What Chris Van Hollen said, and what was done

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the Alpha Phi Sorority at the University of Maryland, College Park. Alpha Phi has dedicated its philanthropic efforts to advancing women's heart health, the leading cause of death among women in the United States.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to oppose the nomination of Todd Blanche to serve as Attorney General of the United States. The Attorney General is supposed to be the people's lawyer, someone whose loyalty is to the Constitution and to the rule of law, not to any one person--even the President of the United States.”

“Mr. President, in a few minutes, I am going to ask unanimous consent to pass the SECURE Act to ensure that we don't force individuals who have been legally residing in the United States under temporary protected status--some for as many as 27 years--to return to countries where they will face danger and, instead, to provide them with a secure path toward lawful permanent residency.”

“Mr. President, just to make a couple things very clear, the President has a mass-deportation agenda even though what the President says is that he is focused on going after the worst of the worst.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the amazing life and legacy of Ms. Barbara Salkin, who passed recently at age 94. Ms. Salkin was a leader, organizer, and friend to all, and she leaves behind a resounding tradition of unity, mentorship, and civic engagement.”

“Ms. Salkin was a true believer in the power of community and graciously dedicated her time, her knowledge, and her boundless energy into supporting and developing her own.”

“Mr. President, pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 1546a and in accordance with section 601(b) of the International Security Assistance and Arms Export Control Act, I move to discharge the Committee on Foreign Relations from further consideration of S.J.”

“Mr. President, I want to start by thanking Senator Sheehy for his service to our country in our Armed Forces and thank every single soldier who serves our country in uniform and mourn the deaths of every single American servicemember who has been lost in this war and any other war.”

“Mr. President, I want to thank my colleagues Senator Markey and Senator Blunt Rochester for bringing this motion to the floor. I do want to thank Congresswoman Pressley--who I know had to leave the floor--for her leadership in the House.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the incredible service of Colonel Yolanda D. Gore. COL Gore is preparing to finish her time as the 89th garrison commander of Fort George G.”

“What you will see is at the end of the day the Government of Israel, the Netanyahu government, exercised its veto authority under the coproduction agreement preventing the United States from sending our own Iron Dome batteries to Ukraine to help Ukraine with its air defense system.”

“Madam President, let me start by expressing my condolences to the family and loved ones of Lindsey Graham on his sudden passing. While we disagreed more often than not, we were able to work together over the years on a number of key foreign policy issues, including our mutual support of the Syrian Kurds or the Syrian Democratic Forces who have been our key partners in the fight against ISIS.”

“Mr. President, I want to start by saluting my colleague the Senator from Virginia Senator Kaine for his steadfast adherence to the Constitution of the United States and Congress' role in that Constitution, especially as it relates to war powers.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, ADST. ADST is an educational organization dedicated to immortalizing the stories and experiences of former American diplomats.”

“Mr. President, President Trump was asked just the other day whether his slush fund was dead, and he said, ``I don't know.'' He said, ``I love it. I think it is important,'' which is why we should have voted tonight to finish off that taxpayer slush fund.”

“Mr. President, if you ask AI whether it is a good idea to vote for this amendment, they would say yes. I ask my colleagues, 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, and I ask for the yeas and nays.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to oppose Kevin Warsh's nomination to serve as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. I am not persuaded, based on his record and his testimony at his hearing before the Senate Banking Committee, that he has demonstrated the independence or the judgment this position requires.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a true patriot, a dedicated public servant, and a lifelong defender of the United States: Major General Arthur Holmes.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize David S. Schless, a strong advocate, leader, and Marylander who has dedicated his career to caring for others with a true passion for helping our Nation's seniors.”

“Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of Senator Schiff's War Powers Resolution to end President Trump's illegal war against Iran. Let's begin with a simple fact.”

“Now, I understand that Secretary Hegseth, today, in the Armed Services Committee here in the Senate, said: Well, we are now in a cease-fire. So the clock was paused.”

“Mr. President, I rise today in support of this War Powers Resolution to make clear that the United States will not be dragged into yet another conflict, this time with Cuba--a conflict that would not serve American interests and does not have authorization from this U.S.”

