Who would strive to hurt them. May nothing blind them to your truth as you lead them through the night of mortality to the light that never fades. Lord, keep them calm in the quiet center of their lives so that they may find certainty in lifes swirling stresses. And, lord, fill us all with your peace as we strive to understand others as we would wish to be understood. We pray in your holy name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The presiding officer the senate will come to order. The clerk will read a communication to the senate. The clerk washington, d. C. , january 10, 2018. To the senate under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i here by appoint the honorable rand paul, a senator from the commonwealth of kentucky, who will perform the duties of the chair. Signed orrin g. Hatch, president pro tempore. The presiding officer the leadership time is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order the senate will proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. The clerk nomination, the judiciary, thomas lee robinson parker, of tennessee, to be United States district judge for the Western District of tennessee. The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell ive been talking all week about the ways that our historic tax reform law has been helping middleclass families. Its been less than a month since Congress Passed and the president signed the tax cuts and jobs act, but already more than one million americans are on track to receive special bonuses, permanent raises, and other benefits. And their employers are attributing these changes directly to tax reform. 100,000 employees of American Airlines are each receiving a 1,000 tax reform bonus. U. S. Bank is raising its minimum wage to 15 and is also giving 1,000 bonuses to 60,000 employees. 29,000 employees of nationwide insurance are also receiving bonuses and 33,000 are getting an increase in their retirement match. These are just a few of the 100plus companies that have already announced new benefits for American Workers as a direct result of tax reform. And these are only the immediate benefits. Mainstream economists agree in the months and years to come, the permanent changes we made to the way we tax businesses will make our economy more vibrant and more competitive. That means greater investment and higher wages for American Workers. Of course, all of this is in addition to the direct effects the tax cuts themselves will soon have on family budget. The tax cuts and jobs act reduced income tax rates and significantly expanded key deductions. We took money out of washington and put it right in the pockets of middleclass americans. Starting as early as february, the i. R. S. Will withhold less from paychecks and workers will get to deposit more of their hardearned money right into their own bank accounts. In 2018 alone for a typical family of four earning just over 7 0,000, the tax cuts and jobs act could mean a tax savings of more than 2,000. Nearly every day new reports come out on how this tax reform bill is helping americans. Here is a subject relevant around many kitchen tables this winter, utility bills. Utility companies are discussing plans to pass their savings on to customers. Major Power Companies in illinois, maryland, and massachusetts are already proposing plans to give their customers tens of millions of dollars in relief by lowering the rates they charge for energy. And get this, according to cnbc, a South Carolina electric and gas utility is planning to give a cash payment to 1,000 customers. More are following suit in montana, louisiana, and indiana. Utility companies are working to see how households can benefit. In kentucky there are a number of electric gas and Water Companies to make plans to cut rates for consumers. As any other as any mother or father who has to balance a checkbook, this is welcomed news to middleclass families. These deductions will be especially helpful to the most vulnerable in our society. According to data from the department of health and human services, utility eats up a significant part of Household Income for poor families. In silicon valley, a lower heating bill may go unnoticed, but for those who clean the office it will make a difference. So, mr. President , this is just another example of how the tax cuts and jobs act is rapidly proving to be a serious asset to poor rand middleclass families, precisely the people whom my democratic friends in the house and senate would get nothing at all from this bill. Its been three weeks three weeks, lower utility bills, a million of special tax reform bonuses and pay raises, and this is only just the beginning. The republican majority in the house, a republican majority in the senate, and President Trump listened to the facts and settled the political spin. Im proud we passed this historic bill and gave families across america the tax relief they waited decades to receive. Mr. Mcconnell i note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call quorum call mr. Schumer mr. President . The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer thank you, mr. President. Now, mr. President , we have barely over a week to negotiate a broad package of mustpass items, including an extension of government funding, a deal to lift the spending caps for both defense and urgent domestic priorities, a health care package, disaster aid, and an agreement to protect the dreamers and provide Additional Border security. The path forward on some of these issues is very clear. There is significant bipartisan majorities that would vote to extend chip, the Childrens Health insurance program, and community centers. There seems to be a growing consensus on something