John Thune

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that all Members of the Republican conference be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions from May 21 through June 1.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. THUNE. I now ask for a second reading and, in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 676.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following resolutions, which are at the desk: S. Res. 749 and S. Res. 750.

Mr. THUNE. I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 4631, which is at the desk.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read three times and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. The bill (S. 4631) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed as follows:

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned to then convene for pro forma session only, with no business being conducted, on the following dates and times: Friday, May 22, at 8:30 a.m.; Tuesday, May 26, at 8 a.m.; Thursday, May 28, at 3:30 p.m.; further, that when the Senate adjourns on Thursday, May 28, it stand adjourned until 3 p.m. on Monday, June 1; 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, and the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each; further, that at 5:30 p.m., the cloture motions filed during today's session of the Senate ripen.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, yesterday on the floor I discussed some of our accomplishments here in the Senate, and one of those accomplishments is restoring regular order consideration of appropriation bills. Unfortunately, in fiscal year 2025, we were forced do a full-year CR after the failures of the previous Democrat majority and the Biden administration to enact full-year bills in a timely manner. But at the start of this year, we were on the verge of concluding an open, Member-driven, and bipartisan appropriations process and passing the full compliment of 12 full-year appropriations bills. It is what I said I wanted to do when Republicans took the majority last year, and we were about to get it done--that is, until Democrats reneged on our bipartisan DHS funding bill. A bill, I might add, that included bipartisan reforms and money for additional body cameras for immigration enforcement. When they backed out of this deal, Democrats said they just needed two more weeks to negotiate additional reforms on immigration enforcement. Republicans were willing to do that, and we began negotiations. But then that 2-week deadline came and went without much progress. And pretty soon it drug on into 40, 41, 42, 43--45 days. Instead of agreeing to fund the Department of Homeland Security while negotiations continued, Democrats shut the department down. Meanwhile, the White House implemented reforms of its own. As negotiations continued, the White House repeatedly offered Democrats a robust package of legislative reforms. But as the weeks dragged on, it became clear the Democrats weren't interested in reforms at all. And, eventually, they just walked away. Now why would they do that? If reforming immigration enforcement is as important as Democrats were claiming, why would Democrats choose to walk away from reforms? I suspect it is either that the reforms that the Trump administration implemented were adequate to solve the problem at hand or--and I think this is the real reason--Democrats weren't interested in reforms at all. They wanted a political issue, something that would please the far left. And apparently they decided that defunding law enforcement would be a winner for them because that is what we are talking about here. Democrats voted to defund border security. They voted to defund immigration enforcement--not reform, defund, and defund completely. It is really quite shameful. A few weeks ago on the floor, the Democrat leader said that ICE and Border Patrol are two agencies that ``nobody respects in this country.'' Nobody respects Border Patrol and ICE; those are the Democrat leader's words. Apparently, the fact that there are men and women risking their lives against drug cartels and gang members doesn't merit respect from Democrats. Not only that, but Democrats apparently don't think we should have these Agencies that go after criminals, stop illegal drugs from entering our country, fight human trafficking, and enforce our Nation's immigration laws. And that last one is, I think, the real issue here. Do Democrats believe we should enforce our immigration laws? It really seems like they don't. For years now, Democrat-led cities and States have implemented sanctuary policies to prevent their law enforcement agencies from cooperating with immigration authorities. Those policies have had deadly consequences. The murder of Laken Riley is just one example. Yet Democrats still defend these misguided policies. Then, under President Biden, Democrats' embrace of open border policies reached its zenith. The Biden administration clearly did not believe in enforcing our immigration laws, and the result was year upon year of recordbreaking illegal immigration. As even the New York Times has reported: After Mr. Biden became president, migrant encounters at the southern border quickly doubled, then kept rising. New arrivals overwhelmed border stations, then border towns, and eventually major cities like New York