[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 130 (Friday, August 7, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4542-S4547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
______
AGOA EXTENSION ACT
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Cloture having been invoked, the clerk will
report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (H.R. 6500) to extend duty-free treatment provided
with respect to imports from certain countries in Africa
under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, to extend
customs user fees, and for other purposes.
Pending:
Thune (for Collins) amendment No. 6732, in the nature of a
substitute.
Thune amendment No. 6736 (to amendment No. 6732), to change
the enactment date.
Thune amendment No. 6737 (to amendment No. 6736), of a
perfecting nature.
Thune amendment No. 6738 (to the language proposed to be
stricken by amendment No. 6732), to change the enactment
date.
Thune amendment No. 6739 (to amendment No. 6738), of a
perfecting nature.
Thune motion to commit the bill to the Committee on
Appropriations, with instructions, Thune amendment No. 6740,
to change the enactment date.
Thune amendment No. 6741 (the instructions (amendment No.
6740) of the motion to commit), of a perfecting nature.
Thune amendment No. 6742 (to amendment No. 6741), of a
perfecting nature.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The motion to commit and the amendments
pending thereto fall.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. McCormick). The Senator from South Dakota.
(The remarks of Mr. Rounds pertaining to the introduction of S. 5373
are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills
and Joint Resolutions.'')
Mr. ROUNDS. I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, just before I begin my remarks, I would
associate myself with the remarks of my colleague from South Dakota
pertaining to the Postal Service and their work in South Dakota. If
there was a way to build an incredibly inefficient model, they have
figured out how to do it. It needs to be fixed. I share his view, and
we will work with him to insist and ensure that they make changes that
improve the service that affects the constituents, the people that we
represent and serve.
Republican Party Accomplishments
Mr. President, when this Congress began last year, we had a long to-
do list. The American people had made their priorities clear. As I said
from the start, this Republican majority was ready to deliver.
Republicans were committed to strengthening our economic future, ending
the Biden border crisis and making America safer and stronger in the
years ahead.
That is exactly what we have been working on these last 19 months,
and the American people are seeing the results of our efforts.
The clearest example came this April when 90 percent of Americans saw
a tax cut which meant more of their hard-earned money stayed in their
pockets instead of going to the IRS. That was thanks to the Working
Families Tax Cuts. That was Republicans' top priority last year.
The American people had suffered for years through an inflation
crisis caused by Democrats' reckless spending, and they were facing a
massive tax hike, $2,500 for a typical family in my State if Congress
had failed to act. But the Working Families Tax Cuts made sure that tax
hike never came.
Republicans delivered permanent--permanent--tax relief that benefited
97 percent of taxpayers this past year. We implemented new tax cuts
like no tax on tips or overtime, raised the child tax credit, gave
seniors an additional $6,000 deduction, and provided America's small
businesses and family farms and ranches with significant and permanent
tax relief too.
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And Republicans haven't just put more money in hard-working Americans
pockets. We have been working to bring down costs, and one of the ways
we are doing that is by lifting unnecessary and burdensome regulations
that drive up the cost of things that Americans need.
We passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which cuts redtape
and that has contributed to home ownership becoming more affordable for
many Americans.
We did away with Biden-era regulations that would have driven up the
cost of household appliances and energy. We got rid of electrical
vehicle mandates that were going to force Americans into pricey
electric cars that they didn't want, and we have taken concrete action
to drive down costs at the pharmacy counter as well.
We passed a law to ensure that patients get the savings from any
discounts or rebates from their purchases at the pharmacy counter and
their healthcare plans. We removed incentives for pharmacy benefit
managers to promote higher priced medications at the expense of
seniors. And we approved access to more affordable generic drugs. These
are policies that change the math of families' budgets: more money in
their pockets, lower costs for the things that they need. And beyond
that, we have also taken actions to strengthen our economy for the long
term.
We have seen positive news about a boost in manufacturing in our
country thanks, in part, to the Working Families Tax Cuts. Other
provisions in that law make education pathways more affordable,
strengthen our skilled workforce, and create opportunity for the
future. The law also bolstered programs that America's farmers and
ranchers depend on, and the Working Families Tax Cuts made a
generational investment in rural healthcare providers in all 50 States,
putting those providers on a more secure path forward so that Americans
in rural areas can continue to have access to quality, affordable
healthcare close to home.
