[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11150-11151]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING AN INCENTIVE FOR BUSINESSES TO BRING JOBS BACK TO AMERICA--
                           MOTION TO PROCEED

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 442, S. 
3364.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       Motion to proceed to S. 3364, a bill to provide an 
     incentive for businesses to bring jobs back to America.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, right now the Senate is considering the 
small business jobs bill, a very important proposal that was part of 
President Obama's package to increase employment in this country. It 
will create a million jobs. This legislation will give tax credits to 
businesses that grow and hire. Yet Republicans are looking for any 
excuse to vote down the proposal for two reasons: No. 1, it has the 
support of President Obama and the Democrats in Congress. Second, it 
would strengthen the economy, which would help President Obama.
  We know Republicans will not do anything that helps President Obama, 
even if it is good for the economy, because their No. 1 goal is to 
defeat the President. My friend Mitch McConnell has said that. So 
Republicans are hiding behind their usual procedural trick, 
filibustering with unrelated amendments. If there is any doubt about 
Republicans' motivation to kill this legislation, take a look with me 
at the amendment proposed today by Senator Hatch of Utah.
  The first thing Senator Hatch's amendment would do is eliminate all 
the tax cuts, every tax cut we have in this proposal, every one of 
them, the one that is now before the Senate, to create a million jobs. 
The Hatch amendment would literally eliminate every provision in the 
bill designed to create jobs.
  Senator Hatch's amendment eliminates the 10-percent credit for 
employers to hire additional workers or increase their payrolls, a 
provision that would create--that part alone--a half million jobs. It 
strikes another deduction for businesses that invest in machinery and 
equipment which would create another half million jobs.
  But the Republican amendment does not stop there. It goes on to 
increase taxes for 25 million American families. The Republican 
amendment, I repeat, increases taxes for 25 million American families. 
Senator Hatch's amendment would extend tax breaks for the top 2 percent 
of Americans, but it fails to extend a number of tax cuts that help 
middle-class families get by in a very tough economy. For example, 
Senator Hatch's amendment, a Republican amendment, would increase taxes 
by $1,100 for 11 million families trying to pay for college--11 million 
families, in effect an increase of their taxes by $1,100.
  The Republican amendment would make it harder for 12 million large 
families to put food on the table. It would increase taxes by $800 for 
families that have three children or more. Senator Hatch's amendment, 
the Republican amendment, fails to extend the full childcare tax credit 
for 6 million families, increasing their taxes by $500 each.
  So no one is fooled by the Republican amendment. We see it for what 
it is, more Republican obstruction that comes with the added bonus of 
sticking it to the middle class. If that were not enough political 
theater for 1 day, my Republican colleagues also claim they are anxious 
to vote on President Obama's plan to cut taxes for 98 percent of 
American families. Once again, no one should be fooled. Republicans 
know very well the Senate will vote on the President's proposal to give 
middle-class families the certainty they will not be hit with a tax 
increase. We will vote on it this work period. I have already said so. 
They say they want a vote sooner, so let's lock in an agreement sooner. 
The President's plan to give 98 percent of Americans certainty their 
taxes will not go up and Republican plans to raise taxes on 25 million 
American families--Democrats are ready to have those votes right away 
and we will do it with a simple majority. Then we can get back to the 
task at hand, cutting taxes for millions of small businesses that want 
to expand and put Americans back to work.
  I have a consent agreement that I will go through with you.


