Tim Scott

Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina

Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. Would the Senator yield for a moment?

Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. I will concede that while I am exuberant and excited for the enthusiasm for Clemson's success this year, I am aware that next year Clemson and Alabama may meet again. So the more you celebrate this year, perhaps the more you will regret it next year. Thank you, Senator.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, today it is my pleasure to honor the Pelham Batesville Fire Department, as the fire district celebrates its 50th anniversary. Since 1968, the district and fire department have dutifully provided fire and rescue services to a large area of upstate South Carolina, including parts of Greenville County, Spartanburg County, and Greer. Time and again, the PBFD has remained vigilant and steadfast in their commitment to providing the best emergency services to the community. True dedication and generosity are characteristics frequently used to describe this department; once, PBFD firefighters pitched in to just to pay for gas to drive the trucks to the next emergency. Today, the future of the department looks bright, as it grows at an unprecedented rate and now includes four stations. I look forward to hearing of their continued success. Congratulations on 50 years, Pelham Batesville Fire Department and district, and thank you for your continued services to the upstate.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, today I would like to take a moment to recognize and honor the life of Rev. Bertha L. Givens, a great South Carolinian, who departed this life on September 22, 2018. Reverend Givens was a well-respected and universally loved leader of her local Green Pond community, as well as Colleton County as a whole. Reverend Givens served as a supportive and devoted matriarch not only to her husband of 48 years, her children, and extended family, but also to dozens of foster children and children in the community over the years. Additionally, Reverend Givens was known to provide counsel and comfort to each and every member of the community who came to her, and countless individuals benefitted from her wisdom, gentle voice, and unfaltering faith. As a reverend, she lived a life of impeccable integrity in ministry. She served for many years as a class leader and associate pastor at Mt. Olive A.M.E. in Green Pond, worked in prison outreach ministry, and took on many other positions of church leadership. She also founded the major community outreach program, Harvest Day, which gives away produce and preserves, as well as teaches God's word to members of the community. She did this for over 30 years, desiring no fanfare or recognition, which only highlights her strong Christian devotion and conviction. Reverend Givens will surely be missed by all of those that had the pleasure to know her and in the Green Pond community especially. Her life and legacy provide an example of true Christian selflessness and spirit to all.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, I would like to wish Mr. James ``Jim'' French of Charleston, SC, a happy 92nd birthday. Mr. French, a committed, passionate, and award-winning journalist, served as a U.S. Navy chief journalist for 26 years. After retiring, he founded the Charleston Chronicle in 1971. His work at the Charleston Chronicle, focused on offering solutions for problems within the African-American community and successfully led to the paper receiving hundreds of awards from organizations throughout the Lowcountry and Nation. Mr. French's legacy will forever be defined not just by his work and service, but by all of the many people he has touched in the Charleston community. I would like to recognize Mr. French for his service to our country and our amazing State; he truly represents the very best of South Carolina. Happy 92nd birthday, Mr. French. May God bless you.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, it is my honor and privilege to pay tribute to an outstanding leader and warrior, Air Force Gen. Darren W. McDew, commander of U.S. Transportation Command. General McDew is retiring this month, having served this great Nation for 36 years and completing a most distinguished career. General McDew graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1982, where he was regimental commander and received a degree in civil engineering. A command pilot in both the KC-135 and C-17, General McDew held assignments from Maine to California, while accumulating over 3,300 hours in 10 different types of aircraft. His desire to serve grew from the example set by his father who achieved the rank of master sergeant in the Air Force. General McDew has commanded at virtually every level that the Air Force has to offer: squadron, group, wing, numbered Air Force, and major command. His first command was of the 14th Airlift Squadron at Charleston Air Force Base. He often speaks of his time leading the mighty Pelicans in the great State of South Carolina as being one of his most rewarding assignments. A constant voice of reason, motivation, and inspiration, General McDew has devoted his life to this Nation. He has provided counsel to three Presidents, served as the Air Force liaison to the U.S. Senate, and built trust with the American people as the Air Force's Director of Public Affairs. I personally have sought his advice, as have my colleagues. The Members of this Chamber and workers across many parts of the Federal Government will miss his leadership and candor. General McDew's illustrious career is culminating with his current position, where he leads the 144,000 men and women of U.S. Transportation Command. He is responsible for coordinating the Department of Defense's global deployment and distribution enterprise. His transformational leadership has bolstered readiness, increased cyber awareness and security, and prepared the Department of Defense for challenging transportation and logistics missions in the future. He challenged old ways of thinking and compelled the Joint Force to adapt and evolve for the dynamic and uncertain security environment of tomorrow. For 36 years, his wife, Evelyn, has selflessly cared for the families under his command and in their community. I cannot overstate the importance of the support the spouses and families provide to their servicemember in our Armed Forces. Service and sacrifice are not limited to just the servicemember, but often extends to the entire family. On behalf of the Senate, we thank Evelyn and their children, Keisha and Keith, for their dedicated service to our military and our Nation. The Air Force will not lose just General McDew, but an exceptional family as well upon his retirement. I would like to help close out the final chapter of this inspiring airman and Joint Force leader's career with a heartfelt thank you from all the men and women of the U.S. Senate, the Congress, and Nation. General McDew, Godspeed. We thank you, Evelyn, and the entire McDew family, for their service over a remarkable 36-year career. We wish you well in your future endeavors, and we pray that those who follow in your footsteps do so in the same spirit of selfless service to our great Nation that you have so ably shown.