how we can pass the 702 phisa program. Im also confident we can address a disaster package that addresses the needs of the territories, texas, california, the western states that have been plagued by fires, puerto rico and the u. S. Virgin islands as well as modifying what the Forest Service does. So they dont spend all their money simply protecting fighting forest fires and not do the job that they are intended to do which is prevent future forest fires by careful forestry programs. And even where the path is murkier, mr. President , the outlines of a deal exist. If we dont lift the spending caps in short order, the sharp ax of sequestration will fall on the military side of the budget and on the domestic side of the budget. Thats a scenario Everyone Wants to avoid. The majority leader continues to insist that we should raise the budget caps unequally, sparing our military but not critical domestic programs that create jobs and grow our economy and help the middle class. We democrats believe we must absolutely provide the resources our men and women overseas need to protect our country. We believe that strongly. But we also know that there are many important issues here at home. Combating the Opioid Crisis, improving Veterans Health care, shoring up the pensions for millions of hardworking americans who are approaching retirement, dealing with Rural Development and rural broadband. These items are all crucial to the middle class. The deadly scourge of opioid addiction has contributed to the first Consecutive Year decline in Life Expectancy in the great United States of america since the early 1960s. Thats an astounding and alarming fact that should rouse everyone in this chamber to action. Its not occurring in most of our western country allies. Some of our veterans have been waiting in line for health care to veterans hospitals for over a year. These men and women served our country bravely. We have a solemn responsibility to serve them when they come home and were not living up to that responsibility right now. Over a million americans paid into Pension Plans with the expectation they could retire with basic dignity. For so many of them, teamsters, miners, food workers, pensions have fallen short and a lifetime of careful savings may be ripped away from pensioners at the last moment. Now, we could make progress on each of these issues through a budget that lifts the spending caps equally for defense and nondefense. The republican majority which conveniently forgot its long history of opposing deficits when passing a 1. 5 trillion tax bill cannot in good conscience turn around and complain about deficits here. So lets make the investments we all know are essential in both our military and in our middle class. Even on the most challenging issue we face, the fate of the dreamers, there appears to be a path forward. Yesterdays immigration meeting at the white house was encouraging for two reasons. First, practically everyone at the Table Including some of the most conservative voices on immigration, like the senator from iowa, agreed that we must resolve the future of dreamers by passing daca protections into law. Thats a very positive development. And second, President Trump appeared to endorse a narrow deal to protect the dreamers leaving the thornier issues for a debate on comprehensive Immigration Reform and the debate personally that i would welcome, the sooner the better. But first we have to do this narrow deal. President trump also backed off his demand that a daca deal include an expensive and ineffective border wall across the entire length of the southern border. Of course, the devil lives in the details. But we democrats have repeated time and time again that were ready, willing and eager to support effective practical Border Security measures in a deal that enshrines daca into law. The president yesterday seemed to agree with that. We agree with that. For these reasons the meeting was encouraging. Now, last night a federal judge ruled against the trump administrations handling of the termination of the daca program. Let me be very clear. The ruling last night in no way diminishes the urgency of resolving the daca issue. On this we agree with the white house who says the ruling doesnt do anything to reduce congress obligation to address this problem now. A court case, of course, is no guarantee of lasting security. A higher court can quickly overturn it. Unsurprisingly the department of justice responded to the ruling last night by saying that it, quote, will continue to vigorously defend their position and looks forward to vindicating its position in further legislation. So the fact remains. The only way to guarantee the legal status for dreamers is to pass daca protections into law and do it now. For that reason, a resolution to the daca issue must be part of a global deal on the budget. We cannot wait. We cannot tolerate delay. Delay is a tactic employed by those who do not wish to see a deal. Let me just say promises that may be in the future will do it, particularly on immigration have vanished by the wayside. Unless daca is on a mustpass deal, a mustpass bill, terms of a global agreement, people are rightfully skeptical that it will ever happen. Somehow, some where, someone will say i cant do it. And lets not forget the house has been a graveyard, even for immigration proposals that have had bipartisan consensus here in the senate. So it must be on a mustpass bill. Otherwise were not going to get it. Congressional negotiators and the valiant group here in the senate led by senators durbin and graham are focused on this issue right now. The meeting they had yesterday, i talked to both senator durbin and graham last night and this