Earlier today, the u. S. House debated the 2018 budget resolution which sets overall 2018 federal spending at 1. 13 trillion. The measure also requires committees to work on tax reform. The house passed the bill 216212 after the Senate Approved it last week. Well show you the house floor debate from this morning. Its an hour and a half. Tennessee. From mrs. Black thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as i may consume. Tennessee. Mrs. Black thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as i may consume. I rise today in support of Senate Amendment house concurrent resolution 71, the budget resolution for fiscal 2018. Passing a budget is never easy and has once again been a challenge this year. But i am encouraged with where were now and i am pleased that the senate did its work by approving a budget. One that we can support in order to unlock tax reform for the American People. Without question there are plenty of things that i wish were included in what the Senate Passed. Ideas that the house put forward earlier this month when we approved our budget. For example, i still feel strongly about addressing unsustainable mandatory spending, and that hasnt changed. The growing burden of debt caused by mandatory spending is a real problem that cannot be ignored. We owe it to the American People to do something to offer serious reforms that ensure Government Programs are financially sustainable and working well for generations to come. And i think we will tackle this important issue in the future. A choice. Dont have but despite any shortcomings of the Senate Passed budget, i am encouraged that it does reflect the shared priorities of both chambers. Moving forward with this budget by our upported president. I want to remind my colleagues that before final passage last week the senate did include numerous provisions previously passed by the house. And i was proud to be involved in those negotiations with the leaders of the house, the senate, and the white house. For example, the Senate Passed budget creates a mechanism that would permit the Budget Committee chairman to adjust the budget allocations if there is future legislation signed into law that revises the b. C. A. Spending caps. The Senate Passed budget also includes numerous improvements to the house budgets enforcement that are designed to strengthen fiscal discipline. Because we Work Together to find common ground, we can move ahead towards tax reform and expand upon the ideas in the conservative framework unveiled last month. Throughout nearly my seven years as a member of the house, republicans have talked about modernizing our outdated and overly complicated tax system, and today we have the opportunity to take that next big step to unlock tax reform for the American People, fulfilling the promise that we made long ago to our onstituents. By advancing tax reform, we can help americans keep more of their hardearned paychecks. We can by advancing make it possible f st americans to file their taxes on a taxes on a simple postcard. We can level the Playing Field for business and help them tax e reforming our system for the first tax system for the first time in nearly three decades. President trump is with us on this and i agree that we must move quickly. And thats why i urge my colleagues to pass this budget today. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman reserves. The gentleman from kentucky is recognized. Mr. Yarmuth thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Yarmuth mr. Speaker, the bill were debating today is not a real effort at responsible budgeting. It is a means to an end. A singleminded plan to make it easier to enact tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations, regardless of the consequences for everyone else. If approved by the house today, an irresponsible 1. 5 trillion tax bill will come to the floor in then a matter of weeks. It is being rushed because republicans dont want the American People to know whats in t they dont want you to find out that it overwhelmingly benefits the wealthy while increasing taxes on billions of middle class families. Rushing through legislation thame pacts nearly every American Family and business is reckless, and voting on a bill that rewrites our nations tax code a week or two after it is introduced without any real input from the people who will impact is neglect. Thats negligent. Thats what you do when you cant defend your own policy, and theres a lot of unjustifiable provisions in this budget. It cuts Vital National investments, threatening our progress and national security. It cuts more than 4 trillion in mandatory spending, including nearly 2 trillion from medicare and medicaid alone. The enormity of these cuts and the severity of the consequences for American Families cannot be overstated. But more cuts will be coming once the republican tax cuts blow an enormous hole in the budget. We will see a tax on medicare, medicaid, Social Security, nutrition assistance, on important benefits that help American Families get ahead. I know my republican colleagues desperately want to believe that the tax cuts in their budget will pay for themselves and usher in a new era of Economic Growth, or at least they want the American People to believe that. But the record is clear. This approach has failed time and time again. And now even though the evidence and experts have concluded that these