I mentioned that ending the border crisis was another priority for
the Senate majority, and we didn't waste any time getting to work on
that either. The first bill we passed was the Laken Riley Act,
requiring that illegal immigrants who are arrested for certain crimes
aren't put back on the streets.
We also passed the HALT Fentanyl Act to ensure that law enforcement
has the tools it needs to go after fentanyl and fentanyl analogs that
have taken too many--too many--American lives.
And then there is the border itself. President Trump took swift
action to secure the border early last year, and in the Working
Families Tax Cuts, we provided the resources necessary to hire more
agents, finish the border wall, and keep the border secure permanently.
Today, illegal border crossings have slowed to a trickle. It has been
like that for just about the entire Trump administration, an incredible
feat considering how bad things were under President Biden. And thanks
to our efforts, the resources are in place to ensure the border stays
secure for the long term.
Beyond the border, we have also been focused on strengthening our
military. The Working Families Tax Cuts made a generational investment
in our military readiness. We complemented those efforts in last year's
annual Defense bill which, among other things, made significant reforms
to the way the Pentagon does business to ensure that tax dollars are
being spent to maximum efficiency and effectiveness for our men and
women in uniform. And this year's National Defense Authorization Act
builds on those efforts as well.
We have been busy. The Senate has taken close to 900 votes since last
January. We have been in Washington a lot more than in previous years.
We have also done a lot of things that haven't been done in a number
of years. As I said, we made generational investments in border
security, military readiness, and in rural healthcare. We approved the
most significant tax relief bill in decades. We confirmed 21 Cabinet
nominees faster than the last three incoming administrations. And we
passed the first crypto bill ever. We approved a rescissions package
that cut billions in Federal spending for the first time in literally
three decades.
Our work continues. Earlier this afternoon, we passed the Lindsey O.
Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, giving the President critical
tools to bring peace to Ukraine. We also approved another slate of 74
Trump administration nominees, bringing our total to 590. And I expect
to move forward on additional items very soon.
We have been working our way through our to-do list and delivering
real wins for the American people. And the work goes on.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.
Nomination of Todd Blanche
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, later today, I hope the Senate will vote
to confirm the nomination of Todd Blanche to be Attorney General.
I support his nomination, and I urge my colleagues to vote for him.
Mr. Blanche is nominated to one of the most important offices in our
country, and he has shown that he is up to that task. His impressive
background and the presentation at our hearing in the Judiciary
Committee are proof that he has led the Justice Department with
distinction and is well suited to continue doing that.
During his hearing, Mr. Blanche answered questions for more than 5
hours. His testimony reinforced what we already knew about his proven
record as Acting Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General. Mr.
Blanche is a tough, fair prosecutor, dedicated to the rule of law, and
his leadership instills that same zeal throughout the entire Justice
Department.
Mr. Blanche began his career clerking for two Federal judges, two
Federal judges that were appointed by different political parties of
the Presidency. He then spent nearly a decade as a Federal prosecutor
in the Southern District of New York. During that time, Mr. Blanche
handled a wide array of criminal matters, including narcotic
trafficking and violent crimes.
Mr. Blanche eventually entered private practice, where he had a very
successful career with many high-profile cases.
But his love of country brought him back to the public service that
he is in right now, repeating again serving as Deputy Attorney General
and now as Acting Attorney General.
Throughout his career, Mr. Blanche demonstrated an unwavering
commitment to public service and the fair administration of justice. At
his hearing and many times since, I have detailed the successes of the
Justice Department under Mr. Blanche's leadership. Indeed, the
statistics prove that Americans are safer with Mr. Blanche at the helm.
So let's look at that picture. Under his leadership, fraud
enforcement efforts have been ramped up; arrests of violent crimes and
criminals engaged in child exploitation have increased; terrorist plots
have been successfully thwarted; massive quantities of illegal firearms
and harmful drugs, especially like fentanyl, have been seized.
So, as a result, the United States has the lowest murder rate since
1900, and crime trends throughout the country have declined. According
to the Council of Criminal Justice's 2026 midyear report, the reported
rates for homicide have dropped 51 percent from its peak 9 years ago;
carjacking dropped 73 percent; residential burglaries down 56 percent;
motor vehicle thefts down 51 percent.