“I had a chance to see this newfound diplomacy up close. My first trip to Cuba was to visit an American called Alan Gross. He was part of an international development contractor with USAID, and he was a constituent of mine in Maryland.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mr. James McArthur ``Mack'' Alsobrooks. Mr. Alsobrooks was a beloved husband, father, neighbor, and friend who centered kindness and faith in all that he did.”

“Mr. President, as we gather here, prices and costs around the country are going up and up and up. The cost of gas is going up. Electric bills are going up.”

“Mr. President, I rise in support of the two resolutions offered by my colleague Senator Sanders that would bar the transfer of certain offensive weapons and equipment to the Netanyahu government.”

“Mr. President, I want to thank my colleague from New Jersey for his powerful words, and I, too, rise in support of this War Powers Resolution put forward by our colleague Senator Duckworth, who knows a thing or two about the costs of war.”

“The costs of this war are mounting. We just saw it today: The President intends to send thousands more troops to the Middle East-- 6,000 as part of a naval deployment and thousands more to come later.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the life and legacy of a remarkable Marylander, Dr. Mark Hallett. Dr. Hallett was a pioneer, a prolific researcher, and an unforgettable mentor.”

“Mr. President, I know we are waiting for the Senator from Nevada to come to the floor to make a few remarks, and I want to thank Senator Wyden for his remarks.”

“ICE operation--an ICE operation that took the lives of two American citizens in Minneapolis; a lawless ICE operation that is not focused, as President Trump promised, on the worst of the worst; a lawless ICE operation that is trampling over people's First Amendment rights around the country and due process rights.”

“Mr. President, I think all of us know here in the Senate that Senators have the ability to write the titles of their own bills. You can give a bill whatever name you want, whether it is accurate and true or misleading.”

“I mean, it is certainly possible that if you are a permanent resident, if you have a green card, you might mistakenly believe you can vote in an election and register, and then realize you really can't and then not cast the vote.”

“So this isn't a voter ID bill. That is just untrue. It is a specific kind of ID that is required, which millions of American citizens don't have.”

“Mr. President, today, I am voting in favor of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Whether they are renting or buying, too many Americans struggle with the cost of housing.”

“Mr. President, I just want to pick up where my colleague from New Jersey left off, which is the proposal that was put forward by the Senator from Washington, Senator Murray, which is to have a vote today to make sure that we fully fund TSA, that we fully fund FEMA, and that we fully fund the Coast Guard.”

“Mr. President, with regards to the promotion of LTG Joshua Rudd to general, I do not oppose his promotion, but I have concerns about the administration's intent for him to serve as the Commander of U.S.”

“Mr. President, I rise today in support of Senator Kaine's War Powers Resolution to halt Donald Trump's unjustified, illegal, regime-change war against Iran. We have a lawless President who is shredding our Constitution and attacking our democracy right here at home.”

“Mr. President, today, I am cosponsoring the American Homeownership Act. When Wall Street buys up homes in communities across the country, we have all too often seen families get squeezed by higher costs and abusive landlords.”

“Mr. President, so this is a really embarrassing moment for the U.S. Senate. It is a gross, gratuitous assault on the people of the District of Columbia, the people who live in our Nation's Capital.”

“Cutting that support is not fiscally responsible; it is morally indefensible. A Lancet study estimated that Trump's foreign aid cuts will cost 14 million lives by 2030, including over 4.5 million kids.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor Vice Admiral Nancy Hann on the occasion of her retirement. VADM Hann is retiring after more than 30 years of extraordinary service with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA.”

“Mr. President, on Saturday, the Nation learned the name of Alex Pretti. Alex was an ICU nurse at the Veterans' Administration, fulfilling our Nation's sacred promise to care for our wounded warriors.”

“Good and Alex Pretti have to happen, and I appreciate my colleagues from the other side of the aisle who have called for one. But that should be a standard situation.”

“Mr. President, today we consider S. 3627. This legislation would limit the information students receive about their healthcare and family planning options. No one disagrees that pregnant and parenting students should have access to care and necessary accommodations.”

“Mr. President, I rise as the ranking member of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee--known around here as CJS--to discuss the funding for critical national programs provided to those Agencies for fiscal year 2026.”

