[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H7167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        AMERICA IS WINNING AGAIN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, obviously we live in 
alternative universes.
  Mr. Speaker, America is winning again, and before we embark on the 
August recess, let's take into account what just 18 months of unified 
Republican government has meant for the American people.
  According to the IMD World Competitive Center's 2018 rankings, the 
United States of America has overtaken Hong Kong as the world's number 
one most competitive economy thanks to faster economic growth and a 
supportive atmosphere for scientific and technological innovation. Our 
entire stock market is hovering around all-time highs.
  Our national unemployment rate has reached its lowest level in 18 
years. Female unemployment has reached its lowest levels since 1953. 
That is over 65 years ago. Black and Hispanic unemployment have reached 
their lowest levels ever.
  More than 3.7 million new jobs have been created since President 
Trump took office, including 358,000 new jobs in manufacturing. In 
contrast, more than 16,000 manufacturing jobs nationwide were lost in 
2016, the year before President Trump took office.

                              {time}  1115

  In 2017, an average of 16,333 manufacturing jobs were created per 
month; and last month, 26,000 new manufacturing jobs were created, 
bringing it to a total of 358,000 new jobs in manufacturing since 
President Trump's inauguration in January of 2017. And it continues to 
grow today.
  The U.S. currently has 6.6 million job openings. It is at an all-time 
high. There are now more job openings than there are job seekers in the 
United States for the third straight month. In May, new hires rose to 
5.75 million. That is the highest level in 17 years and the second 
highest level on record. An all-time high of 155.6 million Americans 
now have jobs.
  Now, back home in Pennsylvania's Third Congressional District, which 
is soon to be its 16th Congressional District, the unemployment rate 
has dropped significantly in all seven counties. In Erie County, 
unemployment is now at an 18-year low, and in Crawford County, it is at 
a 42-year low. Wages for workers in Pennsylvania and across America 
have grown steadily by almost 3 percent over the past year and are 
continuing to climb.
  Jobless claims, which are also known as unemployment benefit filings, 
have reached a 48-year low. That is half a century. Customer confidence 
has reached its highest level since 2001. Job market confidence and 
small business confidence are at their highest levels ever.
  Since President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December of 
last year, businesses have created more than 1.3 million new jobs for 
American workers. And thanks to the tax cuts, more than 650 companies 
and counting are reinvesting billions of dollars into their businesses 
and have given more than 4.5 million American workers and counting 
major bonuses or pay raises or benefit increases.
  In my home district, this has included employees for NexTier Bank, 
Erie Insurance, PNC Bank, Walmart, Starbucks, McDonald's, Chipotle, 
Home Depot, the National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation, and many 
more. Nationally, more than 100 United States utility companies have 
lowered bills for customers in 48 States. Since February of this year, 
90 percent of American wage earners have been opening bigger, less 
taxed paychecks with more take-home pay.
  In my home district, the average tax cuts for individuals is $1,230. 
For families of four, it is $2,427. Those are hardly crumbs. In over 10 
years, households will enjoy an average of more than $18,000 in take-
home pay, and these are dollars that they have earned and now they get 
to spend it the way they want to as opposed to sending it to the 
government for the government to spend it the way the government would 
like to.
  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has also established the brand-new 
opportunity zones, a program to incentivize private investors to make 
long-term investments in communities that have faced economic 
hardships, which means even more jobs are on the way. The New York 
Times has called this provision the first substantial Federal attempt 
to aid those communities in more than a decade.
  Mr. Speaker, in every measurable way, all Americans are better off 
now than we were just 2 short years ago. In every measurable way, 
America is winning again.

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