What Richard J. Durbin said, and what was done

“Mr. President, each of us serving in the Senate hopes to leave behind some sort of legacy. My own begins with the interns that have passed through my office.”

“Mr. President, a few years ago, I met a young woman who lives in the Chicago suburbs. She told me a story of her college career and what it led to.”

“Mr. President, I am nearing the end of my Senate term, and I am reflecting on some historic events which I have witnessed at this table, at this desk.”

“How would you like that? Get-out-of-jail-free card. And that was part of the agreement, and it should be contested. If we say no one in America is above the law, how in the world can you justify doing this for the Trump family and their businesses?”

“Let's take an example. The average Social Security check now is around $2,400 a month. If you reduce that by 22 percent, it means that people receiving Social Security will receive about $450 to $500 less a month.”

“Mr. President, when I think about the issue of public health, I remember a time in my childhood when one of my friends didn't show up for school.”

“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I have been in the House and the Senate for quite a while. I have written a lot of bills and amendments.”

“Mr. President, we start with this little document called the U.S. Constitution. Every one of us has sworn to uphold and defend this document. And we go to article I, the first article in the Constitution, section 8, and it spells out with clarity who declares war under this Constitution: The Congress of the United States.”

“So why has the Trump administration terminated TPS for Haiti and many other countries where it is not safe to return? Some of my Republican colleagues have claimed that TPS for countries like Haiti must end simply because it is the nature of the program--that it is temporary.”

“Mr. President, you often wonder if the speeches you give on the floor of the Senate are heard by anyone. Most of us have spent some time working with staff to prepare remarks to state a position or to make a plea, and you wonder if anyone is listening.”

“Mr. President, being an air traffic controller is a hard, often thankless job. The hours are long, the stakes are astronomically high, and the work is essential to millions of families across America who are anxious to see their loved ones.”

“Mr. President, yesterday, the Senate voted to confirm Benjamin Flowers to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Mr. Flowers' record in both government service and private practice reflects his MAGA extremist agenda.”

“Mr President, prior to his confirmation to the district court, Judge Daniel Traynor showed his true colors as a MAGA partisan. After he was confirmed, he had a chance to show that he could be a neutral arbiter on the bench.”

“Mr. President, I rise in support of H.R. 1689, a bill to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status through March 20, 2029. I thank my colleagues Senator Markey and Senator Blunt Rochester for their leadership on this important humanitarian issue.”

“Mr. President, I would like to react to the statement of my friend and colleague from Wyoming. I am against fraud. That is it. On the record: I am against fraud.”

“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, you heard her lay out the case of wrongdoing by a judge. I am going to ask for the Senate to take action to condemn that conduct.”

“Mr. President, we are not judging by this action of objecting the conduct of this judge. That is not for us to judge. Under the Constitution, it is clear.”

“Mr. President, roughly a year ago, President Trump made good on his ``MASS DEPORTATION NOW!'' promise--it was a campaign pledge--when he unleashed ICE into cities across the country to carry out his brutal immigration crackdown.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Jeffrey T. Kuntz to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. While Judge Kuntz was under consideration to fill a judicial vacancy, he was also presiding over Alexander v.”

“Mr. President, I would like to speak on a separate topic. In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt decided to try something. The idea was to create a pension plan for every American.”

“Today, I am doing something that is rarely done in the Senate: introducing a bill sponsored by a bipartisan group of Senators--four Democrats, four Republicans. Our goal is to protect and strengthen Social Security.”

“Mr. President, I thank my colleague from North Dakota for those kind words about our mutual friend. We are both going to miss him. I have given a tribute to him today in the committee and partially on the floor, but it is still hard to imagine the Senate without Lindsey. (The remarks of Mr.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Matthew A. Schwartz to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Mr. Schwartz joins the growing line of Trump personal lawyers who have been nominated to the bench during Trump's second term.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Arthur Roberts Jones to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Mr. Jones' association with a far-right organization and refusal to disavow that organization's extreme views on firearm safety are disqualifying.”

“Mr. President, last week, I joined several of my colleagues from the Senate and from the House at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye. It was a historic meeting in terms of the future of NATO and the future of Ukraine and so many other issues that relate to that critical and important alliance.”

“Mr. President, I want to take a moment to reflect on the costs of war. The heaviest burden is always paid by those who serve. In the President's war of choice against Iran, 13 American servicemembers have lost their lives, their families forever affected.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Michael Hendershot to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Mr. Hendershot's record reflects his partisanship.”

“The Senator from Montana says, yes, and if that involves even partially a consideration of Down syndrome, 5 years in prison. I understand the compelling argument being made here, but there are compelling arguments to be made on both sides when it comes to this issue.”

“Mr. President, last week, I joined my colleague from California Senator Alex Padilla for a spotlight forum on the Trump administration's ongoing effort to undermine free and fair elections, particularly the upcoming midterm election, a few weeks away.”

“As we celebrate our country's 250th year of independence, we must join together in support of free and fair elections and condemn any attempts by this President or otherwise to undermine our democracy before it is too late.”

“Madam President, there are memories you have as a child which you never, ever forget. And one of my memories was growing up, smack-dab in the Midwest, in the middle of our country, and the experience I had as a child when my mother would wake me in the middle of the night, and I would hear the tornado sirens blaring.”

“Now, after 4 months of hostilities, after an invasion--or attack, let's say--on Iran by the United States, without support of any allies behind Israel, we have reached a point where we spent billions of dollars, 13 American servicemembers have given their lives, and the global economy held hostage.”

“Trump with his grandiose ballroom and arch projects. Why would President Trump give any U.S. legitimacy to this Russia propaganda event, while Putin continues to bomb Ukraine and snub efforts to end the war?”

“Mr. President, I am honored to rise in concert with my friend and colleague from Virginia Senator Kaine for this measure that is going to be pending on the floor.”

“Mr. President, when it comes to fraud, there is no excuse for it, but let's not overstate the obvious. Government Agencies across this country are doing the best they can in some instances but can always do better.”

“But if my colleagues want to reauthorize section 702 quickly, there is a simple solution, and my colleague Senator Wyden of Oregon made this point on the floor last week.”

“Mr. President, the President called it the Big Beautiful Bill--his budget--the Big Beautiful Bill. That Big Beautiful Bill did give tax breaks--there is no question about it--primarily to the richest people in this country.”

“Mr. President, the Republican leader said that we could continue in session so long as there were Democrats to speak. To my knowledge, there are no additional Democrats.”

“Mr. President, today I want to reflect on the 14th anniversary--it is the 14th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, known as DACA. After years of congressional inaction, in 2010, I wrote a letter to my former Senate colleague President Barack Obama, cosigned by my late Republican colleague Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, asking President Obama to stop the deportation of Dreamers.”

“Mr. President, on a separate issue, the Senate will soon vote on the confirmation of one of the President's personal attorneys to the Federal appellate court. If it sounds familiar, it is because we have seen it before.”

“Mr. President, on a separate topic, over the weekend, we learned that the United States and Iran had reached a preliminary deal to end the current conflict. While I am glad that we might be seeing an end to the hostilities, I am deeply concerned about what might be in that agreement.”

“Mr. President, I just left a rally across the street. There are probably 200 young people there. And it was a rally because today is the 14th anniversary of the creation of something called DACA.”

“Mr. President, if you or a loved one is diagnosed with a life-altering medical condition, the last thing you want to face is a mountain of government paperwork in order to get your care.”

“Mr. President, I was first elected to the House of Representatives, here in Washington, in 1982. That is a long time ago, but I remember very well my first year in the House.”

“Mr. President, let me thank my colleague from Rhode Island and recall affectionately that, when I came to the Senate in 1997, John Chafee was serving. And I had an opportunity to meet with him and to work with him on something that he loved called the Atlantic Forum.”

“Madam President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Anthony Wayne Mattivi to the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. While it is commendable that Mr.”

“Mr. President, on a separate note, section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is set to expire on Friday. This powerful, necessary tool allows for warrantless surveillance of private phone calls, text messages, and emails of hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals outside the United States.”

“Mr. President, on a separate note, Sunday marked 100 days since President Trump launched his war on Iran. What was true at the beginning of the conflict is still true: There is no evidence that the President has a coherent plan to resolve this quagmire of his own making.”

“Mr. President, I listened to my colleague from Wyoming, my friend Senator Barrasso, talk about the benefits of the Trump policies when it comes to American families. I don't know the situation in his home State of Wyoming, but let me tell you the situation in most States in the Union, including my home State.”

“Mr. President, Barney Frank was one of the brightest Members of Congress I have ever had the pleasure of serving with. He was smart, outrageous, colorful, and courageous.”

“Financial Protection Bureau, an Agency tasked with defending American consumers from dishonest business practices; it regulated the securities and derivatives markets that brought our Nation to financial ruin; and it increased capital requirements for banks to avoid future defaults.”

“Year 2026, there are no recorded instances of a consultation occurring without at least one cabinet level official. The consultation therefore did not meet statutory requirements for an appropriate consultation.”

“Mr. President, last week, President Trump announced that he intends to nominate his former personal attorney Todd Blanche to serve as the next Attorney General of the United States.”

“Mr. President, I met a woman at a hearing, from Chicago, which I am honored to represent. Her name was Marimar Martinez. On a Saturday morning, last October, Ms.”

