Ashley Moody

“I want the Senate to pass this bill today. It sets up a permanent team at the Department of Justice to catch people who steal tax money. Criminals have stolen hundreds of billions of dollars from taxpayers, but Democrats keep blocking our bills to stop them.”

“Mr. President, thank you to my good friend and colleague Senator Schmitt. The grift is real, and the grift is great. I rise today to urge my colleagues to pass this vital legislation to stop the rampant fraud that we are seeing around this country. Through my previous work as Florida’s attorney general, certainly my colleague and his work as attorney general, we know how important it is to safeguard our citizens and the American taxpayer. I was a founding member of the new Senate Anti-fraud Task Force, and I know every time we uncover another case of fraudsters benefiting off our public tax dollars, it is a slap in the face to hard-working Americans. We are so grateful to this administration and Vice President Vance for stepping up and taking the lead. We know that fraud being uncovered across the Nation sets up a challenge to Congress to address our laws to make sure it is not easy to accomplish; that the criminals don’t have their work laid out for them; that they don’t keep getting away with this. Congress should be embarrassed if we don’t take action. I was as shocked as everyone here when reports came out that criminals in Minnesota stole an estimated $9 billion in taxpayer funds. In addition, the administration has uncovered more than $260 billion in fraud nationwide. Americans should be hopping mad. That is why, when the House of Representatives recently voted overwhelmingly in a bipartisan fashion to advance commonsense policies holding fraudsters accountable, I worked directly with the House sponsors to file the Senate companion the very next day. That is why my colleague and I are standing here on the floor today to try to get something done immediately. We have to stop the bleeding. The National Fraud Enforcement Division Act of 2026 would institute a permanent force for taxpayers within the Department of Justice. To Senator Schmitt, to the House sponsors, and every other Member of this noble institution that has vowed to clean up this mess and actually do something, thank you. It couldn’t come at a more important time. However, while I stand here and talk about the importance of this issue, the common sense of this issue, and the support of the American people for this issue, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle block every effort we have made to address rampant fraud in this country. We were sent here to be stewards of taxpayer dollars, to ensure we are spending the finite resources of this country responsibly. And yet every significant attempt taken by this body, by the government, by me, by a colleague, by Senator Schmitt, by anyone on the Republican side of the aisle to do something, it gets blocked or stalled. Dismantling the fraud economy and going after those who defraud the American taxpayer should be a 100-to-0 issue. When Senator Ernst tried to pass her antifraud legislative package-- with many of the provisions being bipartisan--earlier today, Senate Democrats blocked the bill. Just last week, I tried to pass a No Aid For Ghost Students Act in committee, making sure we weren’t outlaying money for students that didn’t even exist, and that got stalled by the Democrats. Every new idea or proposal that we put forth is panned or outright rejected, even if the idea saves taxpayer dollars for more crucial needs or would lead to refunds to the American taxpayer. It is irresponsible to not do something. We should be embarrassed. And think about what is happening. I am talking about the Dems not allowing us to push forward legislation to fix laws that are allowing this to happen. Right now, we are just trying to put forward a permanent division to enforce existing laws, and we can’t seem to get that through, even though it passed the House bipartisan. When we are told actions speak louder than words, I can only draw one conclusion; that certain Members or parts of this institution prioritize fraud recipients and grifting the apparatus over the fiscal health of the country or our fiscal stewardship responsibilities. I hope I am wrong. I hope that we, as the Senate, as the legislators we are, will come together to support this cause and permanently enact and set up a Fraud Enforcement Division. There could be nothing simpler. And if we pass the National Fraud Enforcement Division Act today, we guarantee that more fraudsters and bad actors are held accountable for stealing taxpayer dollars. I say: Let’s get this done. I yield back to my colleague from Missouri.”

“I want to change this bill to raise the limit on how many schools can be in an athletic conference from 19 to 20. Florida has many great college football teams. The current limit would hurt them and give them less room to grow.”

