[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 190 (Friday, December 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7302-S7306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will
resume legislative session.
The Senator from Kentucky.
Amendment No. 3346
Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, I call up my amendment, No. 3346, and ask
that it be reported by number.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. Paul] proposes an amendment
numbered 3346.
The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: To adjust the normal and early retirement ages for Social
Security benefits and increase the maximum age for delayed retirement
credits)
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. ADJUSTMENT TO NORMAL AND EARLY RETIREMENT AGE.
Section 216(l) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
416(l)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
``(F) with respect to an individual who--
``(i) attains 62 years of age after December 31, 2024, and
before January 1, 2032, such individual's early retirement
age (as determined under paragraph (2)(A)(ii)) plus 60
months; or
``(ii) receives a benefit described in paragraph (2)(B) and
attains 60 years of age after December 31, 2024, and before
January 1, 2032, 67 years plus the number of months in the
age increase factor (as determined under paragraph (5)(A))
for the calendar year in which such individual attains 60
years of age;
``(G) with respect to an individual who--
``(i) attains 62 years of age after December 31, 2031, and
before January 1, 2033, 69 years of age; or
``(ii) receives a benefit described in paragraph (2)(B) and
attains 60 years of age after December 31, 2031, and before
January 1, 2033, 69 years of age;
``(H) with respect to an individual who--
``(i) attains 62 years of age after December 31, 2032, and
before January 1, 2036, 67 years of age plus the number of
months in the age increase factor (as determined under
paragraph (5)(B)); or
``(ii) receives a benefit described in paragraph (2)(B) and
attains 60 years of age after December 31, 2032, and before
January 1, 2036, 67 years of age plus the number of months in
the age increase factor (as determined under paragraph
(5)(A));
``(I) with respect to an individual who--
``(i) attains 62 years of age after December 31, 2035, and
before January 1, 2037, 70 years of age; or
``(ii) receives a benefit described in paragraph (2)(B) and
attains 60 years of age after December 31, 2035, and before
January 1, 2037, 70 years of age; and
``(J) with respect to an individual who--
``(i) attains 62 years of age after December 31, 2036, 70
years of age plus the number of months in the age increase
factor (as determined under paragraph (6)); or
``(ii) receives a benefit described in paragraph (2)(B) and
attains 60 years of age after December 31, 2036, 70 years of
age plus the number of months in the age increase factor (as
determined under paragraph (6)).'';
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) The term `early retirement age' means--
``(A) in the case of an old-age, wife's, or husband's
insurance benefit--
``(i) 62 years of age with respect to an individual who
attains such age before January 1, 2025;
``(ii) with respect to an individual who attains 62 years
of age after December 31, 2024, and before January 1, 2032,
62 years of age plus the number of months in the age increase
factor (as determined under paragraph (4)) for the calendar
year in which such individual attains 62 years of age; and
``(iii) with respect to an individual who attains age 62
after December 31, 2031, 64 years of age; or
``(B) in the case of a widow's or widower's insurance
benefit, 60 years of age.''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(4) For purposes of paragraph (2)(A)(ii), the age
increase factor shall be equal to three-twelfths of the
number of months in the period beginning with January 2025
and ending with December of the year in which the individual
attains 62 years of age.
``(5) The age increase factor shall be equal to three-
twelfths of the number of months in the period beginning with
January 2025 and ending with December of the year in which--
``(A) for purposes of paragraphs (1)(F)(ii) and (1)(H)(ii),
the individual attains 60 years of age; or
``(B) for purposes of paragraph (1)(H)(i), the individual
attains 62 years of age.
``(6) The Commissioner of Social Security shall determine
(using reasonable actuarial assumptions) and publish on or
before November 1 of each calendar year after 2035 the number
of months (rounded, if not a multiple of one month, to the
next lower multiple of one month) by which life expectancy as
of October 1 of such calendar year of an individual attaining
early retirement age on such October 1 exceeds the life
expectancy as of October 1, 2036, of an individual attaining
early retirement age on October 1, 2036. With respect to an
individual who attains early retirement in the calendar year
following any calendar year in which a determination is made
under this paragraph, the age increase factor shall be the
number of months determined under this paragraph as of
October 1 of such calendar year in which such determination
is made.''.
