Hire More Heroes Act of 2013 -- Motion to Proceed -- Continued

Floor Speech

Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have seen in the last week or two Republicans just throwing things at the wall hoping something will stick. They brought down the energy efficiency bill as a result of that. They rescinded informally an agreement that I was convinced we had. Here is why this happened. One need only look at why we have not heard these endless speeches in the House or the Senate on ObamaCare, the Affordable Care Act. That has dissipated. It has been several weeks--it is hard to believe but several weeks--since we have had a vote in the House on doing away with ObamaCare, repealing it. Why is that? There is no better illustration of why that is happening than something called ``The Plum Line'' in the Washington Post today. It is short, but I would like to read it. The headline is ``Going quiet on health care.''

As Benghazi fever rises among Republicans--

This is an editorial comment. That is another thing they threw at the wall to see if it would stick--

the Hill reported yesterday that the House GOP has ``gone quiet'' on Obamacare. There are no scheduled votes or hearings on the Affordable Care Act. When contacted by the Hill newspaper, most GOP campaign committees wouldn't say whether they would launch any new attacks on the law.

As the Hill put it: ``The lack of action highlights the GOP's struggle to adjust its message now that enrollment in the exchanges beat projections and the uninsured rate is going down.''

They have tried a number of things since ObamaCare is no longer very high on the radar screen. A couple of weeks ago they said they would change direction and go after me. One of my friends--a Democratic Senator--said: I wish they would do that in my State. Nobody knows who you are.

The point is that they are getting desperate for something to change their tune. Benghazi is one. There will be other things that will come out in the next few weeks.

I carry on reading this article:

At the same time, it noted that GOP operatives overseeing Senate races remain ``conscious of the need to keep a drumbeat going against the law.'' The question now: If Republican officials really are backing off on Obamacare, will the base go along?

A new CNN poll illustrates the situation nicely: It finds that far more Americans want to keep Obamacare than repeal it. At the same time, only a majority of Republicans want repeal and only a majority of Republicans think the law is already a failure.

The poll finds that 49 percent of Americans want to keep the law with some changes, while another 12 percent want to keep it as-is--a total of 61 percent. Meanwhile, only 18 percent want to repeal and replace the law, and another 20 percent want to repeal it, full stop--a total of 38 percent. That's 61 percent for keeping the law and 38 percent for repealing it. Among independents, that's 55 percent to 44 percent.

How is it possible that Americans can disapprove of Obamacare but support keeping it? Part of the answer lies in the another question CNN asked. It finds that a total of 61 percent say that it's a success or it's too soon to tell whether it's a success. By contrast, 39 percent say it's already a failure. Among independents, that's 58 percent to 42 percent in favor of those who would give the law a chance to work over time.

All this is a reminder that at this point, attacks on the law--such as they are, anyway--are all about keeping the base lathered up in advance of the midterm elections. But there are six months to go, and already even some Republican officials appear to be realizing that the anti-Obamacare energy is draining away.

Remember, 61 to 38.

TAX EXTENDERS

Mr. President, it was not all that long ago the economy was in the throes of the great recession. Less than 6 years ago the world economy was taken to the brink of collapse before beginning a gradual recovery. While American markets have returned to their prerecession levels, the recovery for millions of workers and their families has been slower in coming. In Nevada, we continue to dig our way out of the recession. Although things are better, we still have a long way to go.

Today the Senate begins debate on legislation that continues to help many Nevadans and countless Americans as they recover from the recession. This bill before us extends current tax provisions that have bolstered American families and businesses, saving money and growing our economy. For example, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act is something the State of New Jersey depended on significantly and Nevada and virtually every State.

Nevada's home market was greatly damaged by the economic downturn. Many of my State's homeowners succumbed to foreclosure. For many years Nevada had the highest foreclosure rate in the Nation. For struggling Nevadans battling to keep their homes, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act offers much needed help.

This provision provides relief to homeowners who otherwise would owe taxes on the debt forgiven through a mortgage loan modification. Here is why we did it. The IRS had a rule which said that if you bought a home for $10,000 and the recession hit and you had to sell it for $6,000, you would be taxed at the $10,000 rate. It is hard to believe, but that was the rule. That is why we passed this law. We are now trying to extend that. It is very important. It allows underwater Nevadans and those in other States around the Nation to get a measure of financial relief, while giving a much needed boost to the State's housing market.

In addition to mortgage relief, this tax extenders legislation also includes an extension of the State and local sales tax deduction. No one has worked harder on that than Senator Cantwell from Washington. This deduction provides working middle-class families, many of whom are already pinching pennies, with a fair shot at providing for their families. It allows them to deduct local and State sales taxes, helping them keep more money in their pockets.

The tax extenders bill is not only helping our constituents who have been victims of the economic downturn, it is also spurring job growth and local economies.

The renewable energy tax credit has played an important role in Nevada's economy. This tax credit has helped attract investments of over $5.5 billion into Nevada's clean energy economy. So people who have never seen, for example, solar panels, come to Searchlight and you will see almost 4 miles of solar panels--millions and millions of them with no break for miles. It is amazing. It looks like--I remember when I was a kid we would drive the Las Vegas highway and we would see mirages. That is what it looks like. It looks like water, but it is not. It is solar panels covering miles and miles.

The tax credit dealing with energy has been important. Through clean energy tax incentives, loan guarantees, and the State's renewable energy standard, Nevada is fast becoming a leader in the renewable energy world. As renewable energy grows in Nevada, jobs multiply. All Nevadans deserve a fair shot at a good stable job. An extension of the renewable energy tax credit is important to the State's energy consumers, local economies, and working families. That is the same all over the country, not only Nevada.

There is something called the theater tax credit. The movie industry has had it for a long time, but that is a provision in this bill that boosts Nevada's economy and virtually every economy around the country. For example, Las Vegas and Reno are home to many theatrical productions that benefit from the extension of the film tax credit. The theater tax credit allows hotels and resorts in Nevada--and around the country--to invest in high-quality productions which draw tourists from around the globe.

While the examples I just mentioned are especially important to Nevada, this legislation has many more provisions that benefit millions of people all across the country. For example, the research and experimentation tax credit promotes innovative development by some of America's best companies and requires that global companies receive this assistance to locate research and development centers in the United States.

The work opportunity tax credit is important and provides an incentive to businesses to hire under- or unemployed Americans. There are also education benefits in this bill, such as the deduction for elementary and secondary teachers' out-of-pocket expenses. This deduction ensures that teachers who are going the extra mile for our children are not being punished financially.

These are just a few examples of the beneficial credits and deductions that comprise this tax extenders legislation, but there are many others. Our constituents are depending on us to extend these provisions, many of which expired at the end of 2013. We will not pull the plug before our Nation's recovery is complete. By passing this tax extenders package, we will build our Nation's economy more quickly. We will continue to promote innovation, encourage industry, and create jobs.

I urge my Republican colleagues to join us in passing this legislation. Let's work together to bring American families and the economy a fair shot.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source