Now, you could go on and on with a whole bunch of other statistics
because, according to this report, every single violent crime category
and nearly all property crime categories have dropped below prepandemic
levels, and that didn't happen by accident.
It happened, why? Because Mr. Blanche refocused the Justice
Department on keeping Americans safe. That is the sort of impact we
should want and should expect from the Justice Department and any
Attorney General that heads that Department. And that is what Mr.
Blanche has delivered.
We heard about it at Mr. Blanche's hearing. The committee heard a
heart-wrenching testimony from an Angel Mom, Jennifer Bos. She told us
about her daughter's tragic and gruesome death. She explained the
importance of Mr. Blanche's focus on keeping Americans safe.
Ms. Bos stated:
I couldn't save my daughter, but with Todd Blanche as
Attorney General, he might save yours because next time it
could be your
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child. It could be your family. It could be you.
This sentiment was shared in the outpouring of support the committee
received for Mr. Blanche's nomination. Three hundred Angel Moms wrote a
letter thanking Mr. Blanche for prioritizing victims and focusing the
Department's efforts on stopping illegal immigration, ending drug and
human trafficking, and protecting America's communities from violent
crime.
The committee also received several letters from major law
enforcement organizations that collectively represent hundreds of
thousands of law enforcement officers all across our country. They
praise Mr. Blanche's focus on public safety, the rule of law, and his
unwavering support for law enforcement professionals, the people that
risk their lives daily to protect our families and our communities.
In total, the committee received more than 30 letters supporting Mr.
Blanche's nomination. These include more than 100 former Justice
Department attorneys, chiefs of staff, U.S. attorneys, and other senior
officials. Mr. Blanche's nomination was also supported by multiple
former Attorneys General, including John Ashcroft and Bill Barr. These
former Attorneys General know what it takes to run the Justice
Department.
Now, between his proven track record, his presentations to our
committee, and the support he has received from across the country, I
am convinced Mr. Blanche is the right choice to lead the Justice
Department.
A vote for Todd Blanche is a vote for the safety of the American
people. That is a vote the American people deserve, and that is a vote
that I am proud to cast.
So I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting to confirm Mr.
Blanche as Attorney General.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, this week, I had the honor of voting
for Todd Blanche as he was coming out of the Judiciary Committee and
advancing that nomination. Having worked with him over the past year or
so, I think that there is no one better suited to serve President
Trump's mission of enforcing the rule of law and one tier of justice
for all Americans. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote to confirm
him when this nomination comes to the floor.
When I talked to Tennesseans, they want to make certain their
communities are safe. That is one of the main issues they talk about,
that need for public safety.
Mr. Blanche has played a big role in making that happen as the Deputy
Attorney General and then as the Acting Attorney General. Since last
year, homicides nationwide are down 18 percent. They are the lowest
they have been since 1900. That is 126 years. Residential burglaries
are down 13 percent. Robberies are down 17 percent. Carjackings are
down 47 percent.
When we talk about these stats in the aggregate, many times, people
say: Well, how does that apply to my community? Let me show you what
this has done in Memphis and what Mr. Blanche's leadership, working
with Director Patel at the FBI, working with President Trump, and
working with over 25 other Federal Agencies--what they have been able
to accomplish in Memphis.
Just 2 years ago, when you looked at the 2024 crime stats, Memphis,
TN, was considered the most dangerous city per capita, and it was
averaging a murder a day. It was considered to be more dangerous than
Colombia, Mexico City, or even Baghdad.
Since day one, President Trump has worked to help us in the goal of
making certain that Memphis is the safest city in the United States,
and Mr. Blanche has been a key part of those efforts.
Working together, we established the Memphis Safe Task Force, and
that was done nearly 1 year ago. It was put in place in September of
last year. Here is what they have been able to do. By working
together--your local, State, and Federal law enforcement--they have
made over 11,000 arrests, 1,200 known gang members have been
apprehended, and 183 missing children have been located. As of this
week, 2,000 illegal firearms have been seized, taken off the streets.
While continuing to keep our communities safe, we know that Attorney
General Blanche will be focused on rooting out fraud both in elections
and government programs.
The Justice Department has taken enforcement actions in blue States
across the country to ensure that only American citizens are voting in
American elections.