SEC. __. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM AGE FOR DELAYED RETIREMENT
CREDIT.
(a) In General.--Subsection (w) of section 202 of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402) is amended--
(1) in paragraphs (2)(A) and (3), by striking ``age 70''
each place it appears and inserting ``the maximum delayed
retirement age (as determined pursuant to paragraph (7))'';
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(7) For purposes of paragraphs (2)(A) and (3), the
`maximum delayed retirement age' shall be equal to--
``(A) during the period before January 1, 2025, 70 years of
age for an individual who has attained early retirement age
(as determined under section 216(l)(2)) during such period;
and
``(B) during the period after December 31, 2024, the sum
of--
``(i) the retirement age for such calendar year, as
determined under section 216(l)(1), for an individual who has
attained age 62 (for purposes of section 216(l)(2)(A)) or who
has attained age 60 (for purposes of section 216(l)(2)(B))
during such calendar year; and
``(ii) 3 years.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on January 1, 2025.
Mr. PAUL. I yield back all time on the amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Vote on Amendment No. 3346
The question now occurs on the adoption of amendment No. 3346.
Mr. PAUL. I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr.
Manchin) and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily
absent.
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator
from Florida (Mr. Rubio) and the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Vance).
The result was announced--yeas 3, nays 93, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 333 Leg.]
YEAS--3
Lee
Lummis
Paul
NAYS--93
Baldwin
Barrasso
Bennet
Blackburn
Blumenthal
Booker
Boozman
Braun
Britt
Brown
Budd
Cantwell
Capito
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Cassidy
Collins
Coons
Cornyn
Cortez Masto
Cotton
Cramer
Crapo
Cruz
Daines
Duckworth
Durbin
Ernst
Fetterman
Fischer
Gillibrand
Graham
Grassley
Hagerty
Hassan
Hawley
Heinrich
Hickenlooper
Hirono
Hoeven
Hyde-Smith
Johnson
Kaine
Kelly
Kennedy
Kim
King
Klobuchar
Lankford
Lujan
Markey
Marshall
McConnell
Merkley
Moran
Mullin
Murkowski
Murphy
Murray
Ossoff
Padilla
Peters
Reed
Ricketts
Risch
Romney
Rosen
Rounds
Sanders
Schatz
Schmitt
Schumer
Scott (FL)
Scott (SC)
Shaheen
Sinema
Smith
Stabenow
Sullivan
Tester
Thune
Tillis
Tuberville
Van Hollen
Warner
Warnock
Warren
Welch
Whitehouse
Wicker
Wyden
Young
[[Page S7303]]
NOT VOTING--4
Manchin
Rubio
Schiff
Vance
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 3, the nays are 93.
The 60-vote threshold having not been achieved, the amendment is not
agreed to.
The amendment (No. 3346) was rejected.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
Mr. SCHUMER. Came close. Came close.
Mr. President and my colleagues, we want to finish at a reasonable
hour. If we want to finish as quickly as possible, I would urge Members
to stay in their seats and answer to your name when it is called. That
will speed things up. Thank you. And we are going to have a 10-minute
limit on votes, period.
(Applause.)
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.
Amendment No. 3352
Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 3352 and ask that
it be reported by number.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Kentucky [Mr. PAUL] proposes an amendment
numbered 3352.
The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: To provide for automatic continuing resolutions)
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ___. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 13 of title 31, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 1310 the
following new section:
``Sec. 1311. Continuing appropriations
``(a)(1) On and after the first day of each fiscal year, if
an appropriation Act for such fiscal year with respect to the
account for a program, project, or activity has not been
enacted and continuing appropriations are not in effect with
respect to the program, project, or activity, there are
appropriated, at the rate for operations specified in
paragraph (2), such sums as may be necessary to continue the
program, project, or activity if funds were provided for the
program, project, or activity during the preceding fiscal
year--
``(A) in the corresponding appropriation Act for such
preceding fiscal year; or
``(B) if the corresponding appropriation bill for such
preceding fiscal year did not become law, in a law making
continuing appropriations for such preceding fiscal year.
``(2)(A) Appropriations and funds made available, and
authority granted, for a program, project, or activity for
any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be at a rate
of operations not in excess of the lower of--
``(i) 94 percent of the rate of operations provided for in
the regular appropriation Act providing for such program,
project, or activity for the preceding fiscal year;
``(ii) in the absence of such an Act, 94 percent of the
rate of operations provided for such program, project, or
activity pursuant to a law making continuing appropriations
for such preceding fiscal year; or
``(iii) 94 percent of the annualized rate of operations
provided for in the most recently enacted law making
continuing appropriations for part of that fiscal year or any
funding levels established under the provisions of this
section,
for the period of 90 days. After the first 90-day period
during which this subsection is in effect for that fiscal
year, the applicable rate of operations shall be reduced by 1
percentage point. For each subsequent 90-day period during
which this subsection is in effect for that fiscal year, the
applicable rate of operations shall be reduced by 1
percentage point. The 90-day period reductions shall extend
beyond the last day of that fiscal year.
``(B) If this section is in effect at the end of a fiscal
year, funding levels shall continue as provided in this
section for the next fiscal year.
``(3) Appropriations and funds made available, and
authority granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this
section for a program, project, or activity shall be
available for the period beginning with the first day of a
lapse in appropriations and ending with the date on which the
applicable regular appropriation bill for such fiscal year
becomes law (whether or not such law provides for such
program, project, or activity) or a continuing resolution
making appropriations becomes law, as the case may be.
``(b) An appropriation or funds made available, or
authority granted, for a program, project, or activity for
any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be subject to
the terms and conditions imposed with respect to the
appropriation made or funds made available for the preceding
fiscal year, or authority granted for such program, project,
or activity under current law.
``(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,
for those programs, projects, or activities that would
otherwise have high initial rates of operation or complete
distribution of appropriations at the beginning of a fiscal
year for which funding is made available under this section
because of distributions of funding to States, foreign
countries, grantees, or others, such high initial rates of
operation or complete distribution shall not be made, and no
grants shall be awarded for such programs, projects, or
activities funded by this section that would impinge on final
funding prerogatives.
``(d) Expenditures made for a program, project, or activity
for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be charged
to the applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization
whenever a regular appropriation bill or a measure making
continuing appropriations until the end of a fiscal year
providing for such program, project, or activity for such
period becomes law.
``(e) This section shall not apply to a program, project,
or activity during a fiscal year if any other provision of
law (other than an authorization of appropriations)--
``(1) makes an appropriation, makes funds available, or
grants authority for such program, project, or activity to
continue for such period; or
``(2) specifically provides that no appropriation shall be
made, no funds shall be made available, or no authority shall
be granted for such program, project, or activity to continue
for such period.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections of chapter
13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 1310 the following new
item:
``1311. Continuing appropriations.''.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. There will now be up to 2 minutes for debate,
equally divided.
Mr. PAUL. I yield back.
Vote on Amendment No. 3352
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there any debate?
Hearing none, the question is on agreeing to the amendment.
Mr. PAUL. I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Nevada (Ms. Cortez
Masto), the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Manchin), and the Senator
from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily absent.
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator
from Florida (Mr. Rubio) and the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Vance).
The result was announced--yeas 28, nays 67, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 334 Leg.]
