the cause of anti-communism for some time. >> "q&a," sunday night on c-span. on americanend history tv on c-span3. saturday that :00 p.m., american university professor aaron bell talks about privacy laws and federal surveillance of civil rights leaders. cointelpro just before the famous i have a dream speech. we must mark king is the most dangerous negro in the future of this nation. .m., vietnam 4:30 p war veterans and former members of congress reflect on lessons learned during the war. >> we learned the limits of military power during vietnam.

we learned that as a society, as a culture that you cannot kill an idea with a bullet. >> " the tax reformf belt were in the house, speaker ryan and other leaders spoke to reporters about the changes in tax policy and the benefits for businesses. this is 10 minutes. >> the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. >> i ask unanimous consent that all legislators have five days in which remarks can be revised for the bill under consideration. >> without objection. arer. speaker, today we delivering on our tax reform promise to the american people. for the first time never three decades, we are delivering a new

delivers more jobs, fairer taxes, and bigger paychecks to americans across the country. with this bill, and american family of four will see a tax-cut of over $2000. our local job traders will see the lowest rates in modern american industries and they can invest more in workers and future. businesses will finally have a tax-cut that helps them compete and win anywhere in the world, especially here at home. is our chance to make him on our promise and make tax reform a reality for the first time it 31 years. thank you and i reserve the balance of my time. >> id old myself three minutes. myself three minutes. what you are about to hear from our republican friends for the next 30 minutes is a following,

a mixture of theology and science fiction. then they are going to take you to revisionist history. this is the most regressive views of tax legislation that has come from the ways and means commission from the 25 years i have been a member. this is not about simplification. when you have a chance to look at the phase-in's and raise out see you will be passed out by the time you get to the expiration date. they said it would be about simplicity, would be on a postcard, you will need to carry around a billboard to know within the spell. here's the best part. secretary mnuchin said under no circumstances would people at the top and tax relief. i guess if you are formally in that 39.6 tax rocket witches -- which is7% lowered to 37% that is nothing?

to help with their argument, they doubled the exemption on the estate tax which will go 22m 11 main dollars up to million dollars. if you play at the bottom they will argue, everybody gets a tax-cut. get to revised history. 2001, president bush said everybody gets a tax-cut. included a budget tax-cut for everybody. the people at the bottom got $100, the people at the top got hundreds of thousands of dollars and this is a creative replay of exactly what happened than. in 2003, they came back and cut taxes again for people at the very top and blue and huge hole in the federal deficit which had been estimated at the time after clinton left on january 19, 2001, to reject surpluses of 5.6

troy dollars of the next 10 years. instead, the federal deficit dollars..1 trillion so here's the simplicity of their proposal today. trillionborrowing $2.3 to give a tax-cut to people at the very top of american society. that is not in dispute. in addition to borrowing the , the federal reserve board says they are projecting already three increases next year in interest rates. we do not know what this will look like by the time they get done, but this today is more about ideology than it is about public policy. think about it this way, this was done in one month. one single month. the entire revenue system of the united states is being transformed. additionalelf an

minute. not one public hearing was held on this bill and when they say today we had five years of public hearings, we did not have one public hearing on this bill. not one. no witness testimony was sought, no committee was convened for the purpose of a hearing. then we went to conference. we will granted an opening statement and we got to mention -- we got to question the nonpartisan member. this is a missed opportunity for both sides to have accomplished something great for the american people. i reserve the balance of my time. >> gentleman from texas. >> i yield to minutes to the gentleman from california. >> gentleman from texas for two minutes. bags i stood here two weeks ago to stand in support for the tax reform bill. since then come i participated in the process of strengthening this bill and making it even

more transformative. that is why continue to stand in strong support of the bill and the accord we will vote on today. wait any afford to longer to reform our broken tax-cut. should we fail, businesses will continue to leave the united states for tax purposes taking thousands of good paying jobs, american jobs, with them. to businesses will continue suffer the damaging effects of a bewildering np in and of tax-cut the gives unfair advantages to the larger, well-connected competitors. all of this will take to put pass this bill. for years, i have advocated for full and immediate expensing which will allow costs to be written off immediately for businesses of all sizes. this is one of the many thisrowth pieces of legislation. i hope they will see this and make the important decision to

extend a before and i stand here with my colleagues on a historic day in front of one of the most romantic reform bills to come to this body since i came to congress. it simplifies the code, grows the code, gross economy, and allows strong business investment. i've said before i will not accept the status quo of our broken text go door minimal reform that merely adjust rates. code intoansform the a system that is simpler, fairer, and encourages economic growth and set of suppressing it. that is what this bill does and that is where strongly support its passage. back.d >> the gentleman from massachusetts. >> i would like to yield one minute to the gentleman from michigan. >> the gentleman from michigan is recognized for one minute without objection. 35 years in my congress, this is one of the i have everul bills

seen. it is deceitful when republicans say the bill is focused on the middle class. at making theimed very wealthy even wealthier, and and forcing millions of middle-class families to pay higher taxes. it is deceitful when it says it makes the tax code simpler. it creates complicated new loopholes while allowing existing loopholes such as carried interest to continue. it is deceitful when the well will increase the outsourcing of american jobs while providing a rate in foreign investing compared to investing care. it is deceitful about the debt. republican say, do not worry but extending them would raise the bill to an already devastating effect on the deficit to 2.3 trillion dollars. republicans are rushing this bill but in their haste a are already too late. the majority of the american

people already say this bill is a deceitful sham. i yield back. >> the gentleman from texas. >> i am very proud to yield two minutes to the gentleman from illinois. >> is recognized for two minutes. >> thank you for yielding. we've heard some strong language for the past couple minutes. this has been described as theology, science fiction, ideology, now d seat. where is the d seat? it is in the assumption we can live with the status quo, mr. speaker. the deceit as a blindness to the recognition that we have a tax code that is literally dissolving underneath is. it is dissolving underneath is. this congress has not opportunity to do something transformational and i propose, lung with my colleagues, to be transformational and opportunistic. ofre's a lot of discussion

the subtext about class envy and a opportunity and so forth. here's what i know -- it is the status quo that is serving the few. -- the status us quo that is so outputting and unsettling and keeps people at arms length. we're proposing something very different. we're proposing the economics of opportunity, not envy. the economics of buoyancy and the economics of participation. there in lies the foundation of this bill. relief thatx rate my constituents are longing for. it offers a business environment in the mail you that makes things happen and happen for the good. i am pleased and honored to be part of this. vote yes colleagues to and let us celebrate. >> i would like to yield one

minute from the gym from georgia, one of the great congressman of our times, john lewis. >> the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. speaker, i want to thank my good friend the ranking member for yielding. reportto oppose this with every bone in my body. trillion is a $2.3 gift for wall street, the rich, and the wealthy. this bill was conceived in the burstss of the night and with the help of your donors. this bill is not for the people. it is not of the people. and, mr. speaker, it is not tax reform. donors are being rewarded

and our children and grandchildren will suffer. this is not fair. this is not just. it is below the dignity and the worth of this body. mr. speaker, i have said on many occasions that you cannot get led from a turnip. you cannot justify robbing poor peter to pay billionaire paul. mr. speaker, when this bill is due, the chickens will come home to roost. i urge all of my colleagues to be on the right side of history this.te against thank you. >> the gentleman from texas. >> mr. speaker, i am proud to yield two minutes to the chairwoman of the chairwoman of the budget ways and means committee. >> thank you. this is purely a monumental day for the american people.

