[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 126 (Thursday, August 1, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



        Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024

  Mr. President, today, the Senate has a chance to move forward on the 
Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act.
  Democrats are ready to vote yes to advance bipartisan legislation 
today. The question is, Will Senate Republicans join us to give 
Americans a tax break or will they stand in the way? The tax bill 
passed the House with an overwhelming vote of 357 to 70. It won 
majorities of both parties. It was led in the House by the Republican 
chair of Ways and Means, Congressman Smith, hardly a liberal. So we 
know this is a good and broadly bipartisan bill. For people who say 
that this is not bipartisan, go look at the House.
  Everyone in Congress is on board except Senate Republicans. 
Unfortunately, it seems like Senate Republicans plan to vote no today. 
Even House Republicans managed to unite long enough to pass this bill.
  With great respect to Senate Republicans, it is never a good sign to 
be more obstructionist than Republicans in the House.
  Senate Republicans love to talk about how they are the party of 
family and business, so it is very odd to see them come out so 
aggressively against expanding the child tax credit and rewarding 
businesses with the R&D tax credit. But that seems to be what they are 
doing.
  Instead of jumping at the opportunity to get this tax bill done, some 
Senate Republicans are organizing against tax relief. You heard that 
right. Senate Republicans are organizing against tax relief. Some of 
them were passing out leaflets at their lunch yesterday smearing the 
bill.
  Here is one of the nonsensical arguments Senate Republicans made 
against this tax bill: Don't you dare pass it, they said, because, God 
forbid, it actually helps American families and then Democrats will get 
some credit.
  Can you believe that? Does that sound like a pro-family party? I 
don't think so.
  Instead of focusing on the election, Republicans maybe should focus 
more on the fact that this bill actually helps families. If the bill 
becomes law, half a million kids would come out of poverty. Sixteen 
million kids from low-income households would see benefits increase. 
Business owners that invest in R&D and buy new equipment would see more 
money coming back to them, leading to more jobs, good-paying jobs. And 
the housing crisis in America would ease--one of our biggest crises, 
housing costs--by expanding the low-income housing tax credit, 
something I deeply cared about and urged to be put in the bill. I am 
glad it is there. And, of course, communities devastated by natural 
disasters--we have seen so many of them across the country in the last 
few weeks--they get greater relief.
  So thank you to all my colleagues who worked hard on this bill: 
Chairman Wyden for his leadership, everyone on the Finance Committee as 
well as Senators Brown and Casey and Bennet and Cantwell and Hassan and 
so many others.
  The ball is now in Senate Republican court. Senate Republicans can 
either choose bipartisanship and get this done now or they can choose 
partisanship and leave families hanging out to dry.
  Mr. President, I just want to note, this so often has become the MO 
of our Republicans in the House, Senate, and the Presidency. When we do 
something good and strong that Americans support in a bipartisan way--
that most Republicans support--they say don't pass it because it will 
benefit Democrats in the election.
  Donald Trump has said it repeatedly on border. We have seen it 
recently on crypto. We have seen it on so many other issues. That is 
not the way to help the American people. That is not the way to govern.