[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 20156-20175]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1, TAX CUTS 
 AND JOBS ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3312, SYSTEMIC RISK 
      DESIGNATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2017; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I 
call up House Resolution 667 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 667

       Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be 
     in order to consider the conference report to accompany the 
     bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to 
     titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget 
     for fiscal year 2018. All points of order against the 
     conference report and against its consideration are waived.

[[Page 20157]]

     The conference report shall be considered as read. The 
     previous question shall be considered as ordered on the 
     conference report to its adoption without intervening motion 
     except: (1) one hour of debate; and (2) one motion to 
     recommit if applicable. Clause 5(b) of rule XXI shall not 
     apply to the conference report.
       Sec. 2.  Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in 
     order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 3312) to amend 
     the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 
     to specify when bank holding companies may be subject to 
     certain enhanced supervision, and for other purposes. All 
     points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. 
     In lieu of the amendment recommended by the Committee on 
     Financial Services now printed in the bill, an amendment in 
     the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules 
     Committee Print 115-49, modified by the amendment printed in 
     the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this 
     resolution, shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as 
     amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order 
     against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The 
     previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, 
     as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final 
     passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of 
     debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and 
     ranking minority member of the Committee on Financial 
     Services; and (2) one motion to recommit with or without 
     instructions.
       Sec. 3.  The requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII for a 
     two-thirds vote to consider a report from the Committee on 
     Rules on the same day it is presented to the House is waived 
     with respect to any resolution reported through the remainder 
     of the first session of the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress.
       Sec. 4.  It shall be in order at any time through the 
     remainder of the first session of the One Hundred Fifteenth 
     Congress for the Speaker to entertain motions that the House 
     suspend the rules as though under clause 1 of rule XV. The 
     Speaker or his designee shall consult with the Minority 
     Leader or her designee on the designation of any matter for 
     consideration pursuant to this section.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 1 
hour.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield 
the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Slaughter), my dear friend, who is the ranking member of the Rules 
Committee, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the 
purpose of debate only.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and the 
underlying legislation.
  This rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3312, the Systemic Risk 
Designation Improvement Act of 2017; and the conference report 
accompanying H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and JOBS Act.
  Mr. Speaker, this rule, and specifically the underlying conference 
report, is the reflection of a bicameral agreement between the United 
States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, whereby 
we took some of the best ideas from across not only our conference, but 
this country, and from our respective ideas to make a tax bill that 
would combine them for the best interests of the American people.
  Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that what we are doing here today is 
that the Republican Party is relying upon the greatest system ever 
invented: the free enterprise system.
  The free enterprise system has brought the United States of America 
not only the greatest economic opportunities in the world, but it is a 
system of rule of law. It is a system of a Tax Code. It is a system of 
ideas that has made America the envy of the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I also get politically what is happening. We are taking 
what the Democratic Party and President Obama did to raise taxes by $1 
trillion, the largest tax increase in the history of the United States, 
and we are trashing that today.
  We are saying that the production that it made of 1.2 percent over 8 
years is unacceptable to the United States of America. It was 
unacceptable then, and we will not allow that to be the gauge that we 
will measure our success in the future.
  Secondly, we are also going to deal properly and fairly with the 
Affordable Care Act, a law that placed extensive burdens not only on 
people who did not want the healthcare bill that was placed forward, 
but placed a tremendous cost on the middle class of this country and 
the American people.

                              {time}  1030

  What we are doing today is bold. We are going to make the big deal 
the big deal the American people want and need: a stronger, brighter 
economic future.
  It is a progrowth bill that will overhaul our Tax Code and unleash 
our free enterprise system. It lowers tax rates on businesses of every 
size so job creators can focus on hiring workers, increasing paychecks 
and growth.
  Growth and competition are the keys to an expanding economy. More 
jobs and increased wages in my home of Dallas, Texas, have allowed 
Texas to lead the Nation not only in job creation, but to make us the 
envy of the world. We are now going to do that for the entire United 
States and help make back home for every Member of Congress competitive 
in the world market.
  With the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world, the 
United States today has a broken Tax Code that has forced businesses to 
not only move their jobs and research overseas; it has forced us to be 
able to strand billions of dollars of economic advantage that should be 
in the United States.
  That changes today. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will stop and reverse 
that trend. It will encourage American companies to bring their jobs 
and their operations back to the United States by lowering corporate 
tax rates to be competitive anywhere in the world at 21 percent and 
encourages U.S. businesses to bring their foreign earnings home, 
unleashing trillions of dollars in our economy. That is the future that 
the Republican Party wants for the United States of America and the 
free enterprise system.
  The conference report also simplifies tax filing. It eliminates 
costly special interest tax breaks. It protects the abilities of small 
businesses to write off interest on loans and offers a first-ever 20 
percent tax deduction to businesses organized as S corps, partnerships, 
LLCs, and sole proprietorships. This will be a boom not only for the 
stock market, which we have seen since the day after the election, but 
we have seen a boom on Main Street as job creators and new small 
businesses are seeking to reinvest not only in their business and in 
their community, but for the opportunity to benefit workers in the 
United States of America.
  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a direct and immediate boost for middle-
income Americans who have been struggling--struggling for 8, now, 9 
years--to get a handle on not only their ability to work with a broken 
tax system, but the ability to work with their own local businesses to 
make sure that their city succeeds, also.
  It reduces the tax rate for low-income and middle-income Americans. 
It increases and extends the child tax credit to more families and, 
roughly, doubles the standard deduction. With this piece of legislation 
today, legislation for middle-income families will allow them to be a 
part of an economic growth model for years to come.
  We are proud of what we are doing and delighted that we offer this 
not only to the United States House of Representatives today, but to 
the American people to see the Republican answer for economic growth 
and development vitality for the United States of America.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the customary 30 
minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, I think America is pretty apprehensive this morning, 
certainly those who know that two American Presidents and one Governor 
of Kansas have tried trickle-down fairly

[[Page 20158]]

recently and found it did not work at all and, indeed, caused great 
economic harm. But we are walking into trickle-down once again.
  I think there is a word that describes when you do the same thing 
over and over again expecting a different result--I won't use that 
word, but I suspect most of us know exactly what I am talking about--
particularly at this time when this economy was really booming, really 
doing well.
  I appreciate that there were pockets where people were not getting 
jobs, and this was pointed out by Richard Neal frequently last evening. 
We have such a skills gap that jobs are going unfilled in America, and 
that is what we really should be working on today.
  The fact is that corporations are awash with money. The stock market 
is booming, and we have the lowest unemployment rate in 17 years. Why 
in the world would we trifle with that to try a failed trickle-down 
policy again?
  Now, emergency procedures were used to bring the bill up before us 
today. Now, what is this urgent attention that nobody could have any 
amendments or anything, that it was an emergency?
  We are not reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program, 
which a lot of people think is an emergency because it provides 
healthcare to more than 9 million children. We are not reauthorizing 
community health centers, which serve more than 25 million people; and, 
after killing Planned Parenthood--the money--that means a lot more 
people will need a community health center. We are not renewing the 
Perkins Loan Program, which many low-income students rely on for their 
education.
  Those three programs expired on September 30, but we are not 
considering them today. Instead, despite a record of 86 months of job 
growth--every single month for 86 months we have grown jobs--and an 
unemployment rate that remains steady, the majority is prioritizing tax 
cuts--not tax cuts for the middle class.
  Don't let anybody tell you that this is tax reform. It isn't. It is a 
moving around of rates, but very specifically geared toward helping the 
rich with nothing much for the middle class who work hard to make ends 
meet, but tax cuts for the wealthy. The middle class will see their 
money go directly to the rich.
  That is what the bill was designed to do. You can tell by who wrote 
it. There is not a single Democratic fingerprint or breath anywhere to 
be found. Instead, it was crafted by the lobbyists who virtually run 
Washington under the majority's leadership. Some swamp clearing.
  Consider this: there are 11,000 registered lobbyists in Washington, 
D.C. More than half of them--more than half of 11,000--reported working 
on the issues involving taxes during the first three quarters of this 
year. Each of the 20 organizations that hired the most lobbyists to 
work on tax issues have reported lobbying specifically on tax reform, 
covering the matters included in this bill.
  Now, this is the quote of all time. One lobbyist admitted to The New 
York Times that few Members actually had any influence on the final 
product. He said, ``You are dealing with 14 people instead of 535 
people,'' saying specifically, as much as possibly could be said, that 
the 535 people in the Congress representing the people of the United 
States didn't do a thing on this. They wrote it.
  The New York Times has reported that the travel industry lobbyists 
directly emailed those writing the bill to kill an amendment on tourism 
because a competitor who favored it has been critical of President 
Trump.
  Business lobbyists, after already securing a lower corporate tax rate 
in an early version of the bill, called the members of the majority and 
made it even more favorable to them. They secured the removal of the 
corporate alternative minimum tax, a provision designed for the very 
rich to get away with paying no taxes at all, and we know some people 
who have done that.
  The majority has been very clear about whom the bill is written for. 
One of the members of the majority, Congressman Chris Collins, said: 
``My donors are basically saying, `Get it done or don't ever call me 
again.'''
  But, Mr. Speaker, what about the average American? What about workers 
and members of the middle class who can't write big campaign checks or 
who don't have an army of lawyers to scour the Tax Code on their 
behalf? Those are the people who are going to be forced to pay the 
price for providing the wealthy with these tax cuts.
  Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is certainly a man who 
prefers business and knows a thing or two about running a business. He 
recently wrote this:
  ``Corporations are sitting on a record amount of cash reserves: 
nearly $2.3 trillion. That figure has been climbing steadily since the 
recession ended in 2009, and it is now double what it was in 2001. The 
reason CEOs''--this is an important point. ``The reason CEOs aren't 
investing more of their liquid assets has little to do with the tax 
rate. CEOs aren't waiting on a tax cut to `jump-start the economy'--a 
phrase of politicians who have never run a company--or to hand out 
raises. It is pure fantasy to think that the tax bill will lead to 
significantly higher wages and growth, as Republicans have promised.''
  Now, that is not somebody who is an enemy of business, and he has 
called this bill a trillion-dollar blunder.
  This is really a remarkable time in the United States, knowing that 
we are on the brink of passing a bill that will adversely impact 
virtually every American except the rich. The majority has the votes, 
and there is not much Democrats can do to stop it.
  Let me say again, I am glad the Democrats are not involved in writing 
it, but it is an insult to the word ``reform'' to associate it with 
this bill.
  The American people know they are not getting what they were promised 
by the majority. We know the President campaigned mightily on doing 
away with carried interest, but it is still in the bill.
  The bill hurts the middle class, children, veterans, and the elderly 
by limiting or outright eliminating many of the deductions that they 
rely on.
  Under this bill, the personal exemption is eliminated, the mortgage 
interest deduction is limited, the State and local tax deduction is 
limited mightily, and the moving expense deduction for individuals has 
been eliminated. Even the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate is 
eliminated. That will cause premiums to go up by 10 percent for those 
in the individual market, and 13 million people will lose their 
insurance--13 million.
  I want to pause on that because countless times I have stood here at 
this very spot when there were almost 60 bills to repeal and replace 
ObamaCare, so we have been able to insert this now in the tax bill, 
which will really hurt it. I have always wondered why there was such a 
rush to take healthcare away from persons, and I guess somehow that 
money--obviously, that Medicaid money--will pay for a lot of these tax 
cuts for the rich.
  All the tax cuts made for individuals will expire in 2025, but the 
tax cuts for corporations are permanent. That is not what we call 
reform. That keeps our Tax Code complicated by design. Wealthy families 
and big corporations can continue taking advantage of a system that 
they helped create.
  Broken promises are embedded throughout the legislation. For years, I 
have heard members of the majority come to the floor talking about the 
need to address the national debt. Apparently, that was little more 
than a talking point, because this bill explodes the deficit by $1.5 
trillion and it is completely unpaid for. Because of that, Federal law 
requires cuts to programs Americans depend on, including a $25 billion 
cut to Medicare.
  This isn't fear-mongering; this is fact. Speaker Ryan said just last 
week: ``We're going to have to get back next year.'' Next year we are 
going to say: Oh, my, we are going to have to do something about this 
spending and this debt, and so we will have to cut spending.
  What is he going to cut? The things he has always wanted to cut. He 
says: ``We're going to have to get back next year at entitlement 
reform, which is

[[Page 20159]]

how you tackle the debt and the deficit.''
  We have known he has wanted to do that for a long time.
  So let me say this to the public watching today: When this majority 
speaks of reform, you should be very worried about your future. They 
pushed this scam under the guise of so-called reform, but it is simply 
a corporate giveaway. Soon they will be back here talking about 
reforming Social Security and Medicare to pay for what is going to 
happen here today.
  Let's call it what it really is: a systematic dismantling of the 
social contract. It will impact everyone from children to veterans to 
the disabled. It begins today with this bill to help the wealthy who 
haven't even asked for it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer), who serves on the Financial 
Services Committee. Congressman Luetkemeyer, from St. Elizabeth, will 
talk about a piece of this bill that is from the Financial Services 
Committee.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his steadfast 
support on so many important financial services issues.
  Mr. Speaker, first, I want to quickly lend my support to the tax 
package slated to be considered by the House today. This legislation 
will bring simplicity and fairness to the Tax Code. It will lower tax 
rates so individuals and job creators can invest in our communities and 
hire more workers. I also want to commend Chairman Brady and the House 
leadership for their incredible work on this issue.
  Secondly, Mr. Speaker, believe it or not, there is another bill 
slated to be considered today by this body, H.R. 3312, my Systemic Risk 
Designation Improvement Act. It will remove the ill-conceived approach 
taken in Dodd-Frank to designate bank holding companies as systemically 
important financial institutions, or SIFIs.
  Under the current regulatory framework, the designation of SIFIs is 
based solely on size. Any bank holding company with more than $50 
billion in assets is subject to enhanced regulatory supervision and a 
variety of special assessments.
  This approach fails to take into account differences in business 
models or risks posed to the financial system. As a former bank 
regulator, I can tell you this isn't a responsible basis for 
supervision, a fact that has been recognized by Federal Reserve Chair 
Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury Mnuchin, former Treasury Secretary 
Lew, and many Members of Congress. Even Barney Frank, the former 
Democratic chairman of the Financial Services Committee and author of 
Dodd-Frank, has said the $50 billion threshold is completely arbitrary 
and has negative implications on our economy.