during my seven years here in the house starting on the ways and means committee, we studied, considered, and outlined the sorts of reform that could benefit the american people. for hr one, the tax cuts and jobs act, i am proud we kept our promise to provide tax relief for hard-working middle income families and making the tax code all.er and fairer for it has been more than three decades since howard nations tax system has been modernized and this is finally the day to change that. i want to remind my colleagues the process began long before this year when passing of the budget provided the key to our ideas for conservative tax reform were finally unlocked and could be pursued for real tax reform. of that question, this conference report reflects our shared conservative and suppose. the conference agreement addresses the heavy tax burden

weighing down hard-working americans and holding back job creators. brings simplicity to the tax code and helps low and middle income americans see more of their hard-earned dollars and their paychecks and it empowers entrepreneurs and small businesses to continue opening, operating, and expanding on main street. with every major legislative effort there will be critics, but the critics have it wrong. the truth is the tax cuts and jobs act delivers relief at every income level and projects more hard-earned dollars. for the average family of four, this legislation means a tax cut $2000.ar of more than the point of this exercise is ,hat we are cutting your taxes plain and simple. i urge my colleagues to stand on the right side of history and support this legislation because the benefits will be felt by all americans for generations to come.

i yield back the balance of my time. >> the gentleman from massachusetts. >> i would like to yield three minutes to the general men from maryland. >> the gentleman from maryland is recognized. >> i was here 1981. they said 1981 bill would pay f. david stockman, a former colleague from michigan, was here and he was at o.m.b. then, and a few years later he wrote a book and he said, i said it would pay for itself and i knew that was not true. the same can be said of this bill. mr. speaker, history will indeed remember this vote. future generations of americans will remember who cast their votes to raise taxes on 86 million middle-class households, and heap another $1.5 trillion in deficits onto

our children and to our grandchildren. they will remember who cast their votes for a plan that ives 83% of its benefits to 1% of the american people. they will remember that president trump promised that the middle class would get a tax cut and the wealthy individuals, like him, would not before turning his back on that promise. they will remember those who cast their votes to kick 13 million americans off their health insurance coverage. and they will remember those who acted with the full knowledge that their votes would trigger a $25 billion cut in medicare. i know you said you're going to waive it, which will simply add $25 billion to the deficit, but we will remember those who stood up in the face of this dangerous and partisan bill and said no. and those of us who vote

against not because we oppose tax reform. on the contrary. we recognize, as most americans o, that this bill is not tax reform. it is a tax giveaway to those who don't need our help paid for by those who do. this is a reckless and dangerous deficit spending at its worse. in 1986, democrats and republicans worked together in good faith and over many months in an open, transparent, and regular order process to craft real bipartisan tax reform that helped the middle class without adding a dime to the deficit. not a single dime. this has not been an open process. this has not been bipartisan. this has not been transparent or through regular order. this raises taxes, as i said,

on 86 million americans will pay more taxes 10 years from now than they do today. this gives 83% of the tax cuts to the top 1%. not the $59,000 family that paul ryan talked about, but to those families making over $900,000 a year. mr. neal: i yield the gentleman an additional one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for an additional minute. mr. hoyer: this bill adds $1.5 trillion to the deficit. this is not tax reform. so republicans may pat themselves on the back in the coming days for having finally pass something out of congress. unfortunately, it's a bad thing. i urge them to remember that this vote may be the most consequential in their careers, not positively. i say to my friends across the aisle, stand up and say no with us and commit to start working on a product all members of the

chamber can be proud of as was the case in 1986. that's what ronald reagan did. in 1986, reagan did not go down this reckless and irresponsible path. stand up for the principles you use to aspows but are -- espouse but are now about to abandon. stand up for fiscal responsibility. stand up for the middle class. stand up for what the american people hope we would do. this is not it. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm proud to yield two minutes to the gentlelady from south dakota, mrs. noem. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from south dakota is recognized for two minutes. mrs. noem: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today as a farmer, a rancher, a small business person, but most importantly as a mom. i rise to support the conference report of h.r. 1, the tax cuts and jobs act. mr. speaker, my home state of south dakota, the average household income is $54,000 per year. out of that $54,000, our

families pay double the national average in energy cost just because where they're located. these are hardworking families and they deserve a break. the tax cuts and jobs act gives them that break by lowering tax rates, doubling the standard deduction, that family can go from a $833 tax liability to a $781 tax refund. that's a $1,600 different in after-tax income. $1,600 that go to benefit their family, their community rather into the greedy hands of those in washington. on top of that, the tax cuts and jobs act is designed to build a healthier economy, an economy which that family making $54,000 can get a raise, an economy that grows jobs. i am proud to serve on the conference committee that put this report together. i thank chairman brady for his leadership throughout the process. we worked hours, literally hundreds of hours putting this together and getting the child tax credit where it is today. we had rigorous debates about

the benefits to rural america. i am thrilled to be able to go home and tell south dakota farmers and ranchers they will have new expensing tools, a new small business deduction, significantly lower individual rates. while i am disappointed this bill doesn't completely repeal the death tax, it does provide more relief to producers and small business owners. while no plan is perfect in anyone's eyes, this legislation puts more money in the pockets of hardworking taxpayers. the bottom line is this. the american people deserve more control over their paychecks, they worked hard for that money, it's time folks in washington respect that and thank you, mr. speaker. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: thank you, mr. speaker. with that i'd like to yield one minute to the gentleman from texas, a valued member of the ways and means committee, mr. doggett. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized for one minute. mr. doggett: between tweets, trump apparently had time to take those calls from his rich friends that kept asking for more and not even this lap dog republican congress initially

did enough to satisfy the trump family and their billionaire buddies. instead of adjusting the differences between the house and the senate, republican conferees last week secretly concocted even more benefits for them. those real estate moguls like trump, who had already been granted preferential tax treatment, can now take advantage of an entirely new loophole that was not in either of the previous bills. and just in case their endless loopholes left some donor behind, the republicans have provided a new across-the-board tax cut for billionaires. it's working families who will pay to put the platinum tinsel on this christmas tree for the elite. this is not tax reform. it's reward for the privileged. it's a christmas where working people get to keep the gift wrapping but the gift goes to

the wealthy and the corporate tax dodgers. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm really proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from ohio, our friend, mr. tiberi. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. tiberi: mr. speaker, this is an historic day. 17 years ago i got elected to congress campaigning on tax reform. campaigning on the fact it's not our money, it's our constituents' money, and today we're giving back our money to our constituents. their money to our constituents. bob and betty buckeye in ohio. more wages in their pocket. the bill also includes an initiative i worked on that's bipartisan called the investment and opportunity act with mr. kind, co-sponsored by mr. neal. this bill, authored by my friend, tim scott in the senate, will help areas that haven't seen economic recovery, it will allow private areas. nt in poor rural

mr. neal knows with incentives like that and low income tax credit, this will help those in communities that have been left behind with more money and working familiar -- in working families' pockets. i urge adoption of the conference report. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: thank you, mr. speaker. with that i'd like to yield one minute to the gentleman from california, a distinguished vietnam veteran and well-known and valued member of the committee, mr. thompson. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, this tax bill is bait and switch. republicans said the tax bill will simplify the tax system and help working people, not the rich. well, that's out the window. with this republican bill, 86 million middle-class households will see their taxes go up. and remember when the republicans said we'd be filing our taxes on a postcard. the postcard's now gone. instead of making our tax code simpler, republicans have made it more complicated. they've even added an additional bracket. and their claim this is not a

tax bill that favors the rich and the corporations, some of which ship jobs overseas, well, that's mularkey. well, there are some tax cuts for the middle class, they're all temporary. but the breaks for corporations are permanent. that's leaving too many people behind. and let's not forget about the state and local tax provision. because of the changes that the republicans are making, some home values in some states are projected to drop by 10%. the richest of the rich are getting a break. the top bracket is dropping from 39.6% to 37%. those folks are not your working class, middle-class families. to add insult to injury, it raises our debt by $2.3 trillion. it's a bad bill. please vote no. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm so proud to yield one minute to the gentlelady from kansas, ms. jenkins. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from kansas is recognized for one minute. ms. jenkins: i thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this very important issue. mr. speaker, i rise today to be

