Crapo, as Finance Committee chairman, focuses on tax administration, Medicare payment policy, trade with Canada, and Idaho-based initiatives such as foster care reform and POW/MIA recoveries. He makes his case with specific figures and concrete examples, such as Medicare spending on skin substitutes rising from $256 million to $10 billion, and he defends the administration’s tariff policy against Canada while objecting to colleagues’ attempts to bypass committee review of trade legislation. His floor time leans heavily on thanks, tributes, and procedural requests—commending colleagues, agencies, foster families, and Idaho servicemembers—far more than most members, and several of his statements are largely ceremonial. He is more likely than most to praise collaborators across the aisle and the administration of the day rather than attack opponents, and when he does disagree, he typically objects on procedural grounds rather than personal ones.Written by AI from their statements. Updated .
Average grade
B+
The average grade of 8 analysed statements. 4 more were analysed but were too short to grade.
82 / 100 over 8 statements
Signal76 / 100
Relevance100 / 100
Reasoning78 / 100
Respect100 / 100
Clarity96 / 100
Averaged over the 8 of 12 statements graded so far.
“I ask the Senate to approve the changes to this bill and pass it right now.”
“Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the Crapo- Wyden substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; that the title amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to; that the title, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the Crapo- Wyden substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; that the title amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to; that the title, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
“I am asking the Senate to take up this bill right now.”
“Mr. President, at this time, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 5349 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Schmitt). The clerk will report the bill by title. The bill clerk read as follows: There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, at this time, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 5349 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Schmitt). The clerk will report the bill by title. The bill clerk read as follows: There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
“I want the Senate to pass this bill. It makes the IRS work better and faster for taxpayers. It helps people get their refunds quicker, improves phone and online help, and protects taxpayers' rights.”
“Mr. President, Senator Wyden, thank you. You are right, this bill is no small potatoes; it is a legacy piece of legislation that will be of massive support and strengthening to American citizens. I thank my colleague Senator Wyden from Oregon for working in a bipartisan fashion with us to draft this legislation. In fact, all of the colleagues in the Finance Committee have worked with us on this, and all of them have a piece of this legislation, as Senator Wyden has indicated, and I thank them as well. Every year millions of Americans work diligently to comply with our tax law. When they do, they deserve a tax system that is competent and responsive. Too often, however, taxpayers encounter a system that falls short of those baseline requirements. The Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act, or TAS Act, is a bipartisan response to this taxpayer frustration. It reflects what the Finance Committee has collectively learned through years of casework and oversight and proposals from both sides of the aisle. It is designed to provide taxpayers with top-quality service and ensure taxpayers’ rights are protected. For example, a taxpayer who files a return should be able to go online and know where he or she stands with the IRS. A taxpayer who calls the Agency should reach a representative promptly. A taxpayer who submits a document electronically should not lose legal rights because the Agency processes it late. These are basic expectations of tax administration. The TAS Act modernizes the IRS so that it can better meet these and other similar expectations. It expands electronic processing of returns and correspondence so filers receive their refunds faster. It also improves online accounts and callback technology and requires the IRS to provide clearer information about backlogs, wait times, refunds, and suspended returns. It also improves online accounts and callback technology and requires the IRS to provide clearer information about backlogs, wait times, refunds, and suspended returns. But modernization alone is not enough. A modernized bureaucracy can still be burdensome. To better protect taxpayer rights, the TAS Act increases access to the IRS Independent Office of Appeals and the Taxpayer Advocate Service. It modernizes U.S. Tax Court procedures. It improves review in innocent spouse cases and other disputes. It unlocks funding for low- income taxpayer clinics. And it increases accountability for unauthorized disclosures of taxpayer information. These are just a few of the examples of the 65 taxpayer-focused improvements in the TAS Act, which the Finance Committee approved by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 26 to 1. That resounding bipartisan agreement is bolstered by support from the nonpartisan National Taxpayer Advocate and many leading tax practitioners, who agree that this bill will help the IRS administer the law more predictably and more promptly. Once again, I thank Ranking Member Wyden and the other Members of the Finance Committee for their partnership in shaping and advancing this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to support the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, Senator Wyden, thank you. You are right, this bill is no small potatoes; it is a legacy piece of legislation that will be of massive support and strengthening to American citizens. I thank my colleague Senator Wyden from Oregon for working in a bipartisan fashion with us to draft this legislation. In fact, all of the colleagues in the Finance Committee have worked with us on this, and all of them have a piece of this legislation, as Senator Wyden has indicated, and I thank them as well. Every year millions of Americans work diligently to comply with our tax law. When they do, they deserve a tax system that is competent and responsive. Too often, however, taxpayers encounter a system that falls short of those baseline requirements. The Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act, or TAS Act, is a bipartisan response to this taxpayer frustration. It reflects what the Finance Committee has collectively learned through years of casework and oversight and proposals from both sides of the aisle. It is designed to provide taxpayers with top-quality service and ensure taxpayers’ rights are protected. For example, a taxpayer who files a return should be able to go online and know where he or she stands with the IRS. A taxpayer who calls the Agency should reach a representative promptly. A taxpayer who submits a document electronically should not lose legal rights because the Agency processes it late. These are basic expectations of tax administration. The TAS Act modernizes the IRS so that it can better meet these and other similar expectations. It expands electronic processing of returns and correspondence so filers receive their refunds faster. It also improves online accounts and callback technology and requires the IRS to provide clearer information about backlogs, wait times, refunds, and suspended returns. It also improves online accounts and callback technology and requires the IRS to provide clearer information about backlogs, wait times, refunds, and suspended returns. But modernization alone is not enough. A modernized bureaucracy can still be burdensome. To better protect taxpayer rights, the TAS Act increases access to the IRS Independent Office of Appeals and the Taxpayer Advocate Service. It modernizes U.S. Tax Court procedures. It improves review in innocent spouse cases and other disputes. It unlocks funding for low- income taxpayer clinics. And it increases accountability for unauthorized disclosures of taxpayer information. These are just a few of the examples of the 65 taxpayer-focused improvements in the TAS Act, which the Finance Committee approved by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 26 to 1. That resounding bipartisan agreement is bolstered by support from the nonpartisan National Taxpayer Advocate and many leading tax practitioners, who agree that this bill will help the IRS administer the law more predictably and more promptly. Once again, I thank Ranking Member Wyden and the other Members of the Finance Committee for their partnership in shaping and advancing this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to support the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act.
“I object to passing this trade bill right now. Canada is an important ally, but it has unfair trade rules against our wood and timber. The Senate should not skip its normal rules to pass this. We need to debate it in my committee first.”
“Mr. President, this is not the first time, nor do I believe it will be the last. There have been multiple--and I mean multiple--efforts by my colleagues on the Democrat side to bypass regular order in the Senate and pass legislation without it being vetted as it properly should. It is true that we have some disagreements with Canada, although Canada is one of our best trading partners and one of our best allies, and I, for one, have worked very hard during my career to make sure we have strong relations with Canada. But Canada is engaged in tariff and nontariff trade barriers against the United States that President Trump is trying to resolve. Think lumber. Think timber. If we can simply get fair trade with Canada on these issues, we can resolve them. But the key point here is that doing so by asking to bypass the entire Senate process of developing legislation is not the approach. As chairman of the Finance Committee, which is the appropriate forum in which this debate on our trade policy should be held, I object to this unanimous consent request. I yield the floor.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, this is not the first time, nor do I believe it will be the last. There have been multiple--and I mean multiple--efforts by my colleagues on the Democrat side to bypass regular order in the Senate and pass legislation without it being vetted as it properly should. It is true that we have some disagreements with Canada, although Canada is one of our best trading partners and one of our best allies, and I, for one, have worked very hard during my career to make sure we have strong relations with Canada. But Canada is engaged in tariff and nontariff trade barriers against the United States that President Trump is trying to resolve. Think lumber. Think timber. If we can simply get fair trade with Canada on these issues, we can resolve them. But the key point here is that doing so by asking to bypass the entire Senate process of developing legislation is not the approach. As chairman of the Finance Committee, which is the appropriate forum in which this debate on our trade policy should be held, I object to this unanimous consent request. I yield the floor.
“I am asking the Senate to approve the changes to these bills and pass both of them right now without any debate.”
“Mr. President, I further ask that the committee-reported substitute amendments be agreed to; that the bills, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, all en bloc.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, I further ask that the committee-reported substitute amendments be agreed to; that the bills, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, all en bloc.
“I ask everyone to agree right now to take up two bills together. One is about leases in national parks, and the other is about transferring the Crystal Reservoir.”
“Mr. President, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: Calendar No. 638, S. 2498, the National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act; and Calendar No. 641, S. 2754, the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: Calendar No. 638, S. 2498, the National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act; and Calendar No. 641, S. 2754, the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act.
“I am asking the Senate to let four committees hold meetings today. Leaders from both parties have already approved this.”
“Mr. President, I have four requests for committees to meet during today’s session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today’s session of the Senate: The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 9 a.m., to conduct a hearing. The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet durihg the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing. The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 3 p.m., to conduct a closed briefing. The Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 4 p.m., to conduct a hearing.”
Mr. President, I have four requests for committees to meet during today’s session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today’s session of the Senate: The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 9 a.m., to conduct a hearing. The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet durihg the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing. The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 3 p.m., to conduct a closed briefing. The Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 4 p.m., to conduct a hearing.
“I object to passing this bill today. Canada treats American trade unfairly, especially with lumber and dairy. President Trump is right to use tariffs to stop that. This bill needs to go through my committee first instead of being rushed through.”
“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, first, with regard to Canada. Canada is a great ally and trading partner of the United States. That is true. It is also true, however, that Canada has for years engaged in nontariff trade barriers against the United States that are unjustified. Think lumber, think dairy, and others. President Trump is trying to stop Canada from these nontariff barriers that are hurting Americans and have hurt Americans for years, and he is doing so by enforcing tariffs. This is not the first time--nor is it likely the last--that a colleague of ours on the Senate floor has tried to pass unvetted legislation on the floor to address a disagreement with President Trump. But as the chairman of the Finance Committee, which is the appropriate forum for legislation, I object to the unanimous consent request for S. 5397. I yield the floor.”
Mr. President, reserving the right to object, first, with regard to Canada. Canada is a great ally and trading partner of the United States. That is true. It is also true, however, that Canada has for years engaged in nontariff trade barriers against the United States that are unjustified. Think lumber, think dairy, and others. President Trump is trying to stop Canada from these nontariff barriers that are hurting Americans and have hurt Americans for years, and he is doing so by enforcing tariffs. This is not the first time--nor is it likely the last--that a colleague of ours on the Senate floor has tried to pass unvetted legislation on the floor to address a disagreement with President Trump. But as the chairman of the Finance Committee, which is the appropriate forum for legislation, I object to the unanimous consent request for S. 5397. I yield the floor.
“Today is National POW/MIA Recognition Day. I am thanking the military agency that works to find and bring home missing American troops. I also want Congress to pass a bill that makes it easier for families to see the government records needed to help find them.”
“Madam President, I join the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Corp. of Pocatello, ID, in acknowledging National POW/MIA Recognition Day this September 18, 2026. I am grateful for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s, DPAA, steady and often challenging work to meet its responsibility of recovering America’s servicemembers. Each year, the DPAA leads the creation of a poster commemorating National POW/MIA Recognition Day, as ceremonies are held across the country to honor those who were held captive and returned, as well as those who remain missing. The year’s poster reads, ``Warrior Ethos: `I will always place the mission first . . . I will never leave a fallen comrade.’ ‘‘ Second Lieutenant Charles Atteberry, a World War II servicemember from Parma who had been missing and unidentified for 80 years, is one of the Idaho servicemembers most recently returned home. Through the U.S. military’s use of DNA testing, Lt. Atteberry was identified from a mass grave in Taiwan and returned to Idaho in 2025. Lt. Atteberry’s brother Lloyd also served in the military as a pilot during World War II and is still considered missing in action since he was reportedly shot down in 1943. On June 10, 2026, the DPAA also accounted for U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Harold T. Thompson, 24, who was killed during World War II. The DPAA reported, ``In the winter of 1944, Thompson was assigned to the 718th Bombardment Squadron, 449th Bombardment Group, in Italy. On Jan. 30, he was serving as a gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator bomber on a mission to Udine, Italy. The plane was shot down while returning from its mission and was last sighted north of the Isle of Morgo off the Italian coast near the town of Grado. Three crew members made it out of the plane before the crash, but only one survived. The other seven members, including Thompson, were believed to have still been in the aircraft when it crashed.’’ As we celebrate Idahoans’ return home, we maintain hope for the return of Idaho’s other servicemembers, including the eight who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam war. This includes Major William Ellsworth Lemmons, who was on a visual reconnaissance mission in South Vietnam on June 18, 1967, when the aircraft he piloted failed to return from the mission for unknown reasons and was declared missing. Major Lemmons is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. I thank America’s servicemembers, veterans, and their families for their extraordinary commitment to our country, as I remain deeply grateful to those who keep attention on bringing every American servicemember and the DPAA and its partners working steadily to provide the fullest possible accounting of missing U.S. personnel to their families and our country. To support these efforts, I continue to use every opportunity to press for enactment of the Bring Our Heroes Home Act. This legislation would help eliminate obstacles preventing families and caseworkers from accessing the records needed for recovering America’s POWs and MIA. We honor America’s missing servicemembers and those they served beside by never giving up in our pursuit of finding them and bringing them home.”
Official Congressional Record
Madam President, I join the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Corp. of Pocatello, ID, in acknowledging National POW/MIA Recognition Day this September 18, 2026. I am grateful for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s, DPAA, steady and often challenging work to meet its responsibility of recovering America’s servicemembers. Each year, the DPAA leads the creation of a poster commemorating National POW/MIA Recognition Day, as ceremonies are held across the country to honor those who were held captive and returned, as well as those who remain missing. The year’s poster reads, ``Warrior Ethos: `I will always place the mission first . . . I will never leave a fallen comrade.’ ‘‘ Second Lieutenant Charles Atteberry, a World War II servicemember from Parma who had been missing and unidentified for 80 years, is one of the Idaho servicemembers most recently returned home. Through the U.S. military’s use of DNA testing, Lt. Atteberry was identified from a mass grave in Taiwan and returned to Idaho in 2025. Lt. Atteberry’s brother Lloyd also served in the military as a pilot during World War II and is still considered missing in action since he was reportedly shot down in 1943. On June 10, 2026, the DPAA also accounted for U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Harold T. Thompson, 24, who was killed during World War II. The DPAA reported, ``In the winter of 1944, Thompson was assigned to the 718th Bombardment Squadron, 449th Bombardment Group, in Italy. On Jan. 30, he was serving as a gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator bomber on a mission to Udine, Italy. The plane was shot down while returning from its mission and was last sighted north of the Isle of Morgo off the Italian coast near the town of Grado. Three crew members made it out of the plane before the crash, but only one survived. The other seven members, including Thompson, were believed to have still been in the aircraft when it crashed.’’ As we celebrate Idahoans’ return home, we maintain hope for the return of Idaho’s other servicemembers, including the eight who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam war. This includes Major William Ellsworth Lemmons, who was on a visual reconnaissance mission in South Vietnam on June 18, 1967, when the aircraft he piloted failed to return from the mission for unknown reasons and was declared missing. Major Lemmons is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. I thank America’s servicemembers, veterans, and their families for their extraordinary commitment to our country, as I remain deeply grateful to those who keep attention on bringing every American servicemember and the DPAA and its partners working steadily to provide the fullest possible accounting of missing U.S. personnel to their families and our country. To support these efforts, I continue to use every opportunity to press for enactment of the Bring Our Heroes Home Act. This legislation would help eliminate obstacles preventing families and caseworkers from accessing the records needed for recovering America’s POWs and MIA. We honor America’s missing servicemembers and those they served beside by never giving up in our pursuit of finding them and bringing them home.
“I am asking permission for eight Senate committees to meet today. Leaders from both parties agree to this.”
“Mr. President, I have eight requests for committees to meet during today’s session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today’s session of the Senate: The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination. The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination. The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a business meeting. The Committee on Finance is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations. The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 11 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations. The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination. The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 9 a.m., to conduct an executive business meeting.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, I have eight requests for committees to meet during today’s session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today’s session of the Senate: The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination. The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination. The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a business meeting. The Committee on Finance is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations. The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 11 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations. The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination. The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 9 a.m., to conduct an executive business meeting.
“I want the Senate to vote against this resolution. Medicare has a lot of waste and fraud. This pilot program uses technology and real doctors to review suspicious claims before paying them. For example, spending on skin substitutes jumped from 256 million dollars in 2019 to 10 billion dollars in 2024. Stopping this program will hurt our ability to cut waste and protect taxpayers.”
“Madam President, in response to the discussion that my colleague from Oregon has just engaged in, far too often, our Nation’s healthcare system incentivizes low-value, high-cost services. For years, bipartisan policy makers throughout Capitol Hill and across administrations have endeavored to disrupt this flawed paradigm, especially in the Medicare Program. Unfortunately, despite progress to incorporate new value-based payment arrangements, Medicare’s underlying reimbursement structure continues to rely heavily on the volume of services provided, rather than the quality of care. In addition to failing patients and providers, Medicare’s perverse financial incentives contribute to massive waste and abuse. Well- meaning clinicians often face opaque coverage guidelines that can result in denied reimbursements, while malicious actors exploit bureaucratic vulnerabilities to defraud the program. Through the wasteful and inappropriate service reduction model--work WISeR--CMS is testing whether enhanced technology can help address these systemic failures. For a limited set of nonemergency services with a documented history of abuse and overuse, providers in select States must submit claims for review. Claims that meet existing Medicare coverage requirements are quickly approved, offering providers payment predictability. When issues arise, board-certified clinicians--not technological machines, board-certified clinicians--intervene to make the final decision. The potential benefit of this ``detect and prevent strategy’’ is substantial. For example, Medicare spending on skin substitutes, one of the chosen WISeR model services, increased and--hear this--increased from $256 million in 2019 to $10 billion in 2024. It doesn’t even take a technological machine to tell you that something is wrong there. Proactive, technology-based scrutiny could have detected this outlier spending growth and protected both patients and taxpayers. Regrettably, misinformation about this model has sparked fears of delays in essential patient care and additional burdens on providers. Later today, the Senate will proceed to a resolution to stop this important work of the WISeR model. Every Member of this body agrees that patients should have access to high-quality care, providers deserve predictable payment for services, and avoidable waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare should be stopped. Ending this pilot program prematurely will deprive CMS of a useful tool to accomplish each of those goals. And I urge my colleagues to consider the facts and oppose this resolution. I yield the floor.”
Official Congressional Record
Madam President, in response to the discussion that my colleague from Oregon has just engaged in, far too often, our Nation’s healthcare system incentivizes low-value, high-cost services. For years, bipartisan policy makers throughout Capitol Hill and across administrations have endeavored to disrupt this flawed paradigm, especially in the Medicare Program. Unfortunately, despite progress to incorporate new value-based payment arrangements, Medicare’s underlying reimbursement structure continues to rely heavily on the volume of services provided, rather than the quality of care. In addition to failing patients and providers, Medicare’s perverse financial incentives contribute to massive waste and abuse. Well- meaning clinicians often face opaque coverage guidelines that can result in denied reimbursements, while malicious actors exploit bureaucratic vulnerabilities to defraud the program. Through the wasteful and inappropriate service reduction model--work WISeR--CMS is testing whether enhanced technology can help address these systemic failures. For a limited set of nonemergency services with a documented history of abuse and overuse, providers in select States must submit claims for review. Claims that meet existing Medicare coverage requirements are quickly approved, offering providers payment predictability. When issues arise, board-certified clinicians--not technological machines, board-certified clinicians--intervene to make the final decision. The potential benefit of this ``detect and prevent strategy’’ is substantial. For example, Medicare spending on skin substitutes, one of the chosen WISeR model services, increased and--hear this--increased from $256 million in 2019 to $10 billion in 2024. It doesn’t even take a technological machine to tell you that something is wrong there. Proactive, technology-based scrutiny could have detected this outlier spending growth and protected both patients and taxpayers. Regrettably, misinformation about this model has sparked fears of delays in essential patient care and additional burdens on providers. Later today, the Senate will proceed to a resolution to stop this important work of the WISeR model. Every Member of this body agrees that patients should have access to high-quality care, providers deserve predictable payment for services, and avoidable waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare should be stopped. Ending this pilot program prematurely will deprive CMS of a useful tool to accomplish each of those goals. And I urge my colleagues to consider the facts and oppose this resolution. I yield the floor.