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, today I wish to honor SFC Christopher A. Celiz, who was fatally wounded while conducting operations in support of a medical evacuation landing zone in Afghanistan last week. Sergeant First Class Celiz was a Summerville, SC, native and attended the Citadel before enlisting in the Army, where he subsequently served five deployments, including Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Sergeant First Class Celiz was serving as a battalion mortar platoon sergeant and supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel when he sustained fatal wounds and passed away on July 12. Sergeant First Class Celiz served this country with the utmost courage and commitment, and his service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. I ask that he be honored today, and share my deepest condolences with all of those who knew and loved Sergeant First Class Celiz.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, I would like to acknowledge Mr. Dan Walters of Greenwood, SC, for his dedication and willingness to provide children without families a home of love and support for over 15 years and congratulate him on receiving the 2018 Angels in Adoption award. Mr. Walters has truly opened up his heart and home through his exceptional service for children in the foster care system. Since entering the foster care program, Mr. Walters has fostered 15 children, provided long-term care for three children, and also adopted one child. I had the pleasure of working with one of those children through my internship program, and he credits Mr. Walters for giving him a ``second chance at life.'' He truly has made an incredible difference in the lives of many foster youth. Aside from being a foster parent, Mr. Walters is also an engaged member of the community as a businessowner, active Rotarian, and deacon at Connie Maxwell Baptist Church. Mr. Walters is an outstanding example of a foster parent, and I applaud him on his continued commitment and compassion towards helping foster care children. He truly has been an ``angel in adoption,'' and I congratulate him on this special recognition.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, I would like to recognize South Carolina native, Maj. Charles D. Hodges for his exceptional service and bravery in his recent military support efforts in the Thailand cave rescues. Major Hodges is a U.S. mission commander for the Air Force's 353rd Special Operations unit and led his team of U.S. support in rescuing 12 young Thai boys and their coach trapped in a network of caves. With his support and the hard work and bravery of so many military personnel, all 13 were all rescued safely on Tuesday. South Carolina and I are very proud to call Major Hodges one of our own.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, today it is my pleasure to honor Kentwool, an Upstate textile manufacturer that is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year. Originally founded in Philadelphia in 1843, Kentwool has since opened a plant, and maintains headquarters, in the South Carolina Upstate. Kentwool has had a long history of textile manufacturing in America, including supplying the Armed Forces in both World Wars. Kentwool has been a family-owned business for five generations and maintains a strong emphasis on American-made goods. Kentwool has been an integral business to the South Carolina Upstate since it opened a production facility in Pickens County in 1954. Kentwool currently employs 65 people at its Upstate facility and has its corporate headquarters in downtown Greenville. They have been a business that the people of the Upstate and of South Carolina are truly proud of. As I share my congratulations with Kentwool, I know this accomplishment is bittersweet. Just last year, CEO Mark Kent passed away suddenly, and I know that, while Kentwool celebrates this milestone, they also commemorate all the hard work and philanthropic endeavors that Mark accomplished during his time with the company. As someone who gave back to the Upstate through his interest in preserving historic structures and philanthropic work, Mark will certainly not be forgotten and is remembered fondly on this 175th anniversary. Congratulations, Kentwool.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, today it is my pleasure to honor Callie's Biscuits, a small business in Charleston, SC, that serves up homemade, nationally recognized biscuits. Callie's was founded in 2005 by Carrie Morey to bring her mother Callie's biscuit recipe to folks across the country. I had a chance to meet Carrie in person, and there is no question that she exudes the exact traits required of someone determined to run a prosperous business. Today the company has since expanded to three locations, including Charleston's Upper King District and the Charleston City Market. Her goal was to build a business around her passion for southern food while creating a healthy environment for her to still spend time with her family. When Carrie first started the company, she only used part-time help. She now employs 65 people who help her carry out her business's day-to-day operations, while keeping the tradition of southern biscuit-making alive. The story of Callie's Biscuits is exemplary of the American entrepreneurial spirit that we are honoring during National Small Business Week. Callie's and other small businesses play a critical and unique role in our national economy and our communities. Carrie's success has brought great joy to South Carolinians and has garnered national recognition for her biscuits. Carrie also gives back to her community; she is a guest lecturer at the College of Charleston Business School's entrepreneurship classes and serves as an adviser to innovators at a baking incubator she operates. In this role, she advises these entrepreneurs on both baking and operating a small business. I would like to congratulate Carrie and all the employees of Callie's Biscuits for the positive impact they are making in the lowcountry and beyond, and I wish them continued success in their business.