What Katie Boyd Britt said, and what was done

“Mr. President, the Senate has a spine. That is exactly what we are doing here today is standing with a steel spine. We are standing against Putin's aggression.”

“Mr. President, today I rise to remember the exceptional and abundant life of Benjamin Russell. Mr. Russell, or as many called him, ``Mr. Ben,'' was not just an icon in the Alexander City community; he was truly a trailblazer for the entire State of Alabama.”

“Mr. President, I am honored to recognize the life, legacy, and extraordinary service of Mobile native Sheriff Sam Cochran. After nearly five decades of service to our great State, Sheriff Cochran will be remembered for his extraordinary integrity, courage, and unwavering commitment to protecting others.”

“Mr. President, 2 weeks ago, I stood alongside so many of my Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle, in a press conference, to announce the Russia sanctions legislation.”

“Mr. President, I am honored to recognize the extraordinary service of MG Thomas O'Connor on his retirement from the U.S. Army after more than three decades of distinguished service to our Nation.”

“Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Mr. Barry Gosnell, an exceptional public servant, business leader, and innovator whose more than four decades of leadership in government and industry have strengthened our national defense, advanced technological innovation, and fostered economic growth throughout the Tennessee Valley and beyond.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of an exceptional Alabamian, Ms. Vera Benesby Jordan. Vera was an incredible woman--a true steward of the Lord, a generous public servant, a deeply loving daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, and someone I was proud to know.”

“Mr. President, today, I rise to honor Lulu Gribbin and to celebrate that Lulu's Law has now passed both the Senate and, as of yesterday, the House of Representatives.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to stand with Senator Cruz. Senator Cruz's leadership on this important issue has led us to today where I am hopeful that the Senate will provide a unanimous vote for TREY'S Law.”

“Victims should be in control of when and where and if they tell their story. They should never be silenced or sidelined. TREY'S Law has built momentum across the country.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize May 11 to May 17, 2026, as National Salvation Army Week. I join the junior Senator from Virginia in expressing my sincere gratitude to the Salvation Army for all they do to support and provide for Americans across the Nation.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to honor the men and women who risk their lives every day when they leave their homes so that we can return to the safety of ours--these incredible, hard-working men and women in law enforcement.”

“Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the Moffatt family of Huntsville, AL, whose lives were tragically lost in a plane crash on April 17, 2026, while traveling from Raleigh- Durham, NC, to Huntsville.”

“Mr. President, I am honored to recognize an important milestone for a crucial leader in American energy, Diversified Energy, as they celebrate 25 years in business. During this quarter-century, Diversified Energy has grown into a powerful example of American innovation and energy production.”

“Mr. President, I rise today in support of our colleague and my dear friend, a U.S. Senator from the great State of Oklahoma and President Donald J. Trump's nominee to be the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Senator Markwayne Mullin.”

“Missouri Valley. But when his father got sick, he left his scholarship immediately and went home to run his family business. He didn't hesitate. He knew it was the right thing to do.”

“Mr. President, I think that if we are going to go and sit here for--how many days is it? I don't know. The Senator from West Virginia, maybe, what, 48 days, 30-something, people without paychecks?”

“Mr. President, I think you have seen the leader lay out exactly what is happening here. We have political games being played by our Democratic colleagues, instead of putting the people of this Nation first.”

“Mr. President, we would like that opportunity to continue funding the Department of Homeland Security in its entirety while we have a conversation about the best pathway to move forward.”

“Yes. Mr. President, while we wait on that bill number, I want to say this: Guys, don't change the rules of the game. I mean, the Senate is supposed to function in a meaningful way to do the work for the people that we serve.”

“I can already see, when you all are back in charge, the number of things that this side doesn't want to fund or talk about; and if this was the approach that we took, you would say we were breaking the Senate.”

“Mr. President, look, we stand ready. And I am disappointed that we were objected to being able to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which we just saw my colleague from Washington object to.”

“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I would like a moment to respond to my colleague from Washington. Democrats claim they are no longer for open borders.”

“Mr. President, we would love to listen. That would be great because we passed a continuing resolution for 2 weeks, and to my knowledge, there were no conversations between elected Democrats and elected Republicans to try and find a pathway forward.”

“Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Dr. Marshall Schreeder, a distinguished physician, researcher, and community leader whose lifelong dedication to medicine has profoundly strengthened healthcare in the State of Alabama and beyond.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to pass this legislation by unanimous consent and offer a 2-week continuing resolution so that we can assure the DHS is fully funded while we continue to negotiate.”

“Mr. President, look, I am going to say it one more time. We wanted more time. Democrats asked for 2 weeks. Our concern was that 2 weeks wasn't long enough.”

“Mr. President, I think that these children do matter, and I think the half a million unaccompanied kids that came across the border during the Biden-Harris administration matter too--many of them with phone numbers safety-pinned to them or written on their arm.”

“Mr. President, I rise today in objection to the amendment from the Senator from Vermont. I would say the most dangerous thing that we have seen is the Biden administration letting countless numbers of individuals illegally enter our country.”

“Mr. President, I join my colleagues from Rhode Island in coming today to honor the victims at Brown University, for those who lost their lives and those who are fighting for theirs right now in a hospital room.”