“Madam President, I want to join in extending my heartfelt congratulations to my colleague and friend Senator Collins as she marks this incredible milestone--the first Senator in America's history to have cast 10,000 consecutive votes in the U.S.”

“Mr. President, I would just say, remember, these DACA children who were brought here as children to the United States have gone through a criminal background check, paid their fees, and done everything they have been asked to do.”

“We heard it so many times: Rapists, murderers, terrorists, the criminally insane, child predators--we are going to unleash the forces of the United States to keep us safe from these threatening people and dangerous people.”

“You ought to listen to the story of one of these people and come to understand what I am talking about. This is Juan Chavez Velasco. What does he do for a living?”

“Mr. President, do you remember when the ICE agents were in the city of Chicago? I can't forget it. Things were happening in the city I am honored to represent I had never seen before.”

“I am not going to go into the suggestion of Mr. Pulte to head our intelligence Agencies. I will simply just say: totally unqualified. The current administration has repeatedly targeted political opponents.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Jeffrey M. Kuhlman to the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. Mr. Kuhlman has only practiced law for 9 years, focusing primarily on the defense of government entities and employees.”

“Mr. President, on a separate topic, today is June 1, the arbitrary deadline President Trump imposed on the congressional Republicans to send their partisan funding bill to his desk for signature.”

“Mr. President, the Senate will soon vote on the nomination of Kathleen Lane, President Trump's nominee to serve as a lifetime appointment and judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana.”

“Mr. President, tomorrow, the State of Tennessee is planning to end the life of Tony Carruthers, a man with severe mental health conditions who was forced to represent himself in a murder trial 30 years ago.”

“Mr. President, last year, the city of Chicago, which I am honored to represent, lived under President Trump's mass deportation operation, which was dubbed by the administration as ``Operation Midway Blitz.'' While instances of ICE agents tear-gassing neighborhoods, firing rubber bullets at protesters, and using violent force to detain individuals have slowed since that monthslong campaign, arbitrary immigration enforcement continues to grip the city.”

“There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 4566 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.”

“Mr. President, the issue is our right to vote in this democracy and in this country. For many of us, that has never been a big question. We registered.”

“The highlight of the trip was going to be on Sunday. After breakfast, we were going to go march together across and down the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL.”

“Mr. President, if you follow the U.S. Senate priority agenda, you are realizing at this moment in time, we are in the midst of a national emergency--a national emergency.”

“Now, what does the President want to do? What has been the promise from the start? We are not only going to release full and unconditionally all of those arrested as an insurrectionist mob on the Capitol.”

“Mr. President, I ask unanious consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 4541 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.”

“Mr. President, later today, the Senate will move 1 step closer to confirming 50 Executive nominees without the consent or agreement of the Senate Democrats. Last year, Senate Republicans made a change in the Senate's rules that has fundamentally undermined Senators' ability to fulfill our constitutional duty of advice and consent.”

“Mr. President, I was proud in 2008 during the financial crisis facing this country to join a majority of Senators in creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This Bureau has been a watchdog for consumers ever since.”

“Mr. President, for the President of the United States, there are few decisions more important than nominating leaders of integrity and good judgment to hold trusted positions in office.”

“Mr. President, like many families across America, mine was touched by the disease of cancer when I was a young man. At the age of 14, my father died of lung cancer.”

“Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control, my Republican colleagues should have the nerve and fortitude to call out this alarming, unacceptable, and dangerous behavior and treatment of our children.”

“Mr. President, so now we are going to consider a reconciliation bill to spend tens of billions of dollars for ICE and CBP. We all know the story of ICE.”

“Let me also say that we are going to have a hearing this week, a spotlight hearing by Democrats, to have these DACA recipients come before us and explain what has happened to their lives.”

“Williams contended, without evidence, that Federal judges ruling against President Trump were setting Trump up. This man who dismissed Mr. Reffitt as a threat on January 6 wants to represent the U.S.”

“Mr. President, last week was an opportunity for us to return home to our States and districts, and in my case, the city of Chicago, where it was a glorious week but for one sobering event--we lost one of Chicago's finest--patrolman and policeman John Bartholomew.”

“Mr. President, section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, is an important tool for gathering foreign intelligence and keeping America safe, but this authority of the government also serves as a backdoor for warrantless surveillance of Americans right here at home.”

“Mr. President, today, the city of Chicago is in mourning. On Saturday, Chicago police officer John Bartholomew was fatally shot after taking a robbery suspect to the hospital.”

“Fiscal year 2034: (A) New budget authority, $822,005,000,000. (B) Outlays, $810,217,000,000. Fiscal year 2035: (A) New budget authority, $830,340,000,000. (B) Outlays, $808,740,000,000. (14) Social Security (650): Fiscal year 2026: (A) New budget authority, $66,568,000,000. (B) Outlays, $66,568,000,000.”

“Fiscal year 2034: $1,826,009,000,000. Fiscal year 2035: $1,892,147,000,000. (b) Social Security Outlays.--For purposes of Senate enforcement under sections 302 and 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 633 and 642), the amounts of outlays of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund are as follows: Fiscal year 2026: $1,509,338,000,000.”

“Mr. President, last week, President Trump was asked to assess the state of the American economy. He said: Very happy. This is one of the rare moments where I can understand the President's thinking.”

“Mr. President, remember the rallies? President Trump would stand up at the rallies and say: We are going to get rid of the ``worst of the worst'' criminals who managed to sneak into the United States in violation of our immigration laws--the rapists, the murderers, the terrorists, the criminally insane, those who are exploiting our children.”

“Madam President, today, the Senate will vote on the nomination of Andrew Bray Davis to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. I am deeply concerned Mr.”

“Mr. President, when Kash Patel was confirmed as head of the FBI, I said that he had neither the experience, the judgment, nor the temperament for the job.”

“Mr. President, the Hebrew phrase ``l'dor v'dor'' means ``from generation to generation,'' and it is an important principle in the Jewish faith. This phrase describes the passage of beliefs, values, and traditions from parent to child, mentor to student. ``L'dor v'dor'' is a message of Jewish resilience, a testament to their continued spirit in the face of centuries of oppression.”

“Mr. President, I will also tell you that when it comes to the future involvement of the United States, we have a serious question in the Middle East.”

“Mr. President, I would like to speak to two or three topics. One of them is the current procedural situation in the Senate and, for that matter, the House.”

“All of this occurred when the chaos at our airports grew and essential workers went unpaid. Instead of agreeing to reforms, the White House took Executive action to skirt accountability.”

“Mr. President, let's see if we all agree on something. People should not be allowed to vote in elections illegally. Is that a radical idea? I think it is a basic idea.”

“Americans registered to vote. So in a 20-year period of time, think about all of the possibilities of people who are registering to vote and how many were actually illegal when trying to register to vote.”

“Mr. President, nearly 20 years ago, I joined with then- Republican Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon to introduce the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act. Key provisions of that bill included significant tightening of petroleum-related sanctions that eventually became law and helped push Iran to the negotiating table over its genuinely dangerous nuclear program.”

“If there was ever a reminder of the importance of the constitutional role of the people's elected representatives, it is in the declaration of war. This current mess reminds us that those who wrote the Constitution had real wisdom, and those who are executing the plans for this war have not demonstrated that feature.”

“Mr. President, last month, America lost a man who devoted his life to serving America. Robert Mueller passed away on March 20. He left behind an amazing legacy of patriotism, honesty, integrity, and courage.”

“Mr. President, I am disappointed that the junior Senator from Indiana has blocked the Senate from honoring an American hero, Bob Mueller, who protected our national security with his life and for decades served the call to public service.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote on the nomination of Judge John Shepherd to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. I am concerned by Judge Shepherd's overall lack of experience.”

“Mr. President, I listened to the Republican leader from South Dakota Senator Thune in his remarks today, and I would like to say a few words that may be in disagreement with him on some of the things that he said.”

“Mr. President, reserving right to object. I say to my colleague from Ohio, I believe you are sincere. I believe you want to find a solution. I share that feeling.”

“At this point, I am going to object, and we can discuss many of the things which you brought up today. I would just tell you: You will have your chance, within an hour, to vote for Jeff Merkley's provision which will pay everybody working for TSA right now.”

“Mr. President, not once, not twice, 10 times we Democrats have brought to the floor of the Senate an opportunity to restore all of the appropriations in the Department of Homeland Security but for one Agency, ICE and a related Agency, Border Patrol.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Colin McDonald to be Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division. Before Mr. McDonald's hearing, I had many questions about this newly created division.”

“Mr. President, the last speaker was the Republican Senator who leads the majority in the Senate. He is talking about a bill that is pending before us which changes the way people in America will be required to register to vote.”

“Mr. President, today is the 16th anniversary of an amazing event in the history of the United States. Millions of Americans can remember a time when access to affordable healthcare was just not a reality in America.”

“Mr. President, 2 weeks ago, a woman named Kristi Noem came and appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee. We had been asking her to come in and explain her management of the Department of Homeland Security for months.”

“Mr. President, did you hear what the President said about this piece of legislation that is entitled the SAVE America Act--how important it is to him? Earlier this week on social media, President Trump said: Only sick, demented, or deranged people in the House or Senate could vote against THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.”

