On the recordMarch 30, 2017
as we approach the end of another week in the Senate with a 2-week recess on the horizon, I think it is a good time to reflect on where we are on various high-profile efforts and to talk about the pathways forward. As is generally the case when any new administration comes into office, the Republican majorities in both the House and Senate began 2017 with an ambitious agenda in order to make good on the promises we have made to the American people over the last several years. Many of the key items on the agenda fall squarely in the jurisdiction of the Senate Finance Committee, which I chair. That being the case, my colleagues on the committee and I have been hard at work, trying to find the right solutions on things like healthcare, tax reform, and trade policy. I don't think I am going to surprise anyone when I say it hasn't been easy. Honestly, I think that might be the biggest understatement of the year. Things have been difficult for a number of reasons. One reason is that we are coming off of a bitter election year, one that shocked a number of our colleagues. After a hotly contested campaign, it can sometimes take a while for things to return to normal. However, I don't think that excuses the tactics and rhetoric we have seen from our friends on the other side of the aisle.…