a voice for kansans who know our status quo tax code no longer works for them. they know it doesn't work when it favors special interests over individuals. or when it causes kansas factories to close, sending those jobs to other countries. i rise today because kansans know that without rejuvenated and sustained economic growth we will never find the money to pay down our nation's debt. that's why i strongly support h.r. 1, which will close special interest loopholes and lower rates for everyone, not just the rich, not just the poor, everyone. individuals in my district will see immediate tax relief with the doubling of the standard deduction and the child tax credit. we also lessen the financial burden of education by keeping important college tax provisions and expanding access to 529 savings plans. on average the family of four in my district will see a tax

cut of just over $2,300 because of this bill, a fairer, simpler tax code means hardworking family will see tax relief and economic growth this country rightfully deserves. thank you, mr. speaker. and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to yield one minute to the gentleman from connecticut, the former president of the state senate in the state of connecticut and a well-informed member of the ways and means committee, mr. larson. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from connecticut is recognized for one minute. mr. larson: i thank the gentleman and seek unanimous consent to submit for the record the congressional budget office accounting of the 25 million dollars -- $25 billion that will be taken out of medicare. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. larson: it's hard to be here today as we approach ristmas and not look at this bill and knowing that we have honorable members on the other side who this christmas will be sitting with their relatives, their family members, their mothers and fathers, their

brothers and sisters and to know that this creates not just the $2 trillion debt but the pay-for, the pay-for out of the medicare program, an automatic cut of $25 billion and a plan that was never debated. it fulfills a grand vision of grover norquist and the ideology that you took a pledge to. well, what about the oath of office and a pledge to the constitution and standing up for the people of this nation and the very elderly at this christmas and throughout the year who will need our help? . i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: members are reminded to direct their comments to the chair. the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: yes, mr. speaker. i'm proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from minnesota, mr. paul scenario. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from minnesota is recognized for one minute. mr. paulsen: i thank the gentleman for yielding.

one of my predecessors was bill frensle. he was the last minnesotan to serve on the ways and means committee. when tax reform was passed. it was 1986. and in the 31 yeerts since then, our tax -- years since then, our tax code has been one of the most complicated, unfair and most uncompetitive in the world. it's led to a stagnant economy with a sluggish growth, with america losing our manufacturing, our jobs, our enovation and our headquarters overseas. but -- innovation and our headquarters overseas. but today that all changes. today we'll pass and give minnesota employers the confidence and the capital they need to grow their businesses. to hire more workers. to give their employees a raise. this provides middle income families with tax cuts they need to save for their future and improve their standard of living. this helps real people with real needs. mr. speaker, tax reform for me is about one thing and one thing only. it is about restoring the hope for a prosperous future for ourselves, our patients and, most importantly -- parent, and, most importantly, our children. i yield adoption of the report and yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to yield one minute to the gentleman from oregon, a very capable member of the committee, and a champion of renewable energy, congressman blumenauer. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from oregon is recognized for one minute. mr. blumenauer: this bill will be the largest transfer of wealth in our nation's history, financed by mortgaging our children's future with a mountain of increased debt. it's not really even a policy. it's rather a collection of special interest provisions being sold on the false set of promises. it's not middle class tax relief. it is instead permanent and massive tax reductions for the largest corporations and wealthy individuals like donald trump. 83% will flow to the top 1%. everybody else will receive only a small and temporary tax reduction, ultimately 86 million americans, middle class americans, will have their taxes increased.

this legislation fails utterly to invest in the american people. with this $2.3 trillion. but it is a bananza for the attorneys, lobbyists and accountants, finding ways to further enrich the most privileged in america. and for weeks to come, we're going to learn more about the special gifts hidden within this bill to nail down the last few votes. no wonder the american public is opposed. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. blumenauer: they are right and the republicans are wrong. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm really proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from nebraska, mr. smith. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from nebraska is recognized for one minute. mr. smith: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of the tax reform conference report. this is a great opportunity to reduce the tax burden on americans across the economic spectrum, while modernizing our tax code for the 21st century -- for the 21st century. i'd like to take a few moments to discuss what this bill does for american agriculture. first and foremost, this bill cuts taxes for most americans

while simplifying compliance and transitioning us to a more competitive tax system internationally. in addition to retaining the deduction for state and local taxes for individuals and families, up to $10,000, this bill leaves in tact the full deduction for property taxes on ag land and property. in addition, i'm grateful this conference report includes a solution to concerns raised by agriculture coops and their members about the repeal of section 199. with commodity prices low, it is important we ensure the tax code continues to work as intended, with coops passing along their profits to their producer -owners. finally, while i would have preferred we repeal the death tax in full, doubling the exemption and keeping the basis will help provide certainty for more farmers, ranchers and small businesses. i thank the chairman and the conferees for their work on this strong product. i'm anxious for us to pass this bill and get it to the president for his signature.

i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: i yield one minute to the gentleman from wisconsin, a cameable member of the ways and means committee, mr. kind -- a capable member of the ways and means committee, mr. kind. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. kind: mr. speaker, if we're going to borrow $2 trillion from china over the next 10 years, it better be for a very good reason. and lavishing huge tax breaks to multinational corporations and to the most wealthy amongst us is not a good reason. i'm very concerned about many of my fiscally conservative friends across the aisle. it's why i offered an amendment that would have expanded the endangered species list to include fiscally conservative republicans. because you're about to go extinct under this bill. and under this bill you're creating a mess that's going to take years to clean up because of the potential for fraud and abuse. consider this. you're pitting a hastily written bill, drafted without one hearing, considered without feedback from people back home, without proper vetting, all over the course of a few short weeks, against some of the smartest

accountants and tax attorneys that money can buy. who do you think is going to win that battle? this is a bill that was drafted of, for and by the powerful special interests in washington, and it should be rejected. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: once again, the chair reminds members to direct their comments to the chair. the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm very proud to yield two minutes to the majority whip, the republican conference, the gentleman from louisiana, mr. scalise. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from louisiana is recognized for two minutes. mr. scalise: thank you, mr. speaker. and want to thank chairman brady for yielding time and for his leadership and the entire group of conferees on bringing this tax cuts and jobs bill to the floor. i want to thank president trump for working with us every step of the way, to bring us to an historic moment where we're actually going to provide tax relief to hardworking families. you know, there are those on the other side that would say, keep all the money in washington. stunt economic growth. continue to let america be noncompetitive, where we see

jobs go overseas, over and over again. large companies, thousands of jobs at a time. moving to foreign countries because we have the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world. well, mr. speaker, it's time for that to end. and we do end that in this bill. we finally make our country competitive again. so we can bring those jobs back. why deny opportunity for so many people who want a chance at the american dream? in our bill, mr. speaker, we cut every single tax rate and make it lower. that's more money in the pockets of hardworking families. on average families are going to see over $2,000 more back in their paychecks every year. that's real money. when you look at right now average savings for families is $400 in their checking account. this is real money to help people have better opportunities, to go put more money in their kids' college tuition account. when you look at what this means, it's not only good for economic growth and creating jobs and rebuilding our middle class. but it's historic in the

simplification where over 90% of american families will actually be able to do their taxes on a postcard. just think of how simplified that makes the code. the last time this was done was in 1986 and when ronald reagan was signing that bill, he talked about how hard it was and how many times people said it couldn't happen. in fact, ronald reagan read a quote from a headline and he said, the impossible became the inevitable. today, mr. speaker, we make that impossible the inevitable again and restore that hope and opportunity for so many families that just want a chance at the american dream. we give them that. let's pass this tax cuts and jobs bill today. get it on president trump's desk so we can finally see this economy going again. what a great christmas present this is going to be to the american people. i urge everybody to vote yes and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: i want to yield one minute to the gentleman from new jersey, congressman pass screll. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is rizz -- pass -- neal congressman