                   Unanimous Consent Request--S. 2237

  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that cloture be vitiated with 
respect to the substitute amendment on S. 2237, that the motion to 
commit be withdrawn and amendment Nos. 2525 and 2522 be withdrawn; that 
at 2 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, July 12, the Senate vote in relation to 
the following amendments: amendment No. 2524, which is the Cantor 
language; substitute amendment No. 2521; that there be no other 
amendments or motions in order to the amendment to the bill prior to 
the votes other than motions to waive or motions to table; that upon 
disposition of the two amendments the Senate proceed to a vote on 
passage of S. 2237, as amended, if amended; further, that at a time to 
be determined by the majority leader after consultation with the 
Republican leader the Senate proceed to consideration of a bill to be 
introduced by Senator Reid or designee, extending the 2001, 2003, and 
2009 tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans and 96 percent of small 
businesses as outlined by President Obama; that the only amendment in 
order to the bill be an amendment offered by Senator McConnell or 
designee, which is identical to the text of amendment No. 2491, as 
filed by Senator Hatch; that the amendment not be divisible; that there 
be 4 hours of debate on the amendment and the bill, equally divided 
between the two leaders or their designees prior to a vote in relation 
to the McConnell or designee amendment; that upon disposition of the 
amendment the Senate proceed to vote on the passage of the bill, as 
amended, if amended; that there be no motions or points of order to the 
amendment or the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Republican leader.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I am glad my friend the majority leader has dropped 
his earlier opposition and now wants to make an effort to set up these 
votes on this important issue. On Monday, the President said that if 
the Senate passes his tax hike on small businesses he would sign it 
right away. So I am glad the Senate will have a chance to beat that bad 
idea that will raise taxes on nearly 1 million small businesses.
  I will be happy to take a look at what my good friend the majority 
leader is offering, but I cannot at this time agree to lock in a vote 
at an indeterminate time on a proposal that has not

[[Page 11151]]

yet been written. My good friend has had all day to come up with a 
written proposal, but I gather that so far they have been unable to do 
so or, if they have, we certainly have not seen it. Our proposal is 
drafted and filed and has been available for all to see.
  My goal here--and it is one that I laid out several weeks ago--is 
that we act now to ensure that no one's income taxes go up January of 
next year. The mere threat of this tax increase is already a drag on 
our economy and I do not plan on standing by and letting that tax 
increase go into effect.
  So we would be happy to set up a vote on this issue as soon as the 
majority leader produces a bill to show us what tax increases they have 
in mind. I want to make sure that everyone understands the differences 
in our positions. My goal--and I hope it is one that is shared by a 
majority of Senators--will be to enact a bill that protects small 
businesses by extending current income tax rates for 1 year to ensure 
that no one in America sees an income tax hike in January, and tasking 
the Finance Committee to produce a bill that would enact fundamental 
progrowth tax reform. Their goal will be the President's proposal to 
raise taxes on nearly 1 million business owners in the middle of the 
worst economic recovery in modern times.
  The Senate ought to make absolutely clear which policy it supports. I 
look forward to having the chance to do that, but until that time, 
until we actually have a product we can take a look at, I cannot agree 
to this request, and therefore I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The majority leader.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I will be very brief. My friend the 
Republican leader said this morning, and I quote directly: I am trying 
to get a vote, a vote on what he says he's for, on what the President 
says he's for, and what the Republicans say they are for. That is what 
this consent agreement does.
  I am happy to let the Republican leader read the exact language. But 
let no one be fooled by this. The Hatch amendment does not do anything 
to protect small businesses. It does everything to protect Grover 
Norquist and his pledge; that is, make sure the American people are not 
satisfied. They believe--Democrats, Independents, and Republicans--that 
the top 2 percent of income earners in this country should contribute 
to solving the problems we have with the deficit and the debt in this 
country. That is what this is all about.
  I look forward to working with my friend the Republican leader to see 
if we can come to a position here where we can vote on the bill that is 
before us. I am concerned because the Hatch language eliminates our 
bill, but I am happy to have staff, during the night, look and see if 
we can arrive at some way to move forward. But I think I made my point 
clear.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, one other brief observation. I have 
already objected, but one other brief observation. The consent that I 
objected to also chose for us the amendment we would get to have, and 
of course that is not an agreement the Republican side would feel we 
would want to be a part of.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am only trying to do what they said they 
wanted to do this morning. Senator Hatch came and gave a big speech: 
This is what they want to do. If they have something else they want to 
propose, I am happy to take a look at that, but I only am trying to do 
what they said they wanted to do this morning.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum unless my friend has 
more to say?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Udall of Colorado). Without objection, it 
is so ordered.

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