Floor Statements

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. President, I rise today to share some good news with the United States of America. We just celebrated not only the birthday of this Nation--250 years--but we also celebrated the anniversary of the Working Families Tax Cut Act being signed into law.

As my State's newest Senator, this was an important piece of legislation for many reasons, and I will share what it has meant for hard-working Floridians. But I championed this package, and I am so excited to say that we were able to deliver major wins through this legislation.

It is the largest tax cut in the history of our Nation, and I believe, on the birthday of the United States of America, it was important to recognize that the people most wisely know how to spend their money.

And we have seen such positive results already for Floridians and Americans alike. I just traveled around the State of Florida last week, as all of our colleagues did, when we went back to our States and met with our constituents. And I can tell you people were excited, and they were excited because they were just coming off of having to file their taxes. And they are already seeing what this is going to mean for their families.

We got together with law enforcement officers--hundreds of them-- where we highlighted no tax on overtime. A lot of people don't think about how no tax on overtime helps those that wear a badge and pick up extra shifts and put their lives on the line to protect us. Now they get to keep more of that money when they do so.

We celebrated no tax on tips at a restaurant called Beth's Burger Bar, and so many of their waiters and waitresses were excited about keeping more of their money.

We talked to parents about child-owned investment accounts over at a local school in St. Cloud.

Floridians are just excited, and they have a right to be. We can proudly boast that we now have the highest average tax refund of any State in the Nation, and that is great news for Floridians.

But it is not just Floridians. Millions of Americans have taken advantage of these new tax cuts. Over 7.5 million individuals claimed no tax on tips, and 29 million Americans have claimed no tax on overtime.

For a waitress working late shifts or a hotel worker that drives Florida's tourism economy, that means they are keeping more of that money. For the nurse or, as we discussed, for the law enforcement officer picking up extra shifts, the linemen that so often have to come in and restore power in Florida after storms--when they are putting in extra hours--factory workers putting in extra hours to support their families, that no tax on overtime rewards hard work instead of taxing it.

And these tax cuts weren't just for workers. They were also for seniors, and in Florida--``the senior State''--this was incredibly meaningful. In Florida, we are home to the largest senior--one of the largest senior--populations in the Nation, with more than 5 million seniors. That is more seniors than many of the populations in the entirety of some of my sister States around the Nation.

And so I argued very hard for the provisions that eliminated taxes on Social Security benefits and provided additional relief through the enhanced deductions for seniors. So there were two ways we were trying to make it easier on our seniors. More than 35 million seniors have already claimed the enhanced deduction, and that helps them keep more of that retirement income.

So after a lifetime of work, seniors deserve to keep more of what they earned working, not send it back up

here to Washington, where we keep showing--time after time after time these days--that so much of it has gone to fraud.

And so making sure we are keeping money in the pockets of hard- working Americans is incredibly important. So I just want to underscore what that meant--that Working Families Tax Cut Act--just this past filing season.

Mr. President, 97 percent of all filers in the Nation--97 percent-- received a tax cut. American families and workers claimed $82 billion in individual relief directly from the act, and Americans received $325 billion in total tax refunds--$325 billion in total tax refunds.

And as I said before, Floridians can brag that they brought home the largest average Federal tax refund in the country. Our State filers brought home an average refund of $4,500, compared to the national average of $3,300.

Just as important as delivering tax relief and beefing up some of those deductions were for Americans and our seniors, we also made sure that that act invested in our next generation, our children. Through the package, we thought outside the box. We did something that has never been done before, and we created child-owned investment accounts for every American child born, which was designed to give our next generation a real jump start on the American dream.

And a lot of people still do not know this. It shocked me, as I was traveling around Florida last week. And these were folks who had just had babies, and they did not know that their child that they were holding was already eligible for $1,000 into an investment account.

For every baby born, from 2025 through 2028, whose parents open up one of these accounts--and it is so easy to do, incredibly easy to do-- the U.S. Treasury will invest $1,000. If the child doesn't touch it-- and you can add to it too. But if you don't touch that original investment, by the time they are 18 and they are on their own, you can use it for a vacation, for a downpayment on a house. There are ways that you can use that. It is almost $8,000. If they don't touch it at all, it is projected it could be hundreds of thousands of dollars upon retirement--close to a million dollars, if not more.