and Denver. Still Democrats embrace open borders. And make no mistake, that is exactly what Democrats are embracing when they opt for giving no funding--zero funding--to Border Patrol and ICE. What they are suggesting is that we have no physical presence at our borders. They are suggesting that we don't have law enforcement officers taking criminal illegal immigrants off of our streets. And I really have to wonder who they are doing this for because letting illegal immigrants enter our country unchecked and allowing criminal illegal immigrants to roam free is certainly not putting the American people first. Democrats have made their choice. They would rather have applause from the far-left ``defund the police'' crowd than keep the American people safe. They would rather have a political issue this November than do their jobs. As I say, they have made their choice. Fortunately, Republicans can fund these critical Agencies without Democrats' assistance. And we will be moving forward with the final steps of that process shortly. As I said at the top of my remarks, I wanted to restore regular order, bipartisan consideration of funding bills, and we were doing that. And despite Democrats' partisan games, we are still going to get the entire Federal Government funded. We are going to ensure our immigration laws are enforced and criminal illegal aliens are not allowed to live freely in our country. And if Democrats want to play partisan games and vote against border security, well, they are free to do that. But Republicans are going to do our jobs and ensure that law enforcement can do theirs. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, today I recognize Herreid, SD. The town of Herreid will be celebrating its quasquicentennial June 26-28, 2026. Herreid will host quasquicentennial events, including parades, live music, class reunions, and much more. Herreid is located in Campbell County, nestled in the beautiful rolling prairies and open farmland of north-central South Dakota. The Herreid community was born when the Soo Line Railroad expanded into the area, creating new opportunities for farmers, ranchers, and other settlers. These early residents persevered through many challenges, but set the foundation for a community rooted in hard work, strength, and neighborly values. Home to more than 400 people and multiple businesses, Herreid is known for its rich historical heritage and robust rural spirit. Since its beginning 125 years ago, the community of Herreid continues to serve as a strong example of South Dakota values and traditions. I offer my congratulations to the citizens of Herreid on their town's quasquicentennial and wish them continued prosperity in the years to come.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, this resolution concerns a request for records related to an investigation of an individual who made a threat against the President in a communication sent to Senator Mark Warner's office. The U.S. Attorney's Office investigating the matter is seeking documents from Senator Warner's office for use in its investigation and in any future legal proceedings arising in this matter. The Senator would like to cooperate with this request by providing the requested documents from his office. The enclosed resolution would authorize the office of Senator Warner to produce documents to the U.S. Attorney in this matter.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, yesterday marked 500 days of the Republican majority here in the U.S. Senate, and what a busy 500 days it has been. We have taken close to 800 votes since last January, confirmed just under 500 nominees to posts across the Federal Government and judiciary, and we have passed bills out of the Senate and into law to make life better for the American people. When Republicans took over last year, we set out to address cost-of- living issues and put more money in Americans' pockets. We lifted costly Biden-era regulations, from rules that would have driven up the cost of household appliances to rules that would have forced Americans into expensive electric vehicles. At the start of this year, we took action to drive down the cost of prescription drugs at the pharmacy counter. In March, the Senate passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act--a bill that cuts redtape that has prevented the construction of new housing and kept too many Americans waiting to realize the American dream of home ownership. I am proud of the broad bipartisan support this bill received here in the Senate, and I hope these commonsense reforms will make it to the President's desk in short order. Lifting costly regulations and taking action to lower the cost of prescriptions and housing are significant actions, but what I consider to be the most consequential action not just of this majority but of my entire time in the Senate is the Working Families Tax Cut. And I say ``most consequential'' because of the permanent tax relief Republicans delivered in this bill--tax relief that puts more money in hard-working Americans' pockets. That was the centerpiece of this bill, and a whole lot of Americans saw that last month when they filed their tax returns and saw a significantly higher refund. Hard-working Americans were able to take advantage of permanently lower tax rates, an increased standard deduction, and the 