“Mr. President, I would like to begin by thanking the sponsor of this bill, Senator Cruz, Senator Schmitt who had such a large hand in getting this to the floor for their support on this amendment. I think everyone can agree that college sports has become broken and is headed in a bad direction. Fans across the Nation are seeing it. I am hearing about it from Floridians, and that is why I appreciate the efforts of my colleagues and the Trump administration to address these issues. But there is an area in this bill that would not best serve all of our universities, especially all the universities in the State of Florida, and that is why I am here with this amendment. We have a unique situation in Florida. We have a lot of schools that have successful football programs. In fact, 25 percent of the national football championship teams, since 1983, have come from the State of Florida. It is because of those successful programs. And they have been successful because the universities have had the opportunity to make decisions based on students and the success of their program. So we need more flexibility in the conference caps in this bill, and that is why I am moving to amend this bill simply by expanding the conference cap by 1, from 19 to 20 in those conferences. This would go a long way to helping schools like USF, which is in its 30th year, and they are at a 4 to 0 start to the season. The strict conference cap will limit them. It also helps our historic programs like the University of Miami, who is also 4 to 0 already this year, and Florida State University that wants to continue to build on their storied century-old successes in football. So thank you for the opportunity to speak on this amendment. Again, I would like to thank the bill’s sponsor that supports this amendment, and I would like to yield my time to Senator Blumenthal from Connecticut who also is sponsoring this amendment.”

“Today is Constitution Day. The Constitution puts hard limits on government power to protect our rights. Leftists want to ignore these limits by packing the Supreme Court, ignoring laws, and censoring speech. Some even want to get rid of the Supreme Court, the presidency, and the electoral college. Every senator swore an oath to protect the Constitution. We must keep that promise.”

“Mr. President, today is Constitution Day. Two hundred thirty nine years ago, our Founders signed the Constitution of this United States. Every Senator in this room has taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And every one of us swore that oath. I did it at the same time as Senator Husted, who is on the floor today. Our Founders understood the danger of concentrated power; they had just fought a revolution against it. And they understood something about human nature: Power will always want more power. So they put limits on it. They divided power among three branches. They built in checks and balances. They preserved the authority of the States. And with the Bill of Rights, they made one thing unmistakably clear: There are some places government simply cannot go. Government cannot silence you because it doesn’t like what you say. Government cannot take away your right to keep and bear arms. It cannot search your home whenever it pleases. It cannot take away your liberty without due process. These aren’t suggestions. They are hard limits on government power. Yet today there is a growing movement on the left that treats safeguards within our Constitution as obstacles to overcome. You don’t like a decision from the Supreme Court? Pack the Court, add Justices until you get the decisions you want. You don’t like the laws of the people that are enacted through their representatives? Just have an Executive, a rogue prosecutor, refuse to enforce the people’s laws. Don’t like what Americans are saying? Pressure private companies to silence them and call it fighting misinformation. Again and again, we will see the same pattern when constitutional guardrails stand between you and what you want: Simply move the guardrails. And that is dangerous. It is the greatest threat to a constitutional republic. The greatest threat to a constitutional republic is not disagreement. It is the belief that your cause is so important that the Constitution should get out of your way. And today we are seeing something even more fundamental: this movement that I referenced to dismantle the institution the Constitution created. Right now, democratic socialists are calling for a far-reaching change to the very foundation of American Government, our Constitution. They want to abolish the Supreme Court, replace the Presidency, abolish the electoral college. And at some point, we have to admit this stops being an argument about policy. It becomes an argument about the very foundation of this country, the United States of America. It becomes an attack on the Constitution that we all swore an oath to protect and defend because when you start dismantling institutions designed to keep power in check, the next question has to be: Who keeps power in check then? I have had the rare opportunity to see the balance of power, the separation of power, from all three branches now. I have served as a Federal prosecutor; I have served as an attorney general in the great ``Free State of Florida’’; I have served as a judge for over a decade; and now I serve on behalf of the people, making their laws in the legislative branch. I have seen firsthand why the Founders drew those lines and why we must protect them. And that brings me back to our oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We know what a foreign enemy looks like. But a threat to our constitutional system doesn’t have to come from beyond our shores. It can come from within the very institutions the Constitution created. And what happens when those that have sworn the oath to protect and defend the Constitution, what happens when they themselves start advocating to dismantle it? Right now, we have Members of Congress that have sworn to protect the Constitution, but they are coming out and supporting organizations and policies and advocacies that would attack and dismantle the things that protect people’s rights. An oath means the most when keeping it becomes inconvenient. Just ask the officers, the deputies in my home county of Hillsborough County, who took the oath to protect and serve and went into live fire in order to do their jobs and uphold their oath. Justice Clarence Thomas recently described the challenge this way: This year, America celebrates 250 years since declaring our independence. The Declaration of Independence announced the promise of America. The Constitution gave us the system to protect it. Our job is not to move its guardrails when they become inconvenient. Our job is to defend them because our enemies do not have to defeat America on a battlefield if we are willing to tear down from within the institution and principles that have sustained this Nation for 250 years. So, today, on Constitution Day, let us remember the oath that each one of us took to support the Constitution, to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Let’s remember our duty and carry it out faithfully. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.”

