[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 128 (Monday, August 1, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3794-S3796]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Business Before the Senate

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, the Senate gavels in for what will be a

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very consequential week for this Chamber and for our country.
  Later today, we will vote on the nomination of Elizabeth Hanes to 
serve as district judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. If 
confirmed, she will be the 75th judge this Senate majority has 
confirmed since the start of President Biden's term.
  In the coming days, the Senate will also finish its work passing the 
PACT Act, the largest expansion of veteran healthcare benefits in 
decades and a piece of legislation that should sail through this 
Chamber with overwhelming bipartisan support.
  Over the past few days, the Capitol steps have been the site of 
something we should never see in this country: dozens of veterans 
braving heat and heavy rain, protesting through the night, demanding 
that the Senate take action on their healthcare benefits. They are 
there right now as we speak. No veteran who has sacrificed for our 
country should ever have to resort to spending the night on the Capitol 
steps to secure their benefits, but sadly, in this case, they have.
  It is unfortunate that our Republican colleagues chose to block quick 
passage of this bill last week even though this is the exact same piece 
of legislation many of them supported in June, with one small technical 
fix. In the coming days, we are going to give Senate Republicans 
another chance to do the right thing, to work with us so we can send 
this bill to the President's desk ASAP.
  Since 9/11, nearly 3\1/2\ million veterans have been exposed to toxic 
burn pits in the line of duty, leading to complications like cancer, 
lung disease, and other illnesses, but instead of getting the care they 
need without delay, many veterans have had to hire lawyers and jump 
through hoops. They have to sue the Veterans' Administration to get the 
help they deserve and need, incurred as they served our country in 
dangerous places like Iraq and Vietnam. Is that incredible? They have 
wasted years fighting the VA just to get the care they need when they 
should have spent that time treating their illnesses. It is equally 
parts tragic and infuriating.
  Our veterans have already given their all to defend our Nation from 
threats abroad. They shouldn't have to fight a second war here at home 
just to get the healthcare benefits they rightfully deserve. These 
brave Americans sacrificed everything. They risked life and limb. The 
very least we can do as a country is ensure they receive top care.
  I urge both sides to work together to quickly pass the PACT act so we 
can send it to the President's desk ASAP.


                    Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

  Now on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, this week, the Senate 
will take action on a groundbreaking piece of legislation, one that we 
haven't seen in decades: the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
  Over the coming days, both sides will continue conversations with the 
Parliamentarian in order to move forward the bipartisan Byrd bath 
process. Our timeline has not changed, and I expect to bring this 
legislation to the Senate floor and to begin voting this week.
  Already, leading experts have confirmed the Inflation Reduction Act 
lives up to its name.
  The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget--by no means a liberal 
group--affirmed that ``almost every one of [this bill's] policies, in 
and of itself, will fight inflation. And on net, the entire package 
most certainly will.'' That is the Committee for a Responsible Federal 
Budget, whom our Republican friends often quote.
  Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers--recently the Republican 
leader's favored economist--said, ``This bill is fighting inflation'' 
and that ``this is disinflationary policy that's also going to make the 
economy more efficient.''
  Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's--again, hardly a liberal 
authority, someone who actually served as an economic adviser to 
Senator McCain--writes that our bill will have a ``material economic 
impact'' and said that the Inflation Reduction Act will ``push 
inflation lower.'' That is Mark Zandi.
  In short, the Inflation Reduction Act is going to be just what the 
doctor ordered for bringing down costs for American families. We are 
excited and eager to pass this bill through the Senate as soon as we 
can.
  Of course, of huge significance--this is one of the things that make 
this bill so historic--by a significant margin, our bill will also be 
the largest package on climate change ever--ever--passed by this 
Congress.
  By our analysis, this bill will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 
approximately 40 percent by 2030--that is a lot--and independent 
studies corroborate this.
  According to a new study by the nonpartisan Energy Innovation group, 
the Inflation Reduction Act would not only create at least 1.5 million 
new jobs by 2030, it also affirms that our bill will achieve 
approximately 40 percent greenhouse gas reduction by the end of the 
decade.
  Let me repeat that last part. This independent analysis says that our 
bill, if enacted, could cut greenhouse gasses by approximately 40 
percent. That is the number we believe it does. That is a very, very, 
very big deal.
  But with this bill, we are going to put the country on track to meet 
the climate goals we need to preserve for our planet, for our children, 
and for our grandchildren.
  Now, cutting emissions is not just about protecting our planet's 
health; it is also about protecting our kids' health, too.
  If we slash emissions, that means cleaner air for everyone, which in 
turn means fewer people suffer health complications that arise from 
pollution. It means less strain on our healthcare system. It means that 
communities--poorer communities, minority communities--long exposed to 
harmful emissions can, quite literally, breathe easy at last.
  In fact, the same study from Energy Innovation found that our bill 
could avoid as many as 3,900 premature deaths and 100,000 asthma 
attacks annually by 2030--3,900 fewer premature deaths, 100,000 fewer 
asthma attacks. These are benchmarks every single one of us should 
aspire to, regardless of party. Put simply, this legislation will save 
lives, create jobs, reduce costs, reduce inflation.
  Now, over the past few days, we have heard Republicans go back to 
their timeworn attacks that they use virtually against any Democratic 
policy. They are sounding alarms that this bill will raise taxes on 
American families, but it does not. Here is the plain truth: The bill 
will not raise any taxes--any taxes--on families making under $400,000 
a year. Instead, it will close loopholes long exploited by the largest 
corporations that essentially give them lower tax rates than many 
nurses, firefighters, teachers. You won't hear Republicans admit that. 
Why? Because they know that their tax policies are utterly toxic in the 
minds of American people.
  When you increase taxes on the wealthiest and corporations who pay 
nothing, they say: You are raising taxes on everybody.  Bull. They 
tried it in 2017. They went out there and said they had a massive tax 
reduction for the middle class. They called it a ``middle class 
miracle,'' even though they were just cutting taxes predominantly on 
the rich. I think it was like 70, 80 percent. It was a boondoggle in 
favor of the rich.
  They promised their tax bill would unleash a tsunami of economic 
activity. Instead, it led to record corporate stock buybacks, 
benefiting the wealthy and nobody else.
  So when Republicans talk about cutting taxes, what they really mean 
is cutting taxes for the richest of the rich. That is how their whole 
philosophy is. That is the people who seem to control lots of the 
Republican party.
  Our bill, meanwhile, will close tax loopholes in our Tax Code and not 
touch anyone--anyone--making under $400,000 a year. That is common 
sense.
  At the end of the day, the American people want us to do a few 
straightforward things. They want us to lower the cost of daily 
expenses like healthcare and drugs. They want us to lower energy costs 
and protect our planet for future generations. And they want to make 
sure that everyone plays by the same rules and that we close loopholes 
long exploited by powerful corporations.
  That is what the Inflation Reduction Act will do, and soon, Democrats 
will take action to pass this bill and deliver on our promise to make 
better the lives of the American people.

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  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Duckworth). The Senator from Iowa.