Congressional Record, Senate — September 21, 2022, S4882
Summary
This is S4882 of the Congressional Record, Senate, September 21, 2022, with Senate floor remarks. One speaker, referring to the State of Nevada, criticizes legislation introduced in the Chamber that the speaker describes as a national abortion ban. Under the heading INFLATION, Mr. Thune states that the President appeared on "60 Minutes" and was asked what he would do about inflation, and says the consumer price index rose 8.3 percent from the same month a year ago in August. Mr. Thune also quotes the Penn Wharton Budget Model as saying the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on inflation is statistically indistinguishable from zero.
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“Congressional Record, Senate — September 21, 2022, S4882.”
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S4882 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 21, 2022
health at risk. And just as we have al- INFLATION add, that helped plunged our economy
ways known, this threat is not just at Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, on Sun- into our current crisis. And 40 percent
the State level. day, the President appeared on ‘‘60 of Americans report having difficulty
Last week, legislation was intro- minutes,’’ where he was asked what he paying for their normal household ex-
duced in this very Chamber that would was going to do to help alleviate infla- penses. Americans are dipping into
enact a national abortion ban, one that tion in light of August’s continued their savings or working side jobs to
would strip women of the fundamental grim inflation news and the resulting make ends meet. They are charging
right to control their own bodies. This stock market nosedive. more day-to-day expenses on their
abortion ban—and that is exactly what The President’s response? credit cards. In too many cases, they
it is, a nationwide abortion ban—poses Well, first of all, let’s put this in perspec- are having to visit food banks, which
a real and serious threat to the rights tive. Inflation rate month to month was are seeing huge lines thanks to contin-
of women across this country. This is a just—just an inch, hardly at all. ued high inflation. What are Democrats
dangerous nationwide government ‘‘Let’s put this in perspective’’? That and the President doing about this?
mandate that would threaten women might be something to say if the infla- Nothing.
and their doctors—threaten them— tion rate had ticked up from, say, 2 Of course, last month, Democrats did
with jail time, including those in my percent—the target inflation rate—to pass a bill they called the Inflation Re-
State of Nevada. 2.1 percent, but I am pretty sure that duction Act. The problem? The bill will
Pro-choice States like Nevada, where that is not the appropriate thing to say do nothing to reduce inflation—noth-
the people voted overwhelmingly to when you are talking about the sixth ing. Again, you don’t have to take my
protect reproductive freedoms as part straight month of inflation above 8 per- word for it. The nonpartisan Penn
of State law, would be forced—forced— cent and the ninth straight month of Wharton Budget Model said this about
to abide by this Federal mandate. Be- inflation at or above 7 percent and the the bill’s impact on inflation:
cause Federal law supersedes State 11th straight month of inflation above The impact on inflation is statistically in-
law, this legislation would override the 6 percent. distinguishable from zero.
will of Nevadans and the freedom—the Even more concerning than August’s ‘‘[S]tatistically indistinguishable
freedom—that they have had for dec- consumer price index rising 8.3 percent from zero.’’
ades. from the same month a year ago was Or you could take the word of the
If anti-choice Republicans in Con- the increase in core inflation—a meas- Democrat chairman of the Budget
gress have their way and their national ure of inflation minus the volatile cat- Committee, who admitted right here
abortion ban passes—listen to this— egories of food and energy. This meas- on the Senate floor that the so-called
then Nevada’s doctors could be pros- ure increased to 6.3 percent in August, Inflation Reduction Act would not re-
ecuted; Nevada’s women could be up from 5.9 percent in both June and duce inflation.
jailed; and Nevada’s women could die July, suggesting that inflation is sink- But it is not just that Democrats
as a result of a lack of access to care. ing its roots even deeper into various have done nothing to help solve our in-
So let’s be clear. The only thing sectors of our economy—or in the flation crisis; they are also on track to
standing in the way of their national words of a CNBC headline from last make Americans’ economic situation
abortion ban is the pro-choice majority week: significantly worse.
Inflation isn’t just about fuel costs any- In August, President Biden an-
in the U.S. Senate, and I will do every-
more, as price increases broaden across the nounced a massive student loan give-
thing I can to fight this legislation
economy. away that could cost anywhere from an
threatening our reproductive rights
But, of course, you don’t have to take estimated $500 billion to more than $1
not just in Nevada but across the coun-
my word for it about the mess that we trillion and that the Committee for a
try.
are in. Here is what one of President Responsible Federal Budget notes
That is why I helped to introduce the would ‘‘meaningfully boost inflation.’’
Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Obama’s top economic advisers had to
say last week after August’s inflation This is a statement from the Com-
Health Care Act, along with Senators mittee for a Responsible Federal Budg-
MURRAY, PADILLA, and the Acting numbers came out:
Today’s CPI report confirms that the US et talking about the President’s mas-
President pro tempore, Senator LUJÁN, sive student loan giveaway, and they
to protect doctors in States like Ne- has a serious inflation problem. Core infla-
tion is higher this month than for the quar- say it will ‘‘meaningfully boost infla-
vada, where abortion remains legal and ter, higher this quarter than last quarter, tion’’ or, as the president of the Com-
protects women from facing prosecu- higher this half of the year than the previous mittee for a Responsible Federal Budg-
tion and potentially jail by anti-choice one, and higher last year than the previous et recently put it, ‘‘Amid 40-year-high
States. No doctor—let me repeat this. one. inflation and despite the administra-
No doctor should ever be jailed for pro- ‘‘Let’s put this in perspective.’’ That tion constantly touting its ‘fiscal re-
viding women with the reproductive is what President Biden had to say? sponsibility,’ these changes will reck-
and often lifesaving care they need Here is the American people’s perspec- lessly add to the debt and make the
wherever these women are from. No tive: Fifty-seven percent of Americans Federal Reserve’s job in fighting infla-
doctor should ever be jailed for pro- disapprove of President Biden’s han- tion even harder, which will amplify
viding care. dling of the economy, and 37 percent of our risk of entering a recession.’’
Anti-choice Republicans in the Sen- voters say that President Biden’s poli- Many of us would argue we are al-
ate have blocked these efforts in the cies have hurt them personally, versus ready in a recession—two consecutive
past as they have continued to push for just 15 percent of voters who say his quarters of negative GDP growth.
dangerous bans. policies have helped them. Inflation has spent 8 straight months
Today—today—we have another op- These numbers are no surprise. The at 40-year highs, and the President has
portunity to protect doctors and their President may somehow still believe decided that now is a good time to im-
patients by passing this legislation— that he is creating an economy that plement a policy that will ‘‘meaning-
without obstruction or delay—because will ‘‘work for working families,’’ but fully boost inflation.’’
let’s be clear: We will not—we will the reality is that, in the Biden econ- The economy continues to show signs
not—give up. We will not allow a na- omy, working Americans are suffering. of weakening, driven in large part by
tional abortion ban to pass the Senate. Americans’ utility bills are soaring; the inflation crisis Democrats helped
We will not allow doctors to face pros- their grocery bills have ballooned; and create. Major companies have recently
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
ecution for doing their jobs. We must— they are paying $1.30 more per gallon announced job cuts. Sixty-three per-
we must—protect a woman’s right to every time they fill up their car than cent of small businesses are putting a
choose and continue fighting against they were when President Biden was hold on hiring, and 10 percent of those
this ban every step of the way. elected. Real wages have dropped every are cutting jobs. We have had negative
I yield the floor. single month since Democrats passed economic growth, as I mentioned, for
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- their $1.9 trillion American Rescue the past two quarters. So naturally—
pore. The Republican whip. Plan spending spree—the bill, I would naturally—Democrats decided this was
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September 21, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4883
a good time to raise taxes on busi- many more patients, not just because tually listening to doctors and pa-
nesses. Yes, Democrats’ so-called Infla- Republicans are straining resources tients, then they should reverse course
tion Reduction Act imposes new taxes and causing a healthcare crisis that and let us get this commonsense bill
on businesses to help pay for their puts women’s lives at risk; healthcare passed. But if they continue blocking
Green New Deal spending. professionals are also deeply worried these steps, if they continue ignoring
I say ‘‘taxes on businesses,’’ but, of about how Republicans’ extreme laws the outcry from every corner of the
course, taxes on businesses largely fall threaten their practices. They are ter- country, if they continue to undermine
on workers and consumers in the form rified Republicans will take away their the health of patients seeking care and
of fewer jobs and opportunities, lower livelihoods and even their freedom just the freedom of healthcare providers
wages, and higher prices—in other for doing their jobs, just for providing doing their jobs, they should know we
words, pretty much the exact opposite the care their patients need—care that are not going to stop pushing back.
of what we need right now, with prices is, once again, completely legal in my There is too much at stake.
soaring and wages failing to keep pace State. So, Mr. President, as if in legislative
with inflation. They are right to be scared. When it session, I ask unanimous consent that
The Inflation Reduction Act also im- comes to Republicans’ extreme, no- the Committee on the Judiciary be dis-
poses new taxes on energy that will holds-barred anti-abortion agenda, the charged from further consideration of
drive up energy prices for both Amer- writing is on the wall, and it has been S. 4723; that the Senate proceed to its
ican families and American businesses, for some time. Even before this latest immediate consideration; further, that
imposing further pain on family budg- bill, Republican State lawmakers were the bill be considered read a third time
ets and likely prolonging our inflation already drafting legislation that would
and passed and the motion to recon-
crisis even further. make it a crime to provide abortion
sider be considered made and laid upon
The President may have wanted to care to a resident even in another
the table.
build an economy ‘‘from the bottom up State where it is legal, and they were
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
and the middle out,’’ as he has de- doing this while at the same time try-
pore. Is there objection?
scribed it; instead, he and his fellow ing to claim they didn’t want to throw
The Senator from Indiana.
Democrats have helped create an econ- doctors in prison. Mr. BRAUN. Mr. President, reserving
On top of all of that, they were
omy in which working families are the right object, I am glad the Supreme
standing in the way of the bill I will
struggling to make it from one pay- Court has returned the issue of life
offer today to protect healthcare pro-
check to the next. And thanks to the back to the people’s elected representa-
viders. This is a really straightforward
additional tax-and-spend policies the tives, where it should have stayed 49
bill. It simply protects doctors pro-
Democrats have recently implemented, years ago.
viding legal abortion care.
working families are likely to be strug- The last time I tried to pass it, the This legislation denies State rep-
gling for some time to come. junior Senator from Indiana said he resentatives the right to make laws
I yield the floor. was concerned about this bill ‘‘allowing protecting life. This bill is an attempt
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- to undermine State laws that protect
abortions for anyone who crosses the
pore. The Senator from Washington. life by allowing abortions for anyone
State lines and is not a resident of that
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 4723
State.’’ In other words, Republicans who crosses State lines and is not a
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, last are worried about all the patients I resident of the State.
week, Republicans made clear that de- mentioned earlier who are traveling to Moreover, it gives the Department of
spite the clear outcry from people Washington State seeking abortion Justice $40 million in grant funding to
across the country, overturning Roe care that they urgently need. Repub- help people sue States—to help people
was just their first step. Republicans licans don’t think they should be able sue States—that enact policies to pro-
want a national abortion ban. Repub- to travel to Washington State to get tect life. The Department of Health
licans want to force my constituents to healthcare, and they want to allow and Human Services is given another
stay pregnant even when they do not other States to target Washington $40 million in funding for any eligible
want to be and to go after the doctors State doctors, to threaten them for center at Secretary Becerra’s discre-
who provide abortion care. providing legal abortion care. tion. This funding is not protected by
I am here today to continue to say in That is extreme. It is not what doc- the Hyde amendment, and most likely,
no uncertain terms that Democrats are tors want, and it is definitely not what we are going to borrow every penny of
not going to stand for it. While Repub- the American people want. Women and it, like we do for most things in this
licans are busy threatening the rights men across the country do not want place. We should not spend $80 million
of women in every State across the politicians making their healthcare de- to undermine State laws on life or im-
country and threatening doctors with cisions and throwing their doctors in pose a legislative backdoor for abor-
jail time, Democrats are here to defend prison. They want to be able to make tion-on-demand across our Nation.
abortion rights and defend the doctors their own decisions about their own For these reasons, I oppose this bill,
who provide that care, because even be- bodies, their own families, their own and I do object.
fore Republicans dropped their na- future. They want doctors to be able to The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
tional abortion ban bill, I was hearing focus on doing their jobs, not fearing a pore. The objection is heard.
from providers in my home State of jail sentence. The Senator from Washington.
Washington who are facing a huge in- So I urge my Republican colleagues Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I am
flux of patients due to Republicans’ ex- to step aside and allow us to pass the deeply disappointed. I am not sur-
treme bans. Let Doctors Provide Reproductive prised. We continue to see Republicans
Just yesterday, the Texas Tribune Health Care Act. This legislation is so show their true, harsh colors, and the
shared the heartbreaking story of a straightforward. It protects doctors contrast with Democrats could not be
woman who learned that the pregnancy providing legal abortion care, and it more stark.
she had wanted so badly was incompat- ensures that they can practice medi- We simply want people to get the
ible with life, that her daughter was cine and save lives without fear of legal healthcare they need and let them
developing without a skull or brain. threats and intimidation. It makes make their own medical decisions. Re-
But because Republicans in Texas clear that the attacks we have seen on publicans want to ban abortion nation-
think they know better than this doctors are unacceptable and that poli- wide. We want to protect doctors. Re-
woman or her doctor, she had to travel publicans want to threaten and penal-
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
ticians should not be harassing or scar-
for treatment from Dallas all the way ing or investigating, threatening, or ize or even jail them just for doing
to Seattle to get the care she needed. punishing doctors for providing care their job, even when they are following
Providers on the ground in my State that is perfectly legal, that patients their State’s laws.
tell me there are so many more pa- want, and that in many cases is even Mr. President, rest assured, I will
tients being forced to make a trek like necessary to save lives. continue speaking up for our
that. They are worried about caring for If Republicans have been doing what healthcare providers, for families, for
them, and not just because it is for so I have been doing, if they have been ac- patients. And as we continue to see
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