Floor Statements

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Hagerty) and the Senator from Indiana (Mr. Young).

Further, if present and voting: the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Hagerty) would have voted ``yea'' and the Senator from Indiana (Mr. Young) would have voted ``yea.''

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to continue Republicans' fighting, as we are fighting tooth and nail to protect the rights of American citizens. And one of those rights, of course, is one that you and I know very well from our home States, the right to keep and bear arms.

The Second Amendment guarantees that every American--every American-- has the right to own and use a firearm, and every day people across your State of Oklahoma, my State of Wyoming, use that right responsibly.

We also know that, for the last 4 years, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, and the radical Democrats have waged a war against the Second Amendment rights of American citizens. They tried to ban firearms, tried to tax ammunition to the point where it couldn't be afforded, directed the ATF to harass law-abiding gun owners, tried to make it impossible for citizens to buy, own, transport, or use a firearm.

So now Republicans are in control in the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the White House, and we are defending the Second Amendment from those who would try to take it away from us.

Senator Cornyn of Texas has introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This bold legislation allows qualified citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights in any State that respects concealed carry.

Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas has introduced something called the SHORT Act. This legislation stops rogue bureaucrats--Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms--from harassing lawful gun owners. It shields citizens from unconstitutional gun registration schemes.

Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee has introduced the Protecting Privacy in Purchasing Act. This legislation is a direct strike against Democrats' alarming overreach on gun purchases. It will safeguard gun owners from the government's invasive tracking and spying on lawful purchases.

So, look, I am proud to be a cosponsor of all three of these pieces of important pro-freedom legislation. This fight is one of the most important that we are ever going to conduct. It is Democrats across the country that are determined to take away the rights of law-abiding American citizens.

They are pushing their anti-gun agenda in the courts. It is another place this is being fought out. They are scheming right here in the U.S. Senate to come after our Second Amendment rights.

When Democrats held the majority, we know what we saw. They had the audacity to try to ram through an unconstitutional so-called assault weapons ban, and they tried to do it by unanimous consent, coming here onto the floor and just trying to sneak it through. Well, I was proud to stand here in this Chamber, face them down, and emphatically say no to your unanimous consent.

Now Democrats are in the minority. Have they changed in terms of their beliefs in the Second Amendment? No, not at all. They continue to be obsessed with banning semiautomatic firearms simply because of the way the firearms look. That is what they are after. Let me be clear. Democrats' ban on so-called assault weapons--that is their phrase--is an assault on law-abiding gun owners, an assault against all of us. Every single page of their bill adds a new restriction, a new burden, and a new attack on citizens who follow the law. It dictates what you can buy and what you can't buy, bans more than 205 popular rifles, shotguns, and pistols, and it bans them by name. That is how extreme they have gotten. They want to trample on the rights of law-abiding citizens.

And it is a fascinating thing because they--instead of tramping on the rights of law-abiding citizens, they are out there trying to protect illegal immigrants' rights, saying they have rights. They don't.

That is the contrast of our party fighting for the rights of citizens, their party fighting for the rights of illegal immigrants.

Democrats are the party of defunding the police, the party of disarming the American people. Their actions have made our streets more dangerous, not safer. We are for safety and prosperity. They seem to be not for either.

So I oppose any of these policies that threaten the Second Amendment rights of the people of Wyoming, the people of your State of Oklahoma, and the people from States all across the country.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn), the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Hagerty), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran), and the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

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

Mr. President, I come to the floor today having just listened to the minority leader in the Senate talk about his view of the world and the economy and what the American people are seeing. Well, it is a misguided view, misunderstood, because he is clearly not seeing what so many Americans are seeing today in their lives.

So I rise to share some outstanding economic news with the Nation because people back home are seeing that America is getting back on track.

Americans want, need, and voted for affordable prices. Today, inflation is at a 4-year low. Inflation has fallen every month since President Trump and Republicans took office.

Americans want, need, and voted for higher wages. Income has risen nearly every month--actually, every month--since President Trump and Republicans took office.

Americans want, need, and voted for affordable groceries. Egg prices have dropped 61 percent under Republican leadership.

Today, Americans are feeling upbeat about the economy. Last month brought the largest boost in consumer confidence in 4 years. Americans are confident about their future. A majority of Americans now say the country is finally heading in the right direction. This is after 4 years of high prices.

CNN's own poll this weekend--this is CNN--they found that Republicans have a better economic plan than the Democrats. Not by 1 point--no, no, CNN didn't say by 1 point or by 2 points, but by 12 points--double digits. In the CNN poll, Republicans have a better economic plan than the Democrats. When it comes to the economy, Americans trust Republicans over Democrats. CNN on-air reporters appeared shocked and stunned--the video is astonishing.

Look, Americans trust us because they are seeing real results. They are seeing Senate Republicans here fighting for them. Republicans have used the Congressional Review Act to reverse 18 punishing regulations and rules out of the previous administration. The most recent was when we ended California's leftwing electric vehicle mandate. You remember that? That is the one that said you had to buy an electric car. They were going to ban gas-powered cars by the year 2035. We got rid of that, and the American people are grateful.