                              {time}  1045

  This legislation closely ties the safeguards intended in the 
designation of a bank holding company with real risk to the system.
  My legislation would require the Federal Reserve to examine not just 
size, but also interconnectedness, the extent of readily available 
substitutes, global cross-jurisdictional activity, and complexity, 
criteria they already use in their own risk calculation analysis.
  An inefficient regulatory structure that does not reflect the reality 
of the U.S. banking system can have real economic consequences. We 
should no longer let the SIFI process lead to marketplace disruption or 
penalize companies based on size alone.
  It is time to take a more pragmatic approach to the SIFI designation 
process and, more generally, the punitive regulatory regime hitting 
financial institutions and their customers. It is time to actually 
manage risk and limit real threats to our financial system.
  This legislation received broad bipartisan support when it was 
reported by the Financial Services Committee with a vote of 47-12. That 
means nearly 80 percent of our committee members voted in favor of this 
legislation. I hope our House colleagues will join us in supporting 
H.R. 3312 later today. I thank the chairman for his leadership and help 
with this initiative.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Doggett).
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, the world's biggest corporate tax dodgers 
get the most out of this bill: a 40 percent reduction in the corporate 
tax rate and the right to bring back those profits they have hidden in 
Caribbean hideaways for pennies on the dollar.
  Another loophole will encourage jobs in America to be exported 
abroad, a long commute to work if the job is in Europe or in Asia.
  Of course, they have camouflaged this corporate tax giveaway with 
some changes for individuals.
  Who gets those?
  Well, it is a Who's Who of not you: the Trump family, real estate 
moguls, and their millionaire buddies.
  Disguised as a middle-class tax relief, this wretched bill targets 
the middle class with a dime of every dollar that is in the bill. What 
most Americans will really get is more debt and the coming cuts that 
these Republicans will insist on making to Medicare, Medicaid, and 
educational opportunity.
  Tax fraud is criminal, but passing this fraudulent tax bill 
apparently is not.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell).
  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to set the record straight on tax 
reform.
  Opponents to this plan would have Members believe that tax reform is 
only a benefit for the wealthy or, hearing them today, a plot by the 
Trump family. That is simply partisan rhetoric.
  I have long said I would only vote for tax reform that helps families 
living paycheck to paycheck--families like the one I grew up in. My dad 
worked on the line at General Motors, and my mom worked for the 
Salvation Army. More money in their pockets from their paycheck every 
week would have made a huge difference. They worked hard to support 
their family and raise seven children. That little bit of money would 
have made a difference. Undoubtedly, now, it will make a difference for 
the American people.
  That is exactly what this plan does. It puts meaningful money back in 
the pockets of working families. A typical family is projected to save 
over $2,000 a year. That may not sound like much to some on the other 
side of the aisle, but, where I grew up, that is huge.
  For 57 percent of Americans who don't have enough money to cover a 
$500 emergency, that money matters. For businesses, it means 
investments, hiring, and better wages. I have talked to business owners 
across my district, and they have had the same message: cuts taxes so 
they can increase wages and hiring.
  Vic, a restaurant owner in my district, talked to me about tax cuts 
that would help his business. Vic said: We pay our taxes first, we pay 
our people second, we pay our bills third, and then if there's anything 
left over, we get paid.
  Our Tax Code shouldn't be a challenge or impediment for business 
owners like Vic.
  Currently, Americans pay more in taxes than they pay for food and 
clothing. It is time to fix this. This tax plan does that. This tax 
plan will help families and businesses across my district and across 
America, which is why I proudly support it, and I urge my colleagues to 
do the same.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Castor), a conferee, I believe.
  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding.
  Here we are about 1 week before Christmas, and the GOP has proposed a 
tax bill that Ebenezer Scrooge would love. It is a big ``bah humbug'' 
for America and the families and communities we represent back home.
  Their bill will raise taxes on millions of American middle class 
families while showering tax breaks and new loopholes on the superrich 
and big corporations. It is fundamentally unfair. It does this with a 
massive increase to

[[Page 20160]]

our national debt of about $2.3 trillion, in essence, mortgaging the 
future for our kids and grandkids and squeezing out our ability to 
invest in medical research and modern infrastructure.
  They admit they are going to look to cut and raise costs on families 
who depend on Medicaid and Medicare. It is not fair. In this bill, they 
even go so far as to rip health coverage away from 13 million Americans 
in another attack on the ACA. In Florida, 1.7 million of my neighbors 
rely on the healthcare.gov insurance pool for affordable coverage. They 
are, in essence, giving them a lump of coal for Christmas.
  We have got to defeat this bill. Vote ``no'' on this Scrooge tax 
bill.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by the way, the gentlewoman would want to 
state that we are not taking this away. There will be a 1-year 
transition. So, I am sorry, but it will not be Ebenezer Scrooge at 
Christmas. It will be the bright lights of a big future that lies ahead 
for us.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Kelly).
  Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
  When we are in this House, the people's House, I know sometimes the 
message goes back and forth. Unfortunately, this idea of identity 
politics is what we have to play all the time. Instead of talking to 
the American people, we talk past the American people, and we try to 
make it so divisive that they can't see the facts.
  I would just tell my friends on the other side, as a child growing 
up, I think all of us were the same. We would sit down about this time 
of year, and we would write a letter to Santa. We would ask Santa Claus 
for everything we wanted. Then we would mail it off to the North Pole.
  Then we would come down on Christmas morning, and we would see that 
Christmas tree and all those gifts laid out. We never got everything we 
wanted, but we were sure thankful for everything we got.
  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is so critical. When we talk about debt, if 
I were to tell an investor: For every $1 that you invest, I can return 
$1.90 on it, they would be excited.
  Let me just explain something when we talk about American families. 
It is not Republican families, by the way, not Democrat families, or 
Libertarian families. I am talking about American families. A typical 
family of four earning $73,000 a year will see a cut in their taxes of 
$2,059. A single parent with one child earning $41,000 a year will see 
a tax reduction of $1,304.
  I would ask my friends, please do not be on the wrong side of 
history. You will have an opportunity today to do something that is 
great for America, to make America great again. We look at everything 
that is going on, and we decide that somehow, in this House, we must be 
divisive and not united. When we think that somehow giving people more 
of their own money back is the wrong policy, when we think that somehow 
giving tax relief to every single American is the wrong policy, when we 
think that the tone and tint of somebody's skin, the shape of their 
eye, where they worship, where they live, what they earn is the main 
issue, and we can divide them as a people, that is absolutely wrong. It 
is totally un-American.
  What is truly pro-American is making sure that every single American 
gets to keep more of her or his money that they earn in a day, and they 
don't have to give it to the government. Nothing could be more simple. 
Nothing could be more easy.
  I would ask all my friends to please, let's act in the best interest 
of America. Forget the identity politics. Look at what is good for 
those neighbors of yours, those friends of yours, and that family of 
yours, and let's decide where America is going to go.
  We have seen a dramatic rise in our economy since the last election. 
This tax cuts bill, this jobs bill, will allow this economy to take off 
where all boats will rise. Not just red boats or blue boats, but red, 
white, and blue boats. It will happen at the best time of the year, a 
time when people look to this House to do the right thing for the right 
reason. Good things happen when we do that.
  This is an incredible opportunity in the history of the country. The 
is an incredible opportunity to show the American people that we are 
not divided as a House. We are united. We are united in doing the right 
thing for them because it is the right thing, and good things will 
happen.
  I would like to wish all my friends on both sides of the aisle and 
all those folks at home a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays. On 
Christmas morning, I guarantee you, you may not get everything that you 
wish for, but you are going to be so thankful for everything you got.
  Let's pass this tax cut and jobs bill and make sure America moves 
forward. We have labored for too long behind the rest of the world. 
Individuals have more take-home pay, corporations will stay home. They 
will make investments in land, bricks, mortar, equipment, education, 
and in making our workers the best workers in the world and able to 
compete anywhere on any stage and win.
  We will not only just participate, we will dominate, and that will 
trickle down to every single American, not just red, white, and blue; 
as I said earlier, not just Republicans or Democrats, but every single 
American. What a wonderful gift for Christmas.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth), the distinguished ranking member of the Budget 
Committee.
  Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my fellow Kentucky native for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, today, my Republican colleagues will vote to approve a 
historically unpopular bill.
  The American people don't buy Republican claims that the bill will 
help middle class families. In fact, in several years, more than 83 
million middle class families will see a tax hike.
  The people see that Republicans have sold their souls and principles 
to give tax cuts to wealthy corporations and to pay back their 
billionaire donors. They know the Republicans have abandoned any claim 
to fiscal responsibility. After all, nonpartisan analyses conclude this 
bill will add more than $1 trillion to the debt.
  But the Republican leadership has a plan to make up the difference, 
and it is something else. They are already working on legislation to 
make massive cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs families 
need.
  This isn't tax reform. This isn't help for the middle class. It is a 
scam, it is fraud, and it will have dangerous, long-lasting 
consequences for the American people.
  I urge my colleagues to defeat the rule and to reject this scandalous 
Republican donor payback legislation.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Byrne), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.
  Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and his 
continued leadership.
  We are on the cusp of something truly historic that will make life 
better for millions of people across the United States. By reforming 
the Tax Code, we will be able to put more money in people's pockets and 
create a fair and simpler tax system.
  Under the current Tax Code, well-off individuals and big businesses 
can higher lobbyists and lawyers to help them find loopholes and 
special interest giveaways, all at the expense of working Americans.
  With our plan, the Tax Code will be simplified, loopholes will be 
closed, and the playing field will be leveled.
  I want to make one thing clear: if you are looking for a tax plan 
that benefits the elite, the well connected, and the 1 percent, then 
you need to look at the current Tax Code.
  Mr. Speaker, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are going 
to great lengths to defend the current Tax Code that truly benefits the 
top 1 percent. For example, the Democratic leader has called the Tax 
Cuts and Jobs Act ``the end of the world.'' So, apparently, giving the 
hardworking people in

[[Page 20161]]

this country a tax cut is, to her, ``Armageddon.''
  Let's stop with all the doomsday political rhetoric, cut to the 
chase, and say what this bill really does:
  It cuts taxes on hardworking Americans and allows them to keep more 
money in their pockets;
  It supports American families by increasing the child tax credit and 
doubling the standard deduction;
  It grows the American economy by making the corporate Tax Code 
actually competitive with other industrialized countries;
  It benefits Main Street businesses in Alabama and across the country 
with a new 20 percent tax deduction for passthrough income;
  It will lead to greater economic growth, higher wages, and more jobs, 
which is exactly what the American people sent President Trump and the 
Republican Congress to Washington to do.

                              {time}  1100

  So let's save the political hyperbole for another day. Let's pass the 
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and let's give the American people a real 
Christmas present and put more money in their pockets.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I ask the American people to ask 
themselves: Have they ever seen a Republican big-time tax cut for the 
wealthy and big companies ever trickle down to them?
  If you look over the course of these things that they do every few 
years, all they do is concentrate wealth at the very top and take money 
out of the hands of working people. They starve government and make it 
more difficult for your government--which is of, by, and for the 
people--to help you with disaster, with Social Security, with Medicaid, 
with Medicare, or with any kind of program that you need. It just 
starves the government of its ability to make your life better.
  But, do you know what, Mr. Speaker?
  There is another thing about this particular tax bill. They have been 
studying it, and there is going to be one tremendous beneficiary of 
this tax bill. It is going to be Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo, which will 
see its corporate tax rate drop down to 21 percent from the 35 percent 
it is now is going to make, on average, a 13 percent increase in 
earnings per share.
  Do you remember that big company that opened up a bunch of accounts 
people didn't need and sold people insurance they didn't need?
  They will be doing better. American families will be doing worse.
  Vote ``no'' on this rule and vote ``no'' on this tax bill.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Sessions 
for his leadership and for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, we are about to make history this week by delivering a 
tax cut to families at every income level.
  The math clearly shows that the average family of four, making the 
country's median income of $73,000, will receive a $2,000 tax cut.
  Yet many of my friends on the other side of the aisle continue to say 
this bill is going to raise taxes on millions of middle class families. 
That is just not true, unless you are referring to 2025, when these tax 
cuts expire and we go back to the status quo.
  Why is there an expiration date?
  Because many of the very same people, using this as a talking point 
against this bill, are the reason they sunset. If we could get 60 votes 
in the Senate, requiring just a few of my friends on the other side of 
the aisle to work with us, we could make this tax cut for middle class 
families permanent right now. They have chosen not to work with us.
  I will be giving my friends on the other side of the aisle another 
chance to support tax cuts for hardworking families in their district. 
I will be introducing a bill to make the individual tax cuts permanent.
  I am not sure there is anyone who truly believes that a future 
Congress would let them expire, given the fact that we have extended 
the Bush tax cuts in the past.
  Nonetheless, I am introducing this bill to ensure these tax cuts will 
be in place for middle class families this year, and to make sure they 
are here to stay.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope each and every one of my colleagues will sign on 
as a cosponsor.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Lee).
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for 
her tremendous leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule and the 
underlying bill, which really is the greatest tax scam in America's 
history. It is cruel and it is coldhearted.
  It steals from the hard-earned paychecks of low- and middle-income 
families; lines the pockets of millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy 
corporations; and, yes, it makes it easier for corporations to ship 
jobs overseas.
  Now, for weeks, Republicans have been selling the pipe dream that tax 
cuts for the rich will somehow trickle down and benefit the majority of 
Americans. That is so far from the truth.
  Just yesterday, the Tax Policy Center revealed that 83 percent of the 
tax breaks in this bill go to the top 1 percent.
  What is worse, 86 million middle-income households will face tax 
hikes and 13 million Americans will lose healthcare coverage.
  Mr. Speaker, constituents in my congressional district are afraid of 
their futures because this tax scam is going to severely devastate 
families in California. Nearly 2 million Californians stand to lose 
their State and local deductions if Republicans succeed.
  This is truly a slap in the face to the American people. Republicans 
have already and have always, yes, made it clear that this tax scam is 
a Trojan horse for Republicans to take an axe to Medicare, Social 
Security, and programs that lift people out of poverty. But the public 
is not going to let them get away with this. They will remember who is 
shattering their lives.
  This bill is ruthless. It makes clear that Republicans only value the 
lives of the wealthy and their donors. That is whose side they are on.
  Well, Democrats are on the side of middle- and low-income families 
who are working hard just to make ends meet, to take care of their 
children, to make better wages, and who are fighting for a better 
future.
  Mr. Speaker, we should oppose this bill and this rule. It is really a 
raw deal for the American people. The public knows whose side we are 
on, and the public knows whose side that the Republicans are on.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to, if I could, advise the 
gentlewoman that, to balance out the time, I am going to allow her to 
have the next couple of speakers so that we can equal the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, today we are debating the final version of the 
Republican tax bill, which I cannot support.
  This bill was flawed from the start. First of all, it was never 
deficit neutral and there was never a bipartisan negotiation. This is a 
Republican-only bill, and it was developed without any input at all 
from Democrats because they never sought our input at all.
  My Republican colleagues say they would like to jump-start the 
economy. Well, we can do just that by providing more tax cuts to 
working class families whose paychecks are already stretched far too 
thin and who would reinvest that money in the local economy.
  Instead, this bill provides them with crumbs, and temporary crumbs at 
that.
  Under this plan, corporate cuts, though, will be permanent. With this 
bill, we will see an entirely different, more expensive, individual Tax 
Code in 2025, when the middle class tax cuts expire.
  This bill also balloons the national debt, make no mistake about it. 
It repeals a critical healthcare provision

[[Page 20162]]

that will result in 13 million Americans becoming uninsured.
  Now, these days, I hear a lot about accountability and encouraging 
competitiveness for the American worker, which I support. But this 
bill, with its novel loopholes and flawed trickle-down philosophy, does 
neither. It is a wasted opportunity.
  I believe that it is not too late, but the way this bill is written, 
I cannot support it. This was written for corporations and the wealthy 
1 percent in this country. It was not written for a strong middle 
class. We can do better.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, a bill that is done in the dark of 
night, in the midst of a crisis like the lack of Perkins funding for 
our students, the lack of funding for CHIP and for healthcare for 
millions of Americans--yet our friends on the other side go without 
shame in passing the GOP tax scam bill.
  In the Houston Chronicle, they aptly put winners and losers, and they 
aptly put at the top of the winners The Trump Organization. This is a 
Christmas gift for the Trump family--no one else--with huge cuts to the 
uninsured, to commuters, and to homeowners in high-tax States. This is 
not a fair distribution of funds, and it certainly is going to impact 
those who are still suffering from hurricanes all over the Nation.
  So I ask the question: Why the rush? Why the rush to give tax cuts to 
the top 1 percent, and increasing taxes on millions of middle class 
Americans, to pay for a permanent tax?
  The American people have it right: a permanent tax cut for the rich. 
This is the worst catastrophic bill that has ever been passed by the 
Members of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives. It is 
a shame.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Vermont (Mr. Welch).
  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  We do need tax reform. We need tax reform that we all described in 
the beginning as something that would help the middle class, that would 
simplify taxes, and would be revenue neutral. This bill, sometimes 
described by its authors as doing those things, accomplishes none of 
those things.
  Now, first of all, for the middle class, wages have been stagnant. 
The jobs people are getting aren't paying the bills. We know the 
biggest challenge we face is increasing investment, increasing wages, 
and increasing security.
  There are some benefits in this bill for the middle class, but let's 
get real. Those benefits are tiny and they are temporary.
  If you are a Vermont family, if you are lucky--we get hit with the 
SALT deduction loss--you might make a couple hundred bucks.
  But at what price?
  Once these benefits expire, 83 percent of the benefits of the 
individual tax rate goes to the top 1 percent.
  At what price?
  $2 trillion added to the deficit.
  Let me tell you this: Vermont families, hard-earning families, 
working families, they would like a tax cut, but not one that their 
children and grandchildren are going to have to pay. That is 
unconscionable.
  What about these corporate tax cuts?
  We want simplification, so we are competitive. There is a 40 percent 
reduction for multinational corporations.
  But, in this bill, is there any corresponding requirement that they 
start reinvesting in America?
  Exactly the opposite.
  There is a lower tax rate for companies that invest abroad, send jobs 
abroad, rather than invest at home. That is outrageous.
  And what happens because of this deficit?
  Medicare is going to be cut directly as a result of this tax bill. 
The infrastructure plan we all want is evaporating.
  Defeat this rule and defeat this bill.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Barton).
  Mr. BARTON. Mr. Speaker, I am one of the few Members that was here 
back in 1986 when we had the last major tax cut before this body. The 
President was Ronald Reagan and the Speaker of the House was Tip 
O'Neill. They worked together on a bipartisan basis to cut taxes across 
the board. The result was the economic growth of the late 1980s and the 
early 1990s, up until the early 2000s, when we had 9/11. It is one of 
the best votes that I have ever taken as a Member of this body.
  Well, now we are here on another major tax bill. The problem this 
time around is that there is no bipartisanship.
  Why is that, Mr. Speaker?
  It is not because the Republicans don't want to be bipartisan. It is 
because the Democratic leadership this time around has just said no.
  This tax bill is a good bill.
  The distinguished gentleman from Vermont who just spoke is correct in 
that it is not revenue neutral. But, Mr. Speaker, revenues are at an 
all-time high. We are going to raise more money this year than we have 
ever raised before at the Federal level. Let me repeat that: raise more 
money than we have ever raised before at the Federal level.
  Isn't it time to give hardworking Americans a little of that money 
back?
  That is what this bill does. It cuts rates for every working 
American. Let me repeat that: it cuts rates for every working American.
  No matter what your tax rate is today, under this bill, it is going 
to be lower if you are an individual. If you are a corporation, it is 
going to be lower. If you are one of these passthroughs, it is going to 
be lower.
  Every American who is paying taxes today is going to pay less taxes 
starting January 1, 2018. That is a good deal. That is a good deal. We 
are cutting taxes across the board for every working American.
  We repeal the individual mandate under ObamaCare.