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“We should not leave Washington until we vote on bills to protect our elections. We must pass laws that require voter ID and make sure only American citizens can vote. Most Americans want this, and it is the only way people will trust election results.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to urge this esteemed body into action. I know that we are on the verge of a planned, long State work period and that many of my colleagues are looking forward to being back in our homes to meet with our constituents. But here is the thing: I know many of us agree that our business is far from done. The work the American people entrusted to us has not concluded. We have not done what we need to do. We cannot leave Washington until we act upon the most vital aspect of protecting our democracy, and that is securing our elections so that we remain a government of Americans-- free Americans--by Americans, for Americans. I am here today to make sure that happens. Our great American experiment hinges on the sanctity and integrity of our elections, and it is our responsibility--every single one of us no matter what side of the aisle we sit on--to protect the United States of America and everything that it was built on. To do that, we have to ensure that only Americans and legitimate voters participate in American elections. Two hundred fifty years ago, this Nation began as a bold experiment in self-representative government, and we are still guided by those enduring words that followed ``We the People.’’ And while the challenges we face today may seem more modern, certainly more complex, and more immediate than those confronting the Founders, the principles they laid out remain steadfast--the guarantees to our people. ``We the people’’ agreed we would live among one another, create, enforce, and uphold our laws. To do that, we created a strong Republic that depended on ``we the people’’ being engaged in our elections to select our Representatives--the Representatives of the people--to serve our interests. The SAVE America Act--indeed, election integrity efforts--are grounded in a simple, commonsense--indeed, foundational--principle that only American citizens should vote in American elections. I really am dumbfounded that I still have to come to the floor and have this debate with anybody in this Chamber. I am one of the newest Senators. I just got to Washington last year on behalf of the great, free State of Florida. I fought like heck to protect that State during challenges this Nation had never faced before, and we did it. We are now one of the most successful States, and we are one of the States with the most secure elections. You had better be darned sure I am going to do that here as a U.S. Senator on behalf of all Americans. It shouldn’t be controversial. It is not complicated. It is a basic safeguard of our Republic that ensures our government remains truly of, by, and for the American people. From the beginning, the Founders understood the importance of fiercely protecting our elections. Framers like Alexander Hamilton knew that our laws and our system should reflect the will of the American people and no one else. Americans must be able to trust that their elections are not corrupted or skewed or nullified by noncitizens voting or ineligible persons voting. Questions about election integrity are not new. They were recognized and debated by the Founders themselves. During the Constitutional Convention, one member expressed concern that States may make false returns of their elections. States, today, give licenses to those here illegally and then register them to vote. A lot of that paperwork happens at the same time. It is the responsibility of Congress to uphold the election integrity of this country. It is our responsibility to do that on behalf of our constituents back home. In fact, I think it is the responsibility of this Chamber to put it up for a vote so they can see who is standing up for them back home. That is the only way we can ensure the people have confidence in the system and in the legitimacy of our results of elections. This is about more than one bill. Look at any of the election integrity measures that are coming up. I am proud to have been an original sponsor of the SAVE America Act, but voter ID and voter integrity bills--all of these are important. I have also sponsored a bill called Ballots by Election Day to make sure we can get prompt results so people trust these elections. It is about preserving the integrity of our Republic. It is about ensuring that our government remains accountable to the people. It is about protecting a system--a government--that has endured for 250 years. How do we ensure only citizens vote? The answer is so simple: voter ID. It makes sense. You need a valid ID to do so many things--from driving, buying alcohol, checking into a hotel. You even need one to get an unlimited pasta pass from Olive Garden. Some have suggested, in communist Mamdani’s city-run grocery store, you have to show an ID to get groceries. But we are not OK with needing an ID to vote? You hear many folks who claim it is too high of a burden to force the American people to provide an ID to vote--the highest privilege of being a citizen. It is a joke. We have to be able to trust our elections are legitimate, and that is something the vast majority of Americans agrees on. The people have been clear. It does not matter which party they are registered with. The majority in every party agrees we should have to show ID for elections. According to the Pew Research Center, 83 percent of Americans support voter ID laws--83 percent. The very groups that Democrats claim would be harmed by this measure support voter ID. It is not a fringe idea. It is a broadly supported, commonsense safeguard. It is also important to remember we have just seen the headlines out of New Jersey where thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote through the State’s motor vehicle system. It is further proof as to why the SAVE America Act is needed. Under no circumstances should that have been able to have occurred. Trust in our government is already at a near-record low. The Pew Research Center reports only 17 percent of Americans now say that they trust Washington to do what is right just about always or most of the time. If we leave without passing or voting on voter integrity, it will prove them right. When trust erodes our entire system, our Republic is weakened because, once confidence in our elections is lost, it will be incredibly difficult to restore. The SAVE America Act helps reinforce trust in our elections. It also stands for preserving the integrity of our Republic--for protecting this system that so many have sacrificed to protect over the 250 years of the United States of America. Benjamin Franklin famously replied to a bystander after the Constitutional Convention that we have a Republic if we can keep it. I am here today to say we must keep it, and it is all of our responsibility to stand up and fight to keep it. I didn’t come to Washington just to sit here and listen to people debate. I came to Washington to get things done, and I came to Washington to make a difference. I need my colleagues to join me in being committed to pushing through and getting a vote and taking an action on securing our elections. The people in our States--the people we serve, our bosses back home--want this. They are demanding that we get this done. So let’s get this done and save America. I yield the floor.”

