No. Former secretary of treasury, he warned if you went through with that 2 trillion that inflation would rise and america would be harmed. But nobody listened on the other side. They were proud, they were going to cheer, theyre going to get elected, theyre going to win based upon. This they went ahead, they passed that bill with one party control. In the house and in the senate and the president signed it. If we listen to steve ratner, democrat adviser to obama, he calls it the original sin of inflation. If you listen to the American Public, madam speaker, i hope every Single Member asks their constituents, could they give one months salary up, could they afford to give a months salary up . I would love it if anyone can come back and tell me anyone who says yes to that. The sad part about it, everybody in america who is paid on a salary lost more than a month because it was deja vu all over again. It was exactly that vote that took more than a months salary frefer american thats paid monthly. Weve got a president , madam speaker, who thinks inflation is zero. I guess thats why were back to where we are again. Today the peoples house should be working to answer our countrys call to address the rising prices of gas, groceries, and just about anything else that americans buy. I havent heard one debate on this floor today about how were going to low they are gasoline price. Im not sure but i guess, madam speaker, on the democratic side, they think if they raise taxes somehow thatll make the price go down, not up. Theyve proven to be wrong. Instead, madam speaker, moments from now well take up this misguided, tonedeaf bill, i believe the largest tone deaf bill ive ever seen in this chamber in 232 years. Democrats more than any other majority in history are addicted to spending other peoples money. Regardless of what we as a country can afford. Madam speaker, i almost see glee in their eyes. I wonder, and i know theres not a lot of them here because they can vote by proxy, its the only chamber in the history of america that has ever allowed that. Not even on the senate side. Not even during war, not even during plague. But this body has and this body continued it, just extended it. This bill wasnt debated here. Wasnt talked about. But a lot of people are going to phone it in. They started this congress with trillions in wasteful spending that caused runaway inflation. Their answer was to blame everybody else. Now their answer is just to deny theres inflation and say its zero. But today, now, theyre cheesing to choosing to end the session by spending half a trillion dollars more of your money, raising taxes on the middle class, and giving handouts to their liberal allies. Madam speaker, the house is not in order. Thank you, madam speaker. Unlike most of the democrats, madam speaker, i have read this bill past the title. And the and the facts about this bill are just astonishing. It sends 27 billion to a fraudulent National Climate bank. Put that in perspective. Thats trip they will size of the e. P. A. s current annual budget. Madam speaker, as i go across the country, i look through the gas stations, people cry about how much its costing them. Chose to raise it higher but not to give relief to the American Public. By lowering the gas price. Along with that slush fund that hands out tax credits like candy with no accountability. But when it comes to natural gas which heats our homes, cook ours food cooks our food, it raises taxes. To fund their socialist scams, your Energy Prices will now go through the roof. Madam speaker, i look forward turnover democrat who votes for this bill be it in person or how they phone it in by proxy, how do they explain to their constituents this winter, when theyre making a choice. About whether they pay the energy to heat their homes or they cut back on the gas to fill their tank. They no longer even buy the food they look at the Grocery Store because it comes too high, they have to change. Madam speaker, as they continue to raise trillions after trillions, everybody warns them what they do is wrong. They dont care. They just want to double down to the mistakes theyve already made. And dont expect drug prices to come down either. This bill would cut treatments and hinder new cares new cures by giving bureaucrats the power to decide what drugs seniors can access. Reduces your options, raises your costs. Thats ok, thats their flues fism they know best. Just like they knew best when they thought 2 trillion would help. They called it the American Rescue plan. You now have time to see what you have done. Explain to me the American Rescue plan, when it raised inflation that took a months salary from the American Public, what did it rescue . Who did it help . Answer me this answer me this question. Is america better off today than two years ago . Is the price of gasoline lower . It is . The price of gasoline is lower today than it was two years. I guess you believe inflation is zero, too. Im not sure about your math. Is grocery lowerrer than it was two years ago. Are the car prices lower than it was two years ago . Are the food prices . I would love a natural debate right here. Why dont we have that . Because the American People are having a challenge. One of the most successful businesses in america is walmart. When walmart wants to look at where the economy is in america, they dont go hire economists. You know what they do . They just check the data of americans on what they buy. For those who answered yes, you ought to study it, too. You know what . They look at four products. They look at hamburger buns, hot dog buns, whole wheat and white bread. You know what . If the hamburger buns sales go down and hot dog buns go down and the while wheat sales go down, and white bread goes up . You are in an economic cry sis. People can no longer make a decision to have hamburger with hamburger buns, they have to put the white bread there. For all of you who said why, get out of washington for a moment and go ask your constituents if they are better off today than two years ago. Because no, gas is not lower. Gas is higher. And no, the car prices are higher. And their food prices are higher. And they are going up each and every day. I cant believe you would say yes. You probably believe the American Rescue plan was a good bill. You probably believe its putins fault, too. Passing this bill today means more expensive bills for americans tomorrow. And everyone who says otherwise isnt telling the truth. But of all the bad parts of this 700page bill, the massive expansion of the i. R. S. Is the most chilling. Madam speaker, i wonder if we could ask the same question, oh, boy, i emimagine imagine america will ask that. Just roughly 87 more days. They wont just ask it, theyll answer the question even if its not asked if they are better off than two years ago. Theyll probably ask the question, is america better off with 87,000 more i. R. S. Agents . Currently the i. R. S. Has almost 80,000 employees. So youre going to smile, youre going to vote for it, a lot of you are going to mail it in because you are going to vote by proxy. Air going to pass a bill you never debated. People voting by proxy. You are going to double the size of the i. R. S. Have 80,000 employees. You know what they also have, 4600 guns. Five million rounds of ammunition. Why . Democrats want to double its already massive size. You are going to spend 80 billion of hardearned american taxpayer money to hire an army of 87,000 new i. R. S. Agents. Why would you even propose that . Because you say, it pays for the bill. Madam speaker, the house is not in order. The speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. Mr. Mccarthy i got plenty of time. I think i will. I appreciate the encouragement. I think America Needs the encouragement. You know what . America actually needs a plan that works. Why if you passed an American Rescue plan that caused inflation that we havent seen in 41 years, why, if you went after the fossil fuels of america that raised the price of gasoline that americans havent seen before, why do you keep harming the American Public and you think doing exact same thing is your answer to save it . But while this bill doubles the number of i. R. S. Personnel, it does not expands due process protections for the American People. Worse, it includes no income floor who can be audited. So the same people on the other side of the aisle, madam speaker, that says we are better off than we were two years ago that somehow i dont know where they get their gas but they said their gas price is lower, let me know. I need to fill my tank up. When you say that youre not going to go after ever american every american to audit, just like you are not being honest about what caused the pain to this country. You have no plan to solve. It you double down to the same thing you did before. Based upon the past numbers, we know this would mean 710,000 new audits for people who make under 75,000. So someone who makes under 735,000 75,000, you think they need to pay for this. So what youre going to do is you dont trust them. Madam speaker, you say you dont trust the American Public. That youre not going to hire all these people for the i. R. S. So they could be there to help people fill out their tax returns. No, these people are going to you a dit them. We are going to double size. And they are going to go after you. You see, there is a philosophy here, madam speaker. One side of this aisle believes in the American People. One side thinks they know best. Even when the gas pr price price has risen, you think its lower. Sorry to tell you, madam speaker, the president admitted the gas price shier but he thought it was a good thing. It was a good thing because you think everything can buy a new car. Well, we are going to audit you because we need to go after you because we think youre not fair, youre not honest, and we are going to make you pay for something else. Pay for the things we care most about. It costs individuals thousands of dollars in attorney fees, Compliance Costs just to be audited by the i. R. S. Imagine what you would do with an extra 10,000 a year. Imagine how much better you could have used it than the federal government. Somehow you think its best. You think its best. Thats how democrats pay for their pet projects. Your pocketbook is their plan to fund more inflationary spending. This is just a train wreck just waiting to happen. With this new power the i. R. S. Will snoop around in your bank account. Your venmo, small business. Then the government will shake you down for every last cent. In light of this weeks events, let me ask. Do you really trust this administration, the i. R. S. To be fair . To not abuse their power . With madam speaker, as i travel the country, a loft people, different names, work at the i. R. S. , lois learner and others, even when it comes to light government is powerful, government is big. Government can take as you have proven you have taken so much from the American Public. But now you want to intimidate them. I watched democrats weaponize the government before. And i dont trust them now. Madam speaker, mark my words, long after the headlines of this week fades, well look back on this very day and on this bill as the one that broke the camels back. Im sure, madam speaker, as the months progress there will be new blame, there will be new problems. It will be those who own the gas station. Probably blame the small families that had to buy the natural gas for their price going higher. Somehow youll blame putin again. And somehow youll tell the American Public, no, your price isnt higher, you are better off and there is zero inflation teen though even though you take home less, everything costs more. Let me tell you about the future the democrats want for america. The future that we can expect if this bill passes. Much like the one before. When wealthy americans are getting tax breaks to buy luxury cars, but you cant afford to even fill up your tank. Blame this bill. Blame the democrats. When store shelves are empty because more american manufacturers have gone under, blame this bill. Blame the democrats. When government agents are knocking at your door and threatening your business, blame this bill. Blame the democrats. When your loved ones are left without the cures they need to fight a rare disease, blame this bill. And blame the democrats. My friends, that is exact choice for us today. Now, i know a few democrats showed up and i hopefully all those who are voting by proxy are watching on tv because they must be home sick because thats what they said. I hope they spent the time to read it. I dont know if they read the American Rescue plan, but they know the damage they have done. America feels it each and every day. Each and every day. Madam speaker, i guess the next question would be, it will be interesting to hear the side, the answer from the other side if you think gas is cheaper than it has been two years ago, you think the prices at the Grocery Store are lower than it was two years ago, do you think the borders more secure than it was two years ago . Someone said, yes. Madam speaker, im going to introduce a bill to rename this place fantasyland. Because i hope you go home, i hope you take the smirks off, i hope you actually read your obituaries. Because fentanyl has now become the number one killer of americans between the ages of 18 and 45. Its not something to smirk about. Im sure you got power. You are in the majority. But you abuse the power, madam speaker. When you abuse power like that, people die. Every walk of life we are seeing it day in and day out. I remember the headline six college kids down in florida this summer. They werent in a fraternity or sorority. They were in the military academy. Six of them o. D. d. Four took the drug. Two did no. Two simply gave them mouth to mouth. You think its important to double the size of the i. R. S. . But youre not going to do one thing for the border . I remember right after you took the power, you took over the house, senate, the white house you decided to change the policies. We watched what has come across the border. I took a trip down there. I remember going, talking to the agents, they were telling me they have never seen anything like this before. What do you mean . We are catching people on the terrorist watch list. What . On the terrorist watch list . Really . I didnt know there was that many people on the terrorist watch list from the triangle is etra america. No, we are catching them from yemen. People come from 160 Different Countries across this border now. They bring their fentanyl from china. I