                              {time}  1115

  Unfortunately, it doesn't kick in until 2019, but we still repeal 
that.
  This is a good bill. It is a historic bill. It is a bill that 
everybody in this Chamber will benefit from, regardless of whether you 
vote for it or vote against it. So when the time comes this afternoon 
to vote ``yes'' or ``no,'' I am voting ``yes'' for America. I am voting 
``yes'' for America's future. I am voting ``yes'' for every working 
American who is paying taxes today. Let's put more money back in their 
pocket. Let's double the rate of growth for the economy. Let's put more 
Americans at work. Let's show some faith in the American people, vote 
``yes.''
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the biggest economic challenge of our time 
is that too many people are in jobs that do not pay them enough to live 
on. Wages are not keeping up with rising costs. Too many families 
struggle today to make ends meet. Some have two or three jobs. They 
can't afford healthcare. They can't afford--some can't afford to put 
food on the table. They don't take vacations, and their retirement is 
in jeopardy.
  But it is the big corporations, the millionaires and the 
billionaires, who are writing the rules to make government work for 
them, and it is the Republicans who are their comrades in arms who are 
rigging the game against the middle class.
  Senator Orrin Hatch, who wrote this bill, said: ``I have a rough time 
wanting to spend billions and billions and trillions of dollars to help 
people who won't help themselves, won't lift a finger, and expect the 
Federal Government to do everything.''
  This is the ugly truth of this Republican tax bill. And I say to 
Senator Hatch: ``The Federal Government has taken good care of you. It 
is about the

[[Page 20163]]

great people of this Nation that we are not taking care of.''
  That is what this vote is about. This is where their values are. They 
are on display. The final bill is even worse than we feared. It lowers 
the tax rate for the wealthiest people even more. It repeals a key 
element of the Affordable Care Act, kicking 13 million people off their 
insurance, raising premiums by 10 percent.
  Don't let them fool you on the child tax credit. It is a shameful 
proposal. It shuts out military families, rural families, large 
families, minimum wage workers, those with the youngest children. If 
you make $400,000 a year, you get a $4,000 child tax credit. If you 
make $14,500 a year, you get $75. Who are they fooling with this bill?
  And you know what, my colleague, just a minute ago, said: Yes, those 
in this Chamber will benefit. You bet.
  We are eligible for the child tax credit, but low-income families are 
not. This bill fails the middle class. It benefits the richest 1 
percent. Vote against it as I will.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Lawrenceville, Georgia (Mr. Woodall), the Rules Committee designee to 
the Budget Committee and the gentleman who sits with esteem on the 
Rules Committee.
  Mr. WOODALL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me the 
time. We were in the Rules Committee last night, Mr. Speaker, and we 
were having this same kind of conversation. We were going through the 
list one by one by one of all the families and how folks were going to 
benefit, about the children and graduate students, folks facing medical 
challenges. We went through one by one by one and talked about all the 
folks who were going to benefit from this great tax cut, and it was 
powerful.
  But I was reminded, Mr. Speaker, that when we started this 
conversation, it wasn't even a tax cut conversation. It was an economic 
growth conversation, Mr. Speaker. It was an economic growth 
conversation. Where we have ended up is there are going to be tax 
benefits for every single working family in the country, but where we 
started was how do we get those wages for working families up? How do 
we get job creation up? How do we get America growing, not at these 
stagnant rates of Obama years, but back at powerful rates as we saw in 
the Bush years, as we saw in the Clinton years, as we saw in the Reagan 
years? That was the conversation.
  Mr. Speaker, if we had historically normal economic growth--not 
fantastic economic growth--historically normal economic growth, we 
would have a balanced budget in this country today. There is an 
economic consequence of economic failure. What we have done in this 
bill, Mr. Speaker, by allowing businesses to expense their investment, 
allows them to make their employees more productive on day one. That is 
going to have a powerful impact, not just on employee wages, Mr. 
Speaker, but on economic growth across the entire country.
  This bill is not about should we pay taxes. We must. This bill is 
about how we pay taxes. Can we do it better? Does America need to be 
the worst in the world? Or can we be first in the world?
  We are answering that question today. We are answering that question 
today. And with every single vote a Member in this Chamber casts, it is 
not about is everything in this bill exactly the way you would have 
crafted it. I assure you, Mr. Speaker, for me, it is not. The question 
is: Does this bill move us in a direction of competitiveness across the 
globe? It does. The question is: Does this bill focus on wages and 
growing those wages? It does. The question is: In this opportunity that 
we have, did we take it or did we waste it?
  We haven't answered that question yet, Mr. Speaker, but I believe 
that later on today we will. We are going to answer in the affirmative. 
Give us a chance. Should it have taken us 31 years to get to this 
place? It should not. Can we make a difference together today for the 
country? Yes, we can. It will be a lasting difference. It will be a 
powerful difference. It is going to be one of the proudest votes I have 
had an opportunity to take in this Chamber, and I appreciate the 
opportunity.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership on this.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this has been the most awful process. Mr. Barton wanted 
to know why the Democrats weren't involved. We weren't involved in any 
of it, for heaven's sake. We almost didn't get to see a copy of what 
they had.
  But I think the debate we have had here today must be very similar to 
the one we had in the Reagan administration. And David Stockman, who 
talked Ronald Reagan into trickle down, he says today it didn't work. 
It didn't work then. It didn't work for President Bush. It didn't work 
for the Governor from Kansas, whose name escapes me for the moment. 
Very recently, it didn't work, and it isn't going to work this time.
  So I am really appalled that we are doing it. But I have to say that 
this was the worst process that any of us have ever been through. We 
operated on Thomas Jefferson's manual in the Rules Committee. We didn't 
even come close.
  Mr. Speaker, let me speak on the PQ. We must protect middle class 
families against the disastrous Republican tax plan, and if we defeat 
the previous question, I am going to offer an amendment that will 
prohibit any legislation from being considered on the floor that limits 
or repeals the State and local tax deduction or repeals the ACA's 
individual mandate.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my 
amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately 
prior to the vote on the previous question.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Engel), the ranking member on the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from New York. You know, I 
have been here a long time now, and I have to say: This is one of the 
worst pieces of legislation I have ever seen; one of the worst 
processes I have ever seen. You know, when you were a kid, and you went 
to high school and college, and you learned how a bill becomes a law, 
well, take that and throw it out because the Republican leadership here 
doesn't want to work with Democrats.
  The reason no Democrats are working with you is you shut us out. You 
won't let us have any input. You won't do anything with us, and this is 
not the way to govern, absolutely not. You know, someone near and dear 
to me once said: The Republican Party is the party of the rich person, 
and the Democratic Party is the party of the working person.
  If that was ever true, it certainly is true today. Rich people do 
really, really well. Middle class and the poor people don't do well at 
all. In fact, the corporate tax breaks last for years and years and 
years, and the other tax breaks for the middle class expire in 5 years. 
This helps the rich; it hurts the poor; it helps the middle class.
  Even Ronald Reagan tried to be bipartisan and have Democrats work 
with him. And whatever happened to my friends on the Republican side, 
lectures about fiscal responsibility? This blows a hole in the budget. 
It is irresponsible. My State of New York, which is a donor State, is 
getting screwed. That is all I can say.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise the gentlewoman 
that we are through with our speakers, that I will be closing, so I ask 
that she go ahead and consume her time.
  Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I have one more speaker.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. 
Cicilline).
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I 
rise in strong hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle 
will come to

[[Page 20164]]

their senses and defeat this job-killing bill that will explode the 
deficit and hurt working people.
  It is important to note 83 percent of the benefits of the cuts in 
this bill go to the top 1 percent; 86 million hardworking middle class 
families will actually see a tax increase. Of course, we need to reform 
our Tax Code, but we need to do it in a way that raises wages, produces 
good-paying jobs, and makes sure the people have a brighter future.
  This does just the opposite. It ransacks Medicare and Medicaid. It 
creates an unsustainable burden for the next generation, and it is 
very, very important to recognize it is not going to create jobs. This 
is trickle-down economics. Let everyone at the top hold on to all of 
their money, and it will trickle down to the rest of us.
  It doesn't work. This is a failed economic policy. This does not 
support strengthening the middle class. We need to defeat this bill and 
reform our Tax Code in a way that will really promote job growth, that 
will raise wages, that will ensure working families can get ahead. 
There are millions of Americans tonight who will go to bed worrying 
about how they are going to take care of their family; how they are 
going to make ends meet. This bill will make that problem worse. I urge 
my colleagues to defeat it.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Members of the majority have lined up today to tell 
the American people how great this bill is. If that is true, why were 
they afraid of holding a single hearing or listening to a single 
outside expert?
  The 1986 tax bill had over 30 hearings and 430 witnesses and took 
well over a year; this one about three 3 months--written, apparently, 
by lobbyists. There wasn't a single hearing held on the text of this 
bill, not one. It was jammed through the Ways and Means Committee where 
our amendments, the Democrats', were blocked.
  Democratic Members had under an hour to review the final text before 
voting. It was rushed to the Rules Committee a day earlier than 
announced with only 4 hours' notice, so nobody had any chance to read, 
and the majority there blocked 140 bipartisan amendments.
  This has been a secretive process on both sides of the Capitol. 
Senators received the text of the final bill also within an hour of the 
vote. The nearly 500-page bill in the Senate was riddled with errors, 
last-minute edits, and illegible handwritten changes in the margins. 
There was a single meeting of a conference committee between the House 
and Senate. Members there were prohibited from offering amendments or 
even seeing the negotiated text.
  Imagine that, you couldn't even see what they were supposed to vote 
on. The Senators and Representatives sat around the table for show 
while the press reported that the deal, even before the meeting had 
started, had already been reached. The Democrats had no say at all.
  House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady says he is proud of this 
process, but it will take a separate bill just to correct some of the 
errors here. And there is no reason to believe he would include 
Democrats in that process either. It would be another partisan effort.
  Let me remind everyone watching that we used emergency procedures to 
meet this onerous bill. In this Congress, disaster relief is not an 
emergency. Isn't that amazing? Funding CHIP and community health 
centers is not an emergency. Disaster funding is not an emergency. But 
rushing these tax cuts to the wealthiest among us is an emergency.
  This bill, which has no deadline, is their top priority, while real 
emergencies are being ignored, and it is shameful. I urge a ``no'' vote 
on the previous question on the rule and the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York, the ranking 
member of the Rules Committee, and really each of the members of the 
Rules Committee for their diligence in working yesterday for a long 
period of time.
  As the Rules Committee met last night, not only to consider this, but 
really to offer full and open debate, an opportunity was given for the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) to come and speak representing 
the Democratic Party; the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam), to come 
and represent the Ways and Means Committee; and the distinguished 
gentleman from The Woodlands, Texas (Mr. Brady), the chairman of the 
Ways and Means Committee, to come and thoughtfully articulate not only 
the ideas behind this bill but what we are going to do.

                              {time}  1130

  Mr. Speaker, it is true that what we are doing is taking what was 
done by President Obama and a Democratic majority in the House and the 
Senate that raised taxes a trillion dollars, that, in 2008, 2009, 2010, 
and 2011, really raided the American people by raising taxes on them, 
by causing an economic downturn, a GDP rate of 1.2 percent--an assault 
on not just the taxpayer, but on the free enterprise system.
  It is true that we promised this last election, through the election 
of Donald Trump, to Make America Great Again. Part of making America 
great again means making Americans great again also, making Americans 
not only proud of their country, but giving them an economic 
opportunity, and that is what the Republican Party is doing here.
  We have heard not only from Mike Kelly, Congressman Kelly, who spoke 
about making America better, making the free enterprise system better, 
we heard from Congressman Woodall about being in 24th place, which is 
what America is, 24th in the world in doing business in a friendly 
environment.
  We cannot survive in 24th place--24th place--by keeping the current 
Tax Code we have, where over and over and over we see not only 
companies moving to other locations within the United States of 
America, but moving offshore, stranding dollars, and jobs going with 
that.
  What we are attempting to do in this bill is to make America number 
one, make America and the American worker number one again. We are 
going to make the big deal the big deal for people wherever you live in 
the United States. We are going to offer an opportunity for you to not 
only be taxed less, but that business that is in your city, your State 
that proudly they represent their hometown, they will have the 
opportunity to now be competitive.
  Forget this, ``Oh, Republicans want to move jobs offshore.'' That is 
what we are sick and tired of hearing. We are sick and tired of hearing 
that jobs and investments go overseas.
  They are coming back to America because this places America, instead 
of being the bottom wrung in terms of taxes, as the highest in the 
world. We are going to go to where we are the most competitive, where 
the American worker will stand a chance to stamp ``Made in America'' on 
those items that they want, made from my hometown, the pride of 
authorship of the middle class of this country, pride of authorship of 
knowing not just is my country going to get better, but my community 
and I will be better.
  It is about financial responsibility, but it is also about the 
integrity of the free enterprise system. The free enterprise system is 
the greatest economic system in the history of the world. It will 
continue to produce great and better things for so many people.
  But, Mr. Speaker, the Democratic Party tried to kill the free 
enterprise system when they came after the free enterprise system. We 
knew it and we saw it, and the world saw it, too. 1.2 percent GDP 
growth as opposed to, now, with a new viewpoint about making America 
great, we have not only doubled GDP, but we have added, net, 1 million 
jobs. If the summer had not produced the storms it had, no telling what 
our job growth would be.

