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Floor Speech

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Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, we are rapidly approaching floor consideration of our reconciliation bill, and Democrats are melting down. I am pretty sure the Democrat leader was on the floor every day last week bemoaning the bill and emphasizing how Democrats are going to fight with everything they have got. That is right, with everything they have got. Democrats are going to use every resource at their disposal to fight against extending tax relief for American families.

They are going to fight against funding to secure our border. They are going to fight against funding to equip our military. They are going to fight against unleashing American energy. And they are going to fight against all our efforts to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

And I guess it is not that surprising. After all, Democrats' previous pledges not to raise taxes on anyone not making less than $400,000 a year often felt a little bit begrudging.

When you are constantly looking to expand government, I guess it makes sense that you would be more interested in raising taxes than in allowing Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money.

And if the Biden border crisis taught us anything, it is that Democrats have, essentially, no interest in securing our borders at all. And speaking of President Biden, after years of Biden budgets that deemphasize investing in our military, I guess it is no surprise that filling the gaps in our readiness is not a Democrat priority.

Democrat hostility to conventional energy is also well-known. And so, again, I guess it is no surprise that Democrats are opposed to unleashing America's energy resources. But it is worth thinking about the essence of what Democrats are endorsing by fighting against this reconciliation bill.

They are endorsing a $2.6 trillion tax hike on Americans making less than $400,000 a year--$2.6 trillion. Without our bill, a typical family of four making $80,000 will be sending an additional $1,700 to Uncle Sam next year--$1,700. Apparently, Democrats are OK with that. Democrats are also implicitly endorsing a continuation of President Biden's lax policies at our border, along with an increasing--and increasingly dangerous--erosion in our military capabilities.

The Air Force has the smallest fleet in its history, and a large proportion of that fleet is not mission ready. Our Navy fleet is already smaller than China's, and without new investment, that problem will only get worse in the next few years.

And in the defining technologies of tomorrow's wars, space, AI, hypersonics, and cyber, China is gaining quickly or already has an edge. On top of that, we are falling seriously behind when it comes to maintaining an adequate supply of munitions. But none of this--none of this--seems to matter to Democrats.

In fact, nowhere in the hysteria that they are fomenting over this bill is any perceptible recognition of the importance of the priorities our bill is addressing--from securing our border to bolstering our national defense to preventing a massive tax hike on American families.

Indeed, judging from the Democrat leader's speeches last week, Democrats' biggest concern right now is ensuring that illegal aliens and able-bodied adults who refuse to work can stay on Medicaid.

The leader certainly didn't put it that way, of course, but his obsession with the Medicaid provisions of our bill certainly suggests it.

I think it is fair to say the Democrats lost last November because they didn't speak to the concerns of voters who were tired of the Biden inflation crisis and the Biden border crisis and Democrats' focus on far-left ideologies.

And judging by Democrats' opposition to our bill and their complete lack of interest in the issues our bill addresses, I think it is fair to say the Democrats haven't learned much since.

Americans are looking for the things our bill will provide, from the economic benefits that will come with continued tax relief to a secure border and a secure, stable, and affordable energy supply.

Republicans are going to deliver, no matter how hard Democrats fight to stand in the way.

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