“Mr. President, passing a clean CR this week is important for two reasons. First, passing the CR, of course, will avert a harmful and unnecessary government shutdown. No reasonable Member on either side, Democrat or Republican, wants a government shutdown.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and celebrate Mrs. Arlene Mitchell, a tireless servant and philanthropist for the people of Alabama. Mrs. Mitchell, who grew up just over the Alabama border in Atlanta, GA, quickly made Mobile home with her husband Mr.”

“Mr. President, I wish to recognize the life and legacy of Dr. Annette Nevin Shelby of Tuscaloosa, AL. The daughter of Gladys Price and Edwin Claude Nevin, Dr.”

“Mr. President, I would like to thank my colleague from Oklahoma. He did a tremendous job on what he just laid out, and he has also been working tirelessly on this for the last few months, in particular the month of August, along with myself, Senator Eric Schmitt, Senator Ted Budd, Senator Ron Johnson, all trying to coalesce on how to make this place work again.”

“We have bills on affordable housing, knowing that now, when you look at the American dream, almost everyone's piece of that comes through owning their own home. While previously you would buy your first home between 26 and 28 years old, now that number has moved to 38 or beyond.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to talk about a number of topics. I first want to start with how thrilled I am that childcare was addressed in the bill that we passed last week.”

“Mr. President, today I could not be more proud to introduce a piece of legislation that goes to the heart of what I believe the Republican Party stands for.”

“Mr. President, I wish to honor the life and legacy of Mrs. Etta Smith Perkins, an extraordinary Alabamian who has helped shape our State with courage and conviction.”

“Mr. President, today I rise to celebrate the birthday of someone very special: my grandmother Lyra Baker Boyd, who I call MaMa. Today, she turns 100 years old.”

“Jefferson-Hillman, and it is now right at the center of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Campus. MaMa was ready to ship out to Europe to tend to our wounded soldiers, but V-Day actually came right before she graduated.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to talk about something that I have spoken about on this floor before. Last September, an incredible young woman named Lulu Gribbin really came on to the scene with regard to a piece of legislation that we put forth before this body.”

“Mr. President on November 5, President Donald J. Trump was elected to a second term on the back of a big-tent coalition. In 2024, this election showed us that we needed to put the finishing touches on a shift that we have seen occurring in our party and our Nation.”

“Mr. President, earlier this month, the United States of America lost a legend: Harry Stewart, Jr., one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, died at the age of 100.”

“Mr. President, IVF is legal and accessible in all 50 States. This amendment is nothing more than a Trojan horse. It is far more expansive than they would want you to believe.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to discuss an epidemic that is affecting our Nation's youth, a crisis each and every parent should be concerned about and one that so many parents I know already are.”

“For anyone who is curious about why that is in the bill, all you have to do is ask a teenager, especially a teenage girl. Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy wrote that nearly half of all adolescents say that social media makes them feel worse about their bodies.”

“Mr. President, on April 1, 2020, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jaime Puerta lost his 16-year-old son Daniel. That dark day, Jaime found Daniel lying on his bed nonresponsive, ultimately seeing what looked like to be a half tablet of oxycodone on his dresser.”

“I would like to thank them for sharing their stories and the courage they have shown in the face of gut-wrenching tragedy. As a mom of two kids, what happened to Daniel and Devon is beyond a mother's worst nightmare.”

“Mr. President, January 2025 has been a turning point for the United States of America. President Donald Trump's inauguration marked the beginning of, as he put it, a new ``golden age'' for America.”

“Solving another problem, the WALL Act would impose monetary fines on illegal aliens and immigrants who overstay their visas. We would finish building the wall, and we would save money while we are at it.”

“Mr. President, I walked out of a meeting and got to see my dear friend and distinguished colleague from New Jersey addressing these incredible individuals behind me, in front of me, and all around the room.”

“Laken Riley Act, this week, we decided to put the security of the American people first and take the next step toward ending an era of open border policies.”

“Mr. President, reserving my right to object, the Laken Riley Act is a targeted, commonsense, lifesaving bill. This legislation adds crimes to the mandatory detention provisions of the INA and uses the existing framework of the INA.”

“Mr. President, over the past week and a half, the world's greatest deliberative body has discussed and debated the Laken Riley Act. I have taken to the Senate floor multiple times, as have several of my Senate colleagues, to impress upon our fellow lawmakers just how important it is to pass this bill to protect American families, to keep criminals off our streets.”

“Reserving the right to object, Mr. President, with all due respect to my colleague from Oregon, he voted against even proceeding to this bill. Now he is attempting to force amendments onto the bill outside of the bipartisan amendment process that we are working through.”

“Mr. President, reserving my right to object, we have repeatedly confirmed with ICE that all existing consent decrees would continue to apply. This amendment addresses something the bill doesn't do.”

“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, we have heard a lot of things that are untruthful about this bill today. First off, no one's due process is taken with regard to their immigration proceeding that may be moving and the ability to see the criminal proceeding through to the end.”

“Madam President, last week, the Senate took a big bipartisan step toward honoring the life and legacy of Laken Riley, answering her loved ones' call to action, and protecting American families.”

“Mr. President, on January 10, 2002, Laken Riley was born into this world to her loving family. Tomorrow would have been her 23rd birthday. She should be celebrating with her family, blowing out candles on her birthday cake, and filling her loved one's lives with the joy she spread so effortlessly.”