“Mr. President, we recently passed a tragic milestone: the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. I remember the morning vividly, sitting with Senator Coons, the senior Senator from Delaware, on a dark, early morning at the airport in Vilnius, Lithuania, a country that knows all too well the threat posed by Russia throughout history.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Anna St. John to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Ms. St. John's record reflects her partisan ideology and raises serious questions about her ability to impartially administer justice if she is confirmed.”

“There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 4104 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.”

“Mr. President, the sweeping surveillance powers authorized under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA, expire in just 40 days. Section 702 grew out of a secret, warrantless surveillance program conducted by the Bush administration after 9/11.”

“Mr. President, 23 years ago--that is quite a few years--I heard about a threat to the future of the Great Lakes. The threat turned out to be a fish.”

“Trump posted on Truth Social that he was now joining forces with us to stop this invasive species. In the post, the President noted that the carp were already in the Great Lakes.”

“In less than 2 weeks, the President's war wiped out a year of stable fuel prices, without any clear or coherent endgame. In fact, just yesterday, the President lifted--lifted--sanctions on Russian oil in an ill-conceived attempt to lower gas prices.”

“Mr. President, in following the leader's remarks, I want to make an additional point. This is not the first time we have made this offer to the Republicans.”

“Bill of Rights, and to the laws of this land. We want to make sure that they are followed, and that is why we are negotiating the future of ICE and Border Patrol.”

“The SAVE America Act would upend the past two decades of successfully secure elections with untested, dangerous limitations on voter registration. Here is how it goes. You want to buy an airline ticket, and they ask you for identification.”

“Mr. President, last week was historic in the Senate Chamber. For the first time, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security came and appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee.”

“Mr. President, my friend the Republican whip says that we have a ``clear and present danger'' in Iran. Well, we are in the fifth day of this war, and so far, we have five different explanations from the White House as to why we invaded Iran.”

“Mr. President, over the weekend, President Trump launched a military attack on Iran. While there has been bipartisan backing for stopping Iran's development of nuclear weapons for many years and its support for regional terrorist proxies to also come to an end, there is no consensus in America for another interminable war in the Middle East.”

“Mr. President, one of the most important votes that I ever cast in the House or the Senate was the result of a challenge from a complete stranger.”

“Mr. President, in 1993, Quincy, IL, experienced the worst flooding in the Gem City's history. Over a span of a few short weeks, thousands of acres of farmland were covered with multiple feet of water.”

“Mr. President, on a completely unrelated topic, the year was 1969. I had just graduated from law school. I was working for the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Illinois, a man named Paul Simon.”

“Mr. President, last Friday, the Supreme Court ruled to strike down most--70 percent--of Trump's tariff taxes. Tariffs can be useful when used strategically, but President Trump exceeded these authorities, as clearly defined by Congress, and the Supreme Court, by a vote of 6 to 3, told him as much.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Daniel Burrows to be Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy. I will oppose the nomination. Less than a year ago, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on President Trump's first nominee to be Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy, Aaron Reitz.”

“Mr. President, Friday marks the deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Last week, Congress--House and Senate--passed the five outstanding, bipartisan government appropriations bills that funded 96 percent of the Federal Government.”

“Mr. President, today the Senate will vote to confirm Justin Olson to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Mr. Olson currently serves as associate counsel in multiple matters involving challenges to trans individuals participating in college sports.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Brian Lea to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Over the course of his legal career, Mr.”

“Mr. President, we had a hearing yesterday. It was an impromptu spotlight hearing, not in the ordinary course of Senate business. And we invited witnesses in to testify about what is happening in major cities across our country.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Nicholas Jon Ganjei to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. I will vote in opposition to Mr.”

“Mr. President, last month, America watched in horror as Federal immigration officers shot and killed, in two separate incidents, U.S. citizens as part of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.”

“The President promised he was going after ``the worst of the worst''--``the worst of the worst.'' So two people in Minneapolis lost their lives. Were they ``the worst of the worst''?”

“Mr. President, if you were to follow I-94W for just an hour and a half north of the city of Chicago, you would find yourself rolling into the city of Milwaukee.”

“First, I want to thank my colleague from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Senator Warren. That was a powerful, moving, absolutely necessary speech, and I am glad I was here to hear you deliver it.”

“Governor Walz noted that, in Minnesota, the State's department of corrections honors all Federal and local detainers by notifying ICE when a person in custody is not a citizen.”

“I have come to the floor before to share the stories of U.S. citizens who were arrested in Chicago by immigration agents during Operation Midway Blitz. Take Elianne Bahena and Jax Lopez--two U.S. citizens who worked for a local alderman in the city of Chicago, my friend Michael Rodriguez of the 22nd Ward.”

“Mr. President, I am trying to remember what year it was. It could have been 15 years ago in the Senate when I walked into a hearing chaired by Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.”

“Opponents of our bill have falsely claimed such provisions would squeeze Visa and Mastercard and the big banks, and force them to scale back reward programs. I learned something recently in lobbying on this bill.”

“Mr. President, my friend and colleague from Wyoming mentioned many things about the Republican tax bill, but he failed to mention the most important part of it: It ended up giving tax breaks to the wealthiest people in America.”

“Mr. President, I want to thank Senator Mark Kelly for bringing us together on the floor to talk about Citizens United. Senator Kelly has the honor of representing the State of Arizona.”

“Mr. President, politicians live in a world of advocates. The rich and powerful engage effective people to represent them. Those less fortunate strive to keep up in the world of politics.”

“Mr. President, on December 23, the Supreme Court issued an order in Trump v. Illinois that checks this President and his authoritarian tendencies. The Court rejected the Trump administration's request to stay a temporary restraining order issued by U.S.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Sara Bailey, nominated to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Ms. Bailey, like so many of President Trump's nominees, was chosen for her loyalty and MAGA bona fides, rather than any policy expertise or leadership experience.”

“Rochester), the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Kelly), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Warnock), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr.”

“Mr. President, earlier this year, the Trump administration began a calculated show of political theater in force designed to spread fear and terror in Chicago and surrounding Illinois communities.”

“Mr. President, earlier this year, Pope Leo XIV asked us to reflect on chapter 25 of Matthew's gospel. This passage details the questions that will be posed to determine the contents of a person's soul.”

“Mr. President, I also want to draw attention to the crisis surrounding medical research in this country, created entirely by this new Trump administration. Ten years ago, I met with Dr.”

“Mr. President, on an unrelated matter, America's health system is in critical condition. In 17 days, 22 million Americans will be asked to pay double or triple for their current health insurance premiums.”

“Mr. President, in Skokie, IL, a few miles north of Chicago, is America's second largest Holocaust museum. Those who visit see thousands of artifacts from victims and survivors and their families.”

“Mr. President, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is my friend and my colleague. We work together, and he is a real doctor--a real doctor. And what I have read about his medical career is that he treated people with limited income, and I respect him so much for doing that.”

“No, I am happy to yield, and we came perilously close to debate on the Senate floor, by my recollection. Wouldn't it be something if we did this on a regular basis?”

“Mr. President, on a separate subject, for more than 3 months, Secretary Kristi Noem and President Donald Trump have used the city of Chicago as their personal playground for militarizing immigration operations.”

“The second thing I want to say, Mr. President, is to really note something said yesterday by the President of the United States Donald Trump. The year was 2018, 6 years ago, and President Trump challenged me and other Members of the Senate to come up with an immigration plan for the United States that included his big beautiful wall, if you remember.”

“Mr. President, I would like to respond to my colleague and friend from Wyoming and just note one thing that happened last Sunday that, I think, puts this whole debate into perspective.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm James Donald Maxwell to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. I will vote in opposition to Judge Maxwell's confirmation to a lifetime appointment on the Federal bench.”

“Reserving the right to object, this is an interesting resolution. It passed the House of Representatives, and I am not sure what the vote was. My colleague and friend from Florida didn't draft it or write it, but he is offering it.”

“Mr. President, I am going to raise a different issue on the floor, and I am going to be joined in that issue by the cosponsor of the legislation, Senator Hawley of Missouri.”

“In a few minutes, we made the case. When a conservative Missouri Republican and a progressive Illinois Democrat can agree on a measure this important to the families of America, I think it is a unique message.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm William Crain to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. During his time as a State court judge, Justice Crain has repeatedly demonstrated his partisan ideology.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Robert Chamberlin to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. I will vote in opposition to Justice Chamberlin's confirmation to a lifetime appointment on the Federal bench.”

“Madam President, the issue of quality, affordable health insurance is personal to me. I know what it feels like to be a new dad with a beautiful little baby girl with a serious medical condition.”

“I want to go back to that restaurant--maybe not next Sunday, maybe after Christmas--and tell that friend of mine that we heard her and we did something about it, and we are going to give her a helping hand, at a time when she has nowhere else to turn.”

“Mr. President, before he became President, a member of Congress, or even a lawyer, Abraham Lincoln was a postal worker. From 1833 to 1836, Lincoln served as the postmaster of New Salem, IL.”

“Mr. President, in my office here in the U.S. Capitol, which is a few steps away from this Chamber, I have behind my desk a credenza. On that credenza is a document that is dear to me and my family and really defines who I am.”

