briefly to respond, we worked very closely with our colleagues across the aisle to try to vet this anonymous letter and get the information necessary to evaluate it. We are still willing to look at it.

I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the confirmation of Mr. Frank Bisignano, who is nominated to be the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration has the significant…

I rise today to speak in opposition to the resolution. Before I get into my prepared remarks, let me just make it clear. What we are doing here today is following a law, IEEPA, which gave authority to the President of the United States to…

I have nine requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following…

For the information of all Senators, we will have two rollcall votes at 5:25 today, first on passage of S.J. Res. 49, followed immediately by the motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 31. ____________________

I ask unanimous consent that all time on H.J. Res. 75 be expired and the Senate vote on passage of H.J. Res. 75 at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the Democratic leader on Thursday, May 1; further, that…

the Democrats claim that the Republicans are gearing up for a so-called class war and that extending the 2017 tax cuts is a handout for the wealthy. We have heard this so many times. It is no more true now than it has been the last umpteen…

I could just say what I said the last time, but I want to give a few more statistics. Just last year, the Joint Committee on Taxation reported that the top 0.01 percent of taxpayers paid an average Federal income tax rate of 30.6 percent…

again, my colleagues continue to argue that our now-wealthy companies are showered with an ever-increasing tax break and need to pay their fair share. I would point out that the TCJA that we are talking about in this legislation doesn't…

Everybody knows the reconciliation bill cannot deal with adjustments to the Social Security trust fund. As to efforts to try to deal with the management of the Social Security Administration, I recommend that what we do is to confirm the…

unfortunately, my colleague's amendment is not necessary. We have the maximum flexibility in this resolution to do the appropriate tax policy once we are able to get these instructions. I look forward to working with her to get the right…

I think it is pretty clear that, no matter what the taxes are on the upper income brackets, it would be claimed that they aren't high enough. But let me just give a few more statistics. Most of the Federal tax burden is paid by higher…

once again, a long list of fearful, dire consequences that aren't in the bill. President Trump has been clear that any reforms to Medicare and Medicaid must not reduce patient benefits. Section 3003 of the budget resolution reaffirms this…

once again, I would urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. Once again, it is a list of dire consequences that are not happening and are not in this legislation. The creation of such a point of order is outside the jurisdiction of the…

once again, we have the politics of threatening that some dire consequence is going to occur as a result of this legislation, or at least these instructions. Once again, President Trump has been clear: Any reforms to Medicare or Medicaid…

once again, President Trump has repeatedly stated he opposes cuts to Social Security. Section 3003 of this resolution also underscores Republicans' commitment to protect and preserve Social Security. The phone line issue is one related to…

I guess I have to say that this legislation doesn't deal with tariffs. But I am interested that the minority leader wants to turn the discussion to tariffs because they don't like the way the discussion on taxes is going. Some would want…

you have heard it before. It is probably fitting that we end on this today before final passage. But contrary to what you have heard today, extending the Trump tax cuts would prevent a multitrillion-dollar tax hike on millions of middle…

President Trump has been clear: Medicare and Medicaid must not reduce benefits in this bill. Section 3003 of the resolution confirms that commitment. I urge a ``no'' vote. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.

I appreciate the remarks that have just been given by my colleague from Kentucky. I think the main message we need to hear there, and what I am going to talk about, is that the problem we have in America is not that our taxes are too high…

I ask unanimous consent to complete my remarks prior to the scheduled rollcall vote. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Nomination of Mehmet Oz

today, I rise to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the motion to invoke cloture on Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is nominated to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. The CMS Administrator is…

We have had this debate for 10 years. The facts are out. The biggest beneficiaries were the lower middle and upper middle income families in America. The biggest hit, if we don't extend these tax cuts, will be the lower middle and upper…

The sponsors seek the International Trade Commission, or ITC, to conduct a study under section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The study would examine the domestic impact of President Trump's tariffs on Canada and Mexico and of potential…

to respond briefly, this entire day is being spent almost entirely on attacking President Trump's tariffs. This is another attack on them. The bottom line is that the economic data that is being discussed is being created, and the bottom…