Legislative Session
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. Mr. President, I come to the floor today on a day that we celebrate the Constitution, the U.S. Constitution. It is interesting. I met with a…
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
Mr. President, I come to the floor today on a day that we celebrate the Constitution, the U.S. Constitution. It is interesting. I met with a 12-year-old visitor to the Capitol here today. His name is George Barozzini. He said, ``You know today is Constitution Day.''
Well, he is absolutely right, and it is delightful to know that a 12- year-old would know that. We have the pages here. They are well aware of that because this is the anniversary of the day, 237 years ago, when 39 noble patriots, representing 12 of the Thirteen Original Colonies, signed the Constitution.
In four short, handwritten pages, the structure of our government was laid out. The Constitution was a work of courageous men, men who fought and bled and sacrificed for the sake of the United States, the sake of our freedom, the sake of our liberty. Their daring produced a document that is truly unique in human history.
Now, I have my own copy of the Constitution right here. It begins with three simple words: ``We the People.'' To the delegates of the Constitutional Convention, America was not a fuzzy idea; it was one people and one land, united for one purpose. And the purpose, of course, was to secure the blessings and liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
In Federalist No. 2, John Jay, one of the authors of the Federalist Papers, he cataloged what unites us as a nation. It is our shared heritage, our shared language, and our shared belief in the same God. It is our shared principles of government, our common culture, one nation's shared sacrifice in the Revolutionary War. On this basis, our Constitution has endured for more than two centuries. It remains the fountain of American glory, American greatness, and American self- government.
Today, President Trump and Republicans are fighting to uphold the Constitution and unite the American people. We are confirming judges who follow the Constitution, judges who apply the law, who don't try to legislate from the bench. We are restoring power to the people and the States. We are removing power from unelected bureaucrats in Washington, DC. Under President Trump and Republicans, the Constitution is respected once again.
By contrast, the left doesn't really value the Constitution, let alone will they be celebrating it today. That is why the American people have never been more worried or more alarmed by the direction of today's Democrat Party. It is true. Democrats have launched a full frontal assault on the core principles of America. They are ignoring our laws, they are violating our sacred values, and they seem to be trying to destroy our way of life.
Democrats have now come out with an extreme manifesto. Their manifesto dismantles the Constitution.
It diminishes our American spirit. It betrays Americans' trust. The lead three articles of the Constitution compose our system of government, three branches of government, and Democrats today are attacking all three of those branches simultaneously.
Additionally, a number of their nominees are attacking the Bill of Rights. They are after the whole thing. The Democrat nominee in Michigan wants to take away our guns, our Second Amendment rights.
The Democrat manifesto calls for abolishing the U.S. Senate--get rid of the whole thing. Well, the Constitution guarantees equal representation of the States in the Senate regardless of the population of the State, and that includes my home State of Wyoming and your home State of Montana.
Senator Booker, the Democrat from New Jersey, said recently in an interview that this article I pillar of the Constitution--he described it as ``problematic.'' Apparently, we are problematic.
No, Senator Booker. What is truly problematic is that thousands of illegal immigrants were registered to vote in your State of New Jersey. That is problematic.
Additionally, the Democrat manifesto calls for getting rid of the Presidency as we know it. Under the Democrat manifesto, Congress would elect the President--and that is a Congress without a Senate.
Additionally, the Democrat manifesto calls for abolishing the Supreme Court--a Supreme Court as appointed by the President and confirmed by this body, the Senate.
What the Democrats are proposing is radical, it is extreme, it is dangerous, it is scary, and they are standing by it.
The simple truth is people who want to tear up our Constitution cannot be trusted to build up our country. They can't be trusted to keep our Nation safe. They can't be trusted to keep our Nation secure.
Republicans are going to continue to defend America's history, our American values, and our American greatness.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran).