Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate and extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Most Reverend Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, NM, to celebrate his 50th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood, along with his upcoming retirement. Archbishop Wester has provided 50 years of dedicated service to the Catholic Church, which has been a blessing to countless parishioners, families, and communities across New Mexico and beyond.

Archbishop Wester was ordained as a priest on May 15, 1976. From Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General of San Francisco in 1998, to Bishop of Salt Lake City in 2007, to then being installed as the 12th Archbishop of Santa Fe in 2015 at our beautiful and historic Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Archbishop Wester's legacy is one of hope, kindness, and equity. Since his installation in 2015, he has been a beacon of support for vulnerable children and families. He has stood up for the poor and marginalized communities, supported humane immigration policies, and promoted peace. Archbishop Wester has reminded us about the importance of pursuing the ``common good'' in our communities.

As a devout Catholic myself, seeing Archbishop Wester's excellency has truly been a blessing. His leadership and presence at St. Francis of Assisi will be truly missed. Through our shared commitment to serving others and strengthening communities alongside so many local initiatives, I have come to greatly appreciate his compassion, humility, and dedication. I am grateful for voices like Archbishop Wester's, and I applaud his devotion not only to the Catholic Church, but also to the people of New Mexico.

As we celebrate this important milestone, I proudly stand before my distinguished colleagues to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Most Reverend Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe and extend my heartfelt congratulations to this remarkable milestone.

Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 4798 and ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. President, allowing our friends, family, and neighbors to go hungry in the United States of America is a policy decision, a choice--a choice--made by Donald Trump.

At a time when food prices are at an alltime high, fuel prices are up because of President Trump's reckless war in Iran, and tariffs have increased the cost of living across the board, American families are being squeezed all across America, and this resolution before us today does nothing to fix this.

Instead of working to address the affordability crisis and help Americans across the country struggling to afford their bills, what have Republicans done? Cut $187 billion from the best tool America has to address hunger.

Mr. President, 41.2 million Americans rely on SNAP to put food on their family's table, and 40 percent of recipients are kids. It is critical that Congress reverse these cuts. I urge my colleagues to join me in that mission and simply vote yes on this amendment.

Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and waiver provisions of applicable budget resolutions, I move to waive all applicable sections of that act and applicable budget points of order for the purpose of the pending measure.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Vote on Motion

Mr. President, I came down to the floor to talk about the SAVE Act, but before I do so, I am reminded that, over the last 10 days, my Republican colleagues have blocked paying TSA agents on at least five occasions. The number five was used earlier to talk about some other procedure, but on five different occasions, Republicans blocked paying TSA agents.

Now, I certainly hope that my Republican colleagues who are not in Washington, DC, today--because anyone watching C-SPAN or the proceedings earlier might be wondering why the proceedings were open so long. They were open because my Republican colleagues were worried that they didn't have quorum. They talk about 51 votes for one thing or another. They are not here today.

So what I would ask my Republican colleagues--wherever you are in America; I hope you are with family--is that, when you go to the airport and you walk by those TSA agents, you have the courage to tell them why you blocked paying them. This could have been done.

I very much appreciate the words of my colleague from Louisiana just a few moments ago. Any one of them could offer unanimous consent right now. I would agree to it, but I would bet my life that one of my Republican colleagues would object to paying the TSA agents if it were offered right now. That is the truth.

One of my colleagues just talked about people voting who are not citizens. It is a crime. It is illegal. It is against the law. Enforce the law. If there is a concern about something that is happening, then stop it. I am surprised one of them has not offered a piece of legislation that says that American citizens should stop at a stop sign. Maybe that is not the law just yet. We should be clear about that if that is what we are trying to do here.

But come on, man. If there is disagreement, stop holding these other folks hostage. Pay the TSA agents. Get FEMA funded. Get CISA funded. Get the Coast Guard funded.

My Republican colleagues were very happy when the President was doing whatever he was doing around Venezuela. I asked the Admiral of the Coast Guard if he had been included by the Secretary of Defense in any of that work. His response was no. That is their job. If there is agreement, let's move forward and get that done.

I appreciated the debate yesterday with my colleague from Ohio and my colleague from Michigan. I thought there was some agreement to say: Let's move forward. Let's get this done.

I appreciate what my colleague from Michigan said: Let's get locked in a room and not leave until we figure it out.

That was an old adage from a former Governor from New Mexico, Bruce King.

Bruce, who was a cattle rancher, always said: Lock them up in a barn, and don't let them out until they can figure things out.

Maybe we should do that.

Well, I am here on the floor today to talk about a piece of legislation that many of my colleagues have been talking about, and it is the reason that we are here today. We are supposed to be in Washington, DC, today as U.S. Senators, having a debate about a piece of legislation.

But, again, I hope the journalists up there on the third floor or those who are in the room are writing about the number of Republicans who aren't here. If this is so important to Republicans, where the hell are they? Because they are not here, and someone needs to call this out.

Now, I asked the Parliamentarian if there were some words that I could use earlier because I have come to the practice of calling some things ``manure'' and ``fertilizer'' and things, but I found out today that I can say ``bullshit'' on the Senate floor, and maybe it is about the time someone were to do this--because come on, y'all, if this is important enough to be here, then get your colleagues back to Washington, DC, and let's get to work, because they are not here.

