Senate Session of August 6, 2022, Page S4154 — Congressional Record
Summary
This Congressional Record page for the Senate, August 6, 2022 (page S4154), opens with the end of remarks remembering Jackie, Zach Potts, Emma Thomson, and Edith Schmucker. At Young's request, a resolution and its preamble are agreed to. In the continuing debate on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, Crapo, the Senator from Idaho, says Joint Tax Committee analysis shows 2023 taxes increased by $16.7 billion on taxpayers earning less than $200,000. He cites a National Bureau of Economic Research study estimating that 31 percent of these taxes are borne by consumers, and quotes letters from 252 trade associations and the Business Roundtable on the book minimum tax. Durbin asks unanimous consent on a resolution commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the founding of AHEPA.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
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“Senate Session of August 6, 2022, Page S4154 — Congressional Record.”
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S4154 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 6, 2022
faith, in their families, in their com- gas prices doubling; economic stagna- We just asked the Joint Tax Com-
munities, and in the memory of their tion; GDP contracted by nine-tenths of mittee to tell us who bears these bur-
loved ones. a percent in the second quarter. dens? Who will bear the burden of these
Zach Potts was a rising presence in We are now arguing over semantics tax hikes?
Indiana politics. He was the district about what is a recession. They told us, as the chart here
chair, also the Republican chair of St. Sixty-five percent of the people in shows, in 2023, that taxes will be in-
Joe County, an up-and-comer. He is re- this country think we are already in a creased by $16.7 billion on American
membered by friends as someone who recession, and more than 80 percent of taxpayers earning less than $200,000. In
truly cared, who didn’t ask, ‘‘What’s the country think our economy is on 2023, another 14.1 billion will come
wrong?’’ but instead asked, ‘‘How can I the wrong track. from taxpayers earning between
help?’’ The nonpartisan Penn Wharton $200,000 and $500,000. And by 2031, when
Emma Thomson, Jackie’s commu- Budget Model has made a comment the new green energy credits and sub-
nications director, is remembered by about what we are looking at today, sidies provide an even greater benefit
those who knew her as creative, funny, but what are we being told today? An-
to those in America with higher in-
driven, committed to the idea that peo- other rescue plan, only this time they
comes, those earning below $400,000 are
ple are the most important thing in call it the Inflation Reduction Act. The
projected to bear as much as two-thirds
politics. Penn Wharton Budget Model says this
of the burden of the additional tax rev-
Edith Schmucker is remembered as a bill will, if anything, raise inflation in
enues collected in that year.
loving mother and a big-hearted friend the first few years of this budget, with
a small and significant negative effect That is what we are being offered as
to all at the assisted living facility a solution to the crisis that we are now
where she worked and served others. later in this decade. That same model
concludes that there is ‘‘low confidence in in our economy.
I hope you will join me and Todd in And as I will discuss later, the non-
praying for their friends and their fam- that the legislation will have any im-
pact on inflation.’’ partisan Congressional Budget Office
ilies. As we honor the lives of Jackie, has recently confirmed that a signifi-
But it does have an impact on all of
Zach, Emma, and Edith, their legacies cant portion of the revenue that the
us and our economy. It does nothing to
will live on in those whose lives they IRS supersized funding they are claim-
bring the economy out of stagnation
touched. ing will be coming from audits that
and recession, but rather the Inflation
And Jackie was a living testament to they are going to be taking will come
Reduction Act of 2022 gives us higher
what it means to be a ‘‘good and faith- out of taxpayers earning less than
taxes, more spending, higher prices,
ful servant.’’ She lived it out every $400,000.
and an army of IRS agents.
day, and she will truly be missed. Let’s talk about the taxes first. So in response to this data that we
I yield the floor. Hundreds of billions of dollars are have been able to show about their
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. raised through taxes, around 350 to 400 very tax proposals in this bill, the
ROSEN). The Senator from Indiana. billion. Democrats, surprisingly, have claimed
Mr. YOUNG. I ask unanimous con- There is a new book minimum tax on that this Joint Tax Committee anal-
sent that the Senate proceed to the im- corporations. There is a new tax on ysis isn’t valid because it didn’t in-
mediate consideration of S. Res. 748, stock buybacks. There is, believe this clude the effects of their spending that
which is at the desk. I further ask that or not, a new tax on gasoline—on oil they were putting into the bill.
the resolution be agreed to, the pre- and gas production and refineries—at
amble be agreed to, and that the mo- Now, that is a novel idea. It is OK to
the very time when our President has raise taxes, and it is OK to put more
tions to reconsider be considered made shut down production of oil and gas on
and laid upon the table with no inter- tax burden on people making more
our interior and offshore and has than $400,000 because we are going to be
vening action or debate. stopped the Keystone XL Pipeline, ba-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there sending some subsidies to some of
sically freezing America’s production them.
objection? and driving us from a state of energy
Without objection, it is so ordered. So we asked the Joint Tax Commis-
independence to a state of energy de- sion to include those subsidies in its
The resolution (S. Res. 748) was pendence, where we have to ask our
agreed to. analysis, which they did.
friends and often our enemies across
The preamble was agreed to. The analysis they gave us back incor-
the globe to increase their gas produc-
(The resolution, with its preamble, is porated the ObamaCare subsidies and
tion to help us deal with our prices at
printed in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Sub- shows that the burdens of the proposed
the pump.
mitted Resolutions.’’) tax increases in the Democrats’ reck-
And this book minimum tax, every-
f less bill will be so substantial and so
body in America knows that corpora-
widespread throughout all income cat-
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT OF tions don’t bear the burden of the taxes
egories—I repeat, all income cat-
2022—Continued we put on them. Who does? Workers,
egories—that no amount of temporary
consumers, and owners.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- A recent National Bureau of Eco- healthcare credits or even the subsidies
ator from Idaho. nomic Research study estimates that that this bill gives for $80,000 luxury
Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, I 31 percent of these taxes will be borne SUVs will overcome the tax increase
yield myself 30 minutes from the bill by consumers via price hikes—price burdens that will be overwhelmingly
time. hikes at a time when we are dealing felt by lower and middle-income-class
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without with record inflation. Americans.
objection, it is so ordered. Thirty-eight percent is borne by Few, if any, Americans will get a net
H.R. 5376 workers by way of lower wages or less reduction in the burden that they will
Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, I employment, and 31 percent is borne by bear from the taxes and subsidies pro-
would like to start my remarks by owners. vided in this bill. And for any that do,
going back to nearly the very begin- Now, my colleagues are very quick to it will only be temporary. The vast ma-
ning of this Congress, when we were de- say: Well, this is just rich people and jority will still bear the burden of
bating what was called the American rich companies that are tax cheaters. these taxes.
Rescue Plan. We were told then by our The owners of the corporations, The book minimum tax does not
colleagues on the other side that this though, are primarily people in Amer- close loopholes. You often hear that
was going to save the country: $1.9 tril- ica who have retired and are leaning on from my colleagues on the other side
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
lion of debt-financed spending, they a pension or who have not yet retired as well. It raises taxes on U.S. compa-
said, was going to fix everybody’s con- or are trying to save money for their nies by hundreds of billions of dollars,
cerns in the United States. retirement by putting their money into and it would not prevent all companies
Where are we today? 401(k) programs or other investment from paying zero tax. Instead, it would
A 9.1-percent consumer price infla- programs. That is who bears the bur- let some of the companies preferred by
tion, which we told them was coming; den of these taxes. the Democrats continue to avoid their
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August 6, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4155
taxes by using not loopholes but legiti- owners when they sell their shares in the fu- percent increase on oil and gas produc-
mate provisions for research and devel- ture. tion in the United States.
Why not pay dividends instead? Companies According to the Energy Information
opment tax credits and other kinds of
and shareholders might prefer buybacks in
tax credits that are intended to Agency, regular gasoline prices have
some instances, such as the company is dis-
incentivize the conduct of those com- bursing a one-time lump sum or shifting the risen $1.94 per gallon since President
panies. balance of equity and debt on its books. For Biden was inaugurated, an increase of
The Joint Tax Committee has al- the economy overall, buybacks have the ef- over 80 percent. Americans are still
ready estimated that half of the burden fect of distributing capital specifically to paying, on average, more than $4 a gal-
of the book minimum tax will fall on those owners who choose to participate be- lon for gas, and many can still remem-
manufacturers. cause they believe they have a more produc- ber the $5-a-gallon gas. The price for
tive use for it. Capital flows from companies utility gas service is up by almost 40
In other words—well, let me go into that don’t need it to companies that do.
what 252 trade associations and cham- percent.
bers of commerce from across the Democrats are telling companies: If These prices occur because President
you return value to your retirees or to Biden shut down domestic energy pro-
country said when they realized that
retirees in the country or if you return duction, including through permitting
close to half of this burden will fall on
value to people’s investment in 401(k) delays and canceling pipelines like the
manufacturers.