“Can we get to work on a bipartisan basis and agree that if we are going to keep safe borders, we also want to make sure that the right immigrants are here for our future?”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm David Alan Bragdon to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. I will vote in opposition to Mr.”

“Mr. President, on a separate subject, in just a few weeks, the Affordable Care Act's enhanced premium tax credits are set to expire. We have precious little time to act.”

“Mr. President, I would like to address another issue on a different topic. For more than 3 months, Chicago has endured President Trump's Operation Midway Blitz. It is a cruel campaign that swept up innocent citizens, legal American residents, and immigrants who pose absolutely no threat to public safety.”

“Mr. President, many of us bring life experiences to the Senate Chamber, and it shapes our judgment on critical issues. When I was first married, my wife and I were blessed with a beautiful little baby girl.”

“Mr. President, on an unrelated issue, last week, families gathered around the table to give thanks and enjoy a plate or two of turkey, mashed potatoes, casserole, cranberry sauce, and more.”

“Just like SNAP cuts, Trump's energy policies harm those who are already struggling the most. One example is his budget proposal that calls to eliminate LIHEAP--a program that helps millions of low-income Americans pay their energy bills on time.”

“Mr. President, I want to start by acknowledging, as well, the horrific--horrific--shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC, last week. As was reported, 20-year-old SPC Sarah Beckstrom tragically passed away on Thanksgiving Day, and 24-year-old SSgt Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition.”

“Mr. President, let me pick up where the Republican leader left off on air traffic controllers. The biggest, busiest airport in the United States is O'Hare, when you count both passengers and cargo traffic.”

“Mr. President, you heard the speeches. We all did. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, speaking to cheering crowds at rallies, he would say, inevitably: Murderers, rapists, terrorists, the criminally insane, sexual predators that came into this country illegally, we are going to remove them.”

“Wouldn't it be amazing to end this year and start a new one by doing the right thing for these people who are victims of legislative decisions? I was on the floor of this Senate 15 years ago--it was one of the most important votes I cast, to create the Affordable Care Act.”

“There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 3192 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.”

“Mr. President, if you put me on the spot and ask me how many times I have flown from O'Hare to Washington during the course of my congressional career, I couldn't guess.”

“Recently, when we had a government shutdown, there was a question raised as to whether or not we were going to reduce the number of air flights in America as a result of it.”

“Mr. President, after a record government shutdown of 41 days and 14 rollcalls failing to reopen it, the situation was clear. Donald Trump and the Senate Republican leadership were unwilling to do anything to reduce skyrocketing health insurance premiums, a terrible problem facing some 24 million American families.”

“Mr. President, I have one word for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and on my side of the aisle--one word: enough. It is time for us to get down to the business of agreeing on some basic things.”

“Mr. President, we are here debating a central Constitution precept, and I am glad. Throughout my career in the House and Senate, I have tried to be consistent on this issue and respect the Constitution and its wisdom.”

“House. Only Congress, under the Constitution, has the power to declare war. Article I, section 8 is clear on this issue--and for good reason. Only the people's elected representatives should have the awesome power to send our sons and daughters into armed conflict.”

“Mr. President, election night, this past Tuesday, should have been a wake-up call for many of my colleagues in the Senate. Americans lined up at the ballot box to demand the Trump administration start addressing America's affordability crisis.”

“You see, President Trump said on the campaign trail that he had ``concepts of a plan''--``concepts of a plan''--to make healthcare affordable. His real plan--and the Republicans' plan that they have been following for the past year--unfortunately, is going to mean Americans pay dramatically more for their healthcare.”

“Mr. President, I want to thank my friends Senators Padilla and Blumenthal for putting together this floor block. Yesterday was election day for many Americans. They stood at the ballot box and voted their consciences, but they weren't just voting for a candidate; they were voting for a vision of our Nation.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Eric Tung to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Tung is yet another judicial nominee who has been selected by President Trump for his partisan ideology.”

“Mr. President, my friend from Wyoming, my colleague on the Republican side, just gave a litany of accomplishments of the Trump administration. That is his view of the political world, and he is certainly entitled to it, but the vote results from last night show that America does not agree with what the Senator from Wyoming said.”

“Mr. President, I want to thank my colleague Senator Blumenthal for organizing this floor bloc. I thank the Senator very much, and it is an honor to be part of it.”

“Mr. President, I am fortunate to live in a State with some outstanding people in law enforcement. I stand behind the men and women of law enforcement, which includes, of course, our State police, our county officials, and local law enforcement as well.”

“Mr. President, last week, I came to the floor on Wednesday to tell the story of some high school kids in Chicago. They did a remarkable thing last Tuesday, 6 days ago.”

“The officers tried to grab a third landscaper, but they let him go after he insisted he was an American citizen, according to a video the woman shared with the Tribune.”

“Mr. President, when you read this article, you realize what is happening here. These ICE agents, whom Kristi Noem calls her ``dream team,'' they have completely ignored the Constitution when it comes to due process.”

“Mr. President, I was just checking the Congressional Record. You see, we have a tradition here in the Senate. The tradition is that what we say on the floor is printed and available the next day right at our desk.”

“I wanted to check and see, based on the statements made by my friend and colleague the Senator from Wyoming, whether the Congressional Record printed yesterday contained the efforts of Democratic Senator Ben Lujan of New Mexico to fund the SNAP program.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Edmund LaCour to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Mr. LaCour is another judicial nominee selected by President Trump for his extreme views.”

“Mr. President, I would like to clarify several points raised by my friend and colleague from Wyoming Dr. John Barrasso, my Senate colleague--and he is my friend. I disagree with him, and I think several things that he said were incorrect and need to be clarified on the record.”

“With less than a week of planning, Lopez said she was pleased with the large turnout and made sure her fellow students knew the risks of protesting, including the presence of federal agents, telling them ``they will not stop''-- This is what she told fellow students. ``they will not stop because you are children'' and ``they do not care,'' she said.”

“Mr. President, for the last 2 months, the people of Illinois have been living under President Trump's so-called Operation Midway Blitz. I have watched it up close. I have seen its victims, and I have seen its methods.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Jordan Pratt to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Judge Pratt has repeatedly demonstrated his partisanship and extreme views over the course of his career.”

“Mr. President, a few weeks ago, the Catholic cardinal and archbishop of Washington, DC, gave a homily on the occasion of the annual celebration to honor and support immigrants.”

“A few days ago, some Jewish rabbis in the Chicagoland area sent a letter to the editor of the Chicago Sun-Times on the same immigration crisis. They wrote: On behalf of Jewish clergy serving communities across Chicago and Illinois, we write in opposition to the escalating campaign of fear and repression carried out by U.S.”

“Mr. President, I make a point now, since the arrival of the military from President Trump into the Chicago area, to go home each weekend and visit the neighborhoods that are under assault from the ICE agents.”

“Mr. President, local papers are the lifeline of our communities. They inform citizens of not only what is going on in their city halls, but their wedding halls as well.”

“Mr. President, I strongly oppose the nomination of Stephen Chad Meredith to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Like several of President Trump's other judicial nominees, Mr.”

“Mr. President, I am sure that those who are following the opening remarks of the Senate today can sense the frustration, bordering on anger, with the current situation, the current status quo.”

“The second part of the decision by the Republicans in the big, beautiful budget to provide a tax break for the wealthy was basically to eliminate the tax subsidy that is available for middle-income families under the Affordable Care Act.”

“Mr. President, I often think about times when government resources played an important role in my family's life, long before I became a U.S. Senator. When I was in high school, shortly after my father passed away, my family received a Social Security disability assistance check.”

“Mr. President, today the Senate will vote to confirm William Mercer to the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. I will vote in opposition to Mr.”

“Over the course of my service in the Senate, one of the things that I was proudest of and am still proud of was the formation of the so-called Gang of 8--four Republicans and four Democrats who sat down to write a comprehensive immigration reform bill.”

“In the nature of a question, I ask the Senator from Oregon, is he aware of the fact that we have approximately 700 immigration judges facing that backlog you just described, and the Trump administration has dismissed 100 of them?”

“In the nature of a question, when it comes to the issue of due process, the question is whether or not we can, in this country, offer due process to the people who are asking for their fate to be resolved.”

“Is the Senator aware of the fact that 2 weeks ago ICE offered to children under the age of 18--and they were children--an option of a $2,400 reward if they would leave the country and go back to the country of their birth?”

“If the Senator from Oregon would yield for another question. Do you recall, as I do, how many times Candidate Trump and President Trump spoke before rallies supporting his cause and railed about the murderers, terrorists, rapists, criminally insane, and sexual predators who are coming across the border and threatening us?”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Judge Moe is another example of President Trump's focus on nominating jurists who rule in favor in big business and conservative special interests, instead of serving as a neutral arbiter on the bench.”

“Mr. President, let me first thank Senator Blumenthal for bringing us together on the floor this afternoon and also Senator Schiff for his excellent statement on this issue, which is so timely and important.”

“Mr. President, my friend and colleague from Wyoming believes that he knows who was in the streets last Saturday. I don't know where he was, but I was in the streets of Chicago.”

“Mr. President, last Friday, I went back to the city of Chicago, which I am honored to represent, and over the weekend, I had two experiences I want to share with you.”

