WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed Democrat Leader Schumer forcing an up-or-down vote on the Wyden-Smith tax bill the day before the five-week August state work period in a blatant attempt to boost vulnerable Senate Democrats ahead of the November elections. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.  

“Even though we have almost 100 days until the election, we have just a handful of days which the Majority Leader has scheduled us to be in session.”

“The Senate Finance Committee… has not had an opportunity to even shape this piece of legislation at all.”

“The Senate is not a rubber stamp. It was never intended to be, and it isn’t today.”

“You don’t put a major tax bill on the floor after waiting six months, the day before we’re supposed to break for August and with very little time left between now and the election.”

“The bottom line is this: Members of both sides of the aisle oppose this bill for various reasons, and there’s one easy way to address those concerns. Move the bill through the committee process, where we can shape the bill in both chambers, and then bring it to the floor and allow for debate and an open amendment process.”

“The rushed vote on the Wyden-Smith tax bill is not an honest attempt to pass legislation.”

“I can guarantee we will have the kind of debate I’m talking about if Senator Crapo becomes the chairman of the Finance Committee and we have a new majority come January.”