[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 24, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Biden Administration

  Mr. President, now, next topic, tonight President Biden will address 
the Nation on a most solemn matter, his decision--his generous, 
wonderful decision--to pass the torch at the end of his term and his 
vision for the future of America.
  President Biden's decision to stand down from a second term in office 
will go down as one of the greatest acts of patriotism of any President 
in our long, storied U.S. history. To pass the torch is one of the 
hardest decisions possible for someone whose life has been entirely 
about leadership, but he did it because he believed it was the right 
thing to do for the country he loved so much.
  Nevertheless, tonight I expect President Biden to remind the American 
people that one thing hasn't changed: Right now, our democracy stands 
at a crossroads, and we--all of us--have a lot of work left to do.
  Democrats want to keep America moving forward with greater hope and 
opportunity for everybody. Republicans, on the other hand, are hell-
bent on taking our country backward with chaos, with dysfunction.
  If anyone needed a clearer contrast between the Democrats' and the 
Republicans' vision for America, just take a look at the latest Trump 
plan proposed by the very conservative, the arch conservative Heritage 
Foundation. The more the American people learn the details of Project 
2025, the more trouble Donald Trump is going to have. Let me say that 
again: The more the American people learn the details about Project 
2025, the more trouble Donald Trump is going to have. The Trump plan 
calls for the most conservative agenda in American history, chocked 
full of radical, rightwing MAGA proposals that are way out of line with 
the mainstream.
  While Democrats are focused on protecting reproductive rights and a 
woman's right to choose, the Trump plan lays the groundwork for a 
national abortion ban. While Democrats are focused on providing student 
debt relief to millions of borrowers, the Trump plans calls for 
defunding the Department of Education. While Democrats are focused on 
creating jobs and making our Tax Code fairer for working families, the 
Trump plan calls for more tax cuts for the very wealthy, the corporate 
elites, the mega corporations. While Democrats are focused on tackling 
climate change and lowering energy costs, the Trump plan would gut our 
clean energy investments, empower the Nation's biggest oil and gas 
producers, and throw thousands and thousands who are now in good-paying 
jobs out of work.
  The list goes on and on and on, but the bottom line is this: America 
cannot afford 4 years of the Trump plan. It would be dangerous for our 
democracy, disastrous for our economy, horrible for the average 
American family, and downright destructive for the progress we have 
made in the last 4 years.