[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 166 (Monday, October 16, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S6383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Work Before the Senate

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, as I discussed with the President and 
the Vice President at our working lunch today, the Senate has a full 
schedule of important work ahead of us.
  The Senate's fall agenda includes confirming more nominees to the 
judiciary, administration, and other important positions. Later today 
we will resume consideration of another nominee, Callista Gingrich, who 
has been nominated to serve as our Ambassador to the Vatican. That 
agenda includes providing continued assistance to communities affected 
by the recent hurricanes, and we will process the President's 
supplemental funding request to do just that. The Senate's agenda also 
includes completing work on the budget resolution and advancing tax 
reform--two things that are critical to helping our economy finally 
realize its true potential after the stagnation of the last decade.
  This budget will be the next step to spurring growth in our economy. 
It provides a pathway to balance, it reins in Federal spending, and it 
honors our commitments to Social Security and provides for the national 
defense.
  In addition to these important aspects of this budget, it will also 
provide the legislative tools to advance tax reform. As I have said 
before, tax reform is the single most important thing we can do today 
to get our economy moving again.
  We think taxes should be lower, simpler, and fairer for middle-class 
workers so that Americans can keep more of their own hard-earned money 
in their paychecks. We think taxes should be reformed to end the 
perverse incentives that help keep American jobs and profits offshore 
and so it is easier to make and keep American jobs where they belong--
right here at home.
  We think it is time to take more money out of Washington's pockets 
and put more money in the pockets of the American middle class. That is 
why we know it is time for tax reform.
  The tax reform goals I just mentioned are shared by many, including 
the President, his team, Chairman Orrin Hatch, and Chairman Mike Enzi. 
As I said, to get there, we first need to pass the budget before us. I 
want to thank Chairman Enzi and the members of the Senate Budget 
Committee for all of their work in getting us to this point. As we 
advance that budget on the Senate floor this week, Senators on both 
sides of the aisle will have the opportunity to offer their input.
  I look forward to putting our finances on a better path with this 
budget, just as I look forward to continuing with the other important 
initiatives on the Senate's fall agenda.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. If no one yields time, the time will be 
charged equally.