Transcripts For CSPAN U.S. House Of Representatives House Debates GOP Tax Reform Bill 20171220

Reaction and any news conferences. The debate earlier today as it all unfolded on the house floor. The chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. Mr. Speaker, and ask the unanimous consent that all speakers will have five legislative days to extend remarks and extraneous materials on the bill currently under consideration. Without objection. , today, we are delivering on our tax reform promise to the American People. For the first time in over three decades, we are delivering a unique tax code that provides more jobs, their taxes, and bigger paychecks to americans across the country. With this bill, a middle income family of four, earning 72,000 per year will see a tax cut of over 2000. Our local dog trainers will see the lowest rates in modern history so they can invest more in their workers and in their future. And our businesses will finally have a tax code that helps them compete and win anywhere in the world, especially here at home. This is our moment to make history, to make good on our promises, and to make tax reform a reality for the first time in 31 years. Thank you, and i reserve the balance of my time. The gentleman from massachusetts. Thank you mr. Speaker. I yield myself three minutes. Mr. Speaker, what you are about to hear from our republican friends for the next 30 minutes as the following. A mixture of theology and science fiction. Then, they are going to take you to revisionist history. This is the most regressive piece of tax legislation that has come from the ways and Means Committee in the 25 years i have been a member. This is not about simplification. When you have a chance to look at the phase ins an phase outs, you will be passed out by the time it takes you to the expiration dates. They say it is about simplicity. Youre going to need to carry a billboard around with you to understand what is in this actual bill. Here is the best part. When secretary mnuchin says, mr. Speaker, that under no circumstances would people at the top get tax relief. If you are formally in the tax bracket, which is to 37 , thatered is dressed up as relief for people at the very top. But then again, to help out with their argument, they doubled the exemption on the state tax. Million too from 11 22 million. The people at the bottom will argue that everybody gets a tax cut. Here is where we go to revise history. In 2001, president bush said everybody gets a tax cut. Budget included a tax cut for everybody. The people at the bottom got 100. Hundreds at the top of thousands of dollars, and this is a creative replay of exactly what happened. 2003, they came back and cut taxes again for people at the very top and blew a huge hole in , which has deficit been estimated at the time after clinton left on january 19 of 2001, to projected surpluses over the next 10 years. Instead, the federal deficit brought it to 6. 1 trillion. Here is the simplicity of their proposal today. Trillionborrowing 2. 3 to give a tax cut to people at the very top of american society. That is not in dispute. To borrowing the money, recall the Federal Reserve says they are projecting three increases next year in interest rates. We dont know what this is going to look like by the time they get done, but this today is more about ideology than it is about public policy. Think of it this way as well. Month, onene in one single month, the entire revenue system of the United States is being transformed. I yield myself an additional minute, mr. Speaker. Additional one minute. Not one public hearing was held on the spill. They say we had five years of public hearings. We did not have one hearing on this bill, not one. No witness testimony was sought, no committee was convened for the purpose of a hearing. We were all granted an Opening Statement and we have got the question. Mr. Speaker, more than anything else today, this is a missed opportunity were both sides could have accomplished something great for the American People. I reserve the balance of my time. The gentleman from texas. Gentleman from california is recognized for two minutes. I stood here several weeks ago to speak in support of the original pass tax reform bill. Since then, as a member of the conference strengthening this bill and making it even more transformative. That is why i continue to stand in strong support of the bill and conference report we will be voting on today. Washington special interests have distorted Business Decisions for too long. And we can not afford to wait any longer to reform our broken tax code. Should we fail to act now, businesses will continue to leave the United States for tax purposes. Taking thousands of goodpaying jobs, american jobs, with them. Our Small Businesses will continue to suffer the damaging effects of a bewildering and punitive tax code that gives unfair advantages to their larger, wellconnected competitors. But all this will change if we pass this bill. For years i have advocated for full and immediate expensing, which will allow businesses of all sizes to write off costs immediately. This bill will provide full expensing, which is one of the many progrowth pieces to this legislation. I am confident my colleagues will soon see the tremendous effect of full expensing and make the important decision to extend it before it expires. Mr. Speaker, i stand here with my colleagues on a historic day in support of one of the most dramatic reform bills to come before this body since i came to congress. The tax cuts and jobs act simplifies the code, grows the economy and allows for strong business investment. I have said before that i will not accept the status quo of our broken tax code. Or a minimal reform that merely adjusts rates. Instead we must transform the code into a system that is simpler and fairer and that encourages Economic Growth instead of suppressing it. That is what this bill does and that is why i strongly support its passage. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. Id like to yield one minute to the gentleman from michigan, the longest serving member of the ways and Means Committee, and a welldeserved one minute, i might add, mr. Levin. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from michigan is recognized for one minute. Without objection. Mr. Levin in all of my 35 years in congress, this is one of the most deceitful bills ive ever seen. Its deceitful when republicans say the bill is focused on the middle class. Its really aimed at making the very wealthy even wealthier and forcing millions of middle class families to pay higher taxes. Its deceitful when they say it makes the tax code simpler, even as legislation creates complicated new loopholes, while allowing existing ones such as carried interest to continue. Its deceitful when the bill will increase the outsourcing of american jobs by providing a lower tax rate on Foreign Investment compared to investing here. Its deceitful about the debt. Republicans say, dont worry about the expiring provisions. But extending them would raise the bills already devastating effect on the deficit, 2. 3 trillion. Republicans are rushing this bill, but even in their haste they are already too late. The majority of the American People already say this bill is a deceitful sham. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im very proud to yield two minutes to the gentleman from illinois and chairman of the tax policy subcommittee, mr. Roskam. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Roskam thank you, mr. Speaker, and thank you, mr. Chairman, for yielding. Weve heard some Strong Language for the past couple of minutes. This has been described as ideology, and now deceit. Where is the deceit . The deceit is in the assumption that we can live with the status quo, mr. Speaker. The deceit is a blindness to the recognition that we have a tax code that is literallydy solving underneath us literally desolving underneath us. And this congress has an opportunity to do something transformational. And i propose be along with my colleagues, to be transformational. And opportunistic. Theres a lot of discussion in the subtext of this about class envy and opportunity and so forth. Heres what i know. It is the status quo that is serving the few. It is the status quo that is so offputting and unsettling and keeps people at arms length. And what were proposing is something very different. Mr. Speaker, were proposing the economics of opportunity. Not the economics of envy. The economics of buoyancy and he economics of participation. Therein lies the foundation of this bill. It offers tax relief that my constituents are longing for. And it offers a Business Environment that makes things happen and happen for the good. So i am pleased, i am honored to be a part of this. I urge my colleagues to vote aye. And let us celebrate a job well done. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. With that id like to yield one minute to the gentleman from georgia, one of the great men of our time, congressman john lewis. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. Louis louis i want mr. Speaker, to thank my good friend, the ranking member, mr. Neal, for yielding. I rise to oppose this conference report with every bone in my body. Is bill is a 2. 3 trillion holiday gift for wall street, the rich, and the wealthy. This bill was conceived in the darkness of the night and udonis. With the help of this bill is not for the people, it is not of the people, and, mr. Speaker, it is not tax reform. Youll reward your donors so that our children and grandchildren will suffer. This is not fair. It is not just. And it is below the dignity and worth of this body. Mr. Speaker, ive said on many occasions that you cannot get blood from a turn in, you cannot turnip, you cannot justify robbing poor peter to pay billionaire paul. Mr. Speaker, when this bill comes due, the chickens will come home to roost. I urge all of my colleagues to be on the right side of history and vote against this act. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im very proud, so proud, to yield two minutes to the chairwoman of the budget committee, a member of the ways and Means Committee, mrs. Black. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from tennessee is recognized for two minutes. Mrs. Black thank you, mr. Speaker. And this is truly a monumental day for the American People. During my seven years here in the house serving on the house ways and means we outlined the sorts of reform that could benefit the American People. As a conferee for h. R. 1, the tax cuts and jobs act, i am proud that we kept our promise of providing tax relief for hardworking, middleincome families, and making the tax code simpler and fairer for all. Its been more than three decades since our nations tax system has been modernized, and this is finally the day to change that. And i want to remind my colleagues that the process began long before this year. When it provided the key, our ideas for conservative tax reform were finally unlocked and could be pursued for real tax reform. And without question, this conference report reflects our shared conservative principles. The conference agreement addresses the heavy tax burden weighing down hardworking americans and holding back job creators. It brings simplicity to the tax code and it helps low and middleincome americans see more of their hardearned dollars in their paychecks. And it empowers entrepreneurs and Small Businesses to continue opening, operating, and expanding on main street. With every major legislative effort, there will be critics, but the critics have it wrong. The truth is that the tax cuts and jobs act delivers relief at every income level and protects more hardearned dollars from taxes. For the average family of four, this legislation means a tax cut next year of more than 2,000. The point of this exercise is that we are cutting your taxes, plain and simple. I urge my colleagues to stand on the right side of history and support this legislation because the benefits will be felt by all americans for generations to come. With that, mr. Speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. Id like to yield three minutes to the gentleman from maryland, the very capable legislative and democratic whip, mr. Hoyer. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from maryland is recognized for three minutes. Mr. Hoyer i was here in 1981. They said the 1981 bill would pay for itself. David stockman, a former colleague from michigan, was here and he was at o. M. B. Then, and a few years later he wrote a book and he said, i said it would pay for itself and i knew that was not true. The same can be said of this bill. Mr. Speaker, history will indeed remember this vote. Future generations of americans will remember who cast their votes to raise taxes on 86 million middleclass households, and heap another 1. 5 trillion in deficits onto our children and to our grandchildren. They will remember who cast their votes for a plan that ives 83 of its benefits to 1 of the American People. They will remember that President Trump promised that the middle class would get a tax cut and the wealthy individuals, like him, would not before turning his back on that promise. They will remember those who cast their votes to kick 13 million americans off their Health Insurance coverage. And they will remember those who acted with the full knowledge that their votes would trigger a 25 billion cut in medicare. I know you said youre going to waive it, which will simply add 25 billion to the deficit, but we will remember those who stood up in the face of this dangerous and partisan bill and said no. And those of us who vote against not because we oppose tax reform. On the contrary. We recognize, as most americans o, that this bill is not tax reform. It is a tax giveaway to those who dont need our help paid for by those who do. This is a reckless and dangerous deficit spending at its worse. In 1986, democrats and republicans worked together in good faith and over many months in an open, transparent, and regular order process to craft real bipartisan tax reform that helped the middle class without adding a dime to the deficit. Not a single dime. This has not been an open process. This has not been bipartisan. This has not been transparent or through regular order. This raises taxes, as i said, on 86 million americans will pay more taxes 10 years from now than they do today. This gives 83 of the tax cuts to the top 1 . Not the 59,000 family that paul ryan talked about, but to those families making over 900,000 a year. Mr. Neal i yield the gentleman an additional one minute. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for an additional minute. Mr. Hoyer this bill adds 1. 5 trillion to the deficit. This is not tax reform. So republicans may pat themselves on the back in the coming days for having finally pass something out of congress. Unfortunately, its a bad thing. I urge them to remember that this vote may be the most consequential in their careers, not positively. I say to my friends across the aisle, stand up and say no with us and commit to start working on a product all members of the chamber can be proud of as was the case in 1986. Thats what Ronald Reagan did. In 1986, reagan did not go down this reckless and irresponsible path. Stand up for the principles you use to aspows but are espouse but are now about to abandon. Stand up for fiscal responsibility. Stand up for the middle class. Stand up for what the American People hope we would do. This is not it. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im proud to yield two minutes to the gentlelady from south dakota, mrs. Noem. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from south dakota is recognized for two minutes. Mrs. Noem thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, i rise today as a farmer, a rancher, a Small Business person, but most importantly as a mom. I rise to support the conference report of h. R. 1, the tax cuts and jobs act. Mr. Speaker, my home state of south dakota, the average Household Income is 54,000 per year. Out of that 54,000, our families pay double the National Average in energy cost just because where theyre located. These are hardworking families and they deserve a break. The tax cuts and jobs act gives them that break by lowering tax rates, doubling the standard deduction, that family can go from a 833 Tax Liability to a 781 tax refund. Thats a 1,600 different in aftertax income. 1,600 that go to benefit their family, their community rather into the greedy hands of those in washington. On top of that, the tax cuts and jobs act is designed to build a healthier economy, an economy which that family making 54,000 can get a raise, an economy that grows jobs. I am proud to serve on the Conference Committee that put this report together. I thank chairman brady for his leadership throughout the process. We worked hours, literally hundreds of hours putting this together and getting the Child Tax Credit where it is today. We had rigorous debates about the benefits to rural america. I am thrilled to be able to go home and tell south Dakota Farmers and ranchers they will have new expensing tools, a new Small Business deduction, significantly lower individual rates. While i am disappointed this bill doesnt completely repeal the death tax, it does provide more relief to producers and Small Business owners. While no plan is perfect in anyones eyes, this legislation puts more money in the pockets of Hardworking Taxpayers. The bottom line is this. The American People deserve more control over their paychecks, they worked hard for that money, its time folks in washington respect that and thank you, mr. Speaker. With that i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. With that id like to yield one minute to the gentleman from texas, a valued member of the ways and Means Committee, mr. Doggett. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas is recognized for one minute. Mr. Doggett between tweets, trump apparently had time to take those calls from his rich friends that kept asking for more and not even this lap dog Republican Congress initially did enough to satisfy the trump family and their billionaire buddies. Instead of adjusting the differences between the house and the senate, republican conferees last week secretly concocted even more benefits for them. Those real estate moguls like trump, who had already been granted preferential tax treatment, can now take advantage of an entirely new loophole that was not in either of the previous bills. And just in case their endless loopholes left some donor behind, the republicans have provided a new acrosstheboard tax cut for billionaires. Its working families who will pay to put the platinum tinsel on this Christmas Tree for the elite. This is not tax reform. Its reward for the privileged. Its a christmas where working people get to keep the gift wrapping but the gift goes to the wealthy and the Corporate Tax dodgers. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im really proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from ohio, our friend, mr. Tiberi. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Tiberi mr. Speaker, this is an historic day. 17 years ago i got elected to Congress Campaigning on tax reform. Campaigning on the fact its not our money, its our constituents money, and today were giving back our money to our constituents. Their money to our constituents. Bob and betty buckeye in ohio. More wages in their pocket. The bill also includes an initiative i worked on thats bipartisan called the investment and opportunity act with mr. Kind, cosponsored by mr. Neal. This bill, authored by my friend, tim scott in the senate, will help areas that havent seen economic recovery, it will allow private areas. Nt in poor rural mr. Neal knows with incentives like that and low income tax credit, this will help those in communities that have been left behind with more money and working familiar in working families pockets. I urge adoption of the conference report. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. With that id like to yield one minute to the gentleman from california, a distinguished vietnam veteran and wellknown and valued member of the committee, mr. Thompson. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. Mr. Thompson mr. Speaker, this tax bill is bait and switch. Republicans said the tax bill will simplify the tax system and help working people, not the rich. Well, thats out the window. With this republican bill, 86 million middleclass households will see their taxes go up. And remember when the republicans said wed be filing our taxes on a postcard. The postcards now gone. Instead of making our tax code simpler, republicans have made it more complicated. Theyve even added an additional bracket. And their claim this is not a tax bill that favors the rich and the corporations, some of which ship jobs overseas, well, thats mularkey. Well, there are some tax cuts for the middle class, theyre all temporary. But the breaks for corporations are permanent. Thats leaving too many people behind. And lets not forget about the state and local tax provision. Because of the changes that the republicans are making, some home values in some states are projected to drop by 10 . The richest of the rich are getting a break. The top bracket is dropping from 39. 6 to 37 . Those folks are not your working class, middleclass families. To add insult to injury, it raises our debt by 2. 