[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 20599-20600]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            TAX REFORM BILL

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, this week Congress sent the President a tax 
reform bill that will translate into real relief for American families.
  I have spent a lot of time on the floor of the Senate talking about 
how this bill will benefit these families in South Dakota and around 
the country.
  Today I would like to take a few minutes to recognize the hard work 
of those Members and staff who made the legislative goal of tax reform 
a reality.
  First, thank you to Senator Hatch for his leadership and members of 
the Finance Committee for a job well done.
  Numerous hearings, member meetings, and a lot of compromise helped us 
get this bill to the finish line.
  As a result, the contributions and priorities of each member of the 
Finance Committee and, frankly, those of the entire conference are 
reflected in the final product.
  Having once served as a staffer here myself, I would like to 
recognize the many staff members who contributed to this product.
  Mark Warren, who serves as my tax counsel, has put in countless hours 
on this legislation.
  It has not been unusual over the last several months to find him in 
his office when I arrive at work before 7 a.m. and still at his desk 
late into the evening. With decades of experience, including time spent 
at the House Ways and Means Committee and at the Treasury Department, I 
and other members of the committee and conference relied heavily on 
Mark's intricate knowledge of tax policy as we crafted this 
legislation.
  He worked very hard to help me advance priorities in this legislation 
including provisions benefiting small businesses, farmers, and 
ranchers. Thanks in no small part to his efforts, we successfully 
delivered a tax reform bill that will work for them. Time spent at the 
office is time away from family. I am grateful to both him and his 
family for his efforts.
  I would also like to thank my legislative director, Jessica McBride, 
and my staff director, Brendon Plack. Brendon is a native of 
Madison,SD, and has been with my office for over 12 years. Jessica is a 
native of Miller, SD, and has been with my office for 8 years. Their 
work, advice, and counsel were invaluable as we moved this bill across 
the finish line.
  I would also like to recognize a few other staff members for their 
hard work: Jay Khosla, Mark Prater, Jeff Wrase, Nick Wyatt, Matt 
Hoffman, Tony Coughlan, Eric Oman, Jen Acuna, Marty Pippins, Alex 
Monie, Preston Rutledge, Bryan Hickman, Brendan Dunn, and Monica Popp.
  I would also like to recognize Senator Toomey's tax staff member, 
Randy Herdon, Senator Portman's tax staffer, Zach Rudisill, and Senator 
Scott's tax staffer, Shay Hawkins.
  I know many of them over the last few months were running on very 
little sleep and perhaps missing important events at home with family 
and friends in order to be here at work. Nevertheless, they were 
patient, thoughtful, and tireless in their efforts because they knew 
the work was important and the impact would be significant.
  We have all benefited from their wise counsel and have a better 
product for it.
  Early next year, this legislation is going to have a real impact on 
people's lives across this country. Their hard work and contributions 
helped make it possible. They all worked incredibly hard and should be 
very proud of the work you have done on behalf of the American people.
  I thank them for their service, and congratulations on a job well 
done.

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