Government Spending (Cong. Rec., Nov. 2, 2021)
Summary
Page S7580 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for November 2, 2021, headed Government Spending, in interleaved columns. A speaker says administration officials acknowledged that hundreds more Americans than initially claimed remain trapped in Afghanistan, and discusses a $1.9 trillion spending bill, a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that passed the Senate in a bipartisan way and awaits House action, and a $1.75 trillion tax-and-spending bill financed with tax increases that the speaker believes would be harmful to the economy. The Chair then lays before the Senate the pending cloture motion.
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“Government Spending (Cong. Rec., Nov. 2, 2021).”
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S7580 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 2, 2021
Just last week, administration offi- $1.9 trillion spending bill which ex- financed with a lot of tax increases
cials acknowledged that hundreds more panded government. There is a $1.2 tril- that, I think, would be incredibly
Americans than they initially claimed lion infrastructure bill that has passed harmful to the economy.
remain trapped in Afghanistan, that the Senate in a bipartisan way, on But what I want to talk about briefly
terrorists in the country are just which there was some agreement, and this morning is just what has happened
months away from being capable of it is still awaiting action in the House as a result of the spending that has al-
conducting attacks on U.S. soil, and of Representatives. ready occurred and what, I think, is
that no basing agreements to allow for Already—already—in this new ad- going to happen if the massive amount
over-the-horizon operations had yet ministration, that represents over $3 of spending they want to do from here
been reached. trillion in spending, which is on infra- forward actually happens.
Emboldened terrorists are already structure and some core hard infra- Like I said, we will do everything we
stepping up violence against Americans structure with respect to the bipar- can to stop it. I think it is just an abso-
and our allies in the Middle East. The tisan bill. lutely disastrous prescription for the
administration is failing to deter Iran- The other bill was of a lot of things economy right now and as to what peo-
backed militias in Iraq and Syria. that the Republicans felt weren’t nec- ple are already experiencing in their
The Russian threat has grown since essary, particularly after the five bills daily lives.
President Biden took office, though we passed last year in 2020 in response Last week, we learned that economic
you wouldn’t know it by how quiet to the pandemic. growth for the third quarter had fallen
Senate Democrats have been on the By the way, every one of those was short of expectations, largely driven by
subject. Putin is committed to modern- on a bipartisan basis. So a lot of spend- a deceleration in consumer spending
izing his military to threaten U.S. and ing went on in responding to the pan- and supply problems of goods and
NATO forces, weaponizing his coun- demic—trillions and trillions of dol- labor.
try’s energy resources to pressure Eu- lars. Meanwhile, American families con-
rope, and escalating Russia’s military The first thing that happened when tinue to deal with what is rapidly be-
pressure on Ukraine. the Democrats came to power was that coming a serious, long-term inflation
Of course, the American military, they passed another $2 trillion, and problem that is attributable, in many
American industries, and our allies and then an infrastructure bill. So we have respects—again, as I will get to later—
partners are also facing a communist already got over $3 trillion spent at a to the amount of spending and the
China that is hell-bent—hell-bent—on time when we have $30 trillion in number of dollars that have been flood-
dominating trade and repressing dis- debt—and growing by the day. Yet the ing the economy.
sent. This is not a regional threat but Democrats’ now proposal is to spend Last month, consumer prices rose at
a global one. China’s comprehensive $3.5 trillion. Some on their side want to the fastest pace in 30 years. A recent
military modernization is stunning in spend up to $6 trillion to grow and ex- estimate from the chief economist at
its scope. The PRC is building weapons pand the government. Moody’s Analytics suggested that an
and capabilities to target U.S. forces at So I guess it doesn’t come as any sur- average household is having to spend
greater and greater range. We ignore prise that that is what Democrats do. an additional $175 a month on basics,
this threat at our peril. When they gain power, when they get thanks to inflation—175 bucks a
So there is never a good time for majorities, they want to grow; they month.
Congress to abdicate its role in guiding want to expand government; they want That may not sound like much to a
and overseeing national security pol- to spend more money and raise taxes to wealthy Democrat politician, but that
icy, but the Biden administration’s do it. It is almost like kind of a rite of is a lot of money for an ordinary Amer-
muddled mess of a foreign policy passage in that, if you are going to be ican family. Having $175 a month can
makes this an especially terrible time a good Democrat, this is what you do. be the difference between putting
for the Senate Democratic majority to As I said before, you know, after last something away in savings and living
neglect these issues. year, in coming through the pandemic paycheck to paycheck. It can be the
Chairman REED and Ranking Member at a time when the country had to and difference between whether or not you
INHOFE have given us an opportunity to both sides agreed to address the con- can afford braces for your child or
fulfill the Senate’s role in a serious, cerns and the needs that were out whether you have the money to replace
consequential way. Now the majority there—to keep people employed, to a broken appliance or to make a need-
needs to let the Senate work. We need keep businesses operating and workers ed car repair.