I will yield to you.

Senator Moreno, it takes 51 votes for y'all to move on any of your procedures. The Republicans aren't even here for something that is important.

I think everyone should be back here. I am here, sir.

Reclaiming my time, Mr. President.

I would ask all my Democratic colleagues and all of my Republican colleagues and all of the men, wherever they are, to come back to Washington, DC, and let's do the work.

I will yield in a little bit, sir. I have a lot to say right now. I will give you a few moments in a bit, Senator.

I appreciate that, Mr. President. Thank you for that. Sometimes I forget the rules around this place.

Now, getting back to the SAVE Act, you know, yesterday, I was part of a press conference with some of my colleagues, and one of my constituents called me up and said: You know, the name of that piece of legislation should be called ``Saving Republicans' Behinds Act.''

And the reason that I think that holds true is the only thing this is good for is for Republicans to throw a bunch of people off the voter rolls--namely, 67 million women across the country who may have changed their last name. Some of them may have gotten married. That is what happens in America. Sometimes we take our partner's name, our spouse's names, as well. Sixty-seven million women would be thrown off the voter rolls.

My Native American brothers and sisters' Tribal IDs would not be respected. Many of my Native American constituents were born at home. They didn't go to vital statistics. They were born in generational homes.

Some of my colleagues in this room also represent First Nations, and they know the truth about this.

So throw Native Americans off the rolls. Throw women off the rolls. Let's do what President Trump said. President Trump said out loud to a bunch of my Republican colleagues--I don't know if you were down at his resort, wherever they were--but he told them: If Republicans pass the SAVE Act, it will guarantee that Republicans win in November of 2026.

And then he went further. He said: and for the next 50 years.

Well, thank you for telling the truth. Thank you for telling the American

people what this is all about, because that is what this is.

Now, Donald Trump, when he made those intentions clear, he also said that Republicans should just try to rewrite the rules. President Trump said that Republicans should just take over these elections. President Trump has already threatened insurrection rule here and there. President Trump has also said he is going to send ICE agents across the country to ballot places.

There was a hearing this week where Tulsi Gabbard, who is supposed to be in charge of intelligence in America--that is kind of an oxymoron. She was sent down to look for ballots in Georgia, something about a stolen election in 2020.

Now, I look around the room. At least two of my colleagues that are in the Chamber right now were here on January 6. I was here as well.

This notion of the President not buying the outcome of the election because he didn't win--bring it back to where we are today and the SAVE Act: another power grab. Take away the right to vote for American citizens.

Now, Republicans know something today that I know to be true as well: that the Republican agenda isn't working, and that is bad for the American people.

If you don't believe me, go to a grocery store with some of your constituents. Chat with them after church. Go to the ball game, but take a few extra bucks because that hotdog is not going to cost you a buck fifty anymore. It is going to cost you 5, 6, 10 bucks.

American people, when they are trying to get some groceries for the kids, they go to the checkout line, and they realize that maybe they put too many things in the grocery cart because everything got more and more expensive--Trump tariffs, this and that.

There is nothing happening to lower the costs for the American people, and what I hope my brothers and sisters across the country realize today is that if Republicans in the majority in the Senate want to do something and bring it to the floor, they do it. They are doing it right now, even though a bunch of Republicans are not in Washington, DC. We are on the floor talking about the SAVE Act.

I wish they had the same gumption to lower prices for the American people, to hold this President accountable. Bring that legislation to the floor.

And maybe one of my Republican colleagues will surprise me and offer a unanimous consent to pay the TSA agents. I am going to stick around for that one because I look forward to hearing that we are going to do that one here as well.

So just as a reminder, this legislation would also empower the Department of Homeland Security to get their hands not just on Social Security information and on IRS information, but now on voting information.

What my Republican colleagues want to do is give these out-of-control ICE agents--the same ones that killed two of our American citizens, our brothers and sisters in Minnesota; the same out-of-control agents that are busting American people's car windows open, busting into people's houses without a judicial warrant--those same folks, that is what this legislation will do, hand that nonsense over to them.

But, look, let's not forget that the Trump administration has shown that it is willing to lie and abuse its power. President Trump keeps joking over and over and over about a third term. And every time I bring it up, my Republican colleagues say: Oh, he is just joking. He doesn't really mean it.

Well, I wish that was true.

I am going to give some advice to my Republican colleagues, if they are willing to listen. Some of them are up for election this year.

I am reminded of stories that many of us maybe heard firsthand--I hope all of us have read--about a colleague that some of us served with as a Member of the House of Representatives. His name was John Lewis.

John, a civil rights giant, a civil rights hero, a man who stood arm in arm with strangers to stand for our rights, to make sure that--no matter who we were as American citizens, the way we spoke, the color of our skin, where we were from--we could vote; that no longer would the right to vote be taken away from us. He stood on that bridge in Selma, where thousands of Americans were bloodied and beaten and left for dead--that John Lewis.

The SAVE Act would undo the work of these civil rights activists and giants that fought for all of us.