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the service and achievements of an esteemed and valued member of the U.S. Senior Executive Service, Dr. Kenneth A. Bertram, who completes a 32-year career of distinguished service to our Nation on June 30, 2018. Dr. Bertram has worked tirelessly to improve the medical readiness of U.S. military personnel, and challenged the constraints of a burdensome acquisition system that discouraged meaningful partnerships between military medicine and the commercial sector. His work culminated in the creation of the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium, a South Carolina-based nonprofit corporation that connects more than 170 private-sector companies, academic research institutions, and nonprofit organizations to the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, fostering research collaborations to prevent injuries and disease impacting our Nation's soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, treating those who are wounded in conflict and restoring the injured to the maximum achievable quality of life. Dr. Bertram's personal awards include the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, the Superior Civilian Service Medal, two awards of the Legion of Merit, ``A'' Proficiency Designator in Hematology/Oncology from the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, Order of Military Medical Merit, two awards of the U.S. Army Meritorious Service Medal, and two awards of the U.S. Army Commendation Medal. Dr. Bertram's professionalism, patriotism, and sustained selfless commitment to service reflect the very best values of our Nation's Senior Executive Service. I join his family and friends in wishing him the best in the years ahead.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, today I would like to take a moment to recognize and honor the life of William ``Bill'' Varn, a great South Carolinian, who departed this life on November 18, 2017. Bill was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in World War II. After the war, Bill joined and eventually took over Enterprise Bank, originally located in Smoaks, SC. Mr. Varn served as CEO from 1951 to 2013, when he was named director emeritus last spring. It is believed that he is South Carolina's longest serving banker ever, and dedicated more than 70 years of his life to the industry. Today Emeritus Bank is a $333 million institution spread across six SC counties. Mr. Varn will be remembered not only for the great contributions he made in the financial services industry, but also for his love of his country, State, and family.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, I would like to congratulate and honor Fairview Baptist Church in Spartanburg, SC for their 100th anniversary, which will be celebrated on June 24, 2018. Fairview Baptist Church was established in 1918 by a group of residents of the Fairview community, known also as the Flatwoods, under direction of Rev. C.M. Ellis and nine charter members. Starting with only 40 members 100 years ago, Fairview Baptist has since grown to include hundreds from the Spartanburg area, while still remaining a welcoming and devoted place of worship in the community. I acknowledge and celebrate the church's 100 years as a congregation faithfully serving the people of Spartanburg.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, I would like to congratulate and honor Standing Springs Baptist Church in Simpsonville, SC, for their 200th anniversary, which will be celebrated on October 18, 2018. As Standing Springs celebrates their bicentennial throughout the week and weekend, I thank them for their ongoing mission of service and fellowship that I hope will continue for 200 more years to come. I acknowledge and celebrate the church's 200 years as a congregation faithfully serving the people of Simpsonville and Greenville County.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, I would like to recognize the American Legion Post 29 in Bishopville, SC as they celebrate the unveiling of the James Davison Heriot statue in downtown Bishopville on Sunday, November 11, 2018. James Davison Heriot was a South Carolina National Guard soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I. Post 29 is honoring the Americans who fought in World War I by unveiling this statue on the 100th anniversary of the end of the American involvement in the conflict, previously known as Armistice Day. I look forward to the unveiling of the Bishopville Heriot statue, as well as all other commemorations that will take place on this special 100th anniversary.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, as chairman of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, today I wish to engage in a colloquy to discuss legislation that I introduced, the Housing Opportunity Mortgage Expansion, HOME, Act, with several of my colleagues to address an issue involving the Federal Home Loan Bank, FHLB, system. The FHLB system is a cooperative organization of 11 banks that support a mission of ``helping American families realize the dream of home ownership, stimulate the creation of affordable housing, and improve the local business environment.'' FHLBs are privately capitalized by their 7,300 members and are subject to strict oversight by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, FHFA. The HOME Act is designed to correct the FHFA's perceived statutory limitation in the FHL Bank Act that does not permit captive insurers to be considered a class of the eligible insurance companies for membership in FHLBs. In 2016, the FHFA determined that captive insurance firms were not insurance firms for purposes of the FHLB Act. In making this determination, the FHFA abruptly terminated the membership of approximately four dozen captive insurance entities, including mortgage real estate investment trusts, REITs, that were active and responsible members of the FHLB system. These insurance captives greatly contributed to the affordable housing mission of FHLBs through the use of private capital versus taxpayer dollars, something that we should always encourage. I thank Senators Duckworth, Johnson, and Baldwin for their support of this legislation, which I am hopeful will receive favorable consideration by this body in the future. I yield to my friend from Illinois.