What Gary C. Peters said, and what was done

“Mr. President, I will shortly ask for unanimous consent to pass the Federal Building Threat Notification Act, a bipartisan legislation that I introduced with Senators Lankford and Ernst to improve emergency communications in Federal buildings.”

“Mr. President, today, I am honored to recognize an exceptional public servant and Michigander who is sitting right next to me here. His name is David Weinberg. For nearly 18 years, David has served on my team, guiding our office through major challenges and always delivering results for the people in Michigan as well as all across our country.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, MI. Traverse City is known as the Cherry Capital of the World for good reason.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay special tribute to former Congressman John Joseph Henry ``Joe'' Schwarz, M.D., my friend, veteran, physician, and dedicated public servant, who passed away on May 27, 2026.”

“Mr. President, when my Republican colleagues passed President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, last year, they exploded the deficit spending $4 trillion to give tax cuts to billionaires, and there are still billions of dollars from that bill that haven't even been spent, while today my Republican colleagues are trying to spend an additional $70 billion on top of that without any accountability.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the International Hearing Society as they celebrate 75 years of advocacy, education, and support for hearing aid specialists in Michigan and around the world.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor Margaret Doud, the longtime, highly regarded mayor of Mackinac Island. Mayor Doud has made an immeasurable impact on Mackinac Island as she has faithfully led the city over the past 51 years, and it is a privilege to recognize her here today as we celebrate her 52nd term, and her status as the longest serving mayor in the United States.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Saginaw County Community Action Committee. Over the past 60 years, the Saginaw County CAC has served as a proactive and dedicated community partner, working to problem-solve for residents and help create a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

“Mr. President, my bipartisan Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act, which just passed in the Senate, basically closes loopholes in the law to ensure that Federal contractors are protected when they disclose information about fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer money.”

“My bill would make it perfectly clear that Federal officials cannot direct retaliation against contractors any more than they can direct retaliation against Federal employees. If they violate the law, the bill will allow Agencies to take disciplinary action.”

“Mr. President, recently, our Nation has been hitting a lot of very unfortunate milestones. Data from the National Association of REALTORS shows that the average age of the first-time home buyer in America has reached an alltime high of 40 years old, while the number of first-time home buyers has also reached an alltime low.”

“Mr. President, the right to vote is the very bedrock of our American democracy. Two hundred fifty years ago, our Founders set out to create a nation governed by the people.”

“Mr. President, in just a little over a year since taking office, the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security have completely broken trust with the American people.”

“Mr. President, in just a few moments, Senator Murray is going to get up and offer an opportunity for us to open up key components of the Department of Homeland Security--components that need to be opened up, components that should not be held hostage by my Republican colleagues while they push back on our efforts to bring in just commonsense guardrails when Federal officers are operating on our streets.”

“Mr. President, on Saturday morning, the United States military started conducting airstrikes on Iran, dragging America into yet another war in the Middle East. Since President Trump's reckless decision to escalate this conflict, at least six Americans have been killed in service to their country, and many more have been injured.”

“During my time as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, I served in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, places where, right now, our servicemembers are at a heightened risk because of this operation--and my thoughts and prayers are with these brave servicemembers and the nearly 40,000 U.S. troops serving within range of Iranian missiles--and a situation on the ground that is changing rapidly.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the centennial of Hillel at the University of Michigan. When it was founded in 1926, Michigan Hillel was the fourth Hillel to be established in North America.”

“Mr. President, on Saturday, America witnessed another horrific tragedy in Minneapolis when Alex Pretti was shot and killed by Department of Homeland Security law enforcement agents. By all accounts--all accounts--Alex was a dedicated member of his community.”

“Mr. President, I am once again asking my colleagues to do the right thing and to unanimously agree to repeal a provision that was included in the government funding legislation in November.”

“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I want to say that I greatly appreciate Senator Graham's proposal that he has put forward just now. We received this last night, but I think it is against the most critical issue here, which is the retroactive rewarding or awarding of $500,000 per violation of damages to a handful of Senators.”

“Mr. President, just in response to Senator Graham, I appreciate the offer. As for the notification requirement that you bring up, I believe in that. I think it is absolutely critical that we have that for the reasons that you cite.”

“Mr. President, today we mark the fifth anniversary of one of the most shocking attacks on our Nation and on our democracy. For the first time in our Nation's history, our longstanding tradition of the peaceful transfer of power was disrupted in a violent and deadly assault on the U.S.”