Now, in our democracy, voting should be accessible for every eligible American, no matter who they support. But what congressional Republicans only want to happen is you can vote in America, but only if you vote for them.

So here is my advice: If Republicans want to win some more elections, they should stop taking food away from seniors, children, and veterans. That is something we should agree on. They should stop taking away tax credits that make healthcare more affordable for millions of Americans. I am not even going to remind you all of my fight 4 years ago when I survived a stroke, of how hard it is to get care and how expensive it is.

Maybe stop emboldening untrained ICE agents from smashing in Americans' car windows and illegally entering American citizens' homes to kidnap American citizens. That is probably good too.

And stop leaving behind our farmers and ranchers--enough with the bandaids. Let's work on some things together here. The farm bill is something that we could still do, and I hope we do it.

Stop allowing this President to keep raising prices on families with tariffs and illegal wars. That is something that a lot of my colleagues agree on. Some of them have voted to stop this stuff.

So to my Republican colleagues, if any of you are still wondering how I am going to vote on this bill, I will be voting no.

And to the American people, my Republican Senator colleagues should too.

Donald Trump doesn't get a third term. He does not get to choose who votes and who doesn't when they are American citizens. In America, people decide who is going to represent them.

Would the Senator yield?

Mr. President, I was unavailable for rollcall vote No. 21, on Motion to Invoke Cloture on the nomination of David Clay Fowlkes to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas. Had I been present, I would have voted nay.

I was unavailable for rollcall vote No. 22, on Motion to Invoke Cloture on David Clay Fowlkes to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas. Had I been present, I would have voted nay.

I was unavailable for rollcall vote No. 23, on Motion to Invoke Cloture on Nicholas Jon Ganjei, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. Had I been present, I would have voted nay.

I was unavailable for rollcall vote No. 24, on the confirmation on Nicholas Jon Ganjei, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. Had I been present, I would have voted nay.

I was unavailable for rollcall vote No. 25, on Motion to Invoke Cloture on Aaron Christian Peterson, to be United States District Judge for the District of Alaska. Had I been present, I would have voted nay.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I rise today to ask my colleagues to pass my Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025, which has the backing of the entire Democratic caucus--the Democratic Members of this Senate.

Now, we all know access to food is a human right. It is that simple. And we are all fortunate enough to live in the United States of America, a nation that is rich; it is abundant. A nation that is rich in agricultural tradition can be abundant in harvest.

Now, in a nation blessed with such abundance, allowing our fellow Americans to go hungry is, sadly, right now, a policy decision--I would argue a political decision, not a financial necessity.

Now, the Trump administration has yet again made the decision--made the choice--to allow our fellow Americans to go hungry. Now, let's be clear: The only way to ensure the SNAP benefits are issued by November 1 is for the Trump administration to release the billions of dollars it has sitting in an account in USDA that Congress appropriated, Democrats and Republicans working together to appropriate, to use for this purpose.

As a matter of fact, never in the history of the United States has SNAP been allowed to lapse like this. As a matter a fact, during President Trump's first term, Secretary Purdue, President Trump, they tapped the same fund to allow SNAP benefits to continue to roll.

Now, President Trump says that the use of SNAP contingency funds is illegal. Well, here is the document that was taken down from the USDA website that was up just days ago. He decided to take this down and now even the Speaker of the House is lying to the American people saying that it is not allowed.

President Trump found $40 billion in U.S. taxpayer dollars to send to his political allies in Argentina just last week. But when it comes to feeding our own--our own people here in the United States of America-- he refuses to act.

Back home in New Mexico, one in five people rely on SNAP. They aren't strangers. They are neighbors, coworkers, friends, children, people I go to church with. They are the folks we say hello to at the grocery store or at a Little League game.

President Trump's refusal to release SNAP funding doesn't just impact New Mexico. States like Louisiana, where Speaker Johnson is from, are facing the same crisis. Louisiana is third on the list of constituents that will be negatively impacted.

Now, I have been fortunate enough to visit several food banks across New Mexico and meet with community members who are working around the clock to make sure neighbors have something to eat.

To every one of our community members who have stepped up, I want to say thank you--not just across New Mexico but across America. I am proud to represent a community that takes care of each other when times are tough.

It shouldn't have to be this way.

Since the creation of SNAP, there has never been a lapse--there has never been a lapse in SNAP funding during a government shutdown. The Trump administration has the authority and the funds to keep SNAP running during this shutdown. Don't take my word for it. Look at the USDA's own guidance that they removed from their website that justifies this.

Any failure to do so right now falls squarely on the Trump administration and Republicans. We could vote on this today, on this bill or one that Senator Hawley has authored as well that has many Republican colleagues that are cosponsors, to prevent a hunger crisis.

This pain does not need to happen. President Trump is choosing to inflict pain on American families by holding meals hostage. That is why I am leading this legislation to ensure that no child, parent, or veteran misses a meal because of the Republican shutdown.

It also says that if States or Tribal governments are in a position right now to fund SNAP programs, that they do get reimbursed, unlike what President Trump has been threatening them--that they will not. We cannot stand by and let our neighbors go hungry.

