Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I have 1 request for a committee to meet during today's session of the Senate. It has the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committee is authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

committee on homeland security and governmental affairs

The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Monday, June 30, 2025, at 9:45 a.m., to conduct a business meeting.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn to then convene for pro forma session only, with no business being conducted, on the following date and time: Thursday, July 3, at 12 noon; further, that when the Senate adjourns on Thursday, July 3, it stand adjourned until 3 p.m. on Monday, July 7; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each; finally, that notwithstanding rule XXII, the cloture motions filed on July 1 ripen at 5:30 p.m.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of the Democratic leader.

Mr. President, we have before us today a once-in-a- generation opportunity to deliver legislation to create a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America. With one bill, we can deliver on a number of priorities: tax relief for hard-working Americans; economic growth; a stronger national defense; a more secure border; a more reliable energy supply; and reductions in waste, fraud, and abuse across the Federal Government. We seldom have an opportunity to take the kind of action that we are planning to take on just one of these priorities, let alone all of them.

When was the last time we considered legislation like this to give a $150 billion boost to our defense spending?

After serious declines in our military readiness, we are on the verge of a notable investment in a number of critical military priorities: shipbuilding, missile defense, defense manufacturing capacity, critical munitions, drones and counter-drone technology, an expanded Air Force fighter fleet, nuclear modernization, U.S. infrastructure in the Pacific, and more.

And while it is no substitute for robust yearly defense funding, our bill represents a real chance to start to turn our readiness deficiencies around. There is no time in which we can afford to let our military readiness slide, but, above all, at this time of increased global instability, it is especially vital that we ensure that our military has the resources it needs to deter our enemies and defend our country.

So just by itself, the national defense section of our reconciliation bill represents a historic opportunity, and that is just one section of the bill.

We are also looking at historic investment in border security--$160 billion. Yes, that is right--$160 billion to undo the damage done by the Biden border crisis and secure our border for the long term. More Border Patrol agents, more Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, funding to complete the border wall and implement critical border technology--it is all there.

We have the opportunity to take the gains the Trump administration has made in securing our border and deporting criminals and make that progress permanent. Like the defense section, the border security provisions of this bill would be an impressive and historic piece of legislation all on their own. But, again, they are just one section.

We are also looking at the chance to increase our energy independence, making us safer and more prosperous, and we are looking at an exceedingly rare opportunity to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, including the first real entitlement reform in decades--reform that will put these programs on a more sustainable path for today's recipients and for tomorrow's.

Once again, these are impressive opportunities all on their own, but even more incredible when you consider that we are looking at the prospect of being able to do all of these things in one bill.

And then, of course, there is the tax relief. Talk about a section of the bill that would be an achievement all on its own. We are looking at the opportunity

to make the 2017 tax relief permanent. That means permanently extending the lower tax rates; permanently extending the increased standard deduction; and not only permanently extending the enhanced child tax credit but enhancing it even further to $2,200 per child and linking it to inflation so its value will never go down.

But not just that, there is more. We are eliminating taxes on tips for millions of tip workers. We are eliminating taxes on overtime for millions of hourly workers. We are putting in place an auto loan interest deductible when you buy a new car manufactured here in the United States. And we are increasing the standard deduction for millions of low- and middle-income seniors, making their retirement a little easier and more prosperous.

We are also implementing a program to create saving accounts for newborns, with an initial deposit of $1,000 to help parents save and invest for their children's future needs.

And that is still not all. We are also looking at the chance to grow our economy by making the rest of the Tax Cuts and Job Act's business tax relief permanent. That means lower effective rates for small and medium-sized businesses--the job-creating 199A small business deduction and full expensing for new equipment and for domestic research and development. And we are adding to the 2017 tax relief with new pro- growth provisions, like a provision to boost domestic manufacturing by implementing full expensing for new factories and factory improvements.

Thanks to the pro-growth provisions in our legislation, we can expect to see GDP as much as 4.9 percent higher as a result of our bill. And that, of course, means more jobs and opportunities and better wages for hard-working Americans.

Republicans made some promises to the American people last November. We promised to grow our economy, to extend the 2017 tax relief and prevent a $4 trillion tax hike on the American people, to secure our border and enhance the safety of our communities, and to unleash American energy.

We made those promises, and the American people elected us to office. Now they expect us to deliver. The opportunity is before us to deliver on our promises and make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

Fifty-three Members will never agree on every detail of legislation; let's face it. But Republicans are united in our commitment to what we are doing in this bill: securing our border; strengthening our national defense; growing our economy; unleashing American energy; cutting waste, fraud, and abuse; and preventing tax hikes on hard-working Americans.

Mr. President, it is time to get this legislation across the finish line.

Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk that is due for a second reading.

Mr. President, in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to further proceeding.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 107, H.R. 1.

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

Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 2360.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have the reading dispensed with.

Mr. President, I would like to start by just taking a moment to thank the clerks who stayed up all night reading the amendment and getting us to this point. I know it was a long night and that we are not finished yet, but I want them to know that the Senate appreciates their dedication, their stamina, and their service.

In just a moment, I am going to make a point of order against the substitute amendment that I offered on behalf of Chairman Graham. I believe the Chair should rule that there is no point of order against the amendment because, under the Budget Act, the Senate looks to the Budget Committee to assess the budgetary effects of an amendment. Basically, this has to do with the current policy baseline that we decided to use in the budget resolution for this bill and how we handle points of order related to it. This is an issue that, I think, we need to deal with right off the bat.