This is from those trade associations plans or the pension plans, then you Keystone XL Pipeline.
will pay a punitive tax. Now—again, unbelievably—the Presi-
that jointly—252 of them—wrote to
The majority of American households dent’s Democrat allies in Congress are
Congress:
have direct or indirect ownership of doubling down with a methane tax and
Enacting the proposed Corporate Book corporate stock via pensions, 401(k)
Minimum Tax would be the antithesis of
higher royalties on petroleum, reim-
sound tax policy and administration. Its in-
plans, or other saving vehicles. posing and increasing by nearly 70 per-
troduction would be neither simple nor ad-
Here are some interesting statistics cent the Superfund tax on refiners of
ministrable and would pose a competitive about the Americans who will bear the crude oil, importers of petroleum prod-
disadvantage to U.S.-headquartered busi- burden of this tax: ucts, and crude oil exporters, costing
nesses while increasing the incidence of Eighty to one hundred million Amer- almost $12 billion over 10 years that
unrelieved double taxation. It would also icans have a 401(k) plan, 46.4 million will ultimately be borne by American
have a detrimental effect on the quality of households have an individual retire- motorists. And Americans know that.
financial reporting. ment account, and half of the Genera- In addition, higher taxes diminish
The Business Roundtable said: tion Zers and millennials are invested the ability to improve domestic sup-
[T]he proposed book minimum tax would, in stocks. plies of oil by making capital invest-
among other things, suppress domestic in- Seniors are especially dependent on ments cost prohibitive at a time when
vestment— investment income. the U.S. has already lost 1 million bar-
Remember that, ‘‘suppress domestic The Association of Mature American rels a day of refining capacity com-
investment’’— Citizens reports that 68 percent of pared to before President Biden’s un-
when increased investment is needed to workers between the ages of 55 and 64 wise restriction of fossil fuel produc-
spur a strong recovery in our economy. This were active participants in a retire- tion in the United States.
tax hike would also undermine the competi- ment plan to save for their golden On the methane fee, the American
tiveness of America’s exporters. years and that, on average, 40 percent Gas Association says:
Even with a carve-out for accelerated of seniors’ net worth is held in stocks New fees or taxes on energy companies will
appreciation, there remain many unre- and mutual funds invested over and raise costs for customers—
solved problems with the design and above those retirement accounts. Americans understand this. He con-
structure of this minimum tax that Companies also rely on investments tinues:
make it a poor revenue option. by individuals and institutions like [C]reating a burden that will fall most
So let’s go to the next one that they pension funds to finance their oper- heavily on lower-income Americans. . . .
raise: stock buybacks. ations. based on similar proposals introduced earlier
Once again, my colleagues on the Successful companies use this capital this Congress, we estimate that the fee could
other side are quick to attack any to generate profits, which are then amount to tens of billions of dollars annu-
used for expansion, for research and de- ally. These major new costs most likely will
company that does a stock buyback, result in higher bills for natural gas cus-
saying that they are just trying to velopment, for hiring and for benefits,
tomers, including families, small businesses,
make owners of their stock who are and for investment in communities. and power generators.
rich tax cheaters even more wealthy. Companies may also choose to pay Any increase in low-income households’
I have already explained that the down their debt or return excess funds energy costs could prove devastating.
owners of that stock are the vast ma- to shareholders. The bottom line on taxes is that mil-
jority of Americans who are retired or Restricting stock buybacks could lions of Americans will bear the burden
who are working for retirement or who force companies to sit on cash or waste of these tax hikes. Some of my col-
are trying to invest a little bit to try it on low-potential projects, both of leagues have claimed that those tax
to get ahead. which limit our economic growth and hikes are worth the supposed benefit.
Despite the claims that these are prosperity. But let’s look at those benefits.
loopholes, they are doubling down on The Tax Foundation points out: Drug price reform is one they refer
proposing a $74 billion tax on U.S. com- A large body of evidence supports the idea to. The largest source of supposed sav-
panies. Democrats want to create a that companies generally only consider ings in the Democrats’ bill is a system
stock buybacks when they have exhausted of bureaucratic drug price controls
third layer of tax on American compa- their investment opportunities and met their
nies, which will have the harshest im- other obligations, meaning it is residual cash
that will lead to: higher launch prices,
pact on seniors and other savers. flow that is used for buybacks. In fact, stock stifled growth, gutted domestic manu-
The Wall Street Journal in a recent buybacks can supplement capital invest- facturing jobs, and aiding foreign ad-
editorial explained: ments, as they can help reallocate capital versaries like China; higher launch
Companies use buybacks to return cash to from old, established firms to new and inno- prices for new medications, triggering
shareholders for which they don’t have a bet- vative firms. financial strain at the pharmacy
ter use. Shareholders who sell shares back to This unvetted stock buybacks tax is counter, as confirmed by the Congres-
. . . [companies] can invest the proceeds a crippling tax that reduces retirement sional Budget Office; hundreds of thou-
elsewhere. That beats letting the cash sit on security for Americans. sands of American job losses, particu-
corporate books earning interest while CEOs So let’s go to the next tax that they larly in domestic manufacturing,
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
get complacent or decide to buy a business propose, and this one is the one that I which is already getting hit by the new
they don’t really want or understand how to
run.
said was just a little difficult to under- book minimum tax, with some esti-
Buybacks aren’t tax free: Owners who sell stand—the superfund tax and methane mates projecting as many as 800,000 job
shares back to the company realize a taxable fee. losses; a competitive edge for the Chi-
gain. Any boost in the share price contrib- Now, I understand why they call it nese Communist Party, which has sin-
utes to a higher taxable gain for remaining the superfund tax because it is a 16.4- gled out biomedical innovation as a
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S4156 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 6, 2022
pillar of its industrial policy strategy chain, targeting manufacturers while billion for operations and support; only
and could ultimately supplant the doing nothing to address other key $4.8 billion for improving their business
United States as the global life players or to improve oversight and systems and bringing themselves into
sciences leader, with a profound transparency. the 21st century with their technology
amount of national security implica- There is a better way. It is called the so they can communicate with tax-
tions; an unprecedented expansion of Lower Costs, More Cures Act. Senate payers; and only $3.2 billion for tax-
the DC Federal health bureaucracy, fi- Republicans have developed a common- payer services.
nanced with a staggering $3 billion in sense alternative, based on more than Some estimate that this part of the
new administrative spending as the two dozen solutions, aimed at pro- chart—the $46 billion for an army of
Federal Government takes even great- viding relief at the pharmacy counter auditors—will allow us to hire as many
er control over another segment of our while ensuring long-term access to life- as 87,000 new auditors. That would
healthcare economy. saving new treatments and cures. make the IRS one of the largest Fed-
This bureaucracy would also have un- Among other provisions—virtually eral Agencies—larger than the Pen-
bridled new government price-setting all of which are based on proposals tagon, larger than the State Depart-
authorities with permanent prohibi- with bipartisan support—the Lower ment, larger than the FBI, and larger
tions on even judicial and administra- Costs, More Cures Act would reform than the Border Patrol—all of them
tive review and with initial implemen- the Part D benefit to reduce seniors’ combined.
tation shielded from basic notice-and- cost-sharing burden and incentivize According to the Congressional Re-
comment rulemaking requirements; plans to negotiate the best deals pos- search Service, the Democrats’ reck-
fewer new treatments and cures, with sible for enrollees. It would create a less IRS funding increase would raise
the University of Chicago analysis esti- hard cap on the annual out-of-pocket enforcement funding by nearly 70 per-
mating 135 fewer new drugs approved spending for all seniors under Medicare cent above what the IRS is currently
between now and 2039, resulting from Part D. It would increase Part D plan projected to get. Increased audits for
an 18.5 percent reduction in innovative choices for seniors by enabling spon- the middle-class, for small businesses,
research and development. sors to offer additional plans with in- and those making less than $400,000 are
There would be less funding for can- inevitable and unavoidable under this
centives for options that pass a greater
cer R&D. Today, nearly 50 percent of act.
share of the discounts directly to their
the FDA pipeline is comprised of new How will this money be used? Well,
beneficiaries at the pharmacy counter.
cancer treatments. However, according interestingly, the White House—after
It would permanently extend a
to the same economists at the Univer- we started pointing this out, the White
Trump administration program pro-
sity of Chicago, the drug price controls House and even the IRS Commissioner
viding Part D enrollees with access to
would reduce funding for cancer R&D have said they won’t use all this money
plan options that cap out-of-pocket
by nearly $18.1 billion, over 9 times the for auditing people who make less than
monthly insulin costs at $35 or less.
amount of funding proposed for Presi- $400,000. And my colleagues just con-
It would permanently allow high-de-
dent Biden’s Cancer Moonshot—so
ductible health plans to offer tinue to say they won’t do it.
much for the President’s Cancer Moon- Multiple studies show, however, that
predeductible coverage for preventive
shot. in order to raise the money they are re-
There would be dangerous new mech- services, including insulin.
It would establish a chief pharma- quiring to be raised under this bill
anisms for compelling total compliance
ceutical negotiator to combat foreign from audits—around $200 billion of
with Federal Government mandates,
freeloading, ensuring the best trade more tax revenue from Americans by
with potential applications across all
deals achievable for American con- auditing them—they have nowhere else
sectors of the economy, including: an
sumers and job creators. to look.