3 trillion. Its a bad bill. Please vote no. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im so proud to yield one minute to the gentlelady from kansas, ms. Jenkins. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from kansas is recognized for one minute. Ms. Jenkins i thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this very important issue. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to be a voice for kansans who know our status quo tax code no longer works for them. They know it doesnt work when it favors special interests over individuals. Or when it causes kansas factories to close, sending those jobs to other countries. I rise today because kansans know that without rejuvenated and sustained Economic Growth we will never find the money to pay down our nations debt. Thats why i strongly support h. R. 1, which will close special interest loopholes and lower rates for everyone, not just the rich, not just the poor, everyone. Individuals in my district will see Immediate Tax relief with the doubling of the standard deduction and the Child Tax Credit. We also lessen the financial burden of education by keeping important college tax provisions and expanding access to 529 savings plans. On average the family of four in my district will see a tax cut of just over 2,300 because of this bill, a fairer, simpler tax code means hardworking family will see tax relief and Economic Growth this country rightfully deserves. Thank you, mr. Speaker. And i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. Id like to yield one minute to the gentleman from connecticut, the former president of the state senate in the state of connecticut and a wellinformed member of the ways and Means Committee, mr. Larson. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from connecticut is recognized for one minute. Mr. Larson i thank the gentleman and seek unanimous consent to submit for the record the Congressional Budget Office accounting of the 25 Million Dollars 25 billion that will be taken out of medicare. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Larson its hard to be here today as we approach ristmas and not look at this bill and knowing that we have honorable members on the other side who this christmas will be sitting with their relatives, their family members, their mothers and fathers, their brothers and sisters and to know that this creates not just the 2 trillion debt but the payfor, the payfor out of the medicare program, an automatic cut of 25 billion and a plan that was never debated. It fulfills a grand vision of Grover Norquist and the ideology that you took a pledge to. Well, what about the oath of office and a pledge to the constitution and standing up for the people of this nation and the very elderly at this christmas and throughout the year who will need our help . I yield back. The speaker pro tempore members are reminded to direct their comments to the chair. The gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady yes, mr. Speaker. Im proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from minnesota, mr. Paul scenario. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from minnesota is recognized for one minute. Mr. Paulsen i thank the gentleman for yielding. One of my predecessors was bill frensle. He was the last minnesotan to serve on the ways and Means Committee. When tax reform was passed. It was 1986. And in the 31 yeerts since then, our tax years since then, our tax code has been one of the most complicated, unfair and most uncompetitive in the world. Its led to a stagnant economy with a sluggish growth, with america losing our manufacturing, our jobs, our enovation and our headquarters overseas. But innovation and our headquarters overseas. But today that all changes. Today well pass and give minnesota employers the confidence and the capital they need to grow their businesses. To hire more workers. To give their employees a raise. This provides middle income families with tax cuts they need to save for their future and improve their standard of living. This helps real people with real needs. Mr. Speaker, tax reform for me is about one thing and one thing only. It is about restoring the hope for a prosperous future for ourselves, our patients and, most importantly parent, and, most importantly, our children. I yield adoption of the report and yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. Id like to yield one minute to the gentleman from oregon, a very capable member of the committee, and a champion of renewable energy, congressman blumenauer. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from oregon is recognized for one minute. Mr. Blumenauer this bill will be the largest transfer of wealth in our nations history, financed by mortgaging our childrens future with a mountain of increased debt. Its not really even a policy. Its rather a collection of special interest provisions being sold on the false set of promises. Its not middle class tax relief. It is instead permanent and massive tax reductions for the largest corporations and wealthy individuals like donald trump. 83 will flow to the top 1 . Everybody else will receive only a small and temporary tax reduction, ultimately 86 million americans, middle class americans, will have their taxes increased. This legislation fails utterly to invest in the American People. With this 2. 3 trillion. But it is a bananza for the attorneys, lobbyists and accountants, finding ways to further enrich the most privileged in america. And for weeks to come, were going to learn more about the special gifts hidden within this bill to nail down the last few votes. No wonder the American Public is opposed. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Blumenauer they are right and the republicans are wrong. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im really proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from nebraska, mr. Smith. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from nebraska is recognized for one minute. Mr. Smith thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of the tax reform conference report. This is a great opportunity to reduce the tax burden on americans across the economic spectrum, while modernizing our tax code for the 21st century for the 21st century. Id like to take a few moments to discuss what this bill does for american agriculture. First and foremost, this bill cuts taxes for most americans while simplifying compliance and transitioning us to a more competitive tax system internationally. In addition to retaining the deduction for state and local taxes for individuals and families, up to 10,000, this bill leaves in tact the full deduction for property taxes on ag land and property. In addition, im grateful this conference report includes a solution to concerns raised by agriculture coops and their members about the repeal of section 199. With Commodity Prices low, it is important we ensure the tax code continues to work as intended, with coops passing along their profits to their producer owners. Finally, while i would have preferred we repeal the death tax in full, doubling the exemption and keeping the basis will help provide certainty for more farmers, ranchers and Small Businesses. I thank the chairman and the conferees for their work on this strong product. Im anxious for us to pass this bill and get it to the president for his signature. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal i yield one minute to the gentleman from wisconsin, a cameable member of the ways and Means Committee, mr. Kind a capable member of the ways and Means Committee, mr. Kind. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Kind mr. Speaker, if were going to borrow 2 trillion from china over the next 10 years, it better be for a very good reason. And lavishing huge tax breaks to multinational corporations and to the most wealthy amongst us is not a good reason. Im very concerned about many of my fiscally conservative friends across the aisle. Its why i offered an amendment that would have expanded the endangered species list to include fiscally conservative republicans. Because youre about to go extinct under this bill. And under this bill youre creating a mess thats going to take years to clean up because of the potential for fraud and abuse. Consider this. Youre pitting a hastily written bill, drafted without one hearing, considered without feedback from people back home, without proper vetting, all over the course of a few short weeks, against some of the smartest accountants and tax attorneys that money can buy. Who do you think is going to win that battle . This is a bill that was drafted of, for and by the powerful special interests in washington, and it should be rejected. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore once again, the chair reminds members to direct their comments to the chair. The gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im very proud to yield two minutes to the majority whip, the republican conference, the gentleman from louisiana, mr. Scalise. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from louisiana is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Scalise thank you, mr. Speaker. And want to thank chairman brady for yielding time and for his leadership and the entire group of conferees on bringing this tax cuts and jobs bill to the floor. I want to thank President Trump for working with us every step of the way, to bring us to an historic moment where were actually going to provide tax relief to hardworking families. You know, there are those on the other side that would say, keep all the money in washington. Stunt Economic Growth. Continue to let america be noncompetitive, where we see jobs go overseas, over and over again. Large companies, thousands of jobs at a time. Moving to Foreign Countries because we have the highest Corporate Tax rate in the industrialized world. Well, mr. Speaker, its time for that to end. And we do end that in this bill. We finally make our country competitive again. So we can bring those jobs back. Why deny opportunity for so many people who want a chance at the American Dream . In our bill, mr. Speaker, we cut every single tax rate and make it lower. Thats more money in the pockets of hardworking families. On average families are going to see over 2,000 more back in their paychecks every year. Thats real money. When you look at right now average savings for families is 400 in their checking account. This is real money to help people have better opportunities, to go put more money in their kids College Tuition account. When you look at what this means, its not only good for Economic Growth and creating jobs and rebuilding our middle class. But its historic in the simplification where over 90 of American Families will actually be able to do their taxes on a postcard. Just think of how simplified that makes the code. The last time this was done was in 1986 and when Ronald Reagan was signing that bill, he talked about how hard it was and how many times people said it couldnt happen. In fact, Ronald Reagan read a quote from a headline and he said, the impossible became the inevitable. Today, mr. Speaker, we make that impossible the inevitable again and restore that hope and opportunity for so many families that just want a chance at the American Dream. We give them that. Lets pass this tax cuts and jobs bill today. Get it on President Trumps desk so we can finally see this economy going again. What a great Christmas Present this is going to be to the American People. I urge everybody to vote yes and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal i want to yield one minute to the gentleman from new jersey, congressman pass screll. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new jersey is rizz pass neal congressman pascrell. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new jersey mr. Neal congressman pascrell. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Mr. Pascrell many of you need counseling in economics. Lets keep it simple. Very simple. How about that couple that wants to send their kids to college, put a second mortgage on their house. Cant do that anymore. Cannot do that. Thats not a middle class legislation. Thats the stick it to the middle class. And, mr. Speaker, this is serious business. I tell you whats simple. If youre born in a family with an estate worth more than 11 million, this Republican Congress is coming to your aid with a 3 million average windfall. And if this Congress Still practiced oversight, we would know from his tax returns that donald trump and his family will see cuts worth millions of dollars per family. This is not good policy, mr. Speaker. Not at all. And it is dangerous. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady thank you, mr. Speaker. Im very proud to yield one mr. To my fellow texan, marchant. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Marchant thank you, mr. Chairman, and mr. Speaker. Today we are keeping our promise to the American People and sending comprehensive tax reform to the president s desk for the first time in 31 years. Lowering the tax rates for middle income families and providing a tax cut for every income level in 2018 is a very historic Christmas Present delivered to my constituents in north texas. This year our country has, after many long years of low growth, began to experience the level of growth and economy that it needs. This tax cut bill will assure americans years of sustained high growth and new jobs. Mr. Speaker, job creators and investors know that tax that tax cuts that the tax cuts and jobs act will create lasting Economic Growth and a booning economy for everyone. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill and deliver tax relief to the American People. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. I would like to yield one minute to the gentleman from new york, the chairman of the Democratic Caucus and a good friend and former member of the committee, mr. Crowley. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minute. Mr. Crowley my colleagues, the republican bill is unaffordable. With a 2. 3 trillion price tag. Its inequitable, costing working families more while cutting taxes by 200,000 for the top. 1 . Its a scam and the American People know it. Is this bill about helping people who are living paycheck to paycheck . Hell no. Is this bill going to bring back jobs and lift up the middle class . Hell no. Is this bill going to make life better for cops, firefighters, nurses, truck drivers, students, veterans, teachers and shift workers . Hell no. You know who this bill is going to help . Corporate special interests. The wealthiest americans. And, yes, the trump family. My colleagues, if it looks like a scam, quacks like a scam, it is a scam. Can you vote for this bill with a clear conscience . Hell no you cant. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Members are advised to use proper decorum when speaking in ront of the house. The gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im really pleased and proud to yield one minute to the mr. Man from new york, reed. Mr. Reed all the people you referenced in the middle class, i say hell yes they are going to be helped by this bill. And you know what theyre going to do i will not yield. And what its going to do is its going to let them keep their money in their pocket that they earned. The 1,600 for my average district resident. In my district. What its also going to do, mr. Speaker, is its going to create jobs. And what does a job do for a person . I will tell you what it does. It not only puts money in their pocket, mr. Speaker, were going to have a new wave of optimism. We are going to have a new wave of opportunity where people will be able to go to work, soil their hands, and earn their livelyhood, which gives them dignity, which gives them pride and gives them honor. This is a new day america and with tax reform and tax cuts coming, i say to all my colleagues, join us to stand for those hardworking americans and give them their money and allow us to give hope and opportunity to all of them going forward. Ith that i yield back. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. Id like to yield one minute to a member of chicago, congressman davis. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois is recognized for one minute. Mr. Davis thank you, mr. Speaker. Any way you cut it, with this bill, the rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer, and middle class families will get shafted. 13 million americans will lose their Health Coverage and people with preexisting conditions can forget it. Then the writers of this bill will be coming after entitlement programs, after medicaid, medicare, social security, s. S. I. Were down to the wire. And no matter what is said, this bill raises the debt, raises taxes on middle income families, and provides wealthy individuals and cormingses with corporations with big tax cuts they dont need. Its a sad day for my district. Its a sad day for the state of illinois. And its a sad day for the United States of america. And i will vote no. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im so proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from North Carolina, mr. Holding. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from North Carolina is recognized for one minute. Mr. Holding mr. Speaker, im proud to be here today to support this much needed overhaul of our broken tax code. The status quo we have seen over the past decade is unacceptable. And this bill will finally provide much needed relief to working families and put our economy back on o the path to stable and sustained growth. This bill restores the Global Competitiveness of american businesses by lowering the corporate rate, and moving toward a territorial system. Further, h. R. 1 provides our Small Businesses the lowest tax rate in a generation, ensuring these job creators are able to reinvest more of their hard earned money in our future. Instead of handing over more of their money to the government, Small Businesses can hire that extra employee, open that second location, or buy that new piece of machinery or Lab Equipment that they need to take them to the next level by putting in place a tax code that encourages growth and rewards investment projected to be over 10,000 new fulltime jobs created in my state of North Carolina. Im proud to support this transformational bill that will bolster growth and investment here at home. Leveling the Playing Field for u. S. Businesses. Further, i look forward to tipping to work with my colleagues to ensure that americans across the globe have a similar level Playing Field to assist thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal id like to yield one minute to the gentleman from new york, from buffalo new york, capable member of the ways and Means Committee, mr. Higgins, for one minute. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minutes. Mr. Higgins mr. Speaker, the rich and wealthy corporate winners of this republican tax scam loves company. And they just got the company of 14 United States senators who will personally benefit from a new 20 deduction for wealthy Real Estate Investors with no employees to pass that benefit on to. One senator, who voted against the bill before he announced he was voting for it, stands to in 7 million annually and personally. The senator said he was unaware that he didsion and not read the bill. Mr. Speaker, the Conference Committee, the reconciliation process was to narrow the differences between these two bad bills. Not add new provisions that benefit rich senators. This bad bill just took a dramatic and potentially illegal turn that should be fully investigated before a vote is taken today. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, aim proud to yield one minute im proud to yield one minute to the majority leader of the house, the gentleman from california, mr. Mccarthy. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is for one minute. Mr. Mccarthy i thank the gentleman for yielding. Before i begin i want to thank the gentleman. Today we will take a for one vo every member on this floor will remember. The country will remember. Check t year when people their checks and realize they have more money, they will remember who voted for status quo and who voted to make america come back. I want to thank the chairman, kevin brady, for that work. Mr. Speaker, a month ago when the house passed the earlier version of this bill i said that for all the jobless, for everyone who hasnt gotten a raise in years, for the parents, for the Small Business owners, and for anyone who ever dreamed of being that entrepreneur and a Small Business owner, we heard you. Is bill is the start of your comeback. When they win, thats the start of americas comeback. Our country has faced some tough times. I dont have to tell you about that. For too long year after year, more and more americans gave up hope. They were out of work. Or maybe they had a job they could not see past the next month or even the next week. They watched factories and businesses close up shop and move out. Even moving out of the country. Nobody wants to see their communities hollowed out. Nobody wants to feel like they live in a nation in decline. Thats not who americans are. Frankly, mr. Speaker, were not a country that gives up on hope. This legislation and the Republican Partys entire economic plan, they are giving people hope. Can see it in the stock market. For every american who vests their retirement in a 401k, 84 times it set a new record since last years election alone. You can see it in the Companies Like broadcom. They were a Company Created in america. But they are not domiciled here today. They moved to singapore simply over our tax code. So for those who want the status quo and want to keep broadcom in another country, go ahead and vote no. For those who believe in the hope of this country, even greater, looking at this bill, broadcom said they are coming back to america. Mr. Speaker, you know what that means . 20 billion in revenue in just a year. That means 3 billion every year invested in r d. 6 billion every year invested in manufacturing. Those are jobs we all dream about. The action of this bill is making it happen. You can see it in the faces of milies who learn that next year thousands of dollars that they earned wont go straight to washington, will stay at home. This is all in an environment of disinformation and fear mongering. I have seen what has been said. To me, its absurd. Mr. Speaker, leader pelosi said that this bill was, and i quote, armageddon. And quote, the end of the world. Mr. Speaker, i listened a great deal to what my counterpart on the other side, the minority leader, has said. And i have read when the Washington Post analyzed what she had said. Now, when you Say Something that could be a little off and dont have all the information, they have this rating for you. Shes had a rating on this. She did not get one pinocchio. She did not even get two. The extreme en get of three. She got the most pinocchios you can say when its totally false, four. For her conversation about this bill. Mr. Speaker, in such times when the other side will say anything political political game, i recommend the folks actually look at the bill. Doubling the standard deduction. Lowering rates. Simply filing the code so you dont spend weeks, you spend minutes. Doubling the Child Tax Credit. Ending the individual mandate. Lowering taxes on Small Businesses to the lowest its been in 40 years. Creating incentives for business to invest and hire. Thats not a recipe for armageddon. Thats a hope for a nation to come back. The American People see through all this rhetoric. And they are going to feel it next year when they check their paychecks. And they see they keep more money because of the vote today. They are going to feel it next year and the years after, and when they get that raise they have been waiting for, they are going to feel it more and more, companies announcing coming back home. They are bringing jobs right back to the u. S. A. They are going to feel it when we start looking to the future not with fear but with hope. I wont accept the status quo. There will be some in this body that will vote for the status quo. I wont accept failure. I do not believe anybody in this body was elected to preside over americas decline. I recently was overseas. And i was sitting at a dinner table with some elected leaders from other countries, some americans who are working in other countries, and i asked them, what is the impression of whats happening in America Today . And i thought, the reports i would get would be a little different. You know what they said to me . They said, america is back. You are now tackling big items again. Not only are you going to lead your own country, but you will help again lead the world. They were fearful of the competition of rising america one more time. So dont vote for status quo. Vote for a tax cut. Vote for reform. Nt vote because some leader whipped you and intimidated you. Vote for your constituents. Vote for your country. And vote to raise the paychecks of america. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal mr. Speaker, the stock markets been going up whipped you and since march of 2009. We have had 88 straight months of Economic Growth. I yield one minute to the gentlelady from alabama, congresswoman sewell. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from alabama is recognized for one minute. Ms. Sewell mr. Speaker, the republican majority is ramming this tax bill through calling it a, quote, Christmas Gift to the American People. I have never seen such intellectual dishonesty in my life. Its more like the grinch that stole christmas. Poll after poll, and elections in virginia and my home state of alabama, the American People continue to send the message they do not want this tax bill to move forward. Here were watching the fiscal hawks of the Republican Party blow through every red light on the way off the cliff adding 1. 5 trillion to the deficit. Whats the rush, i ask you . Last week the American People in my home state of alabama spoke up and spoke out. We deserve to have our duly elected senator to vote on this bill. Whats the rush . Not one hearing. Not one expert testifying. And no regular order. I ask you, mr. Speaker, what is the rush . I believe the rush is because they know this is not a tax reform. Its a tax sham. The American People deserve better. My constituents from alabama deserve better. We should he vote no on this tax bill. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im proud to yield one minute to the secretary of the republican conference, mr. Smith of missouri. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from missouri is recognized for one minute. Mr. Smith thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, im proud to represent the folks of Southeast Missouri. The district that i represent, the average Median Income is right at 40,000. Its one of the lowest average Median Incomes in the country. I have asked my folks back home just last week if they support this tax bill. And in fact, 67 say they support the trump tax i have asked my bill. Mr. Speaker, 40,000 back home is aalry. Its not a christmas bonus that people get in new york city or california. It is 40,000 is their salary. Mr. Speaker, let me give you ome facts. 24,000 r, the first people earn in Southeast Missouri will be at a zero tax rate. A family of four who makes 55,000 24,000 people earn in Southeast Missouri will be at will pay ze tax. When you look at a median average i come in Southeast Missouri being 40,000, were winners. What you are hearing on the other side is complete false and absolute lies, mr. Speaker. I ask this body to support the Conference Committee. Thank you. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. With that i would like to yield one minute to the very successful gentlelady from ashington, congresswoman delbene. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from washington is recognized for one minute. Ms. Delbene thank you, mr. Speaker. In this tax bill republicans have gifted the wealthiest corporations and individuals with massive new tax cuts and loopholes to take advantage of. When i go home to my district, there isnt a mother working two jobs to put food on the table or a farmer struggling through a bad year. To pay for a ying prescription who has ever told me that tax reform means corporate cuts on the backs of them and their families. To pay they know republicans always promise that the benefits will trickle down to working people. But they never do and they never will. Whats worse, republicans have made it clear that cuts to social security, medicare and medicaid are next. This bill takes care of corporate special interests, the wealthy and the wellconnected, while putting middle class americans finances and health care on the chopping block. We need tax reform that helps middle class families. This bill does the exact opposite. I urge my colleagues to oppose it. And i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im really proud to yield one minute to the gentlelady from indiana, mrs. Walorski. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from indiana is recognized for one minute. Mrs. Walorski thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support today of h. R. 1, the tax cuts and jobs act. If you believe the rhetoric you hear, you may think this bill means the world is ending. I guarantee you, its not. The truth is this tax cut bill means a Brighter Future for the hardworking people and hardworking americans who will have more money in their pockets and a better shot at the American Dream. Heres the facts. Were cutting taxes for americans at all income levels. Were doubling the standard deduction. Were doubling the Child Tax Credit. And preserving the adoption tax credit. Were keeping deductions for charitable giving, mortgage interest, medical expenses, and student Loan Interest. Were approving 529 education plans and leaving Retirement Savings alone. People will be able to keep more of their money they earn and spend less time filing their taxes. Mr. Speaker, this isnt just a good bill, this is a great bill. This isnt the apocalypse. Its a new day in america. I urge my colleagues to make history and support this moment us bill and i moment moment us bill and i yield momentus bill and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal let me introduce the gentlelady from california, the former revenue commissioner for the state of california, which is going to tell us about the state and local Tax Deduction ending. Congresswoman chu for one minute. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from california is recognized for one minute. Ms. Chu we were promised a middle class tax cut. This is not it. What we have instead are tax cuts for the wealthiest, paid for by the rest. So what happened . Maybe trump thinks multimillionaires are the middle class. Or maybe this is all a tax scam. To see how working families will pay for corporate interests, all you have to do is read the bill. Hard to do because it was writ overnight behind closed written overnight behind closed doors. Tax cuts, they reduce the tax rate for the wealthiest from 39. 6 to 37 . State and local taxes, they cap the deduction to just 10ds,000. But in my state of california, 10,000. But in my state of california, the average deduction is 18,500. Meaning families will be forced to pay taxes now on twice their income in order to give a staggering tax break to corporations. So hear this. 83 of the benefits of this bill goes to the top 1 . Who gets cut . Seniors, families, children. Is this the right thing to do . The answer is a resounding no. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas, with 9 1 2 minutes remaining. Mr. Brady thank you, mr. Speaker. Proud to introduce yield one minute to the gentleman from michigan, mr. Bishop. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from michigan is recognized for one minute. Mr. Bishop thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in support of the tax cuts and jobs act today. At its core, reforming our nations tax code is about how we, the policymakers, view the rule of government in economy and society. Over the past 10 years, the American People have seen a stagnant economy and a steady decline in labor force participation. Meanwhile, the government has grown to an unprecedented level, the economy has slowed and our debt is nearly tripled has nearly tripled. All the while governments have given away sweetheart deals to select companies, leaving main street job providers to hold the bag. But all of that ends today. Today we reduce the burden on job creators and families and today we create an environment that will generate real Economic Growth. The Conference Committee report before us today is about our constituent, about allowing our constituents and neighbors to keep more of their hrd an earned hardearned money. We double the standard deduction which means joint filers, the first 24,000 of their income is free from federal income Tax Liability. Thats real money back in the pockets of working class families across america. The plan expands expands the Child Tax Credit to 2,000 per child, to help families with the cost of raising children. For students struggling with debt, the bill preserves a student Loan Interest deduction and graduate students will continue to receive tuition tax waivers. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Bishop i thank you and yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal i want to yield 30 seconds to the gentlelady from new york, congresswoman velazquez, who will tell us about the great harm this does to new york and the island of puerto rico. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from new york is recognized for 30 seconds. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Members of thank you, mr. Speaker. Members of congress on both sides of the aisle, including the republican leadership, went to puerto rico. They looked the puerto rican people in the eye and promised to help. This bill betrays that promise. It treats puerto rico as a foreign jurisdiction, leskying new taxes on Companies Operating there. Creating intendtifics for them to leave the island. All told, this provision will cost puerto rico more than 2 200,000 jobs. That is how you help puerto rico . This bill is morally bankrupt it. Harms american citizens everywhere, and especially the 3. 5 million citizens in puerto rico. I yield back. Vote. No the speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady thank you, mr. Speaker. Very proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from arizona, mr. Schweikert. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from arizona is recognized for one minute. Mr. Schweikert thank you, mr. Speaker. And mr. Chairman. Look, im going to give everyone a slightly different view. There was an interesting editorial this weekend in the wall street journal and it basically said, hey, those on the left look at income inequality. Those on the right we look at economic expansion. Economic growth. Theyre both honorable. But if you actually look at the data of the last 10 years, and our own c. B. O. Projections of 8 next 10 years, 1. 8 1. G. D. P. , were in incredible trouble. Because you look at what happens when you have interest this flatlined economic expansion growth, income inequality gets dramatically worse. You look at the charts when weve had time of Economic Growth, it closes. Everyone gets a better chance. And if you actually do care about the promises we as a government have made to retiree, working people, veterans, young people, we will not have the resources if we continue for the next 30 years, as our own c. B. O. Says, of 1 1. 8 growth. Status quo is devastating. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. Let me yield two minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina, the assistant democratic leader, mr. Clyburn. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from South Carolina is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Clyburn thank you, mr. Speaker. I thank my friend for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, i rise in strong opposition to the ryanmcconnell tax scam bill. This bill should be named the republican donor class relief act. Because thats what it is. And several my republican colleagues and many in the media have admitted as much. This tax scam represents it will test a set of priorities, revealing deep depravity of american values. One of the First Principles of our judeochristian value system is grounded in what we do for the least of these. From the outset, this bill violates that principle by lowering the marginal tax rates on the wealthiest among us by 2. 6 appointments while raising those rates on the least among us by two points. This tax scam bill adds insult to that act by doubling the estate Tax Exemption from 11 11 million to 22 million. Republicans add further insult to injury by lowering the tax rates for corporations by 14 points, while raising tax rates on 86 million middle income families. It makes the tax cuts for corporations permanent and the miniscule individual cuts temporary. While also kicking 13 Million People off their Health Insurance and increasing premiums for millions more. The tax scam caps deductions for state and local taxes and home ortgages and adds over 2ds trillion to the deficit 2 trillion to the deficit. Our children and grandchildren will be left with the bill. Mr. Speaker, heftry will not treat kindly the crass cruelty of the socalled Christmas Gift for hardworking americans. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im really preeced pleased to yield one minute to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. Rothfus. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for one minute. Mr. Rothfus mr. Speaker, i rise in support of the tax cuts and jobs ability. Today we move from a away from trickledown government redistribution economy to one that is bottomup organic and growing. While the trickledown government of the last eight years was great for washington and the 1 , it did little for the rest of the country. Today we turn the tide and put money back into the pockets of Hardworking Taxpayers and main street businesses. This bill gives immediate relief to moderate income and middle class families. A single mom earning 41,000 dollars with one kid will see a tax cut of 1,300 while a family of four making 73,000 will get more than 2,000 back. The question is, will we vote together and put this money back into the pockets of hardworking americans or will we keep that money here in wealthy washington, d. C. . Will we vote together to level the global Playing Field for americas businesses and end the unfair status quo that sends American Companies and jobs overseas . Its an easy choice, mr. Speaker. Vote yes on this bill and lets make america prosperous again. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, mr. Speaker. Always an honor to introduce the gentlelady from california, the democratic leader, ms. Pelosi. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. Ms. Pelosi thank you very much, mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding and salute him for his extraordinary leadership in being a champion for americas working families. I commend him and the democratic members of the house ways and Means Committee. For putting forth the facts on what is in this bill. Mr. Speaker, today we choose what kind of country america will be. One that champions the ladders of opportunity for all, or one that reinforces the power of the wealthiest and wellconnected. Outside the congress, the American People have already made their decision. Polling shows that americans oppose the g. O. P. Tax scam by a margin of two to one. Hardworking families see right through the brazen con job republicans are trying to sell them. So why arent our republican colleagues standing with their constituents . Why arent they joining us insisting on a better deal for American Families . Why arent they joining us ondemanding that we write real bipartisan tax reform that puts the middle class first . Because helping the middle class has never been their goal. From day one, the donors, lobbyists and the wealthy and wellconnected came first. The frankenstein monster of giveaways and special interest loopholes were voting on today proves and this monster will come back to haunt them. As frankenstein did. Republicans claim that their bill is a middle class tax cut. The fact is, according to the tax policy center, their bill raises taxes on 86 million middle class households. When the Washington Post asked edward conbart, former chief of staff for the joint committee on taxation, if the tax package in aggregate would mean a middle class tax cut, he said, thats delusional or dishonest to say. It is factually untrue. The only group you can point to that wins year after year and wins in very large magnitude is the very highest income. Joint committee on taxation, former chief of staff. The only greater delusion in this bill is the ludicrous republican insistence, their claim that these giveaways to the wealthiest will pay for themselves. As Bruce Bartlett has testified in our hearing and in public, Bruce Bartlett is the architect of jack kemp supplyside economics, he said, when it comes to tax breaks for the wealthy paying for themselves, its not true. Its nonsense. Its b. S. He said the whole word. In a few minutes, republicans will vote to explode catastrophically our National Debt. At a minimum 1. 35 trillion. Likely 2. 2 trillion or more. Where are the vaunted republican deficit hawks . Are any dange endangered . Are they extinct . Do they care about the deficit when we pass giveaways for the rich and big corporations . They dont care about deficits then. Tax breaks for the rich. Corporate tax breaks. We dont care about the deficit. Or do republicans only care about the deficit when the issue is helping children, seniors, our veterans, who are a large part of hardworking america . My colleagues, my fellow americans, remember this vote. Remember the vote. When they will cheer at the end of this vote, they will stand up and cheer, adding trillions to the National Debt in order to give tax breaks to the wealthiest 1 and to big corporations. Theyll cheer that. And theyll cheer when they say we cant afford to protect the health of our innocent children. Remember, they will cheer when they tell you, we cant afford the next step. We cant afford medicaid, medicare and a diagnosenyified retirement our seniors spent a lifetime earning. Thats an applause line for them. Remember this day, when republicans cheer for a bill that hands a 4,000 Child Tax Credit to families of four earning 400,000 a year. You earn 400,000 a year, you get 4,000 in Child Tax Credit. But if youre poor, a single mom or a mother of two earning only 14,500, guess how much she gets . 