[[Page 20165]]

  This is what lies ahead, and this is what this Republican bill does. 
For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the 
underlying bill on this conference report.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Budget Committee, I 
rise in strong and unyielding opposition to the rule and the Conference 
Report to H.R. 1, the so-called ``Tax Cut and Jobs Act,'' which more 
accurately should be called the ``Republican Tax Scam Act.''
  There are four reasons why I oppose this cruel and immoral $1.7 
trillion tax giveaway to wealthy corporations:
  1. The GOP tax scam raises taxes on tens of millions of middle class 
households and distributes the largest tax cuts to those in the top 1 
percent causing $1.7 trillion to be added to the debt;
  2. It eliminates or reduces tax benefits that directly benefit the 
middle class at every stage of life;
  3. It results in 13 million fewer Americans with health insurance 
coverage; and
  4. And it adds over $2 trillion dollars to deficit spending, which 
triggers statutory PAYGO's automatic spending cuts to mandatory 
programs such as Medicare, which along would see a $25 billion cut.
  Instead of doing tax reform the Republicans have found new ways for 
the wealthy who use tax accountants and lawyers to further game the tax 
payer system by adding new loop holes that are only for the 
corporations and the wealthy.
  Corporations receive a 14 percentage point reduction in their 
statutory tax rate, from 35 percent to 21 percent, the largest one-time 
rate reduction in U.S. history.
  Republicans designed this tax scam to benefit the wealthiest in our 
country and now they are working as hard as possible to make sure 
Americans are too busy looking the other way to notice.
  I have to tell them that it is too late, the American public sees 
what you are doing and they are not going to have any of it.
  The Republican Tax Scam doubles the dollar amount at which the estate 
tax, currently affecting only the wealthiest 2 in 100 families.
  It lifts the level at which the alternative minimum tax (AMT) would 
kick in, while dropping the top tax rate from the current 39.6 percent 
to 37 percent.
  Mr. Speaker, where are the promises made to working Americans to give 
them a break.
  Americans are not fooled; they know trickle-down economics has never 
worked, and they see right through this phony tax plan and recognize it 
for the scam that it is.
  What people may not understand is they will not have to wait until 
2027 to see the pain and misery that this tax cut will cause.
  Congress has established mechanisms in rules that require pay-fors 
when budget deficit spending reaching astronomical levels, like what we 
have in this bill's wholesale giveaway of taxpayer money to 
Corporations and the wealth--it is called PAYGO.
  The PAYGO compels new spending or tax changes not to add to the 
federal debt.
  PAYGO requires that new spending must either be ``budget neutral'' or 
offset with cuts to existing programs.
  So the Tax cut that corporations will be getting today, will cost the 
American workers dearly in next year when the Budget Committee must 
draft a budget that will have to slash domestic programs to pay for 
these cuts.
  Mr. Speaker, as you may know, my constituents and others in Texas are 
still struggling to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane 
Harvey, the worst storm ever to make landfall in the continental United 
States.
  Two weeks ago, nearly 8,000 of them took time out of their busy 
schedules to join me in a tele-town hall to discuss the tax scheme that 
has been rushed to the floor for a vote by the Republican leadership in 
the hope of passing it before the American people learn its insidious 
details.
  My constituents understand and let me know that they believe it is 
important that the United States has a tax system that is fair, 
balanced, smart, and provides the resources and opportunities to allow 
all Americans to reach their potential.
  And by margins exceeding 90 percent, they reject:
  1. Any cuts to Medicare or Medicaid to finance tax cuts for wealthy 
corporations and the top 1 percent;
  2. Eliminating the mortgage interest deduction;
  3. Eliminating the deductibility of state and local taxes;
  4. Eliminating existing deductions for student loan interest or 
making taxable college endowment funds or college fellowships expenses.
  Mr. Speaker, my constituents, and Americans across the country, 
oppose this unfair Republican tax giveaway because nearly half of the 
$1.7 trillion tax cut goes to just the top one percent.
  In fact, the average annual tax cut for the top one-tenth of one 
percent is $320,000; for the top one percent it is $62,000, and for 
those earning $1 million a year it is $68,000.
  Nearly 25 percent of the tax cut goes to households in just the top 
one-tenth of one percent, who make at least $5 million a year (2027).
  While super-wealthy corporations and individuals are reaping 
windfalls, millions of middle-class and working families will see their 
taxes go up:
  1. 13 million households face a tax increase next year.
  2. 45 million households face a tax increase in 2027.
  3. 29 million households (21 percent) earning less than $l00,000 a 
year see a tax increase.
  On average, families earning up to $86,000 annually would see a $794 
increase in their tax liability, a significant burden on families 
struggling to afford child care and balance their checkbook.
  It is shocking, but not surprising, that under this Republican tax 
scam, the total value of tax cuts for just the top one percent is more 
than the entire tax cut for the lower 95 percent of earners.
  Put another way, those earning more than $912,000 a year will get 
more in tax cuts than 180 million households combined.
  The core of this Republican tax scheme is a massive tax cut from 35 
percent 20 percent corporations, but that is not the only way that the 
wealthy are rewarded.
  The massive tax cuts for corporations are permanent but temporary for 
working and middle-class families.
  Another immoral aspect of this terrible tax scam is that it abandons 
families that face natural disasters or high medical costs by repealing 
deductions for casualty losses and medical expenses.
  Mr. Speaker, in what universe does it make any sense to eliminate, as 
this bill would, a deduction for:
  1. teachers who purchase supplies for their classroom;
  2. moving expenses to take a new job and taxes employer-provided 
moving expenses; or
  3. Dependent care assistance, making it harder for families to afford 
day care, nursery school, or care for aging parents?
  This Republican tax scam jeopardizes American innovation and 
competitiveness by eliminating the deduction for student loan interest, 
which affects 12 million borrowers, and cuts total education assistance 
by more than $64 billion.
  Under the extraordinary leadership of President Obama and the 
determined efforts of ordinary Americans, we pulled our way out from 
under the worst of the foreclosure crisis when the housing bubble burst 
in 2007.
  Inexplicably, Republicans are now championing a tax scheme that will 
make the homes of average Americans less valuable because deductions 
for mortgage interest and property taxes are much less valuable than 
under current law.
  A tax plan that reduces home values, as this one does, puts pressure 
on states and towns to collect revenues they depend on to fund schools, 
roads, and vital public resources.
  Mr. Speaker, an estimated 2.8 million Texas households deduct state 
and local taxes with an average deduction of $7,823 in 2015.
  But this is not the end of the bad news that will be delivered were 
this tax scam to become law, not by a long shot.
  The proposed elimination of the personal exemption will harm millions 
of Texans by taking away the $4,050 deduction for each taxpayer and 
claimed dependent; in 2015, roughly 9.3 million dependent exemptions 
were claimed in the Lone Star State.
  Equally terrible is that this Republican tax scam drastically reduces 
the Earned Income Tax Credit, which encourages work for 2.7 million 
low-income individuals in Texas, helping them make ends meet with an 
average credit of $2,689.
  The EITC and the Child Tax Credit lift about 1.2 million Texans, 
including 663,000 children, out of poverty each year.
  So to achieve their goal of giving more and more to the haves and the 
``have mores,'' our Republican friends are willing to betray seniors, 
children, the most vulnerable and needy, and working and middle-class 
families.
  The $5.4 trillion cuts in program investments that will be required 
to pay for this tax giveaway to wealthy corporations and individuals 
will fall most heavily on low-income families, students struggling to 
afford college, seniors, and persons with disabilities.
  America will not be made great by financing a $1.7 trillion tax cut 
for the rich by stealing

[[Page 20166]]

$1.8 trillion from Medicare and Medicaid, abandoning seniors and 
families in need, depriving students of realizing a dream to attend 
college without drowning in debt, or disinvesting in the working 
families.
  America will not be positioned to compete and win in the global, 
interconnected, and digital economy by slashing funding for scientific 
research, the arts and humanities, job retraining, and clean energy 
just to pay for a tax cut to corporations and individuals who do not 
even need it.
  Mr. Speaker, the tax scheme presented here by Republicans is not a 
plan but a scam that represents a betrayal of our values as a nation.
  This tax scam is not a revenue policy adapted for the real world that 
real Americans live in but a fantasy resting on the monstrous belief 
that the wealthy have too little money and that poor, working, and 
middle-class families have too much.
  Our Republican friends continue to cling to the fantasy belief that 
their tax cuts for the rich will pay for themselves despite all 
precedent to the contrary and evidence that their tax scheme is 
projected by experts to lose between $3 trillion and $7 trillion.
  Mr. Speaker, in evaluating the merits of a taxing system, it is not 
enough to subject it only to the test of fiscal responsibility.
  To keep faith with the nation's past, to be fair to the nation's 
present, and to safeguard the nation's future, the plan must also pass 
a ``moral test.''
  The Republican tax bill fails both of these standards.
  I strongly oppose the Conference Report to H.R. 1, the ``Republican 
Tax Scam Act,'' and urge all Members to join me in voting against this 
reckless, cruel, and heartless proposal that will do nothing to improve 
the lives or well-being of middle and working class families, and the 
poor and vulnerable `caught in the tentacles of circumstance.'
  The material previously referred to by Ms. Slaughter is as follows:

          An Amendment to H. Res. 667 Offered by Ms. Slaughter

       At the end of the resolution, add the following new 
     sections:

     ``SEC. 5. POINT OF ORDER AGAINST ANY TAX BILL THAT RAISES 
                   TAXES ON MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES BY ELIMINATING 
                   OR LIMITING THE STATE AND LOCAL TAX DEDUCTION.

       (a) Point of Order.--It shall not be in order in the House 
     of Representatives to consider any bill, joint resolution, 
     motion, amendment, amendment between the Houses, or 
     conference report that repeals or limits the State and Local 
     Tax Deduction (26 U.S.C. Sec. 164).
       (b) Waiver in the House.--It shall not be in order in the 
     House of Representatives to consider a rule or order that 
     waives the application of subsection (a). As disposition of a 
     point of order under this subsection, the Chair shall put the 
     question of consideration with respect to the rule or order, 
     as applicable. The question of consideration shall be 
     debatable for 10 minutes by the Member initiating the point 
     of order and for 10 minutes by an opponent, but shall 
     otherwise be decided without intervening motion except one 
     that the House adjourn.''

     ``SEC. 6. POINT OF ORDER AGAINST ANY TAX BILL THAT REPEALS 
                   THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE UNDER THE PATIENT 
                   PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.

       (a) Point of Order.--It shall not be in order in the House 
     of Representatives to consider any bill, joint resolution, 
     motion, amendment, amendment between the Houses, or 
     conference report that repeals or limits the individual 
     mandate under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 
     (26 U.S.C. Sec. 500A). (b) Waiver in the House.--It shall not 
     be in order in the House of Representatives to consider a 
     rule or order that waives the application of subsection (a). 
     As disposition of a point of order under this subsection, the 
     Chair shall put the question of consideration with respect to 
     the rule or order, as applicable. The question of 
     consideration shall be debatable for 10 minutes by the Member 
     initiating the point of order and for 10 minutes by an 
     opponent, but shall otherwise be decided without intervening 
     motion except one that the House adjourn.''
                                  ____


        The Vote on the Previous Question: What It Really Means

       This vote, the vote on whether to order the previous 
     question on a special rule, is not merely a procedural vote. 
     A vote against ordering the previous question is a vote 
     against the Republican majority agenda and a vote to allow 
     the Democratic minority to offer an alternative plan. It is a 
     vote about what the House should be debating.
       Mr. Clarence Cannon's Precedents of the House of 
     Representatives (VI, 308-311), describes the vote on the 
     previous question on the rule as ``a motion to direct or 
     control the consideration of the subject before the House 
     being made by the Member in charge.'' To defeat the previous 
     question is to give the opposition a chance to decide the 
     subject before the House. Cannon cites the Speaker's ruling 
     of January 13, 1920, to the effect that ``the refusal of the 
     House to sustain the demand for the previous question passes 
     the control of the resolution to the opposition'' in order to 
     offer an amendment. On March 15, 1909, a member of the 
     majority party offered a rule resolution. The House defeated 
     the previous question and a member of the opposition rose to 
     a parliamentary inquiry, asking who was entitled to 
     recognition. Speaker Joseph G. Cannon (R-Illinois) said: 
     ``The previous question having been refused, the gentleman 
     from New York, Mr. Fitzgerald, who had asked the gentleman to 
     yield to him for an amendment, is entitled to the first 
     recognition.''
       The Republican majority may say ``the vote on the previous 
     question is simply a vote on whether to proceed to an 
     immediate vote on adopting the resolution . . . [and] has no 
     substantive legislative or policy implications whatsoever.'' 
     But that is not what they have always said. Listen to the 
     Republican Leadership Manual on the Legislative Process in 
     the United States House of Representatives, (6th edition, 
     page 135). Here's how the Republicans describe the previous 
     question vote in their own manual: ``Although it is generally 
     not possible to amend the rule because the majority Member 
     controlling the time will not yield for the purpose of 
     offering an amendment, the same result may be achieved by 
     voting down the previous question on the rule . . . When the 
     motion for the previous question is defeated, control of the 
     time passes to the Member who led the opposition to ordering 
     the previous question. That Member, because he then controls 
     the time, may offer an amendment to the rule, or yield for 
     purpose of amendment.''
       In Deschler's Procedure in the U.S. House of 
     Representatives, the subchapter titled``Amending Special 
     Rules'' states: ``a refusal to order the previous question on 
     such a rule [a special rule reported from the Committee on 
     Rules] opens the resolution to amendment and further 
     debate.'' (Chapter 21, section 21.2) Section 21.3 continues: 
     ``Upon rejection of the motion for the previous question on a 
     resolution reported from the Committee on Rules, control 
     shifts to the Member leading the opposition to the previous 
     question, who may offer a proper amendment or motion and who 
     controls the time for debate thereon.''
       Clearly, the vote on the previous question on a rule does 
     have substantive policy implications. It is one of the only 
     available tools for those who oppose the Republican 
     majority's agenda and allows those with alternative views the 
     opportunity to offer an alternative plan.

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
move the previous question on the resolution.
  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from 
the Faith and Freedom Coalition, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Club 
for Growth, and FreedomWorks:

                                  Faith and Freedom Coalition.

       Dear Representative: On behalf of the 1.5 million members 
     and supporters of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, I urge you 
     to vote YES on the Conference Report to H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts 
     and Jobs Act (TCJA). A vote for this bill is a vote for tax 
     cuts that Republicans have promised and America's hardworking 
     families desperately deserve. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will 
     strengthen families, grow the economy, and create jobs. To 
     that end, Faith & Freedom Coalition will score the vote on 
     H.R. 1 as vote to cut taxes for families and as a vote to 
     begin the process of repealing Obamacare. This vote will 
     appear in tens of millions of Congressional Scorecards and 
     voter guides distributed in over 100,000 churches.
       Since Congress last passed major tax reform over thirty 
     years ago, the tax code has become riddled with corporate 
     giveaways and special-interest provisions that benefit the 
     politically-connected and privileged at the expense of 
     working families. This legislation makes the tax code simpler 
     and fairer, strengthens the family, increase wages, creates 
     jobs, and makes small, family-owned businesses more 
     competitive.
       H.R. 1 doubles the child tax credit to $2,000, makes it 
     available to more families by increasing the income 
     eligibility thresholds, and makes up to $1,400 refundable to 
     lower and middle-class working families. This provision is 
     pro-life, pro-child, pro-family and pro-middle class. 
     Doubling the standard deduction protects more of the average 
     family's income from taxation, keeping more of their paycheck 
     at home rather than sending it to Washington.
       The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also reduces the tax rate on the 
     hard-earned income of small, family-owned businesses--
     creating the lowest tax rate on small business income since 
     World War II. Mom and Pop businesses are the backbone of the 
     American economy and the American family. Over 80% of new 
     jobs are created by Main Street businesses and they need a 
     tax rate that enables them to compete with overseas 
     competitors and Wall Street corporations. These small 
     businesses are often family affairs and are a key component 
     to supporting stronger, more secure families.