pascrell. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey -- mr. neal: congressman pascrell. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pascrell: many of you need counseling in economics. let's keep it simple. very simple. how about that couple that wants to send their kids to college, put a second mortgage on their house. can't do that anymore. cannot do that. that's not a middle class legislation. that's the stick it to the middle class. and, mr. speaker, this is serious business. i tell you what's simple. if you're born in a family with an estate worth more than $11 million, this republican congress is coming to your aid with a $3 million average windfall. and if this congress still practiced oversight, we would know from his tax returns that donald trump and his family will

see cuts worth millions of dollars per family. this is not good policy, mr. speaker. not at all. and it is dangerous. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm very proud to yield one mr. to my fellow texan, marchant. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. marchant: thank you, mr. chairman, and mr. speaker. today we are keeping our promise to the american people and sending comprehensive tax reform to the president's desk for the first time in 31 years. lowering the tax rates for middle income families and providing a tax cut for every income level in 2018 is a very historic christmas present delivered to my constituents in north texas. this year our country has, after many long years of low growth, began to experience the level of growth and economy that it needs.

this tax cut bill will assure americans years of sustained high growth and new jobs. mr. speaker, job creators and investors know that tax -- that tax cuts -- that the tax cuts and jobs act will create lasting economic growth and a booning economy for everyone. i urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill and deliver tax relief to the american people. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: thank you, mr. speaker. i would like to yield one minute to the gentleman from new york, the chairman of the democratic caucus and a good friend and former member of the committee, mr. crowley. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minute. mr. crowley: my colleagues, the republican bill is unaffordable. with a $2.3 trillion price tag. it's inequitable, costing working families more while cutting taxes by $200,000 for the top .1%. it's a scam and the american people know it.

is this bill about helping people who are living paycheck to paycheck? hell no. is this bill going to bring back jobs and lift up the middle class? hell no. is this bill going to make life better for cops, firefighters, nurses, truck drivers, students, veterans, teachers and shift workers? hell no. you know who this bill is going to help? corporate special interests. the wealthiest americans. and, yes, the trump family. my colleagues, if it looks like a scam, quacks like a scam, it is a scam. can you vote for this bill with a clear conscience? hell no you can't. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. members are advised to use proper decorum when speaking in ront of the house.

the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm really pleased and proud to yield one minute to the mr. man from new york, reed. mr. reed: all the people you referenced in the middle class, i say hell yes they are going to be helped by this bill. and you know what they're going to do -- i will not yield. and what it's going to do is it's going to let them keep their money in their pocket that they earned. the $1,600 for my average district resident. in my district. what it's also going to do, mr. speaker, is it's going to create jobs. and what does a job do for a person? i will tell you what it does. it not only puts money in their pocket, mr. speaker, we're going to have a new wave of optimism. we are going to have a new wave of opportunity where people will be able to go to work, soil their hands, and earn their livelyhood, which gives them dignity, which gives them pride

and gives them honor. this is a new day america and with tax reform and tax cuts coming, i say to all my colleagues, join us to stand for those hardworking americans and give them their money and allow us to give hope and opportunity to all of them going forward. ith that i yield back. mr. neal: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to yield one minute to a member of chicago, congressman davis. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized for one minute. mr. davis: thank you, mr. speaker. any way you cut it, with this bill, the rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer, and middle class families will get shafted. 13 million americans will lose their health coverage and people with pre-existing conditions can forget it. then the writers of this bill will be coming after entitlement programs, after medicaid,

medicare, social security, s.s.i. we're down to the wire. and no matter what is said, this bill raises the debt, raises taxes on middle income families, and provides wealthy individuals and cormingses with -- corporations with big tax cuts they don't need. . it's a sad day for my district. it's a sad day for the state of illinois. and it's a sad day for the united states of america. and i will vote no. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm so proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from north carolina, mr. holding. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from north carolina is recognized for one minute. mr. holding: mr. speaker, i'm proud to be here today to support this much needed overhaul of our broken tax code. the status quo we have seen over the past decade is unacceptable. and this bill will finally provide much needed relief to working families and put our economy back on o the path to stable and sustained growth.

this bill restores the global competitiveness of american businesses by lowering the corporate rate, and moving toward a territorial system. further, h.r. 1 provides our small businesses the lowest tax rate in a generation, ensuring these job creators are able to reinvest more of their hard earned money in our future. instead of handing over more of their money to the government, small businesses can hire that extra employee, open that second location, or buy that new piece of machinery or lab equipment that they need to take them to the next level by putting in place a tax code that encourages growth and rewards investment projected to be over 10,000 new full-time jobs created in my state of north carolina. i'm proud to support this transformational bill that will bolster growth and investment here at home. leveling the playing field for u.s. businesses. further, i look forward to tipping to work with my colleagues to ensure that americans across the globe have a similar level playing field to

assist -- thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: i'd like to yield one minute to the gentleman from new york, from buffalo new york, capable member of the ways and means committee, mr. higgins, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minutes. mr. higgins: mr. speaker, the rich and wealthy corporate winners of this republican tax scam loves company. and they just got the company of 14 united states senators who will personally benefit from a new 20% deduction for wealthy real estate investors with no employees to pass that benefit on to. one senator, who voted against the bill before he announced he was voting for it, stands to in $7 million annually and personally. the senator said he was unaware that he didsion and not read the bill. mr. speaker, the conference committee, the reconciliation process was to narrow the differences between these two bad bills.

not add new provisions that benefit rich senators. this bad bill just took a dramatic and potentially illegal turn that should be fully investigated before a vote is taken today. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, aim proud to yield one minute -- i'm proud to yield one minute to the majority leader of the house, the gentleman from california, mr. mccarthy. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is for one minute. mr. mccarthy: i thank the gentleman for yielding. before i begin i want to thank the gentleman. today we will take a for one vo every member on this floor will remember. the country will remember. check t year when people their checks and realize they have more money, they will remember who voted for status quo and who voted to make america come back. i want to thank the chairman,

kevin brady, for that work. mr. speaker, a month ago when the house passed the earlier version of this bill i said that for all the jobless, for everyone who hasn't gotten a raise in years, for the parents, for the small business owners, and for anyone who ever dreamed of being that entrepreneur and a small business owner, we heard you. is bill is the start of your comeback. when they win, that's the start of america's comeback. our country has faced some tough times. i don't have to tell you about that. for too long year after year, more and more americans gave up hope. they were out of work. or maybe they had a job they could not see past the next month or even the next week. they watched factories and

businesses close up shop and move out. even moving out of the country. nobody wants to see their communities hollowed out. nobody wants to feel like they live in a nation in decline. that's not who americans are. frankly, mr. speaker, we're not a country that gives up on hope. this legislation and the republican party's entire economic plan, they are giving people hope. can see it in the stock market. for every american who vests their retirement in a 401-k, 84 times it set a new record since last year's election alone. you can see it in the companies like broadcom. they were a company created in america. but they are not domiciled here today. they moved to singapore simply over our tax code.

so for those who want the status quo and want to keep broadcom in another country, go ahead and vote no. for those who believe in the hope of this country, even greater, looking at this bill, broadcom said they are coming back to america. mr. speaker, you know what that means? $20 billion in revenue in just a year. that means $3 billion every year invested in r&d. $6 billion every year invested in manufacturing. those are jobs we all dream about. the action of this bill is making it happen. you can see it in the faces of milies who learn that next year thousands of dollars that they earned won't go straight to washington, will stay at home. this is all in an environment of disinformation and fear mongering. i have seen what has been said.