This is incredible news. So when you are hearing about all of the fraud that we keep uncovering or where we sent millions of dollars to some foreign country to help some crazy program for foreign nationals, today, Americans can go to irs.gov/trumpaccounts and sign up and get $1,000 for their kids.

And the lens through which we viewed this and the lens through which we approached this and argued for this historic act was: How do we reorient? How do we course-correct and start making decisions on behalf of this country to invest in Americans, American children, and American industries first?

More than 5.5 million child-owned investment accounts have been opened nationwide so far, and 1.4 million are eligible for the $1,000 pilot program contribution.

So in addition to these accounts, 40 million families have taken advantage of the enhanced child tax credit that we permanently doubled and expanded through the Working Families Tax Cut Act. So not only do we have the investment accounts for these children, we also now have given a double--permanently--child tax credit on your taxes.

So, of course, preparing our next generation for success will require more than just financial security, but this was such a great start toward that end.

And if I can get one thing through to American parents right now, it is easy to sign up. There is money waiting for your children right now from the U.S. Treasury because we want to set them up for success.

But we didn't stop at financial investment. Education is also important. And through this Working Families Tax Cut Act, of which we are now celebrating the 1-year anniversary--and many of the provisions that we all fought hard for, over on this side of the aisle, are now just going into effect--we also made sure that there was a Federal tax credit scholarship that could help millions of students across the Nation get education of their parents' choice.

Two decades ago, we did this in Florida. We had a low graduation rate. I want to say it was in the sixties. We started with our first school-choice statute. Two decades later, we are out now at over 92 percent graduation rate.

It shows you that not every child learns the same, and parents know what their children need. And educational needs should not be based on the ZIP Code in which they are born.

Florida has figured that out. We figured that out some time ago. And now I am here as Florida's newest U.S. Senator, announcing a great piece of legislation that will expand this approach to children across our Nation. But even for States where you have universal school choice--and there are a few of us like Florida, but others have started with school-choice statutes--understanding that each child learns differently, you can still take advantage of the Working Families Tax Cut Act because it allows for the deduction of education expenses for tutoring, for technology, and for so many of those supplemental education expenses that come along with education that parents choose.

So Floridians are still winning, even though we already have school choice. When parents have more choices, we know--and we have seen the data show--that students are more likely to find the educational path that fits their unique talents and goals.

And that, ultimately--for this country, for our Nation's forward success--will mean a stronger workforce. It will mean more innovation and a stronger economy, not just for the State of Florida--for which I champion every day--but for our entire Nation.

At the end of the day, families and small businesses know how to spend their money far better than some of these bureaucrats that are making decisions in the bowels of some of these Agencies. And we are uncovering, day in and day out--and we will continue to do so--exposing where some of those choices went awry and where some of those choices led to corruption and crime.

But we are here today to celebrate what we have been doing right and how we have been course-correcting with our intent to focus on bettering the lives of American families, American workers, and this Nation moving forward.

So I believe that less taxes will mean more opportunity, more growth, more freedom for hard-working Americans, and I am incredibly excited to be standing here today as one of the newest U.S Senators that helped deliver this win last year.

And as we are watching it go into effect and see the success and the effect it is having on our constituents, it is certainly something to celebrate, and I appreciate your giving me the opportunity to do so today.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to ask unanimous consent to pass my Pregnant Students' Rights Act out of the Senate, legislation that would inform young mothers in school--at university or in college--of their rights to protect the most vulnerable among us. Today, we have an opportunity to ensure that students have the information and support they need should they become pregnant.

Navigating college can be challenging for any student but especially for pregnant women. Unfortunately, they oftentimes feel pressured to end their pregnancies or risk academic failure. No woman should ever feel like she has to choose between continuing classes or continuing a pregnancy. Young women who find themselves in this situation should know exactly what resources are available to them to help them carry their pregnancies to term and what their rights are while they are in school, whether that be in modified class schedules, excused absences, or other accommodations.

This legislation would ensure that young women would know their rights and know that they will have the support they need to stay in school, to carry a child to term, and to raise a baby. Far too often, they are told the exact opposite--that if they choose to have their babies, it will be the end of their academic careers, their life ambitions, and their career goals. They are made to feel abortion may be their only option, and that is not what any of us should want. It is not true.

With this bill, we will send the message that life is precious and that we want to help you make that decision to carry a child to term, to raise that child, and to continue your education goals.

This bill requires universities to inform students of the rights and protections for pregnant students, such as those modified class schedules and excused absences. It also requires universities to advise students on how to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if there is a violation.

This legislation comes at an important time. The CDC reports that almost 30 percent of all abortions in the United States are performed on women of college age, between the ages of 20 and 24. College-aged women may not be aware of their rights of accommodation. This would allow for that information to be shared, would mandate that universities do so, and would never make students believe they only have one choice.

I urge my colleagues to join in our mission, support this legislation, and protect the sanctity of life. We urgently need to protect the Pregnant Students' Rights Act today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 300, S. 3627. Further, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I am disappointed to hear from my colleague--the Democrat that claims the party is the party of women-- that we are not going to ask that universities educate women in college who become pregnant as to their rights and to modify class schedules or excused absences, which would allow them to continue their education and continue their pregnancy to term.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I just want to make sure that I am clear. The Democratic Party who, again, repeatedly asserts that they are the party of women, does not want to educate pregnant women on how to continue their education while they are pregnant. They don't want to do that.

But we are now being asked, unanimously, to fund at the tune of half a billion dollars to teach kids as young as elementary school students about sex, gender identity.

And I want to repeat the words: They did not want to agree to my bill because they didn't want it to be ideologically based, but yet they say that spending half a billion dollars to teach elementary school kids, educating young women on sex, gender identity--that that is not ideologically based?

So I just want to make sure that I am clear. I come down here to seek passage of a bill focused on educating young women, allowing them to feel empowered to continue that education. And after blocking that simple idea, I am now being asked to agree to the education of elementary school students on topics such as sexual orientation and sex.

That is the Democrat Party. This is the Republican Party. I just want to make sure America is clear. That is the difference, and I cannot believe that is what we are being asked to adopt by unanimous consent.

So for that reason, I will object, and I will lament that we find ourselves in a place where we cannot promote the education of a pregnant mother, but we are being asked to spread sex and gender ideology to our children in elementary school.

I object.

Mr. President, today I ask the Senate to recognize Douglas Philippone upon his induction into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame. Few earn the Ranger Tab, and even fewer are selected for the Hall of Fame. This distinction is reserved for those whom the Ranger community chooses to place among its most revered leaders and warriors. It is an honor bestowed not by outside observers, but by fellow Rangers--the men and women best qualified to judge a lifetime of service to the Nation.

Over more than a decade of sustained combat operations, Mr. Philippone served the 75th Ranger Regiment with extraordinary distinction. He commanded multiple Joint Special Operations Command outstations in support of the Global War on Terror. In 2005, he led the foreign fighter campaign along the Syrian border, disrupting the flow of suicide bombers into Baghdad and helping secure the conditions for a successful Iraqi election. For his valor and leadership, he earned three Bronze Star Medals, including two with the Valor Device, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with valor, and numerous additional commendations. He did not simply recite the Ranger Creed; he lived it.

Equally remarkable is the impact he has made since leaving Active service. In the years since, he has worked to place advanced capabilities directly into the hands of American warfighters and our allies, transforming how missions are planned, how intelligence is integrated, and how rapidly forces can act in real time.

His service has extended well beyond the battlefield. Quietly and without recognition, he has devoted himself to supporting Rangers wounded in combat, their families, and those navigating the difficult transition to civilian life. The Ranger Creed is not a commitment that ends with military service. It is a lifelong obligation, and Mr. Philippone has honored it faithfully.

On behalf of a grateful nation, I congratulate Douglas Philippone and his family on this incredible achievement. His induction into the Ranger Hall of Fame reflects a career of exceptional leadership, courage, and service. This tremendous honor places him among the most distinguished Rangers our Nation has produced.

Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge the Presiding Officer as a father and so many others that this weekend will be celebrated as part of our Nation's day of celebration of all of our fathers here in our country. This is especially meaningful to me because I think it is so important to highlight a group of very special individuals that have played such a large role in my life. And I know everyone here today, including the pages that help us out, is going to be spending the weekend celebrating their fathers too, as they should.

Dads play an indelible role in our lives, and I am proud to be married to a great dad. In fact, when I became the attorney general of the great free State of Florida, I had a young child at home, and my husband, who is a true hero, a hero dad--he is a career law enforcement officer--really stepped up. Our entire family was involved in that effort when I served.

Just to illustrate, when I became the attorney general, I was the first mom of a school-age child on the Florida cabinet. So I really relied on my incredible husband Justin--and what an amazing dad.