“The next step will be the development of the Habitable Worlds Observatory that can answer the fundamental question of whether we are alone in the universe. That is another exciting project where America will take the lead, but only if we provide the resources to get it done, and that is another important program led by NASA Goddard.”

“Mr. President, I think the real danger is that over time, this Congress has conceded and delivered its constitutional responsibilities to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and President Trump and other executives.”

“Afghanistan, years in Iraq stand as a warning: The United States spilled blood and treasure on state-building fantasies that failed, undermined American interests, and left a more fractured and unstable region in their wake.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the Honorable Adrienne A. Jones, who concluded her historic tenure as speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates on December 4, 2025.”

“Mr. President, today we consider the nomination of Mr. Jared Isaacman to serve as NASA Administrator, a critical position whose leadership will help determine the success of America's ambitious scientific and exploratory goals in space science.”

“Mr. President, every year, Congress considers the National Defense Authorization Act which has critical investments in our national defense, including in Maryland. In my State, tens of thousands of military personnel and civilians work at military installations and in the defense sector, driving innovation and research to advance our defense.”

“Mr. President, I want to start by thanking my colleague Senator Merkley for bringing this resolution before the Senate and Senator Kaine and colleagues for focusing on this question of war and peace.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of former Howard County Executive Edward Leo Cochran, Jr., a distinguished public servant and scientific researcher, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 96.”

“Dr. Cochran attended what was then Loyola College before pursuing a master's degree in chemistry at Duquesne University and a Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame. It was during his time at the University of Notre Dame that he met his wife Catherine Joan Flanagan.”

“Mr. President, on October 23, a genocidal militia called the Rapid Support Forces, also known as the RSF, entered the city of El Fasher in the Darfur region of Sudan.”

“In late October, the same Yale lab was told that more than 10,000 people were killed in 3 days. Human rights groups also report that hundreds of unaccompanied children, some carrying babies, have fled El Fasher to other Sudanese towns, seeking to escape the violence.”

“Mr. President, I was listening carefully to my colleague and, of course, she raises the question: If the UAE is telling us the truth when they say that they are not sending any of their weapons to the RSF to help fuel the genocide in Sudan, why do my colleagues protest so loudly against this measure?”

“Mr. President, I think what Senator Murphy was objecting to was calling Donald Trump the most pro-law enforcement President in American history, and I think he laid out all the reasons why that simply isn't true.”

“So I hope, on this 50th anniversary of the time the Senate passed it, our Republican colleagues will join us on this legislation because the consequences of failing to fund IDEA are visible all over the country.”

“Mr. President, today I voted yes on the motion to table Senator Paul's amendment No. 3941 to strike a provision modifying the definition of hemp from the Agriculture Appropriations Act because I am concerned that existing Federal law creates the opportunity for unregulated and intoxicating synthetic hemp products to be marketed and sold to children.”

“Mr. President, I want to start where Senator Reed, the distinguished ranking member of the Armed Services Committee left off, and that is with the U.S. Constitution, which should be the North Star for every Senator in this body, regardless of party, and that is why I rise in support of this bipartisan resolution, barring U.S. military action within or against Venezuela without congressional authorization.”

“We are certainly looking at land now. Meaning not only using the Armed Forces of the United States to strike in the waters but on land in Venezuela.”

“Mr. President, yesterday evening, I missed rollcall vote No. 583, the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Stephen Chad Meredith to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky.”

“Mr. President, I want to thank my colleague from Virginia, Senator Warner, and other colleagues who are joining together to support the proposal that we are putting forward today.”

“The short answer is, we do want to pay all Federal employees because none of them should be punished, but we also don't want them to be fired and RIF'd during this period of time.”

“Thank you. Look, it would be great to work this out because there seems to be some agreement that Federal employees should not be the ones to bear the burden of a decision they had nothing to do with.”

“As I said to the Senator from Wisconsin, I am happy to sit down with him and his team to see if we can put together a proposal based on the principle that no Federal employee should have to bear the burden and the pain of a decision they had nothing to do with as well as many of these Federal contractors who are also involved.”