So I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and I appreciate everyone that has reached out to my office to have a conversation about this piece of legislation. I hope we can work together and find a path forward.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together to pass this bill now and fund SNAP and fund WIC before this hunger crisis hits our communities.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to immediate consideration of S. 3071, introduced earlier today; that the bill be considered read three times and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I respect the majority leader, the Republican leader. I see some of his staff in the room as well, people that I have worked with. They know when I work with them and when others don't. But I understand the words that were being used today to spin an argument as to why there should be justification for 40 million people to go hungry.

You know, I get in trouble sometimes because I use language from the little farm that I still call home, but I have learned the rules of decorum on the Senate floor, so I won't use them today. But some of the lessons my father taught me early in my life, even after I was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, when he would leave a shovel by the front door when I would go home on the weekends, and he would leave my rubber boots there to make sure I put them on because we were going to go clean the barn.

We raised cattle. We raised sheep. We raised all kinds of animals. After those animals eat, they make something. Some of us use it to fertilize our land; some people call it manure. I won't refer to it as the language that I usually call it when I am not on the Senate floor.

I also thought it was important to tell people the truth and be honest with the American people. What the good leader left out when he was talking about the number of votes that Republicans voted on under a Democratic President, under a Democratic majority in the Senate and in the House, was that there was not a shutdown. We negotiated.

People came to me--as a matter of fact, a lot of my Democratic constituents told me: Democrats gave way too much to those Republicans when you were in the majority.

Well, when you have to negotiate, when you hold power, when you are in the majority, you meet people. You pull them in. You don't tell folks: You know where my office is.

You all have heard me talk about the late Governor Bruce King, cattle farmer out of New Mexico. He used to tell us: When people can't figure out what is going on, you lock them up in a barn, and you don't let them out until they figure out how to get along.

Well, we don't have a barn. Maybe they have an office around here to send some people. There is a White House. It is easy to get in--there is a big hole in it. Invite some people over there to sit down.

President Trump said not long ago that if there is a shutdown, it is up to the President to bring people together to prevent it, and if there is a shutdown, it does not bode well for the President of the United States of America. He is absolutely right.

It is not just a Democratic bill to fund SNAP that is on the floor today; there is a pending bill that has been introduced into the U.S. Senate that has 11 Republicans that are cosigners, including the Republican who authored it, a colleague out of Missouri. He doesn't want his folks to go hungry, and he said: Enough of this nonsense. Let's have a bill on the floor.

Give him a UC. If you don't want to give the Democratic bill a unanimous consent, give the Republican-authored bill a unanimous consent. I am a cosponsor of that one, too, because I am willing to work with folks. You all know that. You all know that.

Look, days before Americans start receiving notices that healthcare premiums are about to skyrocket, as the Trump administration moves to cut off SNAP benefits, this dysfunction is what the American people have come to expect from Republican majorities in the Congress and the White House.

I appreciate my colleague saying the blame is on our side of the aisle, but we are in the majority--oh, not yet. Maybe soon. We are in the minority.

With power comes responsibility. Republicans are in the majority in the Senate--fact. Republicans are in the majority in the House of Representatives--fact. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, is a Republican--fact. It cannot be refuted. They are in charge. The American people know that.

So just as a reminder, SNAP has never not been funded when there have been shutdowns in the past, including in President Donald Trump's first term. And even under President Trump's second term, he tapped a billion of the $6 billion to pay for staff to administer SNAP. They did it.

Now they want to take down policy from a website that says that they can justify doing this, showing the law. That is the nonsense. That is the garbage the American people are tired of--the political this, the political jostling, all of that.

We have got people that are going to go hungry. This has never happened before, you all. There is a better way to do that.

So, Mr. President, in response to the request from the majority leader--the Republican leader--on behalf of constituents from South Dakota, constituents from New Mexico that don't--do not, so that I am clear; sometimes people confuse my New Mexico accent--that do not want to see their health premiums double and triple and bankrupt them--and some people that can't afford to get insurance won't be as lucky as me, where I survived a stroke 3 years ago.

By the way, this is what a stroke survivor looks like, if you get access to a doctor. You don't have to worry about going bankrupt if you can't pay the bills. This is what you can look like. You can get better. And in America, we should strive for that.

So, again, on behalf of constituents from South Dakota that don't--do not--want to see health premiums double and triple, on behalf of my New Mexico constituents that do not want to see health premiums double or triple, I will not modify my request.

Will the Senator yield for a question?

First, I want to begin by thanking our friend, and I say ``our friend'' because he is more than my friend, Senator Merkley. We are friends from across our Nation's Capital and across America--some who are here, listening to you themselves, and others who, I am sure, are tuning in. Whether it is on social media or on C-SPAN or on one of the news outlets that is carrying the conversation that you are having on behalf of the American people, I want to say thank you. Thank you for your courage, for your conviction, and for your tireless leadership in speaking up today on behalf of all that is going on across America and around the world but especially what is impacting your constituents.

If I am not mistaken, Senator Merkley, it has been nearly 20 hours that you have been on the floor now, speaking to the American people.

Now, I like you. I am proud to be a U.S. Senator. I know, the way you speak about Oregon, I am always battling with you on whether it is New Mexico or it is Oregon. Which is more beautiful? I still believe it is New Mexico, but that is not my question today, Senator Merkley.