“I am asking permission for four Senate committees to meet today. Leaders from both parties have approved these meetings.”

“Mr. President, I have four requests for committees to meet during today’s session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today’s session of the Senate: The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a business meeting. The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., to conduct a hearing. The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 11 a.m., to conduct a hearing. The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., to conduct a business meeting.”

“I ask the Senate to approve this updated bill and pass it right now.”

“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn; that the Peters substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”

“I am asking the Senate to pass this bill.”

“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”

“I am honoring Deputy Raymond Tellez Ferriol. He saved three young girls from a dangerous rip current in Florida.”

“Madam President, today, I have the honor of rising in recognition of a true Florida hero. I know we hear a lot these days about entire political parties adopting platforms that want to defund and abolish the police, but in Florida, we do it a different way--an entirely different way. In fact, we watch what other crazy places are doing, and we just do the opposite, and it has worked out quite well. One of my favorite parts of my job as a U.S. Senator now, after having been the Florida attorney general and having worked with law enforcement for many, many years, is to spotlight Florida’s brave law enforcement heroes when they do something uniquely heroic. It shows why a free society operating under the rule of law has to have brave men and women to answer a call and stand on a line to bravely serve us. Today, it is an honor to recognize Lee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Raymond Tellez Ferriol with the Florida’s Finest Award. Earlier this year, Deputy Tellez Ferriol saved the lives of three young girls. Many people know Florida is a peninsula. We are surrounded by the ocean. On this particular day, there was a rip current that was very close to shore. If you have lived in Florida for any time or even if you have traveled to Florida, you know that rip currents can be incredibly deadly, pulling even expert swimmers out to sea very quickly. On this day, it was supposed to be a time of fun in the Sun, but it almost turned deadly when three young girls got caught in a very strong rip current and were struggling to stay above water and get back to shore. Deputy Tellez Ferriol was on patrol in full uniform, just going about his day protecting Floridians. He heard bystanders screaming for help. He immediately ran over, and without hesitation, he went into the water to rescue these three young girls. He grabbed flotation devices and started swimming. Thankfully, he was able to get them back to shore safely, as in this area, the strong rip current was really pushing all of them out. It was because of his bravery and his quick thinking that these girls are still alive. While this instance had a happy ending, it is worth reminding Floridians and everyone heading to Florida--and we know there are many moving to Florida. It doesn’t matter where I go in the Nation; someone I talked to just had a family member move to my home State and is one of my new constituents. But it is always important to remind everyone who lives in Florida or who visits our State’s beaches of the hidden dangers of rip currents. There have already been eight confirmed deaths due to rip currents since the start of this year in Florida. So we always advise folks to swim with a partner, to consider swimming when there is a lifeguard on duty, and to identify and know what each beach warning flag means. But today is about recognizing Deputy Tellez Ferriol. He was there that day because he was serving his community as a guardian, as someone who signed up to put his safety behind the safety of others. I, for one, am incredibly honored and incredibly thankful that there are people like Deputy Tellez Ferriol and others who answer the call so bravely to serve others as their profession. Law enforcement officers do so much every day to keep us safe, and it is always such a joy to highlight those who show exceptional bravery and save lives. Today, I recognize one of Florida’s finest, Lee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Raymond Tellez Ferriol. I yield the floor.”