[[Page 20167]]

       Finally, repealing Obamacare's individual mandate and 
     returning the savings to families is another tax cut for 
     working families. Nearly 7 million American families paid 
     over $3 billion because of Obamacare's individual mandate 
     tax, and 80 percent make less than $50,000 a year. The 
     Obamacare individual mandate is one of the most regressive 
     taxes in the nation, punishing work and savings and hurting 
     those least able to pay. Repealing it is a critical, if 
     partial, fulfillment of the larger promise to end the 
     disaster of Obamacare.
       America's families have already waited too long for tax 
     cuts that let them keep their hard earned dollars and care 
     for their families. We must not fail them. The Tax Cuts and 
     Jobs Act will simplify the code so that it is fairer for 
     families and individuals, while also encouraging the economy 
     to grow, leading to the creation of more jobs and higher 
     wages.
       For all these reasons, Faith & Freedom Coalition will 
     include the vote on Conference Report to H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts 
     and Jobs Act (TCJA) in our Congressional Score and voter 
     guides as a key vote in the 115th Congress.
       Thank you for considering the views of our millions of 
     members and supporters.
                                  ____
                                  


                                Taxpayers Protection Alliance.

       The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA), representing 
     millions of taxpayers across the country, urges the House of 
     Representatives to vote YES for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. 
     TPA is encouraged by the final tax reform package crafted by 
     the conference committee. This legislation will provide 
     comprehensive tax relief for millions of Americans.
       The conference report has many positive aspects, including 
     a doubled standard deduction, a 21 percent corporate rate, 
     and a $2,000 child tax credit. This legislation allows the 
     economy to flourish, as small businesses get the green light 
     to expand, hire, and increase wages. Individuals and families 
     will have an easier time saving for education and retirement, 
     with the thousands of dollars in annual savings from the 
     legislation.
       Additionally, the repeal of the Obamacare individual 
     mandate penalty relieves an onerous burden for taxpayers 
     while saving hundreds of billions in exchange subsidy 
     payments. Taxpayers will finally have the freedom to forgo 
     health insurance if they choose, without risking penalty from 
     the federal government. TPA is pleased that the conference 
     committee offers a plan that sharply curtails government 
     while giving power back to hard-working Americans.
       TPA urges every Congressman to vote YES on the Tax Cuts and 
     Jobs Act.
                                  ____
                                  


                                              Club for Growth.

      Re key vote alert--``YES'' on Conference Report to the Tax 
         Cuts and Jobs Act, 
         H.R. 1.

       The Club for Growth supports the conference report to the 
     Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1) and we urge all members of 
     Congress to vote YES on it. A vote is expected in the next 
     few days. The vote will be included in the Club's 2017 
     congressional scorecard. This bill is not perfect, but it's 
     still very pro-growth. Some of the more pro-growth elements 
     of the bill include lowering the corporate tax rate down to 
     21%, a new 20% deduction for pass-through businesses, 
     doubling the Death Tax exemption, and moving to an 
     international territorial tax system. The bill also modestly 
     lowers individual tax rates and doubles the standard 
     deduction.
       The Club for Growth urges immediate passage of HR 1. 
     Congress should also begin work on another pro-growth tax 
     bill for next year that addresses other parts of the tax code 
     left untouched by this proposal.
       Our Congressional Scorecard for the 115th Congress provides 
     a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member 
     of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and 
     will be distributed to our members and to the public.
                                  ____



                                                 FreedomWorks.

 Key Vote YES on the Conference Report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 
                                 H.R. 1

       On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact 
     your representative and senators and ask them to vote YES on 
     the conference report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, H.R. 1. 
     This final agreement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provides 
     much-needed relief to taxpayers across the country and to 
     American businesses alike.
       The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowers individual rates for the 
     vast majority of taxpayers. In addition, the Tax Cuts and 
     Jobs Act nearly doubles the standard deduction, meaning 
     Americans keep more of their hard-earned money, and doubles 
     the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000. This bill also 
     provides relief by doubling the exemption amount from the 
     unfair death tax.
       Pass-through business owners, who file their taxes on their 
     individual tax return, will be able to take a 20 percent 
     deduction. This lowers the tax burden currently faced by 
     pass-through businesses, which, according to the Tax 
     Foundation, employ 70 million people, and promotes fairness.
       America's business community will also see added growth as 
     a result of the policy changes in this bill. The corporate 
     tax rate will be lowered substantially from 35 percent to 21 
     percent, making American businesses more globally competitive 
     and allowing them the resources they need to innovate and 
     create jobs. It also eliminates confusion and complexity so 
     job creators can focus on building their company and hiring 
     working Americans.
       This bill also repeals the harmful ObamaCare individual 
     mandate, a coercive tax on Americans. It's estimated that 80 
     percent of households subject to this tax earn less than 
     $50,000 per year. This is an unnecessary hardship being 
     placed on working Americans. The federal government should 
     not punish individuals who cannot afford ObamaCare's costly 
     health insurance plans or decide it is not the best course 
     for them.
       For these reasons, I urge you to call your representative 
     and senators and ask them to vote YES on the conference 
     report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, H.R. 1. FreedomWorks 
     will count the vote on our 2017 Congressional Scorecard. The 
     scorecard is used to determine eligibility for the 
     FreedomFighter Award, which recognizes Members of the House 
     and Senate who consistently vote to support economic freedom 
     and individual liberty.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from the Retail Industry 
Leaders Association, Dow Chemical Company, Semiconductor Industry 
Association, Information Technology Industry Council, Coalition for 
American Insurance, AT&T, and the National Roofing Contractors 
Association:

                          Retail Industry Leaders Association.

       To Members of the United States Congress: The Retail 
     Industry Leaders Association (RILA) urges Congress to pass 
     the conference report to H.R. 1, the ``Tax Cuts and Jobs 
     Act,'' which is scheduled for floor consideration this week. 
     The bill provides for comprehensive tax reform, which is 
     critical to growing the economy and improving U.S. 
     international competitiveness. It accomplishes these goals by 
     doing, among other things: immediately reducing the corporate 
     tax rate from 35 to 21 percent; replacing our current 
     worldwide tax system with a territorial tax system; and 
     modifying individual tax rates, with a focus on providing a 
     tax cut for middle income taxpayers.
       RILA is the trade association of the world's largest and 
     most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more 
     than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service 
     suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion 
     in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and more than 
     100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution 
     centers located both domestically and abroad.
       Over 42 million jobs in the United States are either in 
     retail or supported by retail, making retail America's 
     largest private sector employer. With more than $3.8 trillion 
     in sales and hundreds of billions paid in wages, retail is 
     one of America's most powerful economic engines. In fact, 
     consumer spending represents two-thirds of U.S. gross 
     domestic product (GDP).
       Despite the retail industry's prominent place in the 
     economy, retailers pay among the highest effective tax rates 
     among U.S. industries. In 2016, retailers paid an average 
     domestic effective tax rate of 34.6 percent. As a result, 
     retailers paid $32.5 billion in federal taxes, representing 
     11 percent of the total federal corporate income tax paid by 
     all corporate taxpayers. This tax treatment for the retail 
     sector stifles job creation, investment, and consumer savings 
     for a sector so important to our nation's economy.
       It has been 31 years since the tax code has been 
     fundamentally reformed. RILA and its member companies urge 
     passage of the conference report to H.R. 1, ``Tax Cuts and 
     Jobs Act'' to finalize this once in a generation opportunity 
     to reform the tax code to benefit the economy and America's 
     workers, consumers, and businesses.
                                  ____



                                         Dow Chemical Company.

       Dear Representative Brady: On behalf of The Dow Chemical 
     Company, I write to urge you to vote in favor of the Tax Cuts 
     and Jobs Act. This bill represents a hard-won compromise 
     based on constructive dialogue among many stakeholders, and 
     it deserves to become law.
       Tax reform is critical for American manufacturers and our 
     ability to thrive at home and compete globally. The 
     legislation before you achieves a lower corporate rate and a 
     shift to a territorial system--the key components of a pro-
     growth policy that will help U.S. manufacturers succeed in an 
     increasingly competitive global environment.
       Over the past 10 years, Dow has invested more than $8 
     billion in the U.S. and Dow is prepared to invest an 
     additional $4 billion in American manufacturing factories and 
     infrastructure. This bill, with a focus on U.S. growth and 
     competitiveness, will drive further investments such as ours, 
     resulting in more jobs and strengthening the U.S. 
     manufacturing sector, along with the many industries it 
     supports.
       Passing this bill and enacting the first major overhaul of 
     our tax code in a generation will be a significant 
     accomplishment for this Congress. Most importantly, tax 
     reform will bolster American businesses of all sizes, their 
     employees and the communities they call home.

[[Page 20168]]

     
                                  ____
                           Semiconductor Industry Association,

                                Washington, DC, December 18, 2017.
     Re Semiconductor Industry backs Corporate Tax Reform 
         Conference Report.

       The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing 
     U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, design, and 
     research, today announced its support for the conference 
     report on H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The conference 
     report reconciles differences between tax reform bills passed 
     by the House and Senate in recent weeks. Votes on the 
     conference report are expected this week in both chambers.
       ``America's economic strength and global technology 
     leadership depend heavily on corporate tax policy that 
     promotes growth and encourages innovation,'' said John 
     Neuffer, president & CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association. 
     ``We support the conference report because it includes 
     several important provisions that will make U.S. 
     semiconductor companies more globally competitive. SIA is 
     particularly pleased that conferees largely retained the 
     balanced international approach of the Senate bill.''
       The conference report includes several measures the U.S. 
     semiconductor has long supported. These include lowering the 
     corporate rate to a globally competitive level of 21 percent, 
     modernizing our international tax structure, and creating an 
     incentive for foreign income from intellectual property (IP) 
     held in the U.S. Repeal of the corporate Alternative Minimum 
     Tax (AMT) also protects the utility of the R&D tax credit, 
     which helps ensure our industry can stay at the tip of the 
     technology leadership spear.
       ``Semiconductors are one of America's top exports and a key 
     driver of U.S. economic strength, national security, and 
     technology leadership,'' said Neuffer. ``This legislation 
     modernizes the U.S. tax code and makes the United States a 
     more competitive location for semiconductor research, design, 
     and manufacturing. We urge the Senate and House to pass it 
     and the President to sign it into law in short order.''
                                  ____

                                            Information Technology


                                             Industry Council.

       Dear Leaders McConnell and Schumer, Speaker Ryan and Leader 
     Pelosi: On behalf of the over 60 members of the Information 
     Technology Industry Council (ITI), I write to express our 
     strong support of the conference report to the H.R. 1, the 
     Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Given the importance of these 
     provisions to the high-tech community, we will consider 
     scoring votes in support of final passage of the tax reform 
     legislation in our 115th Congressional Voting Guide.
       ITI has long advocated for tax reform that builds a more 
     competitive economy and incentivizes innovation. We are 
     pleased to see that this critical legislation includes a 
     permanent, competitive corporate rate, moves to a territorial 
     system and creates powerful incentives for innovation 
     including a permanent Research and Development Credit, and a 
     tax incentive for income made abroad on intellectual property 
     held in the United States.
       Updating the over 30-year-old U.S. tax code is an essential 
     step towards a more rational system for the nation. Adopting 
     a territorial tax system where profits are taxed where they 
     occur is essential to aligning the US system with the rest of 
     the world. Similarly lowering the corporate rate, from one 
     the highest statutory rates in the developed world, will make 
     the United States more competitive in the global arena. 
     Critically for our sector, the law will help ensure the 
     United States remains the global leader in innovative 
     technologies by providing incentives for the development and 
     retention of intellectual property.
       On behalf of ITI's member companies, we urge members of the 
     House and Senate to support the final conference report to 
     the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
                                  ____



                             Coalition for American Insurance,

                                Washington, DC, December 18, 2017.
     Re we support the Tax Cut and Jobs Act.


  Legislation Establishes Level Playing Field for All Insurers in U.S.

       The Coalition for American Insurance strongly supports the 
     final version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The historic 
     legislation includes a significant reform that will ensure 
     more equal tax treatment for U.S. based insurers and 
     consumers by addressing a longstanding loophole that allowed 
     foreign insurance companies to move their U.S.-generated 
     insurance profits abroad to avoid tax.
       ``With this agreement, Congress has made good on its 
     promise to create U.S. jobs and to keep American companies 
     competitive in the global marketplace. Importantly, the Tax 
     Cuts and Jobs Act helps to close the tax haven loophole in 
     the current tax code that unfairly rewarded the transfer of 
     profits and jobs overseas. Now, with the inclusion of the 
     Base Erosion and Anti-Abuse Tax (BEAT) to impede the 
     offshoring of profits by foreign companies to tax havens, all 
     insurers operating in the U.S. market will do so on the most 
     level playing field in decades.
       ``The BEAT is not discriminatory. Instead, it ensures that 
     all companies doing business in the United States will pay 
     U.S. taxes on that business. This is an important reform that 
     will help maintain a thriving American-based insurance 
     industry and enhance choices for all consumers.
       ``We strongly urge members of the House and Senate to 
     approve the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act so that this bill can be 
     signed into law this year.''
                                  ____



                                                         AT&T.

       AT&T remains committed to invest an additional $1 billion 
     in the United States in 2018 if the bill proposed by the 
     House and Senate conference committee is passed into law.
                                  ____

                                                  National Roofing


                                      Contractors Association.

       The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) 
     supports the conference report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
     (H.R. 1). NRCA has long supported pro-growth tax reform that 
     lowers rates for all types of employers and better enables 
     roofing industry entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and 
     create more high paying, family-sustaining jobs. We believe 
     the final version of H.R. 1 will increase incentives for 
     productive investment in our industry and ultimately expand 
     economic growth in the U.S.
       Established in 1886, NRCA is one of the nation's oldest 
     trade associations and the voice of professional roofing 
     contractors worldwide. NRCA's 3,600 member companies 
     represent all segments of the roofing industry, including 
     contractors, manufacturers, distributors, consultants and 
     other industry employers in all 50 states. NRCA members are 
     typically small, privately held companies, but our membership 
     includes businesses of all sizes. During peak season, the 
     average member employs 45 people.
       NRCA applauds your leadership in advancing tax reform 
     through the House and Senate. We are pleased to see that the 
     final bill provides lower tax rates for both corporations and 
     businesses structured as passthrough entities; expands 
     expensing capabilities for qualifying property, including 
     commercial roofs; doubles the death tax exemption; and 
     improves accounting methods for small businesses, among other 
     provisions. We are especially pleased to see progress made on 
     improving the new tax credit for passthrough employers and 
     ensuring that family-owned businesses that utilize trusts are 
     not excluded from benefiting from tax reform.
       Again, NRCA supports the conference report on H.R. 1 and 
     commends you for your leadership in advancing tax reform that 
     will strengthen the roofing industry. We urge members of the 
     House and Senate to approve this legislation so it may be 
     signed into law by the president. Thank you for your 
     consideration of NRCA's view on this crucial legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from Heritage Action, 
American Action Network, SBE Council, and Americans for Prosperity:

                                         Americans for Prosperity.


                              Letter No. 1

  AFP: Historic Tax Reform Agreement Will Unleash Economic Growth and 
                               Prosperity

       Arlington, VA.--Americans for Prosperity today cheered the 
     final version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act released by the 
     tax reform conference committee. The organization commended 
     lawmakers for crafting a bill that remains true to the 
     principles of the Unified Framework and advances the ultimate 
     goal of unrigging the economy for hardworking Americans.
       In praising the package, the group is pointing out that it 
     would provide tax relief for individuals at every income 
     bracket, make U.S. businesses significantly more competitive 
     by lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 
     percent, and includes efforts to simplify and ease the burden 
     of tax compliance. In addition, the tax plan includes 
     provisions long championed by AFP, such as repealing 
     Obamacare's unpopular individual mandate.
       Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips issued the 
     following statement: ``This final tax reform plan delivers 
     relief to the working class while unleashing opportunity and 
     growth for America's small business owners and job creators. 
     All year, we've been calling on Congress to go bold and focus 
     on making this pro-growth. We think they've done that. 
     Although not perfect, the House and the Senate should be 
     commended for their diligent work to significantly improve 
     our broken system, and the Trump White House deserves credit 
     for its relentless focus on getting tax reform done this 
     year.
       ``Lawmakers now face a historic moment--a once-in-a-
     generation opportunity to overhaul our nation's broken tax 
     code in order to create jobs, increase wages, fuel the 
     economy and unleash U.S. investment, which will usher in a 
     new era of American innovation. We urge all members of 
     Congress to embrace this historic plan and fulfill their 
     promise to create a simpler, fairer and more competitive tax 
     code by sending it to the president's desk this year.''


