[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15367]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       THE BUDGET AND TAX REFORM

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on an entirely different matter, last 
week the chairman of the Budget Committee unveiled a comprehensive 
budget for fiscal year 2018 that the committee will consider this week. 
This comprehensive budget resolution provides a path to balance by 
restraining Washington's spending, by reducing the tax burden, and by 
putting our country on a trajectory for better economic growth. I look 
forward to considering it on the floor after the committee finishes its 
work.
  Not only will this budget put our country on a better fiscal track, 
with reduced spending, it will also provide Congress with legislative 
authority to enact much needed tax reform for hard-working American 
families.
  The tax framework released by the administration and Congress's tax-
writing committees is a template that will guide these committees as 
they work toward producing pro-American tax reform. The framework 
envisions a 21st-century tax code that is built for growth, that 
supports middle-class families, and that promotes American workers and 
American jobs. It is the framework our committees will look to as they 
work through a transparent and inclusive process in pursuit of its 
important goals, such as more jobs, fairer taxes, and bigger paychecks.
  Basically, here is what our framework envisions: We want to take more 
money out of Washington's pocket and put more in yours, simply put. I 
know the chairman of the Finance Committee is committed to goals like 
those. I know I am. I hope our friends across the aisle will work with 
us in a serious way to achieve them as well because after decades of 
lost economic opportunities, it is time to get our economy on the right 
track again so it can finally grow at its full potential.
  Let's shift our economy into high gear with pro-jobs tax reform. 
Let's put our finances on a better path with Chairman Enzi's budget. 
Let's watch the good work of each initiative advance within the Finance 
and Budget Committees this week, including the Finance Committee 
hearing on tax reform this morning.

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