Floor Statements

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I also ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum call with respect to the Martin nomination.

Mr. President, the American people deserve to have more money in their own pockets. The Working Families Tax Cut law made that happen. Republicans stopped the largest single tax increase in American history. That is what the Democrats wanted.

Americans already filed their taxes this year, and working families are keeping more of what they earned, and the data proves it.

More than 7\1/2\ million Americans benefited from the no-tax-on-tips policy that we put into place right here on this Senate floor. So today, there are waiters, barbers, bartenders, tour guides--all were able to claim deductions--and it averaged over $7,100 in deductions-- because of no tax on tips. More than 29 million Americans benefited from no tax on overtime. These are firefighters, police officers, and nurses. They are linemen and coal miners in Wyoming. They claimed an average deduction of over $3,000--all as a result of the law the Republicans have passed. Money that once went to bureaucrats in Washington, DC, now stays in the pockets of hard-working Americans, and that is where it belongs.

Had Democrats gotten their way, taxes would have gone up by a lot. Every Democrat in this Chamber voted to continue taxing tip income, overtime income. They just wanted to get a hand on people's money. Every Democrat voted to raise taxes by $4 trillion. Well, because Republicans were in the majority in the Senate and in the House, we were able to stop this Democrat price increase and tax increase.

Now what we see is that extremist Democrats in Governor mansions across the country and State legislatures are trying to undermine the Working Families Tax Cut law, and they are doing it in city halls and in State capitals.

In Washington, DC--right here--the city council tried to force hard- working Americans to pay taxes to the city. They can't force them to pay it to the Federal Government; hey, the city wants the money on tips and on overtime. The city council of Washington, DC, refused to allow the hard-working waiters, bartenders, police officers, and firefighters to keep that hard-earned money. They didn't have to pay it on Federal taxes, but local taxes in DC--the DC city council said: Give it to us. This is the city that is soon going to get a socialist mayor, just like they have in New York City right now.

Right now, in 21 different States, we have far-left Governors refusing to allow the tax cuts that we passed to be passed down to the State level. So Democrats in California, in New York, in Minnesota, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Virginia continue to take away people's tip money and overtime money so they can spend it locally. That is the States and the cities, not the people, the individuals.

So just like Democrats here in Congress, the leaders in Democrat States around the country want to raise taxes, not cut them. They believe they can spend your money better than you can. They believe they make better decisions than you do. They decide, and you end up as a loser if you are living in one of those liberal States.

Well, we know why Democrats refuse to loosen the grip on your tax dollars. Democrats want to take more money out of your pocket to give free healthcare to illegal immigrants. And that is what we see in so many of these States with sanctuary cities, sanctuary States--free healthcare. And it is not free. People pay for it. It is taxpayers. It is people going to work every day and having their tax dollars taken to pay for healthcare for illegal immigrants. That seems to be part of the manifesto that the extremists in the Democrat Party are trying to slam down the throats of American taxpayers.

We know these extremists are winning Democrat primaries all across the country. Their manifesto includes mass amnesty, open borders, and elimination of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the country. That is what they are demanding, and it is not for the benefit of the American people. That is the agenda of the radical left.

In far-left States, from California to Minnesota, we have seen their policies in action. Working families are overtaxed, and fraud is out of control.

Now Democrats are going to make life less affordable. That is what we see. That is their model. Take it to the

government; they know better than we do as taxpayers. That is not what the American people want.

Here is what Republicans are doing: We are protecting taxpayers. We are putting more money back in their pockets so they can decide how to spend it, how to save it, and what to invest in. We are fighting the fraud. And that is what I hear about so much in Wyoming--the fraud in Democrat States that Democrats ignore, that Democrats enable. It is awful fraud. You look at it and say: How can this continue?

Just this week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that we stopped nearly $100 million in taxpayer money from going to dead people--going to dead people.

Just yesterday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services stopped more than $1 billion in Medicaid funding from going to California and Minnesota. Why? Because of fraud and failure to comply with the regulations to make sure that the money is actually not wasted, that the money is spent as it is supposed to be--taking care of people who need those services, and there are people who need those services. Every time a fraudster takes $1 or $100 or $1,000 or $1 million, that is services that don't go to people that need them, desperately need them.

Here in the Senate, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa is a leader in the war on fraud. When it comes to exposing that fraud, Senator Ernst is both a watchdog and an attack dog. She has proposed a comprehensive anti-fraud piece of legislation. Her bill cracks down on fraud. It claws back stolen money. It prosecutes the crooks and the criminals and the scammers who prey upon the taxpayers. I support what Senator Ernst is doing. I am a cosponsor. Her anti-fraud legislation would save taxpayers $240 billion. That is what kind of fraud is out there.

Senator Schumer recently said on this very floor that Democrats want to fight corruption. It is time for Democrats to prove it.

Republicans are cutting taxes. We are stopping fraud. Democrats, on the other hand, are voting to raise taxes and, up until now, have been protecting the fraud.

I yield the floor.

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. McConnell), the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski), and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis).

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. McConnell), the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski), and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis).

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. McConnell) and the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski).

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. McConnell) and the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski).

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. McConnell) and the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski).

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

Mr. President, the American people deserve a government that is fully funded.

Last week, the minority leader claimed on this floor that he wants to fund the government and avoid a shutdown. It is time for him to prove it. His record shows just the opposite.

The appropriations bills have historically passed with bipartisan votes. Yet when Senator Schumer was majority leader during the Biden years, he blocked every single appropriations bill from coming to this floor. Eleven bipartisan appropriations bills that passed out of the committees died in that wastebasket there under the desk of Senator Schumer. When Democrats were in the majority, they literally shut down the entire appropriations process.

After the Democrats lost the elections in 2024, they revolted, and they shut down the government twice. The two Schumer shutdowns broke records. First, in October 2025, Democrats shut down the entire Federal Government. It lasted 43 days--the longest shutdown in the history of our Nation.

During the shutdown, Senator Schumer infamously said:

Every day gets better for us.

Every day didn't get better for the American people all across the country. Federal workers missed paychecks, and there was a huge shutdown of TSA. People missed flights. There were long lines waiting to get to the airports and to get to the flights. Screening lines lasted hours and hours.

Then, in February of this year, Democrats did it again. They shut down the Department of Homeland Security, and that shutdown lasted 75 days.

The shutdown of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol lasted even longer. Democrats voted to defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and they voted to defund our Border Patrol. They want wide-open borders.

Democrats vote to protect illegal immigrant criminals but don't seem to care about protecting law-abiding American citizens. Democrats have proven their own willingness to disrupt travel, to delay paychecks, and to endanger our national security, and they will do it when they think it is to their political advantage, not to the advantage of the people of our country.

Senator Schumer may have said on the floor that he wants to avoid a shutdown, but his actions signal that Democrats are getting ready to do it again.

Just last month, Senator Schumer said shutdowns are, in his words, ``strategic decisions''--``strategic decisions.'' Democrats have already shut down the government twice. A third shutdown would be just as painful for the American people and maybe worse. Democrat shutdowns make life less affordable, and they make our communities less safe. The American people deserve better.

Senator Susan Collins, who is the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is working very hard to fix what Senator Schumer has broken. She is working to put bipartisan bills on this floor and is working to keep the government open. This is how the appropriations process was designed to work.

House Republicans are soon going to vote on a bill that funds the government until after the elections in November.

Here in the Senate, Senator Collins continues to lead with integrity and with intelligence and by working in bipartisanship. She has a long and respected record of working on both sides of the aisle. She has presented good-faith offers to Democrats. Democrats continue to reject them. They demand more spending on things like these fraud-ridden programs that we have read about. They are threatening to stonewall every single appropriations bill again this year.

Democrats are trying to avoid a shutdown--so they say. But they are not trying to avoid a shutdown; they are preparing for another one.

Here is what another Democrat shutdown would mean to the American people: A Democrat shutdown means longer lines at the airport. A Democrat shutdown means our troops miss paychecks. A Democrat shutdown mean TSA agents miss paychecks. A Democrat shutdown undermines national security. A Democrat shutdown hurts our veterans, and it hurts our seniors.

Senator Schumer says he wants to avoid one. Well, time is going to tell.

Republicans are focused on funding the government in a serious, timely, and bipartisan way. That is what we are intending to do. We will see if the Democrats are willing to meet us along the way.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Cramer) and the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. McConnell).

Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Riley for her hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming.

Riley is a native of Big Sky, MT. She is attending law school at the Charleston School of Law in South Carolina, where she is entering her final year. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made her an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of her work is reflected in her great efforts over the last several months.

I want to thank Riley for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have her as part of our team. I know she will have continued success with all of her future endeavors. I wish her all my best on her journey.

Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Lily for her hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming.

Lily is a native of Kaycee, WY. Lily is currently enrolled at the University of Wyoming, where she is pursuing a bachelor's degree in political science and agricultural communications. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made her an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of her work is reflected in her great efforts over the last several months.

I want to thank Lily for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have her as part of our team. I know she will have continued success with all of her future endeavors. I wish her all my best on her journey.

Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Wyatt for his hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming.

Wyatt is from Pinedale, WY. Wyatt is currently enrolled at Vanderbilt University, where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in economics and minoring in business. He has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made him an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of his work is reflected in his great efforts over the last several months.

I want to thank Wyatt for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have him as part of our team. I know he will have continued success with all of his future endeavors. I wish him all my best on his journey.

Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Sam for his hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming.

Sam was born in Washington, DC, and now lives in McLean, VA. Sam is currently enrolled at Washington and Lee University, where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in European and American history, global politics, and business administration. He has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made him an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of his work is reflected in his great efforts over the last several months.

I want to thank Sam for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have him as part of our team. I know he will have continued success with all of his future endeavors. I wish him all my best on his journey.