Orrin Hatch

I think it is a very, very important question.

I have worked closely with Senator Kyl on a number of issues over the years.

I thank my good colleague, and I enjoyed listening to his comments. ____________________

The system is not serving taxpayers well, and it is not serving patients well either.

Let me just ask you this question. CMS has now approved demonstration proposals from three States, with MOUs signed with Massachusetts, Washington, and Ohio.

I am supportive of State-designed efforts generally.

In an otherwise partisan atmosphere, today's topic is refreshing.

But these rules are friends, too, and I feel really deeply about this. I hope the Senator and other Democrats feel deeply about it too, because you might wind up in the minority someday when some people on our side might want to do what is…

There was no intention in my mind to disparage the majority leader. I disparage what the majority leader is doing.

Well, I think both of you are very well-qualified.

The Tax Court is important because it is a venue where taxpayers can litigate issues without paying a disputed liability in advance.

I thank my friend and colleague. I really appreciate it. I enjoy serving with the Senator, as I do with everybody in this body.

Might I ask how much time I have? The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Tester). There is no controlled time. The Senator may consume as much time as he wishes.

If the Senator will yield, I certainly retract my statement on that. But I feel bad the Senator didn't graduate from the University of Pittsburgh, as I did.

Our problem is that we have really one of the stupidest budget processes that I have ever seen in my life.

I think that it is actually one of the most terrible ideas that I have ever encountered.

There seems to be a lot of interest around this country, and really around the world, in corporate tax reform.

That is going to reduce employment, reduce capital at-risk, reduce entrepreneurship, and reduce a tremendous amount of the American spirit.

This would be a way to take the whole United States investment management industry and send it out of the United States.

But corporate tax reform should really be viewed as part of business tax reform, which is the subject of our hearing today.

It is critical that we approach this issue carefully and reasonably and responsibly.

The Federal prison population is growing. Over the last 15 years, the Bureau of Prisons' budget has increased from 15 percent to 24 percent.

There is a compromise here; it is the Hatch-McConnell bill. Our economy needs relief, businesses and families need certainty, and all we are proposing is extending current tax law for 1 more year so we can dedicate that year to do tax…

I want to apologize to all of you. This has been extremely interesting to me, and I will read the transcripts.

The focus of today's hearing is narrow, but it is a very important one: the role of education incentives in our tax code.