to me, it's absurd. mr. speaker, leader pelosi said that this bill was, and i quote, armageddon. and quote, the end of the world. mr. speaker, i listened a great deal to what my counterpart on the other side, the minority leader, has said. and i have read when "the washington post" analyzed what she had said. now, when you say something that could be a little off and don't have all the information, they have this rating for you. she's had a rating on this. she did not get one pinocchio. she did not even get two. the extreme en get of three. she got the most pinocchios you can say when it's totally false, four. for her conversation about this bill.

mr. speaker, in such times when the other side will say anything political political game, i recommend the folks actually look at the bill. doubling the standard deduction. lowering rates. simply filing the code so you don't spend weeks, you spend minutes. doubling the child tax credit. ending the individual mandate. lowering taxes on small businesses to the lowest it's been in 40 years. creating incentives for business to invest and hire. that's not a recipe for armageddon. that's a hope for a nation to come back. the american people see through all this rhetoric. and they are going to feel it next year when they check their paychecks. and they see they keep more money because of the vote today.

they are going to feel it next year and the years after, and when they get that raise they have been waiting for, they are going to feel it more and more, companies announcing coming back home. they are bringing jobs right back to the u.s.a. they are going to feel it when we start looking to the future not with fear but with hope. i won't accept the status quo. there will be some in this body that will vote for the status quo. i won't accept failure. i do not believe anybody in this body was elected to preside over america's decline. i recently was overseas. and i was sitting at a dinner table with some elected leaders from other countries, some americans who are working in other countries, and i asked them, what is the impression of

what's happening in america today? and i thought, the reports i would get would be a little different. you know what they said to me? they said, america is back. you are now tackling big items again. not only are you going to lead your own country, but you will help again lead the world. they were fearful of the competition of rising america one more time. so don't vote for status quo. vote for a tax cut. vote for reform. n't vote because some leader whipped you and intimidated you. vote for your constituents. vote for your country. and vote to raise the paychecks of america. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: mr. speaker, the stock market's been going up whipped you and since march of 2009. we have had 88 straight months

of economic growth. i yield one minute to the gentlelady from alabama, congresswoman sewell. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from alabama is recognized for one minute. ms. sewell: mr. speaker, the republican majority is ramming this tax bill through calling it a, quote, christmas gift to the american people. i have never seen such intellectual dishonesty in my life. it's more like the grinch that stole christmas. poll after poll, and elections in virginia and my home state of alabama, the american people continue to send the message they do not want this tax bill to move forward. here we're watching the fiscal hawks of the republican party blow through every red light on the way off the cliff adding $1.5 trillion to the deficit. what's the rush, i ask you? last week the american people in my home state of alabama spoke up and spoke out. we deserve to have our duly elected senator to vote on this bill. what's the rush?

not one hearing. not one expert testifying. and no regular order. i ask you, mr. speaker, what is the rush? i believe the rush is because they know this is not a tax reform. it's a tax sham. the american people deserve better. my constituents from alabama deserve better. we should he vote no on this tax bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm proud to yield one minute to the secretary of the republican conference, mr. smith of missouri. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri is recognized for one minute. mr. smith: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i'm proud to represent the folks of southeast missouri. the district that i represent, the average median income is right at $40,000. it's one of the lowest average median incomes in the country. i have asked my folks back home just last week if they support this tax bill. and in fact, 67% say they support the trump tax i have asked my bill. mr. speaker, $40,000 back home

is aalry. it's not a christmas bonus that people get in new york city or california. it is $40,000 is their salary. mr. speaker, let me give you ome facts. $24,000 r, the first people earn in southeast missouri will be at a zero% tax rate. a family of four who makes $55,000 $24,000 people earn in southeast missouri will be at will pay ze tax. when you look at a median average i come in southeast missouri being $40,000, we're winners. what you are hearing on the other side is complete false and absolute lies, mr. speaker. i ask this body to support the conference committee. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: thank you, mr. speaker. with that i would like to yield one minute to the very successful gentlelady from ashington, congresswoman delbene. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from washington is recognized for one minute. ms.delbene: thank you, mr. speaker.

in this tax bill republicans have gifted the wealthiest corporations and individuals with massive new tax cuts and loopholes to take advantage of. when i go home to my district, there isn't a mother working two jobs to put food on the table or a farmer struggling through a bad year. to pay for a ying prescription who has ever told me that tax reform means corporate cuts on the backs of them and their families. to pay they know republicans always promise that the benefits will trickle down to working people. but they never do and they never will. what's worse, republicans have made it clear that cuts to social security, medicare and medicaid are next. this bill takes care of corporate special interests, the wealthy and the well-connected, while putting middle class americans' finances and health care on the chopping block.

we need tax reform that helps middle class families. this bill does the exact opposite. i urge my colleagues to oppose it. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm really proud to yield one minute to the gentlelady from indiana, mrs. walorski. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from indiana is recognized for one minute. mrs. walorski: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in strong support today of h.r. 1, the tax cuts and jobs act. if you believe the rhetoric you hear, you may think this bill means the world is ending. i guarantee you, it's not. the truth is this tax cut bill means a brighter future for the hardworking people and hardworking americans who will have more money in their pockets and a better shot at the american dream. here's the facts. we're cutting taxes for americans at all income levels. we're doubling the standard deduction. we're doubling the child tax credit. and preserving the adoption tax credit. we're keeping deductions for charitable giving, mortgage interest, medical expenses, and student loan interest.

we're approving 529 education plans and leaving retirement savings alone. people will be able to keep more of their money they earn and spend less time filing their taxes. mr. speaker, this isn't just a good bill, this is a great bill. this isn't the apocalypse. it's a new day in america. i urge my colleagues to make history and support this moment us bill and i -- moment -- moment us bill and i yield -- momentus bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: let me introduce the gentlelady from california, the former revenue commissioner for the state of california, which is going to tell us about the state and local tax deduction ending. congresswoman chu for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from california is recognized for one minute. ms. chu: we were promised a middle class tax cut. this is not it. what we have instead are tax cuts for the wealthiest, paid for by the rest. so what happened? maybe trump thinks multimillionaires are the middle class. or maybe this is all a tax scam.

to see how working families will pay for corporate interests, all you have to do is read the bill. hard to do because it was writ overnight behind closed -- written overnight behind closed doors. tax cuts, they reduce the tax rate for the wealthiest from 39.6% to 37%. state and local taxes, they cap the deduction to just 10ds,000. but in my state of california, -- $10,000. but in my state of california, the average deduction is $18,500. meaning families will be forced to pay taxes now on twice their income in order to give a staggering tax break to corporations. so hear this. 83% of the benefits of this bill goes to the top 1%. who gets cut? seniors, families, children. is this the right thing to do? the answer is a resounding no. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas, with 9 1/2 minutes remaining. mr. brady: thank you, mr. speaker. proud to introduce -- yield one minute to the gentleman from michigan, mr. bishop. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized for one minute. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of the tax

cuts and jobs act today. at its core, reforming our nation's tax code is about how we, the policymakers, view the rule of government in economy and society. over the past 10 years, the american people have seen a stagnant economy and a steady decline in labor force participation. meanwhile, the government has grown to an unprecedented level, the economy has slowed and our debt is nearly tripled -- has nearly tripled. all the while governments have given away sweetheart deals to select companies, leaving main street job providers to hold the bag. but all of that ends today. today we reduce the burden on job creators and families and today we create an environment that will generate real economic growth. the conference committee report before us today is about our constituent, about allowing our constituents and neighbors to keep more of their hrd an earned -- hard-earned money. we double the standard deduction which means joint filers, the first $24,000 of their income is free from federal income tax liability.