the kind of serious and rigorous floor employed, to support our healthcare Our inflation problem has gotten to
process that the NDAA deserves. industry, to support our schools—there the point that it has overtaken wage
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- were enormous amounts of money that growth. Inflation is growing faster
pore. The Republican whip. went into the economy last year. than wages, which means that many
GOVERNMENT SPENDING You would think that when the American families have received a de
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, in all of Democrats took power this time that facto pay cut. The growth in wages
the time I have been in Washington, in they might want to dial it back and isn’t keeping up with the increase in
both the House and the Senate, I have just think about seeing how the econ- costs in their lives.
seen Republicans in control, in the ma- omy reacts before going on a full-blown So how did we end up here?
jority, and I have seen Democrats in effort to grow and expand government As I said, a lot of the problem traces
the majority. I have been on both sides once again, but what we saw right out back to this past March, when the
of that, and I have seen Republican of the gate, immediately—and, again, Democrats decided to pour a lot of un-
Presidents and Democrat Presidents. in a very partisan way—was a $2 tril- necessary government money into the
But one thing that doesn’t change is lion spending bill. economy under the guise of COVID re-
that, when Democrats get power in I say that again because we all know lief. By the time the President and the
Washington, they want to expand gov- that the amount of debt that we have Democrats took office in January, Con-
ernment, they want to grow govern- today dwarfs, eclipses, anything—any- gress had passed no fewer than five bi-
ment, they want to spend money. thing—in history even close to what we partisan COVID relief bills—the most
If you just look throughout history, are talking about. Even if you go back recent of them in December. The De-
at least since the time I have been to the thirties and the big expansion of cember COVID relief bill that we
here, that is just a fact. We have al- government then—and, by the way, I passed contained almost $1 trillion in
ready seen them this year—since the think part of this is that President funding and met, essentially, all of the
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
President came to power and the Biden was convinced that he could be pressing COVID needs the country was
Democrats have had narrow majorities the next FDR. And to do that, you have facing.
in the House and Senate, which they got to spend lots of money. And so try- But that didn’t matter. That didn’t
have interpreted somehow as being a ing to find stuff to spend it on has been matter to the Democrats. Now that
mandate, but is a dead-even U.S. Sen- a challenge. They have come up with a they were in charge, they were eager to
ate—push through on a partisan basis a big list, and a list, again, that would be take advantage of the opportunity the
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November 2, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7581
COVID crisis presented to push their Back Better plan, on top, as I said, of The legislative clerk read as follows:
Big Government agenda. So they de- the $1.9 trillion spending spree from CLOTURE MOTION
cided to pass another ostensible COVID earlier this year. And I say $1.75 tril- We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
bill less than 3 months after the De- lion, but Democrats have only arrived ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the
cember bill and before a lot of money at that number through a combination Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
from the December bill had even been of shell games and budget gimmicks. move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
disbursed. The real cost of this proposal over 10 nation of Executive Calendar No. 168, Jona-
They gave $129 billion to schools, than Davidson, of Maryland, to be Deputy
years is going to be way, way higher—
Under Secretary of the Treasury.
even though schools had spent just a way, way higher; some estimates in the Charles E. Schumer, Robert Menendez,
small fraction of the $68 billion they $4 trillion range. Patrick J. Leahy, Patty Murray, Maria
had already been given. So, once again, Democrats want to Cantwell, Sheldon Whitehouse, Brian
They created a staggering $350 billion flood the economy with government Schatz, Debbie Stabenow, Catherine
slush fund for States, despite the fact dollars, including billions for such pri- Cortez Masto, Christopher A. Coons,
that the majority of States already had orities as tree equity—tree equity—and Ron Wyden, Margaret Wood Hassan,
the money that they needed to deal environmental justice programs at Edward J. Markey, Benjamin L.
with the pandemic, and many, many well-funded colleges and universities. Cardin, Richard J. Durbin, Tina Smith,
States were operating in a surplus situ- Elizabeth Warren, Angus S. King, Jr.