“Mr. President, we are quickly approaching the end of 2025, and this past year, particularly here in Congress, we have been met with a lot of challenges, chaos, as well as change.”

“Mr. President, notwithstanding the passage of Calendar Nos. 252 and 253, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendments be agreed to; that the bills as amended be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.”

“Mr. President, I am going to be asking shortly for unanimous consent on three bills. The first one is my bipartisan Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, which basically makes a commonsense change to create a universal application for disaster survivors to more easily navigate the available Federal assistance after they have been hit by a natural disaster.”

“Madam President, I rise to recognize the extraordinary public service of U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, who will retire this month after a remarkable 52-year career at the Government Accountability Office.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor Lt. Col. Susie Dunham on her distinguished 22-year career of dedicated service to the Air Force and Air National Guard. Lieutenant Colonel Dunham served as the lead liaison for the National Guard Bureau appropriations and expertly managed engagements with Senate and House Appropriations Committees.”

“Members, Lieutenant Colonel Dunham oversaw a diverse portfolio of Air and Army National Guard priorities, coordinating across the National Guard Bureau joint staff, as well as ANG and ARNG staffs.”

“Mr. President, I am just so disappointed that the UC request from my colleague from New Mexico was rejected--was objected to--by Republicans here on the floor of the Senate.”

“Very good. This is what happened. Let's be clear. What the law does is that a group of folks can get over half a million dollars for records that were obtained.”

“Madam President, reserving the right to object, I just want to first start off and say that I deeply appreciate that Senator Johnson has updated his proposal to pay all Federal employees during the shutdown, to include furloughed workers as well as DC employees.”

“Madam President, to the Senator from Wisconsin, I know he and I have worked on a lot of issues. That is not in question here. We do have questions with some of the language in this bill just to make sure that we have guardrails.”

“Excuse me. In reclaiming my time, we can make that happen, and if the Senator puts it on the floor later, we will go through the process. I would hope that he and I, during that process, can work on language to perhaps address some of the concerns that I have.”

“Madam President, Republicans have repeatedly said that they will not negotiate reforms to the healthcare law credits until the government reopens. I will tell you right now that all my colleagues on this side of the aisle definitely want to open government, and we want to do it as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, Mr. President. Let me first say that there is something we all agree on, Democrats and Republicans, here in this Chamber. We want Federal employees to be paid.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor Reverend Dr. Roy L. Manning, Sr., a devoted spiritual leader, educator, and community advocate from Saginaw, MI, as he retires after 33 years as pastor of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church.”

“Madam President, on October 1, critical cyber security protections expired, and, as a result of that, our Nation is now more vulnerable to cyber attacks than ever before.”

“Mr. President, I rise, today, to request unanimous consent to pass my Military and Federal Employee Protection Act. I understand my colleague from Wisconsin objected to Senator Van Hollen's proposal.”

“I am going to continue to work to end the shutdown and address the healthcare crisis. But in the meantime, let's protect our servicemembers and our Federal employees, not put other stuff in the bill, just pay them so they can meet their bills as they arise.”

“Mr. President, I appreciate the comments of my colleague from Wisconsin. We have worked on a lot of bills together. We have come together to find common ground on some, at times, contentious issues.”

“I would, thank you. Thank you, Senator Merkley, for yielding to me. I do have a question for you. Certainly, I appreciate all that you have been saying over all of these hours.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that. And again, thank you for bringing this to the attention of the American people in such an eloquent way. First, I would just like to ask my colleague about how President Trump is pursuing a dangerous and authoritarian practice of basically picking winners and losers in government.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to oppose this amendment. I will say there is no argument that we should reform parts of the process for an IG for the Federal Reserve, but this amendment is not that reform that is necessary.”

“Mr. President, first off, I would just like to say I thank my colleague from Utah for raising this incredibly important issue. I have also heard about this issue with Federal locality pay in my home State of Michigan.”

“Mr. President, earlier this week, I stood here and issued a very clear warning: Vital cyber security protections that have safeguarded our economy, our infrastructure, and our government for over a decade have now expired.”

“Let's be really clear, this has absolutely nothing to do with annual appropriations whatsoever. It doesn't have to do with the shutdown. This is a law that expired at the end of the fiscal year to protect our cyber security across the country.”

“Mr. President, yesterday, I came to the floor to warn that a critical cyber security protection that has been in place for a decade was set to run out and expire at the end of the fiscal year.”

