[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 200 (Wednesday, December 19, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7885]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                ECONOMY

  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I noticed today news reports from Bloomberg 
that the year 2017 is shaping up to be or likely was the most 
profitable year in Wall Street history. So what is Congress's reaction 
to that? What happens in the majority leader's office? More special 
interest legislation, more breaks for Wall Street, more tax cuts. So 
this Congress--this Congress has decided that Wall Street never quite 
has enough; that the richest people in this country are never rich 
enough; that the most powerful people in this country are not powerful 
enough.
  So what happens down the hall in the majority leader's office? What 
happens way down the hall in the Speaker's office, although voters this 
year decided this year to eject him and his staff and his cohorts and 
his fellow travelers--if I can use a phrase like that--from that office 
and elect a whole different group of people.
  What they have done is meet behind closed doors to help the oil 
companies, the drug companies, the gun lobby, and help especially Wall 
Street. In fact, not only are there all kinds of Wall Street lobbyists 
day in and day out--tobacco lobbyists, gun lobbyists, and others, but 
the White House itself looks like a retreat for Wall Street executives.
  We know that. That is why, I guess, Wall Street had such a great year 
in 2017.

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