tax cuts will not create an economic boom but will instead lead to a higher concentration of wealth among the rich while dramatically increasing deficits and debt, my republican colleagues are trying to do it again. Everything we do in congress should be about making the lives of American Families better and more secure. We owe them a budget that invests in their future, a tax code that is fair, and a full and honest debate on both. This budget and the tax cuts that will follow are a failure on all fronts. I therefore urge my republican colleagues to abandon this dangerous budget and start addressing the needs and priorities of the American People. I reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentlewoman from tennessee is recognized. Mrs. Black mr. Speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the Senate Amendment to house concurrent resolution 71. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mrs. Black it is now my honor to yield two minutes to the gentleman from texas, mr. Smith. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. Juju smithschuster mr. Speaker, first of mr. Smith mr. Speaker, first of all, i want to thank the chairwoman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, we need to pass this budget, not only to rein in outofcontrol spending but also to give congress the go ahead on muchneeded tax reform. We need to reduce the tax burden on hardworking americans. The typical household in the 21st district of texas pays over 15,700 in federal taxes. Past experience shows that tax relief generates strong Economic Growth. It enables americans to save, invest, create jobs and spend more of their income. Our vision of tax reform benefits families across america. For example, in my congressional district, 1 of households utilize the 1 6 of households utilize the tax credit. Ncreasing this will allow them to use it on School Supplies and other things families need to raise a child. Lets have a more prosperous future rather than paying more of their hardearned money to the federal government. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman reserves. The gentleman from kentucky is recognized. Mr. Yarmuth mr. Speaker, i am happy to yield 1 1 2 minutes to the gentlelady from washington, a distinguished member of the house Budget Committee and ways and Means Committee, ms. Delbene. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized for 1 1 2 minutes. Del bell ms. Delbene i rise in opposition to this resolution. Our top priority in congress should be helping expand opportunities, opportunities to sustain longterm Economic Growth and security so no american is left behind. Unfortunately, the bill were voting on today is not a serious budget designed to help middleclass families. Instead, this budget is simply a vehicle to rush through a partisan tax proposal, using a process known as reconciliation. And whats worse, the ryanmcconnell tax plan would add trillions of dollars to the deficit, making our children foot the bill for tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest. In fact, the Tax Policy Center has estimated that the ryanmcconnell tax plan could ise taxes by an average of 1,209 a year on families earning between 50,000 and 150,000 a year. This is moving in the wrong direction. I urge my colleagues to vote no, and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields. The gentleman from kentucky reserves. The gentlewoman from tennessee is recognized. Mrs. Black thank you, mr. Speaker. It is now my honor to yield two minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina, mr. Norman. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from South Carolina is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Norman i today in strong support of the fiscal year 2018 budget resolution which is a critical step, first step to achieving comprehensive tax reform and making the American Economy great again. I also applaud chairman diane black for her leadership in producing this budget. Our nation has not significantly reformed our tax code in more than three decades, which has allowed the tax code to explode in complexity and unnecessary burden on hardworking American Families and businesses. Moreover, while the United States is a world leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, we have failed to reduce our Corporate Tax rate which stands at 35 , the highest in the developed world. And i would add corporations dont pay tax, the American People pay tax. Unineed framework unveiled earlier this year will simplify the tax code for everyone. It will eliminate wasteful tax loopholes and reduce taxes on businesses. I am also pleased to see the plan eliminates the death tax on farmers and moves to full expensing. Under this plan, the average family will see an increase in income between 4,000 and 9,000 annually. While i believe this budget is necessary to spur Economic Growth and increase wages, i am extremely disappointed the senate removed the 302 billion of mandatory spending cuts giving the challenge our National Debt poses to the great United States. However, we should not make the perfect the enemy of the good, and i ups that issues as complex as the understand that issues as complex as the budget and tax reform will require compromise. I appreciate the leadership of speaker ryan, chairman brady and the rest of the Leadership Team for their hard work on tax reform and i look forward to working with my colleagues to moving tax reform over the finish line and to President Trumps desk. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentlewoman from tennessee reserves. The gentleman from kentucky is recognized. Mr. Yarmuth mr. Speaker, im happy to yield 1 1 2 minutes to the gentlelady from washington, a distinguished member of the Budget Committee, ms. Jayapal. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized for 1 1 2 minutes. Ms. Jayapal mr. Speaker, i rise in strong opposition to this fiscal 2018 budget resolution for a number of reasons. Not the least of which that the underlying assumptions are grossly misleading. It assumes fictions like hundreds of billions of dollars from the repeal of the Affordable Care act, and it assumes an Economic Growth rate of 3 , which most economists on both sides do not believe is possible. This budget is merely a vehicle for republicans to fast track tax cuts for millionaires, billionaires and large corporations. Any assertion of cuts for working families is debunked by experts like leonard berman, cofounder of the Tax Policy Center, which calls this utterly implausible. Mr. Speaker, the facts are this. 80 of the republican tax cuts go to the top 1 by 2027. The average tax cut for the top 207,000. Will be 42 million middle class households will face a tax increase, including those earning between 50,000 and 150,000 who will see a tax increase of 1 3. Thats what this budget lays the path forward. Lets look at kansas, a place where Republican Legislature has rolled back the tax cuts that they passed from several years ago because they simply didnt work and put kansas economy into a downward spiral. We know who wins under this budget resolution. Simply paves the way for a huge tax cut for the wealthiest millionaires, billionaires and corporations. Thats wrong and i urge a no vote on this budget. Thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields. The gentleman from kentucky reserves. The gentlewoman from tennessee is recognized. Mrs. Black thank you, mr. Speaker. It is now my honor to yield three minutes to the gentleman from california, also a member of the Budget Committee, mr. Mcclintock. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for three minutes. Mr. Mcclintock i thank the gentlelady for yielding. Mr. Speaker, unsustainable Government Spending drives both taxes and debt. The budget resolution sets the spending architecture for the fiscal year. The house version provided for 200 billion of enforceable mandatory spending reductions over 10 years and balanced within the decade. The Senate Amendments gut these provisions. Squandering the one Opportunity Congress has each year to bring mandatory spending under control, taking us another year closer to a sovereign debt crisis. I condemn it in the strongest terms. The senate, though, has retained just one key provision from the house budget. It makes tax reform possible this year. Tax reform is essential to Economic Growth and Economic Growth is essential to confront our debt. Now, many are alarmed it provides for 1. 5 trillion of Additional Debt, but this is do solely to the senate rules that require tax cuts to be scored only as revenue losses without taking into account economic expansion. During the obama years, our economy grew at an average of 1. 5 annually. Thats about half the average rate since world war ii. Reagan averaged 3. 5 . Reagan did this by reducing the tax burdens that were crushing our economy. He slashed the top income tax rate from 70 down to 28 , and income tax receipts nearly doubled because of the economic expansion he unleashed. Taxes driven by spending are the greatest threat to our economy today, and debt driven by spending is the greatest threat to our future. Controlling spending is currently impossible in the senate, so its obvious that we cant balance the budget and reduce our debt without significantly increasing Economic Growth. We cant increase Economic Growth without tax relief, and we cant get tax relief without the provisions in the senate budget. Arthur lapper, the architect of the reagan tax policy, forecasts that the Corporate Tax reform alone will increase g. D. P. Growth at a rate that should generate a temporary bump of 5 , settling down to an average of 2. 6 over the decade. This will add 5 trillion to the American Economy and directly increase revenues to all levels of government between 1. 8 trillion and 2 trillion. Now, we tried the static approach to tax policy during the obama years. The economy stagnated, and the debt doubled. I remember what it was like in the reagan era. Wages were rising, opportunities for better jobs were everywhere. There was a sense of optimism that comes with prosperity and abundance. When we abandon these policies we lost that prosperity to a decade of despair. I want my kids to know what sense of relief and optimism was like, what it feels like when morning dawns again in the American Economy. This resolution starts that transformation, and i urge its adoption. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentlewoman from tennessee reserves. The gentleman from kentucky is recognized. Mr. Yarmuth mr. Speaker, i should remind the prior speaker, my friend from california, that arthur was also the architect of the kansas plan which was disastrous for that state, so citing him as a source, id be a little bit ca