                              Letter No. 2

          AFP Key Vote: YES Vote on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

       Dear Senators: On behalf of more than 3.2 million Americans 
     for Prosperity activists in all 50 states, I urge a YES vote 
     on the Senate

[[Page 20169]]

     version of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This tax reform package 
     will deliver a fairer, flatter, and simpler tax code that 
     will lead to stronger economic growth, more job creation, and 
     higher wages. Lawmakers should not miss this once-in-a-
     generation opportunity.
       We urge you to vote YES on the Senate version of The Tax 
     Cuts and Jobs Act. Americans for Prosperity will include this 
     vote in our congressional scorecard. This comprehensive tax 
     reform plan will bring tax relief to middle-class households 
     and businesses across the country. Americans would see 
     individual tax rates fall from the current rate of 22.5 
     percent to 22 percent; 25 percent to 24 percent; and 32.5 
     rate to 32 percent. They would also benefit from an expanded 
     standard deduction and repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax. 
     Businesses would see the corporate tax rate fall to 20 
     percent permanently as well as improvements in the structure 
     of our punishing international tax system. Meanwhile, small 
     businesses--the economy's top job creators--would also see 
     welcome tax relief.
       Americans have suffered under an unfair, complex, and 
     burdensome tax code which pits the least fortunate against 
     the well-connected for far too long. It's encouraging to see 
     lawmakers follow through on their commitment to the American 
     people to overhaul the tax code and make it work better for 
     everyday Americans. This vote will inform our engagement on 
     the grassroots level in lawmakers' districts.
       We urge you to vote YES on the Senate version of The Tax 
     Cuts and Jobs Act. Americans for Prosperity will include this 
     vote in our congressional scorecard.
                                  ____

                                                      SBE Council.

  SBE Council Statement on Tax Reform Conference Report: A Solid Bill 
       That Supports Strong Economic Growth and Entrepreneurship

       Washington, DC.--Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council 
     (SBE Council) president & CEO Karen Kerrigan issued the 
     following statement about the ``Tax Cuts and Jobs Act'' 
     conference report unveiled today:
       ``The conference report is a solid bill that will enable 
     strong and sustainable economic growth, which is critical to 
     healthy entrepreneurship and small business growth. It is 
     vitally important that this tax package be signed into law 
     this year to fuel the optimism and confidence that is 
     strengthening our economy and bolstering investment, which is 
     key to higher wage growth and more opportunity in areas of 
     the country that have never recovered from the great 
     recession.
       ``We appreciate the efforts of the conference committee, 
     especially as it relates to keeping entrepreneurs, their 
     workforce and the dreamers who want to start businesses at 
     the center of tax reform. We urge the House and Senate to 
     quickly pass the legislation so it can be signed by President 
     Trump this year.''
                                  ____

                                          American Action Network.

     American Action Network Statement on Tax Conference Agreement


Congress on the verge of delivering historic, once-in-a-generation tax 
                     reform to the American people

       Washington.--Following the House and Senate's announcement 
     of a conference agreement on tax reform, American Action 
     Network (@AAN) Executive Director Corry Bliss issued the 
     following statement:
       ``House and Senate leadership should be commended for their 
     work, and today's progress, toward making meaningful tax 
     reform a reality for working families across the country. 
     Congress is on the verge of delivering historic, once-in-a-
     generation tax reform to the American people, and this is an 
     opportunity that cannot be wasted. Right now, too many 
     families are living paycheck-to-paycheck, struggling to make 
     ends meet because of an archaic and unfair tax code. The plan 
     presented by Congress today will expand economic opportunity 
     for all Americans by unleashing more jobs, lower taxes and a 
     fairer playing field for businesses. Now, it is up to the 
     House and Senate to quickly bring the legislation forward for 
     a vote, and send it to the President's desk to become law 
     before Christmas.''
       AAN has been the highest spending outside group in the 
     effort to pass meaningful tax reform, and launched the 
     Middle-Class Growth Initiative in August to promote pro-
     growth tax reform passage. The multi-pronged effort, now 
     totaling over $24 million, has included advertising on 
     television, radio, digital, direct mail, and mobile 
     billboards in over 60 congressional districts across the 
     country.
                                  ____

                                                  Heritage Action.

  ``YES'' on Conference Report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1)

       December 18, 2017.--This week, the House and Senate will 
     vote on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1), the most 
     significant tax reform and tax cut legislative initiative 
     since the 1986 tax reform package passed under President 
     Ronald Reagan. The bill would make sweeping changes to the 
     individual and corporate codes, and eliminate Obamacare's 
     individual mandate penalty.
       The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Conference report would unleash 
     economic growth, increase wages for American workers, create 
     new jobs, and provide tax relief to all Americans including 
     the middle and working classes, main street businesses, and 
     U.S. corporations. It accomplishes this by 1) cutting the 
     corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, 2) allowing 
     pass-through businesses to deduct 20 percent of taxable 
     income, 3) permitting full and immediate expensing of new and 
     capital equipment for five years, 4) moving toward a 
     territorial tax system that incentivizes foreign investment 
     here in America, 5) lowering marginal tax rates for all 
     Americans, 6) doubling the standard deduction, and 7) 
     providing substantial relief from the death tax.
       According to Heritage Foundation research, the GOP tax 
     reform bill could increase long-run gross domestic product 
     (GDP) by almost 3 percent, translating into an increase of 
     $4,000 per household. The Tax Foundation estimates, if 
     enacted permanently, the tax plan will increase wages by 3.3 
     percent and create roughly 1.6 million new full-time 
     equivalent (FTE) jobs. This is exactly the kind of economic 
     growth our country needs and what congressional Republicans 
     and President Trump promised on the campaign trail. Two 
     important provisions contained in the tax plan is the near 
     elimination of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction and 
     the full elimination of the Obamacare individual mandate tax 
     penalty. Eliminating the SALT deduction ends the practice of 
     federal taxpayers subsidizing liberal state governments, 
     which will put pressure on state and local governments to be 
     more fiscally responsible. In fact, New Jersey Senate 
     President Steve Sweeney said ``We're going to have to re-
     evaluate everything'' if the bill becomes law. Like the House 
     bill, the Senate bill allows for a $10,000 deduction for 
     property tax. Eliminating the individual mandate provides tax 
     relief to working class Americans who can't afford expensive 
     Obamacare insurance plans. Additionally, both provisions 
     raise significant revenue needed to lower marginal tax rates 
     under Senate budget reconciliation rules.
       It's been far too long since Congress made lasting positive 
     changes to the U.S. tax code--three decades in fact. Since 
     that time, our convoluted 74,000-page tax code has suppressed 
     American entrepreneurship, driven companies and jobs 
     overseas, and made it harder and harder for American families 
     to leave a better life for their children. Members of 
     Congress justifiably concerned about the national debt should 
     look to cut federal spending to balance the budget, not 
     confiscate hard-earned income from individuals or punish 
     profitable businesses. Congress cannot tax the American 
     people into economic prosperity nor can it raise enough 
     revenue to balance the budget if it continues to spend nearly 
     $4 trillion a year.
       Adam Michel, Policy Analyst in the Thomas A. Roe Institute 
     at The Heritage Foundation explains:
       ``Holding pro-growth tax reform hostage over the deficit 
     unwittingly makes fiscally responsible spending reforms 
     harder. The deficit cannot be eliminated with tax increases. 
     The notion that we can tax our way out of trouble denies the 
     fundamental problem: The deficit is driven by uncontrolled 
     spending. Tax reform that grows the economy can also ease the 
     burden of paying down the debt. Robust economic growth is a 
     necessary component of managing our debt. Pro-growth tax 
     reform that allows for a larger and more robust economy means 
     our debt relative to our output shrinks and makes the 
     necessary spending reforms easier.''
       Due to the self-imposed $1.5 trillion deficit tax cut box 
     Senate Republicans elected to put themselves in, the Tax Cuts 
     and Jobs Act is not as robust as tax reform should be under a 
     unified Republican government, but it certainly is what 
     President Reagan would call ``half a loaf.'' While Congress 
     cannot tax the country into prosperity, it can and should 
     deliver meaningful tax reform that spurs sustainable, long-
     term economic growth. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a strong 
     step toward that end. The time for pro-growth tax reform is 
     now.
       *** Heritage Action supports the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and 
     will include it as a key vote on our legislative scorecard. 
     ***
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from Ford Motor Company, 
MetLife, Coalition Letter, Americans for Tax Reform, National Taxpayers 
Union, and a letter signed by National Taxpayers Union, 60 Plus 
Association, ALEC Action, American Action Network, American Commitment, 
American Conservative Union, Americans for a Strong Economy, Americans 
for Tax Reform, Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC), 
Campaign for Liberty, Center for Freedom and Prosperity, Center for 
Individual Freedom, Center for Worker Freedom, Club for Growth, 
Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE), Council for Citizens 
Against Government Waste, Digital Liberty, Faith & Freedom Coalition, 
Family Business Coalition, Freedom Foundation of Minnesota, 
FreedomWorks, Heritage Action for America, Hispanic Leadership Fund, 
Independent Women's Voice, Institute for a Policy Innovation, Invest in 
Education Coalition, The James Madison Institute, The John K. MacIver

[[Page 20170]]

Institute for Public Policy, Middle Class Growth Initiative, Niskanen 
Center, Property Rights Alliance, Rio Grande Foundation, Small Business 
& Entrepreneurship Council, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Tea Party 
Patriots Citizens Fund, and Women for Trump:

                                               Ford Motor Company.
       As an American automaker with more than 85,000 U.S. 
     employees, we applaud your strong commitment to producing tax 
     reform that we believe will help support continued investment 
     in American manufacturing and the good-paying jobs it 
     supports.
       Over the last five years, Ford has invested more than $12 
     billion in its U.S. factories. We have more U.S. hourly 
     employees and produce more vehicles in the U.S. than any 
     other automaker. We also continue to expand our ranks of 
     high-tech engineering, research and IT jobs in the U.S. and 
     each year, we invest nearly $7 billion in research and 
     development, the vast majority of which is conducted in the 
     United States. We believe these investments will not only 
     enhance our products today, but lead to the innovation that 
     transforms the future of transportation.
       Your collective work and perseverance in driving tax reform 
     is critical to America's continued leadership in today's 
     globally competitive marketplace. We urge you to quickly pass 
     this proposal and seize this generational opportunity to make 
     tax reform a reality.
                                  ____
                                  
                                                          MetLife.
       ``MetLife has been on the record since September in support 
     of pro-growth tax reform. We argued that companies should set 
     aside narrow self-interest and support any tax package that 
     boosts growth and jobs. The conference report on the Tax Cuts 
     and Jobs Act of 2017 meets that test and we urge its 
     enactment.''
                                  ____
                                  
                                                 Coalition Letter.
       On behalf of the undersigned organizations and our millions 
     of members from across the country, we write in support of 
     the Conference Report to H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
     (TCJA). With passage of this historic legislation, Congress 
     will finally deliver on the promise of fundamental tax 
     reform. TCJA will encourage economic growth, simplify the tax 
     code, and provide American families and individuals with 
     much-needed tax relief.
       On the individual side of the code, it will provide 
     immediate financial benefits to American households by 
     cutting rates across the board, doubling the standard 
     deduction, and expanding the child tax credit. It will 
     simplify the tax code so that more than 90 percent of filers 
     will be able to avoid the complicated and burdensome process 
     of itemization.
       For businesses, the TCJA drops the corporate rate from 35 
     percent to a far more competitive 21 percent, which is below 
     the average for industrialized nations. Corporations and 
     small businesses alike would see lower rates and reduced 
     burdens. It also creates a modern, territorial system of 
     taxation that ends the competitive disadvantage that U.S. 
     businesses face internationally. These changes will encourage 
     more entrepreneurship, increase wages, create jobs, and lead 
     to more investment in the domestic economy.
       With these changes and more, lawmakers are casting a vision 
     for the future of this country; one that empowers 
     individuals, families and businesses to invest and succeed in 
     the American dream.
       The Conference Report to H.R. 1 is a pro-growth, pro-
     family, and pro-worker legislative proposal. We encourage all 
     Members of Congress to support its passage.
       Pete Sepp, National Taxpayers Union, James L. Martin, 60 
     Plus Association, Lisa B. Nelson, ALEC Action, Corry Bliss, 
     American Action Network, Phil Kerpen, American Commitment, 
     Daniel Schneider, American Conservative Union, Tom 
     Giovanetti, Americans for a Strong Economy, Grover Norquist, 
     Americans for Tax Reform, Dan Weber, Association of Mature 
     American Citizens (AMAC).
       Norm Singleton, Campaign for Liberty, Andrew F. Quinlan, 
     Center for Freedom and Prosperity, Jeffrey Mazzella, Center 
     for Individual Freedom, Olivia Grady, Center for Worker 
     Freedom, David McIntosh, Club for Growth, Matthew Kandrach, 
     Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE), Tom Schatz, 
     Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Katie 
     McAuliffe, Digital Liberty, Timothy Head, Faith & Freedom 
     Coalition, Alex Ayers, Family Business Coalition.
       Annette Meeks, Freedom Foundation of Minnesota, Jason Pye, 
     FreedomWorks, Michael A. Needham, Heritage Action for 
     America, Mario Lopez, Hispanic Leadership Fund, Heather R. 
     Higgins, Independent Women's Voice, Tom Giovanetti, Institute 
     for a Policy Innovation, Thomas W. Carroll, Invest in 
     Education Coalition, J. Robert McClure, The James Madison 
     Institute, Brett Healy, The John K. MacIver Institute for 
     Public Policy.
       Michael Steel, Middle Class Growth Initiative, Jerry 
     Taylor, Niskanen Center, Lorenzo Montanari, Property Rights 
     Alliance, Paul Gessing, Rio Grande Foundation, Karen 
     Kerrigan, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, David 
     Williams, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Jenny Beth Martin, 
     Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund, Amy Kremer, Women for 
     Trump.
                                  ____
                                  
                                         Americans for Tax Reform.


                              Letter No. 2

   Norquist Statement on Conference Report for Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

       ``A floor wax AND a delicious dessert topping that will 
     create millions of American jobs and simplify and lower taxes 
     on Americans''
       ATR president Grover Norquist praised the conference report 
     for Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as follows:
       ``In December 1975 Saturday Night Live unveiled ``Shimmer'' 
     which was a floor wax AND a dessert topping. [See the video 
     here]
       ``Today in December 2017 Republicans will enact the Tax 
     Cuts and Jobs Act. The bill is a floor wax and a delicious 
     dessert topping: it will create millions of American jobs AND 
     simplify and lower taxes on Americans.
       ``It reduces taxes on American corporations AND small 
     businesses.
       ``It simplifies the tax code so most Americans can file on 
     a postcard AND offers tax relief for Americans at every 
     income level.
       ``It will increase take-home pay AND grow the economy.
       ``It will end the Obamacare mandate tax paid by millions of 
     Americans--80% of whom earn less than $50,000--AND it will 
     free up oil in Alaska.''


                              Letter No. 2

 Key Vote: ATR Urges ``YES'' Vote on Conference Report to H.R. 1, the 
                         Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

       The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will create millions of American 
     jobs and higher wages AND simplify and lower taxes on 
     Americans at every income level.
       ATR Urges a YES vote.
       Later this week, members of the House and Senate will vote 
     on the conference report to H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs 
     Act. ATR urges a YES vote on this pro-growth, pro-family 
     legislation.
       This legislation offers tax reduction and simplification 
     for families, individuals, small businesses, and 
     corporations. Over the next decade, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
     reduces taxes by $5.5 trillion and eliminates $4 trillion 
     worth of distortionary credits and deductions.
       H.R. 1 simplifies the tax code so most Americans can file 
     on a postcard and offers tax relief for Americans at every 
     income level. Under this plan, a family of four with the 
     nationwide median income of $73,000 will receive a tax cut of 
     $2,059.
       The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will also grow the economy 
     leading to increased take-home pay and the creation of new or 
     better jobs for families across the country.
       In addition, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ends the Obamacare 
     mandate tax paid by millions of Americans--80% of whom earn 
     less than $50,000--and allows responsible production of oil 
     in Alaska.
       By voting YES on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, members of the 
     House and Senate have a rare opportunity to reform the broken 
     tax code and offer relief to families and businesses across 
     the country. All Senators and Congressmen should vote for 
     H.R. 1.
                                  ____

                                         National Taxpayers Union.

