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Senate

Legislative Session

2026-07-23 Issue 121 Showing 1–3 of 3

Official Congressional Record ↗

John Thune

Republican

“I went to my high school reunion. I grew up in a small town. People helped each other. I think about that when I make laws. I try to make laws that help farmers and ranchers. I want to cut taxes for working families.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. President, over the weekend, I headed back to Jones County, South Dakota, for my high school reunion. It has been a few years since high school--just a few--but it is amazing how the years roll away when you head back and see some of the people who shaped your high school years. Some of them are missing now, of course: teachers; coaches; my parents--my dad, who was a teacher at my high school, a coach at my high school, and the busdriver at my high school; and my mom, who served as the school librarian. Needless to say, we Thune kids didn't get away with much in our high school years. My high school reunion this year happened to coincide with the 120th anniversary of the town of Murdo, where I grew up--current population, roughly, 500. And being back in Jones County and in Murdo really got me to reminisce about growing up in smalltown South Dakota, about how blessed I was to grow up in a small town in South Dakota. People discuss the loss of community today that can result from the circumstances of modern life. That was never something we had to worry about in Murdo. In Murdo, you knew you were part of a community. Rural South Dakotans are sturdy, independent people, but they also know from experience that you can't get by in a small town on the prairie without the support of your neighbors. And when someone was in need in Murdo, the whole town rallied around to help, whether it was an unexpected death in the family or the collapse of a barn roof. We celebrated with each other, too, whether it was the harvest, the Fourth of July, or pheasant season. And the whole town swelled with pride at one of its kids' achievements. I carry the sense of community and belonging I had growing up in Murdo with me to this day, and I carry those smalltown South Dakotans with me in a special way in my work here in Washington. When we look at a government regulation, I think about what impact it will have on smalltown South Dakota, on the people in our State, like the ones that I grew up with. Is it going to lighten their burden, or is it going to add new challenges on top of those they already face? Agriculture is the life blood of our State. It was the life blood of Murdo as well. Farmers and ranchers have a tough job: backbreaking work in all weathers--work that can be destroyed in an instant by a storm or a flood. I want to ensure that Washington isn't making their life even tougher than it is already. That is why I fought for things like the elimination of the death tax, so that the farmers and ranchers can hand down the family enterprise to their kids and don't have to spend time and money on costly estate planning. It is also why I fought to ensure that Federal farm programs are actually serving farmers, that they take into account the realities of farm life and keep pace with changes. You can bet that I had smalltown South Dakota in mind when I fought to pass tax relief for hard-working Americans in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and then when we made that new tax relief permanent in the Working Families Tax Cut just last year. I think a lot of my political beliefs have their roots in growing up in Murdo: from the belief that government ought to be limited--and if a matter can be handled at the State or local level, it should be--to my understanding of the importance of freedom, and the individual responsibility that comes with the freedoms we enjoy. I am grateful every day, Mr. President, for the blessings of growing up in a small town, in smalltown South Dakota, and I am proud to be a son of Murdo. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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John Barrasso