did a press conference and talked about that. Madam speaker, i thought people from both sides of the aisle would be very concerned about hearing people on the terrorist watch list coming into america. Knowing what has happened in this country before. And would want to keep it safe. I was shocked. They didnt ask me for more information. They called me a liar. We provided the proof. Nobody apologized. Thats ok. You dont need to apologize. I wish you would do something about it. They continued to stay silent. Then they fought to get more information. I fear to tell you that thats happening each and every day. Theres not one new piece of money in here to secure that anymore. It will stop as colleges open back up, College Students on the week can go to their snap chat, think they are buying a xanax and dont wake up the next morning. But thats ok. Because you just gave a break to one of your big donors that makes a lot of money thats going to buy an electric car. Its ok because you feel good about what youre going to do. I guess thats why you dont show up to vote uric just vote by proxy. A vote for this bill is a vote to help the wellconnected get further and further ahead while leaving the needs of hardworking American Families behind. Yet you could be forgiven for not understanding the gravity of todays vote. For such a supposedly historic occasion, few democrats even bothered to show up. Look around this chamber, madam speaker. The floor is nearly empty. If democrats really truthfully want to raise your taxes on americans during a recession, thats their choice. Thats power they have. Theyve proven it time and again and they will do it. The very least you can do, madam speaker, is show up in person if youre going to vote yes. Show up in person to the American Public. For those that chant yes, gasoline is lower than it was two years ago, yes, the border is safer than it was two years ago, dont say it when the cameras are off. Dont say it when people cant see who is saying it, go to the mics. If you believe it, go to the mics and say it. Better yet, tell your district about it. Because they know differently. America knows differently. If you want to vote yes you should have the courage and the decency to show up and do that many person. Yet, madam speaker, Speaker Pelosi extended proxy voting again on wednesday. Allowing democrats to hide their faces and vote to take your money in the comfort of their summer vacations. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, madam speaker. Famous quote. Theres lots of lessons people learn. Normally the lesson that you learn the most is when you cause the most pain. I guess creating inflation you havent had in 41 years, creating shortages when theres no baby formula. Gas prices that we havent seen since jimmy carter was in office. A border thats wide open. A government, madam speaker, that had an attorney general call parents terrorists because what did they do . They went to a School Board Meeting. Why would they go . Why would parents go to a School Board Meeting . Because they wanted to know what was happening to their kids education. The lost learning of the years of the pandemic. If you question authority youre going to be called a terrorist. How far would we go to be able to have the rights to do that . Were going to find an organization, a union, that sends a let sore we can do it. When the public finds out why, the union pull theirs letter back but the a. G. Doesnt pull back their power. They have power, they should use it. Is that why you want to double the size of the i. R. S. . Is that why you want to double the size of the i. R. S. . To go after americans to use it . Earlier today, we had 80 Democrats Use a proxy vote. As we approach this final vote on this bill, determined by how long i speak i expect that number might increase. If you think about it, thats the story of this democrat majority. They will destroy our economy and mortgage your future. But cant be personally bostonnered to show up to make the trip to d. C. To do their jobs. What a disgrace. What a disgrace. Ill promise the American Public that that will all change. If you run for office, if youre going to tell the American Public, youre going to ask them to lend their vote, to lend their voice, to go to washington for two years to represent them, youre going to show up. You know what . The bills are going to be in committee. The bills are going to be read. Theyre going to be debated on the floor. And youre not going to hide in your Vacation Home and raise taxes on the American Public. Ill even go further. Well lower your gas price. Well make America Energy independent. We wont punish natural gas. If you care about the environment, American Natural Gas is 41 cleaner than russian natural gas. Well make abundance of it. So those people who are living on a 75,000 income that watched it get dwindled under your leadership, under your American Rescue plan that simply took a whole months salary away from them where they had no say, you celebrated, you cheered it. Then you blamed everybody else for what you created. Well tell you it will cost less. For the patient that gets the phone call, maybe their kid is home, that doesnt wake up. Because they went out to purchase something, it wasnt fentanyl but it was laced with fentanyl. Well make sure that stops. You know, its august. Right now is normally the time people have barbecues. But now the price is high. Now the price people question whether to even get the hot dog buns. Theyre going to turn on the tv, theyre going to watch an empty chamber, theyre going to read it online, 80 democrats took that vacation and voted to raise more taxes. Voted to spend more of their money, and looked into the camera and smiled and said we know best. We want to take more of your money because we got to hire and double the size of the i. R. S. Because we want them to knock on your door. Because we think youre not honest. We think you can pay more. If you dont, weve got an a. O. G. That will come after you. Go to that School Board Meeting, well look in your eyes, take your name down, wonder why you care about your kids education. Madam speaker, that will end too. Because were going to provide the American Public with a parents bill of rights. We think the parents should have a say cey in their kids education. We think parents should know whats being taught at their kids school. Madam speaker, i havent watched under this leadership, a democrat voted proxy who wasnt even in america. So i wonder, were they in another country to get health care . Were they sick . No, no, no. They were in france. At a wedding. When they phoned that vote in, i wasnt quite sure. Do you think at the wedding the member was reading the bill on the phone . So that member knew how to vote . Im not sure it came through committee. I dont know how much debate they had on this because the senate did this bill. What a disgrace. I urge all my colleagues to reject this out of touch bill. Reject the crushing new taxes. Reject the ballooning of government. Reject the spending of things that we dont need with money we dont have. Madam speaker, i can wait if you need to continue. But most of all but most of all, i urge my colleagues to remember this day. Remember this day because it will be the last time the house will operate so reckless