escalating noncompliance penalty of
It would strengthen consumer-ori- Last year, the IRS announced that it
up to 95 percent on all gross sales lev-
ented oversight through more useful plans to ramp up audits of small busi-
ied every day for failure to meet any
cost comparison tools, price trans- nesses by 50 percent this year. Why did
terms of the government’s price-set-
parency measures, and robust report- they announce that? Because that is
ting program—negotiation in name
ing requirements for stakeholders where they need to look to collect all
only—rendering any new Federal man-
across the drug supply chain, including of this new tax revenue that they want
date, however sweeping, an offer you
can’t refuse. Even late paperwork pharmacy benefit managers. to get. So I asked the nonpartisan
would trigger this crippling, cata- It would facilitate value-based ar- Joint Tax Committee to estimate
strophic penalty, which has a tax-ex- rangements where private and public where most of this tax gap lies. Where
clusive rate of up to 1,900 percent. It is sector payers can pay based on patient is this trillion dollars of tax gap that
negotiation in name only. outcomes, driving better results for pa- my colleagues on the other side say is
As a messaging gimmick, the Demo- tients at a lower cost. And it would re- all coming from ‘‘big’’ tax cheats? The
crats have framed their government structure payments for drugs adminis- IRS looked at the data and determined
price-setting program as ‘‘negotia- tered in the doctor’s office or hospital that out of all the revenue projected to
tion,’’ but their legislation tells a far outpatient department to encourage be raised from underreported income,
different story. Under their proposed physicians to deliver cost-effective 40 to 57 percent could come from tax-
program, the Secretary has absolute, treatment options when clinically ap- payers making $50,000 or less; 65 to 78
unilateral, uninhibited price-setting propriate. percent could come from taxpayers
authority—with no floor—enabling a These are the kinds of solutions that making $100,000 or less; and 78 to 90 per-
price of $1 for even the most innovative our prescription drug pricing system cent could come from those making
new drugs. Manufacturers have no requires, not an arbitrary and offensive less than $200,000. Only around 4 to 9
choice but to comply and to provide in- Federal price-fixing program. percent could come from those making
definite access to their products at the Now, let’s move on, finally, to the over $500,000. That is what the data
Secretary-dictated price, regardless of IRS funding for an army of auditors. shows.
how unfair. They cannot walk away This bill proposes $80 billion in new That is why the IRS announced a 50-
from the negotiating table or withdraw spending in mandatory appropriations percent increase in audits for small
selected products from the Medicare to the IRS. businesses, and that is why it is impos-
market, even if the Secretary sets an Let me give that a little perspective. sible for the Democrats’ claims that
economically untenable price, strip- The annual budget of the IRS is only they want to not have audits of people
ping even small businesses of any le- about $12.6 billion. So it is nearly six under $400,000 cannot be honored.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
verage. times the annual budget of the current You know, in their bill in response to
Judicial and administrative review of IRS. Of this, $45.6 billion is for enforce- this criticism, they included a sentence
key decisions, including the price set- ment purposes. That is more than 57 that said, Nothing in this bill is ‘‘in-
ting itself, are permanently prohibited. percent—almost 60 percent of this $80 tended’’—focus on that word—nothing
The bill completely disregards the billion is for enforcement purposes— in this bill is intended to increase taxes
rest of the prescription drug supply and I will get to that in a minute—$25.3 on those making less than $400,000.
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August 6, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4157
Why did they use the word ‘‘in- the American people across all income The Emperor shivered, for he suspected
tended’’? Because they know that that categories. We don’t want to supersize they were right. But he thought, ‘‘This pro-
is not what they want to have happen, our Internal Revenue Service, and—go cession has got to go on.’’ So he walked more
proudly than ever, as his noblemen held high
but it is what will have to happen, and back to that very first statistic I gave
the train that wasn’t there at all.
they are not willing to use a stronger you—it is not even going to have a sta-
word. tistically significant impact on infla- When the facts come out, it is hard
I have asked them—and I will ask tion. If anything, the taxes will drive sometimes to admit you are on display,
them in an amendment on this floor— prices up. that the bill actually doesn’t do what
to say that none of this money can be I encourage all of my colleagues to the title says it is supposed to do. This
used to audit taxpayers making less reject this reckless bill. time, the bill is called the Inflation Re-
than $400,000 a year. Let’s see how they With that, I yield my time. duction Act. They say it is designed to
vote on that amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- be able to lower inflation and to reduce
Why couldn’t they just say that this ator from Oklahoma. the deficit except that now it has actu-
money ‘‘shall not’’ increase taxes on Mr. LANKFORD. Madam President, I ally been scored. It doesn’t actually re-
people making under $400,000 per year? yield myself 20 minutes from the bill duce inflation, and deficit reduction is
Why couldn’t they say that these funds time. as invisible as the Emperor’s new
‘‘cannot’’ be utilized to audit taxpayers The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without clothes.
making less than $400,000 per year? Be- objection, it is so ordered. The score for inflation stated in the
cause they know they can’t say that Mr. LANKFORD. Madam President, public scoring that ‘‘the impact on in-
and claim the amount of revenue that Hans Christian Andersen, in 1837, wrote flation is statistically indistinguish-
they want to spend unless they audit a story about group think. It is called able from zero.’’
those making less than $400,000 per ‘‘The Emperor’s New Clothes.’’ It be- The CBO scored the bill and said it
year. The fact is, the tax cap isn’t just gins with a leader who really loved his ‘‘would have a negligible effect on in-
millionaires or billionaires or oligarchs clothes. Some unsavory characters saw flation.’’
or whatever the term of the attack is that, and they set up a weaving loom Remember, this is the bill titled: the
today. Referring to all tax gaps and to make the finest clothes in the land, ‘‘Inflation Reduction Act.’’ The score
misreporting—that everybody who has but they were actually weaving just on the deficit end, after many on the
not accurately reported their income is air; there was nothing to it. The catch other side of the aisle here have said it
a ‘‘tax cheat’’—is misdirection. It calls was they had sold the story that, if you would have $300 billion in deficit reduc-
all of these people who make less than can’t see what they are weaving, it tion, it is less than a billion. But wait,
$400,000 who are simply having trouble must be that you are just not wise. there is more to the story on even that
So the Emperor sends a couple of his $100 billion.
with this complex Internal Revenue
advisers to go check out the weaving to More than 200 economists wrote a
Code a tax cheat. That is unfair.
We have examined the IRS’s own see what it looks like. They see, obvi- letter to Senator SCHUMER detailing
data on how successful it is in having ously, nothing because there is nothing how this bill will not reduce inflation
the courts sustain—sustain its claims there, and they all declare ‘‘Oh, it is nor reduce the deficit. Taxing more and
that these folks in the $400,000-or-less beautiful; it is lovely’’ because they spending more will only make the
category and other categories are don’t want to be seen as unwise. problem worse.
Then it ends up with the Emperor They closed by saying this state-
cheating on their taxes.
Over the past 20 years, the IRS has preparing for a big parade, and that is ment:
had a less than 47-percent success rate where I pick up the story. Let me read The bill deficit reduction is likely to prove
and a less than 45-percent success rate to you from Hans Christian Andersen, illusionary due to implausible spending
from 1837, when he tries on the ‘‘new phase-outs.
over the last 10 years. In other words, In summary, we agree with the urgent
the IRS more often asserts that these clothes.’’
These scoundrels, these unsavory need to reduce inflation, but the Inflation
deficiencies exist than the courts agree Reduction Act of 2022 is a misleading label
characters who had sold him this said:
with. That is hardly evidence for a applied to a bill that would likely achieve
‘‘How well Your Majesty’s new clothes the exact opposite effect.
multitude of tax cheats, but it is firm look. Aren’t they becoming!’’
evidence that innocent taxpayers are The advisers all chirped in. He heard on all What they said was, the Emperor has
often subjected to unnecessary and in- sides, ‘‘That pattern, so perfect! Those col- no clothes. It doesn’t really reduce in-
appropriate scrutiny. We can be sure ors, so suitable! It is a magnificent outfit.’’ flation. At some point, the emperor has
they will be with 87,000 new auditors— Then the minister of public processions an- to make a decision: Am I going to keep
again, making the IRS larger than all nounced: ‘‘Your Majesty’s canopy is waiting parading through the streets, when ev-
outside.’’
of those other Agencies that I talked ‘‘Well, I’m supposed to be ready,’’ the Em- eryone knows the Inflation Reduction
about. peror said, and turned again for one last look Act doesn’t reduce inflation or am I
By the way, folks may remember just in the mirror. ‘‘It is a remarkable fit, isn’t going to head back and fix it?
a short time back when the proposal it?’’ He seemed to regard his costume with Let me start with just the plan that
also included language that would let the greatest interest. is in this bill.
the IRS get into the bank accounts and The noblemen who were to carry his train Here is the bill. It is titled: The ‘‘In-
monitor the transactions of the depos- stooped low and reached for the floor as if flation Reduction Act of 2022.’’ So the
they were picking up his mantle. Then they
its and withdrawals of all Americans. plan my Democratic colleagues have
pretended to lift and hold it high. They
Well, let me say it better—all Ameri- didn’t dare admit they had nothing to hold. laid out—let me just give you a couple
cans who had more than $10,000 worth So off went the Emperor in procession of details in the plan to reduce infla-
of transactions in a year, which is, es- under his splendid canopy. Everyone in the tion in the Inflation Reduction Act of
sentially, almost all Americans. Now, streets and the windows said, ‘‘Oh, how fine 2022.
admittedly, that language isn’t in this are the Emperor’s new clothes! Don’t they fit Here is one: Up to $4 billion has been
bill yet, but the broad authority that is him to perfection? And see his long train!’’ allocated to study cow burping and
given to the Internal Revenue Service Nobody would confess that he couldn’t see their production of methane. I am sure
anything, for that would prove him either
with this $80 billion of supersizing will unfit for his position, or a fool. No costume
that that is going to bring down the
undoubtedly result in rules and regula- the Emperor had worn before was ever such price of beef right away. As I have
tions issued by the IRS to achieve that a complete success. heard, even on the floor today, this is
objective. They just knew that they ‘‘But he hasn’t got anything on,’’ a little going to bring down the prices at the
couldn’t put it in statute because they child said. grocery store by having up to $4 billion
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
would be rejected immediately by the ‘‘Did you ever hear such innocent prattle?’’ allocated to study cow burping.
said its father. And one person whispered to It adds $2 billion in construction
American people.