“I am asking the Senate to end work for the day and meet again tomorrow at 5 p.m.”

“Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:57 p.m., adjourned until Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 5 p.m.”

“I ask that the Senate end work for today and meet again at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Tomorrow evening, we will debate and vote on confirming the Clayton nomination.”

“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Clayton nomination; further, that the postcloture time be expired at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow, and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination; finally, if any nominations are confirmed during Tuesday’s session of the Senate, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, and the President be immediately notified of the Senate’s actions.”

“I want the Senate to pass two bills right now. One bans members of Congress from buying stocks. The other requires voters to show photo identification. Most Americans want both of these rules.”

“Mr. President, I appreciate the words of my colleague Senator Husted, who was sworn in on the same day as I was, and we both hold very dear our responsibilities that our constituents have entrusted us with here in Washington. They did not send us up here to just listen to concerns. They didn’t send us up here to just debate. They want action. And that is why I am so proud to stand here today. In a moment, I am going to ask unanimous consent for two very clear, very specific pieces of legislation that have already been voted on in the House in a bipartisan way: voter ID and keeping Members of Congress from purchasing stocks while in office. Very simple. It should pass here, and I dare someone to object because the people of this country are tired of us talking about it. It is time for us to do something. These are two issues that I care very deeply about. The voter ID portion of this, I was an original cosponsor of the SAVE America Act, and I have introduced similar legislation to ban Members from stock trading through my Restore Trust in Congress Act, which is bipartisan. These truly should be nondebatable, bipartisan issues that we can all agree on. The fact is, 83 percent of Americans support voter ID laws. The very people that the Democrats claim will be harmed by voter ID-- the very people--are the ones that support this. Mr. President, 76 percent of Black Americans, 82 percent of Hispanic Americans support voter ID, an overwhelming majority of Americans support voter ID--of all parties. Eighty-eight percent of Democrats, 81 percent of Independents support us banning Members of Congress from trading stocks. So I wanted to be very clear tonight, very obvious for anyone that is watching, not only here within the Senate but at home, which party is asking their colleagues to require voter ID and banning the purchasing of stocks while in office. I want to go back to voter ID for just a moment because I know, Senator Husted, this has been very important to you. Our great American experiment hinges on the sanctity and integrity of our elections, and I think we need to ask ourselves why is it that so many Democratic States refuse to comply with the law now and are objecting to us requiring voter ID. Why? What could be the reason? We have to fiercely safeguard our democracy, ensuring that only Americans are allowed to participate in American elections. The SAVE America Act upholds the rule of law, makes sure there are stronger protections in place across the country to ensure that only citizens can participate in one of the privileges of being a citizen, and that is voting in our election. Everyone should be outraged by what we just uncovered in New Jersey, where thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote through the State’s motor vehicle system. So after telling us time and time and time and time again that that could never happen and does not happen-- oh my goodness, it is happening. Surprise, surprise. And they will still come here to the floor and object to voter ID after blaming thousands of individuals on the voter rolls as a software error. We also have to make sure that we are mindful of the fact that the Democratic Socialists of America have just said in their platform, they want noncitizens voting. They put it right out there in their platform. So people ask why now? Why do we need voter ID now? Maybe because we are uncovering thousands of people on voter rolls that shouldn’t be on voter rolls, and maybe it is because you have an entire segment of the Democratic Party pushing for noncitizen voting. That is why now. Secure elections strengthen democracy. They increase participation. Ben Franklin famously replied to a bystander after the Constitutional Convention that we have a Republic if we can keep it. This is how we keep it. The House passed this in a bipartisan way. There is absolutely no reason that we should not pass this by unanimous consent in the Senate. I am going to keep fighting to bring in more accountability to our bosses, the people who are demanding this. And if somebody objects to this, I wonder whose interests they are fighting for. We cannot go back to our States without getting this done for them. We have to restore accountability in Washington. We have to show the people back home we are working in their interests. Mr. President, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 7008, which was received from the House; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”