Point of Order

Therefore, I make a point of order under section 313(b)(1)(E) of the Congressional Budget Act against substitute amendment No. 2360.

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

Mr. President, last November, the American people elected President Trump and a Republican Congress with a clear mandate, and since taking control in Washington this year, we have been working to deliver on our promise of a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America.

Now we have the opportunity to pass a bill that advances all of these priorities and sets our country up for better days ahead. We have worked hard on this, and now it is time to deliver.

The centerpiece of our bill is permanent tax relief for the American people. The 2017 Republican-led tax cuts lowered rates for every income bracket. We doubled the child tax credit and nearly doubled the standard deduction. But those policies will expire at the end of the year without action from Congress, which means a typical family would be hit with a $1,700 tax hike next year. In my State of South Dakota, South Dakotans would see their taxes go up on average $2,500. We are determined not to let that happen--not next year, not ever. Our bill makes the 2017 lower tax rates permanent. It raises the child tax credit to $2,200 per child and links it to inflation permanently, and it maintains the higher standard deduction that 90 percent of taxpayers use.

And we are not stopping there. Seniors will have an even higher standard deduction. Millions of tipped workers will benefit from no tax on tips, and millions of hourly workers will be able to keep more of their overtime pay with no tax on overtime.

Passing this bill means smaller tax bills and bigger paychecks for the American people--permanently.

It will also help get our economy firing on all cylinders again. In 2017, we boosted our economy by lifting the tax burden on American businesses. We lowered tax rates for the owners of small and medium- sized businesses, farms, and ranches. We made it easier for them to recover the cost of investing in their businesses, which, in turn, freed up cash for them to invest in their operations and their workers.

These and other major reforms helped kick-start our economy, and now we have the opportunity to make all of the pro-growth reforms from 2017 permanent and go even further.

Our bill makes the small business deduction permanent. Full expensing for new equipment and domestic R&D will be permanent. Full expensing for new factories and factory improvements will generate growth and job creation and encourage more goods to be made in America.

A higher death tax threshold that is linked to inflation will spare countless family farms, ranches, and small businesses from a potentially devastating tax and the cost of burdensome planning, and the next generation will be able to access new investment accounts when they reach adulthood to use for education, to start a business, to buy their first home--essentially, to get a running start on the American dream. All of this means more money in Americans' pockets, more opportunity, and greater prosperity.

A bill to make America stronger and more prosperous would be incomplete if it didn't make America's farmers and ranchers stronger. Agriculture producers will, of course, benefit from permanent tax relief, but this bill also directly addresses the challenges producers have faced these past few years. It increases reference prices for every covered commodity; it enhances crop insurance coverage and affordability, including for farmers just starting out; and it supports risk management, disaster assistance, and conservation programs that producers depend on.

The last few years have been some of the toughest in recent memory for American agriculture, and I am proud that this bill addresses these issues head-on. I can assure America's farmers and ranchers that their priorities will continue to be a priority here in Washington.

This bill is also about a stronger America, and it makes a generational investment in our national security--all of our national security. That starts with securing our borders. The Trump administration has already done incredible work in stemming the flow of illegal immigrants and deporting criminals who had taken up residence in our country, but there is more work to be done, and law enforcement needs more resources to do it. Our bill provides those resources: the technology and manpower to stop illegal immigrants and illegal drugs at the border; an increased capacity to deport dangerous individuals from our country; and, yes, finally finishing the wall. As I said, the administration has made great progress already, and I am eager to get these resources into the hands of the men and women on the frontlines to solidify those gains.

We are also making a major investment in strengthening our military. Recent events have only reinforced the imperative of military readiness. But in a number of instances, we have let our military strength slip, and adversaries like China have begun to outpace us in key capabilities. Our bill will help reverse that trend. It invests in shipbuilding, supports a new Golden Dome for missile defense, revitalizes the defense manufacturing capacity in America, and invests in the warfighting technologies of tomorrow. With this bill, we can help ensure that our men and women in uniform have what they need to deter and defeat any threat.

We are safeguarding our national security from every angle, which means addressing energy security. Energy security might not get the same attention as border security or national defense, but it is a big part of keeping America strong and secure. Relying on energy from hostile nations or unstable parts of the world can be a dangerous proposition, and maintaining energy independence is key to keeping a country secure.

We are fortunate to have an abundance of natural resources in this country, and our bill makes sure that the American people benefit from those resources by freeing them up for responsible domestic production for a secure, stable, and affordable supply of energy.

There is a lot more I could say about this bill, but before I close, I just want to talk about how this bill delivers on Republicans' promise to rein in the size of government. It delivers savings to the American people by reining in waste, fraud, and abuse in Federal programs. It includes the largest spending cut in American history as well as commonsense, good-government reforms that haven't been attempted in Washington, DC, in decades. With more revenue--revenue we get by growing the economy, not by raising taxes--this bill will actually help reduce the deficit by as much as $6 trillion.

This bill delivers on the mandate the American people gave Republicans last year: a stronger America, a safer America, and a more prosperous America. It is right around the corner.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

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

Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. President, I now ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 28; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.