“I want to start my question by saluting the Senator from Oregon, Senator Merkley, for standing strong and long in defense of our democracy and our Constitution and ringing the alarm bells.”

“Mr. President, on behalf of myself and Senator Alsobrooks, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Sue Hecht--a distinguished public servant, trailblazer, and protector from Frederick, MD, who passed away on September 23, 2025.”

“Madam President, we are considering the National Defense Authorization Act at a time when our democracy and our Constitution are under attack from a lawless President. We are also in the middle of a 9-day-long government shutdown, and we should be working to get the government open.”

“Mr. President, I submit this statement for the Record, alongside my colleague Senator Alsobrooks, to honor and recognize an extraordinary leader, trailblazer, and native of Maryland VADM Sara A.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Sue Hecht, a distinguished public servant, trailblazer, and protector, from Frederick, MD, who passed away on September 23, 2025.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the memory of the late Samuel Jordan of Maryland, who left an indelible mark on our State and Nation. Mr. Jordan worked tirelessly to make a positive difference in his community and across the globe, and he will be remembered for his remarkable advocacy as a transit champion in Baltimore.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Larry Neal Barron, a distinguished citizen of Maryland, who passed away on August 10, 2025, at the age of 83.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge the visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to Washington, DC. The Patriarch is the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, including many of my constituents who worship at churches like the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Baltimore and Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church here in Washington.”

“Mr. President, on Monday and Tuesday of this week, I was recovering from COVID and missed several rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 504, confirmation of the nomination of Edward Artau to be U.S.”

“Mr. President, I thank the Senator from California and the Senator from Rhode Island. They have well described, I think, all the inappropriate actions that have been taken by the Justice Department, including recently with respect to the Deputy Attorney General, who had been Donald Trump's personal lawyer, conducting the secret interview with the Epstein associate Maxwell.”

“Finally-- (c) PRIVACY PROTECTION.--The Attorney General may redact the names and personally identifiable information of any victim from the report submitted to Congress under subsection (b), as necessary to protect privacy.”

“Mr. President, just briefly because, as I made clear, this was the very provision that Senator Barrasso this morning said that Republicans have supported, and he indicated that this was something that they wanted to see move forward.”

“Well, that is the heart of the amendment. Again, I will read just the first sentence: The Attorney General shall retain, preserve, and compile any records or evidence related to any investigation, prosecution, or incarceration of Jeffrey Epstein; and any service provided to victims identified in such an investigation.”

“Again, I cannot, Senator, read the mind of any of our colleagues. It was a voice vote, but of course the objection we are seeing here on the floor of the Senate today indicates that our Republican colleagues do not want to go on record and vote, when it comes right down to it, on this proposal, making sure the records are not destroyed.”

“Mr. President, I could not agree more. Our message is simple: Release the damn Epstein files, and for God's sake, don't try to destroy the evidence while we wait for those files to be released.”

“Mr. President, I think we can and certainly should all agree that the case of Jeffrey Epstein is deeply disturbing, with horrifying abuse of young women and girls.”

“The President of the United States, when asked if he could pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, said, yes, he has the power to do that pardon, to make that pardon.”

“Certainly. If the President of the United States is signaling to Ghislaine Maxwell and her attorneys that he would provide a pardon without any possible reason to do so other than for her to give testimony--in this case, it would be false testimony because we know about the close association between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein--that would clearly be witness tampering.”

“I did, indeed. This is a report that just came out. The headline is ``The FBI Redacted Trump's Name in the Epstein Files.'' It is a Bloomberg report, and it is just one more example of what appears to be an effort to cover up any role that Donald Trump may have played in these crimes.”

“The concern, of course, is that the Trump administration would be tempted to destroy these files for the purposes of getting rid of evidence. As I indicated, reports today indicate that the FBI--and, again, I don't know if they were instructed to do so.”

“I think that is a question for all of us to ask the FBI, and we should follow up and ask the FBI. In the meantime, though, the best way, as you pointed out and all of us have pointed out and even Attorney General Bondi at one point pointed out, is just release the damn files.”

