Floor Statements

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton).

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton).

The following Senators are necessarly absent: the Senator from Alabama (Mrs. Britt), the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd), the Senator from Nebraska (Mrs. Fischer), the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Justice), the Senator from Louisiana (Mr. Kennedy), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran), the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Paul), the Senator from Idaho (Mr. Risch), the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Sullivan), and the Senator from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker).

Further, if present and voting: the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd) would have voted ``yea.''

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, when Americans turn on their TV sets and see what is happening on the streets of Los Angeles, I believe the American people feel sickened, horrified, and outraged. Yet we stood here and saw the minority leader of the U.S. Senate come to this floor this morning and he said that these were overwhelmingly peaceful. Nancy Pelosi yesterday said they were just moments of exuberance. Do they not see the news? Do they not watch the news?

Let's look at the New York Times front-page story. This is a burning police car. These are people on an overhead looking down on it. The headline is ``Protesters burned a Highway Patrol vehicle . . . in Los Angeles.''

Peaceful protests? Absolutely not. These are riots. They threaten the public safety, and my Democrat colleagues call them peaceful.

I have been saying for the last 4 years the Democrats are wrong on this, that, and the next thing, and this is something that the American people absolutely understand: The Democrats are wrong. These are not peaceful. These are attacks upon the law enforcement community of our Nation, and Republicans will not stand by as the violence rages in our country's second largest city.

The California Governor and Los Angeles mayor--call them out: Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass--are unable and unwilling to restore the law. They refuse. They have coddled the criminals from day one, and many of these criminals are illegal immigrants. But who do Democrats stand by again and again and again? They stand by the guy on the roof of the burning car waving a Mexican flag instead of standing with law-abiding citizens who just want to live a life with safety. That is what the American people want--safety, prosperity. It is not what the Democrats are standing for, no.

Americans are seeing local police officers as well as members of Immigrations and Custom Enforcement being brutally attacked with rocks, with bricks, with bottles, with concrete. Additionally, looters are using the unrest to break into local businesses.

Oh, yeah, the police are occupied. Let's break into local businesses, including gas stations, the Apple store, jewelry stores. Let's go where the money is.

The mayor of L.A. thinks it is fine, mostly peaceful. The Governor-- same thing. The minority leader of the U.S. Senate this morning: ``mostly peaceful.'' That is not what the people are seeing when they turn on their TVs or turn to the front page of the New York Times.

So this rioting in Los Angeles is because President Trump has rightfully deported violent, illegal immigrant criminals. The L.A. Times, the local newspaper in the area, reported this week: ``L.A. officials struggle to curb `disgusting' vandalism.''

This is the L.A. Times. This is the New York Times. What are the Democrats not seeing that the rest of America is seeing? Theft, fire, violence in

downtown L.A. The Los Angeles chief of police admitted his officers were overwhelmed. I guess he must be wrong and the Governor must be right, there in the Governor's mansion. How liberal can you get? Radically liberal. Dangerously liberal. It is scary how liberal they are. The police chief says violence has gotten out of control. Well, he is right.

President Trump is right to bring in the National Guard. This is not to escalate; this is to end the destruction, the devastation that is happening in that community, to provide safety for citizens. They are there because Gavin Newsom, the Governor, and Mayor Karen Bass refuse to restore order. That is why they are there.

Here you have it. The official stance of today's radical Democratic Party is to side with the illegal immigrants, the rioters, not the law- abiding American citizens.

Let's talk about who the Democrats are protecting: murders, rapists, child abusers, drug dealers, gang members--the worst of the worst. That is who the Democrats are standing with day after day after day.

Let me tell you about a few of these criminals. ICE officers arrested this past weekend a number of criminals in L.A.--an illegal immigrant of Vietnam who is convicted of murder; an illegal immigrant from Ecuador who is convicted of drug trafficking--welcomed in, of course, by the Biden administration and all the Democrats, who love these guys; an illegal immigrant from Honduras who was arrested for dealing drugs; an illegal immigrant from Mexico who was convicted of manslaughter-- that is who has come into the country and was arrested this weekend in L.A.; an illegal immigrant from Mexico convicted of molesting a child; an illegal immigrant from the Philippines convicted of rape. This is the list that the Democrats are vowing to protect. It is shameful.

President Trump has taken all of these criminals off the streets. President Trump and Republicans are committed to public safety, committed to enforcing the law. It is the most important thing we do, and it is actually a pretty popular thing in this country today, and the polls prove it.

Just this weekend, CBS started their show ``Face the Nation'' showing Americans feel safer today under President Trump's immigration policies--not by a slim margin, not by a few points--by 12 points. They feel safe by double digits because of what President Trump is doing. A strong majority of Americans are happy with President Trump's deportation policies and the way he is carrying them out.

This poll was before the riots began in L.A., so let's take a look at what has happened since, because support for President Trump's policies has gotten even stronger since the riots began and the inaction by the mayor and the Governor of California, their refusal to take action. Just yesterday, an Insider Advantage poll found that a majority of Americans approve of President Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard amid the riots in L.A., and it is by 20 points. This is a rock- solid call for law and order in America.