another what the child had said, ‘‘He hasn’t
I encourage the American people to anything on. A child says he hasn’t anything
grants to improve walkability in con-
see past this and to reject this legisla- on.’’ text-sensitive projects. No one seems
tion. It is too many taxes, too much ‘‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’’ the to know what the words ‘‘context-sen-
spending, and too big of a burden on whole town cried out at last. sitive projects’’ even mean or how $2
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S4158 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 6, 2022
billion in construction to improve Maybe this bill should instead be since they gave heavily to Democrats
walkability will bring down inflation. called the CPA Hiring Act because I as- in 2022 to get them elected, and this is
There is $3 billion for environmental sume millions of taxpayers who strug- their payoff. There will no longer be
justice block grants to facilitate work- gle under our complicated Tax Code al- 10.3 percent of workers in unions. This
shops—workshops—to bring down infla- ready will now have to hire a CPA is going to force more companies to
tion. Aren’t you confident that the knowing their chances of being audited have to unionize or they will not be
price of eggs and bread will go down are greatly increasing now. They know able to survive because of the Federal
after $3 billion is spent on environ- the complicated rules of the IRS. Most credits that only go to companies that
mental justice workshops? taxpayers I talk to submit their tax hire union labor. Does forced unioniza-
There is $17 million for consumer-re- forms every year and hope they get it tion sound like the solution to infla-
lated education and partnerships to re- right because it is so complicated, but tion reduction to you? It does to appar-
duce greenhouse gas emissions. By the because of this night and this vote, ently half this body.
way, that is not reducing. Those are there will be auditors coming after you It creates a subsidy in health insur-
partnerships to discuss reducing. to make sure that you got it right. ance to be announced right before the
There is a brandnew tax credit for The Democrats, in the days ahead, fall elections this fall. And it is not for
Elon Musk that is in this, though. I am when the IRS comes to this body for a those who are in poverty. Those who
sure that it will bring down inflation. hearing, will be asking them: Did they are in poverty, all the way up to 400
Tesla has used up all of its credits for pull in additional money based on the percent of poverty, already get
its electric vehicles so this bill renews audits they gave them? They are not healthcare subsidies. Oh, no, this is not
it and does a special perk for Tesla to telling you this, but they assume the for those folks at the poverty level—200
give them an unlimited number of new IRS will collect $200 billion more once percent, 300 percent, or 400 percent of
tax credits. I am sure Elon Musk is they give them these new auditors. poverty; this is a family of four making
thrilled about his unlimited new tax You can be assured that that is going $200,000 who will get this healthcare
credits to him, and I am sure all of our to be a metric that is going to be subsidy.
prices will go down based on Elon What do the economists think will
checked in the days ahead. The IRS
Musk’s new multibillion-dollar tax happen with this new subsidy? They be-
will suddenly be like the smalltown po-
credit that he gets. Again, the bill is lieve employers will drop their health
lice force that has a quota for writing
the Inflation Reduction Act. insurance and will push employees
tickets on the highway through their
There is a new fee on methane that under the government Affordable Care
small town in order to help pay for the
will raise the price of natural gas, Act policies and will shift more and
new city hall. If you have to pay for
which has been estimated to raise the more people onto the government rolls.
city hall, you need to write more tick-
price of our natural gas to the con- Remember, this is the Inflation Reduc-
ets on the highway. It is about to be
sumer by 17 percent—a 17-percent in- tion Act.
that way with the IRS. They need to As homelessness increases across the
crease on our natural gas. Now, let me audit more and go get more because we Nation right now, the bill adds $1 bil-
remind you that this is the Inflation gave you more people. lion into HUD for zero emissions elec-
Reduction Act that will increase the Remember, this is the Inflation Re- tricity generation in affordable hous-
price of our heating, of our cooking, duction Act. I have yet to figure out ing. That is what it is called, zero
and of our energy production—17 per- how Americans getting more audits re- emissions electricity generation in af-
cent. duces inflation, but as has been adver- fordable housing. It is not about in-
There is a new tax on imported oil tised, this is going to bring down the creasing access to housing for those
and new fees on domestic oil produced cost of groceries, and this is going to who are homeless; it is solar panels in
on Federal lands. bring down the cost of gas by more peo- public housing. I am confident the peo-
There are new inspection fees and ple getting audited by the IRS. ple who are living on the street, trying
owners’ fees on pipelines. I do not un- One of the other interesting plans in to survive a 9-percent inflation rate,
derstand how new fees and new taxes this bill to reduce inflation is to force are really not hoping that they can
on oil and gas are supposed to lower more Americans to join a union. Now, find someplace with a solar panel, but
the price of natural gas and of gasoline, I have to tell you that I have no angst that is what is in the Inflation Reduc-
but that is what is being declared in against unions. Unions are a choice. tion Act of 2022, solar panels in public
the Inflation Reduction Act. If only we Those individuals should be able to housing. That is their solution to solv-
had more taxes on oil, gas, and natural choose to join a union and be a part of ing inflation.
gas, then prices would somehow magi- collective bargaining as an American While many of us have been pushing
cally go down. right and privilege. back hard to block China from buying
As has been mentioned multiple Let me say this: 10.3 percent of the more land in the United States, this
times on the floor, this Inflation Re- American workforce is union—10.3 per- bill actually gives ag subsidies to land
duction Act hires more than 80,000 new cent. In the energy portion of this bill, owners regardless of who is the owner
IRS auditors, with no limit on whom which is billions and billions and bil- of the land. They don’t have to be a
they can audit. If you thought that lions of dollars, the unions get billions U.S. citizen. They don’t have to be
there would be a limit to those people of dollars, and nonunion workers get American ownership. We are literally
making $40,000 or more on being au- nothing. So, if you work in the energy opening up that to owners of land to be
dited, you were wrong. Now, that could sector right now and if you are not a able to get access to it.
have been in this bill, but they chose union employee, you are about to get I have also heard over and over again
not to put it in this bill. There are no cut out because the way this bill is that there are no new taxes in the In-
guardrails for who can be audited by written it gives Federal payouts to flation Reduction Act. I have heard
the IRS with billions of dollars being companies that use union laborers, that in national media from my Demo-
allocated to new IRS agents. Every sin- which will make nonunion energy com- cratic colleagues saying it over and
gle American in every income bracket, panies uncompetitive and will force over again and on this floor. Well, it
every small business, and every large them out of business or force them to seems to be true. If you are a green en-
company—everyone—is going to expe- unionize. ergy company, that is true; there are
rience new IRS audits in the days Quite frankly, this bill should be no new taxes for you. They will have
ahead. called the Mandatory Union Bill of huge tax breaks. And while there is a
Remember this night. Remember this 2022, not the Inflation Reduction Act, push for everyone to have a 15-percent
night. In the next 10 years, when you because I am not sure how forcing minimum tax, that is not exactly true
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
get an IRS audit, it was the Democrats more people into a union reduces infla- for those folks who are in these green
in this body who sent the IRS to your tion, but that is a major portion of this energy companies that are major Dem-
house. So keep your records because bill. ocrat donors. They will not have that
IRS audits are about to dramatically I am confident the union bosses same minimum tax standard.
go up due to the gift of the Inflation across the country are thrilled to fi- But the Tax Foundation found this.
Reduction Act. nally see a return on their investments This is their quote:
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August 6, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4159
On average, tax filers in every quintile COVID, could not get access to the That is deficit reduction in my cart. I
would experience a drop in after-tax in- Paycheck Protection Program because wouldn’t say that.
comes. Democrats said: If you are funded by Here is what I mean by that. During
Let me run that past you again. ‘‘On private outside money, then we are not the end of the Trump administration,
average, tax filers in every quintile going to get you access to that because they laid the groundwork for seniors to
would experience a drop in after-tax in- you are in evil private equity areas— get a rebate at the pharmacy counter
comes’’ if this bill passes. That means even though they are vastly small busi- for Medicare prescriptions to make
everyone in the country, under $400,000 nesses. sure that every senior got a discount at
and over $400,000 a year—everyone has This particular manufacturing com- the pharmacy counter. That was the
a drop in after-tax income. pany in Oklahoma produces valves. plan. That is what the Trump adminis-
One of the new taxes that was just This valve company had hundreds of tration put in place.
added into the bill today is the stock employees before COVID. Once COVID When the Biden administration came
buyback tax. This is to punish compa- happened and business dropped off im- in, they didn’t like that plan to give
nies that are listed on our stock ex- mediately, because they couldn’t get discounts to seniors at the pharmacy
changes that buy back stocks to raise access to the Paycheck Protection Pro- counter, so they set that plan aside and
the value of stock. Now, they buy back gram like every other small business, said: We are not going to do that. In-
stock so that the stock value goes up. they laid off hundreds of workers. stead, they have come up with this new
They are putting a tax on them to be Those workers weren’t rich folks. plan that I will explain in just a sec-
able to punish them to try to prevent Those were folks turning a wrench and ond. But they are saying that because
them from doing this. They make it making a great product that a lot of they didn’t do the plan that Trump was
sound like they are hitting the big, fat people wanted. They got laid off simply planning to do, because they didn’t do
cat corporate CEOs and the guys on because of how they were funded. that plan, that is $100 billion in savings
Wall Street, keeping the value of their Now my Democratic colleagues want by not buying what they never in-
stock lower. They are going to really to jump right on top of them at the end tended to buy, ever.
stick it to the man—except 60 million of COVID, as the company is finally Let me just tell you, if you don’t buy
Americans are invested in a 401(k) plan starting to come back and they are hir- the brussels sprouts, you just don’t
for their retirement. Sixty million. ing people back, to now slap a have the brussels sprouts, but you are
The largest owners of stocks in Amer- brandnew tax on top of them that no not saving the money from that. You
ica are retirement plans, insurance one has discussed, no one has evalu- just didn’t get them. That is not real
companies, and nonprofits. Google savings. So when they say it is deficit
ated, and no hearings have occurred on
‘‘largest owners of stocks.’’ So the peo- reduction, it is because they are not
it to determine how wide and how
ple who will be hurt the most in this doing what they never said they were
broad this will be. Literally, the own-
new plan to drive down the stock mar- going to do, and now they are magi-
ers of this company will wake up to-
ket prices are nonprofits, insurance cally calling it deficit reduction. That
morrow morning, because in the middle
companies, and retirement plans. is not real reduction of the deficit; that
of the night, a new tax got added onto
Fifty-eight percent of Americans own is a budget gimmick in Washington,
them right at the tail end of COVID
some kind of stock. DC—a huge budget gimmick. Can I just
simply because my Democratic col-
This is a tax directly and delib- say, the Emperor has no clothes. It is
leagues don’t like any company—re- not real.
erately designed to keep the price of gardless of what they do, regardless of In the place of this rebate rule, in its
individual stocks from going up. Sure, the workers who actually work there, place, they have created a real method
that is going to hurt CEOs who own they don’t like how they are funded of price controls for some drugs. And it
their own stock, but it is also going to through private individuals who fund is not price negotiations; it is price
hurt everyday Americans who just own them. controls. They are spending $3 billion
stock on their own, and it is going to This bill doesn’t lower inflation. I to set up a system for the government
hurt all of those retirement plans. But listed a lot of things. Can a single to be able to select prices on one of the
they seem not to care whom they hurt American go: Oh, that will take down most used drugs in America.
in this as long as they can also hurt inflation; that will work. None of those By the way, it starts in 2026, is when
CEOs. Driving down the stock market things take down inflation. this starts. I have heard some people
will, I guess, reduce inflation, if that is It also doesn’t reduce the deficit. on the floor say: We are going to have
their plan in their Inflation Reduction Brace yourself for this. Their plan for lower prices right away. This plan
Act, is to drive stock prices lower for reducing the deficit is not doing pro- starts in 2026. It wouldn’t actually af-
retirees and nonprofits and individual grams they were already not going to fect anyone’s pharmaceuticals until
investors. do. That is their plan. That is the def- 2027. So if you are planning on a reduc-
Another new tax that was added icit reduction. tion in prices, it is not coming soon; it
today is a 15-percent minimum tax on Let me give you an example of this. is 5 years away, if there is a price de-
businesses that are funded by private Let’s say you are going through crease at all.
equity. I have to tell you, this one Walmart, shopping, and you are with The way it is set up is the President,
shocked even me when it got slipped in your shopping cart. You step aside to whoever that may be 5 years from now,
today. Most companies that are funded be able to get something off the shelf, will have a new authority not to nego-
by private money are small businesses, and when you turn back around, some- tiate prices in the next 10 years. It is
research companies, small manufac- body has stuck in your basket a big not a negotiation, it is setting the
turing companies. This adds a new 15- bag of frozen brussels sprouts. Now, price, because if you disagree with the
percent tax on those small businesses. you didn’t put them in there; somebody next President, whoever the next Presi-
Basically, if you are owned by pri- else put them in there. dent is, and what they set on the price,
vate money or funded by private As you go through the aisle, you look they can raise the taxes on your com-
money separate from the owner itself, down and you see this big bag of brus- pany 95 percent. So if you disagree
you are considered a subsidiary, and so sels sprouts. I don’t know about you, I with the price that they pick, whoever
you get this big tax laid on you. don’t want frozen brussels sprouts. the next President is, what they pick
Let me give you an example of this. Maybe some of you love those. Great. for the price, then your company gets
I know directly a company in Okla- But if somebody slipped a bag of frozen hit with a 95-percent tax. How does
homa that is a small manufacturing brussels sprouts into my cart, I would that sound for government sheer power
company. They are funded by private put it back. I would put that away and over a company, to crush whoever they
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
outside money. During COVID, my say: No, I am not going to buy that. choose? That is how this is set up. You
Democrat colleagues had the same ven- Somebody else put that in my cart. don’t follow what I say, we will crush
detta against manufacturing that was Here is what I wouldn’t say. I your company.
funded by private equity. This par- wouldn’t say: Somebody put a bag of What does that mean for the future?
ticular company, unlike every other frozen brussels sprouts in my cart. I Drug companies will have new incen-
company across the country during am going to put it back on the shelf. tives to not use existing drugs for new
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S4160 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 6, 2022
treatments because here is how it typi- They have joined in the chorus talk- every time I go home, but it really
cally works: If a cancer drug works for ing about the beauty of the emperor’s struck me before I came here today
lung cancer, then they start experi- new clothes. I am willing to say what a that we like to talk a lot about how di-
menting with other types of cancer to lot of people in this room know in their vided politics is in America. And it is.
see if it works on those. But in this gut but they are afraid to say. It It is very polarized. But I think we
system the Democrats are setting up, if doesn’t reduce inflation. It doesn’t re- make a huge mistake when we think it
a drug works for lung cancer, they duce the deficit. The emperor has no is as simple as what normal political
have a disincentive to try it on other clothes. divisions are in this country, which is
cancers because if the drug gets too Let’s reject this bill. between Republicans and Democrats or
used, then it falls into this new nego- I yield the floor. between the left and the right.
tiation category. So the incentive for The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. VAN The polarization in American poli-
the drug companies is not to try new HOLLEN). The Senator from Florida. tics, the division—the sharpest division
ways of using this drug for fear of get- Mr. RUBIO. I yield myself 11 min- in American politics today—is between
ting too big. utes. the priorities of millions and millions
Can I tell you what this looks like in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
of people who live paycheck to pay-
real life? I have a friend at home whose objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I got a check, the working-class heroes of our
wife has pancreatic cancer, and they country that we have always bragged
are desperately trying every treatment chance to go home. I had some close
family friends who had a loss in their about, have always looked up to, that
and trying to get into every clinical we all recognize make us different than
trial they can get into, desperately. family over the last few days. I wanted
to go back and see them. the rest of the world—between the
They are praying, and they are work- things that matter to them and what
ing, and he is being an awesome hus- I get this email at 3 a.m.—I didn’t see
it until 5 a.m.—that my 8 a.m. flight the people that run this place—and I
band, and she is being a tough warrior don’t just mean the Senate but the
going through nausea and pretty awful was canceled. So I had trouble getting
here this morning. I was finally able to Federal Government and politics in
treatments. They are trying to get into general—are focused on.
clinical trials, which is already hard. get here in time for the vote we took
just a few hours ago, but I didn’t get There is a universe of difference be-
This bill will make it even harder be- tween the stuff we spend time voting
cause existing cancer drugs will have a here for the first two.
So I had a chance that morning to do on and talking about and arguing
disincentive to test out new ways to be about in politics and in this place and
able to serve their cancer. Thank you two things. First, I had a chance to
take my son to football practice. It is what people are worried about on a
very much to my Democratic col- daily basis. I know a lot of you think
leagues who are reducing the number that glorious time of year when high
school football is going. Then the other that everyone is glued to their TV and
of cancer cures for the future. How Twitter watching everything we are
does that cure inflation in the Inflation thing I had a chance to do is I had a
chance to go to a Cuban bakery that is doing here tonight. They are not. They
Reduction Act? might know something is going on to-
There is also a special little feature close to my house. I don’t get to go
often, but when I do go, especially on night—maybe—but most people are
in it, in the way the drug piece is set
weekends, I look for one of these little worried about their everyday life.
up, that it incentivizes more IV drugs
corners and just sit there. And I really What they expect is that we would be
and fewer oral drugs because IV drugs
like to go because I get to hear people here—I don’t know—working on the
get more time and oral drugs get less
talking—people who live on planet things that matter to them. I am tell-
time. So the incentive is to set up IV
Earth, not people who are here in poli- ing you that what the people, by the
drugs instead—for the drug companies.
So for all of us who would prefer tak- tics and in the bubble that is Wash- millions, registered to both political
ing a pill than taking a drug intra- ington. parties—people who voted for Biden,
venously, tough luck. Democrats prefer And you get to hear people talk. And people who voted for Trump—I am tell-
IV drugs to oral drugs. So, in the fu- one of the first things I heard today is ing you, what they are worried about is
ture, when you are taking an IV in- about two ladies who were in line, and the fact that the streets in many cities
stead of an oral medication, it is be- they were talking about how difficult in this country have been turned over
cause of the Inflation Reduction Act of it had become. You know, it is back-to- to criminals.
2022. school shopping time, and even with We have got prosecutors funded by
Can I just remind everyone that the tax-free holiday week that we had Soros who refuse to put people in jail.
Medicare has insolvency in 6 years— in Florida, I could hear them talking They won’t do it. Entire categories of
2028. This Inflation Reduction Act about how much more expensive it was crime—they won’t even prosecute
takes the savings from this new pre- going to be this year to buy and how them. Even in Florida, a State where
scription plan from Medicare and takes the list was longer and everything cost we do prosecute people, if you go to a
it out of Medicare. It doesn’t stabilize more—like pencils, all the stuff. I CVS or a Walgreens, everything is
Medicare, which is going insolvent in 6 couldn’t hear everything. I didn’t want locked up behind that little plastic
years. It takes it out of Medicare and to entirely eavesdrop, but I could hear case because people just walk in and
moves it over to the Affordable Care what they were talking about. steal the stuff. It is a spirit of wide-
Act subsidies. A few minutes later, these two guys spread, rampant criminality, and it is
It literally takes money designed for come in. It was like: Hey, are you tak- worse in other parts of the country.