Here in the Senate, we have the SAVE America Act to support this
effort, and we should waste no time in getting that to the President's
desk. We now know that there are more than 270,000 noncitizens on voter
rolls across the country. If blue States won't clean them up, Congress
must force them to clean up their rolls.
In one of his first actions as Acting Attorney General, Mr. Blanche
also created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. This is something
the American people have wanted to see. They don't want their tax
dollars going into the pockets of fraudsters. As of April, the
Department was investigating 8,000 fraud cases representing more than
$1 trillion in stolen taxpayer funds. That is an astounding number: $1
trillion in stolen, misspent taxpayer funds.
To the American people, this is just common sense. You investigate
fraud. You lock up criminals. You secure our elections. But our
colleagues on the other side of the aisle oppose all of this. Earlier
this year, they forced a 75-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland
Security to block funding to Federal law enforcement. They have called
to ``abolish ICE'' and have slandered our officers as ``secret
police,'' ``slave patrols,'' and ``Nazis.''
Instead of working with the administration to secure our elections,
they are practically encouraging voter fraud. Fourteen States--
overwhelmingly blue--do not require any ID whatsoever to vote. Think
about that. No ID. No ID to go to the polls and show that you are who
you say you are and that you are allowed to cast that ballot. Many more
refuse to work with DHS to compare their voter rolls with the SAVE
database, which verifies a person's immigration status. Out of our
States, 26 will use the DHS SAVE database to verify their voter rolls,
and you have 24 that don't. So think about that and what that does to
open the door for fraud.
At the same time, they have opened the floodgates to fraud in
government programs. California and Governor Newsom--well, government
spending in California has surged from $209 billion a year to $350
billion a year. The State auditor has repeatedly flagged that billions
of these expenditures are questionable payments. Yet what do the State
Democrats do? They do nothing. Now, think about this. This is a
Democrat State--a very blue State--with a Governor who is very much
from the leftwing of that party. He has a State auditor--a State
auditor, part of his administration--who is flagging questionable
payments, and they don't do anything about it.
The whole time, this is taxpayer money. It is not government money.
It is taxpayer money that is being sent to the government so that the
government will be a good steward of that money and use that money for
programs that are going to benefit the constituents, the citizens, the
taxpayers, but instead, they are letting it go out the door to
fraudsters.
In Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz allowed billions of dollars to be
stolen through Medicaid fraud. In New York, Chinese criminal groups
have stolen millions more through fraudulent Medicaid billing.
See, we know this is happening. Auditors have found it. It has been
pointed out to the State officials, and they won't do anything about
it. So as a taxpayer, if you are in California, New York, or Minnesota,
what does this tell you? It tells you that your elected officials do
not give a rippin' flip about you and your hard-earned money that is
going into these coffers. And then what are they doing? They are
wasting it away.
Our national debt is approaching $40 trillion--unbelievable--and the
American people expect their elected representatives to be good
stewards of those dollars. Instead, the Democrats are embracing the
failures of socialism.
In New York City, Zohran Mamdani unveiled a $127 billion budget while
proposing billions in new taxes. New
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Yorkers could see more than half of their income taken in taxes. Yet I
have laid out for you how much of that money is being wasted--wasted--
going into fraud.
The mayor is pretty clear about his intentions. In a speech to the
Young Democratic Socialists of America, he said that his ``end goal''
is ``seizing the means of production.'' Well, how about that? He wants
to go use eminent domain. He wants to take away your ability to live
out your American dream because if you have some form or means of
production, he is going to take it away and say: Hey, wait a minute.
That great idea you have, that great machine you built, this factory
that you have, this restaurant that you own, it is no longer yours. It
is the government's. It is the government's.
That is what you call communism. It is not yours. You don't own it.
It is the government's. Then the government is going to turn around and
tell you what you have to do in order to exercise that means of
production while they are the ones that benefit and not you. You are
the cog in the wheel. You owe it all to them.
Just this week, there was a Democrat candidate in Michigan, and he
said:
How I define my politics is a redistribution of resources.
Well, how about that? Socialism. Communism. Taking from those who are
producing and giving to those that refuse to produce, because we have
all got to be the same. That is the way the Democrat socialists view
it. You are working hard. Take it away from you and give it to people
that are going to go sit on their rear and do nothing. That is what
they believe. They are proud of it. They think that is a great thing.
It is astounding.