Now we are working on a comprehensive economic plan to deliver safety and prosperity for all Americans. Here are the facts: Republicans are committed to stopping a $4 trillion Democrat tax increase. It would be the biggest tax increase in American history. We cannot let it happen, in spite of the fact that the Democrats want it to happen. We also cut taxes on tips and overtime. Hard-working Americans will keep more of the hard-earned money and put it in their pockets, not in the government till. Seniors will be able to keep more of their social security. They have earned it.

Republicans will also strengthen Medicaid for Americans who need it. Medicaid is a vital service. But let's talk about those who need it, because it is a trillion-dollar program, and what we see is that billions of dollars are being lost year after year to not just waste, fraud, abuse, but also to corruption. And that is taking the resources away from the people who need it.

Remember, it is the Democrats who put millions upon millions of healthy, working-age adults onto Medicaid. Many of them absolutely refuse to work. Democrats want them to stay on Medicaid forever; Republicans want them to find a job.

So the American Enterprise Institute, an organization that everyone in the Senate is familiar with, they came out with a report last week and said how nondisabled Medicaid recipients without children spend their time. So let's take a look at how folks who are working-age individuals who choose not to work who are taking Medicaid benefits-- interfering with sometimes other people who need the Medicaid much more than they do. But how is it working? How do they spend their time?

Well, for Medicaid recipients who are not working, they say that, after sleeping, watching television and playing video games is how they spend their time. How much time? An average of 4.2 hours per day watching television and playing video games, rather than looking for work or working or volunteering or in school or education or preparing themselves to work. Apparently, they spend about 22 minutes looking for work. It is quite a disproportionate effort that shows where their priorities are. They are not looking for jobs. They are not looking to

get off Medicaid. They like the life--television and video games. The Democrats want them to stay on it forever, and they want the American taxpayers to pay for it.

The American people are fed up with that sort of abuse of our taxpayer dollars.

It was Democrats who gave 1.4 million illegal immigrants Medicaid benefits. How many people in our home States want that to happen? Very few in my home State and, Mr. President, I am sure very few in yours.

The California Governor--do you know what he wants? He wants to add even more illegal immigrants onto the Medicaid rolls.

Republicans want Medicaid for Americans who need it, not for 1.4 million illegal immigrants.

And it was the Democrats who spent over $1.8 billion from Medicaid for transgender surgeries for minors. How many people in our home States think that is a use of government money?

Republicans will also unleash affordable, reliable American energy. These are the things that are making the economy strong, that lower prices at gas stations and on electric bills.

Senate Republicans are building a stronger, more prosperous America. That is why we have such good economic news and why people are saying: Yes, we are getting on the right track.

What are the Senate Democrats doing? They continue to be committed to obstructing the Republican agenda, and they say they are going to do it every step along the way. That is what we see coming from the minority leader. They want to stop President Trump from even getting his team in place. The Democrats are filibustering every one of the President's nominees.

Actually, by the end of this week, the Senate Republicans will have confirmed 74 nominees from President Trump that he nominated since January--74 nominated. The Democrats have filibustered 73 of the 74. The only one they didn't was Senator Marco Rubio. In the Foreign Relations Committee, last week, they said, ``We are sorry we voted for you,'' because they don't like what he is doing.

I reviewed nomination records stretching back to the 1980s. Thirteen of these positions that require confirmation in the Senate have never before had a rollcall vote in the U.S. Senate--done by voice vote or unanimous consent. The Democrats have filibustered all of them. That is how obstructive they are.

They filibustered the Chief of Protocol for the State Department or the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security. These are not controversial individuals. These are people that the Democrats say we are just going to try to stop President Trump no matter what he tries to do.

They even filibustered the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, all to tie up the Senate, to waste time, and to try to slow down an administration that is working so hard to get our country back from the last 4 years of open borders and high prices that cost them the House, the Senate, and the White House.

These aren't based on objections of somebody's qualifications for those positions. This is all meant to obstruct President Trump and obstruct the will of the voters. Lest the minority leader forget, it is President Trump who won all seven of the battleground States in the Presidential election in November of 2024.

Well, Republicans are working through it. We have confirmed every one of President Trump's Cabinet at a record pace, and we are going to continue to work on all of these qualified nominees and get them all confirmed.

We are united on whether it is confirming nominations or passing our comprehensive economic plan. We are united on our mission. We will build an America that is safe and prosperous and strong, and not just for today but for generations to come.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito) and the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito) and the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito) and the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito), the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton), the Senator from Montana (Mr. Daines), the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Lankford), and the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito), the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton), the Senator from Wyoming (Ms. Lummis), and the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

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

Mr. President, just yesterday, I heard the minority leader once again misrepresent the Republican agenda. With respect, once again, he is wrong.

Let me set the record straight because the Republican agenda is actually very popular. The latest Rasmussen poll was very clear. A majority--a majority--of Americans believe our country is finally heading in the right direction. This is the highest number of Americans who have graded our country heading in the right direction basically this century. Why? Because Americans are done with the painful Democrat years of high prices and open borders.