                  National Taxpayers Union Vote Alert

       NTU strongly urges all Members of Congress to vote ``YES'' 
     on the Conference Report to H.R. 1, the ``Tax Cuts and Jobs 
     Act.'' This legislation would overhaul our nation's broken 
     tax code, stimulate economic growth, and provide struggling 
     American families with much-needed tax relief. Tax reform is 
     our nation's highest fiscal priority. For too long, our tax 
     code has held back our economy and placed a heavy burden on 
     American workers and job creators. H.R. 1 will make U.S. 
     businesses significantly more competitive by lowering the 
     corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, shifting to 
     a territorial system of taxation, and incentivizing capital 
     investment into the economy. All of these changes will 
     benefit American workers from across the economic spectrum by 
     increasing wages and creating new jobs.
       Additionally, H.R. 1 will ease the burden of taxation by 
     doubling the standard deduction so that over 90 percent of 
     filers can avoid the complicated process of itemization. It 
     will provide immediate benefits to families via a 100 percent 
     increase in the child tax credit and lower rates on taxable 
     income across the board. Under H.R. 1, a typical family of 
     four will be able to earn just over $56,000 before having to 
     pay a penny in federal income taxes, expanding what is known 
     as the ``zero percent tax bracket.'' Americans need tax 
     reform and tax relief. H.R. 1 delivers on both counts.
       Roll call votes on H.R. 1 will be heavily weighted in our 
     annual Rating of Congress and a ``YES'' vote will be 
     considered the pro-taxpayer position.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from the U.S. Chamber of 
Commerce, Business Roundtable, National Association of Manufacturers, 
National Federation of Independent Business, and the Alliance for 
Competitive Taxation:

                                        U.S. Chambers of Commerce.
       To The Members of the United States Congress: The U.S. 
     Chamber of Commerce urges Congress to complete its final step 
     to

[[Page 20171]]

     enact comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform legislation and 
     pass the conference report to accompany H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts 
     and Jobs Act. The Chamber will include votes related to this 
     legislation in our How They Voted scorecard. By passing the 
     conference report, Congress would unleash resources for 
     businesses large and small to hire new workers, expand 
     facilities, and purchase new equipment. Bringing about tax 
     reform would help ensure that these investments are made here 
     in the United States, and these investments would lead to 
     higher wages and catalyze broad economic growth.
       Moreover, H.R. 1 would provide additional growth by 
     allowing for environmentally-sensitive oil and gas production 
     in an area in northern Alaska set aside by Congress for 
     energy exploration in 1980.
       The Chamber applauds the work of the conferees for 
     reporting a strong pro-growth tax reform bill. The members of 
     the Finance and Ways and Means Committees from this and 
     previous congresses also deserve much credit for their work 
     during this multi-year effort.
       Tax reform is a big engine that will power a growing 
     economy for years to come. Only one step remains for Congress 
     to keep its commitment to approving pro-growth, comprehensive 
     tax reform legislation.
                                  ____

                                              Business Roundtable.

 Business Roundtable Statement in Support of the Conference Report on 
                         Pro-Growth Tax Reform

       Washington, DC.--Business Roundtable today issued the 
     following statement in support of the conference report on 
     H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017:
       ``This bill represents a remarkable, once-in-a-generation 
     achievement by the House and Senate. Business leaders applaud 
     the conference committee for coming to an agreement that will 
     promote U.S. competitiveness and spur economic growth. This 
     agreement results from years of serious policy work and 
     debate that produced legislation the President can now sign 
     into law. Business Roundtable strongly endorses this 
     conference report and urges both chambers to pass it without 
     delay.''
                                  ____



                                       National Association of

                                                    Manufacturers.


                              Letter No. 1

   NAM on Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Historic Progress for Manufacturers


 Timmons: ``Manufacturers Will Invest in Their Companies and Workers.''

       Washington, DC.--National Association of Manufacturers 
     (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following 
     statement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act conference report:
       ``America will be better off than we are today once this 
     tax reform bill becomes law. This legislation represents 
     historic progress for manufacturers and for all Americans. As 
     manufacturers across our country have said many times, tax 
     reform done right will empower us to create more well-paying 
     jobs and invest and build more right here in America. 
     According to the NAM's latest Manufacturers' Outlook Survey, 
     a pro-growth tax code will encourage manufacturers to 
     increase capital spending, expand their businesses and hire 
     more workers--and nearly half will increase employee wages 
     and benefits.
       ``While this bill is good news, we can never quit looking 
     at what other countries are doing every single day to take 
     away our mantle of economic leadership. The NAM has fought 
     for years--decades, really--for even lower rates than 
     provided in this legislation for manufacturers of all sizes, 
     especially small manufacturers organized as pass-through 
     entities. We will not let up. We will work to ensure this 
     legislation functions as intended.
       ``We will continue our fight and will rally manufacturing 
     workers and their families to encourage more progress in the 
     years ahead. Today, we're calling for our government to 
     produce a comprehensive study every three years to compare 
     how the U.S. tax code stacks up with our competitors around 
     the world. The last time true tax reform was enacted was in 
     1986, 31 years ago. If we wait until 2048 to revisit the tax 
     code, we will no doubt discover that we have fallen 
     significantly behind once again. For the future of every 
     manufacturing worker in America, our elected leaders must 
     constantly strive to ensure our country's business climate is 
     far better than merely average. Manufacturers and the NAM 
     will never stop leading that fight.''


                              Letter No. 2

       The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the 
     largest manufacturing association in the United States, 
     representing manufacturers in every industrial sector and in 
     all 50 states, urges you to support the Conference Report to 
     H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
       American workers need bold tax reform to not just raise 
     their job prospects but to improve their lives. For years, 
     manufacturing workers have sought an updated tax code that 
     spurs economic growth and global competitiveness. Instead, 
     they have a system that holds our nation back due to high tax 
     rates on our small manufacturers, the backbone of our 
     economy, and hinders large manufacturing enterprises that 
     provide livelihoods for millions of families. Manufacturers 
     are saddled with arcane rules for taxing international income 
     and significant compliance burdens that exacerbate our 
     competitive disadvantage. We are counting on you to lift up 
     these hardworking men and women.
       The Conference Report to H.R. 1 takes the important steps 
     toward addressing five key elements that NAM members believe 
     will set the stage for manufacturing growth: a lower 
     corporate rate, reduced burdens on business income earned by 
     pass-through entities, a territorial tax system, robust 
     incentives for capital equipment purchases and retention of 
     tax incentives for research and development. While this bill 
     could go even further to address these key areas that promote 
     added economic growth, it still provides the opportunity to 
     strengthen the manufacturing economy. With this vote, you 
     have the ability to improve manufacturers' global 
     competitiveness, grow the economy, spur investment and create 
     more well-paying manufacturing jobs. For every $1.00 spent in 
     manufacturing an additional $1.89 is added to the economy. In 
     2015, the average manufacturing worker earned nearly $82,000 
     per year in salary and benefits. In short, passing historic 
     tax reform will lead to better jobs, better wages and better 
     opportunities for more people to achieve their American 
     Dream. The NAM's Key Vote Advisory Committee has indicated 
     that votes on the Conference Report to H.R. 1, including 
     procedural motions, may be considered for designation as Key 
     Manufacturing Votes in the 115th Congress. Thank you for your 
     consideration.
                                  ____



                                        National Federation of

                                             Independent Business.


                              Letter No. 1

       National Federation of Independent Business says this is 
     the tax relief that small business needs, urges quick passage
       The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) 
     issued the following statement today on behalf of President 
     and CEO Juanita Duggan on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, released 
     today by the conference committee:
       ``We are very pleased by the tax bill reported out of 
     conference today, and we are grateful to leaders in the House 
     and Senate for following through on their promise to cut 
     taxes on small businesses.
       ``Tax relief is the number-one priority for small 
     businesses, which represent half the economy and half the 
     GDP. This bill will allow millions of small business owners 
     to keep and reinvest more of their money, so they can grow 
     and create jobs. We urge both chambers to pass the bill 
     quickly, so it can be signed into law before the end of the 
     year.''


                              Letter No. 2

       On behalf of the National Federation of Independent 
     Business (NFIB), the nation's leading small business advocacy 
     organization, I am writing in support of the Tax Cuts and 
     Jobs Act conference report. This legislation will provide 
     much needed tax relief to America's job-creating small 
     businesses. This will be considered an NFIB Key Vote for the 
     115th Congress.
       Small business is the engine of the economy, and tax reform 
     should provide substantial relief to all small businesses so 
     they can reinvest their money, grow, and create jobs. Ninety-
     nine percent of all American businesses are small businesses; 
     the average NFIB member has just 10 employees. Taken in sum, 
     however, small businesses create half of all private-sector 
     jobs in the U.S. and contribute half the nation's gross 
     domestic product.
       Three-quarters of America's small employers are structured 
     as pass-through entities, meaning their owners are taxed at 
     the individual rate as opposed to the corporate rate. 
     Crucially, the conference report creates a new 20% deduction 
     for pass-through income of small businesses. Further, it 
     allows all types of small businesses--regardless of industry 
     segment--to benefit from this deduction.
       NFIB supports passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
     conference report and will consider it an NFIB Key Vote for 
     the 115th Congress.
       Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to 
     working with you to protect small business.
                                  ____

                                Alliance for Competitive Taxation.

Alliance for Competitive Taxation Applauds Senate and House Leaders for 
                          Advancing Tax Reform

       Washington.--The Alliance for Competitive Taxation (ACT), a 
     coalition of leading American businesses that employ millions 
     of American workers, issued the following statement on the 
     Conference Report of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
       ``We applaud leaders in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House for 
     reaching an agreement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Conference 
     Report. This pro-growth tax reform bill is a major step in 
     leveling the playing field for American businesses competing 
     in world markets and will create opportunities for American 
     workers.

[[Page 20172]]

       ``We urge members of the Senate and House to swiftly pass 
     this historic legislation that will strengthen our economy, 
     promote investment in the U.S. and create American jobs.
       ``We are committed to working with Congress and the 
     Administration beyond final passage of this legislation to 
     ensure that tax reform achieves the desired goal of 
     benefiting American workers and promoting U.S. 
     competitiveness and economic growth.''
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from the Real Estate 
Roundtable, National Association of Home Builders, Financial Services 
Roundtable, American Bankers Association, RATE Coalition, and the 
National Milk Producers Federation:
                                           Real Estate Roundtable.

       Tax Bill Will Spur Economic Growth: Real Estate Roundtable

       Washington, DC.--Real Estate Roundtable President and Chief 
     Executive Officer Jeffrey DeBoer today commended 
     congressional policymakers on reconciling differences between 
     the Senate and House versions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
     (H.R. 1)--historic tax legislation that faces a final vote in 
     both chambers next week. DeBoer stated: ``Today's agreement 
     by Senate and House leaders on the final details of the Tax 
     Cuts and Jobs Act is a significant effort to encourage 
     capital formation and investment in all types of businesses. 
     New investment incentives in this bill should spur economic 
     growth and boost job creation throughout the United States. 
     We applaud the dedicated efforts of congressional lawmakers 
     and Administration officials who brought this legislation to 
     fruition.
       In addition to reducing the tax rate for American 
     corporations to make them more globally competitive, the 
     legislation also encourages capital formation and investment 
     by ushering in a new tax regime focused on businesses 
     conducted in pass-through format such as partnerships and 
     Subchapter S corporations. These pass-through entities are 
     the backbone of the American economy, representing over 60 
     percent of all business income and creating more than 60 
     percent of all jobs in America over the past 25 years.''
       Mr. DeBoer added:
       ``We anticipate that many provisions in the bill, including 
     the pass-through tax regime, will require the immediate focus 
     and attention of the Treasury Department to draft 
     interpretative regulations. This process will be critical in 
     maintaining needed guardrails to prevent abuse, but also to 
     make certain the new rules function as efficiently as 
     possible and result in robust economic activity.
       The Act also ensures that commercial real estate 
     development and ownership continues to be taxed on an 
     economic basis, thereby avoiding significant market 
     distortions that could harm local communities and lender 
     portfolios.''
                                  ____



                                       National Association of

                                                    Home Builders.


                              Letter No. 1

                      NAHB Supports Final Tax Bill

       Washington,Dec. 16.--Granger MacDonald, chairman of the 
     National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home 
     builder and developer from Kerrville, Texas, issued the 
     following statement regarding the final House-Senate 
     conference report on tax reform legislation:
       ``NAHB fully supports the final conference report on tax 
     reform legislation and commends the work of House-Senate 
     conferees. This comprehensive overhaul of the nation's tax 
     code will help middle-class families, maintain the nation's 
     commitment to affordable housing and ensure that small 
     businesses are treated fairly relative to large corporations. 
     Lower tax rates and a fair tax code will spur economic growth 
     and increase competitiveness, and that is good for housing. 
     We urge the House and Senate to move quickly to pass this 
     legislation.''


                              Letter No. 2

       On behalf of the approximately 140,000 members of the 
     National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), I am writing to 
     express strong support for the conference report to H.R. 1, 
     the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. NAHB commends the work of the 
     House and Senate conferees to deliver a final bill that will 
     spur greater economic growth. Due to the importance of this 
     legislation to our economy, NAHB has designated support of 
     H.R. 1 as a key vote.
       This comprehensive overhaul of the nation's tax code 
     provides tax relief to middleclass families, maintains the 
     nation's commitment to affordable housing, and ensures that 
     small businesses are treated fairly relative to large 
     corporations. Lower tax rates and a fairer tax code will spur 
     economic growth and increase competitiveness, and that is 
     good for housing. Housing not only equals jobs, but jobs mean 
     more demand for housing.
       By passing this bill, housing can be a key engine for the 
     job growth we all seek. After all, the housing sector--
     representing roughly one-sixth of the U.S. economy--is 
     operating at only two-thirds of its potential capacity. There 
     is tremendous potential in unlocking and unleashing housing 
     to lead the country to greater economic growth.
       Again, NAHB has designated passage of H.R. 1 as a key vote, 
     and we urge the House and Senate to move quickly to pass this 
     legislation. Thank you for considering our views.
                                  ____

                                    Financial Services Roundtable.

        FSR Urges Congress To Pass Conference Tax Reform Package

       Washington, December 15, 2017.--The Financial Services 
     Roundtable (FSR) today came out in support of the conference 
     committee report on tax reform and urged Congress to quickly 
     pass its tax reform bill to help boost economic opportunity 
     for all Americans. ``Tax reform will help deliver expanded 
     opportunity for individuals and American businesses of all 
     sizes,'' said FSR CEO Tim Pawlenty. ``Congress should quickly 
     move tax reform over the finish line and enable America to go 
     on economic offense.'' FSR believes the outcome of the 
     conference committee report will help drive more jobs and 
     long-term investment that benefits American workers and their 
     families. With a near 35% rate, the U.S. has one of the 
     highest corporate tax rates in the industrialized world. 
     These reforms will finally put our country on a more 
     competitive footing for business and investment from around 
     the globe.
                                  ____

                                     American Bankers Association.

