releases: https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=54712C0D-A6BD-4CAB-99F9-C35C8B858912
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=54712C0D-A6BD-4CAB-99F9-C35C8B858912 | Heller Urges His Colleagues to Work 24/7 to Confirm Judges, Deliver Tax Relief | 2017-11-02 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NV | Dean Heller | H001041 | www.heller.senate.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) today urged his colleagues to work full-time, 24/7, until all judicial vacancies are filled and Congress delivers tax relief to hardworking families during a speech on the U.S. Senate Floor. Last month, Heller and several of his colleagues made a push to turn the Senate on full time, 24/7, for the remainder of the year to combat Democrat obstruction, which has resulted in the confirmation of only eight judges this Congress. “This is what’s wrong in Washington. We should use debate time on a nominee to debate the nominee. And if there’s no more debate, then we should vote on that nominee and move on to the next one,” said Heller. “I am ready and willing to work day and night, weekends and holidays to do what Nevadans sent me to Washington, D.C., to accomplish. As the Leader mentioned last week, we should work through the week of Thanksgiving. Hardworking Americans don’t go home until their work is complete, and neither should we. That work also includes reforming our tax code and providing desperately needed relief to the middle class.” Video of Heller’s remarks is available here or by clicking on the image below. [Click HERE or on the above image to view the video] Heller’s remarks as prepared for delivery: Mr. President, This week we currently have the unique opportunity to move forward on promises we made to the American public last year – confirm judges and provide tax relief to hardworking Americans. The American people sent us to Congress to complete this critical work, and we must stop at nothing to do it. The fact that we have so many judicial emergencies is incredibly concerning and should be a wake-up call to all Senators, especially those that are slowing down this important process. We have already taken significant steps to address both of these issues by confirming 13 judges with five more this week and passing a budget with instructions for tax reform. There is still much more that we need to do, and I stand ready to stay here until the job is done. Most people can’t go home until their work is finished and neither should we. Imagine dropping your car off to the auto mechanic and instead of them staying to finish the job, they leave at 3 pm to go home because that’s what’s convenient for their schedule. Yet you’re paying them for a full day’s work. That’s effectively what we’ve been doing here in Congress, and it needs to stop. We need to work as much as possible to ensure that the federal judiciary is filled with judges that will uphold the Constitution and bring us closer to providing tax relief to American families. We need to have a fully occupied, fully functioning federal judiciary to ensure that Americans’ constitutional rights are upheld. In almost ten months, we have started to address the issue of judicial vacancies by confirming 13 judges, most notably Justice Gorsuch, who has already served as a strong, conservative voice on the Supreme Court. As a fellow Westerner, I was proud to vote for such a qualified judge to serve on our nation’s highest court. Beyond the vacancy we filled on the Supreme Court, there are vacancies on all levels of the federal judiciary. We cannot forget the importance of every single court that makes up the federal system. We must prioritize confirming judges to fill these openings, especially those deemed judicial emergencies. The fact that we have so many judicial emergencies is incredibly concerning and should be a wake-up call to all Senators, especially those that are slowing down this important process. The President is continuing to send us well-qualified nominees, and Chairman Grassley has done an excellent job moving nominees through the committee process. I am especially encouraged that this week we are confirming five more judges, including four circuit court judges. This is the pace we need to keep. If that means working 24/7 to continue confirming these constitutionalists, count me in. Confirming federal judges is a unique duty of the U.S. Senate, and we cannot allow obstructionism from the other side of the aisle to prevent us from filling vacancies throughout the country. It is clear, when judges brought to the floor for a vote are confirmed by a healthy majority, that the gridlock being caused is purely political. Because of this, Leader McConnell is having to file cloture on all of these judicial nominees, and some of my colleagues across the aisle are just running the debate clock on these nominees instead of actually debating. Well, we have what’s known as the one hour rule here in the Senate, and I think it’s time to start enforcing it. Now members are entitled to their opinions and as the deliberative body we should debate nominees, but if you’re going to debate a nominee I think you actually need to come down and speak on them. You can’t just hide behind your desk and run the debate clock. If you have a problem with a nominee, then you should come down to the floor and voice your concerns. If you’re not willing to do this, then you shouldn’t hold this nominee hostage to an artificial clock. This is what’s wrong in Washington. We should use debate time