and irresponsible. A new day is coming with a new plan to put america back on the right track. It will be a commitment to america. Therell be fiscal responsibility. Therell be Energy Independent where your gas lean price will be lower and plentiful. Your home heating costs will lower, not rise. We wont pick one energy over the other. Itll be all of the above so america can be stronger. That your border will be secure because fentanyl and terrorists will not be coming across. This border is a National Security issue. That we will focus on bringing supply chain from china back to america. Not what this bill does this bill takes american taxpayer money and sends it to china. Trip they will size of the e. P. A. Of the climate. I imagine china is cheering because they see their economy is going to rise. Their government doesnt have to vote for a stimulus. Because thats exactly what youre doing here. Whats even great, china will look and say, can we make sure america can send all that money here . Dont worry, the democrats doubled the size of the i. R. S. Theyll get that money. And make sure it comes. And in the commitment to america we believe people show up to go to work. That you earn your paycheck. You dont phone it in. Madam speaker, when i handed the gavel to Speaker Pelosi last year, i said that a house distracted cannot govern. Today as this majority jams through yet another partisan spending spree, it is clear to me that an absent house cannot lead. I trust the American People. I know it is the people who will render the ultimate verdict on todays actions. And when they do, 87 days from now, my democratic colleagues will have only themselves to blame. Madam speaker, im not sure whats happening on your side of the aisle, that members actually believe gasoline is less than it was two years ago. Madam speaker, im not sure whats happening on your side of the aisle that your colleagues believe the border is more secure than it was two years ago. Madam speaker, im not sure whats happening on your side of the aisle that your colleagues believe the price of groceries is less than it was two years ago. Madam speaker, im not sure whats happening on the other side of the aisle that your colleagues believe doubling the size of the i. R. S. Is a positive thing. Yes, i come from a different party, and yes, i have a different philosophy. But were all americans. And madam speaker, youre going to inflict this pain on every single american. Madam speaker, im not sure on your side of the aisle thinks this is going to do anything to lower the price of inflation. I do know, madam i do know, madam speaker, one person on other side of the aisle, in the other chamber, barry sanders, spoke the truth. The senate wont. I know on your side of the aisle, madam speaker, not everybody believes the same. Former secretary of treasury warned you before you did the American Rescue plan that it would bring inflation and he was right. Even the current secretary of treasury finally apologized, said they were wrong. The president said it was going to be transitory. Said it had peaked. Said it was everybody elses fault but now he says its zero. Madam speaker, i guess i do understand why your side of the aisle now believes all that. I just know america doesnt. Because every day america goes to the Grocery Store, the prices increased. Every week when they fill up their gas tank, the price is higher. Every month when they cash their check, it goes less, not as far. Madam speaker, if the border was really more secure than it was two years ago, why is the d. C. Mayor now asking for the National Guard when she wouldnt even ask it when there were riots in the streets . Madam speaker, colleagues on the other side can lie to me, but they cant lie to america. 87 days from now, it doesnt matter how you try to answer those questions. The American People will. I remember when we were at this stage once before. We had somebody in the white house who put a sweater on, he told me to turn the heater down, that the best days were behind us as americans. I watched another person walk to the podium and say, no pastels, fly the bold colors. We know what america is. That we are more than a country. We are an idea. An idea so powerful that we can overcome all the pain that you have caused. It wont be easy. And ill offer this invitation. For all the bad votes you have taken, when the change comes, we will welcome you to correct your mistakes you have made. Because youll be in committee. Maybe youll learn the gas price is higher. Maybe youll learn the groceries cost more. Youll be here to vote. So youll hear the debate. Maybe i cant blame you for thinking that. You dont have to show up. Madam speaker, theres a lot of days on this floor that change the course of history. In the last two years, the history has not been bright. Inflation, 41year history high. You understand what that does to the American Public . Do you understand the pain that it causes . Do you understand the choices that people have to make . I read a story of a young family, their daughter has cancer. For a treatment they have to drive a long way. She was crying one day because she heard her parents talking about making the decision, theyre taking out loans they cannot afford to pay for the gasoline that your side of the aisle thinks costs them less, but costs them more. The choices they had choice is they had to decide. Because you title a bill, American Rescue plan, that only inflicts pain. And you just doubled down. Madam speaker, i respect the other side of the aisle much greater if they were to at least do exactly what secretary yellen did. Apologize for your mistake and change course. Dont double down. Dont make the same mistake three, four times like youre going to do today. At the very least, at the very least, if youre going to vote yes, do it in person. Do it in person. Read the bill. Put it through committee. Madam speaker, ive watched this body take on big issues. Weve got some of the biggest issues before us today. And you continue to make it just a partisan action. One that even your side of the aisle has warned you against. But somehow you want to celebrate it. Madam speaker, in my office, in that conference room, i have this painting of Washington Crossing the delaware. You all know the famous painting. Its eight feet by 16 feet. If you study history, youll know that it happened christmas, 1776. The artist who painted that famous painting wasnt on a american, he wasnt there, there was no iphone that day to take a photo. The person who painted the painting is a german immigrant who lived in america but went back to germany, emanuel linz up. Know why he painted that painting . Because he understood america was more than a country, that america was an idea. He wanted germany to have a revolution based upon the values of america. Of freedom, of individual rights, of a stand against tyranny. That government would be of the people, by the people, for the people. So his talent was art, so he thought he would paint this painting to inspire the germans to have this revolution. Now, historians will tell you, he gets it incorrect. He puts 13 people in a rowboat. Why would he pick the number 13 . 