“Well, that is a very good point, Senator Merkley. We had a unanimous bipartisan vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee on an amendment to do exactly that--to make sure the records were preserved so nobody tried to destroy evidence--and it required an exhaustive report, detailing many of the questions that we have all raised regarding the Epstein files.”

“We, certainly, more importantly, the American people, and especially the victims deserve to know that nobody will tamper with the files between now and the moment they are released.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor J. Thomas Manger, the former chief of the U.S. Capitol Police. Chief Manger has served our country honorably in law enforcement for nearly 50 years.”

“Immigration Forum's 2017 Keeper of the Dream Award, and the 2018 FBI National Executive Institute Penrith Award. I commend Chief Manger for his many years of service, his dedication to the safety of the public and the stability of our democratic institutions.”

“Mr. President, I want to thank the Senator from New Mexico for that. I call up my amendment No. 3115 that I offer on behalf of myself and Senators Alsobrooks, Kaine, and Warner and ask that it be reported by number.”

“Mr. President, USDA has proposed a massive reorganization plan having done absolutely no due diligence. They have not talked to families or to farmers or to rural communities about it.”

“And, in my view, we absolutely have an obligation to make sure we address the needs and the mission of the men and women of the FBI, that we provide the resources to carry out that mission, and that we make sure that they are safe in conducting that mission.”

“Mr. President, I will be very brief because we have covered a lot of territory here. I hope we can get to the place where we make decisions in this Senate, in this Congress, on their own merits, among ourselves, without direct intrusion by the President of the United States.”

“Mr. President, I rise to oppose the transfer of over $675 million of U.S. taxpayers' money to finance 1000-pound bombs and 20,000 fully automatic rifles and other offensive weapons to the Netanyahu government.”

“Mr. President, on this day 60 years ago, President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the law that created Medicare and Medicaid, protecting the health and well-being of hundreds of millions of American families.”

“Mr. President, I rise to honor the memory of the late Terrance Taylor, a treasured Marylander and true public servant who served in Congressman Steny Hoyer's office for over two decades, including as his district director.”

“Mr. President, I know it has been a long day's journey into the night, but I think Senators were surprised to learn that this bill has a $100 million slush fund directed to OMB.”

“Mr. President, Donald Trump likes to call the bill that Republicans are trying to rush through this Senate the Big Beautiful Bill. Well, it is big all right.”

“Rural hospitals are also especially vulnerable. It is estimated that up to 300 rural hospitals could close if this bill passes. Americans with disabilities, Medicaid is absolutely essential to their lives.”

“Let me give you an example. Let's say you sign a contract to rent an apartment for $2,000 a month. You know that is going to cost you $24,000 for the full year.”

“So they are simply saying--their current policy baseline that they want us to make believe about would say that this wouldn't cost them; in other words, if they extended this, it wouldn't cost anything.”

“Clearly, they are not. I mean, this is literally magical thinking. This is why Republican Congressman Chip Roy called this ``fairy dust'' and why the Congressman from Arizona said this was pure intellectual and economic fraud.”

“Well, the Senator is right. It was right down this hall, actually, that President Trump was sworn in, and he said it was going to be a new golden age for working people.”

“Right? I am looking under my desk for the debt clock here because the Republicans seem to have hidden it away forever. They want to wish it away.”

“I thank my colleagues. And I think, as Senator Merkley said, if you care about the deficit and debt and you don't want working families to have to pay for these tax cuts for billionaires and the rich, vote no on the bill.”

“Madam President, I rise today in support of Senator Kaine's War Powers Resolution to make crystal clear that, as required by the Constitution of the United States, the President may not take offensive military action against Iran or any other country without congressional approval.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of the late Deacon Martin Prosper. Deacon Prosper was a kind and active member of the Prince George's County and Greater Washington community.”

“Mr. President, yesterday I voted against final passage of the GENIUS Act. I think the majority of my colleagues agree that we need sensible regulation of cryptocurrency and stablecoins to protect consumers, safeguard our financial system, and close down their use in illicit finance of criminal activities that jeopardize our security.”

“So Senator Padilla had a question. He didn't get a chance to ask it. I want to build on another point my colleagues have made, and that is a real appeal to our Senate Republican colleagues, because in these first months--4 or 5 months--of the Trump administration, we have seen the actions of a lawless President.”

