What Jim Banks said, and what was done

“Mr. President, before I begin my remarks today, I must say that with a heavy heart I am grieving today for town marshal Brad Fisher, a 25-year law enforcement veteran who was tragically killed today in the line of duty in Indiana.”

“The President also exposed ongoing vulnerabilities when it comes to America's elections, and thank God he did that. As one newly declassified intelligence assessment found: We judge that U.S. adversaries, including at a minimum Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, as well as non-state groups, have the capability to compromise U.S. election infrastructure.”

“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, it is pretty clear that this resolution is an attack on a red State by one of my colleagues from a blue State.”

“COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing.”

“Mr. President, next week, the country will be celebrating an incredible milestone, the 250th birthday of the United States of America, which is the greatest country founded in the history of the world.”

“I have always related to that idea of the American founding on a personal level. I grew up among farmers and tradesmen and factory workers. My dad was a union factory worker, and my mom was a nursing home cook.”

“Mr. President, before we leave town for the week, I wanted to comment, share some really good news for the great State of Indiana. You might have seen the news late last week, but last Friday, June 5, the Chicago Bears board announced that they voted to officially advance the process of building a new stadium not in downtown Chicago but rather in Hammond, IN.”

“Over the last several years, the Bears have stated their intentions in multiple jurisdictions, today's announcement is not surprising. Again, the mayor of Chicago is blaming others for his own lack of leadership.”

“Madam President, Indiana sits at the crossroads of America, but we also sit at the crossroads of more than just freight traffic and geography. Indiana is also the crossroads of our country's defense industrial base.”

“Naval Weapons Station. Crane is the third largest Navy base in the world. A lot of people don't even know it exists, and it is in Indiana. In less than a decade, Crane has made nearly 2,000 new hires and has had over $3 billion of economic impact on the State of Indiana.”

“The mayor of Indianapolis put out, frankly, a very weak statement that didn't even mention Brett's name, and so I wanted to come down to the floor, as we kick off this week and our legislative business, and talk about who he was but also talk about what is happening in our capital city in Indianapolis in my State.”

“Nothing will ever bring back Brett. And if we hope to prevent more young lives like this one from being taken far too early, we need to double down on our efforts to enforce law and order.”

“Madam President, 23-year-old Brett Scrogham of Greenwood, IN, had a bright future ahead of him. After graduating recently as a top 100 student from the IU Kelley School of Business, Brett had plans to invest in housing properties and help his community grow and prosper.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize William ``Bill'' George Schneider, a cherished husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and exemplary public servant in my home State of Indiana. Bill left us on April 22, 2026, after a long life of hard work, dedicated service to his family and country, and conservative leadership.”

“Deborah Clem (William), Brad Schneider, and Stacy Madden; as well as 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Bill lived a life marked by hard work, dedication to his family and his country, and unwavering kindness.”

“Mr. President, as you know, one of the great privileges of this job is to come down and to speak on this floor--the floor of the U.S. Senate--about the important issues of the day.”

“Mr. President, last week over the recess, I had the opportunity to visit Taiwan coinciding with the 47th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. After I left Taiwan, I went to Japan and visited Tokyo, visited with many of our troops and some of our military bases and was briefed there as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.”

“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, of all the things that the U.S. Senate should be focusing on today, like funding DHS and paying our TSA agents or protecting our elections with the SAVE America Act, Democrats instead are bringing yet again another resolution that is a clear political potshot against President Trump.”

“Mr. President, there are some things in the world that are so obvious that there is really no use in debating them. There are things in this world that really ``go without saying,'' and voter ID laws are one of those things.”

“Mr. President, before we leave for the weekend, I wanted to take a moment and just come down to the floor and give the President a lot of credit for a great State of the Union speech on Tuesday night.”

“Democratic side--none of them agreed that the American Government should prioritize their own people above everyone else, especially those who come here illegally--what a disgrace. I will never forget that moment, standing and agreeing with President Trump and clapping and cheering in agreement with him that it is our fundamental duty--the first duty that we have in this government--to put our own citizens over those who come here illegally.”

“Mr. President, I came to the floor 2 weeks ago to speak about illegal immigrant truckdrivers causing chaos on our roads. Earlier this month, a father, his two sons, and a family friend were killed on an Indiana highway when an illegal immigrant swerved his semitruck right into them.”

“Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:32 p.m., adjourned until Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 10 a.m.”

“Mr. President, on February 3, an illegal immigrant from Kyrgyzstan who was allowed into the United States under Joe Biden in 2023 killed four people on State Road 67 in Indiana--not far from where I live.”

“Mr. President, we are about to vote on the confirmation of Mr. Justin Olson, President Trump's nominee to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to speak about a very important and potentially lifesaving bill that I have introduced called Tyler's Law. But before I talk about what this law and this bill would do, I want to tell you a little bit about who it is named after.”

“Madam President, as we begin the new year, there are a lot of things that Members of Congress and the American people are paying attention to. But something really extraordinary is going on in my home State of Indiana.”

“I am incredibly proud of that decision, and I want to thank Fernando Mendoza for making that decision. I can't wait to go to Bloomington to see it.”

“Mr. President, last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Reagan National Defense Forum at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA. I have been to the event a few times before.”

“Mr. President, 10 years feels like a lifetime ago. In May of 2015, I had just returned from serving a tour in Afghanistan and had just started my campaign--my very first campaign--for Congress.”

“Trump. Working-class Americans are now the backbone of the GOP, and those are the men and women that President Trump stands up for every day and fights for, and I am proud to stand up with him.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Captain Scott Krueger on the completion of his tenure as president of the Indiana State Police Alliance. As president, Captain Krueger represented over 1,200 active Indiana State Troopers.”

“I remember deer hunting season. My dad would bring the buck home that he was proud of. We would can the meat, and we would live off it for the winter.”

“Donald Trump was going to fight for the working class, and, boy, was he right. President Trump tapped into the American people's hopes in a way that few leaders before him ever have.”

“Mr. President, Richard Warner Carlson died at 84 on March 24, 2025, at his home in Boca Grande, FL, after 6 weeks of illness. He refused all painkillers to the end and left this world with dignity and clarity, holding the hands of his children with his dogs at his feet.”

“Mr. President, on January 10, 2025, Indiana lost a remarkable man of faith with the passing of Rev. Paul D. Mooney of Indianapolis. Reverend Mooney was born in Noblesville, IN, in 1943, and was raised on his parents' farm in rural Hancock County.”