I am so proud to represent the people from New Mexico, and every day I am reminded that the work that we do here doesn't just impact our homes. The work that we do here touches every corner of the United States of America.

For the last 3 weeks of this Republican shutdown--and the reason I say that is that the American people know that the House of Representatives has a majority of Republicans; that the Speaker of the House is a Republican; that the majority in the U.S. Senate is controlled by Republicans; that the majority leader is a Republican; and that the President of the United States is a Republican.

Now, as I visit with constituents from across New Mexico--and last night, Senator Merkley, I had a townhall, a telephone townhall. We had thousands and thousands of New Mexicans who were on this call. They all told me that they were worried about what would happen if their health insurance premiums doubled, even tripled. Every news article I read this morning and those that I saw on television or on social media today had similar stories from constituents about concerns about maybe losing their healthcare.

Now, Senator, you know, as well as so many people across New Mexico and a few across America, that 3 years ago I survived a stroke. When someone has a heart attack or a stroke or some other chronic episode like that, you learn that time is not on your side. You are not thinking about how expensive those hospital bills may be. All you are hoping is that you can get to see a medical professional who might be able to save your life. By the grace of God, by the love of my family, Senator Merkley, I am here. I am alive today. I healed, and it is quite miraculous, but a big part of that was because I was fortunate enough to have health insurance. I was fortunate to get to a facility quickly enough. On the way there, a local paramedic and an EMT from Santa Fe County Fire Department helped to prepare me before I got to the emergency room. They helped to save my life.

Well, right now, across the country it is not just the concern of health insurance premiums doubling or tripling so that millions of people could lose coverage; under this thing called the Big Beautiful Bill, my Republican colleagues here said: Well, we are going to have the largest cut in Medicaid funding since the program has been created.

In addition to that, how about my Republican colleagues saying: Well, let's also go after food programs, and the largest cut to food programs across America were included in that bill.

The reason I bring up Medicaid is that, in New Mexico, we had a Republican Governor who actually embraced Medicaid expansion. So New Mexico was one of the States that had the most uninsured people per capita and became one of the most insured. Because of that expansion, people were able to get care and help.

As for those rural health clinics that also provide care to so many of our Medicaid beneficiaries in New Mexico, all of a sudden, when Federal Medicaid dollars go away, they might close.

So I am going to go back to my stroke.

Time is not on our side. If someone has to travel hours to try to get into a medical facility because the rural health clinics have closed that might be able to stabilize them in the way that that EMT and that paramedic did for me at the local fire department, they might not heal or, worse, they may not live.

Now I am going to get back to one of the conversations we are having right now: How can we work as Democrats and Republicans and work with the President to ensure that health insurance premiums will not double or triple for the American people?

One of my constituents told me, Senator Merkley, that it is almost like they are reaching into our pockets and just stealing money. What I mean by that is, in New Mexico, if these tax credits go away, it is going to cost people about $7,000 a year--7,000 bucks--for hard- working, middle-class families. That is taking from their pockets.

In addition to that, when they go to the grocery store--well, let me even back up a little. Remember when the President said, when he was running as a candidate, that, on day one, he would lower prices for the American people just like ``that''? Well, at the grocery store, things are getting more expensive. Everything seems to be getting more expensive. Well, that is taking money out of the pockets of the American people--our constituents--who are hard-working families just trying to get by, who are trying to leave better lives for their kids than they had for their own if they are blessed to have children.

Many are worried about how they will even put food on the table now that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is delayed or even this program called WIC. You know, there are acronyms all over our Nation's Capital. WIC is the program for Women, Infants, and Children.

How are we going to make decisions across the country to make sure that we are going to provide food for the most vulnerable in the richest Nation in the world? Everyone seems to be worried about that except for President Donald Trump.

The reason I say that, Senator, is, this week, all President Donald Trump seems to care about is breaking ground on this $250 million ballroom.

Some constituents have reached out to my office and have asked: Well, what does that mean?

I have told them: Well, the President allowed a bulldozer to go and knock down part of the White House so he could build a $250 million room to throw some parties in. That is essentially what is happening.

I mean, heck, in New Mexico, Senator, if someone is going to do some remodeling of their home, they have to go pull local permits and get permission and follow the rules and all the rest--not this guy. At a time when people are about to have their health insurance premiums double or triple and when food programs are getting taken away, this President says that his priority is to build a $250 million party room. That is a lot of money. That is more money than most people will see in their lives. I mean, heck, $1 million is one of those numbers.

In addition to that, President Trump decided to throw a picnic yesterday for some of my Senate Republican colleagues who wanted to be there. I was told that he gave away thousands of dollars of his own personal Trump swag. What is that--hats? signed bags? pens? I don't know what else was in there--watches? maybe a pair of his shoes? Instead of working to end this shutdown that they started, they decided to have a picnic.

It is my understanding that President Trump may even be leaving the country this weekend. He is leaving for a week as opposed to bringing people together?

I am reminded, Senator Merkley, that President Trump said not too long ago in an interview: If there is a shutdown, it is up to the President to bring people together to prevent the shutdown.