“Mr. President, last week we learned that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado had won this year's Nobel Peace Prize. This is a photograph of her. She did so for her steadfast and courageous fight for democracy in the once-proud Nation of Venezuela that, unfortunately, now under a man named Maduro, has descended into chaos and dictatorship.”

“Mr. President, the Republican Party controls the Presidency, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Despite that trifecta, the government has been shut down for 15 long days and counting.”

“So it is a bit over the top for the Republicans to ask Democrats and the American people to wait and trust them to fix this issue, to let the premiums go up, and then maybe they will get around to changing the law.”

“Mr. President, last Friday, Senator Tammy Duckworth, my colleague from Illinois, and I went back home to Illinois, to Broadview, which is a suburb of the city of Chicago.”

“Ramblers of the city of Chicago. Her cheers were louder than anyone else's in the arena. She helped to lead the Ramblers to the Final Four in 2018.”

“Mr. President, today the Senate will vote to confirm Jennifer Lee Mascott, nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Ms. Mascott is a nominee who was selected for her loyalty to President Trump and her extreme view on expansive Presidential power, which she has advocated for many years.”

“Mr. President, I want to thank my colleague from Illinois Senator Duckworth for inviting me to join her on the floor to discuss what is happening in our State.”

“Mr. President, I came to the floor a few minutes after Senator Thune, the Republican leader, spoke, and I missed part of his statement, but I think I heard most of it.”

“The actions taken by this administration undermine the very fabric of America, a nation that was founded on the belief that all people should be free from tyranny.”

“Mr. President, today, for the first time since her confirmation earlier this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer for her tenure in the Office of the Attorney General for this calendar year.”

“Mr. President, I am sure that you can agree, having been involved in public service for a large part of your life, that sometimes it takes a long time to make an idea a reality.”

“Transit Authority, and yet, still, to this day, residents of the Far South Side of Chicago don't have that transit option, at least not as they should. Transportation can make or break not only employment but attending school, even making it to a doctor's appointment.”

“Mr. President, last night, the Republicans--despite controlling the White House and Congress--shut the government down to avoid addressing their self-inflicted healthcare crisis. It is another blow to ordinary Americans across this country.”

“Mr. President, we are just hours away from the deadline to fund the Federal Government. This task of funding our government is one of the most important responsibilities vested in Congress.”

“Unfortunately, the Trump administration is preparing to weaponize the shutdown and continue their attacks on the Federal workforce. Without any rhyme or reason, they have been chopping off thousands and thousands of Federal employees.”

“Mr. President, millions of Americans better check their mailbox over the next week or two. There is some bad news. Letters are being sent by health insurance companies that are trying to give some kind of a warning to these families about what is going to happen to their health insurance premiums because of the big beautiful Trump budget bill.”

“Thanks to President Biden and a Democratic Congress, those credits were there for families that they could count on. Because of the Republican decision with President Trump to give tax breaks to the wealthiest people in America, they cut back on the premium assistance that was available to the Safford family.”

“Mr. President, the Senator from Wyoming is a friend of mine, really. And though we may disagree on some political issues, I greatly respect him and am glad to call him a colleague.”

“I want to be clear. What you are seeing from the Trump White House is not normal. This isn't some inside-the-beltway drama. If the President can turn the Department of Justice and the FBI into his own personal police force to target political enemies, he can just as easily turn it against ordinary Americans, and the dam is already starting to break.”

“Mr. President, Paul Harvey was a radio commentator. He used to say ``And now for the rest of the story.'' I would like to respond to my friend from Wyoming's comments he just made on the floor of the Senate.”

“In August, he fired Dr. Susan Monarez from her position as Director of the CDC, despite the fact that she had been nominated by President Trump and confirmed by every Senate Republican just weeks before.”

“Mr. President, today, the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration held a hearing entitled ``Another Biden Blunder: Missing Unaccompanied Alien Children and Criminal Sponsors.'' I attended this hearing. It certainly begs the question, Why, now that they are in control, are Senate Republicans continuing to focus on the Biden administration instead of examining the policies of this administration?”

“And you are saying the change in the big beautiful Trump budget by our Republican colleagues is going to result in an increase in monthly premiums in Wyoming of a person making $82,000 a year of $3,000 a month?”

“Let me ask you this question: Since we have the continuing resolution being considered, which would go into effect September 30, if we agree on one, if you took care of this tax credit issue, you could spare that family in Wyoming from a $3,000-a-month addition to their hospitalization premium; is that correct?”

“Let me ask the Senator from Vermont his own personal experience. Mine was that last year, I decided to replace my knee--my football knee from high school--and my hip, same year.”

“I thank the Senator from Vermont as well as the Senator from New Hampshire for organizing this block. I am going just say that people have contacted me from Illinois and are scared to death about what is going to happen on October 1.”

“Mr. President, there are life experiences which you carry for the rest of your life because they are so meaningful and change the course of your life. I will never forget what it was like to be the father of our new baby when she had a serious medical condition and I had no health insurance.”

“Mr. President, last week, the world witnessed an unprovoked violation of NATO airspace by Russia. Nearly 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, some traveling up to 300 miles in the country.”

“So let me say this once again to President Trump: I don't fault you for trying to negotiate an end to this horrific war in Ukraine, but it has been clear for some time to everyone that Mr.”

“Mr. President, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is in crisis. Tomorrow will be the first time the Director, Kash Patel, will come before the Senate Judiciary Committee as Director to be questioned about his management of the Bureau.”

“Mr. President, late last week, it was reported that the Pentagon was contemplating ending critical military assistance to European partners, including the Baltic States. The program known as the Baltic Security Initiative.”

“I want to thank the member of the Rules Committee for organizing this floor block of speeches. He has been a valued partner of mine on the Senate Judiciary Committee for several years and has taken on his ranking member position in the Rules Committee seriously.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote on the nomination of Maria Lanahan to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. I will oppose her nomination.”

“Mr. President, today the Senate will vote to confirm Edward L. Artau to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. I will vote in opposition to Judge Artau's confirmation to a lifetime appointment on the Federal bench.”

“President Trump's threats to deploy the military to Chicago and other American cities. If this President and this administration want to join in fighting crime on a cooperative, bipartisan basis, count me in, but political theater, visions of Chicago being blown up by a Department of War--I want no part of it.”

“Mr. President, people of good will can see things differently, and I certainly respect my colleague from Wyoming. He is a friend and has been for many years.”

“Mr. President, over the August recess, I traveled across Illinois and found out what folks were thinking. There was one answer I heard more than any other; it was a concern about the healthcare cuts contained in the so-called Big Beautiful Bill.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to explain where we are but with a positive note in my message. Let me start by saying my friendship and respect for the Senator from Iowa should be a matter of record, and I think we share the same feelings for one another.”

“Mr. President, I listened carefully to my friend John Thune, the Republican leader. We have known one another and served together for many years. We have worked on issues together, and I think we will continue to, but we disagree on many political things.”

“Mr. President, later today, the Senate will vote on the nomination of Jeanine Pirro to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. I urge my colleagues to examine this nominee's record and oppose her nomination.”

“Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Oregon for his statement. I would like to join in the chorus for just a moment and note two or three things that have not been mentioned on the floor by the other side.”

“Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Oregon for his leadership on this bill, which I am proud to cosponsor. I want to respond to my friend and colleague from the State of Wyoming and say when he goes back in time looking at the votes on nominees, don't overlook the JD Vance precedent.”

“Mr. President, outside Wrigley Field in Chicago, there are statues of Chicago Cubs Hall of Famers and legends. Cast in bronze, these five men--including Fergie Jenkins, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Ron Santo--each made a historic impact on the team, the city of Chicago, and Major League Baseball.”

“Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for rollcall vote No. 415, motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Bradley Hansell to be Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security.”

“Mr. President, the Senator from Wyoming was just on the floor and spoke about the schedule of business here in the U.S. Senate, particularly the question of nominations.”

“I thank the Senator from Vermont. Several weeks ago, several Senators joined me in meeting with the Ambassador from Israel. It was an effort to discuss many of the things which we are discussing this evening.”

“Mr. President, from time to time, I come to the floor to discuss political prisoners jailed by some of the world's worst regimes. I have often been joined in that effort to secure their release by colleagues on both sides of the aisle, including then- Senator and now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio.”

“Soviets to ``tear down this wall'' at the Brandenburg Gate. The late-John McCain understood this when he joined thousands of Ukrainians aspiring for freedom on Maidan Square. President Trump's Special Envoy Keith Kellogg understood this when he recently secured the release of several Belarusian political prisoners.”

“Federal, State, or local offices that will exceed or be more stringent than such requirements under State law on the day before the date of enactment of the John R.”

“Mr. President, I wanted to make a very brief response about whistleblowers. Senator Grassley of Iowa is recognized for his working with whistleblowers in a constructive way throughout his Senate career.”

“Mr. President, soon, the Senate will vote on President Trump's nomination of Emile Bove to a New Jersey seat on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The swirl of information concerning the Department of Justice this year is almost impossible to follow.”

“Ten minutes later, the same policeman came up and said: We were wrong. It isn't safe. Leave as quickly as possible. We filed out that exit door, all the Members of the Senate.”

“Madam President, I think many watching the Senate from afar and even those of us privileged to serve in this body see us as simply talking past one another on a far too regular basis.”

