The president and ceo of the United States capitol Historical Society. I just took this job in february, so this is my new adventure. But this organization has been around for more than 50 years, and we are delighted to have you all join us for a celebration of the distinguished history of the Senate Finance committee. We begin the program tonight with the presentation of colors by the United StatesCapitol Police ceremonial unit and the pledge of allegiance. Please rise. Forward march. March. Right shoulder. Now please join in the pledge of allegiance. 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. Thank you very much. You may be seated. Our celebration this evening is possible because we have generous support from the bank of america, from grant thornton, from allergen, from the National Retail federation, from the association of global automakers, United Technology and the ongoing support of our society members. We have several of our Board Members who are here. I would invite you to stand up. Anna, don, john. Board members of the society. Thank you very much for your work. [ applause ] we are here today to raise a toast to the Senate Finance committee. The finance committee is over 200 years old. Tracing its founding to a select committee that was created in 1815. In its first assignment, it was charged to reduce the enormous debt from the war of 1812, and it has been cope with debt limits ever since. The committees portfolio is large now, but in the 1800s, its jurisdiction was limited to financial issues. Tariffs, appropriations, the national debt, currency and banking legislation. In those days, the finance committee raised the money and decided how to spend it. Protectionist tariffs versus free trade. A National Bank versus state banks. The gold standard. The silver standard. Creation of paper money. The income tax. Critical issues of each era of our nations history were debated by this committee with strongly held and often opposing views. One would say that the issues before the committee have come full circle as tariffs are once again a topic of national debate. The Committee Also shapes social programs, enacting measures to aid veterans, to provide income and health care for seniors and those with special needs and to look after the welfare of children. As the issues became more complex, the committees authority became more focused. Much of its Spending Authority was transferred to the appropriations committee. Other responsibilities were also reassigned. Even so, its jurisdiction is so broad today that it is most often referred to as the powerful Senate Finance committee. As though the word powerful were part of its name. It is the societys tradition in these celebrations to offer a toast to the committee. So please join me, if you have your glasses, and if you dont, just pretend. And offer a toast to recognizing the long history and the outstanding achievements of the finance committee. To the Senate Finance committee for shaping the economic foundations of our nation, for the gi bill of rights and other programs supporting our veterans, for protecting the health and welfare of our older citizens, of children and those with special needs, for promoting International Trade and for a commitment to fiscal responsibility and economic growth. We salute the committee, its leaders, its members and its staff. Hear, hear. It is my honor to introduce to you the chairman of the powerful Senate Finance committee, the honorable Chuck Grassley. [ applause ] in addition to his leadership of the committee, senator grassley is known for his incredibly strong work ethic, his integrity and scrutiny of government spending. His dedication is obvious in his voting record. He has cast 7,600 consecutive votes. The longest record in senate history. Senator grassley was elected president pro tem for the Current Congress and is the senior republican in the senate. We could go on and on, but we will not because it is his turn to speak. Senator grassley. [ applause ] thank you. Thank you. As far as i was concerned, you could go on and on. Thank you for the recognition by the Historical Society. Its an honor to be here to recognize the original Standing Committees of the United States senate. The original one, committees on finance, was established more than two centuries ago, december the 11th, 1815. Contrary to what my predecessor may have led some people to believe, senator hatch and i were not original members of this committee. For more than two centuries, the Senate Committee on finance has steered landmark legislation through congress that has shaped American Society and our way of life, and i think you gave a better historical description of that than im prepared to do. And i appreciate your perspective of that. More than 100 years ago, it took passage of the 16th amendment to allow the federal government to raise revenue through the income tax. Since then, the most ambitious and sweeping policy changes under the committees jurisdiction is arguably social security, a critical income safety net for the nations elderly, survivors and disabled. The finance Committee Also was instrumental in the passage of the gi bill following world war ii to provide benefits to returning veterans, including tuition, home loan and unemployment. As a returning chairman of the finance committee, i thank the