2,200 child tax credit. Six million workers deducted income from tips, 25 million workers took advantage of no tax on overtime, and 30 million seniors were able to reduce their tax burden with the $6,000 senior deduction created by this bill. The Working Families Tax Cut lets hard-working people keep more of their hard-earned money. It also strengthens America's small businesses and family farms and ranches. Lower tax rates and the 199A small business deduction free up money for them to invest in their operations and their employees. Investment incentives like 100 percent bonus depreciation and immediate research and development expensing help them upgrade and innovate. And a lot of family business owners, farmers, and ranchers breathe a sigh of relief when this bill passed because it protects them from a potentially devastating death tax bill, not to mention the costly estate planning expenses that come along with this tax. These measures are part of Republicans' focus on strengthening America's economy. An important part of that is strengthening our agriculture economy. America's farms and ranches have faced some serious headwinds lately. Higher input costs, depressed commodity prices, higher interest rates, and natural disasters and disease are just some of the challenges ag producers have faced in recent years. So Republicans set out to deliver some much needed relief to the ag sector. In the Working Families Tax Cut, we made lasting reforms to strengthen the farm safety net. Thanks to this bill, reference prices for commodity programs more closely reflect the actual market conditions farmers are dealing with. We bolstered crop insurance, and we improved the Livestock Indemnity Program and Livestock Forage Disaster Program to help ranchers and other livestock producers through challenging times. But we still have more to do to strengthen the agricultural economy. Senators Boozman and Hoeven are working on a farm relief package to address the challenges facing farmers right now. Allowing the year-round sale of E15 fuel is another priority. Year- round E15 is something that helps not only the ag economy but the overall economy by reducing fuel costs and allowing for more homegrown energy. The House has passed a bill to allow year-round E15, and we will be having discussions on how to accomplish that goal in the Senate in the near future. Republicans have also made it a priority to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in the Federal Government. The Working Families Tax Cut included a number of reforms to focus Federal dollars on those most in need, guard against the abuse of taxpayer funds, and hold States accountable for the Federal funding they receive. New measures in the law prevent noncitizens from receiving Federal healthcare and nutrition benefits and refocus those programs on serving American citizens. The law requires States to be good stewards of Federal programs like Medicaid and nutrition assistance, and it takes aim at duplicative enrollment in Federal healthcare programs, which CMS estimates costs taxpayers as much as $14 billion per year. Earlier this year, President Trump signed into law Senator Kennedy's bill that helped prevent the payment of Federal benefits to deceased individuals. And after revelations of widespread fraud in the State of Minnesota at the end of last year, we confirmed the first-ever Assistant Attorney General for National Fraud Enforcement. Then there are our actions to ensure Washington is a better steward of taxpayer dollars. The Working Families Tax Cut prevented Americans' tax dollars from funding big abortion providers for 1 year. Last summer, Republicans passed a rescissions package that targeted funding that had gone to some egregious misuses of taxpayer dollars, like a pride parade in Lesotho and promoting vegan food in Zambia. We continue to work to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not being wasted. I said at the outset of this Congress that I wanted to restore regular-order consideration of appropriation bills, and we were largely able to accomplish that goal, even after Democrats tried to derail the process with the longest government shutdown in history this past fall. This year, we were able to pass 11 of the 12 full appropriations bills into law, and many of those bills actually spent less money than if we had just put spending on autopilot through a continuing resolution. The only reason we haven't passed 12 out of 12 full appropriations bills this year is that Democrat colleagues apparently don't believe in securing our Nation's borders. Their refusal to provide even a dollar for the Border Patrol in this year's DHS funding bill is ample evidence of that. Republicans most certainly believe in border security. In fact, addressing the dangerous situation at our southern border was one of our top priorities when we took over last year. The first bill we passed was the Laken Riley Act to ensure that illegal immigrants who committed certain crimes are not allowed back on our streets. We passed the HALT Fentanyl Act to give law enforcement the tools it needs to go after this deadly poison, much of which flows across our southern border. The Working Families Tax Cut made a generational investment in border security, and we are seeing the results of that investment and the Trump administration's