Republican

“I don't want non-citizens to vote. It happened in New Jersey. I blame Democrats. They let immigrants in and give them driver's licenses. I think this leads to voter fraud. Democrats don't want border security or voter ID. I think Democrats are extreme. They want to get rid of ICE and the electoral college. I think that's bad. Republicans secured the border. We need to deport more illegal immigrants. I think Americans want secure borders and safe communities.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. President, when it comes to elections in America, only American citizens should be allowed to vote. In big cities and blue States, illegal immigrants are registering to vote and are casting ballots. This week, the State of New Jersey admitted that 6,600 noncitizens made it onto their voting rolls. Every single one of them-- every single one--was registered to vote during the final years of the Biden administration--6,600--while 400 of them actually voted, and those are the ones that we know about. Here is how it happened: For 4 years, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris flung open our southern border, and 10 million illegal immigrants flooded into our country. Among them were criminals, members of cartels, drug dealers, gang members, and terror suspects. Sanctuary States and cities welcomed these illegal immigrants, and the State of New Jersey, where all of this happened, is one of them. New Jersey hands out driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Its department of motor vehicles turns driver's licenses directly into voter registration. It is automatic. And in this case, the State of New Jersey, it registered 6,600 of these illegal immigrants to vote. It happened in the State of New Jersey, and they admit they did it. The liberal Governor of New Jersey blames it all on a computer glitch. The real blame belongs to the Democrats and their sanctuary city and State policies. Democrats can't throw open the borders, hand illegal immigrants driver's licenses, and then pretend to be shocked--shocked--the Democrats claim to be when these illegal immigrants end up voting. Illegal immigrants must not be allowed to vote in American elections. States need to clean up their voter rolls aggressively and do it immediately. The National Voter Registration Act requires States to make ``reasonable efforts'' to maintain accurate voter rolls. Many Democrat States refuse to follow the law. Senator Schumer said last week on this floor that elections belong to the American people. Just moments ago, right before he left the floor, he talked about so-called ``Democrats election integrity task force''--I wrote it down as he said it-- ``Democrats election integrity task force.'' You talk about an oxymoron--like jumbo shrimp, like pretty ugly, like deafening silence. To me, deafening silence is what is happening from the Democrats, and it is time for them to start actually acting. Democrats need to stop opposing every effort we make on this Senate floor to secure our border and to enforce our immigration laws. Election security begins with border security. Today's Democrats want neither border security nor election security. And they sure don't want voter ID. They don't want to have it guaranteed that only citizens vote. The modern Democrat Party is being driven today by extremists, and these extremists all around the country are winning Democrat primary elections. In New York, a Democrat nominee for Congress has vowed to abolish the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. In Colorado, another Democrat nominee who won a Democrat primary election in just the last couple of weeks said abolishing ICE ``will not wait.'' They want to abolish Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in our Nation. In Michigan, a leading Democrat candidate for this U.S. Senate has been fighting since 2018--we are talking 8 years--to abolish ICE. Eight years spent fighting our Nation's Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He recently said ICE ``cannot be reformed. It can't be retrained. It must be abolished.'' They want to open the borders, let anybody in, and let them stay forever. That is what the Democrat Party of today believes. They actually have a manifesto; that is the Democrat manifesto. It is a manifesto. They want mass amnesty for illegal immigrants, and that includes illegal immigrant criminals, even murderers. They want to release illegal immigrant criminals into our communities, into our neighborhoods. Then the Democrats are demanding free healthcare for illegal immigrants paid for by American taxpayers. They are demanding illegal immigrants vote in our elections. That is what they really want. They want to abolish the Senate. That is part of their manifesto. They want to pack the Supreme Court. That is part of their manifesto. They want to abolish the electoral college. That is part of the manifesto that is being elected in Democrat primaries around the country. They want to tear up the Constitution and tear down the United States of America. That is their agenda. It is radical. It is extreme. It is dangerous. It is scary. The American people ought to be scared about what is happening with the Democrat manifesto and what they are promoting for this country. The American people can't afford it, and they are certainly not going to accept it. It is not the America we know and love. The Department of Homeland Security recently released new data about the number of illegal border crossings in the month of June. It is at a 50-year low. That is because of the work being done by this administration. For the past 14 months, zero illegal immigrants have been released into the country--absolutely zero--after millions and millions and millions under the Joe Biden catch-and-release disaster. Republicans have secured the border, but this fight isn't over. After years of Democrat open border policies, millions of illegal immigrants remain in our country today. Either we remove them or extreme Democrats are going to do everything they can to make it possible for them to vote in our elections. We already saw it happen in New Jersey. Republicans promised to deport illegal immigrant criminals, and it is time to continue on with that promise. The contrast is clear: Republicans want our laws enforced; Democrats want our laws ignored. The American people rejected open borders before and will reject them again. The American people want secure borders, safe communities, and only American citizens voting. I yield the floor.

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John Hoeven

Republican

“I support this judge. He is from my state. He is a good man. He does a good job. He follows the law. He does not make new laws. He is fair. I knew the last judge. He is a good guy too. He played sports in high school. The new judge will do a good job like the old judge. The new judge has a nice family. They are good people. I want him to be the new judge. You should vote for him too.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. President, I rise today in support of Judge Daniel Traynor's nomination to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Judge Traynor is seeking to fill a seat being vacated by Judge Ralph Erickson, who will be taking senior status upon Judge Traynor's confirmation. I want to take this opportunity to thank Judge Erickson for his many years of serving on the bench. Whether at the State district court, the Federal district court, or as a circuit court judge, Ralph Erickson has been a dedicated public servant, and we thank him for his hard work over the decades. I actually have known him since high school. He was on both the football team and the basketball team, and he is a huge guy. I remember he was a good lineman, and I remember that if he stood in the lane at basketball, you couldn't get anywhere near the basket. You had to kind of shoot a 3-pointer. A super guy, great sense of humor, good friend. We will miss Ralph in terms of his full-time status, but the good news is, he will be on senior status and still involved. He is just a tremendous judge, and I am very confident that Judge Traynor will do a fantastic job carrying on his legacy. Today, I have the privilege of supporting a nominee in Judge Traynor who embodies the highest standards of judicial service and who has dedicated his professional life to upholding the rule of law. Judge Traynor is a man of integrity, intellect, and deep faith in our constitutional system. He has earned a reputation as a thoughtful and fair jurist whose commitment to justice is respected by those who know him and those who have appeared before him. Judge Traynor is a lifelong North Dakotan through and through. He was born in Devils Lake, ND. He received his bachelor of arts from the University of North Dakota and his juris doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law. Judge Traynor's roots in our State have shaped his understanding of the law's impact on individuals, on families, on businesses, and on our rural communities. Throughout his career, Judge Traynor has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public service and to the faithful application of the law. Since his confirmation to serve as judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, Judge Traynor has distinguished himself through his diligence, impartiality, and careful attention to the facts and law before him. His judicial record reflects a deep respect for the Constitution and appreciation for the limited role of the judiciary and a commitment to deciding cases based on the law rather than on his personal opinion or policies. The Eighth Circuit plays a critical role in interpreting and applying Federal law throughout our region of the country. The citizens it serves deserve a judge who approaches that responsibility with independence, impartiality, and fidelity to the Constitution and the rule of law. Judge Traynor possesses each of these qualities. He does not legislate from the bench. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Judge Traynor is a devoted husband, father, and member of his community. His wife Patricia, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, along with their three children--Mary, Mack, and Joe--are rightfully proud of what Judge Traynor has accomplished. He understands the values of hard work, service, and responsibility that are central to the people of North Dakota and the Eighth Circuit. I am proud to support his nomination. I am confident that he will serve with distinction on the court of appeals. For all these reasons, I call on my colleagues to join me in supporting his nomination. With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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