“Hamas's military capabilities had largely been destroyed. Several noted Israeli leaders tried, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Director of the Israeli Security Agency Ronen Bar--both of whom were fired by Netanyahu.”

“Mr. President, first, I thank the Senator from Connecticut Senator Blumenthal. He brings a level of expertise and experience to the Judiciary Committee and the Senate that is really unmatched.”

“Now, look at what happens: To bring a U.S. attorney before us is a much different process today. What happened? The Democrats gave President Trump all of his U.S. attorney nominees in his first term, with perhaps one exception, by voice vote.”

“So she said: The way to solve that problem is not to find a better nominee; it is to get rid of the American Bar Association. If they are not going to give grade to these nominees, we don't have to worry about them being ``unqualified.'' She overturned the practice that had been in place for nearly 70 years, going back to a fellow named Dwight David Eisenhower.”

“Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Zachary Bluestone to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. I will vote in opposition to Mr.”

“In answers to written questions, Mr. Bluestone refused to admit that President Biden won the 2020 election, but he had no issue agreeing that President Trump won the 2016 and 2024 elections.”

“Mr. President, America is a great nation. Just look at the record. When it comes to the discovery of new drugs and pharmaceuticals, we lead the world. But we also pay the highest prices in the world for the prescription drugs.”

“Take a look at the agenda of the U.S. Senate. Tell me an issue that 88 percent of the American people agree with. Tell me an issue where you have bipartisan sponsorship: Senator Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee; I am ranking member of that committee--a Republican, a Democrat supporting it.”

“The Senator from Idaho is my friend. We have worked together in the past; I am sure we will in the future. But I want to tell you something.”

“SEC. 104. FUNDING. The Commission shall use amounts in the Fund to pay for all administrative expenses of the Commission, not to exceed 3 percent of the amounts made available for projects for a qualified climate change adaptation purpose from the Fund during the applicable calendar year.”

“Mr. President, on a separate issue, I want to say a word about some nominations that are pending before the Senate this week. As the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, I pay closer attention than some when it comes to the nominees who are suggested for Federal positions on the courts.”

“Mr. President, last week, both the House and the Senate voted to pass what is known as a rescissions bill. That is a term which a lot of people aren't familiar with.”

“Mr. President, I wanted to check on the bill that we are considering today, H.R. 4. I just heard the Senator from Wyoming, my colleague and friend, talk about a lot of programs that are part of the Democratic alternative.”

“I said: So where did you get the money to build it? She said: It was something called Paul Simon's Water for the World. I said: How much did it cost?”

“Madam President, I remember 9/11 very well. I was in this building meeting with Senator Daschle just down the hall, and we heard news that a plane had struck a building in New York.”

“Mr. President, the Senate will soon vote on the nomination of Whitney Hermandorfer, President Trump's nominee to serve as judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.”

“Mr. President, let me begin by joining the Senator from Alabama expressing my concern with her with what happened in Texas Hill Country, the flooding over the weekend.”

“Why do we do these things? Why would any government do these things to so many innocent people? In this case, very simply, it is to give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations.”

“Mr. President, Senator Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Senator Peter Welch of Vermont support the motion to commit bill H.R. 1 to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and eliminate provisions that would cut Medicaid payments to rural hospitals in Maine, Alaska, Missouri, Kansas, North Carolina, Louisiana, or West Virginia and ensure big corporations and the ultrawealthy pay a fair share in taxes.”

“Mr. President, I don't believe you can serve in the U.S. Senate without being, at least, an amateur student of history. You are overwhelmed in this Chamber, which is where the Senate has met since 1859, to reflect on all of the things that have occurred in the past, and you remember your own experience there as well.”

“Mr. President, we are here today debating a clumsily assembled package--still a work in progress--that would rip away healthcare from 16 million American families, give tax breaks to millionaires, billionaires, and the largest corporations.”

“One trillion dollars, imagine. This is Washington we are talking: cutting Medicaid nationwide $1 trillion and the rescue plan for the small hospitals that are in danger--the ones that I talked about--$1 trillion cut.”

“Mr. President, we know that our men and women in uniform are vital public servants. They shoulder an immense responsibility when protecting and safeguarding our communities. Each morning, when our officers put on that uniform and badge, they head into the line of duty not knowing what the day may bring.”

“To Bella, I would like to say: Your mother wasn't just a good police officer. She was a great one. And she wasn't just a good mother. She was an exceptional one.”

“Mr. President, the late Jack Valenti, the once Special Assistant to LBJ turned longtime President of the Motion Picture Association, once said: Every good speech contains six words: Let me tell you a story.”

“Mr. President, the Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats have successfully challenged several controversial Judiciary provisions from the Republican so-called One Big Beautiful Bill. One example: The Republicans included a provision that would have limited the ability of individuals to challenge the Trump administration's Executive actions by potentially putting them on the hook for millions of dollars when they try to defend their constitutional rights and go to court.”

“States the choice between regulating AI or accepting Federal funding under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. This means States would have to choose between freezing all regulations on artificial intelligence for the next decade or giving up specific Federal funding.”

“Mr. President, we are here today to ensure the Senate fulfills its constitutional duties regarding the sole power to involve our Nation in war. An important briefing will take place tomorrow and, perhaps, a vote on this very issue.”

“Mr. President, over the weekend, while most of the country slept, a gunman targeted two Minnesota State legislators in their homes. He pretended to be a police officer, and he gunned down Democratic State legislator John Hoffman and his wife.”

“Mr. President, I was necessarily absent for rollcall vote No. 321, motion to invoke cloture on S. 1582, a bill to provide for the regulation of payment stablecoins, and for other purposes, as amended.”

“Their unwillingness to speak truth to power calls to mind a line from ``A Man for All Seasons": When statesmen foresake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties, they lead their country by a short route to chaos.”

“United States, Barrack Obama. And I asked him--and Senator Richard Lugar, a Republican from Indiana, joined me in asking President Obama if he could do something to stop the deportation of these young Dreamers.”

“Mr. President, what is the hurry? What is the big hurry on this Big Beautiful Bill that President Trump wants to see the Congress pass? Well, the hurry is to make sure we don't stop and read it.”

“Mr. President, on Tuesday, President Trump sent Congress proposed rescissions. A rescissions bill is a cut to already enacted and funded programs. Looking closely at those cuts that have been proposed by the administration, I would like to speak to them this morning on the floor.”

“Mr. President, a lot of people are asking the question: What exactly were people voting for in the last Presidential election? Well, many things. We have many citizens who are voters in this country, but the recurring theme seems to be the cost of living for the average family, the ability of mothers and fathers to make ends meet and to see a realization of their dreams and aspirations.”

“Mr. President, last month, the Senate voted to proceed to the GENIUS Act, a bill that would regulate the type of cryptocurrency called stablecoins. Stablecoins are supposed to tie the value of crypto to the value of a dollar, but in 2023 alone, stablecoins differed from the value of the dollar more than 600 times.”

“Mr. President, let me join in the bipartisan comments that have been made on the Senate floor this afternoon relative to the tragedy in Boulder, CO. The point is obvious: The use of force and violence is never--underline ``never''--appropriate in a political context in an exchange of ideas.”

“There was some confusion in the early days of the Trump administration, and they were blaming the Ukrainians for invading themselves, which made no sense whatsoever. It was Putin's idea, and he executed it.”

“As one of my colleagues has said, if the Qataris said ``As a favor to the people of the United States, we are going to redesign and pay for the redesign of the Oval Office, the Situation Room, and the President's residence.”

“Mr. President, since the start of his second term, President Trump has upended the international world order and America's leadership on the global stage. He and his allies are working decisively to erode the values that are central to our Nation.”

“Mr. President, yesterday, the Senate voted to begin consideration of the modestly named GENIUS Act, a bill that would regulate stablecoins, a form of cryptocurrency. Crypto is known as a volatile investment and more unpredictable than traditional financial assets like stocks and bonds.”

“Mr. President, let me tell you a story. It is one of the oldest in our country. It is the story of the American dream. It is one of perseverance, where anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can achieve success and upward mobility through hard work and determination.”

“As Republicans strip Americans of their healthcare and SNAP benefits, millionaires and billionaires will continue to see tax breaks coming their way. In their bill, Republicans give huge tax breaks to multibillion-dollar corporations.”

“Mr. President, as has been noted by my friend and colleague from Wyoming, this is National Police Week, and I just want to join in his chorus in saluting the law enforcement officials from his State who are here in Washington this week, as well as those in law enforcement from across the Nation.”

“What does this mean? Organizations I am aware of, like Metropolitan Family Services in Chicago, lost $3.7 million overnight. These funds had been providing mental health training and job skills to hundreds of individuals who are most likely to perpetrate or be victims of violence.”

“Mr. President, last week, hospital leaders from every corner of my State of Illinois came to Washington. What was the reason for the trip? The debate in Washington about the future of Medicaid.”

“I want to agree with the basic premise that, if there is inappropriate spending, fix it. But that is not what is happening here, and I think the Republican majority knows it.”

“Mr. President, the U.S. Department of Justice is a powerful Agency. The Attorney General heads it. Throughout the United States, there are over 90 U.S. attorneys who are the Federal prosecutors--a powerful position, a position that can make or break an individual or a corporation.”