76-year-olds on a fixed income and ing the boat out today? One of the reasons why people are
gives them to 26-year-olds and their No, I am not taking the boat out. I leaving these other places—these were
family making $200,000 a year. That is can’t take my kids out. The gas is too once beautiful, glorious cities. They
the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. By expensive. It is crazy to fill it up. It is are unlivable. That is what people are
the way, did I mention, again, that twice what it used to be for the boat— worried about. They are worried about
those subsidies land right before the x, y, and z. becoming a victim of a crime because
election this fall? A few minutes later, someone else some animals are running loose terror-
This bill is three-quarters of a tril- came by who was talking about the re- izing people and prosecutors won’t do
lion dollars that not a single person in ports on the news. We have a massive anything about it—not to mention that
this Chamber has read—755 pages of migration crisis which impacts the we spent 2 years demonizing police offi-
it—that came out a few hours ago. The whole country, not just the land bor- cers around here as well. That is what
media, which also hasn’t read this bill, der. But we had this weekend, I think, they are worried about.
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
continues to be able to talk about what six or eight Border Patrol engagements They are worried about the border.
a great plan it is for inflation reduc- in the Florida Keys, people getting on They really are worried about the bor-
tion. They continue to praise the bill, rafts and leaving and coming there— der. I get it. Maybe now it is going to
though they have read the same things: maybe two more today. change because they are busing them
It doesn’t reduce inflation; it doesn’t And it struck me as I am sitting to New York and here to Washington.
reduce the deficit. there—and I have been reminded of this But I get it. It is very easy, in the
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August 6, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4161
Upper West Side of New York or in the cers. We spent a lot of time around buy a used car. That is another prob-
West Hollywood area, to not worry here talking about—in the Federal lem we have. We are going to help,
that much about immigration: We Government in general—things like though, with this $9 billion to help peo-
shouldn’t have a border. Let’s be nice. pregnant people, something that does ple buy tax credits—by the way, with a
But the people whose hospitals are not exist. In the 5,500 years of human Chinese battery in it. Oh, yeah, you
being overrun, whose schools are being history, every single pregnant person can’t make those batteries without
overcrowded, whose communities are that has ever existed happened to be a China—so, great for China. I imagine
being strained are the communities woman, but we talk about pregnant spending a bunch more money on solar
that are taking this influx—7,000, 8,000 people. panels that are also made in China.
people a day. We are the only country We have a military that likes to put And, to kick it all off, thank God—this
on this planet that lets people just out tweets about the proper use of pro- is a good one because I know a lot of
show up and say, ‘‘Hey, I am here; I am nouns. We worry a lot about those people are worried about this—$1.5 bil-
staying’’—the only one. things. We have focused a lot on those lion to plant more trees—whatever.
Mexico doesn’t allow you to do that. things. And then, on top of all that, they are
You can’t do that to Mexico. You can’t Do you know what China is focused going to hire an army of IRS agents.
do that to Canada. You can’t do that in on? Blowing up our aircraft carriers. This is the one that I love. They are
Europe. But you can do it here. People Maybe we should worry more about going to go after the people who aren’t
know it. that. paying enough on their taxes.
That is what they are worried This basically is Build Back—what- Let me explain to you something. I
about—a huge problem. ever the name—Build Back Better jun- don’t like it. I don’t necessarily think
And they are worried about the price ior, just a little bit less—a lot of it is a good thing, but I am going to ex-
of everything. People focus on gas. It is money but just less money. They plain something to these people who
funny. The President said he couldn’t might as well have voted for the one don’t understand this. These billion-
control gas prices until they started they had. I don’t know why the Sen- aires—who, by the way, fund all their
going down a little. You know one of ators who kind of gave them their vote campaigns, just got a huge break in
the reasons why it is going down? Peo- on this didn’t just agree to the other this bill. It is very ironic that these
ple are driving less. They are not going one. This is just a smaller version of billionaires, these corporations, these
on vacation. They are not taking the that. That is what this is. But, anyway, people have armies of lawyers and law
boat out because it is expensive. that is what we are focused on. firms and accountants. And I am tell-
Frankly, that is what they wanted. So you can see, we are up here. We
ing you, they will fight these agents.
Do not be fooled. That is what they are going to vote late at night and into So who do you think these agents are
wanted. They were not unhappy about the morning, which is fine with me. I going to go after? Because fighting
high gas prices. They were just upset don’t know if it is fine with everybody, these corporations isn’t easy, and you
that it happened a few months before but it is fine with me. But at least, if will eventually run out of billionaires
an election. But the Democrats and the we are going to do that, let’s be about to go after. They are going to go after
left were not unhappy about high gas the things that the people care about,
small businesses. They are going to go
prices because they don’t want you to that matter to the real people in the
after working people—maybe people
drive. They want everybody to take a real world.
It is not. Instead, here is what we are who make $250,000 a year. We think
bus or buy one of these $90,000 Chinese that is a lot of money. In some places
going to do. Here is what we are going
electric cars. That is what they want it is in this country. In some places, it
to do. What we are going to spend time
everybody to do. We will talk about is a good living. But you are not rich at
on is a $30 billion slush fund they call
that in a minute. $250,000 in some parts of this country.
green loans. That is what it is, guys. It
They were not happy, but it is not You are doing all right, no doubt about
is a slush fund. It is for all these people
just that. I don’t know how many peo- it, but you are not a billionaire.
who have companies that are in the
ple here do their own groceries, but in They are going to go after them.
green energy space. Those are their
my house we do. I am just telling you, They are going to go after the people
buddies. They are now going to be able
it is twice what it used to be. I get it. to tap into this loan program. They who cannot afford to hire an army of
My kids are growing, and they eat have done this once before but not a $30 lawyers and accountants to fight off
twice as much, too, but it is twice what billion slush fund. the IRS agents—thousands of IRS
it used to be—on everything, on every- We are going to spend $60 billion agents, not police officers to go after
thing. And that is just food. solving environmental racism. I don’t criminals; IRS agents to go after
That is the other problem with infla- even know what that is. I don’t know if American taxpayers. That is who they
tion. People talk about inflation. The anybody knows what that is. Like are going to go after.
inflation that matters the most is the when they say ‘‘Latinx.’’ I thought I promise you—and I regret to say
necessities, not the flat screen TVs, that was a band. I have never heard it—that a lot of hard-working people
not the new car—the necessities. That that word before in my life, and I don’t are going to be getting letters in the
is what is going up in price: housing, know what environmental racism is. mail saying: Hey, we want to talk to
clothes, back-to-school supplies, food. Nine billion on tax credits to help you about your taxes from 5 years ago,
All of that is through the roof—caused, people that already have electric cars from 3 years ago, because we think you
by the way, partially by a bill, one of buy another electric car. Let me tell might have messed up.
the first things they did in March: $1.9 you guys something. You may not real- And you don’t have an army of law-
trillion of Federal money—of your ize this. I get it, maybe, because the yers. You are going to pay them what-
money, the people’s money—poured bubble around here is so thick. So let ever they say, even if you have to take
right into the economy. We had a sup- me tell you the truth. A lot of people out a credit line on your house, be-
ply shortage, and we created more de- who voted for you guys, as well, are not cause you don’t want trouble with the
mand with all of that money. buying an electric car this year, next IRS. That is what this bill does. That is
Anyway, that is what people are wor- year, or the year after that for a lot of what this bill is. Everyone else is cov-
ried about: inflation, the crime, the reasons: No. 1, charging stations. It is ered.
border, the real-life stuff. What have the common sense of everyday people. And they cynically call it the Infla-
we spent our time focused on and fight- They are not doing it anytime in the tion Reduction Act. And let me tell
ing around here? I can tell you. First, near future. Maybe this will help them you why they call it that. This is actu-
a fake—and I mean fake, completely 30 years from now or their grandkids 30 ally very sad and outrageous. They call
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
fake—electoral rights crisis, election years from now but not today. They it that because—I am telling you, and
rights crisis—totally fake. We spent a are not buying an electric car because, I hate to say it, but a lot of the people
lot of time on that. even with your little rebate, it is still behind this kind of stuff, they see hard-
We spent a lot of time arguing about too much for them. working, everyday Americans as a
whether we were going to vote on a bill They are lucky if they can get a new bunch of uneducated simpletons who
to make it easier to shoot police offi- one with gas in it. They have got to will just fall for this. And the media
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S4162 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 6, 2022
will help them. They know the media And it is happening, frankly, because ter off than themselves. And they were
will help them—not all the media, but the modern Democratic Party—listen, never rich and they were never famous,
a lot of the reporters will help them, I live in South Florida. It is a majority and they lived the American dream be-
even though the reporters themselves Democratic county. I have had Demo- cause they retired with dignity. And
keep calling this a climate bill because crat friends. I have worked with lib- with their own eyes, they saw their
they are so giddy about that part of it. erals my whole life. I have done a children have the opportunity to do the
But they think the people are going bunch bipartisan stuff. You are not bad things they themselves never could do.
to just fall for it. People are not going people. But the modern Democratic That is what makes us different. Those
to fall for it. I don’t care how smart Party does not care about working are the people that are hurting. Those
you think you are and how uneducated Americans. The only thing they care are the people that got wiped out in
you think they are. They have got about is the agenda of a bunch of 2007 and 2008 when Wall Street created
something most people involved in our laptop liberals and Marxist misfits who a crisis and when Wall Street got
government have lost or maybe never threaten to burn down any city any bailed out. Those are the people whose
had. It is called common sense, and time they don’t get their way on some kids couldn’t go to school because in
they have the common sense of know- issues and a bunch of climate extrem- some parts of this country, we shut
ing that making it easier for people to ists. And that is what this bill re- school down for a year and a half, while
buy, with a credit, an electric car in 3 flects—at least two of those three. And the people shutting down the schools,
years is not going to do anything for that is what this bill does. their kids were going to private schools
them. They are not buying an electric That is the only people they cater to. and had private tutors. And those are
car anytime in the near future. That is what their issues are always the people that are getting destroyed
You know what they want? They about. And what they do is they put on right now by this economy. And they
want gas prices to come down because the disguise of calling it the Inflation are being ignored and disrespected and
America is producing more oil. That is Reduction Act. But they can’t even say completely, completely obliterated by
what they would like. That is what it with a straight face. They really a bill that does absolutely nothing for
they would like. can’t because they know it is not true. them.
