Congressional Record, Senate, August 3, 2022: Page S3876
Summary
Page S3876 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for August 3, 2022, in interleaved columns. A speaker criticizing the Democrats' bill cites a $313 billion tax hike on businesses, $80 billion in additional IRS funding over 10 years that would allow 87,000 new employees, and a manufacturers' analysis of a $68 billion cut to real gross domestic product and 218,108 fewer workers in 2023. These are the speaker's characterizations and the cited analysis. Another passage on Afghanistan says ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for many terrorist attacks and recalls the 13 servicemembers killed in Kabul.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, August 3, 2022: Page S3876.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2022-08-03-crec-2022-08-03-pt1-pgs3876-3-bf370748fd/
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S3876 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 3, 2022
If that is not enough, here is the rent inflation crisis—will take hun- In addition to their $313 billion tax
kicker. All of this expensive nonsense dreds of billions of dollars out of the hike on American businesses, Demo-
adds up to no—no—meaningful impact economy in the form of new tax hikes crats’ legislation also raises taxes on
whatsoever. All of these hundreds of and comes just as our economy posted investment—another bad idea at a time
billions of dollars to bankroll new ap- a second quarter of negative growth. when our economy is already shrink-
pliances for rich people will not put so Notably, the bill imposes a $313 bil- ing. Perhaps Democrats’ real plan is to
much as a dent—a dent—in worldwide lion tax hike on American businesses, reduce inflation by slowing our econ-
emissions or temperatures. with roughly half of that increase fall- omy and ensuring that we enter a re-
The Washington Post admitted on ing on American manufacturers. I cession or what is known as stagfla-
Monday this legislation ‘‘can scarcely guess the President’s commitment to tion.
be expected to have an immediate, boosting American manufacturing Democrats’ legislation also raises
measurable impact on the warming takes a backseat to raising revenue to taxes on oil and gas production even as
planet.’’ fund Democrats’ Green New Deal prior- Americans continue to struggle with
Huge developing countries like China ities. high energy prices, including a 75-per-
and India are dramatically increasing I don’t think I need to tell anyone cent increase in gas prices since Presi-
their emissions every year. Even ac- what happens when you raise taxes on dent Biden took office.
cording to liberals’ own modeling, this businesses, particularly when the econ- Taxes aren’t the only way the Demo-
bill that is supposedly worth looting— omy is shrinking. You get less growth, crats raise revenue in this bill to pay
looting—the American people would fewer jobs, and lower wages. According for their Green New Deal measures.
have basically no measurable impact to an analysis from the National Asso- The Democrats’ bill also attempts to
on global warming whatsoever. ciation of Manufacturers, in 2023 alone, raise revenue by increasing IRS audits
Liberal waste, subsidies for the rich, the Democrats’ bill would reduce real and enforcement. The Democrats’ leg-
and, according to their very own mod- gross domestic product by more than islation gives the IRS an additional $80
els, no meaningful impact on the cli- $68 billion and result in 218,108 fewer billion in funding over 10 years—$80 bil-
mate—I guess Democrats think their 30 workers in the overall economy—a $68 lion, about six times their annual
percent approval rating on the econ- billion reduction in GDP and more budget. This would allow the IRS to
omy is actually still too high. than 218,000 fewer workers. hire an additional 87,000 employees,
And ordinary Americans would bear meaning that the IRS would have near-
f
a substantial part of the burden of this ly—do you believe this?—three times
RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME tax increase. According to data from as many personnel as U.S. Customs and
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Border Protection, the Agency that is
pore. Under the previous order, the Taxation, the Democrats’ bill would in- charged with overseeing security at
leadership time is reserved. crease the tax burden of Americans our Nation’s borders—87,000 new em-
across every income bracket, with ployees. The IRS’s budget would also
f more than half of the increased tax substantially exceed Customs and Bor-
MORNING BUSINESS burden falling on Americans making der Protection’s budget if this legisla-
$400,000 or less. Next year alone, the tion is enacted.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Democrats’ bill would increase the tax Now, you might think that given the
pore. Under the previous order, the burden on Americans earning less than raging crisis at our southern border,
Senate will be in a period of morning $200,000 by $16.7 billion. the Biden administration would be fo-
business, with Senators permitted to Democrats are brazenly attempting cused on beefing up funding and per-
speak therein for up to 10 minutes each to sell this new tax as somehow closing sonnel for Customs and Border Protec-
for debate only. a loophole instead of hiking taxes on tion instead of the IRS, but you would
Mr. MCCONNELL. I suggest the ab- American businesses, but that isn’t be wrong. Apparently, the need to find
sence of a quorum. even close to being the truth. When money for Democrats’ Green New Deal
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- companies pay less than the current trumps the need for a secure border.