Just to illustrate, I wanted to put up a picture of my family at the time--my young son--when I became the attorney general, and without their support, we wouldn't have done all that we did to protect the great State, strengthen our communities, and make it the free State of Florida that it is today.

My husband Justin works long hours as a law enforcement officer, as you can see. More recently, when I became a U.S. Senator, he is still waking up every day, being a dad first and foremost but then putting on a badge and a bulletproof vest and going to work to protect others while he supports everybody else in the community as much as he supports those of us at home.

I just have to say I know I am not alone as a mom that wants to praise the dad in her life. In fact, the first celebration of Father's Day in 1910 was spurred on and founded by a mom. She had just become a mom--her name was Sonora Smart Dodd--and she recognized after hearing a Mother's Day sermon that she thought we should give something that was just as emphatic and passionate to support our dads. So it was a mom that launched and initiated the first Father's Day recognition back in 1910.

So it is an honor for me, as one of the very few moms of a kid under 18 in the U.S. Senate, to be the one to recognize Father's Day this upcoming weekend and introduce a resolution recognizing Father's Day and the role that fathers play in the lives of children and adults. I have introduced that for the Record, and it is an honor to do so.

I remember so many times when my law enforcement husband would go away for extended periods of time--whether it was to become a firearms instructor with the DEA or when he went to the National Academy at Quantico for months--he would come home--fly late at night--to make sports games or to help with homework.

I know all fathers around the Nation give 110 percent to their kids, and as Father's Day approaches, I wanted the U.S. Senate to recognize how important having good fathers in children's lives is.

I was so proud of my own State when I was attorney general and we passed the Responsible Dad Act, which provided mentoring, one-on-one support, and evidence-based educational programming to help enhance parenting skills and help fathers stay actively involved in their kids lives.

I am so proud of the Senate. Just today--and I know the Presiding Officer joins me in this--on the HELP Committee, we passed out legislation just today, before I came in here, as part of the Healthy Start Reauthorization Act that supports dads being involved in their kids' lives. It also supports mentoring, a dad initiative, and we know that is so important for our young kids to develop into healthy, independent adults.

So I recognize my own benefit from having a father that was engaged. He showed me how to live a life of service professionally. I have also benefited from having father figures in my extended family that have played a large role in my success in life, and I will always be grateful.

With that, I thank the Presiding Officer for permitting me time to introduce the resolution to recognize this weekend as Father's Day and to say thank you and to give encouragement to the fathers across our country that will raise the next generation of leaders that will guide our country for the next 250 years.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor a true hero with the Florida's Finest Award. It is so important that we as Members of Congress recognize those who bravely step up to serve and in their own way, whether personally or professionally, preserve our democracy and preserve this Nation's commitment to the rule of law. Certainly, as the wife of a law enforcement officer, I have always been so proud to do this and recognize some of our bravest among our Florida heroes-- Florida law enforcement.

Back in December, Port St. Lucie police sergeant Eric Levasseur--a 27-year veteran of the force--was brutally shot twice in the face when responding to a residence where a suspect emerged, armed with a rifle, and opened fired on him. This happened back on December 6. It was a routine response to a call for help, a call for service. That call stemmed from a neighbor dispute, and it involved a mental health issue.

Certainly, as police officers are called upon every day to show up in neighborhoods and answer these calls for service, he had no idea what awaited him. When Sergeant Levasseur and other officers arrived at the scene, they encountered an armed male suspect. The police report shows that when they arrived on scene, this person emerged from the garage, hoisting a gun and firing shots immediately. He attempted to run at and flank them--covering them with bullets.

Sergeant Levasseur was struck twice--one bullet near his nose and another just beneath it. They are one-in-a-million injuries that narrowly avoided major arteries and brain trauma.

Other officers on scene subdued the suspect, but Sergeant Levasseur's journey to recovery was just beginning. He underwent five surgeries-- two on his eyes to remove shrapnel and three others on his face. From the beginning of those recovery efforts, he repeatedly said--again, this is someone who is a 27-year veteran on the force. He said repeatedly that he was looking forward to getting back to work to continue to serve his community, to show up for others when they call for help.

In March, he was surrounded by family, friends, and fellow officers when he received a law enforcement Purple Heart from the Port St. Lucie Police Department for his service.

