[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 14 (Thursday, January 25, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S256]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Bidenomics

  Mr. President, on another matter, yesterday, President Biden offered 
an eerily honest assessment of the state of the Union:

       We're fundamentally changing the economy in this country, 
     and everyone's getting a little worried about it.

  I don't say this very often, but the President is right about that.
  The historic inflation brought on by Washington Democrats' reckless 
spending sent the prices of everyday essentials--from groceries to home 
heating--literally through the roof. As working families grapple with 
shrinking dollars, credit card spending and unpaid balances rose last 
year.
  Of course, lower-income households with less of a cushion are the 
ones most affected by Democrats' inflation. As one analyst put it:

       The further you go down in income levels or the further you 
     go down in wealth levels, the cumulative impact of inflation 
     has really taken a toll.

  If the high prices on fuel and groceries weren't enough, cities are 
also facing staggering surges in violent crime. Here in Washington, 
homicides, carjackings, and robberies surged last year. More people 
were murdered in our Nation's Capital last year than in any year since 
1997.
  Just last Thursday, a 23-year-old was shot and killed while he was 
walking home from an event at a local church. The young man had moved 
to Washington to spend a year volunteering with at-risk youth in the 
community. His friends described him as ``a deeply caring guy who 
always worked hard to understand what people were saying.'' Now in a 
city that has lost its grip on law and order, this young man joins the 
growing list of victims.
  Stable prices and safe streets: These are two of the most basic 
responsibilities of government. But from City Hall to the White House, 
elected Democrats are literally failing the American people.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.