“Mr. President, before I make my remarks, I want to join my colleague, Republican colleague from Wyoming in a salute to our military and appreciation for all they have given to America.”

“Mr. President, on a separate topic, as I reflect on my time in public service, I have been thinking about the issues that have meant the most during my career.”

“Mr. President, I didn't agree with former President George W. Bush on a lot of things, but I have repeatedly given him credit for making the United States the world's leader in stemming the HIV-AIDS epidemic in some of the poorest parts of the world.”

“Mr. President, the jury is in. At the end of 100 days, the major polling firms across the United States went out and asked the American people: So what do you think?”

“Mr. President, I have come to the Senate floor before to talk about my connections with the country of Lithuania, where my mother was born. She came to the United States as an immigrant at the age of 2.”

“Mr. President, my grandparents and my mother and her two siblings immigrated to the United States from Lithuania in the year 1911. They came over on a ship from Germany to Baltimore and found their way to the city of my birth, East St.”

“Mr. President, I am the son of an immigrant from East St. Louis, IL. As a reminder to myself, I keep my mother's naturalization certificate on a table behind my desk in the U.S.”

“Today, McDonald's operates 36,000 restaurants in more than 100 nations, and it bolsters economies across the country and world. And there are few more recognizable logos than the McDonald's Golden Arches.”

“Mr. President, I would like to comment on the statement on Israel just made by my friend and colleague from the State of Wyoming. I am proud of the fact that President Harry Truman was the first President to recognize Israel's right to exist, and I certainly concur with that sentiment to this day.”

“Mr. President, the Senator has left the floor, but to follow up on the comments of the Senator of North Carolina, I would just say that we should all be reminded of the fact that half of the people in America do not know that their futures lie in the Dow Jones average.”

“Mr. President, 3 years ago today, this Capitol served as the background for one of the most notable events in recent American history. On April 7, 2022, our country made a monumental stride forward.”

“Madam President, when people ask me to describe my politics, I sometimes say that I try my best to follow the Gospel of St. Paul. By that, I mean I try to follow the examples of two good and wise men who showed me that politics, at its best, can solve real problems and advance our common good.”

“If you cut the Medicaid reimbursement, it limits the opportunity for these people to get good, professional care--people you love, people who it has broken your heart because of their illness, but you want to give them the very best in the parting years of their lives.”

“Mr. President, anyone here remember how Donald Trump promised to end Russia's war on Ukraine in 1 day if he was elected? That is right: 1 day. Well, we are 73 days into his term, with Russia still raining death and destruction upon the people of Ukraine.”

“Mr. President, the Senate will soon vote on the nominations of Dean John Sauer and Harmeet Dhillon, President Trump's nominees for Solicitor General and Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department.”

“Mr. Sauer's nomination is a danger to the rule of law. At his confirmation hearing, I asked him a very simple question that any first-year law student should be able to answer, let alone a nominee seeking Senate confirmation.”

“Mr. President, on another matter, there are few more devastating words to hear than: ``You have cancer.'' The unfortunate truth is that millions around the world are faced with that reality every year.”

“Mr. President, since taking office 72 days ago, the Trump administration has created chaos in our economy. The President, if you will remember, campaigned on lowering prices for American families.”

“Trump's trade war will cause price hikes on nearly all basic goods. A new mother buying formula for her baby, parents buying groceries, a young person saving up for a car--every American is going to feel it.”

“Thank you. I first want to acknowledge this extraordinary moment in the history of the Senate. I believe you have been holding the floor now for more than 10 hours, and perhaps we will go on even longer.”

“Mr. President, at this point, Congress is in the midst of an important duty: crafting a budget resolution. The resolution is a framework that will guide Federal spending over the next 10 years and ensure that the United States can fulfill its financial commitments and its priorities.”

“Mr. President, some people come to Congress to check a box, collect a credential, and then head to where the big bucks are: lobbying firms. For others, working as a Capitol Hill staffer is part of a lifetime of public service.”

“Mr. President, the State of the Union Address was quite a performance by President Trump. Maybe one of the highlights of humor was when he focused on the Social Security Administration.”

“Mr. President, I want to thank my colleague from Maryland for his excellent presentation. This is an issue which people with little money in the bank never think about.”

“Mr. President, the Senate will soon vote on the nomination of Aaron Reitz, President Trump's nominee for Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy. Simply put, Mr.”

“Mr. President, I come to the floor to make a unanimous consent request. That is a process in the Senate where we agree on things because no one disagrees--unanimous consent.”

“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, the resolution I offered today is short and straightforward. It is not complicated. It simply restates a bedrock principle of our democratic system of government that it is the responsibility of the judiciary to say what the law is, and, second, the executive branch is required to comply with court orders.”

“Mr. President, let me take you back to January of 1985. Ronald Reagan had just begun his second term as President, and one of his policy priorities was to include the abolition of the Department of Education.”

“Meanwhile, instead of investigating instances of genuine discrimination, the administration is laser-focused on targeting universities that do not align with its values, in hopes of suppressing free speech and banning transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.”

“Mr. President, I wanted to join my colleagues from Wyoming. I heard they were paying a tribute to Al Simpson who recently passed away. It was my good fortune 15 years ago to be a member of the Simpson-Bowles Commission where Al Simpson, who had been retired from the Senate, cohosted that with Erskine Bowles in a bipartisan effort to deal with the deficit.”

“Madam President, on January 6, 2021, a solemn constitutional proceeding was disrupted when a mob of thugs, egged on by President Trump, attacked and trashed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn a free and fair election.”

“Trump talks a big game about ``backing the blue--but his pardons of the very rioters who beat and brutalized hundreds of cops on January 6 show that he has no idea what ``support, protection, and respect'' for the police means.”

“Madam President, later today, the Senate will vote on passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act. Opioid addiction has had a devastating impact on communities all across the country.”

“Mr. President, for the second time over the past few weeks, I have come to the Senate floor to talk about the importance of medical research funding at the National Institutes of Health--NIH.”

“Mr. President, at this point, I hope I can appeal to my friend from Oklahoma. It is important to every single State, but it is certainly important to my State of Illinois where we have thousands of researchers and millions of dollars being spent.”

“Mr. President, my friend and colleague from Wyoming mentioned the New York Times this morning and reports, articles, on the economy, and so I took a quick look to see if I could find the column that he was referring to, though I couldn't find it, I did find this on page B2.”

“Mr. President, today stands out as a critical moment for the country, the Supreme Court, and the Constitution. In recent weeks, Trump administration officials and allies have made statements and engaged in troubling conduct that threatened judicial independence and our very system of government.”

“Mr. President, today we honor the 100th anniversary of the Federal Probation Act of 1925, the pivotal law that established our Federal probation system, thereby helping to reduce unnecessary detention and crime.”

“Mr. President, since he took office, President Trump, his unelected billionaire buddy Elon Musk, and their DOGE bros have begun to systematically dismantle the Federal Government. In their efforts to root out so-called ``government waste,'' President Trump and Elon are targeting and illegally terminating the Federal workforce, the employees who make our country run.”

“Mr. President, I am going to ask unanimous consent on a resolution concerning one aspect of this conflict in Ukraine that is particularly compelling, from my point of view.”

“Mr. President, I would just like to say briefly, I respect my friend from Idaho. We have a difference of opinion on this. I cannot imagine any resolution of this conflict on Ukraine that does not take into consideration these 20,000 kids who have been kidnapped by the Russians.”

“Mr. President, we are considering the nomination of Todd Blanche, President Trump's nominee for Deputy Attorney General. How important is this job? It is the No. 2 job in the Department of Justice.”

“Mr. President, in recent weeks, several Federal judges have issued orders blocking unlawful actions taken by the Trump administration. In response, the administration's officials and allies have made worrisome statements criticizing Federal judges and the process of judicial review.”

“So I want to make certain particularly that I understand the modification to the resolution clause. If I understand it correctly, you are adding a word. Perhaps you could clarify that as to whether or not there is a requirement of the executive branch to comply with all Federal court rulings.”

“Mr. President, I think I want to clarify for the record and for history so there is no dispute. There have been differences of opinion about court orders in the past.”

“I acknowledge that as well. The question is, Does that mean that the executive branch is bound by the decision of the court and has to follow a court order, whether it is for or against the administration?”

“Mr. President, instead of improving lives or lowering prices for Americans, we are seeing policies in the Trump administration do exactly the opposite. The President has spent his time trying to systemically dismantle the Federal Government, creating riffs with our closest allies and now imposing restrictive tariffs on our biggest trading partners.”

“Mr. President, I have been honored to serve in the U.S. Senate for a number of years, and I carry with that service a great number of memories.”

“Madam President, I want to thank my colleague from Hawaii. If he can spare 30 seconds, I would like to tell him a story. Years ago, I went to India to the dusty villages--not the big cities--just to see what USAID was doing.”

“Mr. President, earlier this month, I had the pleasure of meeting with leaders from Joliet, IL--including Mayor Terry D'Arcy, city manager Beth Beatty, fire chief Jeff Carey, deputy chief of health services Aaron Kozlowski, emergency management coordinator Dr.”

“Elon Musk to decide what he thinks is worthwhile spending; and Medicaid is the insurance program that pays the largest share of mental health services; we cannot slash the Medicaid program to pay for billionaire tax breaks.”