“I am celebrating the one-year anniversary of the recent tax cut law. It cuts taxes on tips and overtime, ends taxes on Social Security, and gives families investment accounts and school-choice tax credits. People know how to spend their own money better than the federal government does.”

“Mr. President, I rise today to share some good news with the United States of America. We just celebrated not only the birthday of this Nation--250 years--but we also celebrated the anniversary of the Working Families Tax Cut Act being signed into law. As my State’s newest Senator, this was an important piece of legislation for many reasons, and I will share what it has meant for hard-working Floridians. But I championed this package, and I am so excited to say that we were able to deliver major wins through this legislation. It is the largest tax cut in the history of our Nation, and I believe, on the birthday of the United States of America, it was important to recognize that the people most wisely know how to spend their money. And we have seen such positive results already for Floridians and Americans alike. I just traveled around the State of Florida last week, as all of our colleagues did, when we went back to our States and met with our constituents. And I can tell you people were excited, and they were excited because they were just coming off of having to file their taxes. And they are already seeing what this is going to mean for their families. We got together with law enforcement officers--hundreds of them-- where we highlighted no tax on overtime. A lot of people don’t think about how no tax on overtime helps those that wear a badge and pick up extra shifts and put their lives on the line to protect us. Now they get to keep more of that money when they do so. We celebrated no tax on tips at a restaurant called Beth’s Burger Bar, and so many of their waiters and waitresses were excited about keeping more of their money. We talked to parents about child-owned investment accounts over at a local school in St. Cloud. Floridians are just excited, and they have a right to be. We can proudly boast that we now have the highest average tax refund of any State in the Nation, and that is great news for Floridians. But it is not just Floridians. Millions of Americans have taken advantage of these new tax cuts. Over 7.5 million individuals claimed no tax on tips, and 29 million Americans have claimed no tax on overtime. For a waitress working late shifts or a hotel worker that drives Florida’s tourism economy, that means they are keeping more of that money. For the nurse or, as we discussed, for the law enforcement officer picking up extra shifts, the linemen that so often have to come in and restore power in Florida after storms--when they are putting in extra hours--factory workers putting in extra hours to support their families, that no tax on overtime rewards hard work instead of taxing it. And these tax cuts weren’t just for workers. They were also for seniors, and in Florida--``the senior State’’--this was incredibly meaningful. In Florida, we are home to the largest senior--one of the largest senior--populations in the Nation, with more than 5 million seniors. That is more seniors than many of the populations in the entirety of some of my sister States around the Nation. And so I argued very hard for the provisions that eliminated taxes on Social Security benefits and provided additional relief through the enhanced deductions for seniors. So there were two ways we were trying to make it easier on our seniors. More than 35 million seniors have already claimed the enhanced deduction, and that helps them keep more of that retirement income. So after a lifetime of work, seniors deserve to keep more of what they earned working, not send it back up here to Washington, where we keep showing--time after time after time these days--that so much of it has gone to fraud. And so making sure we are keeping money in the pockets of hard- working Americans is incredibly important. So I just want to underscore what that meant--that Working Families Tax Cut Act--just this past filing season. Mr. President, 97 percent of all filers in the Nation--97 percent-- received a tax cut. American families and workers claimed $82 billion in individual relief directly from the act, and Americans received $325 billion in total tax refunds--$325 billion in total tax refunds. And as I said before, Floridians can brag that they brought home the largest average Federal tax refund in the country. Our State filers brought home an average refund of $4,500, compared to the national average of $3,300. Just as important as delivering tax relief and beefing up some of those deductions were for Americans and our seniors, we also made sure that that act invested in our next generation, our children. Through the package, we thought outside the box. We did something that has never been done before, and we created child-owned investment accounts for every American child born, which was designed to give our next generation a real jump start on the American dream. And a lot of people still do not know this. It shocked me, as I was traveling around Florida last week. And these were folks who had just had babies, and they did not know