It was so telling last year when the House voted on a resolution
denouncing socialism in all its forms and opposing the implementation
of socialist policies in the United States. Well, guess what. One would
think that if you are a Member of the U.S. House and you have taken an
oath to protect and defend our Constitution, you would say: You better
believe I am against socialism. You better believe I am going to
support our citizens.
But do you know what? There were 98 Democrats--98--that voted against
that.
So it leaves you to ask: How in the world could this happen? That
final vote tally, 98 jumped the shark and voted against that. You had 2
that voted present and 27 that took a walk and didn't vote at all. Are
they so afraid of the far left wing of their party that they can't go
exercise their responsibility to cast a vote? Astounding.
You know, that is what you have got to look at with today's Democrat
Party. They are more comfortable standing up for socialist, communist
ideas--touting those, caving to the leftwing, caving to the leftist
media, going for likes and thumbs-up and reposts on social media,
following the crowd and not being a leader.
It is just amazing to me. And as I have talked with Tennesseans--and
I had a lady in Tennessee sum it up pretty well. She is somebody who
has been a Democrat, but, no, she doesn't identify with them anymore.
She considers them to be pro-crime, pro-fraud, and pro-socialism.
Now, how is that for a bumper sticker? That is what the Democrat
Party is supporting right now. They are pro-crime, they are pro-fraud,
and they are pro-socialism.
Now, the good thing is, Americans are rejecting this agenda. And what
we have seen since 2020, on net, more than 3.6 million people have fled
these big, deep-blue States of New York, California, Illinois, New
Jersey, and Massachusetts. You have to say: Why?
And as you talk with many of these people, many have come to
Tennessee. They consider themselves to be refugees. They got out
because they just don't want to live that way, being governed by people
who are so far left that they are pro-crime, pro-fraud, pro-socialism,
pro-communism, and being in areas that are cheering on those policies.
So I would encourage people to think through what is happening. I
would encourage them to stand with the rule of law. And I would
encourage all of my colleagues to vote aye for Todd Blanche as we vote
to confirm him as the Nation's Attorney General. He understands the
importance of the rule of law, enforcing the rule of law, and abiding
by equal justice for all.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The Senator from Kansas.
Russia Sanctions
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, today--this afternoon--the Senate took a
really important step to strengthen our national security and pay a
final tribute to our colleague Lindsey Graham, the Senator from South
Carolina. This step has been a long time coming.
But by an overwhelming passage of the Lindsay O. Graham Sanctioning
Russia and Iran Act, the Senate sent a clear message to our
adversaries: There will be consequences for those who finance terrorism
and those who wage an unprovoked war.
Over the past several weeks, the administration has increased
economic pressures on Russia and on Iran, making clear that the United
States will not reward aggression. This legislation builds upon those
efforts by giving the President stronger tools to ensure these
sanctions remain effective and much more difficult to evade.
Through enforcing sanctions on the top five purchasers of Russian
crude oil, this proposal aims to address a vital component of the war
many have overlooked: Russia's vulnerability lies not only on the
battlefield but also on its dependence on energy revenue.
If we allow the Kremlin to continue selling billions of dollars of
oil and natural gas around the world, we allow Putin to continue
unhindered in building advanced weaponry, paying Russian soldiers, and
prolonging the conflict.
Russia's ability to continue this war depends upon its ability to
generate revenue. By increasing economic pressures now, we make it more
difficult for Russia to sustain its war efforts.
This legislation represents a significant attempt to do just
that. Following years of work between Congress, the administration, and
our allies, this proposal would finally strike at the financial engine
driving Russia's war machine without increasing the global price of
oil.
This proposal also recognizes an important reality: Sanctioning
Russia alone is no longer enough. Importantly, the bill would extend
and strengthen sanctions authorities related to Iran, recognizing the
growing partnership between Moscow and Tehran. Russia and Iran are no
longer acting independently. Iranian drones have terrorized Ukrainian
cities. Russia has deepened its military cooperation with Tehran while
providing political and strategic support to the Iranian regime. Both
governments seek to undermine American interests, threaten our allies,
and weaken international order that has helped preserve peace for
generations.
The passage of this legislation will not, by itself, end the war in
Ukraine or change Iran's behavior, but it will make both regimes pay a
far higher price for choosing aggression over peace.