13 colonies. When he only shows you 12 faces. If you look at the painting, he puts washington in a rowboat, but historians will tell you washington probably crossed at durham. If you look at the delaware, it kind of looks like the rhine, but hes german, give him a break for that. He puts washington in a ceremonial uniform with his hand on his chest. Standing up in a rowboat, crossing the delaware in the middle of winter. He looks so stoic. If you look at washington in that painting, you would say, almost youd follow this man anywhere. Youd think hed never lost a battle or a fight. But for the students of history, they understand that that moment in time, washington had never won a battle. Wed never won one fight as a country. But that was our first victory as we surprised our enemy. But what id like you to see next time is who is in the boat. Second persons wearing a beret. Hes scottish. The person directly across from him, the green jacket, hes africanamerican. You come down the boat, the middle of the boat, the person almost looks the strongest, rowing in the red, is a woman. And the very back, the very last person, is a native american. I cannot tell you from a historical point of view if they were in the boat that night. But to this young immigrant who had lived in america, thats who he believed would be in the boat. Now, the second to last person in there, he has a hand across his face. A hand of the 13th person nobody sees. What this artist was saying, i believe, here we are, not a country, but an idea. Having lost every battle before, but willing to create a nation, why . To go against the tyranny of a government that will tax you with no say, a government that became so big it can inflict pain upon you. To tell you what to do. That we would risk it on our holiest of night. Heres a hand, would you get in and join us . Its as true today as it was then. The challenge that we face right now is youre making that government big. Youre doubling the size of the i. R. S. Youre going against every single reason people were in that boat, willing to risk their lives for a government of the people, by the people, for the people. A government that was created in a country that was conceived in liberty and dedicated proposition that were all equal. Because you think you know whats best. I can only imagine what those individuals would think today, that youd put a bill on the floor that didnt go through committee, youd put a bill on the floor that would double the size of the i. R. S. , that could go after the American Public, that has no set on an income, the 710,000 people under the income of 75,000 are now going to be audited because you want them to pay for what you think is best. That youre going to tax with no limit on income some family that already lost a months salary based upon your past actions because of inflation. Youre going to make them choose how cold, youre going back to jimmy carter, youre simply telling the American Public to put that sweater on, turn that heater down. But to your elite donors, youre going to give them the tax credit from those i. R. S. Agents so they can go buy a new tesla. Thats what youre doing in this bill. But four, six months from now youll blame somebody else for it. The good news is, there will be a new congress with a new ability to change all that. That provide the American Public a commitment to america. With a new plan to put this country back on the right direction. Madam speaker, whatever happens today, i can only guess if you have all the votes in your pocket, the people dont have to show up, one or two people can determine the outcome. But, madam speaker, i implore upon you, i dont know what happens in your conference. Please allow the American Public to come in, to simply tell you and explain to you that, no, gas is not lower, groceries do not cost less, and the money does not go as far as it did before. Maybe thats why i can only understand if you truly believe that, that you would vote yes, for everybody else thats living in a real america, they will vote no. And 87 days from now, i believe most of america will have the answer to that question too with a new congress and a new plan. With that, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Mr. Pallone madam speaker, may i inquire how much time remains on both sides . The speaker pro tempore the gentleman has three minutes remaining. Mr. Pallone and the other side . Has no time . The speaker pro tempore their time has expired. Mr. Pallone i yield myself one minute. I just want to speak briefly before i introduce our two leaders who have done so much on the democratic side to make this bill a possibility today. The republican leader said that we should listen to our constituents. Well, we have. Yesterday i was at a Senior Center in wood ridge and a woman came up to me and said, you know, congressman pallone, i spend 1,5 hahn month on Prescription Drugs 1,500 a month on Prescription Drugs. I was able to say to her, ill be in washington tomorrow, im going to vote on a bill thats going to cap your expenditures at 2,000 a year. Then i had another woman in a telehealth meeting earlier in the week who told me she was so hot because in new jersey weve had the worst drought and the highest temperatures that we know in years. And she said, i have to go to a cooling center because of the heat. Because of my health. And the impact on my health. And i was able to say to her, look, its going take a while, but tomorrow, this friday, im going to vote on a bill thats going to address the Climate Change and the heating and the warming of this planet. So i just want to thank our two leaders for what theyve done to bring this about today. And with that, i would yield one minute to our majority leader, mr. Hoyer. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Hoyer i thank the gentleman for yielding. Today will be the culmination of the meeting of promises that President Biden made to the American People. Resulting in some seven million to eight million more people voting for President Biden than the incumbent president. My colleagues, we have just heard from the leader of the party of youre on your own. The leader who just spoke voted against the American Rescue plan. That put money in the pockets of American Families, put American Children back to school, and resulted in us not Wearing Masks today with some exceptions. By putting vaccine in arms. The leader who just spoke voted no. As did every one of his colleagues. They said no to money to help families not fall through the cracks. To help them afford their groceries. To help them afford to pay their mortgage and send their kids to school. They voted no to make sure those vaccines were in arms. They voted no to help Small Businesses, restaurants an others be lifted up. The party of youre on your own, america. And yes, when they came to office what did they try to do . In 2017. Repeal Health Care Support for the American People. We are doing the opposite. We plead guilty. The leader of the Republican Party who just spoke voted no on the infrastructure bill. To respond to build roads and bridges, to make sure theyre maintained and safe. Responded to broadband to make sure that rural areas are connected. Airports. Make sure we had a grid that wa. The gentleman who just spoke voted no the chips bill. The gentleman talked about china. China was lobbying against the chips bill. The minority leader voted no on the chips bill. Which