75. 75. Today we gather on this floor in the midst of a holy season. In this season we celebrate the miraculous blessings of god. We reflect on the wondrous joy of children and our responsibility to them. We remember our duty to live justly and for those of us blessed to serve in this congress, we must remember our special responsibility to govern fairly, to meet the needs of all of gods children. In this holy time, the moral obscenity and unrepetent agreed of the g. O. P. Tax scam stands out even more clearly. This proposal appears to be the First Federal income tax modification in American History that will raise income taxes on the working poor while simultaneously providing a large tax cut to the wealthy. They go op to say. This is simply unconscionable they go on to say. This is simply unconsiderable. This is in the chair recognizes the gentleman from contrast to the words of senator hatch. Remember what the bishops said. This is senator hatch. Get back to the republicans. This is in sharp contrast to the words of senator hatch. He said, hes the chairman of the finance committee in the United States senate. Author of this bill. He said, i have a rough time wanting to spend billions and billions and trillions of dollars to help people who wont help themselves. Wont lift a finger, and expect the federal government to do everything. How about that . Tell that to the moms we just saw speaking out with their children. Children with disabilities. Who wonder how could this be so cruel . This is an act of misery. Not according to senator hatch. And getting back to our bishops, in the encyclical, god is love, i said this before, but no effect on the republican side, Pope Benedict, the urgent moral wisdom of st. August continue augustin, 17 centuries ago, he said a state which is not governed according to justice is just a bunch of thieves. Benedict, Pope Benedict went on to say, the state must inevitably face the question of how justice can be abelieved here and now. He cautioned against, in his words, the danger of certain ethical blindness caused by the dazzling effect of power and special interest. My colleagues, is there justice in a bill that rewards corporation shipping jobs overseas . Jobs of hardworking men american he men and women, veterans shipping those jobs overseas . Is there justice in that . No, i dont think so. Is there justice in a bill that pikes Health Care Premiums and 13 million americans to the ranks of the up insured . No justice there. Is there justice in the bill that raises taxes on 86 million the ranks of the up insured . Middle class families . Here were. Raises taxes on middle million class families and they try to present the delusion its a middle class tax cut. Is there justice in a bill that hands a breathtaking 83 of its benefits to the wealthiest 1 of americans . 83 of bep fits to the top 1 . Benefits to the top 1 s there justice in a bill that explodes the National Debt to give the wealthy and well connected a break and fix the debt with our children . Is that justice . I didnt think you thought so. I wish our republican colleagues would join us. Is g. O. P. Tax scam is simply theft. Monumental, brazen theft from the american middle class and every person who aspires to reach it. The g. O. P. Tax scam is not a vote for an investment in growth or jobs. It is a vote to install a permanent plutocracy in our nation. Theyll cheer that later. It does violence to the vision of our founders. It disrespects the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform who are a large part of our middle class and to whom we owe a future worthy of their sacrifice. And it betrays the future and betrays the aspirations of our children. It demands, it morally demands a no vote from every member of this house of the people. With that i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im very proud yield one minute to the gentleman from california, mr. Mcclintock. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. Mr. Mcclintock thank you. Mr. Speaker, i opposed the original house bill because it severely limited or abolished broadbased deductions, resulting in higher taxes for many families and high tax, high cost states like california. Thanks to chairman bradys leadership, this bill is largely addressed these objections and in common days with much lower rates t assures nearly every lifornia taxpayer will pay lower taxes. More important still is the higher wages and bert jobs it means for all better jobs it means for all americans. Last week i toured a country that makes the drugs. Yet the actual medicine is not produced hire. Its produced in ireland because the speaker pro tempore the detect add disturbance in the gallery in contravention of the law and against the rules of the house. The sergeant at arms will identify the person or persons responsible and have them detect add disturbance chamber. In the gallery in the speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. The gentleman from california is recognized for his remaining 20 seconds. Mr. Mcclintock mr. Speaker, i was saying that the actual medicine, the ingredients produced here but the actual medicine is produced in ireland solely because of our uncompetitive Corporate Tax. Because of this tax reform, the Company Plans to grow amatically here at home, employing hundreds of new workers. Thats what the democrats mean by tax breaks for the wealthy. The proof of these policies will year. Ver the next and every american will be able to decide for themselves if they are better off because of it. Im now highly confident their answer will be a resounding yes. And every the speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal mr. Speaker, id like to inquire how much time remains. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts has 4s 3 4 minutes remaining. Mr. Neal i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Four minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas is recognized for four minutes. Mr. Brady there is only one fundamental question today, who gets to decide. When americans work hard for their money, who gets to decide what you to do with it . Is it you or is it some nameless faceless government worker here in washington . When a family with Young Children is working feverishly to fund their kids fuhr, who gets to decide how they spend their money . Them or washington . The single mom fighting every day trying to get by and give a good life to her daughter, who decrees where her money goes . When a main street business other, when they work late into the night and through the weekend, risking every penny they open to reach their dream, who gets that meager profit each day . Does it go to you who earned it . Exhausted at the end of a long day. Or is it grabbed by a federal government who doesnt even know your name . Except on april 15. Our communities have watched their companys jobs and futures move overseas for too long. Our local businesses, they have been fighting other countries with one hand tied behind their back from an old outdated tax code. They deserve a new tax code that allows them to compete and win anywhere in the world. Especially here at home. And when they compete and win, who decides where that money goes . Today washington says spend it overseas. Our new tax code says bring it home. Spend it here in america to grow our jobs, our paychecks, our community. Thats why this moment is so important. Opponents of this tax bill, they dont really worry about tax cuts for the rich. They worry about tax cuts for you. Because if you spend your money, they cant. If you have the first claim over your earnings, they no longer do. And if your dreams come before theirs, everything in washington changes. Everything. Given a choice between the federal government and you, we choose you. Hardworking american taxpayers. We choose you, the only special interest that truly matters. Americans deserve a tax code for new era of american prosperity. We deliver on that promise. Because its your money. Mr. Speaker, i yield back. And reserve. The speaker pro tempore reminded to address their remarks to the chair. The gentleman is recognized. Mr. Neal i yield myself the balance of our time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. In one month we have taken the entire revenue system of the country without one public hearing, without any witness testimony, without the we itation of one expert, meaning the republican majority, they decided to go forward with this reckless plan. Contrast this with reagan and and l and rostenkowski 1986. D in when gephardt and bradley first offered their bill in 1982, on tax reform, four years ensued before the measure came to the floor for pass amming. In that time 450 witnesses offered testimony. Every expert from every nook and cranny in america was invited to offer their vision of what a better tax system might look like. To those 1986. When gephardt and individuals, them all, because i went to the committee when mr. Rostenkowski was the chairman, they saw that as the fabled achievement of their time in a bipartisan manner. You know what else . Secretary reagan and chief of staff jim baker sat through the markups on that tax reform measure. Has secretary mnuchin said, nobody at the top will get a tax cut. And then they cut the rate from 37. At the top to has nobody at the top will get a tax cut. Well double the exemption on the estate tax so you might now keep 22 million rather than 11 million without any formalization of taxation. My friend, mr. Brady, he is my friend, he spoke before about the peoples money. You know what the peoples responsibility is . A million new veterans from iraq and afghanistan. Thats the peoples esponsibility. When we talk about responsibility and the peoples money, medicare is the peoples responsibility. Social security is the peoples responsibility. Medicaid today as we celebrate the extension of Life Expectancy in america, medicaid now cares for people with dementia and alzheimers disease, thats the peoples responsibility. They have carefully taken eology and wed it to science fiction. Dont worry, tax cut pay for themselves. That was the offering in 2001. A trillion, 300 billion worth of tax cuts. We get to 2003, another 1 trillion by tax cuts. There was time in between for a repatriation holiday. All advertised on the basis of job creation. And layoffs ensued almost the exnext day. This moppy will be used for stock buybacks and dividends. There will be little i vest nthat last opportunity where we should have invested in Community Colleges and vocational education. And apprenticeship programs. Six million jobs in america go unanswered every single day. Because of a skills alignment problem and also the horror of what opioid addiction has done across the United States and sidelined two Million People. So what theyre telling us today is the following. Weve got simplification. What happened to the postcard . As i said earlier, were going to have to carry around a billboard for tax simplification. To figure out whats in it. They keep talking about phaseins and phaseouts. Well all be passed out by the time they get done with this. This is more complexity. And wait until people have a chance over the next few weeks to sort whats in this bill. But heres something you might give some thought to. The bottom, youre going to get 60 year a a year. The second, youre going to get 380 a year. The top 1 are going to get ,000 a year and the top. 0. 1 are going to get more. All in the mid name of middle class tax relief. As we proceed to the holiday, theyre telling us, this is their Christmas Present. And you know what theyre doing with it, its going to be christmas hangover debt and theyre putting it on the credit card and adding 2. 3 trillion to the federal debt. Merry christmas. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, im proud to yield one minute to the gentleman who has devoted his life to this moment, tax reform, our speaker of the house, the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. Ryan. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from wisconsin. The speaker. The speaker of the house is recognized for one minute. The speaker i appreciate the gentleman. First, i want to start off by thanking all of the members and the staff of the ways and Means Committee for all of their hard work in putting this bill together. Want to thank them for this i want to personally thank one of my predecessors from the ways and Means Committee who helped lay the foundation to get us to where we are today and that is dave camp. Dave camp did a lot to help us get to where we are. I want to most of all commend and express my profound admiration to the architect of this measure, chairman kevin brady. His endless patience and his persistence and his great demeanor have seen this through and gotten us toier today. Us to where we are today. My colleagues, this is a day ive been looking forward to for a long time. We are about to achieve some really big things. Things that the cynics have scoffed at for years, decades even. Ideas that have been worked on for so long, to help hardworking americans who have been left behind for too long. Today, today we are giving the people of this country their money back. His is their money, after all. Mr. Speaker, the house is not in order. The speaker pro tempore the chair notes a contravention of the law and against the rules of the house. The sergeant at arms will identify the person or persons responsible and have them escorted from the house chamber. Efore proceedings will resume. The chair will also remind all persons in the gallery that they are here as guests of the house and that any manifestation of approval or disapproval of the proceedings in the house are in violation of the rules. Rules of the house. The chair recognizes the gentleman from wisconsin, the speaker of the house. The speaker id like to remind my colleagues and the speaker that my minute can last for as long as i want it to last. Im just saying. As i was saying, mr. Speaker. Today were giving the people their money back. The bottom line here is the typical family making the Median Income in america will get a 2,059 tax cut next year alone. What this is is real relief for families who are living out, paycheck to paycheck. Struggling to make ends meet. They hear about the economy getting better. They turn on the tv and they see the stock market going up. But now we need to make sure that these people in our communities and our country who are struggling see their own personal economy getting better. And thats what this is all about. We have to understand the times are tough for a lot of people in this country right now. Today this is about how much Better Things can be. This is about more jobs, fairer taxes. It is about bigger paychecks. Its about faster growth and upward mobility. Its about a Strong Economy that makes all of us stronger and healthier. Those are the effects, those are the benefits of tax reform. Here is the heart of it. And here is why this is so vital that we do this. Heres what it speaks to and what i truly believe is a generational defining moment for this nation. Our tax code is so broken that it undermines the very thing that makes our nation exceptional in the first place. It punishes hard work. It discourages our entrepreneurial spirit. It dims freedom and free enterprise. It limits our potential of our own people. When americans see good jobs going away, when americans wake up and they see the companies that they grew up with in their communities going away, they wonder if we have lost something bigger. The mission that drives us here today is to restore this beautiful american idea. What is that idea . That the condition of your birth does not determine the outcome of your life. You can work hard, play by the rules, get ahead and make a better life for yourself. And an even better one for your kids. It is that sense of possibility. We want people to be free to strive, to make the most of their lives. We want a country with the resilience to endure and tackle all of its challenges. Mr. Speaker, Economic Growth and job creation will not solve all of our problems. But it will help make all of our problems much easier to solve. This is the direction that we are choosing here today. Because we know exactly where the status quo leads us. For years the powers that be have blocked and stonewalled reform under the umbrella of an arrogant, condescending and paternalistic ideology. An identify yol that seeks to limit ideology that seeks to limit mobility, to limit aspirations, to accept less in our lives. Its a view of the world that sees life in the economy as a zerosum game. Your game comes at my loss, therefore we cant do it. Look at where this got us. The worst recovery since world war ii, flat wages and an economy just limping along. Stagnation is a breeding ground for a classbased society where elites predetermine the outcome of our lives. That is not the american idea. They will tell you this. Just hand over more freedom to the unelected bureaucrats and theyll figure it out, they know more, well all just be ok. Hand over more of your hardearned dollars to the i. R. S. And it will all be ok. Theres your scam right there. We know given the opportunity there are no limits to what our people, our fellow citizens, our brothers and sisters can do. Yet for years now this tax code has been skewed to the well connected. Full of special interest carveouts and loopholes. Meanwhile, the hardworking family in america has got to jump through all the hoops that the i. R. S. Can muster. Reform means we bring rates down at every level. We clear out these loopholes so people can keep more of what they earn in the first place. Because its their money in the first place. No special favors, just basic fairness. Reform means simplification too. Nearly nine out of 10 americans will still be able to do their taxes on the form the size of a postcard. That is amazing. And given the opportunity, there are no limits to what our workers and our entrepreneurs can do. While the world has changed, while the worlds become more competitive, closer, smaller, our tax code has not. Instead of leading, weve been following falling behind. To the point where we now have the now are the worst in the industrialized world at how we tax our businesses. We tax our businesses a whole lot more than our foreign competitors tax theirs. They win, we lose. Thats not fair. It is basically open season for our competitors to come in and take our jobs overseas under the current tax code. Reform means we go from the back of the pack to the front of the pack. So instead of the slow growth that weve been slogging through for years, we want to get back to real sustained Economic Growth. We want to build an opportunity economy where there is more demand for higher paying jobs. Thats the whole purpose of all this. Make sure that people can grow up and reach their potential. Make sure that the jobs are there to give people the careers they want so they can reach their potential, so their families can reach their potential. Thats why were doing this. This is without question the single most important thing we can do to once again make america the best place to do business. You know, theres more. Just in this bill. With this bill, were finally restoring the freedom to make your own health care choices. By preeling the individual mandate at the heart of obamacare, we are giving back the freedom and the flexibility to buy the health care thats right for you and your family. And finally, we are doing something truly to put america in the lead. We are doing something historic to develop our own energy resources. Some people have been working here since i was in the second grade on this project. After decades and decades in this chamber, were opening up a small, nonwilderness area of the Alaska National wildlife refuge for responsible development. It is the most ambitious step we have taken in years to secure our own energy future. This is one of those times to just take a step back. Lets take a minute, collect ourselves, and step away from the noise. We talk a lot in these jobs about turning points. There is no doubt that we are at one of those turning points right now. And this one will determine the kind of country were going to have this century. Too often we have seen before how doubt creeps in, how the tyranny of shortterm thinking takes over. And history, history fails to turn. There is, after all, a reason that this has not been done in 31 years. This really is a generational defining moment. And lets let this generational defining moment be defined by optimism, not by fear. By the rising aspirations of our people, and not the doom and gloom of managed decline that we have become too familiar with. This is our chance. This is our moment. Lets turn at this turning point. Lets reclaim the principles that have guided us for generations. Lets recapture our destiny for generations to come so this beautiful story of the american idea is repeated and repeated and passed on to the next generation. A nation more united, more confident, more prosperous and, mr. Speaker, more free. Pass this bill. I yield. Sfnl the speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas with two minutes to close. Mr. Brady mr. Speaker, lets pass this the speaker on this vote the yeas are 227. And the nays are 203. The conference report is