on a nominee to debate the nominee. And if there’s no more debate, then we should vote on that nominee and move on to the next one. The Constitution guarantees the right to a speedy trial. As the body that confirms the judges that make that constitutional right possible, we have a critical responsibility, and we need to do whatever it takes to fulfill this duty. In order to deliver swift justice throughout the country, these seats need to be filled. I am ready and willing to work day and night, weekends and holidays to do what Nevadans sent me to Washington, D.C., to accomplish. As the Leader mentioned last week, we should work through the week of Thanksgiving. Hardworking Americans don’t go home until their work is complete, and neither should we. That work also includes reforming our tax code and providing desperately needed relief to the middle class. Today, Chairman Brady and the Ways and Means Committee released a draft of their tax relief bill, which is another enormous step forward in providing meaningful tax relief to Nevadans and other hardworking Americans across this country. Middle-class tax relief is particularly critical to the residents of my home-state of Nevada. Whether it’s the single mother from Gardnerville who doesn’t receive child support, works full time, and is simply trying to make ends meet… Or the entrepreneur in Elko who’s fighting hard to get his small business off the ground and wondering whether he’ll ever catch a break and be able to afford to hire his first employee . . . I continue to hear from diligent, hardworking Nevada families and small business owners who are struggling to cover their expenses and get ahead in life. For too many people, the American dream, previously achievable through hard work, sheer determination, and playing by the rules, feels like it’s slipping away. That’s in part because for too long, Nevadans and Americans across the country have faced stagnant wages and slow economic growth. Under the failed economic policies of the previous Administration, we suffered through eight years of historically low economic growth. In fact, in those eight years, we didn’t have a single year in which the economy grew by 3%. As a result, wages and workers suffered. Job creation suffered. And real middle-class Americans like you and your neighbors suffered. We still bear the scars of Obama-era economic policy today. Median household income in Nevada is $7,000 lower today than it was in 2007. Nevada families are more likely to be living paycheck to paycheck than families living in nearly every other state. It’s fair to say that -- in Nevada at least -- the recession has never really ended. To me, this situation is unacceptable, and I’m doing everything in my power to right the economic wrongs that have been committed by the previous Administration. Under the leadership of the new Administration, however, we’re already starting to see our economy improve. There are positive signs everywhere. Last week, the Commerce Department announced that for the second quarter in a row, the economy had grown by at least 3%. This impressive growth occurred despite the hurricanes that destroyed the homes and businesses of our good friends and colleagues down in Texas and Florida. Now, Mr. President, if, despite these natural disasters, 3% economic growth is possible under the leadership of President Trump and a unified Republican government, just think about how much more we can add to this growth by passing comprehensive tax reform. As a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, I’ve been working with my colleagues to craft a tax relief package that accomplishes three major goals: One: creates more jobs Two: increases wages And three: boosts American competitiveness. What does tax relief mean to you, the average Nevadan who works hard and is trying to provide a better life for his or her children and save for a secure retirement? It means cutting your taxes so you can keep more of your hard-earned money. It means a bigger child tax credit to help you confront the increasing cost of raising children. And it means a simpler and fairer tax code that you yourself can understand. Lower rates for businesses mean more jobs, higher wages, and growth in our communities – all of which will benefit you. Taken together, all these things mean that you will see a profound increase in your take-home pay and your economic opportunity. A recent study by the White House Council of Economic Advisers found that reducing the corporate tax rate by 15% alone would increase household incomes by an average of $4,000. A similar study by a Boston University economist put the increase at $3,500. I don’t know about you, but I think the average American could do a lot with an additional $3,500 to $4,000 in his or her bank account. As the son of a school cook and an auto mechanic, I understand the discipline and hard work that goes into every dollar and every paycheck. And I’m working to see that you have more of it in your back pocket. I am confident that we will fulfill that promise, but that will take a commitment from our colleagues to stay here and work. In addition to overhauling the tax code and confirming judges, we have many other significant legislative responsibilities to complete. I believe that we must spend as much time as necessary, including working through the scheduled November constituent work period, to fulfill our commitments to the American people. With that, I yield the floor. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |