▶ 0:07:44Ukraine wants peace, the U.S. wants peace, european countries want peace.
▶ 0:18:17Chair Crapo: Committee will come to order up and we meet today to meet to consider him early reporting the nominations of william kimmitt, nominated to under secretary of commerce for international trade. And Mr. kenneth kies, nominated to serve as the assistant secretary for tax policy at the treasury department.
▶ 0:18:40Chair Crapo: The meeting this morning will provide members with the opportunity to make remarks on the nominees appear we will notify members of the time and location later today to conduct the vote as we have agreed between each other. During the hearing, Mr. kimmitt spoke about his mission to ensure the international trade administration is a champion for american workers and industries and to promote a trade policy that is guided by a strategic understanding of our national interest. I look forward to working with him if confirmed to accomplish these goals.
▶ 0:19:11Chair Crapo: Turning to Mr. kies who has decades of experience in the tax policy world, Mr. kies spoke about the importance of permanently extending and building on the tax cuts and jobs act to prevent a more than $4 trillion tax hike and deliver certainty and stability to american families and businesses . As well as provide additional middle class tax relief. Mr. kies, if confirmed, will be a valuable partner in our efforts to deliver on president trump's economic agenda.
▶ 0:19:41Chair Crapo: I'll be voting in favor about nominees and I encourage all my colleagues on the committee to do the same. I now recognize our ranking member, senator wyden, for his remarks.
▶ 0:19:50Sen. Wyden: Thank you come Mr. chairman. As you noted, we will vote on the nomination of Mr. kimmitt,, secretary for international trade, kenneth kies to serve as assistant treasury for tax policy. Should they be confirmed, they would play key roles in donald trump's plan to implement a destructive and damaging economic agenda.
▶ 0:20:14Sen. Wyden: This past week, I was home holding town hall meetings in counties won overwhelmingly by donald trump. As I met with world-renowned farmers, ranchers, producers, the message from oregonians is clear. Donald trump has left our burgers and businesses in limbo. They are on a roller coaster of economic uncertainty, questioning if they will still have a job by the end of the year or be able to keep their business or farm afloat.
▶ 0:20:44Sen. Wyden: Donald trump's trade chaos is in fact a wrecking ball for america's economy and businesses. Note temporary pause on tariff changes will change the reality that donald trump has started a trade war on a scale that america has not seen in a century. The fact is, major damage has already been done. Businesses are left with an uncertain economic future.
▶ 0:21:13Sen. Wyden: Our foreign trading partners are starting to discuss trade agreements that would actually exclude the united states and lock out american producers from foreign markets. The stock market is still reeling from a devastating collapse. Donald trump has done irreparable damage to the american economy and our status as a trusted global trading partner. Meanwhile, donald trump and the republicans charge ahead with a plan that looks certain to include a massive bailout for billionaires.
▶ 0:21:43Sen. Wyden: It would be paid for by kicking millions of people out of their health insurance and gutting programs that kids and their families rely on to stay safe and healthy. So that brings us to today's nominees. Donald trump has pushed the commerce department front and center to the trade and tariff debate. Mr. kimmitt has been at the commerce department for a while. If confirmed, he would be a key player in implementing a disastrous trade agenda from donald trump.
▶ 0:22:13Sen. Wyden: Mr. kies meanwhile is fully committed to extending the republican's 2017 tax cut for billionaires and big multinational companies. They will be key in orchestrating donald trump's economic and trade agenda which accounts to nothing more than a boondoggle for billionaires. It will be influential on taxes, trade, and so many different areas, but the reality is he will be a key figure in orchestrating more breaks for billionaires.
▶ 0:22:44Sen. Wyden: In short, Mr. trump's nominating Mr. kimmitt to serve as the grim reaper for the middle class, and Mr. kies to make the treasury into an atm for the ultra-wealthy. Like the rest of the trump inner circle, these nominees are hand-picked to carry out a dangerous agenda, and families and businesses be dammed. So that is where things stand as the finance committee meets this morning.
▶ 0:23:11Sen. Wyden: Americans face economic chaos caused by a trade war nobody can win, and republicans look poised to jam through another bailout for the ultra-wealthy paid for by ripping away the lifelines that millions of americans from all across our country count on. There has been no discussion among republicans of tackling a number of big economic challenges the country faces today.
▶ 0:23:36Sen. Wyden: Democrats and americans want to make health care more affordable, want to create more good jobs, want to make sure there is a tax code that gives everybody in america the chance to get ahead and everybody pays their fair share. You don't have to look any further than the republican's plan bailout for billionaires and corporations to know that their priorities begin and end with help for friends and influential donors who consistently get richer while everybody else gets left behind.
▶ 0:24:07Sen. Wyden: If confirmed, Mr. kies and Mr. kimmitt would immediately get to work to help donald trump implement what I consider to be a very dangerous agenda for america. I will be voting know and urge of my colleagues to do so as well.
▶ 0:24:19Chair Crapo: Thank you, senator wyden. Now we will turn to other senators for comments if there were some here. I don't see any present, so unless you have any other business. We will proceed without objection to recess the committee and reconvened off the floor to vote on the nominations of these two nominees at a time when we will give notification to the members of the committee. Without objection, so ordered.
▶ 0:24:50Chair Crapo: The committee stands in recess.