“Mr. President, I want to start by thanking my friend and colleague Senator Murphy for shining a light on this issue of corruption because the corruption that we are seeing from President Trump is unprecedented in scale and scope in our Nation's history.”

“Eric Trump on behalf of the Trump family businesses. In this case, it was a new cryptocurrency stablecoin enterprise launched by the Trump family called World Liberty Financial.”

“Mr. President, here is an important thing for everybody to understand. When Eric Trump went 2 weeks before Donald Trump's trip and when he did that deal where a UAE-owned company put $2 billion into the Trump family stablecoin business, that was with a company called MGX.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated public servant Dr. Anson H. ``Tuck'' Hines, director of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center SERC. Dr. Hines has served SERC for over 45 years, including as its director since 2005.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a tremendous public servant Tina Cappetta, superintendent of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. Ms. Cappetta has served our National Park Service for over 35 years.”

“Mr. President, first, I want to thank my friend and colleague the Senator from Vermont Mr. Welch for offering this resolution. I just want to focus on the resolution itself for a moment because you would think this is something we could all agree on.”

“Mr. President, I want to start by thanking my friend and colleague Senator Kaine for his longtime leadership and support of human rights and the rule of law.”

“States of America. As we speak, President Trump is paying American taxpayer dollars to the Government of El Salvador, which has been a notorious violator of human rights.”

“Mr. President, I rise in strong opposition to today's resolution to overturn an FCC rule that provides greater flexibility to ensure that every student has the access to the internet that they need.”

“Mr. President, yesterday marked 100 days since Donald Trump was sworn in as President. It happened right down that hallway. He promised a golden age for America. He has not delivered that golden age.”

“Mr. President, before I deliver the body of my remarks, I do want to respond briefly to my colleague, the Senator from Wyoming, on the question of national security because just last night, we learned that President Trump had fired the head of the National Security Agency right after his meeting with Laura Loomer, a rightwing activist.”

“Donald Trump has called this budget resolution that we are going to be debating on the floor as the first step to what is going to be the ``big, beautiful bill.'' Well, it is going to be a beautiful bill if you are a billionaire tech titan or if you are a billionaire in the Big Oil industry or in Big Pharma.”

“Mr. President, I want to start by thanking our colleagues from Virginia, starting with Senator Kaine, who brought us to this debate here on the Senate floor today on a very important question, and to my other colleague from across the Potomac River from Maryland, Senator Warner.”

“At CPAC, which is actually--they met over here in my State of Maryland. That is what they are doing. They are taking a chain saw, and they are taking a chain saw to Departments that help our veterans.”

“And I see my friend and colleague Senator Alsobrooks from the great State of Maryland is on the floor, so I am going to be very brief with this question.”

“I am privileged to serve on that committee with the gentleman from New Jersey. One of the people before the committee is their nominee to be our Ambassador to Turkey.”

“States, at least 50 percent of the revenues in the case of Pfizer sales, but somehow, when it comes time to pay your taxes, you have taken those profits and filtered them through all sorts of overseas schemes and entities to reduce that tax liability dramatically.”

“Mr. President, the bill that Senate Republicans have brought to the floor today and which we will vote on sometime soon is the latest example of the ``great betrayal'' in action.”

“In one of the most corrupt bargains in American history, Elon Musk spent $280 million to help elect Donald Trump, and Donald Trump has turned around and given Elon Musk the keys to many Federal Agencies.”

“Mr. President, I rise to join my Senate colleague Senator Alsobrooks to talk about the 1-year anniversary of the collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore. We speak today on the floor on the eve of that solemn anniversary, and we remember those who died that day.”

“I want to thank a number of our colleagues who worked with us hand in hand to secure those funds at this moment of tragedy for Baltimore and the country.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated public servant and Marylander Mark Sweeney, Principal Deputy Librarian of Congress. With almost 40 years of unwavering service to the Library of Congress, Mr.”

“Mr. President, I voted today against final passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act because of the unintended consequences that could have been corrected by amendments that were blocked by the majority.”

“Madam President, I want to thank Senator Collins for working on an emergency basis to fix this problem in the House bill. She said it well, so I only want to emphasize two points.”