The contrast is significant. They are witnessing firsthand the Trump turnaround, and they are actually happy that Republicans are delivering for them after what they have been through for the previous 4 years.

Let's take a look at gas prices. Gas prices were 50 cents a gallon cheaper this year than they were Memorial Day last year. Families now save about $10 every time they fill up, and they are going to feel this relief all summer long.

Senate Republicans are adding to the success. We are working on the bold agenda to make America stronger, safer, more prosperous, more affordable. Let me outline why we are doing this and why it is so urgent.

Our mission is to stop a $4 trillion tax increase. That would be the highest, biggest tax increase in the history of our country. Every one of the Democrats supports this all-out assault on our wallets, on our pocketbooks, on the purses of the people all across the country. We are talking about the largest tax increases in America's history. Our goal is to make these tax cuts permanent.

Ignore the scare tactics that we hear from the other side of the aisle. This is a lifeline for middle-class families and for small businesses. This is about allowing people to keep more of what they earn. It is their hard-earned money.

We are also going to end taxes on tips. In Wyoming, 10,000 workers will benefit from this--hard-working waiters, bartenders, tour guides-- all of them. We are also going to make sure that police officers and firefighters will owe no taxes on overtime. Seniors will keep more of their Social Security. Small business owners will keep more of their earnings. We will also relieve them of these incredible paperwork burdens that are a drag on their ability to build their businesses.

Republicans will also strengthen and preserve Medicaid for the Americans who need it the most. This means 1.4 million illegal immigrants will stop receiving taxpayer-funded Medicaid benefits. It was never intended for them. It is wrong. Benefits like that don't belong to them. These people are in the country illegally. They should not be benefiting from the work of hard-working Americans. Democrats want to keep all these benefits flowing to all these illegal immigrants. Well, that makes it harder for the American medical patients to get to see a doctor. I know; I practiced medicine for a long time and took care of a lot of Medicaid patients. What the Democrats have done to Medicaid--and now illegal immigrants receiving it, over 1 million--is making it harder for the American public to get to see a doctor.

To bring prices down, we are actually focusing much, much more on American energy and producing American energy--American energy that was under attack in the last administration by Biden and the Democrats. Affordable, reliable American energy is going to lower costs for people, will bring down the cost of heating your home, will bring down the cost of filling the tank.

With all the artificial intelligence breakthroughs, we need more energy to power those data centers. This is going to be done with American manufacturing. To win the AI race we are now in against China, we need more energy, not less. Republican policies will make America energy dominant once again.

Republican policies will also invite the world to build and invest right here at home in America. No more outsourcing our energy or our innovation or our destiny--Americans will be in charge.

On border security, Republicans are resolute. We will finish the wall, deport illegal immigrants, and stop the flood of illegal fentanyl that is destroying and killing communities around our country. Border Patrol agents will get the tools and the backup they need as well as the pay they deserve. These are strong measures, and they will secure the border.

Sunday, just 2 days ago, there was a terrorist attack in Boulder, CO. It is a sad reminder of the stakes. The terrorist was in the country illegally. He was here because of the open border policy in the Biden administration--one the Democrats want to continue. Every Senate Democrat right now in this body has voted to keep the borders open and opposed securing the borders.

This terrorist overstayed his visa. Joe Biden and the Democrats never kicked him out. Actually, they gave him a work permit, and even that has expired.

What do we know now? We know that investigators have found that he planned his hateful, anti-Semitic attack and was planning it for over a year, and he targeted Jews. He screamed ``Free Palestine.'' Twelve people were injured. Eight were hospitalized. Among the victims was an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor. This is the human cost of dangerous Democrat policies.

Republicans will make our cities sanctuaries of safety, not sanctuary cities, not dens of crime and chaos, which is what Democrats have welcomed.

Republicans are also rebuilding our military might. Our bold legislation will make our military the strongest fighting force in the world. Our military will be lethal, intimidating, and ready to fight. We are also investing in the Golden Dome for America. This revolutionary missile shield is vital for our Nation's security. It is going to stop deadly threats from adversaries who want to threaten the American people and our Nation as a whole. That is deterrence. That is restoring peace through strength.

This is the bold Republican agenda that we are fighting for: cutting taxes on tips and overtime and Social Security, stopping the largest tax increase in history, strengthening and preserving Medicaid, ending taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants, securing our borders, creating safer communities, providing for a strong national defense, and once again making America energy dominant.

Democrats oppose all of these improvements to our Nation. Why are Democrats for open borders? I wish they would come down and explain it. Why are Democrats for a $4 trillion tax increase? I am waiting for them to speak up. Why are Democrats for taxpayer-funded healthcare for 1.4 million illegal immigrants? I will tell you why. It is because they are absolutely out of touch with the American people.

Americans voted to get the country back on track. Senate Republicans are getting it done, and we are building a future of safety and prosperity for all Americans.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.