I think, in that same interview, the President said something along the lines of, if there is a shutdown, it is a bad mark on the President. It sounds to me like the President should be bringing people together.

Last night, one of my constituents from Albuquerque, NM, shared with me that she had been furloughed as a Federal employee. She told me she didn't know how she was going to pay this month's bills without a paycheck. She felt that President Trump was doing nothing to end the shutdown, and she didn't know how she could continue handling all the stress of not being paid. That is something else that we are not talking about here--all of the stress and mental health challenges that families are going through.

One of my constituents in Las Vegas, NM, has four children, a mortgage to pay, and his family lives paycheck to paycheck. He said, with all the stress and hurt that is being caused by the Republican shutdown, he doesn't know if people will be able to afford their healthcare if it is taken away.

This week, people across America are watching Donald Trump tear down the east side of the White House to make room for that $250 million ballroom.

There is a story that I just saw coming in, Senator Merkley, about President Trump and that it looks like he is trying to shake down the Department of Justice to get 230 million bucks for himself. And here is the kicker: The person who would actually have to sign off on giving President Trump $230 million in taxpayer money from the Department of Justice is a guy named Todd Blanche. Anyone who knows who this person is knows that Todd Blanche was Donald Trump's personal defense attorney. He didn't do so well because he got convicted, but he is the guy who would have to sign off.

So I will sum it up this way, Senator Merkley--and I have a question for you, sir. My colleague from Hawaii said it perfectly yesterday. Here is the quote:

There is enough money to bail out Argentina with $40

billion.

By the way, for people who don't know what that means, to all the cattle ranchers in America, President Donald Trump said he is going to bail out Argentina and buy $40 billion of their beef. What is that going to do to American cattle producers?

Now back to the quote:

There is enough money to bail out Argentina with $40

billion.

``There is enough money to buy Kristi Noem,'' who is the Secretary of Homeland Security, ``a $173 million [personal] jet,'' just to fly a little more comfortably.

There is enough money to renovate that ballroom for 250 million bucks, but there isn't enough money for you, the American people. It seems to me the priorities are clear.

So will the Senator yield for a question?

Senator Merkley, how are Americans supposed to trust an administration that seems to be so focused on giving things to themselves when Americans are worried they won't be able to afford basic necessities like food and health insurance?

I yield to the Senator.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we go to 10- minute votes.

Mr. President, I rise today for every American who is scared--scared about losing their health insurance, scared about making ends meet after the passage of the Republican budget betrayal.

This August, my Republican colleagues are going to have to return home, and they are going to have to face their constituents. Let's see how many of them have the courage to hold townhalls and actually have real conversations with their constituents and take real questions.

I hope my Republican colleagues are ready to explain why they gave the ultrawealthy a $250,000 tax break--you heard that right, a $250,000 tax break--while gutting Medicaid--a gut punch to people who depend on Medicaid to be able to get the care they need for themselves or for their kids, maybe some other loved ones; the same Medicaid which helps cover the births of nearly half of America's children.

I hope my Republican colleagues can answer how they can take from veterans, seniors, and children with disabilities just to hand more money to the top 0.1 percent. The top 0.1 percent--they are the wealthiest people in America. They are the ones who were rewarded with the taking of this money.

Meanwhile, Democrats have been listening to our constituents and hosting townhalls--even in Republican-led States--and fighting back against a law that does nothing for working families and everything for the ultrarich.

Senate Democrats are offering Republicans another chance to reverse the devastating cuts they just passed--cuts that will close rural hospitals and decimate Medicaid because Republicans have turned healthcare into a privilege reserved only for the most wealthy in the country.

That is not the way it has always been. Sixty years ago, Democrats and Republicans on this very floor came together to save seniors living in poverty and Americans who were suffering or dying prematurely because they didn't have health insurance and they couldn't see a doctor. This promise our government made to our Nation has saved millions from illness and undue financial burdens.

Senate Republicans broke that promise to the American people. Senate Democrats know that every American needs healthcare to survive.

Back home in New Mexico, families are learning what this law means for their daily lives. Some are already living their worst fears. They are checking their bank accounts. They are calling their doctors. They are trying to refill prescriptions while they still can.

Moms and dads of very sick kids are wondering how they are going to afford care when these cuts go through. One of those moms is Karisa from Las Vegas, NM. Her daughter Aurora was born with a chromosome 16 disorder. She had to have open-heart surgery. She spent her first year alive on oxygen.

Aurora is a fighter, but without Medicaid, Karisa could never have afforded the surgeries that saved Aurora's life. Because of Medicaid, Aurora isn't just surviving; she is thriving. She is going to birthday parties. She is playing on the playground and dancing to her favorite cartoons. That is what the fight is all about.

As Senators, we have the privilege to represent our constituents, but it comes with the responsibility to ensure that families like Karisa's can focus on healing instead of having to focus on the bills they can't afford.

Look, New Mexicans aren't looking for handouts. They work hard. They care for one another. I know it because I have lived it. When I was a kid, we moved in with my grandparents, Celedon and Nestora Lujan. I didn't understand it then, but I understand it now. We lived together because we had to. Now, don't take that wrong--we were also blessed to. It is how families get by in New Mexico.

