[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 21, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2987-S2988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Tariffs

  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, Friday's announcement that the 
administration had reached an agreement to remove steel and aluminum 
tariffs on Canada and Mexico was great news for American consumers, 
producers, and workers. Mexican and Canadian retaliatory tariffs on 
U.S. products have already been lifted. That is a big deal for American 
producers, especially for farmers and ranchers, who were hit the 
hardest by Mexico and Canada's retaliatory tariffs.
  Friday's agreement is also important because it removes a significant 
roadblock to passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. With 
the aluminum and steel tariff settlement and labor reforms recently 
adopted by the Mexican Government, two major Democratic objections to 
passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement have been addressed. Now it 
is time for the House Democratic leadership to indicate its willingness 
to take up the agreement in the near future.
  The U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement would boost almost every sector of 
the American economy, from automotive manufacturing, to digital 
services, to dairy farming. It would create 176,000 new jobs and 
increase wages for workers. It is time to take up this agreement. As I 
said, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free-trade agreement would be a boon for 
U.S. producers and U.S. workers.
  This is the kind of stuff we should be spending our time on in 
Washington--measures that grow our economy, increase opportunity, and 
improve life for the American people. That is what Republicans have 
been working on. Our policies have helped produce the lowest 
unemployment rate in 50 years and more jobs and higher wages for 
workers.
  Unfortunately, my colleagues across the aisle seem more interested in 
relitigating the 2016 election and accelerating their party's rapid 
move toward the radical fringe left.
  While I realize the Democrats are disappointed with the results of 
the 2016 Presidential election, it is time for them to accept the fact 
that they lost. It has been more than 2 years now, and Democrats are 
still more focused on opposing this President than on getting things 
done for the American people.
  When Democrats do get around to talking about legislation, too often, 
it is proposals from the radical fringe left, which is rapidly 
swallowing up the Democratic mainstream. Take the Green New Deal, the 
Democrats' plan for a government takeover of a large section of the 
economy in the name of clean energy. The estimated price tag for this 
government takeover is between $51 trillion and $93 trillion over 10 
years. To put that number in perspective, $93 trillion is more money 
than the U.S. Government has spent in its entire history, and $93 
trillion is more money than the 2017 gross domestic product of the 
entire world.
  How do Democrats plan to pay for this? Well, they don't actually have 
a plan. Their usual ``tax the rich'' solution won't work since taxing 
every wealthy American at a 100-percent rate wouldn't come anywhere 
close to paying for the Green New Deal. Should the Green New Deal ever 
come to pass, working Americans would face massive tax hikes for the 
privilege of having government dictate the design of their house and 
the type of their car.
  Then, of course, there is the Democrats' plan for a government 
takeover of the Nation's healthcare. Under so-

[[Page S2988]]

called Medicare for All, the government would take away Americans' 
insurance choices and force everyone into a single one-size-fits-all, 
government-run plan and then tax Americans to pay for it.
  Thanks to policies like tax reform, American families are doing 
better than they have been doing in a long time. They have been taking 
home more money. They have access to better jobs and more 
opportunities, and they are enjoying better wages and benefits. To most 
people, it would seem logical to continue and build on the policies 
that have gotten us here, but not to Democrats. Democrats want to 
overturn the policies that have gotten us to this point. Instead of tax 
cuts, they want tax hikes so they can implement their socialist 
fantasies. Instead of less government interference in Americans' lives, 
they want more. They think the government should be directing your 
healthcare choices, your housing choices, your energy choices, and much 
more. It is unfortunate that the Democratic Party is being swallowed by 
its extreme left wing.
  Republicans are going to do everything we can to protect Americans 
from Democrats' socialist fantasies and to continue to expand the 
choices and the opportunities available to American families.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Romney). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.