morning, are a clearer picture of the parameters of the deal. The iron is hot. We should strike now. Delay will snuff out the hope of getting an agreement both sides can agree with. Let us press forward. Each side will have to give. Im confident that both sides can come to an agreement on Border Security. Im convinced both sides want to find a consensus on daca. Some will support a deal enthusiastically, other reluctantly, but nonetheless an agreement is in reach and we ought to get it done through the senate, through the house, and on to the president s desk. So lets get the job done. Mr. President , i yield the floor. Mr. Merkley mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from oregon. Mr. Merkley mr. President , here we are at the start of a new year. Last year the republican majority decided to dedicate the year to government by and for the powerful and the privileged. But how about this year in 2018 . We Pay Attention to our constitution, which starts with that vision of the government not for the powerful, not for the rich, not for the privileged, not for the well connected, not for the wealthy, but for the people of the United States. A vision which power is distributed, power comes up from each individual citizen to create policies for the general welfare. Last year we saw this complete dedication to trying to wipe out health care for 20 million to 30 million americans in order to provide tax benefits for the richest. And how big were those tax benefits . Well, if you add up the provisions that are dedicated to the powerful corporations and those benefits for the wealthiest 10 , and most of that goes to the wealthiest 1 , those provisions stack up to over 2 trillion 2 trillion. Its very hard to get your hands around 2 trillion. Those are not numbers we use in ordinary conversation, but lets take that down to the amount of money per man, woman, and child, per citizen per citizen in america. Well, thats about 6,000 6,000 taken from the Community Funds for every man, woman, and child in america to deliver to the wealthiest americans. That was government by the republican majority in 2017. Not we the people but we the powerful and we the privileged. How about we have a new years resolution to Pay Attention to the vision of our constitution, to that vision of government of, by, and for the people . Ben franklin once wrote in Poor Richards almanac, be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man. Every new year a chance to recreate and reenvision where we are headed. And, certainly, it is a big vice to use this chamber in the convention of our constitution to pursue policies for the powerful and privileged rather than for the people. So lets set that vice aside, a bipartisan year dedicated to make a foundation so families can thrive, for jobs, health care, and a healthiers planet. Health care, and a healthier planet. Right now we should have a new years checklist of things to get done, and that checklist starts with the budget. We have just nine days until funding runs out for the federal government, and we all know from experience what that means. Parks shut down and medical Research Stops and passports dont get processed, and businesses cant check in on their i9 applications for their employees. Thats the type of conduct that happens in banana republics, basically in countries that dont have a competent system of governance. It should not happen in the United States of america, but here we are deep into the financial year, which started on october 1. October passed, november passed, december passed. Were well into january and still the majority leadership of this body is unable to put together a process that addresses just key, fundamental issues. Why is that . Because they were so distracted by delivering trillions of dollars to the richest americans and trying to destroy health care for millions of americans, that they didnt tend to the fundamentals that needed to be tended to. So lets take care of those things now. The Childrens Health insurance program. Here we are, it expired on september 30 of last year. Nine million children across america depend on this insurance. This insurance was crafted in bipartisanship. It was forged in an agreement between senator hatch, republican, senator kennedy, a democrat, who had very different visions of america but who could agree that families who didnt qualify for medicaid but werent affluent enough to buy insurance for their children should still have insurance for their children. These are the working poor of america, the struggling workers of america. As forged in it was forged in bipartisanship, but this year my republican colleagues decided to make these children a bargaining chip for their effort to get more for the privileged and the powerful. That has to end. When children do not have insurance, they dont get that dental visit to take care of those cavities, they dont get that medical exam, they dont get those vaccinations, they dont get treatment when they are injured because their parents cant afford to take them to the doctor. They dont get treatment when they are sick for the same reason. Lets take care of childrens hng. Isnt health care. This is not a partisan issue. It was forged in bipartisanship, and it should be so today. Also expiring on september 30 of last year was the legislation authorizing support for our Community Health clinics. Now, Community Health clinics are the front door to health care for millions of americans. Its that friendly place in your rural community, your urban neighborhood, you can go through the front door and get assistance. Talking about millions of americans who go through those front doors. More than 1,400 clinics across the country. These ar