Medicaid is not a handout; it is a lifeline. Medicaid is American dignity--the dignity of parents focused on caring for their children, not having to argue with an insurance company; the dignity of a senior not having to choose between medicine and groceries.

Earlier this month, Senate Republicans all voted to gut Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

I mean, heck, some Senate Republicans are now even introducing legislation to roll back the very Medicaid cuts that they voted for on this floor just 3 weeks ago, trying to cover their tracks.

By the way, these same Senate Republicans all said on this Senate floor in one way or another that they promised they were not going to cut Medicaid. Well, I am tired of saying ``Well, it is not completely true'' or ``Oh, well, they misspoke.'' No. They lied. And growing up, my father told me that the coverup is worse than the lie. I hope when they go home, they have the courage to face their constituents.

So, Democrats, we are all standing here today to do what is right. Our bill will restore the Affordable Care Act's premium tax credits, which will bring down costs. It will reverse Republican cuts to Medicaid, remove redtape, and prevent the closures of rural hospitals-- something I think we all agree on.

So I urge my Republican colleagues, vote for your constituents, vote to save our rural hospitals, and vote to restore dignity to every American.

Let's work together and reverse the damage of the Republican budget betrayal.

I yield the floor.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I ask that further reading be dispensed with.

Mr. President, my motion is simple: Public broadcasting infrastructure funding should not be rescinded if it limits access to emergency alert systems and lifesaving weather updates.

Just last week, devastating floods across New Mexico claimed the lives of three people, including two children. Local radio was on the air issuing real-time warnings and helping people get to safety.

Despite these horrible tragedies in New Mexico, Texas, and the Northeast, my Republican colleagues are prepared to gut public broadcasting funding.

Public radio stations and local media are lifelines, especially in rural and Tribal communities. They don't just play music or share stories; they deliver emergency alerts and evacuation notices and lifesaving updates when disaster strikes.

It is not just weather. These systems broadcast AMBER Alerts when children go missing--alerts where every second counts. Delays costs lives.

Whether it is a flood, a fire, or a missing child, communities rely on these alerts to stay safe. Without funding and infrastructure, stations will collapse.

One New Mexico broadcaster put it plainly.

Mr. President, if you give me a little more time, I will offer a voice vote.

Mr. President, a New Mexico broadcaster put it plainly:

Without sustained Federal investment, Tribal stations will

be devastated and likely forced off. . . .

I urge my colleagues to vote yea, and I ask for a voice vote.

Vote on Motion to Recommit

Mr. President, I want to thank my friend from Illinois Senator Durbin for his leadership and commitment to saving public broadcasting and educational programming for Americans all across our beautiful country.

Now, unfortunately, just yesterday in New Mexico, the Rio Ruidoso rose to nearly 20 feet in a matter of minutes amid heavy rainfall, sweeping away homes, debris, and people. The flooding claimed the lives of three people already, including two children. Rescue missions are currently underway. The same area was also ravaged by a wildfire just last year. Our first responders are working around the clock to protect their neighbors and ensure help arrives when every second counts.

Now, if it weren't for the strict rules in the U.S. Senate on the floor, I would be playing audio right now--audio from the mayor of Ruidoso, Mayor Crawford, who was speaking to his constituents on KRUI's ``The Mountain'' radio program.

Now, Mayor Crawford told his residents:

We did have over 30 swift water rescues . . . have some

folks taken to the hospital.

We have been up and down trails looking at the homes that

have been torn up there . . . these people have been in these

homes for 70-plus years.

We're issuing alerts and warnings to get to higher ground.

These are the alerts that communities in Ruidoso and other parts of the country need when disaster strikes. They save lives.

Many of us in this Chamber have witnessed the devastation caused by natural disasters in our own States, in our own communities. Now, tonight, I am praying for all those families across Texas, for a safe return of those who are missing and for those who lost loved ones.

New Mexico is far too familiar with devastation and destruction that comes from fires and flooding and other natural disasters. Three years ago, we experienced one of the worst fires in our State's history, with the Hermit's Peak and Calf Canyon fire. A critical part of that response was our local radio stations and public broadcasters disseminating information in realtime about evacuations, shelter information, food drives, and State and Federal resources.

As a matter of fact, at a time when mobile phones weren't working-- most communications were down--it was only these local radio stations, which were also benefiting from the transmitters from public broadcasting, that were able to communicate with so many constituents. These communications are now under attack by congressional Republicans and the White House.

Senate Democrats are sounding the alarm and leading the charge to stop this dangerous rescission package before it harms families, communities, and the public broadcasting that they all rely on. From the moment we wake up to the time we turn in at night, New Mexicans rely on radio and public broadcasting to stay safe during natural disasters and to connect with trusted news, educational programming, and our favorite New Mexico musicians--sometimes even a basketball game or two.

Now, over the past several weeks, I have received texts, calls, and people coming to my office pleading with us in the U.S. Senate to save public radio and public broadcasting. New Mexicans who work at radio stations are calling in to say that they are worried about

losing their jobs. From every corner of our State, New Mexicans are speaking out with one clear message: Do not mess with public broadcasting.