That is right—Ivy League schools that
ation. don’t have problems financially, where The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan-
They extended enhanced unemploy- students pay tens of thousands of dol- imous consent, the mandatory quorum
ment benefits until September of 2021, lars in tuition every year, will get tax call has been waived.
despite the millions—literally mil- credits if they teach courses on envi- The question is, Is it the sense of the
lions—of available job openings; and ronmental justice. Senate that debate on the nomination
they made part of the unemployment Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- of Jonathan Davidson, of Maryland, to
compensation tax-free, creating incen- sent that I be able to complete my re- be Deputy Under Secretary of the
tives for Americans to stay on unem- marks before the vote begins. Treasury, shall be brought to a close?
ployment instead of returning to work. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. The yeas and nays are mandatory
Among other things, they provided PADILLA). Is there objection? under the rule.
an additional $21 billion in rental as- Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will call the roll.
sistance, none of which has yet been Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I am The legislative clerk called the roll.
needed. forcibly reminded that the definition of Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is
In short, their so-called American ‘‘insanity’’ is the doing the same thing necessarily absent: the Senator from
Rescue Plan flooded the economy with over and over again and expecting dif- South Dakota (Mr. ROUNDS).
a lot of unnecessary government ferent results. What exactly do Demo- The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 88,
money, and the results were predict- crats think is going to happen to infla- nays 11, as follows:
able: inflation. tion if they pass this $1.75 trillion leg- [Rollcall Vote No. 451 Ex.]
The definition of ‘‘inflation’’ is too islation? Do they think that if one YEAS—88
many dollars chasing too few goods and round of excessive government spend- Baldwin Hagerty Peters
services, and that is exactly the situa- ing triggered inflation, another round Barrasso Hassan Portman
tion the Democrats created. They sent Bennet Heinrich Reed
of excessive government spending is Blumenthal Hickenlooper Risch
too many dollars into the economy, going to cure it? Do they think that Blunt Hirono Romney
and the economy overheated as a re- dumping more fuel into an already Booker Hoeven Rosen
sult. Boozman Hyde-Smith
overheated economy is somehow going Brown Inhofe
Sanders
You don’t have to take my word for to put out the inflationary fire? If they Burr Johnson
Sasse
it. Here is what former Obama eco- Schatz
do, they have got another think com- Cantwell Kaine
Schumer
nomic adviser Jason Furman had to ing. Capito Kelly
Scott (SC)
say recently when discussing our cur- Cardin Kennedy
The only thing Democrats’ latest Carper King Shaheen
rent inflation problem: spending spree is going to do is make Casey Klobuchar Sinema
The original sin was an oversized American Smith
our inflation problem worse. We are al- Cassidy Lankford
Rescue Plan. It contributed to both higher Collins Leahy Stabenow
ready looking at serious inflation last- Coons Lee Sullivan
output but also higher prices.
ing well into next year. Add Demo- Cornyn Luján Tester
That was from Jason Furman, crats’ Build Back Better spending spree Cortez Masto Lummis Thune
Obama’s economic adviser. to the mix, and we could be looking at Cramer Manchin Tillis
That quote from Mr. Furman ap- Crapo Markey Toomey
a very, very long period of inflated Daines McConnell Van Hollen
peared in a recent New York Times ar- prices and reduced spending power for Duckworth Menendez Warner
ticle that also noted: American families. Durbin Merkley Warnock
But some economists, including veterans Ernst Moran
Democrats were warned that their Feinstein Murkowski
Warren
of previous Democratic administrations, say March spending spree could spur infla- Whitehouse
Fischer Murphy
much of Mr. Biden’s inflation struggle is Wicker
tion; they passed it anyway. So I don’t Gillibrand Murray
Wyden
self-inflicted. Lawrence H. Summers is one Graham Ossoff
of those who say the stimulus bill the presi- have a lot of hope that Democrats are Young
Grassley Padilla
dent signed in March gave too much of a going to heed concerns about inflation,
boost to consumer spending . . . Mr. Sum- even coming from their own econo- NAYS—11
mers, who served in the Obama and Clinton mists, when it comes to their current Blackburn Hawley Scott (FL)
administrations, says inflation now risks tax-and-spending plan, but I and every Braun Marshall Shelby
spiraling out of control and other Demo- Cotton Paul Tuberville
other Republican will stand firm Cruz Rubio
cratic economists agree there are risks. against this reckless tax-and-spending
So what are congressional Democrats NOT VOTING—1
spree and will continue to urge our
doing in response? Well, they are plan- Democratic colleagues to rethink their Rounds
ning to flood the economy with even spending agenda before inflation soars The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this
more government dollars. That is out of control and American families vote, the yeas are 88, the nays are 11.
right. Instead of keeping a sharp eye on have to suffer the consequences. The motion is agreed to.
government spending to make sure our I yield the floor. f
inflation situation doesn’t get worse, f
ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
Democrats are planning to double down CLOTURE MOTION
on the strategy that got us into this CLOTURE MOTION The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant
position in the first place. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the
Democrats are trying to finalize a to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Senate the pending cloture motion,
new—now it is $1.75 trillion—tax-and- Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will state.
spending spree, the so-called Build which the clerk will state. The bill clerk read as follows:
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