YEAS--28
Barrasso
Blackburn
Braun
Budd
Cassidy
Cramer
Crapo
Cruz
Daines
Ernst
Graham
Grassley
Hagerty
Hoeven
Johnson
Lankford
Lee
Lummis
Marshall
Moran
Paul
Risch
Romney
Schmitt
Scott (FL)
Scott (SC)
Thune
Tuberville
NAYS--67
Baldwin
Bennet
Blumenthal
Booker
Boozman
Britt
Brown
Cantwell
Capito
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Collins
Coons
Cornyn
Cotton
Duckworth
Durbin
Fetterman
Fischer
Gillibrand
Hassan
Hawley
Heinrich
Hickenlooper
Hirono
Hyde-Smith
Kaine
Kelly
Kennedy
Kim
King
Klobuchar
Lujan
Markey
McConnell
Merkley
Mullin
Murkowski
Murphy
Murray
Ossoff
Padilla
Peters
Reed
Ricketts
Rosen
Rounds
Sanders
Schatz
Schumer
Shaheen
Sinema
Smith
Stabenow
Sullivan
Tester
Tillis
Van Hollen
Warner
Warnock
Warren
Welch
Whitehouse
Wicker
Wyden
Young
NOT VOTING--5
Cortez Masto
Manchin
Rubio
Schiff
Vance
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 28, the nays are
67.
The 60-vote threshold having not been achieved, the amendment is not
agreed to.
The amendment (No. 3352) was rejected.
Mr. SCHUMER. Please, Members, stay in your seats. Let's get this done
quick.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Schatz). The Senator from Texas.
Amendment No. 3360
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute.)
Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 3360 and ask that
it be reported by number.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment by number.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
[[Page S7304]]
The Senator from Texas [Mr. Cruz] proposes an amendment
numbered 3360.
The amendment is as follows:
(The amendment is printed in today's Record (legislative day of
December 16, 2024) under ``Text of Amendments.'')
The PRESIDING OFFICER. There are now up to 2 minutes of debate,
equally divided.
Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, everyone is here tonight voting on a
provision to treat fairly our retired police officers, firefighters,
and teachers. We should do that. The windfall elimination provision
treated them unfairly. I have been fighting to correct this since 2017.
We can correct this. We can treat our retired cops and firefighters and
teachers fairly.
However, the provision on the floor of the Senate tonight would add
to the Social Security trust fund $200 billion in debt. Every Member of
this Senate--Republican and Democrat--has promised to our voters we
will protect Social Security. The bill on the floor of the Senate
tonight would accelerate the insolvency of Social Security by 6 months.
My amendment fixes the inequity of the windfall elimination provision
but does so at a cost of only $25 billion instead of $200 billion. The
amendment on the floor accelerates the insolvency of Social Security;
my amendment has a negligible effect on Social Security.
Let me urge everyone: Let's support our cops and firefighters and
teachers, but let's also not throw our seniors down the river. I urge
you to vote yes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, just very briefly, the House rejected the
Cruz proposal by a wide margin. Voting for this amendment, sending it
back to the House right before the 118th Congress adjourns is, in
effect, a vote to kill the bill. I would urge the body to reject this
Hail Mary attempt to kill the bill.
I yield back.
Vote on Amendment No. 3360
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on adoption of the amendment.
Mr. CRUZ. I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr.
Manchin) and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily
absent.
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator
from Florida (Mr. Rubio) and the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Vance).
The result was announced--yeas 32, nays 64, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 335 Leg.]
YEAS--32
Barrasso
Blackburn
Britt
Budd
Cornyn
Cramer
Crapo
Cruz
Daines
Ernst
Graham
Grassley
Hagerty
Hoeven
Hyde-Smith
Johnson
Lee
Lummis
Marshall
McConnell
Paul
Risch
Romney
Rounds
Schmitt
Scott (FL)
Scott (SC)
Thune
Tillis
Tuberville
Wicker
Young
NAYS--64
Baldwin
Bennet
Blumenthal
Booker
Boozman
Braun
Brown
Cantwell
Capito
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Cassidy
Collins
Coons
Cortez Masto
Cotton
Duckworth
Durbin
Fetterman
Fischer
Gillibrand
Hassan
Hawley
Heinrich
Hickenlooper
Hirono
Kaine
Kelly
Kennedy
Kim
King
Klobuchar
Lankford
Lujan
Markey
Merkley
Moran
Mullin
Murkowski
Murphy
Murray
Ossoff
Padilla
Peters
Reed
Ricketts
Rosen
Sanders
Schatz
Schumer
Shaheen
Sinema
Smith
Stabenow
Sullivan
Tester
Van Hollen
Warner
Warnock
Warren
Welch
Whitehouse
Wyden
NOT VOTING--4
Manchin
Rubio
Schiff
Vance
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Baldwin). On this vote, the yeas are 32,
the nays are 64.