“Mr. President, now on a totally different subject, I would like to tell you about one of my constituents. He is a man from New Lenox, IL, in the suburbs of Chicago.”

“Mr. President, over the years, Federal funding for medical and scientific research has helped split the atom, defeat polio, create the internet, map the human genome, and so much more.”

“Mr. President, if standing in this Senate and asking Republicans and Democrats to come together to preserve and build medical research is a waste of time, what in the world are we doing here?”

“Mr. President, did you see over the weekend Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, dancing on a stage with a chain saw? Did you see that?”

“Agency like USAID in the ``wood chipper,'' in his words. Does this sound like a thoughtful approach to making government more efficient or does this sound like a meat-ax approach from a man who has no business being there, an unelected individual who somehow has been given authority by this President to lop off tens of thousands of jobs day in day out?”

“Reagan understood all too well what the Soviet regime was all about: It was a regime that had seized Eastern Europe and condemned millions of individuals to live under a cruel and repressive communist dictatorship.”

“Island, Wyoming, and North Dakota. At the time, Russia had begun its attempts to seize Crimea and capture additional territory in the eastern part of Ukraine. Ukrainians had just bravely stood up for their own democracy, many paying with their lives in Maidan Square--an aspiration for freedom and democracy that frightened Putin and confirmed my belief in the strength of the human spirit.”

“Mr. President, my Republican colleagues know, as I do, that President Trump's cuts, freezes, gag orders, and firings are devastating medical research at NIH. Since we get sick on a bipartisan basis, shouldn't we stand together on a bipartisan basis for medical research at NIH?”

“Mr. President, in about 2 hours, the Senate will vote on whether to confirm Kash Patel to serve as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the next 10 years--10 years.”

“Mr. President, for the past five decades, Americans have relied on Amtrak to travel our great Nation. From shuttling President Biden between Delaware and Washington during his early days as a Senator to giving people across the country a way of getting to work and special destinations, Amtrak is an invaluable service to our Nation.”

“Mr. President, on a separate topic, later this week, Senate Republicans have scheduled a vote on the confirmation of Kash Patel, President Trump's nominee for FBI Director. It is a 10-year appointment, unusual by Senate standards, but it was designed to be 10 years so it would be depoliticized.”

“Mr. President, in 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain touted the now-infamous Munich Agreement as a way to stave off Hitler's Nazi Germany. Prime Minister Chamberlain claimed it would ``secure peace in our time.'' A year later, Hitler invaded Poland and triggered World War II, a devastating conflict that left Europe in ruins and millions dead and displaced.”

“Mr. President, the greatest threat to American prosperity is not food aid to kids in Sudan or a diverse workforce; the greatest threat to our country is the abuse of power by a small group of people--an unelected group of people--who happen to have a billion dollars.”

“Why in the world would we give up on that? And why would we choose someone so bizarre to head up the Health and Human Services Agency and trust with him life-or-death decisions?”

“Mr. President, do you remember where you were on September 11? Most Americans do. I do. I was right outside that door. I was in a meeting at 9 in the morning.”

“Mr. President, I listened to my colleague and friend from Wyoming, and I am struggling to understand his point of view. He announced at one point that the Republicans were in the majority in the House and Senate.”

“Mr. President, after the Great Fire destroyed much of central London in 1666, the city was rebuilt with even grander and stronger buildings than before. The most majestic building of all in the new London was St.”

“You see, Dan wasn't born in Chicago. He was born and grew up in Detroit, the grandson of Jewish Lithuanian immigrants. His father was a Federal judge. His brother became a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court.”

“Madam President, last week, Pam Bondi was sworn in as the highest law enforcement officer in the United States of America. She is now the U.S. Attorney General.”

“Executive Assistant Directors have been removed, including those who oversaw the National Security Branch, the Intelligence Branch, and the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. The Trump administration has also removed the Special Agents in Charge of at least four major field offices and the Assistant Director of the Washington Field Office.”

“Air traffic controllers are Federal employees, Mr. Vought. Want to traumatize our air traffic controllers? I don't. I want to feel safe in an airplane. I want to be able to travel with my family with the comfort of knowing that a professional who works for the Federal Government is doing his or her job well.”

“Mr. President, there are some Americans who go above and beyond in service to our Nation. Major General William D. Cobetto, chief of staff for the Illinois Department of Military Affairs, is one of those individuals, and he recently retired after a decades-long career of dedicated service to Illinois.”

“Mr. President, shortly, Senate Republicans will confirm the nomination of Pam Bondi to serve as Attorney General and lead the Department of Justice in the new administration. Yesterday, I came to the Senate floor to discuss the Trump administration's decision to purge Department of Justice officials and warned that Ms.”

“Mr. President, last week, I came to the floor to talk about the chaos that has been created by the announced proposed freeze on Federal funding and loans.”

“Mr. President, on another equally important matter, this week, the Senate will vote on the nomination of Pam Bondi to serve as Attorney General. Given the Trump administration's ongoing purge of Justice Department officials, I urge my colleagues to look very carefully and closely at Ms.”

“Mr. President, Americans across the country depend on their elected officials, not only to represent their interests in government, but also to provide every day support and services.”

“Mr. President, on Monday night, President Trump threw America into chaos when he abruptly announced a freeze on trillions of dollars in Federal grants and loans that so many communities, States, and Americans depend on.”

“Mr. President, all of us can remember that when the Biden administration took office, one of the first issues facing them was the evacuation of American forces from Afghanistan.”

“Mr. President, I rise in support of the resolution offered by my colleague from the State of Washington, and I thank her for that. This is personal. For many of us, it is personal.”

“Mr. President, we can all agree that the border of the United States should be secure. And, of course, we must deport any dangerous individuals who are here unlawfully.”

“Mr. President, in 2018, I had the opportunity to visit Venezuela. It was a once prosperous, albeit imperfect, democracy suffering from terrible economic and political decline. I told then- President Maduro that if he rigged the upcoming election, Venezuelans would be even more isolated and endure further unnecessary suffering.”

“Mr. President, on a totally unrelated subject, this week two Senate committees will hold confirmation hearings for Robert Kennedy, Jr., President Trump's nominee to be Secretary for Health and Human Services.”

“In 1952, polio paralyzed more than 21,000 Americans and killed more than 3,000. But thanks to researcher Jonas Salk, the vaccine was discovered and studied among 1.3 million children.”

“Mr. President, pending before the U.S. Senate on this Saturday morning is the nomination of Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota to be the Secretary of Homeland Security in the Cabinet of President Trump.”

“Mr. President, as President Trump begins his second term, I am concerned about his immigration policy, pardons for violent insurrectionists of January 6, and the grifters seeping into the White House.”

“Mr. President, the United States continues to face a host of serious challenges around the world that demand serious leaders. This is recognized by members of both political parties, where country rises above party politics.”

“Mr. President, yesterday, I met with Kash Patel, President Trump's nominee to serve as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We all know the FBI. It plays a critical role in keeping America safe from terrorism, violent crime, and other threats.”

“Pennsylvania's State Correctional Institution at Huntingdon. Do you know what else the authors of this legislation didn't tell you and won't tell you? Abortions late in pregnancy are incredibly rare.”

“Mr. President, there are certain things we all agree on, I believe. No. 1, our border must be secure, and, No. 2, we should deport any dangerous individuals who are here illegally, period.”

“We need to secure our border. That is why I worked for years to pass bipartisan legislation that fixes our broken immigration system. Mr. President, before you came to the Senate, we considered comprehensive immigration reform on a bipartisan basis.”

“Some people died as a result of that attack. Every American should be appalled. I am very unhappy that these men and women who give us so much every single day are taken for granted so much that the President pardoned those who attacked them.”

“Mr. President, I would like to read into the Record a statement from President Joe Biden, issued this morning on the Equal Rights Amendment. He said as follows: I have supported the Equal Rights Amendment for more than 50 years, and I have long been clear that no one should be discriminated against based on their sex.”

“Mr. President, some people in the Chamber who served in the Senate may remember my predecessor Paul Simon of Illinois. Simon was ahead of his time on so many issues, including the importance of clean drinking water and sanitation for the poorest people in the world.”

“Madam President, I listened carefully to the presentation of the Senator from Arkansas and waited to hear five words. I waited patiently as he described these heinous crimes and the action of President Biden--waiting to hear five words.”

“If the Senator from Arkansas wants to police the use of pardon power, I urge him to instead support my resolution urging President-elect Trump not to pardon crimes committed during the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S.”

“Even our former Senate colleague Vice President-elect Vance said this week: If you committed violence on [January 6], obviously you shouldn't be pardoned. I hope the Senator from Arkansas agrees.”

“Mr. President, many Senators use this bully pulpit to wax poetic, but only on special occasions do I actually quote poetry. Today, as I honor my former colleague, friend of several decades, and our Nation's 46th President, it feels appropriate to do so.”

“Mr. President, later today, the Senate will vote on the motion to proceed to legislation known as the Laken Riley Act. The loss of a child is something no parent should have to endure.”

“Mr. President, for many Presidents, their legacy is written and sealed by their actions in office--their post-Presidency activities nothing but fodder for the tabloids and a footnote in history books--but not for Jimmy Carter.”