[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9913-9914]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               TAX REFORM

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to discuss once again the ongoing 
effort to reform our Nation's Tax Code.
  I have been coming to the floor regularly to talk about this subject 
for more than 6 years, and, during that time, more and more Americans 
have recognized the need to fix our broken and outdated tax system. 
Members of Congress from both parties have similarly acknowledged that, 
when it comes to our Tax Code, the status quo is untenable.
  President Trump has made tax reform one of his top priorities, which 
is essential. Presidential leadership on tax reform has been sorely 
lacking in the past. Of course, for some the involvement of the 
President in this endeavor complicates matters. Indeed, some of my 
friends on the other side of the aisle are, by all appearances, bound 
and determined to block the passage of any part of President Trump's 
agenda even if, in terms of policy, there is common ground and it is 
good for all Americans. Still, I welcome the involvement of the 
President in this effort and hope that more and more of my colleagues 
will eventually do the same.
  Today I want to take a few minutes to rebut the growing narrative in 
the media and elsewhere that tax reform is going to be a secretive 
exercise, involving the input of only a few key players.
  True enough, there have been meetings involving the administration, 
House and Senate leaders, and tax writers in recent weeks, wherein we 
have been discussing tax reform at a high level in an effort to reach 
some agreement. However, while this process may result in an agreed 
upon framework, this will not be the be-all and end-all of tax reform. 
On the contrary, as chairman of the Senate's tax-writing committee, I 
am committed to ensuring a robust process in the Senate for developing, 
considering, and passing any tax reform package. That is how the Senate 
functions best, and that is what I intend to see happen.
  Toward that end, I have been working to involve all of the Republican 
members of the Senate Finance Committee in this effort. We have a 
number of great Senators on the committee, many of whom have put in 
years of work on different areas of the tax system. I think it would be 
foolish to let that experience and expertise go to waste, especially at 
this time in our lives. Every Republican on the committee is involved 
in this process, and I have asked some Senators to focus on particular 
areas.
  For example, I have asked Senators Enzi and Portman to focus on the 
international tax system. This issue is essential. Our antiquated 
international tax system leaves American businesses at a decidedly 
competitive disadvantage, and it is one of the main drivers behind the 
stream of inversions and foreign takeovers we have seen in recent 
years. Both of these Senators have put in a lot of time and a lot of 
work on this issue in developing proposals for a better path forward, 
and some of that development in the past has occurred with substantive 
input from our Democratic friends. With both Senators Enzi and Portman 
working on this issue, I think we can and will see significant 
progress.
  In addition, I have asked Senator Grassley, a former Finance 
Committee chairman himself and currently chairman of the Senate 
Judiciary Committee, to take a look at our individual tax system. I 
think most of us here in Congress--and not just on the Republican 
side--would like to see a tax reform bill that reduces the tax burden 
on middle-class individuals and families. I think Senator Grassley and 
others will put their experience to good use.
  Likewise, Senator Thune has quite a bit of experience and expertise 
when it comes to the business tax system, and he has done a lot of work 
over the years to reform the estate tax. So I have asked him to provide 
his thoughts and advice as we work through these issues.
  I have asked Senators Heller and Cassidy to work on solutions for 
energy tax policy. Similarly, I have asked Senator Roberts to find 
solutions to tax issues relating to agriculture.
  There are other issues out there, as well, and over time I intend to 
enlist the help of other committee members to focus on particular tax 
issues and provide advice and assistance on crafting suitable reforms.
  So, as you can see, the idea that tax reform is going to be a closed-
door exercise is absurd, at least as things pertain to the Senate. 
Every Republican member of the Senate Finance Committee is involved in 
this effort.
  Of course, we will need to go beyond the committee as well. There are 
Members throughout the conference with particular interests and 
expertise relating to tax policy. Many of my colleagues have introduced 
bills over the years and have become outspoken advocates on a number of 
key issues. I want those Members to be involved as well.
  Just to be clear, I do not think this process should be limited to 
just Republican input. I want to see Democrats at the table. I want a 
bipartisan process that renders a bipartisan result. I think the 
relevant leaders from the administration have said much the same thing.
  I have reached out to my Democratic colleagues on the Finance 
Committee and invited them to participate. Once again, I do not believe 
this process has to be limited to the committee. Any Member of the 
Senate, from either