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, today I want to make a few remarks on S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act. Section 213 of S. 2155, making online banking initiation legal and easy--the intent of this provision, which I introduced as an amendment during Committee consideration of S. 2155, is to facilitate the ability of financial institutions to reach new and potentially underserved consumers by making it possible to offer products and services to consumers through online and mobile applications. I would like to clarify that, with respect to references in this provision to ``copies,'' ``scans,'' or other reproductions of a consumer's government-issued identification, this is, intended to apply to all methods of obtaining information from an identification card, including color and black-and-white copies. Section 215 of S. 2155, reducing identity fraud--with respect to section 215 of the bill, ``reducing identity fraud,'' the intent is to provide options for permitted entities to crosscheck consumer information with the Social Security Administration, SSA, in such a way that is efficient for those entities, as well as the SSA. In particular, the intent of this provision is to allow a service provider or other permitted entity to contact the SSA's Consent Based Social Security Number Verification database pursuant to appropriate consent provided to a permitted entity--such as a creditor--and to then provide the ``yes/no'' response from SSA to permitted entities who request such information in the future. In this way, creditors can receive the important validation of a name, date of birth, and Social Security number as part of the consumer report they receive when underwriting a credit application. This would result in fewer inquiries made to and received by the SSA. Furthermore, as mentioned, this provision would require consumer consent as part of the normal credit application process, similar to how creditors request consumer consent to obtain consumer credit reports in connection with an application. Under section 215, consumer consent can now be given via electronic signature obtained by the creditor or other permitted entities. Nothing in this provision would require consumers to fill out extra forms, provide extra signatures, or do anything that would significantly alter their expectations for a seamless application experience. The goal is to inform consumers of the possible inquiry to the SSA and allow them to provide consent via the chosen method by the creditor, which now includes electronic signature. The second point I would like to clarify regarding section 215 is the importance of ensuring the SSA will implement this section with all deliberate speed, with no unreasonable delay to the process. As the author of this provision, it is my expectation that the SSA will have the database described in this section operational within 1 year of the bill's enactment, assuming the appropriate reserve of user fees. Every day that goes by without the SSA implementing the changes called for in section 215 will lead to more children unknowingly becoming victims of synthetic identity theft and having their credit ruined. Section 310 of S. 2155, credit score competition--the word ``competition'' in the title of section 310, ``credit score competition,'' is the heart of the intent of this part of the bill. When enacted into law, Section 310 will put in place a mechanism by which credit score model developers may submit their models to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for validation for use by the enterprises, if the models meet validation criteria that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have established. Lenders will be able to choose the model that they wish to use. The end result of enactment of section 310 of S. 2155 will be a competitive market between the developers of empirically derived, demonstrably predictive, and statistically sound credit scoring models, with appropriate regulatory oversight from the Federal Housing Finance Agency under which both consumers and lenders would benefit. A lack of such a market thus far in the mortgage finance arena has stifled innovation in credit scoring. Section 310 allows for more than one credit score model provider to have a validated model for use by the enterprises. The Director of the FHFA is given the responsibility to see that the validation process is undertaken in a timely manner for all applicants and that the methodology and results behind each validation decision is released to the public. Unlike the request for input the FHFA issued in December 2017 on this subject, section 310 does not make specific reference to any credit score model provider. That is deliberate. Section 310 opens the enterprises up to use any model that is able to pass the validation process. Some critics have raised the specter that providing mortgage lenders the opportunity to choose among credit scoring models validated and approved by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac might trigger ``a race to the bottom.'' That is prohibited under section 310, as validated models are first deemed to not threaten the safety and soundness of the enterprises in order to be used.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, as we close out Black History Month this week, I wanted to recognize a few people and initiatives that we are really excited about. Yesterday, I joined Congressman Mark Walker, Chairman of the Republican Study Committee in the House, to host our Second Annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities Fly In. We hosted Presidents and Administrators from HBCUs throughout the country, including four from my home State of South Carolina--South Carolina State University, Claflin University, Allen University and Benedict College. We were able to host some great panels on ensuring curricula are matched with the needs of the workforce, how to best encourage entrepreneurship among students, and what steps we are taking at the Federal level to help our HBCUs provide an invaluable education for students for generations to come. Representatives from the HBCUs heard from Google, McDonalds, Starbucks, Bank of America the Morehouse College Entrepreneurship Center, John Deere, Wal-Mart, the Center for Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, and the Koch Foundation. I also want to thank my friends Senator Lankford and Congresswoman Terri Sewell for joining us on our member panel. For decades, HBCUs provided Americans of color with educational opportunities they would not have otherwise had. For generations, they have given low-income students an education they could not otherwise afford. We have stood by them with the restoration of year-round Pell Grants, a top legislative priority from last year's fly-in, which benefits more than one million students. I joined a bipartisan group of members of Congress, including Representative Alma Adams, to ensure an increase in the Department of Defense's HBCU and PMI grant program, boosting funding for this important collaboration to $40M. And earlier this month, we saw the Environmental Protection Agency renew its partnership with Bowie State University to provide professional experiences and advanced resources to Bowie State students. We will continue to stand with our HBCUs, and help ensure they are providing the opportunities sought by so many people of color and low- income families from across the Nation. I also want