pore. The clerk will call the roll. corporate tax rate, they are often sim- Of the additional $80 billion the
The senior assistant legislative clerk ply taking advantage of tax credits Democrats’ bill would hand to the IRS,
proceeded to call the roll. that Republicans and Democrats put in 57 percent or more than $45 billion
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask place to encourage investment in would go to enforcement and only 4
unanimous consent that the order for things like research and development percent to taxpayer services. Think
the quorum call be rescinded. or the production of new technologies. about that. Four percent for an Agen-
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Democrats aren’t closing a loophole cy, as I said on the floor yesterday,
HICKENLOOPER). Without objection, it is in the tax bill. Let’s face it. They are that only succeeded in answering about
so ordered. raising taxes on American businesses 1 out of every 50 taxpayer phone calls
f at a time when our economy has posted during the 2021 tax season and has re-
two consecutive quarters of negative peatedly, as we all know, mishandled
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT growth. They are raising taxes on busi- sensitive taxpayer data.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, ‘‘You nesses that are already struggling with To name just one instance, confiden-
don’t want to take money out of the historically high inflation. tial taxpayer information was either
economy when the economy is shrink- Democrats claim they will make leaked or hacked from the IRS last
ing.’’ ‘‘You don’t want to take money large companies pay at least a 15-per- year and shared with the left-leaning
out of the economy when the economy cent minimum tax, but that isn’t true ProPublica in order to advance a par-
is shrinking.’’ Those aren’t my words. either because Democrats have created tisan agenda. More than a year later,
Those were the words of the current carve-outs to their own minimum tax. the IRS still hasn’t provided meaning-
Democratic leader in 2008: ‘‘You don’t That is right. Not all companies will ful followup to Congress or account-
want to take money out of the econ- have to pay the new book minimum ability to taxpayers for that leak. Yet
omy when the economy is shrinking.’’ tax. For instance, green energy compa- Democrats’ focus is not on improving
Well, apparently, it is a philosophy nies and companies that take green en- the IRS responsiveness and account-
the Democratic leader no longer sub- ergy tax credits will be allowed to pay ability but on boosting the number of
scribes to because, last week, he intro- less than the Democrats’ alternative audits.
duced legislation to take money out of minimum corporate tax rate. In other Speaking of those audits, no one
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
the economy when the economy is words, if you are a member of or invest should think the IRS would be just au-
shrinking. in the Democrats’ preferred industries, diting major corporations and billion-
The Democrats’ so-called Inflation you get special tax treatment under aires. No, this bill would result in a lot
Reduction Act—which is a misnomer if their legislation. So much for ensuring of audits of small businesses and ordi-
ever there was one, since the bill will that all companies—all companies— nary Americans. In fact, it is ex-
do nothing to help alleviate our cur- ‘‘pay their fair share.’’ tremely unlikely the Democrats will be
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August 3, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3877
able to gather the revenue they are In a speech to the United Nations on tan Kabul since our withdrawal. Our
claiming they can get from increased September 21, 2021, the President prom- enemies are not hiding, but far too
IRS enforcement unless they audit ised his administration would hold the often, America is.
Americans making less than $200,000 a Taliban accountable to protect the We are also stuck with a largely un-
year. rights of Afghan women. realized over-the-horizon counterter-
Based on data, again, from the Joint The Commander in Chief failed to up- rorism strategy that has not deterred
Committee on Taxation, 78 to 90 per- hold his word on all three fronts, and the resurgence of terrorists or avenged
cent of the revenue projected to be American security and prosperity have our lost warriors.
raised from underreported income suffered as a result of his broken prom- Our military and covert operators’
would likely come from those making ises. recent strike was welcome and long
under $200,000. Only 4 to 9 percent Today in Afghanistan, Americans overdue, but the strike demonstrates a
would come from those making more who want to come home remain left be- capability rarely employed and a pos-
than $500,000. That, again, is from the hind, and the administration’s lack of ture toward terrorism far too inexact.
Joint Committee on Taxation. transparency concerning both the num- It was President Biden, after all, who
I just want to repeat that. Seventy- ber and desire of Americans trapped in said last August that al-Qaida was
eight to ninety percent of the revenue Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is gone from Afghanistan. Folks, that is
projected to be raised from under- alarming. clearly not the case. Ensuring that al-
reported income would likely come The President and members of his Qaida leader al-Zawahiri will never
from those making under $200,000 a Cabinet repeatedly claimed that the harm an American again was a nec-
year. In other words, all this talk number of Americans who wanted out essary action, but the strike has raised
about audits and, you know, closing of Afghanistan was roughly 100. That serious questions about the security
the tax gap and forcing people to pay number was spouted from September situation we have in Afghanistan. The
taxes that are due that they are not 2021 through the beginning of this President’s so-called and much-prom-
paying today and implying that some- year—the same number over and over ised over-the-horizon counterterrorism
how that is all going to apply to high- again—even though we would hear re- strategy has not been a deterrent, like
income taxpayers or big corporations ports on the television that 40 more it was promised to be. Instead, we are
or big businesses is just flat incon- Americans were out, 200 Americans seeing a growing threat emanating
sistent with the data and the facts as were out, and yet the number remained from Afghanistan.
