Thune: Senate Republicans Deliver for the American People

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “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. “Mr. President, that’s exactly what we’ve 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 [97] 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. “And that was thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts. “Mr. President, 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. “And, Mr. President, Republicans haven’t just put more money in hardworking Americans’ pockets. “We’ve been working to bring down costs. “One of the ways we’re 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 red tape that has contributed to homeownership becoming [unaffordable] for too 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’ve 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 in their health care plans. “We removed incentives for pharmacy benefit managers to promote higher-priced medications at the expense of seniors. “And we improved access to more affordable generic drugs. “Mr. President, 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’ve also taken actions to strengthen our economy for the long term. “We’ve 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 health care providers in all 50 states, putting those providers on a more secure path forward so that Americans in rural areas continue to have access to quality, affordable health care close to home. “Mr. President, I mentioned that ending the border crisis was another priority for this 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 analogues that have taken too many, too many Americans’ lives. “And then there’s 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. “Mr. President, today illegal border crossings have slowed to a trickle. “It’s 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. “Mr. President, beyond the border, we’ve 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. “Mr. President, we’ve been busy. “The Senate has taken close to 900 votes since last January. “We’ve been in Washington a lot more than in previous years. “We’ve 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 health care. “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. “Mr. President, 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. “Mr. President, we’ve been working our way through our to-do list and delivering real wins for the American people. “And the work goes on.”