08.29.18

A Productive August

Senate Remained ‘In Session This Month To Continue Working On Behalf Of The American People’

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “August is usually a time for Senators to spend more time in our home states, meeting with our constituents and reporting on the progress we’ve made in Washington.  But this August had to be different. There was too much business left unfinished.  So I made the decision to keep the Senate in session this month to continue working on behalf of the American people.  I’m proud to report that is just what we’ve done.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 8/28/2018)

 

What The Senate Achieved In August

  • APPROPRIATIONS: Passed 6 appropriations bills: Defense, Labor-HHS-Education AND Interior-Environment, Financial Services, Agriculture, Transportation-HUD.
  • JOHN S. McCAIN NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT: Legislation to help further modernize America’s military signed into law.
  • JUDGES: Confirmed 15 judges, and set up confirmation votes for 8 more.
  • FARM BILL: House and Senate Conference appointed; working to finalize legislation.
  • NOMINATIONS: Dozens of executive branch nominees confirmed.

 

The Major Accomplishments Of The 115th Congress

  • TAX REFORM: Reformed America’s tax code for the first time in 31 years - putting more money in the pockets of American families and creating more opportunity for them and their children.
  • JUDGES: Confirming President Trump’s judicial nominees at a historic pace – 60 total, including 26 circuit judges, 33 district court judges, and Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.  Working to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
  • APPROPRIATIONS: Providing certainty to the American people with a restored regular order appropriations process by passing 9 of 12 appropriations bills through the Senate accounting for 87% of the next fiscal year’s discretionary spending. 
  • FARM BILL: Working to provide farmers and ranchers with the certainty and predictability they deserve with Senate passage of a critical Farm bill. 
  • DEFENSE: Restoring America’s defense with the greatest investment in the military in decades, including the largest troop pay raise in nearly ten years. 
  • COMBATING OPIOID ABUSE: Enacted ‘a multibillion-dollar boost’ to combat a nationwide epidemic.
  • VETERANS: Delivered real reform and real choice to American veterans with the VA MISSION Act, modernized the veterans appeals process, reformed G.I. bill benefits and further improved VA accountability. 
  • SAFE MEDICATIONS: Reauthorized the FDA programs that ensure safe and effective medications can help patients by getting to market.
  • REGULATORY REFORM: Used Congressional Review Act (CRA) a record-setting 16 times to roll back Obama-era regulations.
  • EDUCATING AMERICA’S WORKFORCE:  Enacted a law to provide better education and training to help expand career opportunities for American workers. 
  • ENERGY: Opened one of the largest untapped conventional oilfields in North America, in Alaska, to help keep energy affordable.
  • BANKING REFORM: Provided Main Street borrowers and lenders relief from burdensome Dodd-Frank red tape for the first time.
  • HOPE FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL: Provided terminally ill patients access to experimental treatments (Right to Try legislation).
  • FIGHTING SEX TRAFFICKING: Enacted the Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act (SESTA) to combat trafficking.
  • OBAMACARE: Repealed the individual mandate tax that forced Americans to buy something many didn’t want or couldn’t afford, and ended IPAB.
  • FIGHTING TERRORISM: Enacted the Taylor Force Act to disincentivize payments to terrorists.
  • SANCTIONS: Imposed on Iran, Russia, and North Korea.
  • REINING IN THE REGULATORS: Changed the balance of numerous boards and commissions from Democrat to Republican control, including the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
  • HEALTHCARE FOR CHILDREN: Enacted the longest S-CHIP extension in history.
  • SCHOOL SAFETY: Enacted Fix NICS and STOP School Violence Act to help protect America’s children from gun violence.

 

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: America's Military, Farm Bill, Law Enforcement, Veterans, Judicial Nominations, Appropriations, NDAA, Nominations, Taxes, War on Terror, Energy, North Korea, Tax Reform, Health Care, Combating Sex Trafficking, Back to Work, Opioid Abuse, Obamacare, Middle Class, Iran, National Security