Under the previous order requiring 60 votes for the adoption of this
amendment, the amendment is not agreed to.
The amendment (No. 3360) was rejected.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The senior Senator from Idaho.
Amendment No. 3331
Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, I call up my amendment No. 3331, and I
ask that it be reported by number.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the clerk will report the
amendment by number.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Idaho [Mr. Crapo] proposes an amendment
numbered 3331.
The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: To delay the repeal of the Government pension offset and
windfall elimination provisions until additional changes are made to
offset any negative impacts on the actuarial balance of the Social
Security Trust Fund)
Strike section 4 and insert the following:
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
(a) In General.--The amendments made by this Act shall take
effect on the date on which the condition described in
paragraph (1) of subsection (b) is met and shall apply with
respect to monthly insurance benefits payable under title II
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) for months
beginning on or after such date.
(b) Requirement to Offset GPO and WEP Repeal.--
(1) In general.--The condition described in this paragraph
is that there are enacted into law such changes to the Social
Security program under title II of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) (or to any other provision of law) as
are necessary to fully offset any negative impacts on the
actuarial balance of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors
Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance
Trust established under such title that would result from the
amendments made by this Act.
(2) Determination that condition is met.--For purposes of
subsection (a), the Board of Trustees of the Trust Funds
established under section 201(c) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 401(c)) shall determine the date on which the
condition described in paragraph (1) is met.
(c) Recomputation of Primary Insurance Amounts Following
Repeal of WEP.--Notwithstanding section 215(f) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(f)), the Commissioner of Social
Security shall adjust primary insurance amounts to the extent
necessary to take into account the amendments made by section
3.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. There will now be 2 minutes for debate,
equally divided.
Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, throughout this entire debate, no one has
denied that this bill will raise the insolvency of the Social Security
trust fund and cost our hard-working Social Security recipients to lose
$200 billion in Social Security benefits when it does go insolvent.
My amendment simply would delay the implementation of the Social
Security Fairness Act until changes are made that would offset the
bill's negative effects on Social Security's actuarial balance as
determined by the Social Security board of trustees.
Let the Finance Committee fix this bill.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The senior Senator from Oregon.
Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, the public should know that the Senator
is raising concerns about the financial impact of this bill while he
and other leaders in his party are vowing to use every budget gimmick
under the Sun next year to avoid paying for their tax bill.
Second, we have long had a tale of two tax codes in America, where
firefighters and teachers pay with every check while the wealthy can
avoid taxes. Now we have the tale of two deficits, where deficits don't
exist when it benefits the wealthy, but any changes benefiting
firefighters have to be paid for.
I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.
Vote on Amendment No. 3331
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On page S7304, December 20, 2024, the third column, the
following appears: Vote on Amendment No. 3361
The online Record has been corrected to read: Vote on Amendment
No. 3331
========================= END NOTE =========================
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on adoption of the amendment.
Mr. CRAPO. I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr.
Manchin) and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily
absent.
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator
[[Page S7305]]
from Florida (Mr. Rubio) and the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Vance).
The result was announced--yeas 34, nays 62, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 336 Leg.]