compiled by the Joint Committee on the same. How many Americans re- This is the first U.S. military strike
Taxation. Up to 90 percent of the rev- main in Afghanistan? The number they in Afghanistan since America left on
enue projected to be raised from under- kept using was 100. August 31 of last year. In the mean-
reported income would come from There is no way around it: President time, ISIS-K fighters are flowing into
those making less than $200,000 a year. Biden broke his promise to the Ameri- the country at alarming rates while al-
So, Mr. and Mrs. American Taxpayer, cans who remain and their families Qaida and the Taliban have clearly
get ready. Get ready for the IRS en- anxiously awaiting their return. been working together for the past
forcement auditor to come to your Americans have lived and traveled year. At the very least, the Taliban
house and to start harassing you so abroad with assurances that the United and Haqqani Network gave al-Zawahiri
that the Democrats can pay for their States would come to their aid in the and his thugs safe haven, dem-
massive tax-and-spending spree. event of a conflict. No matter how far onstrating ongoing Taliban collusion
After more than a year of high infla-
away, the United States is expected to with terrorists. A lone strike does not
tion spurred by Democrats’ reckless
have the backs of its citizens. Our demonstrate a developed capacity to
American Rescue Plan spending spree
withdrawal from Afghanistan was a prevent further coordination that
passed last year and with an economy
cut-and-run approach that greatly threatens American security.
that has shrunk for the past two quar- Not only has the U.S. capacity to
ters, it is hard to believe the Demo- damaged that guarantee.
If the world’s greatest superpower protect the homeland been greatly
crats are trying to pass hundreds of bil- damaged, the President’s intent to
cannot locate and extract its own citi-
lions of dollars in tax hikes, but that is champion human rights as a center-
zens from the clutches of seventh-cen-
exactly what is happening. Once again, piece of this administration’s foreign
tury thugs, then far greater tests of
economic common sense is taking a policy is also in shambles.
our sovereignty, security, and pros-
back seat to Democrats’ big spending Last fall, the President repeatedly
perity will only loom larger.
and big government ideology. claimed Afghan women were a linchpin
Democrats have already inflicted a As we approach the anniversary of
the haphazard withdrawal, there is an of his foreign policy priorities in the
lot of economic pain on the American
open wound hurting our ability to region. Yet, today, after 20 years of
people, and if this legislation passes,
deter the actions of our adversaries. constitutional democracy and advance-
there is more to come.
I yield the floor. President Biden promised vengeance ment of civil rights, the Taliban has
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- on the terrorists who killed 13 Ameri- unraveled significant hard-won gains
ator from Iowa. cans—including 1 from my hometown for the women of Afghanistan. The
of Red Oak, IA—at Hamid Karzai Inter- Taliban enforce a fundamentalist in-
f
national Airport. terpretation of Islam, prohibit women
AFGHANISTAN He told the American people: from working, from attending sec-
Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, today, I The United States will never rest. We will ondary school, and from traveling any
come to the floor to urge President not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt distance without being accompanied by
Biden to turn his attention to his dis- you down to the ends of the Earth, and we a male member of their family. Most
astrous withdrawal from Afghanistan 1 will—you will pay the ultimate price. recently, the Taliban has required all
year ago. I want to direct the Com- Again, the Commander in Chief’s women to cover themselves from head
mander in Chief to reflect on a series of rhetoric does not match his actions. to toe in the burqa. Yet it is reported
commitments he made to the Amer- The U.S. military has not targeted or that the President’s team continues to
ican people before and during his reck- conducted any counterterrorism bargain with the Taliban concerning
less exit. strikes against ISIS-K in Afghanistan diplomatic recognition, potential co-
On August 19, 2021, President Biden since America’s withdrawal on August ordination with the U.S. intelligence
promised U.S. troops would remain on 31, 2021. Those who planned the cow- community, and access to $3.5 billion
the ground until every American who ardly act remain at large. in held currency to the Taliban, despite
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
wanted to leave Afghanistan was evac- It is not like ISIS-K is holed up in these actions.
uated. the Hindu Kush mountains, away from Extending official diplomatic engage-
On August 26, 2021, President Biden population centers. At least 26 ter- ment and facilitating access to funding
promised to hunt down and avenge the rorist attacks, many of which ISIS-K without guaranteed and meaningful
deaths of 13 servicemembers killed in has claimed responsibility for, have liberties for women and girls will le-
action by ISIS-K in Kabul. struck the Afghan people in metropoli- gitimize the Taliban rule and further
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