Look, Americans want safety, and they want security. American families deserve safe communities. For too many, like those in L.A., that safety feels out of reach--safety for their families--a kid playing out in the yard, going to school--safety in their communities, and safety at local businesses.

Well, Republicans have a bold solution to change what is happening in these communities overrun by illegal immigrants, which has made every State a border State, and it starts with securing our borders and deporting illegal immigrant criminals.

We have to pass this as quickly as possible. The American people are demanding it. Our budget bill we are working on invests $175 billion to stop the flood of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs into our communities. It hires 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. It hires 3,000 new Border Patrol agents. It provides bonuses to recruit, retain, and reward our brave ICE and Border Patrol agents. Our bill finishes the wall. All of these will deter illegal immigrants.

Our bill surges new technology to the border. This is going to cut off the pipeline of illegal drugs and criminals before they even reach our communities. Our bill vastly expands our detention capacity. This will allow us to swiftly deport illegal criminals who threaten our safety.

Republicans aren't stopping there. No, they are not. Our bill stops liberal States such as California from continuing to pay for healthcare with taxpayer dollars for 1.4 million illegal immigrants. These are illegal immigrants who are receiving Medicaid benefits. We need to stop paying for them to strengthen the Medicaid Program for those who need it, those who deserve it, those it was designed for.

This bill is about delivering safe communities and a safe country for every American, and safe communities start with secure borders. Safer communities means families can live free from the constant fear of crime and from crime. Children can play in the streets, college students can go on runs on their campuses, and neighbors can open small businesses. Everyone can build a brighter future. This is a future worth fighting for, and Republicans have commonsense plans to make it a reality.

So what have the Democrats done? They have come to the floor of the Senate and said: We are going to fight you all the way. They have vowed to fight us every step along the way as we try to provide a safer and prosperous America. Every one of them still supports open borders.

The minority leader talks about this like, hey, things are fine; this is all peaceful. They have been singing that song for the last 4 years. What we have seen with the southern border of this country and the flood of illegal immigrants has absolutely been a disaster. With every State a border State, Democrats have learned nothing. They continue to be the party of crime and criminals.

Republicans are focused on results, Mr. President, because we know that Americans want safe cities, not sanctuary cities. That is what the people voted for, that is what they demand, and that is what we are going to continue to deliver. We are not going to stop fighting at all because we are going to continue to fight to make America safer.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

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

Mr. President, I just heard the minority leader of the U.S. Senate come here to the floor to talk about energy--the cost of energy, the impact of what we are doing here legislatively with regard to energy. The minority leader's comments, I would say, were laughable, but if I had to describe them in one word, that word would be ``rubbish,'' and let me explain why. It is because this week, Senate Republicans are going to continue to point out the benefits of our comprehensive economic plan, and Americans are going to be able to see for themselves how our growth agenda delivers for them what they want, what they need, what they voted for. And they voted for safety and prosperity.

This is a 180-degree turn from the past 4 years of high prices and open borders. The Biden administration caused the worst economic disaster in our Nation since the 1970s. Democrats went on a tax-and- spend binge, and they piled job-killing regulations on the economy to the tune of over $1.8 trillion. The reckless spending and the regulatory rampage fueled the worst inflation in 40 years.

So I hear him talk about energy. Prices were up across the board by 21 percent from the day Joe Biden came into office until the day he left. Energy bills climbed 31 percent as a result of the Democrat policies.

Families saw their savings evaporate, families saw their credit card debt skyrocket, and families struggled to keep up. Young families were locked out of homeownership because mortgage rates continued to climb.

Over 10 million illegal immigrants flooded into our Nation. Millions of these illegal immigrants were given free food, free housing, free phones, free travel, and free healthcare.

The American people have had enough, and they spoke up about it, and they elected Republicans to clean up the mess. We are delivering, and under Republican leadership, America is getting back on track.

Inflation is down. Grocery prices are down. Gas prices are down. Wages are up. Jobs are coming back. And consumer confidence is rising.

For the first time in the history of polling, a majority of Americans say our country is headed in the right direction. That is in the history of polling. That is what the American public is saying because the state of our economy is strong.

Friday's job numbers just showed more new jobs were created last month than they even expected--than the experts expected. Republicans' comprehensive plan is going to make it even stronger.

Our plan cuts taxes. It targets waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption. Our plan unleashes American energy, which will continue to bring down prices.

At the heart of our plan, of course, is tax relief. Republicans are going to stop a crushing $4 trillion tax increase. This is a tax increase that every Democrat wants and has promised to vote for. That would be the biggest tax increase in American history.

Additionally, we are going to eliminate taxes on tips, on overtime, and on Social Security. Now, that is going to be a pay raise for hard- working Americans and for seniors.

The Republican plan puts more money in Americans' wallets, pockets, and purses. Families will have more money for gas, for groceries, and for emergencies. Families will have more money to pay the rent, to pay a mortgage, and to save for their kids' education.

Remember, it was Democrats who vowed to vote for a $4 trillion tax increase. They actually said they are going to fight with everything they have to stop us from passing our bill. Our bill prevents that tax increase. How can they look at waiters, seniors, bartenders, police officers, and firefighters and admit that they voted to raise the taxes on all these hard-working Americans?

And let's not forget why Democrats want to raise taxes. They want to pay for healthcare for illegal immigrants. That is what they have been doing. Over a million illegal immigrants have had healthcare paid for because of what the Democrats have been doing.

Oh, and they want to subsidize electric vehicles that most people don't want, don't need, and can't afford.

The question is simple: Are you for stopping a $4 trillion tax increase that will hit every working family in America--for the average middle-income family, $3,000 of increased taxes--or are you not for stopping that and letting it go through?

While Republicans are standing with Americans families, Democrats are opposing them.

But, specifically, on what the minority leader addressed this morning, which was affordable energy, let's talk about that, because Americans want, need, and voted for affordable American energy, and Americans are starting to feel that relief.

Now, the Republicans are in the House, the Senate, and the White House. This Memorial Day, just a week or so ago, gas prices were 50 cents a gallon lower than they were a year ago. You know, you go fill up a vehicle in Wyoming, and you are going to save about 10 bucks.

Why? Why is it better? Because Joe Biden's war on American energy is over.

I will never forget when Joe Biden told members of his Cabinet to prioritize climate over energy that is affordable, available, and reliable--climate over affordable energy, the mantra of the Democrats.

President Trump has taken more than 50 bold actions to unleash and unlock American energy. He has done it onshore, offshore, and in Alaska. He overturned crushing regulations on available and affordable American energy. He took the handcuffs off of our energy workers and our energy producers.

I spent Friday in Laramie, WY, at the Wyoming Mining Association meeting. People from all around the State and country come together to that annual meeting. The hard-working men and women of Wyoming are celebrating the actions of President Trump.

The Republicans' comprehensive economic plan unleashes American energy like never before. It opens up new Federal land and Federal waters leases to all-of-the-above energy production. That means oil and natural gas, coal, geothermal, and critical mineral production. It also refills our Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Remember when Joe Biden drained the Strategic Petroleum Reserve? Why? Because gas prices were so high under his punitive administration. It was the era of massive Democrat inflation. He drained our Strategic Petroleum Reserve rather than allow us to produce more American energy here at home. He drained it to a dangerously low level. It was the lowest level in over 40 years. He actually sold some of our reserves to China. That is the Democrats' approach to energy.

Well, Republicans are reversing all of this. Congress is returning to fiscal sanity and energy reality. Both of those were sorely missed the last 4 years.

Joe Biden's energy policies were defined by waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption. I investigated Joe Biden's Department of Energy. It was a disgrace.

The Department of Energy's loan office funneled billions of dollars in taxpayer money to politically connected wind and solar projects. Specifically, one of them is a company known as Sunnova.

I describe them as a very shady solar company. Sunnova was called on the carpet for scamming seniors. They targeted seniors and pressured them into signing leases that were impossible to make. Joe Biden rewarded this malicious behavior by giving them a $3 billion loan, guaranteed by the taxpayers

of our country, guaranteed by each and every one of us--a $3 billion loan.

Thankfully, President Trump was able to pull back part of that loan. Sunnova spent $371 million of taxpayer dollars.

Well, guess what. Just yesterday, Sunnova filed for bankruptcy. Here is the article. I plan to put this into the Congressional Record, the article from the Wall Street Journal this morning, Tuesday, June 10: ``Solar Installer Sunnova Seeks Bankruptcy.''

The handwriting was already on the wall, but the arrogant, condescending, and elitist personnel of Joe Biden's Department of Energy refused to read it.

Republicans need to keep investigating, and we will. We need to finish the job we have started.

Today, Republicans in the Senate are unleashing affordable, reliable American energy. It will fuel our prosperity. It will benefit the entire Nation. Families will pay lower energy bills. Small businesses will be able to afford to invest and to expand. Our country will no longer depend on dictators for energy and critical minerals.

America is an energy superpower. Under Republican leadership, we are acting like it. That is why I started my comments by referring to the minority leader's speech this morning about energy as ``rubbish.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the article that I referred to in my speech, ``Solar Installer Sunnova Seeks Bankruptcy,'' be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum calls with respect to the Vaden and Hughes nominations.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman), the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd), the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Hoeven), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Marshall), and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis).

Further, if present and voting: the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd) would have voted ``yea'', the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Hoeven) would have voted ``yea'', and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis) would have voted ``yea''.

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd) and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis).

Further, if present and voting: the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd) would have voted ``yea'' and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis) would have voted ``yea.''

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd) and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis).

Further, if present and voting: the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd) would have voted ``yea'' and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis) would have voted ``yea.''

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd) and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis).

Further, if present and voting, the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis) would have voted ``yea.''