u. S. Capitol Historical Society for its very important work to educate and inform the american public. Theres very much an iowa connection with the u. S. Historical society. Your organization was founded by iowa congressman fred swankel who, at the time i came here, was a retired congressman, but still head of this association. Like congressman swankel, im a big fan of history, and our system of selfgovernment, fred swankel recognized the importance of an informed public citizenry. A defining moment for the future congressman from iowas First District took place two decades before he was elected to the u. S. House of representatives. Freds blooming interest in history, particularly the life and leadership of abraham lincoln, and he was considered pretty good scholar of abraham lincoln, was cemented by none other than harry truman, at that time not president harry truman. After delivering a speech in 1934, the future president of the United States learned about this Iowa Republicans interest in history. When introduced, truman grabbed the lapels of fridays coats and said Something Like this, you got to know your history, young man, if you want to be a good citizen. Fred swengel took that advice to heart when he was elected to congress in 1954. He immersed himself in legislative affairs to commemorate history. In 1962, congressman swengel launched the u. S. Capitol Historical Society. Since then, the society has led an outstanding effort to educate the public about the history and heritage of our nations capitol legislative branch and the u. S. Capitol. The stories are told that you never had a dig around the u. S. Capitol building if there was a hole fred was down in the hole trying to find the cornerstone, the original cornerstone of the u. S. Capitol. And i dont know how many times he took me on tours of the capitol and told me things that i since have forgotten, and i wish i could have remembered, because its so important for us to have those details. And he knew those details very much. So if we dont honor and remember how we got here, we will fail then following his admonition to find the best paths forward. In other words, knowing history about the past, and history is about the past and you have to know that to know what the right route is for the future. Consider just two recent examples. Last week we celebrated the Centennial Anniversary of womens suffrage vote on june the 5th in the United States senate. The next day, we observed the 75th anniversary of dday. These crucial milestones of history rang the bell of liberty for freedom and equality here at home and abroad. The Suffrage Movement paved the way for women to have a big voice in government, and we know today a very big growing voice in government, and thats what america ought to be all about, to make sure that every interest is proportionately represented. Operation neptune paved the way for our allies forces to liberate the entire continent and the entire people from tyranny and terror. One of the fundamental areas of jurisdiction of the committee on finance is taxation. One might argue that taxes and tyranny walk together and its a fine line. [ inaudible ]. Well, thats a marine talking there. We walk the fine line every day from the trenches of the Senate Finance committee. Winston churchill, the british bulldog, once quipped, quote, for bulldog once equippquipped, likn standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by a handle. Many of the most famous lawmakers that serve in the United States senate served on the Senate Finance committee reflecting its prestigious and influential work on matters of public safety. In fact, select committee a select committee chaired in 1959 by then senator john f. Kennedy chose the five most outstanding senators in the United States senate. Those five senators had all served on the finance committee, three of whom also chaired that committee, henry clay, john calhoun, daniel webster, robert taft. Looking back through the lens of history also shows three u. S. President s, eight Vice President s, and nine secretaries of the United States treasury having served on the Senate Finance committee as well. So to my colleagues here this evening, i would suggest that the 28 senators who currently serve on the finance committee have some big shoes to fill. Im glad to be here with my good friend and Ranking Member senator wyden. We have a lot of our legislative bucket full, and we hope to accomplish great things as every chairman and Ranking Member would try to do that. Having served previously as finance chairman a decade ago with another good friend and Ranking Member, senator max baucus, we appreciate, the two of us together, the value importance of cultivating bipartisan working relationships to get the job done. Im also glad to be here with tonights keynote speakers. Both are former members of the committee. You know they are on the agenda. Youll be hearing from them. I consider the years working with senators don nichols and senator Blanche Lincoln to be very favorable very favorable interactions with colleagues. You got me off key. But thats okay. You always did. These two people also appreciate the longstanding tradition of the Senate Finance committee. Sewing a colonel of bipartisanship is the most productive way to achieve lasting results for years to come. As i mentioned, the