“Mr. President, the CR has not passed. We are now vulnerable--right now. As my colleague from Oklahoma knows, we are now vulnerable. I do not know when that continuing resolution will pass.”

“Madam President, in just a few hours, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act is set to expire. If we don't extend these critical authorities, we will lose one of our most effective defenses against cyber attacks as our adversaries' attacks continue to grow more aggressive and more sophisticated.”

“I want to be clear. This is a voluntary program that businesses across the country have been able to count on for 10 years. These same companies are urging us to extend the exact same protections for another 10 years.”

“Mr. President, I, along with my Senate colleague from Michigan Elissa Slotkin, am heartbroken and appalled to stand here today as we grieve yet another tragedy in our home State of Michigan.”

“Madam President, I am going to be very clear. The clock is ticking. On October 1, if Congress fails to reauthorize the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, we are set to lose an absolutely invaluable cornerstone of our national cyber security defense.”

“Roundtable, the Business Software Alliance, the Bank Policy Institute, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Information Technology Industry Council--and I can go on and on--all support extending these critical protections to ensure that businesses can effectively share information with the Federal Government and work collaboratively when a breach occurs.”

“Mr. President, before we broke for the August recess, I came to the Senate floor to sound the alarm on our rising national debt and unsustainable fiscal trajectory.”

“Madam President, I staunchly oppose Robert Law's nomination to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans at the Department of Homeland Security. If confirmed, Robert Law will be responsible for developing policies for all of DHS's critical national security missions, including border security and immigration enforcement, cyber security, protecting critical infrastructure, counterterrorism, and disaster management.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Greatest Generation Week and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. I am honored to have the opportunity to speak about this truly significant milestone marking the end to one of the most tumultuous and tragic global events in history.”

“Reserving the right to object. I rise today to oppose S. 1627, a bill to require Presidential appointment and Senate confirmation of the inspector general and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to discuss a subject that transcends partisanship and political parties, and that is our growing national debt. Nearly 230 years ago, President George Washington issued his Farewell Address.”

“Mr. President, today, we are debating President Trump's disastrous proposal to cut more than $9 billion in funding that Congress has already approved for local public broadcasting and foreign assistance.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor Sanders Candy as they celebrate 150 years of confectionery arts in the State of Michigan. Since 1875, Sanders has touched the hearts and taste buds of Michiganders through their delicious, handcrafted treats, a staple of special occasions, and gift giving across the State of Michigan.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the legacy and mission of the New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, as they celebrate 100 years of fellowship and service to the greater Pontiac community.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor an accomplished and highly regarded leader CDR Christopher Pace chief of the U.S. Coast Guard's Great Lakes Oil Spill Center of Expertise.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor a dedicated public servant, advocate for education, fair housing, conservation and equity, and longtime community leader from Flint, MI: Honorable Floyd E.”

“Mr. President, I rise today in opposition to Eric Ueland's nomination to be Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget. Congress charged the Deputy Director for Management with improving the performance, integrity, accountability, and transparency of the whole of government.”

“As Elon Musk is pushing Agencies to purchase services that his own companies provide and shutting down Agencies that are investigating his companies, Eric Ueland told me that he was unable to see any conflicts of interest raised by Elon Musk's influence on government decisions.”

“Madam President, on so-called ``Liberation Day'' this week, President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on all of our trading partners--the size, the scope, and the impact of which have not been seen for nearly 100 years.”

“I can honestly say, I do not think I have ever, ever heard an American President say they don't care if we go into a recession. I have never heard an American President say they don't care if American families and small businesses are hurt because of their policies.”

“Madam President, I rise today in opposition to Congressman Bishop's nomination to be the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, is responsible for a range of critical functions, from developing and executing the Federal budget to improving Agency performance and reviewing regulations.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to speak in opposition to the mass termination of veterans that is taking place all across our Federal Government. I was proud to serve more than a decade in the U.S.”

“Mr. President, I rise today in opposition to Linda McMahon's nomination to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Education. All across America, from small towns like Grand Marais to cities like Grand Rapids, public schools serve as the bedrock of our communities.”

“Mr. President, I appreciate my colleague's commitment to empowering the legislative branch of government. We have worked together on a bill to rein in Presidential abuse of emergency powers.”

“Mr. President, I rise today in opposition to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s nomination to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, also known as HHS.”

“Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the nomination of former Representative Tulsi Gabbard to serve as our Nation's Director of National Intelligence. Intelligence is absolutely fundamental to our national security.”