Analysis · Floor speech · beta

David Kustoff

Republican on Saluting Little League Softball World Series 2026-09-02

637 words · 30 sentences · 37 clauses

Statement grade

A–

Average 88 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Thanks 4%Reasoning 13%Claims 65%Anecdote 4%Positioning 9%The ask 4%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 13 wordsI appreciate my friend and colleague from Utah organizing our time this afternoon.Thanks Reasoning · 39 wordsIn Congress, a lot of times the public focuses on the things we don’t get done, which is fair. I think it is good to celebrate the things that we can accomplish that are good for the American people. Mr. Speaker, Claims · 118 wordsI am very pleased that last year House Republicans worked with President Trump to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, ¹which stopped the largest tax increase that could have happened in American history.Unearned certainty There is no doubt that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is rooted in our Nation’s founding principles, Unearned certaintyand that is limiting Washington’s reach into the lives and also the paychecks of Americans, which gives people the freedom to shape their own future, quite frankly, allowing people to keep more of their hard-earned money in their own pockets. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I was proud to help secure lasting tax relief and certainty for individuals and for small businesses. Anecdote · 26 wordsDuring this August district work period, I was back on the road in west Tennessee, talking and meeting with farmers, manufacturers, small business owners, and people.Anecdote Claims · 60 wordsTime and again, I heard how heavily their decisions depend on a tax code that they can count on and also depend upon. For a family farm, the tax code affects plans for the next season. On Main Street, the tax code affects the next payroll. Workers’ livelihoods depend on decisions that cannot wait for the next vote in Congress. Mr. Speaker, Claims · 83 wordsfrom no tax on tips to no tax on overtime to a doubling of the standard deduction to lowering tax brackets for everybody at all income levels, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a benefit to working Americans across the board.² One of the most important provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act--and there are a lot--for small businesses was something known as section 199A. It allows eligible small businesses to deduct up to 20 percent of their qualified business income.³ Reasoning · 24 wordsNow, for a small business, permanence is paramount. Farmers and local employers can now plan ahead rather than wait for the next congressional deadline. Claims · 155 wordsFor everybody who voted ``no’’ on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, I will tell them that my Republican colleagues and I worked with President Trump to make section 199 permanent, ⁴which delivered substantial relief for small businesses as well as American farmers. I also worked to strengthen the employer-provided childcare credit under something known as section 45F. Before we passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, I introduced the Child Care for American Families Act to make this credit more useful for employers, especially for small businesses. Language from this bill was included in the final law.⁵ For most employers, the law increased the credit from 25 percent to 40 percent of qualified childcare credit expenditures and raised the annual cap from $150,000 to $500,000.⁶ Eligible small businesses can now claim a 50 percent credit with an annual cap of $600,000.⁷ Employers can now partner with outside organizations or other businesses to provide childcare. Reasoning · 21 wordsThat is so important because when childcare is reliable, parents can stay in the workforce and employers can retain valued employees. Positioning · 31 wordsThe One Big Beautiful Bill Act was a victory for families, for Main Street, and for manufacturers. I am proud of what House Republicans and President Trump were able to accomplish.Positioning The ask · 27 wordsWe should all pledge to fight for lower taxes and limited government so small businesses can create jobs and people can keep more of what they earn.Vague promise Positioning · 26 wordsI am proud of this. We showed that Congress can work with the American people and accomplish a lot under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.Positioning Thanks · 14 wordsI again thank my colleague from Utah for organizing this Special Order hour today.Thanks

At a glance

Lost points for
Reasons givenThis statement drew 4 conclusions and gave a reason for each one.

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 77

9 of 12 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I appreciate my friend and colleague from Utah organizing our time this afternoon.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “During this August district work period, I was back on the road in west Tennessee, talking and meeting with farmers, manufacturers, small business owners,”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “and people.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was a victory for families, for Main Street,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “and for manufacturers.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I am proud of what House Republicans and President Trump were able to accomplish.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I am proud of this.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “We showed that Congress can work with the American people and accomplish a lot under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I again thank my colleague from Utah for organizing this Special Order hour today.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · no score

Not applicable: nothing to answer. Excluded from the average.

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue.

Reasoning · 100

0 of 12 deductions are Reasoning

Reasoning checks for sound logic and solid support for any conclusion. A low score means the speaker made unsupported leaps or used weak arguments.

Nothing lost points.

Conclusions found · 4

Conclusion“from no tax on tips to no tax on overtime to a doubling of the standard deduction to lowering tax brackets for everybody at all income levels, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a benefit to working Americans across the board.”

Because“It allows eligible small businesses to deduct up to 20 percent of their qualified business income.”

“For most employers, the law increased the credit from 25 percent to 40 percent of qualified childcare credit expenditures and raised the annual cap from $150,000 to $500,000.”

“Eligible small businesses can now claim a 50 percent credit with an annual cap of $600,000.”

Reason given
Conclusion“That is so important because when childcare is reliable, parents can stay in the workforce and employers can retain valued employees.”

Because“Employers can now partner with outside organizations or other businesses to provide childcare.”

Reason given
Conclusion“The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was a victory for families, for Main Street,”

Because“from no tax on tips to no tax on overtime to a doubling of the standard deduction to lowering tax brackets for everybody at all income levels, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a benefit to working Americans across the board.”

“It allows eligible small businesses to deduct up to 20 percent of their qualified business income.”

“which delivered substantial relief for small businesses as well as American farmers.”

“For most employers, the law increased the credit from 25 percent to 40 percent of qualified childcare credit expenditures and raised the annual cap from $150,000 to $500,000.”

“That is so important because when childcare is reliable, parents can stay in the workforce and employers can retain valued employees.”

Reason given
Conclusion“We should all pledge to fight for lower taxes and limited government so small businesses can create jobs and people can keep more of what they earn.”

Because“and that is limiting Washington’s reach into the lives and also the paychecks of Americans,”

“which gives people the freedom to shape their own future, quite frankly, allowing people to keep more of their hard-earned money in their own pockets.”

“Now, for a small business, permanence is paramount.”

“Farmers and local employers can now plan ahead rather than wait for the next congressional deadline.”

Reason given

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 86

3 of 12 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “stopped the largest tax increase that could have happened in American history”A counterfactual superlative asserted without any source or comparison basis.
Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “There is no doubt”The formula asserts certainty in place of any supporting source.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “pledge to fight for lower taxes and limited government”A commitment with no actor, date, measure, or success condition.

Claims · 7

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“last year House Republicans worked with President Trump to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act”The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed by the House with Republican support in 2025, with President Trump’s backing.search
2“no tax on tips to no tax on overtime to a doubling of the standard deduction to lowering tax brackets for everybody at all income levels”The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, a doubled standard deduction, and lower tax brackets at all income levels.search
3“It allows eligible small businesses to deduct up to 20 percent of their qualified business income”Section 199A allows eligible small businesses to deduct up to 20 percent of their qualified business income.search
4“make section 199 permanent”The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made the section 199A deduction permanent.search
5“Language from this bill was included in the final law”Language from Kustoff’s Child Care for American Families Act was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.search
6“the law increased the credit from 25 percent to 40 percent of qualified childcare credit expenditures and raised the annual cap from $150,000 to $500,000”Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the employer-provided childcare credit increased from 25 percent to 40 percent of qualified expenditures and the annual cap rose from $150,000 to $500,000.search
7“Eligible small businesses can now claim a 50 percent credit with an annual cap of $600,000”Eligible small businesses can claim a 50 percent employer-provided childcare credit with an annual cap of $600,000 under the new law.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-15