[[Page 9914]]

party, should have an opportunity to express his or her views and ideas 
and have them considered as part of this process.
  I am willing to sit down and work with anyone who wants to be a good-
faith participant in this endeavor and who wants, ultimately, to see it 
succeed. After all, we have had years and years of bipartisan efforts, 
including working groups and reports, to find common ground. Recently, 
however, we have not been hearing much from our Democratic colleagues 
and friends when it comes to tax reform.
  We have heard some of the usual accusations that Republicans are 
hell-bent on giving massive tax breaks to the super wealthy and 
inflicting some harm or another on the middle class--total bullcorn 
but, nevertheless, a constant theme by those on the other side. It is a 
constant, annoying theme by those on the other side.
  We have also heard some process demands that some have set as 
preconditions for any real bipartisan tax reform discussions. All too 
often, those preconditions either reflect a lack of willingness to 
compromise or outright demands for things that are unrelated to tax 
reform.
  In other words, we have heard our colleagues cite a number of reasons 
as to why they do not want to work with us on tax reform, and I suspect 
that, to some degree, this false narrative about secrecy and closed 
doors on tax reform will be added to the list. But I will say it again: 
I am willing to work with anyone--Republican or Democrat--in this 
effort. If anyone doubts my sincerity, I think my record for 
bipartisanship and compromise should speak for itself.
  Long story short, my goal on tax reform is to draft and pass a bill 
with the broadest possible support and input from all who are 
interested in helping put our economy on a sustained, higher growth 
path. To do that, I think we need a vigorous and open debate in the 
Senate, which, in my view, should include a full process in committee 
and regular order on the Senate floor. At the end of this process, no 
one should be able to credibly claim that he was unable to participate 
or that he did not have enough information about the bill.
  So I hope this puts to rest any claims or suppositions that the tax 
reform process is going to be secretive in nature, because, if I have 
my way, this process is going to be open, fair, and joint. It will be 
open, and it will be bipartisan.
  The goal of everyone in this body, with respect to tax reform, ought 
to be to help the American people by providing tax relief to American 
families, simplifying the tax system, improving our business tax system 
to allow American businesses to compete in the global economy, and 
creating stronger growth in the economy, wages, jobs, and opportunity.
  I hope more of my colleagues will join me in supporting this 
important effort. It is important that we work our Tax Code out. It is 
a mess. It is not working. Too many people feel oppressed by it. A lot 
of our Members of the Senate do not feel very good about our current 
Tax Code. I do not feel good about it either. I think we need to get 
together as people who really want to help this country out and want to 
do the best for our constituents--whether they are Democrats, 
Republicans, Independents, or whatever--and do it the right way.
  I just hope we can get enough interest on both sides of the floor to 
be able to do what really needs to be done in this very crucial area, 
and I intend to see that we do. As chairman of the tax-writing 
committee, we are going to do it. I just hope that I will have some 
support from the other side, as well, and that they will dig in and 
present their viewpoints and give us their ideas and help to mold and 
modify and work and improve and decide what is great in any tax 
approach that we take.
  This is the greatest country in the world. We have the greatest 
economy in the world. We have the greatest opportunities in the world, 
but we can certainly hurt every one of those aspects of our lives if we 
do not handle the tax reform issue properly and if we do not handle 
taxes properly. I think it is important that we get together, work 
together, and get rid of some of the churlish stupidity that 
occasionally exists around this place and start doing what is best for 
the United States of America and best for all of our supporters, best 
for all of our constituents, and best for the world, really, because, 
if the United States is strong and powerful, the rest of the world will 
be better off.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________