actions at the border. Encounters at our southern border have dropped dramatically. For the past 12 months, not a single illegal immigrant has been released into the United States. Democrats are clearly trying to undo that progress, but Republicans won't let that happen. As soon as this week, we will take up a bill to fully fund Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the remainder of the Trump administration and ensure the Democrats cannot put our Nation's security in jeopardy by defunding law enforcement. I mentioned earlier that we have confirmed almost 500 civilian nominees since last January, and that has been in the face of a historic--historic--level of obstruction from Democrats. After months and months of unprecedented Democrat obstruction, last year, Republicans took action to restore the Senate's tradition of confirming largely noncontroversial nominees in batches. Last night, we confirmed the fourth package of Trump nominees and effectively eliminated the backlog of nominees awaiting confirmation. Speaking of Democrat obstruction, Democrats have also blocked several pieces of commonsense legislation here in the Senate. They blocked Senator Tuberville's Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which would have simply prevented biological men from competing in women's sports. They blocked Senator Lankford's Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which would have required that babies who survive abortion are given the same level of care as babies born at the same gestational age. Democrats wouldn't even let us debate these bills--I have to imagine because their position is completely indefensible. Then, just recently, Democrats blocked the SAVE America Act. We had a robust debate on this bill for several weeks. Republicans gave Democrats opportunities to support the whole bill, and we had standalone votes on some of the individual and very commonsense components of the bill: requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, requiring a photo ID to vote, protecting children from gender transition surgeries, keeping biological men out of women's sports. Democrats are on the record against all of it, and we will be sure the American people know that Democrats are blocking commonsense policies that have broad support from the American people. I have mentioned a number of accomplishments this morning, but there is more work to be done. Last week, the Banking Committee advanced the CLARITY Act--a market structure bill for cryptocurrencies that builds on the GENIUS Act that became law last year and which was the first- ever crypto bill passed into law. I expect the Senate will also take action on an artificial intelligence bill this year that builds on the AI framework the White House has put out. Legislation dealing with name, image, and likeness in college athletics is also on the agenda, as is legislation ensuring continued funding for our Nation's transportation infrastructure. In the near term, we will also need to extend FISA and ensure that this critical national security program does not go dark. We will soon begin work on the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, which will continue Republicans' efforts to modernize America's military, and, of course, we will continue to prioritize efforts to make life easier for hard-working Americans. Mr. President, 500 days ago, Republicans had a long to-do list. We have checked a lot of things off, but we still have more to do, and we are not about to take our foot off the gas. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, the month of May is dedicated to America's finest. We observed Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day last week, and the entire month of May is Military Appreciation Month. Armed Forces Day was Saturday, and next week, we will observe Memorial Day and remember all those who have laid down their lives in America's service. It is an extraordinary thing they do, the men and women who sign up to join our military. They don't simply choose service; they choose a kind of service that may require them to sacrifice everything. And they do it willingly, proudly, for love of their country, for love of their fellow soldiers, and for love of their fellow man. We live in a country of unmatched blessing, and it can be easy to take that for granted, to take our prosperity, our freedom, our peace, and safety as a given. But they are not a given; they are secured for us and have been secured for us by the men and women of the U.S. military. That is not patriotic rhetoric; that is a fact. None of the blessings we enjoy as citizens of the United States would last long in the absence of the men and women who commit their lives to defending them. My job as a Senator gives me the privilege of regularly getting to interact with our military men and women. That might be at Ellsworth Air Force Base talking to airmen about recent B-1 or MQ-9 combat operations or the fast approaching B-21 mission. It might be welcoming home South Dakota National Guard troops or our 114th Fighter Wing from a deployment. It might be greeting veterans on an Honor Flight here in Washington, DC. It is a privilege to talk to men and women who have not only chosen to serve a cause greater than themselves but have committed to giving their lives for that cause if necessary. Their