finance committee manages the legislative business that manages the taxpayers money. If the chairman or Ranking Member of the committee stubbornly work on opposite sides of the fence, we would have a very hard time weeding out our differences. Working together, we can cultivate, consensus and handle items in our legislative bucket. For the p116th congress, the committee on finance is doing heavy lifting to reduce drug prices for american people. Were working to improve access to Affordable Health care and strengthen retirement saving. We want to reclaim some of congresss Constitutional Authority to regulate International Trade. We hope to pass umfca trade issue and secure new Market Access opportunities request european union, japan and if possible and necessary, european union. Were eager to rebalance our trade relationship with china. All they say is a rising tide lifts all boats. When we paddle our oars in bipartisan waters, the Senate Committee on finance has a long history of legislative achievement on behalf of the american people. Im optimistic we will continue that strong tradition in this congress and beyond. So once again, thanks to the capital Historical Society for hosting and honoring the Senate Finance committee tonight. Thank you very much. [ applause ] thank you, mr. Chairman. Now you see what distinguished leadership we have. I also thought it was fascinating when senator nichols and senator lincoln got married, they took senator lincolns name. Just noticing, you know, times are a changin these days. My job is to recognize someone who was not part of that marriage operation but is instead the Ranking Member of this powerful Senate Finance committee, senator ron widen. Hes a distinguished leader. Hes one that we could go on all night but we shant. His constituents describe him as a good listener. Hes one who believes in a town hall and has a town hall in oregon every year. He uses those listening skills to hear arguments on all sides of the issue and try to find common sense. In addition to his post on the committee, senator wyden has the distinction of being the dean of the congressional organization. Senator wyden, please come. Just to put this in perspective, senator grassley has town Hall Meetings in all 99 of his counties. It is described as the full grassl grassley. I came over saying i was going to make sure this is a filibusterfree zone. I see my colleagues who will be very pleased about that. But i think that you may be here a while because a lot of people here tonight, i think, really came because they wanted to talk about upcoming debate about tax extenders. We may probably be here a little bit. I do have a few thank yous. I want to give the Historical Society another round of applause. Shes giving us the chance to look back at history and also a little bit of looking forward. So we thank her for that. Of course, my friend and inimitable partner senator grassley who gets up at the leisurely hour of 4 00 a. M. , and then runs some ungodly number of miles. Doesnt even take time out im on the intelligence committee, i know a lot of details. Chairman roberts headed it. Doesnt even take time out for what he really loves to do, another one of our shared passions, visit the dairy queens. So im really pleased to be able to be here with the chairman. Now, a lot of you may be wondering about this particular picture. This particular picture was from an extremely exciting moment of the Affordable Care act. And when it was taken barbara, you just snuck in. Thank you for coming. Lets give miss grassley a round of applause. [ applause ] were always glad to have barbara in the house. So this picture was taken at a particularly exciting moment during the Affordable Care act debate. When it was taken, and i sent it to senator lincoln, i said, you know, lets call it our honeymooner shot. What you have is Ralph Kramden over here on the left and his wife alice over here, looking as they always did deeply into each others eyes. Not. It will forever be a little bit of the finance committees history, jane, that we call that the honeymooner shot. Im just going to talk for a minute or two seriously. Because as the chairman said and also jane, what an extraordinary honor it is to serve on the Senate Finance committee. Im a first generation jewish kid. My parents couldnt possibly believe that i would have an honor like this. I went to school on a basketball scholarship, dreamed of playboplaying in the nba. 64 was too small, and i made up for it by being really slow. So thats what i wanted to do. To think that someone like myself, with my background, first generation jewish kid, would have this kind of honor just takes your breath away. And it says a lot about america. It says a lot about democracy. What ive been able to do is focus on the things that were closest to my heart. I was director of the oregon gray panthers when i was coming up, had a full head of hair and rugged good looks, and we always focused on the issues the chairman just mentioned, health care and economic security. You want to do that . The place youve got to go is the Senate Finance committee. There isnt any other place where you can do it. And i want to just close by giving you a little snapshot of what is still possible when a lot of people are saying everything is just too polarized. People are fighting all the time. Y