The Senate has now done its part. I urge my colleagues in the House
to pass this legislation and send it to the President's desk. This bill
must be swiftly signed into law and implemented in order to hold Russia
and those supporting its unjust and unjustifiable war accountable.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Florida.
SAVE America Act
Mrs. MOODY. Mr. President, I rise today to urge this esteemed body
into action.
I know that we are on the verge of a planned, long State work period
and that many of my colleagues are looking forward to being back in our
homes to meet with our constituents. But here is the thing: I know many
of us agree that our business is far from done. The work the American
people entrusted to us has not concluded. We have not done what we need
to do. We cannot leave Washington until we act
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upon the most vital aspect of protecting our democracy, and that is
securing our elections so that we remain a government of Americans--
free Americans--by Americans, for Americans. I am here today to make
sure that happens.
Our great American experiment hinges on the sanctity and integrity of
our elections, and it is our responsibility--every single one of us no
matter what side of the aisle we sit on--to protect the United States
of America and everything that it was built on. To do that, we have to
ensure that only Americans and legitimate voters participate in
American elections.
Two hundred fifty years ago, this Nation began as a bold experiment
in self-representative government, and we are still guided by those
enduring words that followed ``We the People.'' And while the
challenges we face today may seem more modern, certainly more complex,
and more immediate than those confronting the Founders, the principles
they laid out remain steadfast--the guarantees to our people. ``We the
people'' agreed we would live among one another, create, enforce, and
uphold our laws. To do that, we created a strong Republic that depended
on ``we the people'' being engaged in our elections to select our
Representatives--the Representatives of the people--to serve our
interests.
The SAVE America Act--indeed, election integrity efforts--are
grounded in a simple, commonsense--indeed, foundational--principle that
only American citizens should vote in American elections.
I really am dumbfounded that I still have to come to the floor and
have this debate with anybody in this Chamber. I am one of the newest
Senators. I just got to Washington last year on behalf of the great,
free State of Florida. I fought like heck to protect that State during
challenges this Nation had never faced before, and we did it. We are
now one of the most successful States, and we are one of the States
with the most secure elections. You had better be darned sure I am
going to do that here as a U.S. Senator on behalf of all Americans. It
shouldn't be controversial. It is not complicated. It is a basic
safeguard of our Republic that ensures our government remains truly of,
by, and for the American people.
From the beginning, the Founders understood the importance of
fiercely protecting our elections. Framers like Alexander Hamilton knew
that our laws and our system should reflect the will of the American
people and no one else. Americans must be able to trust that their
elections are not corrupted or skewed or nullified by noncitizens
voting or ineligible persons voting.
Questions about election integrity are not new. They were recognized
and debated by the Founders themselves. During the Constitutional
Convention, one member expressed concern that States may make false
returns of their elections. States, today, give licenses to those here
illegally and then register them to vote. A lot of that paperwork
happens at the same time.
It is the responsibility of Congress to uphold the election integrity
of this country. It is our responsibility to do that on behalf of our
constituents back home. In fact, I think it is the responsibility of
this Chamber to put it up for a vote so they can see who is standing up
for them back home. That is the only way we can ensure the people have
confidence in the system and in the legitimacy of our results of
elections.
This is about more than one bill. Look at any of the election
integrity measures that are coming up. I am proud to have been an
original sponsor of the SAVE America Act, but voter ID and voter
integrity bills--all of these are important. I have also sponsored a
bill called Ballots by Election Day to make sure we can get prompt
results so people trust these elections. It is about preserving the
integrity of our Republic. It is about ensuring that our government
remains accountable to the people. It is about protecting a system--a
government--that has endured for 250 years.
How do we ensure only citizens vote? The answer is so simple: voter
ID.
It makes sense. You need a valid ID to do so many things--from
driving, buying alcohol, checking into a hotel. You even need one to
get an unlimited pasta pass from Olive Garden. Some have suggested, in
communist Mamdani's city-run grocery store, you have to show an ID to
get groceries. But we are not OK with needing an ID to vote?
You hear many folks who claim it is too high of a burden to force the
American people to provide an ID to vote--the highest privilege of
being a citizen. It is a joke. We have to be able to trust our
elections are legitimate, and that is something the vast majority of
Americans agrees on.
