[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2895-S2896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            ECONOMIC GROWTH

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on another matter, this week I have 
been discussing the stark contrast between the remarkable opportunity 
economy that Republican policies have helped to unlock for the middle 
class and my Democratic colleagues' hard turn toward far-left ideas 
that would stifle all the progress. Our colleagues across the aisle, 
particularly over in the House, have given top billing to the 
legislation that would end Medicare as seniors know it, eliminate every 
private healthcare plan American families have chosen to meet their 
needs, and replace all of it--all of it--with a one-size-fits-all, 
government-run insurance system while piling heavy taxes on the middle 
class. And, of course, they have touted a proposal to drop an anvil--an 
anvil--on a high-speed U.S. economy and shove a host of new Federal 
rules between American citizens and their everyday life choices--all in 
the name of going ``green.''
  Now, most of my colleagues across the aisle know full well what would 
happen if the supposed Green New Deal actually became reality. They 
know what winding down our affordable forms of domestic energy and the 
millions of jobs that support their production would do to a U.S. 
economy that is currently firing on all cylinders. They know what 
turning families' own choices about where to live, what to drive, and 
how to make a living into Washington, DC's official business would mean 
for the historic levels of job opportunities and the wage growth that 
we have seen over the past 2 years. All of that would come to a 
screeching halt.
  Remember, our Democratic colleagues tried to claim this outlandish 
proposal--this truly outlandish proposal--was just a conversation 
starter from the farthest left fringes. But, then, push came to shove. 
Then, the

[[Page S2896]]

American people really saw the score because we brought the thing up 
for a vote. Right here on this floor we had the vote, and only 4 out of 
47 Senate Democrats actually voted no. Only 4 of the 47 voted against 
this plan to bring our economy to a screeching halt. Forty-three of our 
Democratic colleagues couldn't bring themselves--couldn't bring 
themselves--to vote even against this--not even as Republican policies, 
taking the exact opposite approach, have helped the U.S. job market to 
drive unemployment lower than it has been in half a century--lower than 
it has been in half a century. They want to bring all of that to a 
screeching halt--not even as 19 different States have hit new record 
low State unemployment rates in just the year and a half since 
Republicans passed comprehensive tax reform.
  Well, I have good news for the American people. This Republican 
majority is going to keep fighting for you. We will not let these far-
left dreams get in the way of more progress for middle-class families.

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