Radio is one of the most dependable ways to get information out when disaster strikes a community. I have witnessed this firsthand. That is why the Federal Government must do everything it can to support families in crisis and ensure that they have the resources and information they need to stay safe. Stripping $1.1 billion from public broadcasting puts millions of lives at risk, including first responders and families who depend on emergency radio systems and public broadcasts to stay informed and stay safe.

Now, I heard from a broadcaster in New Mexico this week who said:

We are literally saving lives and finding ways to save

more. Please do everything you can to stop this rescission.

Now, the White House and congressional Republicans are making decisions that will leave New Mexicans in the dark.

A teacher in Albuquerque shared with me that she relies on public broadcasting in her classroom every day. Parents have shared that they use public media to teach their children about New Mexican culture, history, and tradition.

These stations are central to community life. They provide unbiased news, local reporting, and educational programming that connects people to each other and to the world.

Yet Republicans are trying to eliminate public broadcasting to strip communities of trusted information. If this Republican rescission package goes through, it will only divide us further: fewer voices, fewer facts, fewer connections.

Americans are pleading not to be left in the dark. I urge my colleagues to listen to them and to vote against this reckless cut to public broadcasting.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I have a motion to commit at the desk.

Mr. President, recently, a Republican colleague said regarding this bill's SNAP cuts:

If we don't watch out, people are going to get hurt.

He is right--people are going to get hurt.

For the past 50 years, the United States of America has maintained a bipartisan promise to feed our children, our veterans, our seniors, and our working families. This bill betrays that promise. It cuts more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and SNAP--cuts that will harm all of our constituents.

With this motion, I am offering my colleagues the opportunity to step away from these devastating cuts, to show our fellow Americans that in this country we care for our friends, families, and neighbors who need support.

I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle can agree that this is a promise worth keeping.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following motions to commit for the bill H.R. 1 be placed in the Congressional Record:

1. Motion to commit to the Committee on Agriculture,

Nutrition, and Forestry with instructions to strike all

provisions relating to the supplemental nutrition assistance

program.

2. Motion to commit the bill to the Committee on

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry to prohibit the Forest

Service from terminating any USFS employees who are certified

to fight wildfire unless the employee violated Forest Service

policy.

3. Motion to commit the bill to the committee on Judiciary

to provide increased resources for the COPS Hiring Program.

4. Motion to Commit drafted to the Finance Committee to

provide greater incentives for US-based manufacturers that

develop and manufacture their products in the United States.

5. Motion to commit to the Finance Committee that ensures

Medicaid is accessible, including to pregnant women and

children, including by not providing monies or incentives for

imposing barriers that reduce necessary access to health care

6. Motion to commit providing more Medicaid resources for

people with substance use disorder and other behavioral

health conditions

7. Motion to Commit to the Finance Committee to increase

the standard deduction for individuals making $200k and

married/joint filers at $400K

8. Motion to commit the bill to the Committee on Homeland

Security and Government Affairs to prohibit the use of any

funds made available in the bill to eliminate or reduce

resources at FEMA.

9. A motion to commit the bill to the Committee on Homeland

Security and Government Affairs to prohibit the use of any

funds made available in the bill to decrease access to the

Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

10. Motion to commit the bill to the Committee on Homeland

Security and Government Affairs to prohibit the use of any

funds made available in the bill to activities that would

limit access to firefighter grants

11. Motion to commit the bill to Energy and Natural

Resources to ensure that the title prevents the sale of oil

and gas from

public lands to Foreign Entities of Concern (China, Russia,

Iran, North Korea).

12. Motion to commit the bill to Energy and Natural

Resources to ensure that they prohibit the sale of leases for

oil and gas on public lands to any company that has an

existing and unused lease.

13. Motion to commit the bill to Energy and Natural

Resources to ensure that any public land sales are not used

for homes above $500k or secondary/vacation homes.

14. A motion to commit the bill to the Committee on Armed

Services to prohibit the use of any funds made available

under title II of the bill to upgrade a plane gifted by the

government of Qatar for use by the United States Government

in the Air Force One fleet.

15. Motion to commit the bill to the Commerce Committee to

ensure that Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment funding

is used to connect every home, business, library, and school

to high-speed, reliable, and affordable broadband before that

funding can be used for artificial intelligence

infrastructure

16. Motion to commit the bill to the Senate Committee on

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry with changes that would

provide permanent, mandatory investments in the Foundation

for Food and Agriculture Research, which uses Federal funding

to leverage private funding in support of cutting-edge

agriculture research.

17. Motion to commit the bill to the Senate Committee on

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry with changes that would

make strong investments in specialty crop farmers, including

improved risk management options, protections against

invasive pests and diseases, increased funding for the

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, and investments in

research, including mechanization and automation research.

18. Motion to commit the bill to the Senate Committee on

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry with changes that would

prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from using any funding

to create a system of personally identifying information of

supplemental nutrition assistance program household

information, as described in the notice published by the

Department of Agriculture entitled ``Privacy Act of 1974;

System of Records'' (90 Fed. Reg. 26521 (June 23, 2025)).