Since that tragic day, Sergeant Levasseur's courage and sacrifice have been repeatedly recognized by people throughout his community and even across our Nation.

Earlier this year, he was honored with a Valor Award from the First Responders Foundation, which was a fitting tribute to an officer who demonstrated extraordinary bravery in the face of danger.

Another really meaningful gesture and recognition came from a fellow American who understood sacrifice in a deeply personal way. A local veteran in Florida, SSgt Thomas Mateo, chose to present Sergeant Levasseur with one of his own Purple Heart medals--a distinction that he earned through his service to our Nation. Mateo had also served in law enforcement and had earned six Purple Hearts over two deployments to Vietnam in the 1960s. Two weeks after Sergeant Levasseur was shot in action, Mateo placed one of his own Purple Hearts in a box and presented it to St. Lucie police chief Leo Niemczyk to give to Sergeant Levasseur.

The Purple Heart, as the Presiding Officer knows, is one of our Nation's most revered symbols of courage and sacrifice. For a veteran to entrust and present his own medal to Sergeant Levasseur was a profound recognition of the selflessness he displayed while protecting his fellow officers and the community he serves.

It takes a very special person to become a law enforcement officer. I can tell you that, having served as a prosecutor, as a judge, and as the wife of a law enforcement officer, I have watched those who sign up and say they will put their safety behind the safety of others. It takes someone willing to face uncertainty, as was realized here, and not knowing what ultimately a shift may bring. It takes someone with a family who will back them to do that. Not everyone is cut out for it.

For those who swear the oath and wear the badge to protect and serve, we are so grateful for their service and sacrifice.

Sergeant Levasseur's 27 years of service, his courage under fire, and his determination throughout recovery show that he is truly cut from a different cloth.

It is my privilege to recognize Sergeant Levasseur today on the Senate floor with the Florida's Finest Award in recognition by this Congress and to share my gratitude and appreciation for his dedicated service to not only his community but to our great, free State of Florida. It is people like him who truly make Florida the envy of the Nation and a stronger and safer State.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I ask the Senate to recognize and celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

For 175 years, Alpha Delta Pi has been a wellspring of sisterhood, service, character, and knowledge for young women across the country. Growing from a handful of members in 1851 to its more than 290,000 lifetime initiates today, Alpha Delta Pi has shaped generations of women who have gone on to lead in every corner of American life.

Florida holds a particularly special place in the story of Alpha Delta Pi. Today, the organization has 11 active chapters across our State, with 1,775 active members, 1,458 of whom call Florida home. Notably, the Gamma Iota Chapter from the University of

Florida has alumni serving as Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.

This resolution acknowledges the contributions that Alpha Delta Pi has made to the United States. The women of Alpha Delta Pi do not simply wear letters; they ``Live For Each Other.''

I congratulate Alpha Delta Pi on this remarkable milestone and look forward to many more years of sisterhood. To every sister, past, present, and future: Thank you for the lifelong sisterhood you represent.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Clarke nomination; further, that notwithstanding rule XXII, the cloture motions filed on May 14 ripen at 11:45 a.m. and that if cloture is invoked on the Clarke nomination, then, following that vote, the Senate recess for the weekly conference meetings until 2 p.m. and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination at 2:15 p.m.; and, finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Tuesday's session of the Senate, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.

Madam President, for the information of my colleagues, we expect to vote in relation to S.J. Res. 185 tomorrow afternoon.

Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that following the confirmation vote of the nominations to be considered en bloc pursuant to S. Res. 690, the Senate resume legislative session and stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. President, today I ask the Senate to recognize and celebrate a truly iconic symbol of American strength and excellence, the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, known to millions simply as the Blue Angels, as they mark their 80th anniversary on April 24, 2026.

Established on April 24, 1946, by order of Admiral Chester Nimitz, the Blue Angels were created to showcase the skill, precision, and professionalism of U.S. naval aviation and to inspire confidence in our Armed Forces following World War II. Eighty years later, they have done exactly that--and so much more.

Based in Pensacola, FL, since 1955, the Blue Angels are not just a flight team; they are a proud part of the gulf coast community and a cornerstone of our Nation's military heritage.

Each year, the squadron performs in more than 60 air shows across the United States, thrilling approximately 11 million spectators annually, while reaching tens of thousands more through visits to schools, hospitals, and community events.

Since their inception, the Blue Angels have inspired over 500 million spectators worldwide, serving as powerful ambassadors of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Their mission is simple: to demonstrate the teamwork, discipline, and pride that define the men and women of our naval services and to inspire the next generation to serve something greater than themselves.

Today, the team flies the F/A-18 Super Hornet, one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, showcasing the cutting edge of American military aviation. But what makes the Blue Angels truly extraordinary is not just the aircraft; it is the people. The squadron is composed of 158 Active-Duty sailors and marines, supported by a highly selective group of pilots who represent the very best of naval aviation. More than 290 demonstration pilots have worn the Blue Angels uniform since 1946. These are men and women who have served in combat, led in the fleet, and volunteered to take on one of the most demanding and visible roles in the military: flying in tight formation at speeds exceeding 400 miles per hour, often separated by mere inches.

From their earliest days flying the F6F Hellcat in 1946, to their transition into jet aircraft in 1949, and now into the modern era of advanced Super Hornets, the Blue Angels have continually evolved while maintaining the same core values of precision, discipline, and excellence.

They are the second-oldest formal aerobatic team in the world and, without question, one of the most respected.

For 80 years, the Blue Angels have reminded us what greatness looks like when courage meets discipline, when teamwork meets trust, and when Americans commit themselves fully to a mission. They represent the very best of our Nation. This is the story of the Blue Angels. And in many ways, that is the story of America.

On behalf of the State of Florida and especially the proud community of Pensacola that calls them ``our Blue Angels,'' I extend my deepest gratitude to every pilot, every sailor, every marine--past and present--who has worn the Blue Angels uniform.

I ask to please join me in honoring the 80th anniversary of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels. May they continue to inspire generations to come. May God bless them, and God bless the United States of America.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I also rise today to address the importance, in fact, the necessity that we expediently fund ICE and CBP and we take measures to ensure that in the future these Agencies are not held hostage by political games from the Democratic Party.

We are here again facing a situation where we have critical public safety Agencies at risk for not being funded at a time when we are in the middle of an armed conflict, at a time when we need our communities to have our officers and those that support them at the top of their game because the men and women of ICE and CBP are on the frontlines every single day.

They secure our borders, they enforce our laws, and they protect our communities. And yet we will debate again whether we are going to give them the resources they need to do their jobs. And this should not be controversial. I cannot believe in my first year at the U.S. Senate, I have had to come to the floor multiple times to merely fund critical public safety Agencies, Agencies that were created after 9/11.

We have to pass the reconciliation bill, and we have to fund ICE and CBP, not just for the short term, for the long term because this is not going to stop. The modern Democratic Party has no interest in being on Team America. Everything that they are espousing is subversive to the strength and security of this Nation, whether that is abolish ICE, whether that is defund the police, whether that is destroy our borders and roll out a welcome mat. It cannot happen.

And too often in this town, we see the same pattern play out when we face this obstructionist behavior. I would call it dangerous behavior. We kick the can down the road, and the American people are sick of it. Thousands of TSA agents who have worked more days unpaid than paid during this fiscal year are sick of it.

We aren't sent here to keep parts of our vital government Agencies shuttered at a time when our security is threatened. All of us here know we need DHS to keep us safe. So we should be coming here every day to give them the tools that they need, the resources they need, not tying their hands behind their back with short-term funding patches and political gridlock--not to mention the attack on morale that they must feel when their very jobs are threatened every time the Democrats throw a political tantrum.

It shouldn't take Executive orders or emergency measures to get these critical safety folks paid, but that is the hand that the Democrats keep dealing us.

And if we are serious about solving this, not just now as we move into passing reconciliation, but if we want to prevent this from happening in the future, if we want to move the Senate's work forward, especially when we are dealing with funding critical public safety Agencies, we have to take a hard look at how this body--the Senate-- operates.

Because what has happened when there have been lapses in funding, what has happened in my first year here at the Senate, when I have pushed to get this done, pled with all--everyone in this Chamber--to get this done, stayed here, what happens? Government workers go unpaid, our government shuts down, and often Senators are told to go home.

We are not just told to go home. Taxpayers fund Senators to go home. They reimburse them for travel in the middle of a government shutdown when we are not paying government workers, and the buck stops here. We have to commit to solving this problem, not just funding the Agencies, but solving the problem that how the Senate has done things historically is not working. It is not working in the face of a Democratic Party who is not on Team America. It is not working on the face of the modern-day Democrats in this Chamber that are not just voicing subversiveness, they are taking actions in this Chamber to undermine the security of this country.

