[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 18, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2567]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Unanimous Consent Request--S. 4251

  Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, I was hoping we could arrive at 
a deal today, so let me try it one more time.
  Eight percent inflation, I think, is really high. Remember that the 
Federal Reserve's target is 2 percent. I am just here to see if we can 
work something out and get something with which we can control excess 
spending. So I am going to try one more time. I want to give Democrats 
a chance in Congress to step up and fight for families all across 
America who are being devastated by raging inflation. There is no 
reason not to get this done.
  My colleague objected to setting this point of order at 8 percent, 
but certainly no one can object to saying that, at 12 percent 
inflation, things need to change. Inflation over 12 percent would be an 
even bigger emergency. We haven't seen the CPI that high since Jimmy 
Carter.

  Think about it this way: Things are really bad now, and 12 percent 
inflation would be a 50-percent increase over the already sky-high 
prices we are seeing today. Remember, we started at 3 percent. Now I am 
offering my colleague a point of order that can only be triggered at 12 
percent.
  As in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 4251, which is at the 
desk. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and 
passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid 
upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Senator from Vermont.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, in reserving the right to object--and I 
will--I think back over the years to some of the debates.
  I remember, during the Reagan administration, when we heard so many 
speeches from President Reagan and his supporters on how they had to 
balance the budget. He did this at a time when he doubled and tripled 
the national debt, all the time telling everybody how they were 
balancing the budget.
  Then I heard the objections to President Clinton's budget, saying 
that it didn't do the wonderful things that the Reagan budget did even 
though, of course, it gave the United States the first surplus it had 
had in decades.
  Every so often, reality catches up with rhetoric, and because of 
that, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from Florida.
  Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, I am clearly disappointed that 
we have had three opportunities to try to do something here that was 
going to try to stop the reckless spending that is causing this 
inflation.
  I think all of us know that inflation is way too high. We also all 
know that reckless government spending is driving up the cost of 
inflation all across this country. I hope the Democrats in Washington 
will start figuring out how we can get inflation under control. It 
starts by living within our means. It starts by making sure that we 
live within our budget and that we stop wasting money.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, one of the ways you try to save money is, 
again, not with rhetoric but with reality.
  I would urge everybody to join with us on both sides of the aisle who 
are working to get our appropriations bills together so we can reflect 
the actual needs and go forward with that. Again, rhetoric is easy; 
reality is a tad more difficult.
  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. HAGERTY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.