On the recordDecember 20, 2018
I stand in strong support of the tax and oversight package before us today. I appreciate the concern about the deficits from my colleague across the aisle, but I would remind my colleague that President Obama added $2 trillion in deficits in only 1 year. Mr. Speaker, this bill adds to the successes, the amazing successes of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which became law last year, and our economic potential in America has, once again, been unleashed and America is, once again, the land of opportunity. Unemployment is at a record low, Mr. Speaker. Consumer confidence and small business confidence are at historic highs, and wages are growing at their fastest pace in nearly a decade. Mr. Speaker, my friends across the aisle can say that this bill benefited only the wealthy, but I can tell you, I represent three of the poorest counties in South Carolina, Marion County, Dillon County, and Marlboro County, and all three of those counties, in 2016, were at or about 10 percent unemployment. Today, each one of those counties, largely as a result of this tax bill, are below 6 percent. For the first time in 30 years they are below 6 percent unemployment. When we passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, our message was clear: We will not wait another 30 years to take up tax legislation. We will consistently work to improve the Tax Code.…