YEAS--34
Barrasso
Blackburn
Britt
Budd
Carper
Cornyn
Cramer
Crapo
Cruz
Daines
Ernst
Graham
Grassley
Hagerty
Hoeven
Hyde-Smith
Johnson
Lankford
Lee
Lummis
Marshall
McConnell
Paul
Risch
Romney
Rounds
Schmitt
Scott (FL)
Scott (SC)
Thune
Tillis
Tuberville
Wicker
Young
NAYS--62
Baldwin
Bennet
Blumenthal
Booker
Boozman
Braun
Brown
Cantwell
Capito
Cardin
Casey
Cassidy
Collins
Coons
Cortez Masto
Cotton
Duckworth
Durbin
Fetterman
Fischer
Gillibrand
Hassan
Hawley
Heinrich
Hickenlooper
Hirono
Kaine
Kelly
Kennedy
Kim
King
Klobuchar
Lujan
Markey
Merkley
Moran
Mullin
Murkowski
Murphy
Murray
Ossoff
Padilla
Peters
Reed
Ricketts
Rosen
Sanders
Schatz
Schumer
Shaheen
Sinema
Smith
Stabenow
Sullivan
Tester
Van Hollen
Warner
Warnock
Warren
Welch
Whitehouse
Wyden
NOT VOTING--4
Manchin
Rubio
Schiff
Vance
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 34, the nays are
62.
The 60-vote threshold having not been achieved, the amendment is not
agreed to.
The amendment (No. 3331) was rejected.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah.
Point of Order
Mr. LEE. The economist Milton Friedman once said:
Keep your eye on one thing and one thing only: how much the
government is spending, because that is the true tax. . . .
If you're not paying for it in the form of explicit taxes,
you're paying for it indirectly in the form of inflation or
in the form of borrowing.
The Senate is poised to enact another tax on the American people this
week--tonight, in fact--a $200 billion tax that will leave a hole in
the Social Security trust fund. This tax will give extra Social
Security benefits to just 4 percent of the American workforce at the
expense of the other 96 percent of hard-working Americans.
We must be honest with ourselves in acknowledging that this bill is
fiscally irresponsible. To make matters worse, it is entirely
unnecessary at this moment in time. There is no reason why we have to
be pressed to pass it tonight. Congress is up against no particular
deadlines, nor is any program at risk of expiring.
Social Security is already on a dangerously unsustainable path. The
trust fund is projected to run out of money in the next decade, which
would lead to an across-the-board benefit cut. This bill would
accelerate that crisis. To tax the American people to the tune of
another $200 billion is ludicrous by itself, but to do so when there is
no immediate need is nefarious.
To that end, the pending measure, H.R. 82, would cause an increase of
$197.81 billion in the level of Social Security deficit relative to the
level deemed for budget enforcement.
Therefore, I raise a point of order against this measure under
section 311(a)(3) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The junior Senator from Rhode Island.
Motion to Waive
Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Madam President, pursuant to section 904 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the waiver provisions of
applicable budget resolutions, I move to waive all applicable sections
of that act and applicable budget points of order for the purposes of
the pending measure.
I ask for the yeas and nays, and for the sake of our retired police
officers, firefighters, and teachers, I would urge you to provide a lot
more yeas than nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr.
Manchin) and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily
absent.
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator
from Florida (Mr. Rubio) and the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Vance).
The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 66, nays 30, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 337 Leg.]
YEAS--66
Baldwin
Bennet
Blumenthal
Booker
Boozman
Braun
Brown
Cantwell
Capito
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Cassidy
Collins
Coons
Cortez Masto
Cotton
Duckworth
Durbin
Fetterman
Fischer
Gillibrand
Graham
Hagerty
Hassan
Hawley
Heinrich
Hickenlooper
Hirono
Kaine
Kelly
Kennedy
Kim
King
Klobuchar
Lujan
Markey
Merkley
Moran
Mullin
Murkowski
Murphy
Murray
Ossoff
Padilla
Peters
Reed
Ricketts
Rosen
Sanders
Schatz
Schumer
Scott (SC)
Shaheen
Sinema
Smith
Stabenow
Sullivan
Tester
Van Hollen
Warner
Warnock
Warren
Welch
Whitehouse
Wyden
NAYS--30
Barrasso
Blackburn
Britt
Budd
Cornyn
Cramer
Crapo
Cruz
Daines
Ernst
Grassley
Hoeven
Hyde-Smith
Johnson
Lankford
Lee
Lummis
Marshall
McConnell
Paul
Risch
Romney
Rounds
Schmitt
Scott (FL)
Thune
Tillis
Tuberville
Wicker
Young
NOT VOTING--4
Manchin
Rubio
Schiff
Vance
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 66, the nays are
30.
Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn having voted in
the affirmative, the motion is agreed to and the point of order falls.
Under the previous order, the motion to commit and all pending
amendments are withdrawn. The bill is considered read a third time.
The amendments were withdrawn.
The bill was ordered to a third reading and was read the third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill having been read the third time, the
question is, Shall the bill pass?
Mr. TILLIS. I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from West Virginia (Mr.
Manchin) and the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) are necessarily
absent.
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator
from Florida (Mr. Rubio) and the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Vance).
The result was announced--yeas 76, nays 20, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 338 Leg.]
YEAS--76
Baldwin
Bennet
Blackburn
Blumenthal
Booker
Boozman
Braun
Brown
Cantwell
Capito
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Cassidy
Collins
Coons
Cornyn
Cortez Masto
Cotton
Cramer
Duckworth
Durbin
Fetterman
Fischer
Gillibrand
Graham
Hagerty
Hassan
Hawley
Heinrich
Hickenlooper
Hirono
Hoeven
Hyde-Smith
Kaine
Kelly
Kennedy
Kim
King
Klobuchar
Lankford
Lujan
Markey
Marshall
Merkley
Moran
Mullin
Murkowski
Murphy
Murray
Ossoff
Padilla
Peters
Reed
Ricketts
Risch
Rosen
Sanders
Schatz
Schmitt
Schumer
Scott (FL)
Scott (SC)
Shaheen
Sinema
Smith
Stabenow
Sullivan
Tester
Van Hollen
Warner
Warnock
Warren
Welch
Whitehouse
Wyden
NAYS--20
Barrasso
Britt
Budd
Crapo
Cruz
Daines
Ernst
Grassley
Johnson
Lee
Lummis
McConnell
Paul
Romney
Rounds
Thune
Tillis
Tuberville
Wicker
Young
NOT VOTING--4
Manchin
Rubio
Schiff
Vance
The bill (H.R. 82) passed.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 76, the nays are
20.
The 60-vote threshold having been achieved, the bill is passed.
The bill (H.R. 82) was passed.
[[Page S7306]]
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader.
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, tonight, the Senate finally corrects a
50-year mistake by passing the Social Security Fairness Act. Millions
of retired teachers and firefighters and letter carriers and State and
local workers have waited decades for this moment. No longer will
public retirees see their hard-earned Social Security benefits robbed
from them, thanks to this bill. It is a very good thing that one of the
final acts of the 118th Congress is delivering a huge win for working
Americans.
I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their
outstanding work, particularly Senators Brown, Collins, and Cassidy,
who led the way, and all those who relentlessly, across the country,
called their Senators and got this done.
American Relief Act of 2025
Madam President, tonight, the Senate delivers more good news for
America. Tonight, the Senate delivers good news for America. There will
be no government shutdown right before Christmas.
(Applause.)
This is a good bill. It will keep the government open and funded, and
it helps Americans affected by hurricanes and natural disasters. It
helps our farmers and avoids harmful cuts. After a chaotic few days in
the House, it is good news that the bipartisan approach, in the end,
prevailed. It is a good lesson for next year. Both sides have to work
together.
By dealing with people who have had trouble with disasters, by
helping our farmers, and avoiding harmful cuts, this is a good bill,
and I am glad we are passing it.
I thank my Republican colleagues for working with us to move this
bill quickly through the Senate. It is a good outcome for America and
the American people.
I yield the floor.
____________________