[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 144 (Tuesday, August 28, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S5962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                            ECONOMIC GROWTH

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, now on one final matter, lately there 
has been no shortage of outstanding economic headlines:
  ``Small business confidence hits another record high.''
  ``U.S. workers get biggest pay increase in nearly a decade.''
  ``Open jobs outnumber U.S. unemployed for third straight month.''
  But it is also important to look beyond the headlines and ask whether 
all Americans are benefiting from this new prosperity.
  For years, under the last administration, much of the so-called 
recovery only touched some communities and some industries. Many 
vulnerable Americans fell further and further behind. Today, things are 
different. A growing and vibrant economy has room for everyone. The 
unemployment rate for young Americans age 16 to 24 is now the lowest it 
has been since July 1966. Labor force participation among this same 
group is at its highest level in nearly a decade. The unemployment rate 
for workers with less than a high school diploma is now at its lowest 
level in recorded history.
  As work opportunities have opened back up, the number of Americans 
seeking Social Security disability benefits has plummeted. As one 
scholar told the New York Times, ``When the economy gets better, 
employers are more willing to look to other labor pools and be more 
accommodating. . . . People with disabilities also have a sense there 
may be something out there that fits their needs.''
  Remember, for much of the Obama economy, opportunity creation was so 
insufficient that many vulnerable Americans were effectively put right 
on the sidelines. The job market was too crowded. Openings were too 
few. But this thriving economy, helped along by Republican policies, is 
a different story. There are more and more opportunities for everyone.
  This reminds us that it is capitalism and free enterprise, not new 
government programs, that best equip Americans to provide for their 
families and pursue happiness. Free enterprise is what has led an 
aviation tech maker in Colorado to lean on a high school-age 
technician, whose skills are ``highly integral'' to the company. Free 
enterprise is what has led a semitrailer manufacturer in Wisconsin to 
hire inmates, as they reenter the community after paying their debt, 
and help them rebuild upright lives. There is an old line often 
attributed to Ronald Reagan: ``The best social program is a job.''
  While our Democratic friends keep railing against tax reform and 
regulatory reform, keep insisting we should compile more money and 
power here in Washington, Republicans know better. We know that a real 
recovery is when Americans of all ages, all abilities, and in all parts 
of the country have more opportunities to earn their own success, and 
we are proud that our policies are helping make that happen.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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