Recognition Of The Majority Leader
Mr. President, we will be starting the process here soon. I ask unanimous consent that there be 2 minutes of debate, equally divided, prior to each vote in relation to Calendar No. 417, S. 2. Mr. President, let me tell you sort of why we…
Mr. President, we will be starting the process here soon.
I ask unanimous consent that there be 2 minutes of debate, equally divided, prior to each vote in relation to Calendar No. 417, S. 2.
Mr. President, let me tell you sort of why we are here. We are trying to dig out of a hole created by our colleagues on the other side during the Biden administration that was a nightmare for America's national security, for our economic well-being. And the wake of open borders and irrational and irresponsible Biden immigration policy is wide and it is deep.
What have we been able to achieve in less than 2 years? During the Biden years, we had 5,110 people come across illegally every day-- apprehended. That is the ones we apprehended. Where are we at today? Zero. Pretty good.
So what do you get for your money? You go from 5,110 people to zero. What do you get for your money if you are a taxpayer out there about ``is there anything in this for you''? Yes. You are less likely to be a victim of crime that results from out-of-control illegal immigration.
Just in my State alone, in April 2026, a 12-year-old boy and a 9- year-old boy from Spartanburg were killed by an illegal immigrant in a drunk-driving car crash; 156 pounds of fentanyl that originated in Mexico smuggled across the southern border--the largest seizure in South Carolina history and enough to kill 36 million people. Hopefully, that will be harder to do in the future.
In June 2025, 72 illegal aliens at a Charleston nightclub run by a member of a cartel were arrested.
A University of South Carolina student, 21-year-old Nathaniel Baker-- a student--was killed in a hit-and-run crash by an illegal alien.
A mother of two was murdered in Rock Hill by a group of six illegal immigrants.
In February 2025, the DEA arrested four suspects from Sumter involved in money laundering for two Mexican cartels.
And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
What are we doing here? We are going to be spending $69.5 billion to accomplish two things: to fully fund the Border Patrol and ICE through the end of President Trump's term.
Why are we here? Through the normal appropriations process, Democrats would not give the Border Patrol or ICE one dime. We had reforms, we had agreement, and it just didn't work. We tried to reach common ground through Senator Britt and Senator Collins--pretty well known for trying to reach a deal.
We were unable to get a deal because you rejected reforms. You are more worried about the lunatic base than you are protecting people from rampant crime and drugs pouring into our country.
So most Americans are with us, not with you. Most Americans want to stop the madness. Most Americans want a secure border and want an immigration system that is rational. They want ICE to go after people that shouldn't be here illegally. And can we reform ICE? Yes.
So you are going to get $38.6 billion to ICE so they can do their job, train new agents, and have $108.5 million allocated to a fund for child exploitation investigations. One of the great crimes associated with illegal immigration is that kids are smuggled into this country for child sex rings. And we are going to have $108 million to beef that up; $22 billion for the Customs and Border Patrol to hire new people, to modernize the system; $3.5 billion for improvements to border security, including air and marine operations, efforts to combat trafficking; $5 billion for DHS to ensure the Agency has sufficient funding to carry out its needs.
What you get is a secure border versus a broken border. What you get is ICE being able to do its job instead of being closed for business.
To my Democratic colleagues, you are on the wrong side of this issue. You will find out in November.
What we are doing has to be done. I hate that we are having to use reconciliation to do this, but we have no other choice. Plenty of us were willing to work with the appropriations process to reform Border Patrol and ICE, but that didn't work.
So we are left with the task of doing nothing or doing something. Through reconciliation, we can do something, and we are going to do it.
We are going to fund the Border Patrol and ICE at $69.5 billion. That will get us what we need to finish out President Trump's term. So this is one less thing America has to worry about it.
If you don't see threats that stream to our national security increasing, you are deaf, dumb, and blind. The threats to our country are going up exponentially, not down.
Is now really the time to shut down the Border Patrol, given what is coming out of the Middle East? Is now really the time to shut down the Border Patrol to let more drugs into our country?
Is now really the time to close ICE for business and have nobody out there rounding up some of the bad guys that need to be rounded up and taken out of our country?
Really, we are having to fix a problem that has been created because our Democratic colleagues have lost their way, in my view, as to what it takes to make America secure.
It takes controlling one's border. It takes having law enforcement Agencies that can function to control illegal immigration to have a sovereign nation.
If we don't do what we are doing today, then the Border Patrol and ICE would continue to go without money.
People are being laid off. Systems to protect us from Ebola and other pandemics coming to our country will be shut down.
Is now the time--
Is now the time to shut down your border? No. Now is the time to give the money they need to finish the job that is so important to the rest of us. I look forward to this debate.
I yield the floor.
Mr. President, before I make a point of order, I want to let every American know that if you believe you were the victim of a weaponization of the government and your life was turned upside down, there is a process available to you called the Federal Tort Claims Act. And I may use it myself because I feel like I am in your boat. I did nothing wrong but had my life turned upside down.
As to this amendment, the pending amendment would cause the underlying legislation to exceed the Judiciary Committee section 302(a) allocation of new budget authority or outlays. Therefore, I raise a point of order under the measure pursuant to section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 5779, and I ask that it be reported by number.
Mr. President, if you have heard of the SAVE America Act, we are about to vote on it.
Senator Schmitt and Senator Lee, this is your idea, blessed by President Trump.
The Senate is going to vote in a minute on several things.
We say you should have a photo ID before you vote to make sure we have voter integrity. We say, over here, you have to be a citizen before you vote. We say, over here, biological males should not be playing girls' sports. We say, over here, that a minor should not be allowed to transition their sex. If you can't smoke as a minor, that makes sense to me.
So, to the medical community, you should not be performing sex changes on minors. They should wait until they are old enough to make that decision.
That is what we say. All you-all are going to oppose it.
If you don't want a photo ID, you are probably into cheating. There is no other reason to say you don't have to have an ID. It just makes cheating easier. Who wants a noncitizen voting in our elections? If you are against that, that makes me wonder.
Biological males playing girls' sports is not good for anybody, and a minor should not be allowed to transition their sex. That is the biggest change you could make in your entire life. You shouldn't be allowed to do that as a minor.
This is what we say.
What do you say?
Mr. President, my friends are about to vote down four very commonsense ideas, and we will talk about this in November during the election.
Motion to Waive
Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act and all budget resolution disciplines that apply, I move to waive all points of order for the purpose of the pending measure.
I ask for the yeas and nays.
Vote on Motion
Mr. President, almost 19 hours later, we are actually going to talk about the bill and what is in it. There is $69.5 billion that this amendment covers: $38.6 billion for ICE--the training, equipment, and support for ICE; $108.5 million allotted for child exploitation investigations; $22.6 billion for the Border Patrol--the hiring, training, equipment, and personnel; $3.5 billion for improvements in border security; and $5 billion to help DHS through 2029.
What we are about to do is fund the Border Patrol and ICE through the entire Trump term because you wouldn't help us. America will be safer.
I ask for the adoption of this amendment.