“Finally, they also have essentially tried to clear the way--clear the way--for tax cuts for very wealthy Americans. And I will end with this. They have also lied about their savings.”

“Madam President, I voted today to oppose cloture to end debate on the HALT Fentanyl Act. Our Nation and my State of Maryland are experiencing a crisis with synthetic opioids like fentanyl and related drugs, and I strongly support action to combat drug trafficking and prevent overdoses.”

“Mr. President, I voted today to oppose cloture on the motion to proceed to the HALT Fentanyl Act. Our Nation and my State of Maryland are experiencing a crisis with synthetic opioids like fentanyl and related drugs, and I strongly support action to combat drug trafficking and prevent overdoses.”

“Mr. President, I want to join this conversation and broaden it a little bit. In my view, we are witnessing the great betrayal during these last 44 days.”

“Mr. President, I want to start by thanking my colleague from across the Potomac River, Senator Kaine of Virginia, and also Senator Heinrich of New Mexico for bringing this resolution before the U.S.”

“Well, that is what he told the Big Oil executives he would do: He is going to crack down on wind power. I will tell you that solar and wind energy are among the cheapest forms of energy in the country.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and service of the late Congresswoman Beverly Byron. For over a decade, Congresswoman Byron served western Maryland. She fought to advance the interests of her constituents and was a strong advocate for our national security.”

“Madam President, I offer this amendment with my colleague Senator Hirono. It is very straightforward. It creates a point of order against any legislation that would cut funding from the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program.”

“Mr. President, you know, it was just 30 days ago that President Trump took the oath of office just down the hall here in the Rotunda. Thirty days later, he continues to betray the promises that he made to the American people when he was on the campaign trail.”

“Yet the Secretary of Treasury arrived to extort Zelenskyy, saying: Unless you give us half of your rare mineral reserves to pay for past support, you don't get any additional support from the American people.”

“Madam President, I want to start by commending my colleague, the Senator from Vermont, Mr. Welch, for his strong argument as to why we should all vote no on the nomination of Robert F.”

“Mr. President, you know, we are just 17 days into the Trump-Vance and, yes, Elon Musk administration, and we are already witnessing the great betrayal of what candidate Trump promised on the campaign trail.”

“I spoke earlier today about what was happening over at the Agency For International Development, an Agency, pretty small Agency, within the overall budget of the United States that plays an essential role in our foreign policy and our national security policy.”

“Look, the good news is that I think at least three lawsuits have already been filed to try to enjoin this illegal action. But it should tell us a lot that the person who has been nominated to head OMB, the person who said that he refused to commit to complying with the law during his Budget Committee hearing, would be advancing schedule F.”

“Mr. President, as we gather here on the Senate floor, over at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Elon Musk--the richest person in the world, not elected by a single American--has gained access to the U.S. payment system--payments that go to about $2 trillion worth a year.”

“Mr. President, I think that Americans following what is happening over the last 48 hours recognize that we are seeing a great deal of chaos and turmoil around the country, and it is having a harmful impact across communities, across my State of Maryland, across the country.”

“We have heard from people who work in Head Start programs to try to make sure that kids get an early help and lift up in life. We heard from folks in law enforcement, including people who were involved in preventing human trafficking and sex trafficking of minors.”

“Mr. President, yesterday afternoon I voted to advance Sean Duffy's nomination to be Secretary of Transportation. I support qualified Cabinet nominees even when I have deep policy and political differences, unless they are so extreme as to pose a threat to the mission of their Agency.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the memory of the late Elwynda Kowan Patterson Chapman of Mitchellville, MD. Mrs. Chapman was born in Kinston, NC, to loving parents Courtney L.”

“Mr. President, I come to the floor this afternoon to speak to some of the actions that President Trump has taken just in his first 3 to 4 days and speak to the nomination of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.”

“I should point out that of course Presidents are entitled to lots of people in their administration as political appointments. In fact, there are about 4,000 political appointments in our current system.”

“Mr. President, I appreciate that we are beginning an amendment process on S. 5 in the Senate. I hope we continue with that process, as there are still significant improvements to be made to this bill.”