors. Over all in July, employers increased payrolls by 157,000, while the unemployment rate edged downward to 3.9 percent, near the 18-year low achieved in May. The data echoed other positive economic news recently, including a report last week showing the economy grew by 4.1 percent in the second quarter. And the headlines about President Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum and a widening trade war with China seem to have done little to put a damper on hiring. The manufacturing sector, which is particularly sensitive to exports, was robust, adding 37,000 jobs. Although the payroll increase in July was slightly below what Wall Street was expecting, upward revisions for May and June alleviated fears of a slowdown. Several economists linked the shortfall to the shutdown of Toys ``R'' Us, and the loss of 32,000 jobs at sporting goods, book and hobby stores last month. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve upgraded its view of the economy's underlying condition from ``solid'' to ``strong.'' The central bank remains on course to raise interest rates twice more this year, in September and December, to avert overheating. Other indicators suggest the recovery is finally extending its reach. The Labor Department's broadest measure of unemployment, which includes workers forced to take part-time jobs because full-time positions are unavailable, fell to 7.5 percent in July, the lowest since 2001. All this has translated into better economic opportunities for workers without a college degree, who account for a majority of the work force. It is a contingent that was championed by Mr. Trump during his presidential campaign, and one that both parties want to appeal to in the midterm elections in November. The White House was quick to note that the economy is in the midst of the longest monthly streak of job growth in history. And after 94 consecutive months of job creation, bosses and human resource departments are recalibrating their requirements. ``You definitely get the sense that employers are willing to look at workers they haven't looked at in the past,'' said Martha Gimbel, director of economic research at Indeed.com, the employment website. Unemployed Americans who might not have put feelers out in the past are also venturing back into the hunt for a job, she said. On Indeed's search engine, much of the growth in queries lately has been for positions like full-time cashier, mobile home park manager, maintenance person and fulfillment associate. ``This is an indicator that low-skilled workers are seeing opportunities for themselves in the labor market,'' Ms. Gimbel said. Until recently at Steel Ceilings in Johnstown, Ohio, the company's president, Rick Sandor, insisted on a couple of years' experience in metal fabrication before considering applicants. But he's had a harder time lately finding workers for his company, where shifts run from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. and temporary positions start at $14 per hour. He now settles for candidates who show mechanical skills, like carpentry or heating and cooling repair. Mr. Sandor is willing to waive the requirement for a high school diploma as well and has even hired applicants with what he terms ``minor'' prison sentences. ``If a person was truly trying to get their life back together, we thought it would be helpful to offer them a job,'' he said. Unemployment for less-skilled workers has been dropping for several years, with a pickup in hiring in sectors like manufacturing, construction and parts of health care. And to be sure, the month-to-month figures for unemployment among high school dropouts are volatile. But the long-term trend is clear, as is hiring among the sectors responsible for it. Last month, the leisure and hospitality field recorded a 40,000 gain in positions, with half of that coming from restaurants. For example, Buffalo Wings & Rings, a restaurant chain with 60 locations in 13 states, has been stepping up hiring and opening new restaurants. Many outlets have seen double-digit sales growth over the past year, and some are up as much as 40 percent, said Nader Masadeh, the company's chief executive. The tax cuts that took effect in January are playing a role, Mr. Masadeh said-- most families may have gotten a relatively small tax cut, but it is enough to fuel a few more nights out. ``People feel good. They're going out and spending more money,'' he said. ``In our segment, $50 feeds you and your family.'' Still, the hot economy brings challenges of its own. At an annual gathering of the company's franchisees in June, Mr. Masadeh said, he was bombarded with questions about how to retain talent when workers can readily walk out the door and find another job. And costs are rising throughout his business. ``Right now the economy is great, but we're also seeing higher construction costs, higher commodity items, shortages of labor, so there's always something that counterbalances something else,'' he said. That pressure, however, has not resulted in much fatter paychecks for most workers. The Labor Department said average hourly earnings ticked modestly higher in July, putting the annual rise at 2.7 percent. That's below the pace of inflation in recent months. One reason for the lack of big raises is that a substantial number of workers remain on the sidelines, including the less-skilled ones who are now gradually coming back, said Simona Mocuta, senior economist with State Street Global Advisors. ``We are bringing unemployment way below 4.5 percent, which the Fed considers full employment,'' Ms. Mocuta said. ``But we are getting very modest wage inflation. This is an issue not just for the U.S., but in every other developed market.'' ``Because the labor market is tight, less-educated workers have more of a chance of getting hired,'' she added. ``For people with the highest level of education, it's easier to find jobs even when the economy isn't doing well.'' A version of this article appears in print on Aug. 4, 2018, on Page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: Robust Recovery Lifting Laborers Hit the Hardest.

Mr. SESSIONS. All across this great Nation there are people who were tired of the loss of jobs in this country, the movement of jobs overseas, the continuation of a tax policy that did not allow jobs and money that was earned by American companies to come back here.