that's real money back in the pockets of working class families across america. the plan expands -- expands the child tax credit to $2,000 per child, to help families with the cost of raising children. for students struggling with debt, the bill preserves a student loan interest deduction and graduate students will continue to receive tuition tax waivers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. bishop: i thank you and yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: i want to yield 30 seconds to the gentlelady from new york, congresswoman velazquez, who will tell us about the great harm this does to new york and the island of puerto rico. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new york is recognized for 30 seconds. thank you, mr. speaker. members of thank you, mr. speaker. members of congress on both sides of the aisle, including the republican leadership, went to puerto rico. they looked the puerto rican people in the eye and promised to help. this bill betrays that promise. it treats puerto rico as a foreign jurisdiction, leskying new taxes on companies operating there. creating intendtifics for them to leave the island. all told, this provision will

cost puerto rico more than $2 -- 200,000 jobs. that is how you help puerto rico? this bill is morally bankrupt it. harms american citizens everywhere, and especially the 3.5 million citizens in puerto rico. i yield back. vote. no the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: thank you, mr. speaker. very proud to yield one minute to the gentleman from arizona, mr. schweikert. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arizona is recognized for one minute. mr. schweikert: thank you, mr. speaker. and mr. chairman. look, i'm going to give everyone a slightly different view. there was an interesting editorial this weekend in the "wall street journal" and it basically said, hey, those on the left look at income inequality. those on the right we look at economic expansion. economic growth. they're both honorable. but if you actually look at the data of the last 10 years, and our own c.b.o. projections of 8% next 10 years, 1.8 -- 1.

g.d.p., we're in incredible trouble. because you look at what happens when you have interest this flat-lined economic expansion growth, income inequality gets dramatically worse. you look at the charts when we've had time of economic growth, it closes. everyone gets a better chance. and if you actually do care about the promises we as a government have made to retiree, working people, veterans, young people, we will not have the resources if we continue for the next 30 years, as our own c.b.o. says, of $1 -- 1.8% growth. status quo is devastating. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: thank you, mr. speaker. let me yield two minutes to the gentleman from south carolina, the assistant democratic leader, mr. clyburn. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from south carolina is recognized for two minutes. mr. clyburn: thank you, mr. speaker. i thank my friend for yielding me this time. mr. speaker, i rise in strong opposition to the ryan-mcconnell tax scam bill. this bill should be named the

republican donor class relief act. because that's what it is. and several my republican colleagues and many in the media have admitted as much. this tax scam represents -- it will test a set of priorities, revealing deep depravity of american values. one of the first principles of our judeo-christian value system is grounded in what we do for the least of these. from the outset, this bill violates that principle by lowering the marginal tax rates on the wealthiest among us by 2.6 appointments while raising those rates on the least among us by two points. this tax scam bill adds insult to that act by doubling the estate tax exemption from 11 -- $11 million to $22 million. republicans add further insult to injury by lowering the tax

rates for corporations by 14 points, while raising tax rates on 86 million middle income families. it makes the tax cuts for corporations permanent and the miniscule individual cuts temporary. while also kicking 13 million people off their health insurance and increasing premiums for millions more. the tax scam caps deductions for state and local taxes and home ortgages and adds over 2ds trillion to the deficit -- $2 trillion to the deficit. our children and grandchildren will be left with the bill. mr. speaker, heftry will not treat kindly the crass cruelty of the so-called christmas gift for hardworking americans. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm really preeced -- pleased to

yield one minute to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. rothfus. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for one minute. mr. rothfus: mr. speaker, i rise in support of the tax cuts and jobs ability. today we move from a -- away from trickle-down government redistribution economy to one that is bottom-up organic and growing. while the trickle-down government of the last eight years was great for washington and the 1%, it did little for the rest of the country. today we turn the tide and put money back into the pockets of hardworking taxpayers and main street businesses. this bill gives immediate relief to moderate income and middle class families. a single mom earning 41,000 dollars with one kid will see a tax cut of $1,300 while a family of four making $73,000 will get more than $2,000 back. the question is, will we vote together and put this money back into the pockets of hardworking americans or will we keep that money here in wealthy washington, d.c.? will we vote together to level the global playing field for america's businesses and end the unfair status quo that sends american companies and jobs

overseas? it's an easy choice, mr. speaker. vote yes on this bill and let's make america prosperous again. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: thank you, mr. speaker. always an honor to introduce the gentlelady from california, the democratic leader, ms. pelosi. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. ms. pelosi: thank you very much, mr. speaker. i thank the gentleman for yielding and salute him for his extraordinary leadership in being a champion for america's working families. i commend him and the democratic members of the house ways and means committee. for putting forth the facts on what is in this bill. mr. speaker, today we choose what kind of country america will be. one that champions the ladders of opportunity for all, or one that reinforces the power of the wealthiest and well-connected. outside the congress, the american people have already made their decision. polling shows that americans oppose the g.o.p. tax scam by a

margin of two to one. hardworking families see right through the brazen con job republicans are trying to sell them. so why aren't our republican colleagues standing with their constituents? why aren't they joining us insisting on a better deal for american families? why aren't they joining us on-demanding that we write real bipartisan tax reform that puts the middle class first? because helping the middle class has never been their goal. from day one, the donors, lobbyists and the wealthy and well-connected came first. the frankenstein monster of giveaways and special interest loopholes we're voting on today proves -- and this monster will come back to haunt them. as frankenstein did. republicans claim that their bill is a middle class tax cut. the fact is, according to the tax policy center, their bill raises taxes on 86 million

middle class households. when "the washington post" asked edward conbart, former chief of staff for the joint committee on taxation, if the tax package in aggregate would mean a middle class tax cut, he said, that's delusional or dishonest to say. it is factually untrue. the only group you can point to that wins year after year and wins in very large magnitude is the very highest income. joint committee on taxation, former chief of staff. the only greater delusion in this bill is the ludicrous republican insistence, their claim that these giveaways to the wealthiest will pay for themselves. as bruce bartlett has testified in our hearing and in public, bruce bartlett is the architect of jack kemp supply-side economics, he said, when it comes to tax breaks for the wealthy paying for themselves, it's not true.

it's nonsense. it's b.s. he said the whole word. in a few minutes, republicans will vote to explode catastrophically our national debt. at a minimum $1.35 trillion. likely $2.2 trillion or more. where are the vaunted republican deficit hawks? are any dange -- endangered? are they extinct? do they care about the deficit when we pass giveaways for the rich and big corporations? they don't care about deficits then. tax breaks for the rich. corporate tax breaks. we don't care about the deficit. or do republicans only care about the deficit when the issue is helping children, seniors, our veterans, who are a large part of hardworking america? my colleagues, my fellow americans, remember this vote. remember the vote. when they will cheer at the end of this vote, they will stand up

and cheer, adding trillions to the national debt in order to give tax breaks to the wealthiest 1% and to big corporations. they'll cheer that. and they'll cheer when they say we can't afford to protect the health of our innocent children. remember, they will cheer when they tell you, we can't afford the next step. we can't afford medicaid, medicare and a diagnosenyified retirement our seniors spent a lifetime earning. that's an applause line for them. remember this day, when republicans cheer for a bill that hands a $4,000 child tax credit to families of four earning $400,000 a year. you earn $400,000 a year, you get $4,000 in child tax credit. but if you're poor, a single mom or a mother of two earning only $14,500, guess how much she gets? $75. $75. today we gather on this floor in the midst of a holy season.

