[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16076]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     NEW REPUBLICAN MAJORITY AGENDA

  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, today is our first full week back in 
session since the election 2 weeks ago. While we haven't had the change 
of control yet in the Chamber--it doesn't happen until next year--
Republicans are setting out our priorities for the new Congress and 
looking forward to getting to work.
  Two weeks ago the American people spoke. They sent a clear message to 
Washington that they are tired of the status quo, tired of gridlock, 
tired of obstruction. They are tired of Washington wasting their money. 
They want change, and on election day, they asked Republicans to make 
that happen.
  Republicans are humbled by the trust the American people have placed 
in us, and we are not going to let them down. We look forward to 
setting a positive and a constructive agenda and getting the Senate 
working again for the American people.
  Over the past several years, the Senate Democratic leadership has 
stifled debate, ignored the regular order of business, and wasted the 
Senate's time on partisan pieces of business that Democratic leaders 
knew would not pass. That means that very little time has been spent on 
American families' priorities.
  Even many Democrats have grown frustrated with the highly partisan 
direction the Senate has taken under Democratic leadership. Republicans 
intend to chart a different course.
  Starting in January, we will ensure that the Senate returns to the 
committee process and that the Senate floor once again becomes a forum 
for debate and amendments and votes. I am encouraged that this week a 
number of rank-and-file Democrats abandoned their leadership and joined 
Republicans to support legislation to approve the Keystone Pipeline and 
the more than 42,000 jobs it will create. Republicans hope we can 
continue to have that kind of collaboration in the new Congress.
  Americans have had a rough time over the past several years, 
including a weak economy, few jobs, high prices on everything from 
health care to electricity, and the list goes on and on. Our first 
priority in the 114th Congress will be enacting policies that will help 
create jobs and increase economic opportunity for American families. A 
good place to start is the dozens of House-passed jobs bills that have 
been gathering dust on the Senate Democratic leader's desk. Many of 
these bills passed the House with bipartisan support, and it is high 
time they get a vote in the Senate so they can get on the President's 
desk.
  We hope the President will work with us on priorities such as 
expanding trade to open new markets for American agriculture and 
manufacturing overseas.
  I have to say I am a little concerned that the President has 
indicated his intention of continuing to operate on his own. The 
American people made it clear on election day that they have rejected 
his policies, and I hope the President will take that message to heart 
and rethink his plans to go it alone on important issues such as 
immigration.
  Finally, Republicans will get to work on some of the big-ticket items 
that need to get done in Washington, including issues such as reforming 
our Tax Code to make it simpler and fairer and to make us more 
competitive in the global marketplace, eliminating the hundreds of 
inefficient regulations that are driving up prices for American 
families and killing jobs, and issues such as conducting oversight of 
the executive branch to ensure that the cycle of abuses such as the IRS 
scandal and the Veterans Affairs scandal stops now.
  Republicans understand the opportunity we have been given and we 
don't intend to waste it. We are going to make Washington work again, 
we are going to make government more efficient and effective and stop 
the waste of taxpayer dollars, and we are going to get our economy 
going again to put our Nation on a path to growth and shared 
prosperity.
  Divided government has been historically a time when great things 
have been accomplished. We can go back to Social Security reform in 
1983 when we had a Republican President working with a Democratic House 
or tax reform in 1986 when we had a Republican President working with a 
Democratic House or 1996 when we had a Democratic President working 
with a Republican Congress on welfare reform. There are lots of 
examples throughout our history where divided government has led to big 
accomplishments and big results for the American people.
  I submit that we can do that again. The American people are counting 
on us. Republicans are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work, 
and we invite Democrats and the President to join us.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.

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