They would like you to put criminals This bill has nothing to do with what And that is what your U.S. Senate
in jail and keep them there. They real people in the real world are wor- will spend late into the night and early
would like you to secure our border, ried about every single day. And the into the morning voting on. The dis-
just a little bit. Don’t pretend that you ironies are so thick. connect is massive. And I can point to
are doing anything about it, because I think about this carried interest a lot of examples, but this has become
they know the truth. loophole, as they call it. We have got exhibit A in that disconnect.
Guys, it is a scam. This very week- prominent Members of the Democratic I yield the floor.
end, this very Friday—and I live in Party in the Senate who have made a The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Miami. I don’t read about this stuff in career out of calling that basically an ator from Tennessee is recognized.
a magazine. I see it with my own eyes; unfair and immoral benefit for hedge Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, as
I hear it with my own ears. fund managers and greedy billionaires. I was reading through this reckless
I had this couple telling me the flat- spending spree that my Democratic
They have made a career out of it. Yet
out story. Their kids were already here colleagues are in such a rush to get
today, they will vote on a bill that
because their kids were born here. this thing passed so that they can get
Years ago, when they were here vis- stripped out taking rid of that loop-
it signed into law—I was reading it,
iting, their kids were born here. U.S. hole. They will vote for it. They will
and I thought, you know, we have been
citizens. Their kids are already here. vote for it. That is the irony embedded
through this exercise before.
This couple paid $5,000 each. They were in all of this. We have before us a bill that is too
So they will do their press con-
driven to the border in a van. They expensive to afford. It has been thrown
ferences and speeches. They will be
were turned over to an agency right on together behind closed doors, in secret,
very impressed with themselves. The
the border who turned them over to the perfectly branded to prey on the strug-
Twitter warriors are going to love it.
officers. They spent a day and a half in gles, the fears of the American people
detention. Their papers were filled out. The MSNBCs and the ‘‘Meet the Press- because after all, fearful people are
They were turned back over to the es’’ are all going to say—whoever, easier to control.
agency. The agency asked them: Where CNN, whatever—they are all going to And what do we know? The Demo-
you would like to go? be giddy about it. But for millions and cratic Party, they are all about control
I would like to go to Miami. millions of working Americans, noth- and they are all about power.
They gave them a ticket to go to ing is going to change for them for the Now, I remembered that this isn’t
Miami. They even gave them a little better. There isn’t a single thing in the first time in the Schumer Senate
card to buy things before they got this bill that helps working people that the Democratic colleagues have
there. And now they are living in lower the price of groceries or the price tried to turn a crisis into an oppor-
South Florida. of gasoline or the price of housing or tunity. A little over a year ago, they
And what do you think? You don’t the price of clothes. There isn’t a sin- pulled the exact same bait-and-switch
think they are going to call back home gle thing in this bill that will keep with a $1.9 trillion American Rescue
and tell people: Hey, we made it, and criminals in jail. There isn’t a single Plan. Senator GRAHAM talked about
here is how we made it. And those are thing in this bill that is going to secure this before. It was to bring, oh, so
the people that can afford to buy the our border. And those happen to be the much prosperity. It was to solve all of
$5,000 each or save it. A lot of people things that working people in this your problems, help was on the way.
can’t. So they have to turn themselves country care about. And the gap be- But it was a big government blowout in
over into the hands of these criminal, tween the people who run this place the form of $350 billion in the slush
delinquent traffickers, evil persons and the people who are the backbone of fund for blue cities, a State tax cut
who take advantage of these migrants. this country is so massive, the dis- ban, a $60 billion tax hike, subsidized
And they are coming because we are in- connect so great, that the division that government healthcare, and a union
viting them to come. This administra- is driving our politics is reaching a pension bailout.
tion is inviting them to come. They are boiling point, unfortunately. Now, it is pretty clear who the Demo-
inviting them to come. What makes this Nation different crats were trying to rescue with that
When you tell people: Don’t come. from all the countries in the world is bill. And it was not hard-working
But if you do, you are going to get to our working class. Every nation has American taxpayers. They got the
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
stay, they are going to come. And that rich people. Every country in the world shaft on that. And they know it.
is what is happening. We are not fo- has wealthy people. What has made us And then, of course, we considered
cused on that. They get it. People back different is that here, by the millions, the infrastructure package that had al-
home get it. And you are not going to people like my parents—a bartender most nothing to do with infrastruc-
convince them that any of the stuff and a maid—were able to own a home ture, but it served as a very useful ve-
here is any good for them. and raise a family and leave them bet- hicle for a lot of the Green New Deal.
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August 6, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4163
Remember, Build Back Better—they eling, and workers who had their jobs PACT Act that would have given toxic-
couldn’t get it across. They had to just regulated out of existence, that is exposed veterans expedited access to
break it into parts. So you have seen what the Democrats did for you. community care. Now, why did they do
parts of it in different bills. Part of it Here is another. In April, the Biden that? To protect union employees in
was in that infrastructure package. Border Patrol announced that they VA facilities, of course. We can’t take
To Tennesseans, this was a missed were holding up construction on the a step like that; it might privatize VA,
opportunity because they desperately border wall so that they could do an they seem to think.
need meaningful improvements to environmental assessment. Now, instead of the healthcare that
broadband infrastructure and access to Now, if you recall, this is one regu- they deserve, these veterans are left
high-speed internet connections. It was latory barrier that President Trump with nothing but false hope—access to
a missed opportunity for all Americans eliminated when he took office because the queue but no access to the care.
seeing crime and drugs that are in he understood the danger posed by our Over and over again, it never stops
their communities because of that open lack of border security. He was listen- here in the Schumer Senate. The
border. And it was a missed oppor- ing to the American people and the Democrats say one thing; they turn
tunity for the Keystone XL Pipeline Border Patrol and people that lived around and do another thing.
and for support for American energy. there. He knew what was happening. The bill also increases renewable tax
Missed opportunities continue to be Well, under President Biden, the open credits but only for projects located in
their thing. Just a few short days ago, borders advocates won. But the ranch- the so-called environmental justice
we passed a CHIPS and Science bill. ers, the border communities, small- communities, wherever they are. That
Sounds really good and constructive. town law enforcement—they lost. is a very creative way for my Demo-
But over the course of a few years, this The Biden administration loves to cratic colleagues to tell us they are
ballooned from an emergency invest- use the regulatory hammer so that using this increase to funnel money to
ment in semiconductors into an almost they can pick winners and losers that the cities and States they deem worthy
$300 billion gateway to industrial plan- they want. They will punish you. They of support.
ning and, of course, more of the Green will punish you. It is what they are The measure is simple: You comply
New Deal. doing with the bill that we are consid- or you go bankrupt. Then, again, you
My Democratic colleagues took an ering tonight in the middle of the might go bankrupt if you do comply.
opportunity to unravel our dangerous night, on the weekend, when people are Doing so will increase project costs and
relationship with the Chinese Com- at the lake, when people are out with labor costs, which will, in turn, in-
munist Party and squandered it on a their children, having fun, enjoying the crease costs on everything. Everyone
tee-up to seizing more control over the summer. Here we are. loses except the Democrats and their
manufacturing and upstream suppliers It is so interesting that they have
political allies.
we should be empowering. married the strategy they used last
Joe Biden and the Democrats have
Fast forward to this month, and here March by catering to—you guessed it—
become famous for saying one thing
we go again, sifting through a package blue States, unions, and climate justice
and doing another. They promise infla-
that costs nearly a trillion dollars, yet warriors.
Here is just one example of one of the tion reduction, then raise manufac-
is somehow still marketed as the Infla- turing costs. They promise economic
tion Reduction Act. regulatory schemes contained in the
bill that will benefit the usual Demo- relief but then raise your utility costs
And I will say to my Democratic col-
cratic allies but wreak havoc on every- and your grocery bills. They assure the
leagues and Senator SCHUMER and Sen-
ator MANCHIN, the American people are one else. Right now, manufacturers American people, time and again, that
laughing at the name of this bill. They that burn fossil fuels can earn a $35 tax Big Government can solve your prob-
are laughing at this. They know better credit for every ton of carbon dioxide lems, and then they use Big Govern-
than this. They can see right through they capture and store. ment to absolutely beat the living stew
what you have done. They know what The bill cuts that tax credit down to out of private enterprise.
is going on. And they know that your $17. But there is a catch. A business My Democratic colleagues have tout-
priorities do not line up with their pri- can earn an $85 tax credit if they com- ed this latest disastrous version of
orities and their concerns. ply with labor standards that are laid their ‘‘Build Back Broke’’ agenda as
In reality, this bill provides no path- out in the bill. This, of course, means progressive. And I do hope the Amer-
way to reduce our current inflation. It that in order to survive, manufacturers ican people are figuring out what ‘‘pro-
will, however, put pressure on the and fossil fuel companies will be man- gressive’’ means: tax increases, mas-
economy, raise taxes on just about ev- dated to use union labor. sive transfers of wealth, ideological
eryone, kills jobs, stifles innovation, Nuclear power plants will have a conformity backed by the full faith and
weaponizes the regulatory state similar hit. If this legislation passes, credit of the United States.
against small businesses and private they will earn $12 more per ton in tax If you want to be broke and grovel to
enterprise. credits if they go to the unions instead the government, this bill is for you.