in this season we celebrate the miraculous blessings of god. we reflect on the wondrous joy of children and our responsibility to them. we remember our duty to live justly and for those of us blessed to serve in this congress, we must remember our special responsibility to govern fairly, to meet the needs of all of god's children. in this holy time, the moral obscenity and unrepetent agreed of the g.o.p. tax scam stands out even more clearly. . this proposal appears to be the first federal income tax modification in american history that will raise income taxes on the working poor while simultaneously providing a large tax cut to the wealthy. they go op to say. this is simply unconscionable -- they go on to say.

this is simply unconsiderable. this is in the chair recognizes the gentleman from contrast to the words of senator hatch. remember what the bishops said. this is senator hatch. get back to the republicans. this is in sharp contrast to the words of senator hatch. he said, he's the chairman of the finance committee in the united states senate. author of this bill. he said, i have a rough time wanting to spend billions and billions and trillions of dollars to help people who won't help themselves. won't lift a finger, and expect the federal government to do everything. how about that? tell that to the moms we just saw speaking out with their children. children with disabilities. who wonder how could this be so cruel? this is an act of misery. not according to senator hatch.

and getting back to our bishops, in the encyclical, god is love, i said this before, but no effect on the republican side, pope benedict, the urgent moral wisdom of st. august continue -- augustin, 17 centuries ago, he said a state which is not governed according to justice is just a bunch of thieves. benedict, pope benedict went on to say, the state must inevitably face the question of how justice can be abelieved here and now. he cautioned against, in his words, the danger of certain ethical blindness caused by the dazzling effect of power and special interest. my colleagues, is there justice in a bill that rewards corporation shipping jobs overseas? jobs of hardworking men -- american he men and women,

veterans shipping those jobs overseas? is there justice in that? no, i don't think so. is there justice in a bill that pikes health care premiums and 13 million americans to the ranks of the up insured? no justice there. is there justice in the bill that raises taxes on 86 million the ranks of the up insured? middle class families? here we're. raises taxes on middle million class families and they try to present the delusion it's a middle class tax cut. is there justice in a bill that hands a breathtaking 83% of its benefits to the wealthiest 1% of americans? 83% of bep fits to the top 1%. -- benefits to the top 1% s there justice in a bill that explodes the national debt to give the wealthy and well connected a break and fix the debt with our children?

is that justice? i didn't think you thought so. i wish our republican colleagues would join us. is g.o.p. tax scam is simply theft. monumental, brazen theft from the american middle class and every person who aspires to reach it. the g.o.p. tax scam is not a vote for an investment in growth or jobs. it is a vote to install a permanent plutocracy in our nation. they'll cheer that later. it does violence to the vision of our founders. it disrespects the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform who are a large part of our middle class and to whom we owe a future worthy of their sacrifice. and it betrays the future and betrays the aspirations of our children. it demands, it morally demands a no vote from every member of this house of the people.

with that i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm very proud yield one minute to the gentleman from california, mr. mcclintock. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. mr. mcclintock: thank you. mr. speaker, i opposed the original house bill because it severely limited or abolished broad-based deductions, resulting in higher taxes for many families and high tax, high cost states like california. thanks to chairman brady's leadership, this bill is largely addressed these objections and in common days with much lower rates t assures nearly every lifornia taxpayer will pay lower taxes. more important still is the higher wages and bert jobs it means for all -- better jobs it means for all americans. last week i toured a country that makes the drugs. yet the actual medicine is not produced hire. it's produced in ireland because

the speaker pro tempore: the detect add disturbance in the gallery in contravention of the law and against the rules of the house. the sergeant at arms will identify the person or persons responsible and have them detect add disturbance chamber. in the gallery in

the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the gentleman from california is recognized for his remaining 20 seconds. mr. mcclintock: mr. speaker, i was saying that the actual medicine, the ingredients produced here but the actual medicine is produced in ireland solely because of our uncompetitive corporate tax. because of this tax reform, the company plans to grow amatically here at home, employing hundreds of new workers. that's what the democrats mean by tax breaks for the wealthy. the proof of these policies will year.ver the next and every american will be able to decide for themselves if they are better off because of it. i'm now highly confident their

answer will be a resounding yes. and every the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. neal: mr. speaker, i'd like to inquire how much time remains. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts has 4-s 3/4 minutes remaining. mr. neal: i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. four minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized for four minutes. mr. brady: there is only one fundamental question today, who gets to decide. when americans work hard for their money, who gets to decide what you to do with it? is it you or is it some nameless faceless government worker here in washington? when a family with young children is working feverishly to fund their kids' fuhr, who gets to decide how they spend their money? them or washington? the single mom fighting every day trying to get by and give a good life to her daughter, who decrees where her money goes?

when a main street business other, when they work late into the night and through the weekend, risking every penny they open to reach their dream, who gets that meager profit each day? does it go to you who earned it? exhausted at the end of a long day. or is it grabbed by a federal government who doesn't even know your name? except on april 15. our communities have watched their company's jobs and futures move overseas for too long. our local businesses, they have been fighting other countries with one hand tied behind their back from an old outdated tax code. they deserve a new tax code that allows them to compete and win anywhere in the world. especially here at home. and when they compete and win, who decides where that money goes? today washington says spend it overseas. our new tax code says bring it home. spend it here in america to grow our jobs, our paychecks, our community.

that's why this moment is so important. opponents of this tax bill, they don't really worry about tax cuts for the rich. they worry about tax cuts for you. because if you spend your money, they can't. if you have the first claim over your earnings, they no longer do. and if your dreams come before theirs, everything in washington changes. everything. given a choice between the federal government and you, we choose you. hardworking american taxpayers. we choose you, the only special interest that truly matters. americans deserve a tax code for new era of american prosperity. we deliver on that promise. because it's your money. mr. speaker, i yield back. and reserve.

the speaker pro tempore: reminded to address their remarks to the chair. the gentleman is recognized. mr. neal: i yield myself the balance of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. in one month we have taken the entire revenue system of the country without one public hearing, without any witness testimony, without the we itation of one expert, meaning the republican majority, they decided to go forward with this reckless plan. contrast this with reagan and and l and rostenkowski 1986. d in when gephardt and bradley first offered their bill in 1982, on tax reform, four years ensued

before the measure came to the floor for pass amming. in that time 450 witnesses offered testimony. every expert from every nook and cranny in america was invited to offer their vision of what a better tax system might look like. to those 1986. when gephardt and individuals, them all, because i went to the committee when mr. rostenkowski was the chairman, they saw that as the fabled achievement of their time in a bipartisan manner. you know what else? secretary reagan and chief of staff jim baker sat through the markups on that tax reform measure. has secretary mnuchin said, nobody at the top will get a tax cut. and then they cut the rate from 37. at the top to has nobody at the top will get a tax cut. we'll double the exemption on the estate tax so you might now keep $22 million rather than $11

million without any formalization of taxation. my friend, mr. brady, he is my friend, he spoke before about the people's money. you know what the people's responsibility is? a million new veterans from iraq and afghanistan. that's the people's esponsibility. when we talk about responsibility and the people's money, medicare is the people's responsibility. social security is the people's responsibility. medicaid today as we celebrate the extension of life expectancy in america, medicaid now cares for people with dementia and alzheimer's disease, that's the people's responsibility. they have carefully taken eology and wed it to science fiction. don't worry, tax cut pay for themselves. that was the offering in 2001. a trillion, $300 billion worth

of tax cuts. we get to 2003, another $1 trillion by tax cuts. there was time in between for a repatriation holiday. all advertised on the basis of job creation. and layoffs ensued almost the exnext day. this moppy will be used for stock buybacks and dividends. there will be little i vest n-that last opportunity where we should have invested in community colleges and vocational education. and apprenticeship programs. six million jobs in america go unanswered every single day. because of a skills alignment problem and also the horror of what opioid addiction has done across the united states and sidelined two million people. . so what they're telling us today is the following. we've got simplification. what happened to the postcard? as i said earlier, we're going to have to carry around a billboard for tax simplification. to figure out what's in it.

