Bill Cassidy

Mr. President, Anecdote · 19 wordsI have been told that I am a lousy politician but a good Senator. I consider that a compliment.Anecdote Positioning · 34 wordsWhat would happen if everyone in the Senate stopped being a good politician for a moment and strove to be a good Senator when it comes to addressing the issue associated with Social Security?Positioning Claims · 79 wordsOver 70 million Americans depend upon Social Security, ¹and ultimately, all Americans will when they reach the age of retirement. Everyone in the Senate and most of the people in the country know that the Social Security System is going insolvent.Unearned certainty When that occurs, by law, there will be a cut, if we wait for 6 years, of 22 to 28 percent-- a 22- to 28-percent cut in benefits for everyone on Social Security and everyone who will be.² Positioning · 28 wordsMembers of Congress say they care about Social Security. They say they care about the seniors, they care about preserving promised benefits for current retirees and future generations.Positioning Claims · 55 wordsWe have had a bill before us called the PROMISE Act by Senator Dick Durbin, my Democratic Senator colleague from Illinois.³ That would have been a bill that would have set up a Commission, ⁴if you will, of the Social Security Advisory Board to put forward a proposal. But the House is out of session. Reasoning · 4 wordsThat could not pass. Claims · 47 wordsSo now I put up a Senate resolution. And we take out the involvement of the Social Security actuaries, and we ask that a group of Senators and Representatives, Republicans and Democrats, come together over the next 2 months in a process to produce a potential idea. Reasoning · 45 wordsThis, what I am about to propose, is not about a particular solution. This, what I am about to propose, is about a process by which a solution can be considered, given to the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means for regular-order consideration, Claims · 87 wordsand then with a time agreement so that there will be, after that consideration by the Senate Finance Committee in which any member can replace the bill that is brought to them with an amendment in the nature of a substitute-- that ``any member’’ could be Bernie Moreno; it could be Elizabeth Warren; it could be Ron Wyden; it could be Bernie Sanders; it could be Bill Cassidy--putting up their own proposal if they don’t like what this bipartisan, bicameral group of elected officials comes up with. Reasoning · 18 wordsNow, this is merely a process. It does not attempt to point in any direction toward a solution. Claims · 47 wordsAll it asks is that we be good Senators-- putting politics aside and recognizing that if we don’t do something sooner than later to fix the problem with Social Security, future Social Security beneficiaries can get as much as a 28.5-percent cut in benefits under current law.⁵ Procedure · 8 wordsSo I am putting it to a test.Procedure Positioning · 37 wordsWill the Senate take up the challenge? Will we put politics aside and step forward on a bipartisan, bicameral basis to actually work for the American people in a way which can ensure that Social Security exists?Positioning The ask · 17 wordsSo I ask unanimous consent on a path forward that all colleagues should be able to support. Claims · 75 wordsIt merely, once more, creates a process to do what the American people sent us here to do: Debate solutions, consider proposals, and vote. It does not predetermine the outcome. It just says that Congress must consider a solution--anyone’s solution, Democrat or Republican, left and right. It just asks us to do our job to consider the solution and to then go through regular order on the Senate Finance Committee, to be considered by all. Positioning · 22 wordsSo will we be good Senators, or will we be good politicians? Will we deny progress for the sake of political success?Positioning Procedure · 3 wordsLet’s find out.Procedure Mr. President, The ask · 16 wordsI now ask unanimous consent to set up a process--only a process--for Congress to consider solutions. Procedure · 62 wordsSo my script is: As if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 832, ⁶which is at the desk. I further ask that the resolution be agreed to and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.Procedure