Senator Menendez: (4:27 p.m.)

• Spoke on the nomination of Charles Rettig to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
  • "At a time when we need independence and impartiality of the I.R.S., that's absolutely unacceptable. As we speak, the Treasury Department and I.R.S. Are trying to make sense of the deficit exploding corporate tax cuts rushed through congress by the Republican majority last December. Tax cuts that according to the Congressional Budget Office will drive us towards $1 trillion annual deficits by 2020, and by undermining the Affordable Care Act eventually strip 13 million Americans of their health care coverage. As the I.R.S. attempts to implement these misguided policies, corporations are pulling every string to rig the tax code in their favor."

Senator Wicker: (4:47 p.m.)

• Spoke on Bosnia.
  • "In total well over 300,000 people in a country of only 3.5 million fall into these categories despite what is likely their strong commitment to the country and to its -- commitment to the country and to its future as a multiethnic state. This is wrong and it needs to end. In addition, youth unemployment in Bosnia is the highest in the world. Many who can do so are - many who can leave are doing so. This denies Bosnia much of its needed talent and energy. Civil society is kept on the sidelines. Decisions in Bosnia are being made by political party leaders who are not accountable to the people."