[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 182 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S7072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                               TAX REFORM

  Mr. McCONNELL. Now on another matter, Mr. President, Members of the 
Senate are continuing to work hard to deliver much needed tax reform 
for families and small businesses. Yesterday, Senators, members of the 
administration, and tax reform advocates met here in the Capitol to 
discuss a mutual vision for relief. They shared the goals of 
simplicity, fairness, and economic growth. These are the same goals I 
have, they are the same goals the House wrote into its legislation, 
they are the same goals the President asked us to consider, and most 
importantly, they are the goals shared by many Americans across the 
political spectrum. So we are working together to get this done.
  This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and it will help us 
create jobs and boost the economy, while closing special interest 
loopholes at the same time. We can do all of this through tax reform.
  Today, the House Ways and Means Committee will continue to mark up 
its legislative proposal. I would like to once again commend Chairman 
Brady for his good work on the House plan. The hearings this week are 
building momentum to accomplish our goals for the American people.
  Soon, the Senate Finance Committee, under the leadership of Senator 
Hatch, will release its own plan for tax reform. Working through an 
open committee process, the committee will ultimately bring tax reform 
legislation to the floor. I am exceedingly grateful to Chairman Hatch 
for his continued leadership of the Finance Committee.
  As we continue to advance tax reform, I would urge our Democratic 
colleagues to join us. In recent years, many prominent Democrats have 
expressed support for tax reform. Since then, the need for tax reform 
hasn't changed at all. The American people haven't stopped hurting 
either. The only thing that changed was the President. So I hope our 
colleagues will put partisanship aside and work with us in a serious 
way to help us deliver real relief to families. I hope they will help 
us take more money out of Washington's pockets and put more money in 
the pockets of the middle class. That is the aim of this tax reform 
effort, and we are going to keep working until we accomplish it.

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