The people have been clear. It does not matter which party they are
registered with. The majority in every party agrees we should have to
show ID for elections. According to the Pew Research Center, 83 percent
of Americans support voter ID laws--83 percent. The very groups that
Democrats claim would be harmed by this measure support voter ID. It is
not a fringe idea. It is a broadly supported, commonsense safeguard.
It is also important to remember we have just seen the headlines out
of New Jersey where thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote
through the State's motor vehicle system. It is further proof as to why
the SAVE America Act is needed. Under no circumstances should that have
been able to have occurred.
Trust in our government is already at a near-record low. The Pew
Research Center reports only 17 percent of Americans now say that they
trust Washington to do what is right just about always or most of the
time. If we leave without passing or voting on voter integrity, it will
prove them right. When trust erodes our entire system, our Republic is
weakened because, once confidence in our elections is lost, it will be
incredibly difficult to restore.
The SAVE America Act helps reinforce trust in our elections. It also
stands for preserving the integrity of our Republic--for protecting
this system that so many have sacrificed to protect over the 250 years
of the United States of America.
Benjamin Franklin famously replied to a bystander after the
Constitutional Convention that we have a Republic if we can keep it. I
am here today to say we must keep it, and it is all of our
responsibility to stand up and fight to keep it.
I didn't come to Washington just to sit here and listen to people
debate. I came to Washington to get things done, and I came to
Washington to make a difference. I need my colleagues to join me in
being committed to pushing through and getting a vote and taking an
action on securing our elections. The people in our States--the people
we serve, our bosses back home--want this. They are demanding that we
get this done. So let's get this done and save America.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.
Government Funding
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, later tonight, my colleagues will be
asked to pass the continuing resolution before us to prevent a
government shutdown. As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I
worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to craft this stopgap
funding measure. The continuing resolution that we produced is
bipartisan and is supported by the administration. After three
unnecessary lapses in funding during the fiscal year 2026 cycle,
putting the possibility of yet another harmful shutdown off the table
should be a priority for each and every one of us.
This continuing resolution is straightforward. It continues current
government funding levels until December 11, with limited anomalies
aimed at avoiding disruptions in crucial government activities and
programs. For example, our legislation includes necessary adjustments
for programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children--better known as the WIC Program--to address
program costs and participation levels. It allows the USDA loan
programs to operate uninterrupted for our Nation's farmers. It gives
the Department of Housing and Urban Development the resources it needs
to maintain housing assistance for thousands of families, and we all
know how absolutely critical that is.
This continuing resolution also includes anomalies to prevent
construction delays for several classes of U.S. Navy vessels, including
the DDG-51s. It
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includes language to counter emergent cyber security threats, and it
would help Federal law enforcement handle and plan for national
security events. The resolution allows the administration immediate
access to the full funding amounts for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund and
for the Forest Service and Department of the Interior's wildfire
suppression efforts. We have only to look at the news to know just how
critical those efforts and programs are.
This bipartisan agreement also prevents the Office of Management and
Budget from implementing a proposed rule regarding Federal financial
assistance--from taking effect for the coming months. I advocated for
significant changes to the proposed rule in a July 6 letter to the
Agency, citing its potential to politicize the grant-making process and
harm small, rural communities; our university, college, and nonprofit
laboratories; our hospitals; our families; and biomedical research in
general.
There have been nearly 500,000 comments on this proposed rule, the
vast majority of them against the changes that are proposed. I don't
think that in the time I have been privileged to serve in the Senate, I
have ever seen a proposed rule generate that many negative comments.
This CR also gives Congress the time that it needs to continue our
work on bipartisan appropriations bills. Last cycle, we were successful
in getting 11 out of the 12 bills passed and signed into law. I hope we
can do that this time as well, and the additional time the continuing
resolution will give us should help bring that about. It is so
important that Congress not abrogate its power of the purse--our
constitutional responsibility.
Senate passage of this continuing resolution would be a major step
toward averting a damaging shutdown that could harm vital programs and
throw the lives of Federal workers into disarray. We saw what happened
in the shutdowns that occurred during the last cycle that were both
unwarranted and unfair to so many of our Federal employees,
particularly those who are forced to work without knowing when they
would be paid. We cannot allow that to happen again.
I very much appreciate the overwhelming bipartisan vote earlier today
of 91 to 6, with 1 person voting ``present,'' to move forward with this
legislation. I urge another ``aye'' vote tonight so that we can keep
our government open and working for the American people.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.
____________________