they keep talking about phase-ins and phase-outs. we'll all be passed out by the time they get done with this. this is more complexity. and wait until people have a chance over the next few weeks to sort what's in this bill. but here's something you might give some thought to. the bottom, you're going to get $60 year a -- a year. the second, you're going to get $380 a year. the top 1% are going to get --,000 a year and the top .0 .1% are going to get more. all in the mid -- name of middle class tax relief. as we proceed to the holiday, they're telling us, this is their christmas present. and you know what they're doing with it, it's going to be christmas hangover debt and they're putting it on the credit card and adding $2.3 trillion to the federal debt. merry christmas.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i'm proud to yield one minute to the gentleman who has devoted his life to this moment, tax reform, our speaker of the house, the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. ryan. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from wisconsin. the speaker. the speaker of the house is recognized for one minute. the speaker: i appreciate the gentleman. first, i want to start off by thanking all of the members and the staff of the ways and means committee for all of their hard work in putting this bill together. . want to thank them for this i want to personally thank one of my predecessors from the ways and means committee who helped lay the foundation to get us to where we are today and that is dave camp. dave camp did a lot to help us get to where we are. i want to most of all commend and express my profound

admiration to the architect of this measure, chairman kevin brady. his endless patience and his persistence and his great demeanor have seen this through and gotten us toier today. -- us to where we are today. my colleagues, this is a day i've been looking forward to for a long time. we are about to achieve some really big things. things that the cynics have scoffed at for years, decades even. ideas that have been worked on for so long, to help hardworking americans who have been left behind for too long. today, today we are giving the people of this country their money back. his is their money, after all. mr. speaker, the house is not in order.

the speaker pro tempore: the chair notes a -- contravention of the law and against the rules of the house. the sergeant at arms will identify the person or persons responsible and have them escorted from the house chamber. efore proceedings will resume. the chair will also remind all persons in the gallery that they are here as guests of the house and that any manifestation of approval or disapproval of the proceedings in the house are in violation of the rules. -- rules of the house. the chair recognizes the

gentleman from wisconsin, the speaker of the house. the speaker: i'd like to remind my colleagues and the speaker that my minute can last for as long as i want it to last. i'm just saying. as i was saying, mr. speaker. today we're giving the people their money back. the bottom line here is the typical family making the median income in america will get a 2,059 tax cut next year alone. what this is is real relief for families who are living out, paycheck to paycheck. struggling to make ends meet. they hear about the economy getting better. they turn on the tv and they see the stock market going up. but now we need to make sure that these people in our communities and our country who are struggling see their own personal economy getting better. and that's what this is all about. we have to understand the times are tough for a lot of people in this country right now.

today this is about how much better things can be. this is about more jobs, fairer taxes. it is about bigger paychecks. it's about faster growth and upward mobility. it's about a strong economy that makes all of us stronger and healthier. those are the effects, those are the benefits of tax reform. here is the heart of it. and here is why this is so vital that we do this. here's what it speaks to and what i truly believe is a generational defining moment for this nation. our tax code is so broken that it undermines the very thing that makes our nation exceptional in the first place. it punishes hard work. it discourages our entrepreneurial spirit. it dims freedom and free enterprise. it limits our potential of our own people. when americans see good jobs going away, when americans wake

up and they see the companies that they grew up with in their communities going away, they wonder if we have lost something bigger. the mission that drives us here today is to restore this beautiful american idea. what is that idea? that the condition of your birth does not determine the outcome of your life. you can work hard, play by the rules, get ahead and make a better life for yourself. and an even better one for your kids. it is that sense of possibility. we want people to be free to strive, to make the most of their lives. we want a country with the resilience to endure and tackle all of its challenges. mr. speaker, economic growth and job creation will not solve all of our problems. but it will help make all of our problems much easier to solve.

this is the direction that we are choosing here today. because we know exactly where the status quo leads us. for years the powers that be have blocked and stonewalled reform under the umbrella of an arrogant, condescending and paternalistic ideology. an identify yol that seeks to limit -- ideology that seeks to limit mobility, to limit aspirations, to accept less in our lives. it's a view of the world that sees life in the economy as a zero-sum game. your game comes at my loss, therefore we can't do it. look at where this got us. the worst recovery since world war ii, flat wages and an economy just limping along. stagnation is a breeding ground for a class-based society where elites predetermine the outcome of our lives. that is not the american idea. they will tell you this. just hand over more freedom to the unelected bureaucrats and they'll figure it out, they know more, we'll all just be ok.

hand over more of your hard-earned dollars to the i.r.s. and it will all be ok. there's your scam right there. we know given the opportunity there are no limits to what our people, our fellow citizens, our brothers and sisters can do. yet for years now this tax code has been skewed to the well connected. full of special interest carve-outs and loopholes. meanwhile, the hardworking family in america has got to jump through all the hoops that the i.r.s. can muster. reform means we bring rates down at every level. we clear out these loopholes so people can keep more of what they earn in the first place. because it's their money in the first place. no special favors, just basic fairness. reform means simplification too. nearly nine out of 10 americans

will still be able to do their taxes on the form the size of a postcard. that is amazing. and given the opportunity, there are no limits to what our workers and our entrepreneurs can do. while the world has changed, while the world's become more competitive, closer, smaller, our tax code has not. instead of leading, we've been following -- falling behind. to the point where we now have the -- now are the worst in the industrialized world at how we tax our businesses. we tax our businesses a whole lot more than our foreign competitors tax theirs. they win, we lose. that's not fair. it is basically open season for our competitors to come in and take our jobs overseas under the current tax code. reform means we go from the back of the pack to the front of the pack. so instead of the slow growth that we've been slogging through for years, we want to get back to real sustained economic

growth. we want to build an opportunity economy where there is more demand for higher paying jobs. that's the whole purpose of all this. make sure that people can grow up and reach their potential. make sure that the jobs are there to give people the careers they want so they can reach their potential, so their families can reach their potential. that's why we're doing this. this is without question the single most important thing we can do to once again make america the best place to do business. you know, there's more. just in this bill. with this bill, we're finally restoring the freedom to make your own health care choices. by preeling the individual mandate at the heart of obamacare, we are giving back the freedom and the flexibility to buy the health care that's right for you and your family. and finally, we are doing something truly to put america in the lead. we are doing something historic to develop our own energy resources. some people have been working here since i was in the second grade on this project.

after decades and decades in this chamber, we're opening up a small, nonwilderness area of the alaska national wildlife refuge for responsible development. it is the most ambitious step we have taken in years to secure our own energy future. this is one of those times to just take a step back. let's take a minute, collect ourselves, and step away from the noise. we talk a lot in these jobs about turning points. there is no doubt that we are at one of those turning points right now. and this one will determine the kind of country we're going to have this century. too often we have seen before how doubt creeps in, how the tyranny of short-term thinking takes over. and history, history fails to turn. there is, after all, a reason that this has not been done in

31 years. this really is a generational defining moment. and let's let this generational defining moment be defined by optimism, not by fear. by the rising aspirations of our people, and not the doom and gloom of managed decline that we have become too familiar with. this is our chance. this is our moment. let's turn at this turning point. let's reclaim the principles that have guided us for generations. let's recapture our destiny for generations to come so this beautiful story of the american idea is repeated and repeated and passed on to the next generation. a nation more united, more confident, more prosperous and, mr. speaker, more free. pass this bill. i yield.

sfnl the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas with two minutes to close. mr. brady: mr. speaker, let's pass this the speaker: on this vote the yeas are 227. and the nays are 203. the conference report is adopted. without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.

the we must mark king now, if we have not before, the most dangerous me grow in the history in the standpoint of communism and national security. >>