The ways we have always done things as a Senate does not work anymore. It does not work for this country. It does not work for the American people, and we have got to be bold and do something about it.

And that is why I have introduced a resolution to forbid taxpayers dollars for reimbursement of Member travel home during a lapse in government funding because if we are asking Federal employees to deal with uncertainty, if we are asking our ICE officers and Border Patrol to continue doing their jobs without clarity, if we are asking TSA agents to continue showing up without clarity, we should be willing to stay here and do ours.

If Senators stayed in Washington and worked through the problem and focused on the discussions and delivering results and how do we do this--I mean, we are having to work around and go to a reconciliation as opposed to the normal budgeting process in order to fund DHS.

I dare say, I wonder if we would have gotten to this idea if we had been forced to stay here and deal with this a lot sooner. It shouldn't be complicated; funding the government is one of our most fundamental roles.

The stakes of not fully funding ICE and CBP are far too high. Americans are clearly at risk right now. We know why my Democratic colleagues are obstructing this process. They told you--they told you-- where their priorities lie.

They want to go back to how things were under the previous administration, you know, when they broke down all security measures at the border, when they made it open borders, when they demoralized and undermined law enforcement. They like that. They don't like it when they have Republican leadership and a President in the White House that are saying: That was backward. That put Americans in danger. We have to do things differently, and we have got to clean up the mess.

And what is this mess? I mean, I don't want to just broadly say it was dangerous. Let's talk about the mess. Let's talk about the catastrophic place we find ourselves in. We now have thousands of people that were on the Terrorist Watchlist that were ushered in by the Biden administration, and we know that they released them and pushed them into this country. They are here right now.

So in the middle of an armed conflict, we have people in this country right now that were on the Terrorist Watchlist that were released by the last administration, and the Democrats' response is to not fund the folks that were going to go out and find them.

Let's talk about the 22-year-old Laken Riley, who was killed by an illegal immigrant in Georgia, or the 18-year-old college freshman Sheridan Gorman, shot and killed in a random attack by an illegal immigrant in Chicago. Or in my home State of Florida, in Fort Myers, just recently, an illegal immigrant bludgeoned a mother to death outside of a gas station. These are just a few examples, but they are not--it is reality. It is not hypothetical. It is not what could happen. It is what is happening.

And so we have to take action today, and that means if we have to stay here and get this done during times of shutdown, let's do it. And anything that will incentivize that, we should promote, we should support, and we should pass.

And that means changing our own rules, changing the way that we are doing business here in the Senate, because in so many ways, business as usual in the Senate isn't cutting it.

And so I invite my colleagues, who are really on Team America, to show that they are on Team America and show they are willing to put in the hard work and roll up their sleeves and stay here, when we find ourselves in a funding lapse of critical safety Agencies, to support my resolution and support the reconciliation that will fund CBP and ICE.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I have five 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:

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, today I ask the Senate to recognize an extraordinary athlete and a proud son of Florida's Suncoast, Declan Farmer for once again bringing honor to our Nation with his gold medal victory at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

This remarkable achievement marks a historic fifth consecutive gold for Team USA in para ice hockey, a testament to the talent and tenacity Declan brings to the ice.

Declan's journey began in Clearwater at the age of 9. A bilateral amputee, he discovered a passion for sled hockey that would propel him from the local rinks to the world stage. From his early days at Berkeley Preparatory School to his time at Princeton University, Declan has exemplified excellence both on and off the ice.

His local roots in Florida remain deep. He has competed with the Tampa Bay Lightning Sled Hockey Team, the Space Coast Hurricanes, and Florida Bandits, inspiring athletes across our State and Nation. Since joining the U.S. National Team at just 14 years old, Declan has become a dominant force in the sport. His accomplishments include:

Paralympic gold medals in 2014, 2018, 2022, and now 2026;

leading scorer honors at the 2013 World Championship, as well

as the 2018 and 2026 Paralympics; and recognition as the Best

Male Athlete with a Disability at the 2014 ESPY Awards.

Through tireless dedication and unmatched skill, Declan Farmer represents the best of the American spirit. It is a privilege to recognize his achievements and his contributions to Team USA and honor the legacy he continues to build for future athletes in Florida and across our Nation.