Now, all these things have the poten- of letting the free market determine These hundreds of billions of dollars
tial to devastate the economy and who they hire. will serve a purpose but not to reduce
make life harder for hard-working tax- Now, the problem here doesn’t only inflation or bring relief. Blue States,
payers. have to do with unions versus right-to- unions, radical activists will once
I want to focus on how Joe Biden and work policies. The problem is that the again come out on top. Meanwhile,
the Democrats are using regulators to base tax credit reductions in this bill families working hard to make ends
overrule the will of the people and to were designed to kill companies that meet, workers, business owners, local
seize more control over the country be- don’t want to play along with the left’s leaders are still on the verge of losing
cause this tactic has truly been a fa- green crusade and funnel money to everything. I think my Democratic col-
vorite of the Democrats. They expand CHUCK SCHUMER’s political allies. leagues know this, but they have de-
the regulatory state. They issue man- Hear me out. If, for example, you are cided that the pain and the suffering is
dates. They institute lockdowns. And, running a utility in a right-to-work worth it. After all, they continue to
there is that word again: ‘‘control.’’ State and you want to keep taking ad- tell us we need to be transitioning. We
They are after the control. vantage of tax credits, you are going to need to be transitioning. I don’t think
If you need an example, look no fur- be in a very tight spot. When this bill people like what they are going to have
ther than the dozens of newly arrived becomes law, you will be stripped of to transition to.
rules and regulations that they have your practical ability to hire right-to- When I am home in Tennessee, they
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
used to gut American energy. Radical work employees and mandated to use certainly don’t like it. I will be back
climate activists in the environmental union labor instead. The kowtowing to Monday doing meetings across the
lobby won big when those went into ef- union demands is also part of a pat- State, and I will have to tell them
fect. But everyone else lost. tern. that, once again, the Democrats have
If you were an energy consumer, a Just a few days ago, my Democratic taken advantage of their desperation
truckdriver, someone who was trav- colleagues killed my amendment to the and their exhaustion with what is
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S4164 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 6, 2022
going on. And, once again, the Demo- A resolution (S. Res. 675) commemorating the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, New
crats have sold them a bill of goods the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the York, for which AHEPA received special rec-
that ignores our current crisis, American Hellenic Educational Progressive ognition by the Department of the Interior;
Association. Whereas the AHEPA National Housing
prioritizes the pet projects the Demo-
There being no objection, the com- Program has sponsored safe and dignified af-
crats have, and the American people fordable housing for vulnerable senior citi-
are once again getting the shaft. I will mittee was discharged, and the Senate
zens under the Section 202 Supportive Hous-
tell them that, for the Democrats, this proceeded to consider the resolution. ing for the Elderly program (administered by
isn’t about service; it is about control. Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask the Department of Housing and Urban Devel-
It is about power. And to Tennesseans, unanimous consent that the Van Hol- opment and authorized under section 202 of
this is all frightening. They think that len amendment at the desk to the reso- the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q)), and
this is a reckless, manipulative, dan- lution be agreed to; the preamble be the sponsorship has a portfolio of 4,467 units
gerous abuse of power. There is very agreed to; and the motions to recon- in 87 communities in 19 States;
sider be considered made and laid upon Whereas AHEPA has engaged in ‘‘Track
little, if anything at all, that is pro Two Diplomacy’’ to foster reconciliation and
‘‘we the people’’ in this bill. the table with no intervening action or
debate. rapprochement in the Eastern Mediterra-
I yield the floor. nean, which is in the best interest of the
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
United States, and has enhanced people-to-
ator from Illinois. objection, it is so ordered. people ties between countries;
The amendment (No. 5434), in the na- Whereas AHEPA financially supports
f ture of a substitute, was agreed to as scholarships, natural disaster and humani-
PRO BONO WORK TO EMPOWER follows: tarian relief, medical research, and countless
AND REPRESENT ACT OF 2021 (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute.) other charitable and philanthropic causes by
contributing more than $2,200,000 annually
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask Strike all after the resolving clause and in-
sert the following: ‘‘That the Senate— from the national, district, and local levels
unanimous consent that the Com- of AHEPA;
mittee on the Judiciary be discharged (1) recognizes the significant contributions
to the United States of citizens of Hellenic Whereas generations of Greek American
from further consideration of S. 3115 heritage; and women and Philhellenes have worked to
and the Senate proceed to its imme- (2) commemorates the 100th Anniversary of strengthen society through service organiza-
diate consideration. the founding of the American Hellenic Edu- tions, such as the Daughters of Penelope, in
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without cational Progressive Association, applauds order to—
objection, it is so ordered. its mission, and commends the many chari- (1) provide affordable housing for older
The clerk will report the bill by title. table contributions of its members to com- adults;
The senior legislative clerk read as munities in the United States and around
(2) sponsor and support domestic violence
follows: the world.
shelters;
A bill (S. 3115) to remove the 4-year sunset The resolution (S. Res. 675), as
(3) provide scholarship awards;
from the Pro bono Work to Empower and amended, was agreed to.
Represent Act of 2018. The preamble was agreed to. (4) raise awareness and provide financial
The resolution, as amended, with its support for medical research and charitable
There being no objection, the com- causes; and
mittee was discharged and the Senate preamble, reads as follows:
S. RES. 675 (5) help those in need of humanitarian as-
proceeded to consider the bill.
Whereas the American Hellenic Edu- sistance or natural disaster relief;
Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous con- Whereas, in the spirit of their Hellenic her-
sent that the bill be considered read a cational Progressive Association (referred to
in this preamble as ‘‘AHEPA’’) was founded itage and in commemoration of the Centen-
third time and passed and the motion nial Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Geor-
on July 26, 1922, in Atlanta, Georgia, by 8 vi-
to reconsider be considered made and sionary Greek immigrants to help unify, or- gia, members of AHEPA raised $775,000 for
laid upon the table. ganize, and protect individuals of all ethnic, the Tribute to Olympism and Hellenism
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without racial, and religious backgrounds against the sculpture, the fan-like structure of which
objection, it is so ordered. bigotry, discrimination, and defamation per- helped to save lives during the 1996 Olympic
The bill (S. 3115) was ordered to be petrated predominantly by the Ku Klux Bombing at Centennial Olympic Park;
Klan; Whereas members of AHEPA raised $110,000
engrossed for a third reading, was read
Whereas the mission of AHEPA is to pro- for the creation of the George C. Marshall
the third time, and passed as follows: Statue erected on the grounds of the United
mote the Hellenic ideals of ancient Greece,
S. 3115 States Embassy in Athens, Greece, in cele-
which include philanthropy, education, civic
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- responsibility, and family and individual ex- bration of the historic relationship between
resentatives of the United States of America in cellence through community service and vol- the United States and Greece and in tribute
Congress assembled, unteerism; to General Marshall, an outstanding states-
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. Whereas, since the inception of AHEPA, man and Philhellene;
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pro bono the organization has instilled in the mem- Whereas members of AHEPA raised
Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2021’’ bers of AHEPA an understanding of their $1,000,000 toward the rebuilding of Saint
or the ‘‘POWER 2.0 Act’’. Hellenic heritage and an awareness of the Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and Na-
SEC. 2. REMOVAL OF SUNSET. contributions that Hellenic heritage has tional Shrine at the World Trade Center,
Section 3(a) of the Pro bono Work to Em- made to the development of democratic prin- which was the only house of worship de-
power and Represent Act of 2018 (Public Law ciples and governance in the United States stroyed on September 11, 2001;
115–237; 132 Stat. 2448) is amended by striking and throughout the world; Whereas members of AHEPA have been
‘‘for a period of 4 years’’. Whereas AHEPA has done much through- Presidents and Vice Presidents of the United
out the history of the organization to foster States, United States Senators and Rep-
f resentatives, and United States Ambas-
patriotism in the United States;
COMMEMORATING THE 100TH ANNI- Whereas members of AHEPA have served sadors, and have served honorably as elected
VERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF in the Armed Forces of the United States to and appointed officials at local and State
protect the freedom of the people of the levels throughout the United States; and
THE AMERICAN HELLENIC EDU-
United States and to preserve those demo- Whereas President George H. W. Bush cited
CATIONAL PROGRESSIVE ASSO- AHEPA as 1 of the ‘‘thousand points of
CIATION cratic ideals that are part of the Hellenic
legacy; light’’ in the United States: Now, therefore,
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask Whereas, in World War II, members of be it
unanimous consent that the Com- AHEPA parachuted behind enemy lines in Resolved, That the Senate—
mittee on the Judiciary be discharged Nazi-occupied Greece to help liberate Greece; (1) recognizes the significant contributions
from further consideration of S. Res. Whereas AHEPA raised more than to the United States of citizens of Hellenic
675 and the Senate proceed to its imme- $253,000,000 for United States war bonds dur- heritage; and
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
ing World War II, and, as a result of the ef- (2) commemorates the 100th Anniversary of
diate consideration.
fort, AHEPA was named an official issuing the founding of the American Hellenic Edu-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The agent for United States war bonds by the De- cational Progressive Association, applauds
clerk will report the resolution by partment of the Treasury, an honor that no its mission, and commends the many chari-
title. other civic organization had yet achieved; table contributions of its members to com-
The senior legislative clerk read as Whereas, in 1990, the members of AHEPA munities in the United States and around
follows: donated $612,000 toward the restoration of the world.
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