pride, their professionalism, their enthusiasm, their wholehearted embrace of our country's ideals--there is nothing more inspiring and uplifting than meeting the men and women of the U.S. military. I have talked about our Armed Forces' willingness to sacrifice, to lay down their lives if necessary to protect our country. Across the river from the Capitol Building where we stand, at Arlington National Cemetery, rows upon rows of white markers bear witness to the men and women who have made that ultimate sacrifice. And not just on Memorial Day but every day--every day--we need to remember them, to remember that our freedom has been secured for us at a great cost, and to live in such a way as to honor that sacrifice. No discussion of the service of our military men and women is complete without mentioning their families. They, too, embrace a cause greater than themselves. They also serve and often without recognition. They endure long absences from their loved ones, missed birthdays and date nights and dinners, frequent moves, new schools, and job changes. And for some, their loved one never comes home. Just as we remember our soldiers this month, we remember their families--their families--and what they, too, have given in the service of our country. As we celebrate Military Appreciation Month, Armed Forces Day, and Memorial Day, my prayers and gratitude are with the men and women of the U.S. military. God bless and protect them as they stand on guard for us. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, last month, a Sioux Falls, SD, police officer responded to a report of a weapons violation. While pursuing one of the suspects, the officer in question was ambushed by the other suspect and shot. Here in DC last month, law enforcement officers on duty at the White House Correspondents' Dinner responded when an individual darted through a security checkpoint with the intent of assassinating the President and members of his administration. One officer was shot, fortunately in the vest. The job of a law enforcement officer is an unpredictable one. Of course, all of life has uncertainty, but when most of us depart our houses every day, we can be pretty certain that we will return that evening the same way we left that morning--in safety. Police officers, law enforcement officers, don't have that same assurance. The job of a police officer is unpredictable. Some days might be very quiet--helping a stranded motorist, writing a speeding ticket, chatting with kids about police work at a school function--but other days--other days--a police officer might respond to a call and be confronted with a gunman. Law enforcement officers never know what kind of day it will be. The Secret Service agent leaving her house in the morning doesn't know whether she will have to throw herself between her principal and danger before nightfall. The sheriff's deputy serving a warrant doesn't know whether it will be a peaceful event or whether he will confront a volley of bullets. Yet, every day, men and women across this country embrace their jobs in law enforcement. They are born protectors who willingly shoulder the risks and dangers to keep them away from the rest of us. This week, we honor them. This week, we observe National Police Week to honor the service and sacrifice of our Nation's law enforcement officers. Tomorrow, we observe National Peace Officers Memorial Day--a day to remember the men and women of law enforcement who have given their lives in the line of duty. This year's Police Week resolution notes that in 2025, more than 200 officers were killed in the line of duty--200 men and women who left their homes in the morning and failed to return to it at the end of the day. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. For these men and women, we were all their friends. As we honor the service and sacrifice of our Nation's law enforcement officers, we also need to honor their families because their families also serve. They say goodbye in the morning to a husband or wife, a mom or a dad, son or a daughter, with the knowledge always at the back of their minds that their loved one may not come home at the end of the day. And every year, for some law enforcement families, that fear comes true, and this week and every week, we should remember them. This Police Week, I want to say a special thank-you to South Dakota law enforcement officers--police officers, sheriff's deputies, State troopers, Tribal police, and the Federal officers who serve our State. I am grateful for all you do to keep South Dakotans safe. I also want to thank the officers of the Capitol Police, who stand guard in this building every hour of every day. We are able to work in safety because of your efforts. Mr. President, we live in a fallen world, and there will always be men and women out there with evil intent. We are blessed to have so many heroic men and women willing to put their lives on the line to protect us. To all of our Nation's law enforcement officers, today and every day, thank you. May God bless and protect you as you go about your work. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 735.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 737.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum call with respect to the cloture motion on the nominations en bloc pursuant to S. Res. 690.