that their child that they were holding was already eligible for $1,000 into an investment account. For every baby born, from 2025 through 2028, whose parents open up one of these accounts--and it is so easy to do, incredibly easy to do-- the U.S. Treasury will invest $1,000. If the child doesn’t touch it-- and you can add to it too. But if you don’t touch that original investment, by the time they are 18 and they are on their own, you can use it for a vacation, for a downpayment on a house. There are ways that you can use that. It is almost $8,000. If they don’t touch it at all, it is projected it could be hundreds of thousands of dollars upon retirement--close to a million dollars, if not more. This is incredible news. So when you are hearing about all of the fraud that we keep uncovering or where we sent millions of dollars to some foreign country to help some crazy program for foreign nationals, today, Americans can go to irs.gov/trumpaccounts and sign up and get $1,000 for their kids. And the lens through which we viewed this and the lens through which we approached this and argued for this historic act was: How do we reorient? How do we course-correct and start making decisions on behalf of this country to invest in Americans, American children, and American industries first? More than 5.5 million child-owned investment accounts have been opened nationwide so far, and 1.4 million are eligible for the $1,000 pilot program contribution. So in addition to these accounts, 40 million families have taken advantage of the enhanced child tax credit that we permanently doubled and expanded through the Working Families Tax Cut Act. So not only do we have the investment accounts for these children, we also now have given a double--permanently--child tax credit on your taxes. So, of course, preparing our next generation for success will require more than just financial security, but this was such a great start toward that end. And if I can get one thing through to American parents right now, it is easy to sign up. There is money waiting for your children right now from the U.S. Treasury because we want to set them up for success. But we didn’t stop at financial investment. Education is also important. And through this Working Families Tax Cut Act, of which we are now celebrating the 1-year anniversary--and many of the provisions that we all fought hard for, over on this side of the aisle, are now just going into effect--we also made sure that there was a Federal tax credit scholarship that could help millions of students across the Nation get education of their parents’ choice. Two decades ago, we did this in Florida. We had a low graduation rate. I want to say it was in the sixties. We started with our first school-choice statute. Two decades later, we are out now at over 92 percent graduation rate. It shows you that not every child learns the same, and parents know what their children need. And educational needs should not be based on the ZIP Code in which they are born. Florida has figured that out. We figured that out some time ago. And now I am here as Florida’s newest U.S. Senator, announcing a great piece of legislation that will expand this approach to children across our Nation. But even for States where you have universal school choice--and there are a few of us like Florida, but others have started with school-choice statutes--understanding that each child learns differently, you can still take advantage of the Working Families Tax Cut Act because it allows for the deduction of education expenses for tutoring, for technology, and for so many of those supplemental education expenses that come along with education that parents choose. So Floridians are still winning, even though we already have school choice. When parents have more choices, we know--and we have seen the data show--that students are more likely to find the educational path that fits their unique talents and goals. And that, ultimately--for this country, for our Nation’s forward success--will mean a stronger workforce. It will mean more innovation and a stronger economy, not just for the State of Florida--for which I champion every day--but for our entire Nation. At the end of the day, families and small businesses know how to spend their money far better than some of these bureaucrats that are making decisions in the bowels of some of these Agencies. And we are uncovering, day in and day out--and we will continue to do so--exposing where some of those choices went awry and where some of those choices led to corruption and crime. But we are here today to celebrate what we have been doing right and how we have been course-correcting with our intent to focus on bettering the lives of American families, American workers, and this Nation moving forward. So I believe that less taxes will mean more opportunity, more growth, more freedom for hard-working Americans, and I am incredibly excited to be standing here today as one of the newest U.S Senators that helped deliver this win last year. And as we are watching it go into effect and see the success and the effect it is having on our constituents, it is certainly something to celebrate, and I appreciate your giving me the opportunity to do so today. I yield the floor.”