is a bill to make america competitive and create hundreds of thousands of job, that was jobs, that was bipartisan in the house by a small degree, and in the senate. As well. But the minority leader votedno. So i must say im not shocked that hes voting no on this bill. Which is aimed at helping americans with their health care, one of the greatest reasons for inflation. And im not surprised he mischaracterized the reaction on this side of the aisle when he said gas prices were high and hadnt come down. In fact, in the last 40 days theyve come dunn 20 . The gentleman is shaking his head, no, no, they havent. I dont know where hes buying gas but theyve come down from 5 to 4 and in some cases less than 4. Is that too high . It is. Should we be concerned about that . Yes we should be. We passed two bills, one was a bill to make sure that we didnt have price gouging. No american wants to see price gouging. The minority leader voted no on that ball. That bill. We offered another bill that dealt with food and fuel prices. To try to make sure we had Delivery Systems and supply chains that worked. The minority leader and his colleagues voted no. Not everyone. We had a bill on this floor that tried to help and is going to help millions of veterans. Who had been exposed to toxic burn pits. Cancer. Heart disease. Lung disease. The minority leader, it will not shock you, voted no to help veterans. We had another bill on the floor to make sure that we could preclude and try to help women who had violent acts committed against them. It may not surprise you that the lead ore they have party of, youre on your own, voted no on the violence against women act. Its time to say yes. Yes to the people. To focus on people, not on politics. Of 87 days from now. Thats what this is about. Politics. Pure, well, impure. And simple. Its time for us to say yes. To bringing prices down. I want to add just a couple of things and i want to talk about the four pieces of legislation that are changing america for the better. One is, he wrings his hands about the awful situation that america is in. In january of 2021, before joe biden became president of the United States, unemployment was 6. 4 . During the course of the Trump Administration we last. Million jobs. Net loss. After four years. Net loss. Over the last 18 months, we have created 9. 5 million jobs. Thats almost a 12 million job turn around. To the best, to the good. To the appreciation of ability of americans to get jobs. And he mentioned something about gas prices. Are they high . They are. Let me tell you when they were higher. July of 2008, they were higher. Hear me. Go check the records. 4. 14 which in real terms, real dollars today would be 5. 62. Under george bush. Are prices too high . They are. Do we want to bring them down . Yes, we do. Thats why we put price gouging in the food and fuel both of which the minority leader voted against. Unemployment, as i said in january, 6. 4 . Its now 3. 5 , halved. Is inflation too high . It is. We passed a bill. Some people said well, thats going to cause inflation. What it caused was people didnt fall through the cracks. They were able to pay their bills. They were able to send their kids back to school. Thats what it did. Thats what the American People are going to remember. That the Democratic Party was there for them and the Republican Party was not. And then we talk about this money that were going to give the i. R. S. Which has been reduced 20 . Under the republican leadership. When they were in charge. What did they reduce . Enforcement. Why . Because they didnt want their big, fat cat people to be caught. Not paying their fair share. Yes, mr. And mrs. America, youre paying a higher price because some people pay nothing. You dont think thats fair and we dont think its fair. And yes, we want to make sure the rules are followed. In order to have the rules followed you need referees. And when you have 100 and manage odd million taxpayers, you need a number of people to find that out and make sure you obey the law. Yes we support that. We believe in facts and we believe in truth. Theres a republican leader, no longer a lead whoark believed in facts and truth. And liz cheney was fired from her position because she told the truth. And confronted a former president who promotes lying. Madam speaker, when President Biden took office with a Democratic Congress we promised the American People results. We are delivering. We promised we would make progress on the issues where progress had been stalled for far too long. We promised in short responsible government that gets things done for the people. People, not politics. Responsible government that puts the needs of our people over politics. Over the past 18 months, many have questioned whether that would even be possible. Our country is too divided, they said, to achieve big goals and enact really consequential legislation that benefits the American People and our economy. 9. 5 million now jobs. 18 months. Over the same 18 months, however, our democratic majorities and the Biden Administration have proven those doubters wrong. The legislation we will pass today and send to the president s desk is the fourth leg of a table of support and opportunity democrats have built for the American People. The first leg was the American Rescue plan. That law put more than 200 million shots in arms and made it safe again for workers to go back to their jobs. For students and teachers to go back to school. And for entrepreneurs to take risks and invest in their businesses. It worked. Since then weve seen record job growth, as i have said, 9. 5 million jobs created since last january. Thats the largest number of jobs created in 18 months in the history of our country. The lowest rate of employment in half a century. Only republicans could call that failure. Because it wasnt their success. More americans are working today than at any point in our his history. We also cut Child Poverty in half. Perhaps thats not seen as a success. By the other side of the aisle. Next we brought democrats and republicans together in a historic effort to enact the bipartisan infrastructure plan. Which is already rebuilding roads, bridges, transit systems, sea ports, in every corner of our country. After President Trump said in 2016 that he was going to do a trillion dollars. 2017, didnt happen. 2018. Didnt happen. 