                ABA Statement on Tax Reform Legislation

                (By Rob Nichols, ABA president and CEO)

       ``We congratulate the House and Senate conference committee 
     for reaching a final agreement on comprehensive tax reform. 
     Committee members have moved the nation another step closer 
     to the first major overhaul of the tax code in more than 
     three decades.
       ``ABA believes the significant reforms included in this 
     legislation will help grow the economy and create jobs. We 
     particularly applaud the provisions that significantly lower 
     tax rates for all types of businesses beginning in 2018. 
     Banks currently have one of the highest effective tax rates 
     of any industry, and these important changes will allow our 
     members to better serve their customers and the broader 
     economy.
       ``While there is much to like in the bill, lawmakers missed 
     an opportunity to reform the outdated, unfair and 
     unreasonable tax advantages enjoyed by credit unions and the 
     Farm Credit System. Congress should treat businesses 
     providing the same services the same way, and that is not 
     happening today. We will continue to argue for a level 
     playing field until Congress ends this inequity.
       ``We still believe this legislation as a whole will benefit 
     our members, their customers, and the country. As a result, 
     ABA supports the conference report and encourages members of 
     the House and Senate, and ultimately President Trump, to 
     enact it into law as soon as possible.''
       The American Bankers Association is the voice of the 
     nation's $17 trillion banking industry, which is composed of 
     small, midsize, regional and large banks that together employ 
     more than 2 million people, safeguard $13 trillion in 
     deposits and extend more than $9 trillion in loans.
                                  ____

                                                   RATE Coalition.

RATE Coalition Statement on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Conference Report

       The Reforming America's Taxes Equitably (RATE) Coalition--
     whose affiliated companies represent over 30 million 
     employees in all 50 states--released the following statement 
     on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Conference Report:
       ``We are proud of the diligence with which this 
     Administration and this Congress have worked to craft 
     historic tax reform. We are equally proud to fully support 
     the end result of those efforts: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
     Conference Report. A critical fix to our broken tax system--
     one that punishes job-creating businesses of all sizes with 
     the highest corporate rate in the industrialized world--the 
     TCJA Conference Report would help our economy grasp the 
     growth that's well within its reach. Provisions similar to 
     those included in this Conference Report have been projected 
     to boost GDP, create new jobs, lift after-tax income for 
     middle-class families, and encourage greater investment in 
     our country. The RATE Coalition strongly urges Senators and 
     Representatives to deliver those wins for American workers by 
     sending this legislation to President Trump's desk for 
     signature as swiftly as possible.''
                                  ____



                                                 National Milk

                                             Producers Federation.

 NMPF Statement on Tax Reform Legislation From Jim Mulhern, President 
                             and CEO, NMPF

       Arlington, VA--``National Milk has worked closely with 
     House and Senate members on the tax reform conference package 
     to achieve a positive outcome for dairy farmers and their 
     cooperatives, and we're pleased that conferees have completed 
     work on a package that should provide important relief. The 
     final compromise to address the loss of the Section 199 
     deduction will help protect farmer-owned businesses from a 
     major tax increase at a time when America's

[[Page 20173]]

     farm sector is struggling with low commodity prices and 
     reduced incomes.
       ``America's dairy farmers, who overwhelmingly rely on 
     cooperatives to market their milk, appreciate the determined 
     efforts by Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND) and John Thune (R-SD), as 
     well as multiple House members, including Agriculture 
     Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX), to seek a fair and 
     reasonable solution to this challenge. Their efforts will 
     help prevent a higher tax bill for cooperatives and avert the 
     loss of economic activity in rural communities that these 
     businesses help generate. We're also grateful for the 
     numerous senators on both sides of the aisle who elevated 
     this issue during the debate.
       ``At issue is the loss of the benefit that both farmers and 
     cooperative businesses enjoy from the Section 199 deduction, 
     also known as the Domestic Production Activities Deduction 
     (DPAD). This important provision of the tax code applies to 
     proceeds from agricultural products marketed through 
     cooperatives, making the Section 199 an important means of 
     reducing taxation for farmers and cooperatives alike. 
     Cooperatives pass the vast majority of the benefit--nearly $2 
     billion nationwide--directly to their farmer owners, then 
     reinvest the remainder in infrastructure improvements for the 
     marketing and processing of food products.
       ``The final tax package released on Friday repeals the 
     DPAD, but the legislation allows cooperative members to claim 
     a new 20-percent deduction on payments from a farmer 
     cooperative. Cooperatives would also be able to claim the 20-
     percent deduction on gross income less payments to patrons, 
     limited to the greater of 50 percent of wages or 25 percent 
     of wages plus 2.5 percent of the cooperative's investment in 
     property. This favorable treatment for gross income will help 
     minimize any potential increase in the tax burden on farmer-
     owned cooperatives.
       ``NMPF believes that this provision, plus components of the 
     bill that increase exemption levels from the federal estate 
     tax, enhance depreciation and expensing opportunities for 
     producers, and preserve farmers' ability to deduct interest 
     expenses, should help farmers and cooperatives alike. The fix 
     offered by Sens. Hoeven and Thune recognizes that farmer 
     cooperatives play an indispensable role in our nation's 
     economy and need to be treated fairly in the final tax 
     legislation.''
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to 
the Republican tax bill and to the misguided priorities that the GOP 
has brought to policymaking this Congress.
  There was a time when it was taken for granted that Congress would 
wait for Congress' independent scorekeeper to evaluate the impact of 
any legislation on the deficit or the budget before passing any laws. 
People knew that the deficit mattered to the government's ability to 
provide for our children and grandchildren, and to the economy their 
ability to provide for themselves. Republicans, especially, professed 
to know that the deficit mattered.
  It was especially unthinkable that Congress would pass important 
legislation, like tax reform, without waiting for a cost estimate of 
the bill. As recently as March, my colleague Rep. Brady said that 
economic growth from any tax reform package would need to be ``not 
economic growth judged by us, but by the Independent Joint Committee on 
Taxation.''
  The GOP should care about the deficit. We haven't been able to 
reauthorize CHIP funding since it expired months ago, because 
Republicans won't support health insurance for children without funding 
offsets. If only they had the same concerns when it comes to tax cuts 
for their donors and for President Trump.
  Republicans will start to care about the deficit again when Medicare, 
Medicaid, food stamps, or other programs for the low-income are debated 
by Congress. Just like CHIP, these programs cost far less than the more 
than $1.5 trillion that this tax cut will cost, but they might be too 
expensive for the GOP.
  There was also a time not too long ago when Republicans, as much as 
Democrats, legislated for the common good, or at least their conception 
of it. It's clear that those times are past.
  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to 
express my appreciation for the hard work of those who made the 
Conference Report possible.
  Thank you to the expert drafters at the House and Senate offices of 
legislative counsel who worked together on the Conference report after 
having worked for so many months with the House Ways and Means 
Committee and Senate Finance Committee on the underlying bills: Henry 
Christrup, Scott Probst, Fiona Heckscher, and House Legislative Counsel 
Wade Ballou; and Mark McGunagle, Allison Otto, Vince Gaiani and former 
Senate Legislative Counsel Jim Fransen.
  Thank you also to the hardworking team of JCT economists, lawyers, 
and accountants, who support all aspects of our work on tax 
legislation:
  Nick Bull, Jim Cilke, Tim Dowd, Chris Giosa, Lucas Goodman, Rob 
Harvey, Tom Holtmann, Paul Landefeld, Joe LeCates, Kathleen Mackie, 
Jamie McGuire, Pam Moomau, Rachel Moore, Jake Mortenson, Chris Overend, 
Brandon Pecoraro, Zach Richards, Heidi Schramm, David Splinter, Lori 
Stuntz, Brent Trigg, Jeff Arbeit, Nita Asher, Lillian Aston, Paul Chen, 
Gordon Clay, Adam Gropper, Andrew Grossman, Nick Gutmann, Viva Hammer, 
Heather Harman, Harold Hirsch, Deirdre James, Sally Kwak, David Lenter, 
Bert Lue, Tricia McDermott, Paul McLaughlin, Veena Murthy, Cecily Rock, 
Kristine Roth, Karl Russo, Natalie Tucker, and Kashi Way.
  And a special thank you to JCT chief of staff Tom Barthold for his 
excellent leadership of this outstanding team.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to reiterate the importance of 
dynamic scoring as part of the tax legislative process.
  Ever since 1996, when the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation 
began to investigate how best to apply macroeconomic analysis to tax 
legislation, Congressional scorekeepers have continued to hone their 
expertise and produce ever more sophisticated analyses of various tax 
reforms. All of this hard work culminated in 2015 when macroeconomic 
analysis, commonly known as ``dynamic scoring,'' was formally adopted 
in the House of Representatives for the purposes of official cost 
estimates for major legislation.
  Ever since the formal adoption of dynamic scoring, first in the House 
and later in the Senate, the goal has been to produce pro-growth tax 
reform that was informed by the dynamic scoring process. Although a 
dynamic estimate was not used for official scoring purposes with 
respect to H.R. 1 due to constraints in the reconciliation process, 
macroeconomic analysis will be critical to major legislative efforts in 
the years ahead. It is important that members of Congress be informed 
by non-partisan analysis about whether legislation under consideration 
would shrink or grow the economy as well as how that change in growth 
would affect the nation's finances and, most importantly, the American 
people.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous 
question.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 and clause 9 of rule 
XX, this 15-minute vote on ordering the previous question will be 
followed by 5-minute votes on:
  Adopting the resolution, if ordered, and
  Suspending the rules and passing H.R. 4254.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 233, 
nays 187, not voting 11, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 688]

                               YEAS--233

     Abraham
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Amash
     Amodei
     Arrington
     Babin
     Bacon
     Banks (IN)
     Barletta
     Barr
     Barton
     Bergman
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (MI)
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Blum
     Bost
     Brady (TX)
     Brat
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Budd
     Burgess
     Byrne
     Calvert
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Chabot
     Cheney
     Coffman
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Comer
     Comstock
     Conaway
     Cook
     Costello (PA)
     Cramer
     Crawford
     Culberson
     Curbelo (FL)
     Curtis
     Davis, Rodney
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Donovan
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Dunn
     Emmer
     Estes (KS)
     Farenthold
     Faso
     Ferguson
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Flores
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Frelinghuysen
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Garrett
     Gianforte
     Gibbs
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guthrie
     Handel
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hensarling
     Herrera Beutler
     Hice, Jody B.
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill
     Holding
     Hollingsworth
     Huizenga
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurd
     Issa
     Jenkins (KS)
     Jenkins (WV)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones
     Jordan
     Joyce (OH)
     Katko
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kinzinger
     Knight
     Kustoff (TN)
     Labrador
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Latta
     Lewis (MN)
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Love
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     MacArthur
     Marchant
     Marino
     Marshall
     Massie
     Mast
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     McSally
     Meadows

[[Page 20174]]


     Meehan
     Messer
     Mitchell
     Moolenaar
     Mooney (WV)
     Mullin
     Newhouse
     Noem
     Norman
     Nunes
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Palmer
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Perry
     Pittenger
     Poe (TX)
     Poliquin
     Posey
     Ratcliffe
     Reed
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Rice (SC)
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney, Francis
     Rooney, Thomas J.
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothfus
     Rouzer
     Royce (CA)
     Russell
     Rutherford
     Sanford
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smucker
     Stefanik
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Taylor
     Tenney
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tipton
     Trott
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walker
     Walorski
     Walters, Mimi
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (IA)
     Zeldin

                               NAYS--187

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Barragan
     Bass
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brady (PA)
     Brown (MD)
     Brownley (CA)
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Capuano
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carson (IN)
     Cartwright
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu, Judy
     Cicilline
     Clark (MA)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Cooper
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Crist
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delaney
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Demings
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Ellison
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Esty (CT)
     Evans
     Foster
     Frankel (FL)
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Gomez
     Gonzalez (TX)
     Gottheimer
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hanabusa
     Hastings
     Heck
     Higgins (NY)
     Himes
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Jackson Lee
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Khanna
     Kihuen
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster (NH)
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lawson (FL)
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lieu, Ted
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan Grisham, M.
     Lujan, Ben Ray
     Lynch
     Maloney, Carolyn B.
     Maloney, Sean
     Matsui
     McCollum
     McEachin
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Moore
     Moulton
     Murphy (FL)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nolan
     Norcross
     O'Halleran
     O'Rourke
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Peterson
     Pingree
     Polis
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Raskin
     Rice (NY)
     Rosen
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Sinema
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Soto
     Speier
     Suozzi
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tonko
     Torres
     Tsongas
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters, Maxine
     Watson Coleman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--11

     Bridenstine
     Buchanan
     Clarke (NY)
     Davidson
     Davis, Danny
     Hudson
     Kennedy
     Pocan
     Richmond
     Scott (VA)
     Smith (TX)

                              {time}  1156

  Mr. GOTTHEIMER and Ms. McCOLLUM changed their vote from ``yea'' to 
``nay.''
  Mr. SHUSTER changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the previous question was ordered.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.

                             Recorded Vote

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 233, 
noes 193, not voting 5, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 689]


                               AYES--233

     Abraham
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Amodei
     Arrington
     Babin
     Bacon
     Banks (IN)
     Barletta
     Barr
     Barton
     Bergman
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (MI)
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Blum
     Bost
     Brady (TX)
     Brat
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Budd
     Burgess
     Byrne
     Calvert
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Chabot
     Cheney
     Coffman
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Comer
     Comstock
     Conaway
     Cook
     Costello (PA)
     Cramer
     Crawford
     Culberson
     Curbelo (FL)
     Curtis
     Davidson
     Davis, Rodney
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Donovan
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Dunn
     Emmer
     Estes (KS)
     Farenthold
     Faso
     Ferguson
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Flores
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Frelinghuysen
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Garrett
     Gianforte
     Gibbs
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guthrie
     Handel
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hensarling
     Herrera Beutler
     Hice, Jody B.
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill
     Holding
     Hollingsworth
     Huizenga
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurd
     Issa
     Jenkins (KS)
     Jenkins (WV)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jordan
     Joyce (OH)
     Katko
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kinzinger
     Knight
     Kustoff (TN)
     Labrador
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Latta
     Lewis (MN)
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Love
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     MacArthur
     Marchant
     Marino
     Marshall
     Mast
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     McSally
     Meadows
     Meehan
     Messer
     Mitchell
     Moolenaar
     Mooney (WV)
     Mullin
     Newhouse
     Noem
     Norman
     Nunes
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Palmer
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Perry
     Pittenger
     Poe (TX)
     Poliquin
     Posey
     Ratcliffe
     Reed
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Rice (SC)
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney, Francis
     Rooney, Thomas J.
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothfus
     Rouzer
     Royce (CA)
     Russell
     Rutherford
     Sanford
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smucker
     Stefanik
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Taylor
     Tenney
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tipton
     Trott
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walker
     Walorski
     Walters, Mimi
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (IA)
     Zeldin

                               NOES--193

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Amash
     Barragan
     Bass
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brady (PA)
     Brown (MD)
     Brownley (CA)
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Capuano
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carson (IN)
     Cartwright
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu, Judy
     Cicilline
     Clark (MA)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Cooper
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Crist
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delaney
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Demings
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Ellison
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Esty (CT)
     Evans
     Foster
     Frankel (FL)
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Gomez
     Gonzalez (TX)
     Gottheimer
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hanabusa
     Hastings
     Heck
     Higgins (NY)
     Himes
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Jackson Lee
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Khanna
     Kihuen
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster (NH)
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lawson (FL)
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lieu, Ted
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan Grisham, M.
     Lujan, Ben Ray
     Lynch
     Maloney, Carolyn B.
     Maloney, Sean
     Massie
     Matsui
     McCollum
     McEachin
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Moore
     Moulton
     Murphy (FL)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nolan
     Norcross
     O'Halleran
     O'Rourke
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Peterson
     Pingree
     Polis
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Raskin
     Rice (NY)
     Richmond
     Rosen
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Sinema
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Soto
     Speier
     Suozzi
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tonko
     Torres
     Tsongas
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters, Maxine
     Watson Coleman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Yarmuth

[[Page 20175]]



                             NOT VOTING--5

     Bridenstine
     Clarke (NY)
     Hudson
     Kennedy
     Pocan


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). There are 2 minutes 
remaining.

                              {time}  1205

  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts changed her vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the resolution was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________