congressional_record: CREC-2022-12-27-pt1-PgE1359-2
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| granule_id | date | congress | session | volume | issue | title | chamber | granule_class | sub_granule_class | page_start | page_end | speakers | bills | citation | full_text |
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| CREC-2022-12-27-pt1-PgE1359-2 | 2022-12-27 | 117 | 2 | PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 2617, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES... | HOUSE | EXTENSIONS | ALLOTHER | E1359 | E1359 | [{"name": "Ron Estes", "role": "speaking"}] | [{"congress": "117", "type": "HR", "number": "1082"}, {"congress": "117", "type": "HR", "number": "2617"}, {"congress": "117", "type": "HR", "number": "4373"}] | 168 Cong. Rec. E1359 | Congressional Record, Volume 168 Issue 202 (Tuesday, December 27, 2022) [Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 202 (Tuesday, December 27, 2022)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1359] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 2617, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2023; RELATING TO CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 4373, FURTHER ADDITIONAL CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND EXTENSIONS ACT, 2023; RELATING TO CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1082, SAMI'S LAW; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES ______ speech of HON. RON ESTES of kansas in the house of representatives Friday, December 23, 2022 Mr. ESTES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Leader Brady and Chairman Neal for their yeoman-like work on SECURE 2.0. This has been a truly bipartisan and bicameral effort that will assist all Americans save more for their retirement for longer throughout their lives. When SECURE 2.0 passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, it had multiple provisions I helped introduce, including an increase in RMD age, retirement matching for student loan repayment, and enhancing 403(b) plans. As the House and Senate went through negotiations on this package, I was pleased to see that Unclaimed Savings Bonds was included, something that I have been working on since before I have been in Congress. The U.S. Treasury is sitting on potentially billions of dollars in bonds which haven't been claimed--mostly because people don't know they or their parents or grandparents even own bonds. If given access to federal records and the dormant bonds, most states would be able to make it easy for people to look up if they own lost bonds and to reclaim ownership. Approximately $29.7 billion in savings bonds have reached final maturity and ceased to pay interest. While Treasury claims that only one percent of all matured savings bonds have not been redeemed, it's much more. States already have programs in place to help their residents find lost or forgotten assets. It's a program that I'm passionate about, as I helped connect Kansans with their money and assets as Kansas State Treasurer for 6 years, fighting the U.S. Treasury tooth-and-nail the entire way. While my standalone unclaimed savings bond bill required Treasury to provide states with the names, addresses, and serial numbers--the best way to make sure Americans are reconnected with their rightful property--the provision in this bill makes Treasury's providing of serial numbers optional. I believe that this deliberate change is due to Treasury's failure to keep accurate records. This crucial information is necessary, and Congress overwhelmingly intended for Treasury to provide it. I would like to make it clear that it is the intent of Congress that, where possible, states should be able to access the serial numbers of unclaimed savings bonds. Inclusion of this provision is a positive step, but Americans won't see the full benefit until Treasury stops playing games with the savings bond program. I would briefly like to touch on the underlying Omnibus bill. It is a shame that good legislation supported by Republicans and Democrats like SECURE 2.0 has been tucked into a 4,000-plus-page bill that nobody has read in total. It contains highly partisan and reckless spending throughout, which I fundamentally oppose. I believe that last-minute legislation like this is a terrible way to run the greatest country in the world and I urge my colleagues to vote no. ____________________ |