2019. Didnt happen. Republicans were in charge of the house, senate and presidency of the United States. Inattention to disrepair. For years we herd heard people talk about infrastructure weeks. Remember that . Minority leaders and other minority leader and others, were going to have infrastructure week. It never happened. Last november we put people over politics angott it done. That decision was so successful that even many republicans who voted against it are cutting ribbons that will facilitate congress and improve the lives of their constituents even the they didnt support the bill. One side effect of the pandemic was to magnify the cracks in our Economic System and our reliance on the unreliable in our supply chains. Any family trying to buy a new car or trying to budget for a new appliance in the last year or two understands what that means. And by the way, on inflation, europe didnt have the rescue plan. Asia didnt have the rescue plan. Other nations didnt have the rescue plan. Guess what. All of them are experiencing inflation. Half of them greater inflation than is present in the United States of america. Does that mean we have to stop our efforts to reduce it . Of course not. Is it hurting our people . It is. Our empty shell are empty shelves in Grocery Stores troubling . They are. And rather than blame one another, perhaps we ought to look at the real villain and that was the pandemic. Earliery week, earlier this week, President Biden signed the chips in science act. That Bipartisan Legislation will ease inflation by bringing manufacturing and sourcing of critical components and products back to the United States. So that we make them in america. And our workers make it in america. It means that we wont cede the next century of innovation to china or anybody else. China, let me repeat, lobbied against that bill. And almost every republican voted against that bill, just like china wanted. Instead, American Labor and American Innovation will continue to lead the world in research, innovation and advanced manufacturing, continue to draw the brightest minds from around the world. That also will mean lower costs for American Families. The chips in science act was another significant piece of legislation in the make it in america agenda. Its hard to think that somebody would vote against all four of these bills. A promise made to america and a promise that they relied on and they voted for. In an election, not a poll, not a survey, not a focus group. In an election. Because it gets to the heart what have government is supposed to do. Help provide our workers and businesses and people with the tools and confidence to make it in america. Today were going to send to President Biden the legislation that represents the fourth leg of our tabled support and opportunity. The Inflation Reduction Act. As its name suggests, it will further help lower costs for americans. It will Lower Health Care costs by extending tax credits under the Affordable Care act that we included in the American Rescue plan, which has gotten us to 92 coverage in america. And very frankly would be higher if there werent 12 states who had refused to provide the medicaid opportunity for citizens who fell in the middle of the income spectrum. We included that, of course, but our republican friends in the United States senate would not agree to it. This bill will provide for quality, Affordable Health care to almost every person in the United States, irrespective of their income. The national uninsured rate has fallen to an alltime low of 8 , with 5. 2 million americans gaining coverage since the start of the Bidenharris Administration in large part due to our having made those cost savings premium credits more widely available. But my understanding is our republican friends are going to vote against this bill. And millions of people will be unable to afford their insurance. Thats extended by three years. Next, it brings down the cost of Prescription Drugs by allowing medicare for first time ever, but not uniquely, because the Veterans Administration does that. Makes sense. To negotiate lower prices from manufacturers. Democrats have been working for decades to achieve this goal and as i mentioned at the outset of my remarks, our majority is delivering on that promise. The bill also caps the cost of insulin at 35 a month. Now, would have been extended to everybody, but our republican friends refused to support that alternative. So its only going to apply to medicare at the beginning. But were not going to stop. And we also capped the cost at 2,000 per year for seniors on medicare. We want to extend that to the private market as well. And well work on that. This, ladies and gentlemen of this house, is an historic achievement. That will save lives and allow more seniors to access lifesaving and lifesustaining medications. Additionally, the Inflation Reduction Act is the largest single investment addressing Climate Crisis that anynition has ever made any nation has ever made. I dont know where it was in your place, but 95, 97, 98, high humidity. We have a Climate Crisis. And the deniers have undermined our ability to respond. This bill responds. And it responds consistent with the desires of the American People and will bring down the cost of energy for americans by investing in developing and deploying cleaner, more Sustainable Energy technologies like electric vehicles and solar panels. At the same time were doing it without raising the deficit. In fact, the legislation reduces the deficit by closing loopholes so the largest corporations would profit with profits over 1 billion will pay a minimum tax rate of just 15 . Now the rate is 21 . On corporations. But if they get over 1 billion, theyre going to pay at least 15 . Why . Because we protect their shipping lanes with our navy. We protect their roads that they transport goods across. They get a lot from their taxes. Just as we all do. Maybe thats why the republicans dont like this bill. That is well below the regular 21 tax, as i said, and we do it all while ensuring that individuals and families earning less than 400,000 a year wont see a single tax increase. Let me repeat that. Nobody making less than 400,000 a year will see a tax increase. Those four legs, the rescue plan, the infrastructure bill, the chips bill, and now this reduction in inflation act, will provide for Growth Opportunity and competitiveness for our economy and for our people. There is, however, another critical piece of legislation that helps keep that taicial table sturdy that table sturdy that helps keep that table sturdy. Getting americans back to work from the pandemic. Thats what we did. Securing long overdue infrastructure investments. Thats what we did. Easing the inflation by helping American Companies build more chips, semiconductors and other critical components here instead of importing them from unreliable countries, over 100 100,000 new jobs. Thats what we did. Lowering Prescription Drugs and energy costs while combating the Climate Crisis. Thats what we did. And well keep on doing it for the American People and the next congress. In addition to all these, the democraticled house has passed many, many more important bills that have yet to be considered in the senate. Blocked by republicans. Today the Inflation Reduction Act will answer any who still doubt whether we can deliver on our promises. Today democrats and this administration are showing that we can and will continue to put people over politics and ensure that our people can make it in america. Vote for america. Vote for the American People. Vote for this bill. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Mr. Pallone madam speaker, to close the debate, i will yield one minute to the woman who has done so much to bring this bill to final passage today, our speaker, the gentlewoman from california, ms. Pelosi. The speaker pro tempore youre recognized for one minute. The speaker thank you very much, mr. Chairman. And thank you for your tremendous leadership. You and the other chairs for bringing this legislation to the floor. The hours growing late, as a courtesy to my colleagues, i intend to shorten my remarks. For those that i shorten of the remarks, i promise to put them in the record, if you promise to read them. Let me also begin by saying i associate myself with the remarks of all of my democratic colleagues. That covers a lot of territory. Mr. Speaker, under the Visionary Leadership of President Biden, democrats have forged historic progress for americas families. First, we enacted the lifesaving American Rescue plan to propel us out of the pandemic, put money in pockets, vaccines in arms, children safely in school, people back to work. Next we secured the transformtific bipartisan transformative bipartisan infrastructure package to create good paying union jobs, rebuilding our nation. This week President Biden signed the chips and science act, which declares our economic independence, strengthens our National Security, enhances our families financial future. We also honored our value yanlt service of our men and women in uniform with the pact act. And today, madam speaker, is a day of celebration. A day we take another giant step in our moment us agenda. Our Inflation Reduction Act is a robust costcutting package that meets the moment, ensuring that our families thrive and that our planet survives. This landmark education, which we send to the president s desk, starts and it is a resounding victory for americas families starting at their kitchen table. What it means to you, to our constituents, to people out there whom we serve, in terms of health care. One of medicare, 64 million enrollees, this bill brings down the out of pocket costs of Prescription Drugs. We do this by empowering the secretary of h. H. S. To negotiate lower prices. At long last, at long last we have been fighting for this for years. We do so again by capping outofpocket Prescription Drug costs and will not pay and you, our constituents, will not pay one more cent for lifesaving medication. This includes a 35 cap on insulin copays. And we do this by banning drug manufacturers from raising prices faster than inflation, protecting you against predatory price hikes. Make no mistake, these measures are a big blow to pharma, which has had a stranglehold for decades, preventing us from making this move. Now we have relaxed that strangle hold a bit, more to be done, but giving more leverage and more breathing room to americas families. At the same time this bill im not saying the title every time, ok, locks in lower premiums that democrats secured first in the rescue package. Together, lowering the cost of Prescription Drugs and health care premiums, are vital strides in our fight for economic justice. And this is particularly important to lowincome communities, underserved communities, and communities of color. In doing so, we honor the call of dr. King who said, of all the forms of inequality and justice in health are the most shocking and inhuman because it often results in physical death. The inflation bill is a plan divided into three parts. Prescription drugs and health care, second, the most consequential Climate Action in the history of our congress, of our country. And in doing these two things, reducing the deficit. At the same time the legislation advances President Biden and democrats relentless commitment to putting justice first. And all these crucial investments are fully paid for. By making sure the ultrarich and biggest corporations pay their fair share. The climate provisions are will make a meaningful difference for americas working families. Im going to put that in the record, if you promise to read it. But its about clean air and clean water for our children. Its about nine million good paying union jobs, its about preventing conflict over resources and habitat. Its about values. Values espoused by pope francis when he said earlier this summer, our planet has reached a breaking point. In the fight against Climate Crisis. Extreme weather continues to wreak havoc across the country, around the world. It is clear the cost of inaction far outweighs the cost of action. The bill saves the planet while keeping more money in your pockets for working families, youll save an average of 1,000 a year in lower energy bills. Underserved communities need 60 billion in Environmental ProtectionEnvironmental Justice initiatives to ensure that everyone enjoys the benefits of a cleaner green economy. Again, the bill pays down the deficit by 300 billion in the first decade. Heres what it means to you. What it means is it drives down inflation in the longterm. These Monumental Investments are for families in health care are fully paid for, ensuring the biggest corporations and wealthiest pay their fair share and that is an estimate of about 160 billion a year of taxes that are unlawfully not paid. Right now right now families are being harmed by corporate prove tearing. I dont want you to take it from me but take it from a large number, 126 america con midsts and seven nobody ell Prize Winners and in a letter, i want you to hear this my republican friends because clearly you dont know this, but now that you do, perhaps you will change your comments. These investments will fight inflation and lower costs for American Families while setting the stage for longterm are economic growth. And i submit, their letter to the record. Another point i want to make as i hear them saying that this is going to be such a thing about the audits despite the republicans desperate falsehoods and does not increase audits on americas working families. A republican appointed by donald trump said these resources are absolutely not about increasing audit scrutiny on Small Businesses or middleincome americans. There you have it. I ask these questions, when you hear about what this means to americas working families, how can you vote against lowering Prescription Drug costs for seniors and underserved communities as we continue to fight inflation, how can you vote with pharma and vote against future generations . How can you vote against reducing the deficient sits to pay their fair share and im not talking about people who work the system. Im talking about people who illegally do not pay their taxes. Every member is confronted with a choice, put people over politics or politics over people and for century, members of congress have stood where we stand facing the exact same decision as they constructed the pillars of americas safety and security. Social security, medicare, medicaid, things that republicans opposed all along the way. This bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, a package for the people, increases the leveraging over the special interests and expands health and Financial Security now and for generations to come. Submitting this for the record, i urge every member to put aside their misunderstanding of this and vote for the Inflation Reduction Act as we send this historic legislation to President Bidens desk for signature this evening for him to sign into law. And i yield back the balance of my cspan is your unfiltered view of government. We are funded by these Television Companies and more, including cox. Homework can be hard. That is why we are providing lower income students access to affordable internet so homework can just be homework. Cox, along with these other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. Here is whats ahead on todays washington journal. After a look at the news and viewers calls, we will turn to the National Teacher shortage with henry tran