“All 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico have joined a national effort to find homes for foster children. This project started in Idaho and is now working nationwide to fix the shortage of good foster homes. I also helped make adoptions cheaper by passing tax cuts. I want to thank the foster families who care for these children.”
“Mr. President, I commend the Administration for Children and Families, ACF, for its achievement in securing the participation of all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in the A Home for Every Child Campaign. This milestone represents a meaningful bipartisan accomplishment: every jurisdiction choosing to join a voluntary effort focused on improving the lives of vulnerable children and families. At a time when consensus can be difficult to achieve, this campaign demonstrates that leaders across the political spectrum can unite around the fundamental goal of ensuring every child has a safe, stable, and loving home. This initiative is rooted in Idaho, where it is transforming the child welfare system and resolving the shortage of quality foster homes. The Gem State’s model has improved foster care outcomes by achieving higher home-to-child ratios, prioritizing kinship recruitment, and preventing both unnecessary placements into care and burnout by current foster families. With the support of every State, that innovative approach is now being successfully implemented at the national level by Dr. Alex Adams, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Family Support, who previously served as Idaho’s Health and Welfare Director. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I was proud to help enact the Working Families Tax Cuts that made the adoption tax credit partially refundable up to $5,000, helping offset the costs of adopting a child. And the Trump administration announced plans to help foster youth participate in the Trump Accounts created in the law to help the next generation build wealth, with Idaho pledging to adopt policies that will allow all its foster youth the same opportunity. By strengthening collaboration between the Federal Government and States, ACF is helping transform outcomes for children and families while establishing a model for strategic Federal-State partnerships. I thank the foster families across Idaho and the country who provide the stability and love every child deserves. I commend ACF, participating State and Territorial leaders, and all those working to make this vision a reality.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, I commend the Administration for Children and Families, ACF, for its achievement in securing the participation of all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in the A Home for Every Child Campaign. This milestone represents a meaningful bipartisan accomplishment: every jurisdiction choosing to join a voluntary effort focused on improving the lives of vulnerable children and families. At a time when consensus can be difficult to achieve, this campaign demonstrates that leaders across the political spectrum can unite around the fundamental goal of ensuring every child has a safe, stable, and loving home. This initiative is rooted in Idaho, where it is transforming the child welfare system and resolving the shortage of quality foster homes. The Gem State’s model has improved foster care outcomes by achieving higher home-to-child ratios, prioritizing kinship recruitment, and preventing both unnecessary placements into care and burnout by current foster families. With the support of every State, that innovative approach is now being successfully implemented at the national level by Dr. Alex Adams, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Family Support, who previously served as Idaho’s Health and Welfare Director. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I was proud to help enact the Working Families Tax Cuts that made the adoption tax credit partially refundable up to $5,000, helping offset the costs of adopting a child. And the Trump administration announced plans to help foster youth participate in the Trump Accounts created in the law to help the next generation build wealth, with Idaho pledging to adopt policies that will allow all its foster youth the same opportunity. By strengthening collaboration between the Federal Government and States, ACF is helping transform outcomes for children and families while establishing a model for strategic Federal-State partnerships. I thank the foster families across Idaho and the country who provide the stability and love every child deserves. I commend ACF, participating State and Territorial leaders, and all those working to make this vision a reality.