to talk about legislation my friend Senator Booker and I introduced today to help combat Sickle Cell Disease. Our Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention and Treatment Act will do exactly what the title suggests . . . aid in fighting sickle cell through research, surveillance, prevention and treatment. Currently, we don't really know exactly how many people have Sickle Cell Disease. There's no real surveillance and reporting in place at the Federal level, and only a handful of states have a reporting process. To best battle Sickle Cell, we have to know the universe of what we're fighting against. So, our bill establishes the National Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment program to collect data on the demographics and prevalence of Sickle Cell as well as identify and evaluate strategies for prevention and treatment. We're also reauthorizing the Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Program (SDTDP) for four years, making some smart reforms and expanding support services for kids and young adults making the transition to adult care. If you've ever met someone with Sickle Cell Disease, you know the pain they go through. You see how hard it is on their families to watch them suffer. The Medical University of South Carolina has put so much effort into finding a cure, and over the past few years I've gotten to know some of the patients. Their perseverance is amazing. We have taken some great steps forward, but we have to keep that momentum going. I want to thank Senator Booker again for joining me in this effort, and I look forward to our colleagues supporting the Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention and Treatment Act. Mr. President, Black History Month allows us to not only study and learn from our past, but to see where we can go in the future. Our Nation has made amazing progress in the past 50 years. Without a doubt, there are still challenges ahead of us, and by remembering the strength of folks like Dr. Martin Luther King, the Friendship Nine, Cleveland Sellers, and so many other civil rights heroes, I am heartened that despite those challenges, we will continue to make progress.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, as we close out Black History Month this week, I wanted to recognize a few people and initiatives that we are really excited about. Yesterday, I joined Congressman Mark Walker, Chairman of the Republican Study Committee in the House, to host our Second Annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities Fly In. We hosted Presidents and Administrators from HBCUs throughout the country, including four from my home State of South Carolina--South Carolina State University, Claflin University, Allen University and Benedict College. We were able to host some great panels on ensuring curricula are matched with the needs of the workforce, how to best encourage entrepreneurship among students, and what steps we are taking at the Federal level to help our HBCUs provide an invaluable education for students for generations to come. Representatives from the HBCUs heard from Google, McDonalds, Starbucks, Bank of America the Morehouse College Entrepreneurship Center, John Deere, Wal-Mart, the Center for Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, and the Koch Foundation. I also want to thank my friends Senator Lankford and Congresswoman Terri Sewell for joining us on our member panel. For decades, HBCUs provided Americans of color with educational opportunities they would not have otherwise had. For generations, they have given low-income students an education they could not otherwise afford. We have stood by them with the restoration of year-round Pell Grants, a top legislative priority from last year's fly-in, which benefits more than one million students. I joined a bipartisan group of members of Congress, including Representative Alma Adams, to ensure an increase in the Department of Defense's HBCU and PMI grant program, boosting funding for this important collaboration to $40M. And earlier this month, we saw the Environmental Protection Agency renew its partnership with Bowie State University to provide professional experiences and advanced resources to Bowie State students. We will continue to stand with our HBCUs, and help ensure they are providing the opportunities sought by so many people of color and low- income families from across the Nation. I also want to talk about legislation my friend Senator Booker and I introduced today to help combat Sickle Cell Disease. Our Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention and Treatment Act will do exactly what the title suggests . . . aid in fighting sickle cell through research, surveillance, prevention and treatment. Currently, we don't really know exactly how many people have Sickle Cell Disease. There's no real surveillance and reporting in place at the Federal level, and only a handful of states have a reporting process. To best battle Sickle Cell, we have to know the universe of what we're fighting against. So, our bill establishes the National Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment program to collect data on the demographics and prevalence of Sickle Cell as well as identify and evaluate strategies for prevention and treatment. We're also reauthorizing the Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Program (SDTDP) for four years, making some smart reforms and expanding support services for kids and young adults making the transition to adult care. If you've ever met someone with Sickle Cell Disease, you know the pain they go through. You see how hard it is on their families to watch them suffer. The Medical University of South Carolina has put so much effort into finding a cure, and over the past few years I've gotten to know some of the patients. Their perseverance is amazing. We have taken some great steps forward, but we have to keep that momentum going. I want to thank Senator Booker again for joining me in this effort, and I look forward to our colleagues supporting the Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention and Treatment Act. Mr. President, Black History Month allows us to not only study and learn from our past, but to see where we can go in the future. Our Nation has made amazing progress in the past 50 years. Without a doubt, there are still challenges ahead of us, and by remembering the strength of folks like Dr. Martin Luther King, the Friendship Nine, Cleveland Sellers, and so many other civil rights heroes, I am heartened that despite those challenges, we will continue to make progress.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, 6 weeks after the passage of tax reform, we continue to show the American people how we are delivering on our promises with real, lasting tax reform. In fact, a recent poll showed that 69 percent of Americans are satisfied with the boost in our economy. Another poll showed that Americans' approval of our tax reform package has more than doubled since its passage. I know it will continue to rise as more families see the benefits coming their way. Our new tax law will ensure that they are able to keep more of their paychecks and that the jobs of the future are created right here in the good old U.S.A. Back home in South Carolina, we continue to see positive changes because of tax reform. More businesses are awarding their employees with raises, and as a result, more families are putting more money in their bank accounts and in their pockets. Here is a real-life example. I received a note from Steve Potts, the CEO of Scout Boats in Summerville, SC. Scout Boats is, for those who may not know--but everybody knows Scout Boats--Scout Boats is a world- class brand. It has been recognized all over the world for quality boats. Here is a success story, an organic success story. Back in 1989, Steve started his business with his wife in their garage. They did very well for a while, and then, of course, very quickly, Hurricane Hugo came about several months later and wiped them out. They had to start all over again. They had two employees in 1989. Their life savings were invested into Scout Boats. Today, almost 30 years later, they have 340 employees. This year, they are going to hand out $1,000 bonuses to their 340 employees, and they hope this is the year that they will take their employees from 340 to 350 and exceed 400 employees. He said: We're confident this will help-- The tax reform package. --further stimulate our own company morale, as well as become an attractive career opportunity for new employees we are currently searching for. . . . We believe by us giving back to our employees, we're doing exactly what you and many others originally intended with tax reform. This is fantastic news and proof that we are reaching our goals. I want to say thank you to Steve, not only for sharing your story but for rewarding the hard work of your employees. It is what happens in small and medium businesses all over the country. Having started a small business myself, I understand and appreciate the dedication Steve had to his vision and to his employees, because for Steve and so many entrepreneurs, their employees are an extension of their family. So being in a position to provide those folks with a $1,000 bonus each is a big deal. It is a big deal for the company. It is a big deal for the employees. It is reflective of the fact that most small businesses are reinvesting in their future, which means reinvesting in their employees. Steve is a classic example. Just like Steve, in the last 6 weeks, more than 3 million Americans have seen direct benefits from tax reform, be it bonuses or wage increases or better benefits. It is all good news, and it just keeps on coming. It is good news. More than 300 companies across our great Nation have announced significant benefits for their employees. There is more. My Investing in Opportunity Act was included in the tax cut, and it is designed to help 52 million Americans living in distressed communities like the very one in which I grew up. We have worked hard to get the IIOA--Investing in Opportunity Act--across the finish line so that it can be deployed in States around this Nation to help those very folks. That means everything from workforce investment, to better education, to businesses being attracted into these opportunity zones. I want to thank the majority leader for his words on the Investing in Opportunity Act yesterday morning. He is right. This will empower communities, and it will put up a big neon sign that says we are open for business. It will help communities that today may be wavering, questioning whether they can be successful. This is a resounding yes. Yes, you should be hopeful. Yes, you can be successful. I know these communities full well, and they are full of folks looking for a chance, an opportunity to put their creativity, their intelligence, and their work ethic on display. The Investing in Opportunity Act will provide that chance. The benefits of tax reform have just begun. Whether it is bonuses for workers, more wages, better benefits, or the implementation of the Investing in Opportunity Act, we know that the best is yet to come for the American people. Thank you, Mr. President. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, I have 9 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: committee on environment and public works The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on the nomination of Andrew Wheeler, of Virginia, to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. committee on environment and public works The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Impact of Federal Environmental Regulations and Policies on American Farming and Ranching Communities.'' committee on foreign relations The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 4:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing. committee on foreign relations The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 5 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Turkey and the Way Ahead.'' committee on homeland security and governmental affairs The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Reauthorizing DHS: Positioning DHS to Address New and Emerging Threats to the Homeland.'' special committee on aging The Special Committee on Aging is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``From Joint Pain to Pocket Pain: Cost and Competition Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapies.'' subcommittee on airland The Subcommittee on Airland of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 3:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing. subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities The Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing. subcommittee on public lands, forests and mining The Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, the last 3 weeks have shown us the beginning of what happens when Congress listens to the American people and delivers on our promises. For years, we have been talking about real, lasting tax reform-- helping American families bring more of their hard-earned money back home in their paychecks and ensuring that the jobs of the future are created here at home in America. Last month, we started reaching those goals, and just 3 weeks since we passed tax reform, more than 2 million Americans have received bonuses in their paychecks, and hundreds of thousands of employees have been informed that they will have permanent pay increases or increased benefits. Right after Christmas, in my home State of South Carolina, Nephron Pharmaceuticals announced that 640 employees will receive a minimum of a 5-percent raise. This is good news. The raise is due to the passage of tax reform. In other words, 2 million Americans all across the country--thousands of Americans in South Carolina--are starting to see the fruit of tax reform. This is just the beginning. In fact, all across the country, more than 160 companies have already begun the steps of improving the lives of their employees by allowing them to share in the benefits of tax reform. This is counter to what we heard on the floor for days and weeks and I would dare say for months, when folks railed about how the corporations and the companies and the employers of America simply would not share the benefits of lower taxes. I am thankful that I live in a country and blessed to live in a State where our corporate family has obviously recognized the benefits and the wisdom of sharing the profits with their employees. And that number will rise. As a matter of fact, I think just today the Apple Corporation--home of the iPhones and all those good gadgets--said that instead of making the $1.5 billion investment that they had announced, they would instead make a $300 billion investment here at home in America, creating 20,000 new American jobs. This is good news. Earlier this month--last week, I believe it was--the IRS announced that they had been able to change the withholdings, and they have predicted--this is an astounding number--that up to 90 percent of employees will see more take-home pay in their paychecks as early as February 15. You see, lower taxes and higher take-home pay translates into maybe a movie night out for a struggling family, maybe new tennis shoes for a youngster, and, without any question, more money to do more good for nonprofits, for churches and other organizations. Next year, when they file their taxes, our efforts to double the child tax credit and our efforts to double the standard deduction will kick in, and more families will see more money from their returns. Frankly, my Investing in Opportunity Act that was included in the tax reform will present new opportunities for perhaps billions of dollars to be reinvested in distressed communities, like the one where I grew up. More than 50 million Americans live in these distressed communities. And because of the good will of this body, because of the good will of the House of Representatives, and because of the good will of the current administration, millions of Americans will have more reasons to be hopeful in 2018. This is just the beginning of what a strong, middle-class oriented, business-friendly tax code will do. I plan to spend more time on the floor of the Senate over the next year, talking about the benefits of tax reform and relaying the stories of employees who are starting to fill my mailbox with amazing stories of the things they are doing with their extra dollars. This is a good start to 2018, and my prayer is that this is just the beginning. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Thank you, Mr. President. This week, we took a major step toward helping the middle- and working-class family by passing the first significant tax reform package in a generation. I wanted to take a few minutes to thank a lot of folks for their efforts, hard work, and dedication to this process. At the Member level, both Leader McConnell and Chairman Hatch did amazing work leading us through this process. I also had the privilege of working as part of the Core 4, with Pat Toomey, John Thune, and Rob Portman, over the past year developing this bill. Those three guys are some of the hardest working Members we have. I also thank Marco Rubio for his dedication to improving the child tax credit, as well as Mike Lee and Ivanka Trump. We were also able to include my Investing in Opportunity Act as a part of the legislation. This is legislation that will help distressed communities throughout the country. More than 50 million Americans today live in those distressed communities, and the Investing in Opportunity Act can usher in trillions of dollars of investment to improve the quality of life and create a spark in some of the most challenging areas of our country economically. I thank my House sponsor of the bill, Pat Tiberi, and my Democratic cosponsors, Corey Booker and Ron Kind. We could not have gotten this far without the hard work and dedication of the Finance Committee staff. I thank, in particular, Jay, Mark, Jeff, Jenn, as well as the entire Finance team for their amazing work. I also want to take a few minutes to thank my staff. I have been blessed with an amazing staff here on Capitol Hill, one of the hardest working staffs I have ever seen. I want to start off by thanking my tax guru, Shay Hawkins, who has done a tremendous job of leading us through this process--fielding thousands of calls and responding to tens of thousands of emails. I would also like to thank my LD, Charles Cogar, for his dedication and his leadership through this time. My chief of staff, Jennifer DeCasper, has done an amazing job of making sure we stayed focused on the objective. The objective was not to simply pass legislation; the objective was, in fact, to change lives where we live, to help the average American experience a little more hope, a little more opportunity by keeping a little more of their money. I also thank my commerce director who has done a fabulous job, Sean Smith, in making sure we communicated effectively the message of hope and opportunity, and my scheduler, Brie Kelly. Thank God for someone who could keep me moving in the right direction. One of the hardest jobs in Washington is being a scheduler for a Member, and being a scheduler for this Member is perhaps the hardest job of scheduling. My entire team worked diligently, long hours, but that is why we are here. We are here to work long hours, but to produce results-- unparalleled results--that will make the American people have just a little more confidence in their elected officials. Finally, I have to thank the good people of South Carolina. I was first elected to Congress in 2010, and one of my first pieces of legislation was the Tax Reform Act of 2011--February of 2011--to lower the corporate tax rate and to work on restructuring our Tax Code. Since my first days in Congress, I have been working on this issue. The good people of South Carolina allowed me to serve as a Senator. I was elected in 2014 and reelected in 2016. I will continue to make sure my focus is back at home, where the good South Carolinians who elected me have given me a great privilege. I will focus on the fact that our work, our dedication should be focused on those folks. The good news is, during this holiday season, we believe this tax reform package will be an early Christmas present. Let me just say to all the folks, no matter what side of the aisle you are on, no matter where you live in this country, we are blessed-- truly blessed--to live in the greatest country on God's green Earth. Merry Christmas, and may the good Lord bless us with an amazing new year. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, we have had an opportunity for the last several hours to go back and forth to debate the benefits or the negatives of this bill. This is a historic night for America 31 years in the making. If you are watching this debate at home, you might be a little confused. As Democrats and Republicans continue to talk about the same bill using very different perspectives, folks must be wondering where is the truth. I would like to spend a few minutes clarifying some of the important points, some of the misinformation that is coming from the left. First, this is not a healthcare bill. Our friends on the left have suggested that somehow, some way this bill will eliminate coverage for millions and millions of Americans, and they will lose their coverage. The only thing this bill actually does is it eliminates the penalty for those folks who decide not to buy health insurance. In other words, this bill reduces the tax burden on families who are working paycheck to paycheck. One-third of the families who pay the penalty are families who make less than $25,000, and 80 percent of the folks who pay the penalty make less than $50,000. Contrary to popular belief on the left, no one loses their insurance, but they will have the option to do what is in their family's best interest, what is in the individual's best interest. We have sought for ways to work with our friends on the other side because we know this legislation is not about the Republican Party, it is not about conservatives, nor is it about liberals. It is about Americans--Americans who for too long have worked too hard and have seen too little in their paychecks. The government does not create jobs. No matter what either side says, we don't create jobs, but we can, through this tax reform package, increase take-home pay by taking less out. Now, some may ask the question, What does that mean taking less out? Well, for your average, single parent in America who makes the average income of $41,000, as my good friend from Alaska already stated, that individual household will see about a 73-percent cut in their taxes. Said differently, that means an increase in their take-home pay. Now, I was thinking about folks back at home in South Carolina--one person in particular--Sherrie, who is a single mother with two kids and trying to start a new business. Here is an opportunity to have just a little more margin at the end of each pay period--$1,300. These are real dollars, and my friends on the left seem to suggest that a 73- percent cut in the typical single-parent household's tax burden is not an increase. Well, the story continues. For the average family in America making $73,000, they are looking at a tax cut of 58 percent--over $2,000 more in their paycheck. When I talk to my friends who are typical Americans--Michelle and Joe living in South Carolina, working hard, raising two beautiful kids--having a 60-percent cut in their taxes is real middle-class relief. This is a bill that delivers, and the good news is, only in about 7 or 8 weeks, the average American will have an answer to which side is right; is it the left or is it the right? The fact is, they will be able to take a look in their own paychecks and determine for themselves the benefits of this tax cut. When we think about the things we should be working on to restore confidence that the average person has lost in the government, we do that by making sure our tax proposal speaks to the average family. So we do double the standard deduction for individuals from $6,300 to $12,000; for single-parent households from $9,300 to $18,000; and for two-earner households, we essentially create a zero-percent tax bracket for folks living at the Federal poverty level of $24,000. By doubling the standard deduction to $24,000, we have essentially created a zero- percent tax bracket. The good news is, it gets better. For those folks with children in the house where your child tax credit used to be $1,000, now the child tax credit is $2,000, with 70 percent of that amount being refundable-- an increase from what it used to be. So many folks on the other side have talked about whether this is simplification, but when 95 out of 100 tax filers can simply use the standard deduction, it means that, yes, on the back of a clean piece of paper, someone can determine their tax burden. This is good news. Of the 6 billion hours spent annually doing their taxes, we are going to cut that number down significantly. For our friends living in blue States where the SALT, State and local tax, debate has been so important, we have decided to sweeten the SALT solution by allowing a hybrid of either your property taxes or income taxes to be used within that $10,000 threshold. We have even made it easier through 529 plans to prepare and to pay for education, K-12, as well as college. The one thing I will say that we have heard a lot of from our friends on the other side--and you will hear more of it tonight--it is FEAR. It is an acronym that means false evidence appearing real. It is not the truth, but fear sells. It seems as though my friends on the other side have decided, if you just keep saying it, it must be true, and over and over and over--and we will hear it more when I am finished--there are folks demonizing this legislation. The facts are simple, and Senator Cardin said it himself. I wrote it down when he said it because I was like: Wow. That is a clear, concise, true statement. Senator Cardin said major tax relief for families, our bill. We are on the verge of resetting American competitiveness. By lowering our corporate tax rate, we will allow the jobs of the future to be created here at home. With a 20-percent cut in your qualified business income, we will see small businesses prospering, and when they prosper, they will hire more folks. When I was in the gym this past weekend, a small business owner who runs a battery company with seven employees said, on January 1, he is hiring a new person. A survey done of 7,000 manufacturers, the vast majority said that with this tax cut, they will hire more people, they will increase wages, and they will improve benefits. This is good news from a global perspective, this is good news from a small business perspective, and this is good news from an individual perspective. It is time for us to complete the people's business and vote yes for tax cuts, vote yes for an improved business climate, and vote yes for a global competition where American companies and American workers are winning. I yield the floor.