Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Lisa C. McClain

Republican on Common Cents Act 2026-09-14

257 words · 20 sentences · 27 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.

Procedure 9%Claims 60%Anecdote 7%Reasoning 4%Positioning 18%The ask 3%

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

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 11 wordsI rise in support of H.R. 10167, the Common Cents Act.Procedure Claims · 59 wordsThis is a straightforward bill that does one commonsense thing: It stops the Federal Government from losing money on a coin that almost no one uses. Every penny we mint costs taxpayers nearly 4 cents to make and distribute--4 cents to make just one penny.¹ In this single year, that absurd math cost the taxpayers more than $85 million.² Anecdote · 18 wordsAs a businesswoman, I can tell you no businessowner in my district would spend $4 to make $1, AnecdoteReasoning · 11 wordsbut that is exactly how Washington has run with the penny. Positioning · 4 wordsIt doesn’t make sense.Positioning Claims · 45 wordsPresident Trump saw the waste, and then he acted. Last November, the Mint struck the final penny.³ This bill writes that decision into law so no future administration can turn the presses back on.⁴ The Mint projects $56 million in savings in just 1 year.⁵ Procedure · 4 wordsLet me be clear: ProcedureClaims · 36 wordsNobody is taking away pennies you already have. The penny in your pocket, the coin sitting in your jar on the counter, that all stays as legal tender.⁶ I introduced this bill with Congressman Robert Garcia.⁷ Positioning · 22 wordsIt is not radical. It is bipartisan. It is common sense. Republicans and Democrats don’t often agree on much in this town, PositioningProcedure · 8 wordsbut I do think we agree on this: ProcedureClaims · 13 wordsWe shouldn’t be wasting $85 million a year by keeping to mint pennies. Mr. Speaker, Positioning · 19 wordsit is time to modernize our currency, cut the waste, and bring a little common sense back to Washington.Positioning The ask · 7 wordsI urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.’’

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 65

12 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.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I rise in support of H.R.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “10167, the Common Cents Act.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “As a businesswoman, I can tell you no businessowner in my district would spend $4 to make $1,”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 “It doesn’t make sense.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Let me be clear:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “It is not radical.”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 “It is bipartisan.”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 “It is common sense.”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 “Republicans and Democrats don’t often agree on much in this town,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “but I do think we agree on this:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “it is time to modernize our currency, cut the waste,”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 bring a little common sense back to Washington.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 100

0 of 12 deductions are Relevance

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.

Nothing lost points.

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 · 100

0 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.

Nothing lost points.

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“Every penny we mint costs taxpayers nearly 4 cents to make and distribute”Each penny costs U.S. taxpayers nearly 4 cents to make and distribute.search
2“cost the taxpayers more than $85 million”Producing and distributing pennies cost U.S. taxpayers more than $85 million in the most recent year.search
3“Last November, the Mint struck the final penny.”The U.S. Mint struck its final penny in November 2025.search
4“This bill writes that decision into law”The Common Cents Act (H.R. 10167) would write the end of penny production into federal law.search
5“The Mint projects $56 million in savings in just 1 year”The U.S. Mint projects that ending penny production would save $56 million in one year.search
6“that all stays as legal tender”Under the Common Cents Act, pennies already in circulation would remain legal tender.search
7“I introduced this bill with Congressman Robert Garcia.”Representative Lisa McClain introduced H.R. 10167, the Common Cents Act, together with Representative Robert Garcia.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-16