John Thune
RThe South Dakota law enforcement community suffered a great loss today. Kimberley and my thoughts and prayers are with Deputy Frank’s loved ones and colleagues during this extremely difficult time.
Agriculture is the lifeblood of South Dakota. Today and every day, we recognize the hard work and importance of our nation’s farmers. Through Republicans’ Working Families @TaxCuts, we delivered an improved farm safety net, and we can continue to build on that by passing the farm bill.
Today is Native Americans’ Day in South Dakota, an opportunity to celebrate the heritage and contributions of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people. https://t.co/x7WoZ6yO8P
Kimberley and I are praying for the Minnehaha County officer who was critically injured last night while serving in the line of duty. We’re thinking of her family and the entire South Dakota law enforcement community and appreciate what they do to keep our state safe.
Today marks three years since the horrific October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. We will continue to remember those whose lives were taken, pray for their families, and reaffirm that the United States stands with Israel.
Great to be on hand yesterday for the Dakota Days @SDCoyotesFB big homecoming win over Indiana State. 🐺🏈 https://t.co/yc6DnvmmeL
Thanks to @POTUS for giving my family a behind-the-scenes look at the White House and the new helipad. Grateful for his partnership now and into the future. https://t.co/eP90ZEpN1C
Great to see the historic ag investments from Republicans' Working Families @TaxCuts continue to work for South Dakota farmers.
Will Democrats support commonsense measures like a stock trading ban, voter ID, and protection from higher energy costs? Or will they continue to play politics? https://t.co/eAmudfKmhg
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, the theme in the Senate this week is common sense. “Today we’ll be voting on two eminently commonsense pieces of legislation – the Stop Insider Trading Act, and the Ratepayer Protection Act. “The Stop Insider Trading Act, Mr. President, actually pairs two commonsense measures – a stock purchase ban for members of Congress, and a voter ID measure. “Neither requires much explanation, Mr. President. “To ensure that members of Congress and their families are not benefiting financially from insider knowledge of the markets, the stock purchase ban would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses, or their dependent children from purchasing stocks issued by public companies while the member is in office. “It would also ensure transparency when it comes to stock sales by requiring members of Congress and their immediate family to provide advance, public notice of any stock sale. “And these rules are enforced with real penalties. “It’s a pretty simple measure, Mr. President. “But an important way to ensure that members of Congress are held to the standards that Americans should be able to expect of their representatives. “Mr. President, the other half of the Stop Insider Trading Act is also pretty simple. “It would do nothing more than require that Americans present a photo ID when they go to vote. “That’s it. “Very simple. “And something that has the overwhelming – overwhelming – support of the American people. “And when I say the American people, I mean the American people. “Republicans. Democrats. Independents. “Everyone. “But while this vote should be a no-brainer, Mr. President, I do have some concerns. “Because while the American people overwhelmingly support a photo ID requirement, for some bizarre reason congressional Democrats have decided that photo ID for voting is a step too far. “I say bizarre, Mr. President, because I haven’t seen Democrats crusading against showing ID in any of the other situations where Americans are required to present their photo identification. “My Democrat colleagues don’t seem to have a problem with showing photo ID to board an airplane. “To rent a car. “To start a new job. “They don’t seem to have a problem with showing photo ID at the doctor’s office. “Or when buying alcohol. “Or when opening a bank account. “They don’t seem to have a problem – Mr. President, if you can believe this – they don’t seem to have a problem with photo ID, having a requirement to show a photo ID at their own political events! “Think about that, Mr. President. “It’s only when it comes to voting that congressional Democrats suddenly, inexplicably see photo ID as a terrible problem. “Even though not only the majority of Americans but the majority of Democrats support photo identification. “Mr. President, it’s pretty hard to explain the Democrats’ position. “But I suspect one of two things is going on here. “Either Democrats are just reflexively opposing this proposal because it came from Republicans. “Or Democrats believe that there are in fact people out there voting illegally and that it’s benefiting Democrats. “And they’d like to keep that going. “Mr. President, I will say that thirteen House Democrats found voter ID and the stock purchase ban to be so commonsense that they broke with their party and supported the Stop Insider Trading Act when it moved through the House. “And I would love to see Senate Democrats follow their example. “I guess we’ll see soon enough. “Mr. President, in addition to the Stop Insider Trading Act, the Senate will be voting on the Ratepayer Protection Act this week, as well. “I know I’ve used the word commonsense a lot lately. “But as I said, it is the theme of this week’s legislation. “And the Ratepayer Protection Act is as commonsense as it gets. “It would simply promote the adoption of a standard that would require data centers to shoulder the electricity costs associated with their operation and construction. “That’s it, Mr. President. “A simple piece of legislation designed to protect hardworking Americans from the increased energy costs associated with data centers. “Mr. President, the Ratepayer Protection Act passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives, with almost every Democrat – almost every Democrat – as well as Republican supporting it. “So you’d think it would have had a pretty easy passage through this chamber as well. “But when we brought this legislation up here in the Senate a couple of weeks ago, Democrats objected. “For what reason, Mr. President, I don’t know – presumably a political one. “Given the overwhelming support for this measure in the House, it’s difficult to conclude that Senate Democrats blocked this bill for any reason other than the desire to deny Republicans another win in an election year. “Which is a pretty poor reason for opposing a measure to protect Americans from higher energy costs. “But they have another chance this week, Mr. President. “And I guess we’ll see. “Will Democrats support commonsense measures like a stock purchase ban, photo ID to vote, and protection from higher energy costs? “Or will they continue to play politics?”
Congratulations to Becky Haenfler from Avon on being named South Dakota’s 2026 Teacher of the Year! Thank you for all that you do for South Dakota’s students. https://t.co/LU9BrvQns6
Sat down with folks from the South Dakota Rural Electric Association today to talk about the need for permitting reform. https://t.co/2isAMIiPrI
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, we’re coming to the end of the first year of the Rural Health Transformation Program. “This multi-year initiative, created in Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts legislation, will invest $50 billion in all 50 states to put rural health care providers on a more sustainable footing for the future. “And beyond helping to ensure that Americans in rural areas can access health care, it will also ensure that providers are able to leverage technology and innovation to address the challenges unique to rural states. “Mr. President, one year in, this program is off to a promising start. “That’s certainly the case in my home state of South Dakota. “Just last week, CMS announced a $13 million investment in behavioral and mental health care in South Dakota. “This funding will help expand crisis services and build out our state’s workforce in behavioral health care. “And it comes after another announcement in August of funding to modernize technology and strengthen cybersecurity at rural health care providers in South Dakota – an initiative that will not only modernize care in my state but also support future innovation to address the unique needs of rural South Dakota. “Mr. President, when Republicans created the Rural Health Transformation Program last summer, we didn’t take a top-down, Washington-centered approach. “Instead, we designed it to give states the resources and freedom to find solutions to their particular challenges. “And I’m proud to see South Dakota taking the same approach when it comes to distributing the funding that it will receive. “In the words of South Dakota Secretary of Health Melissa Magstadt, and I quote, ‘The initiatives that we’ve developed came strictly from the assessments we had, the expert input we garnered, and what citizens themselves said they needed in the community.’ “Mr. President, that’s exactly how the Rural Health Transformation Program is supposed to work. “And it’s not just working in South Dakota. “As I mentioned, all 50 states are taking advantage of this transformative program. “Ohio is putting $3 million toward expanding offerings at pharmacies in rural communities. “A nearly $5 million award will help a hospital in central Maine upgrade its electronic medical record system to integrate it with the wider health system it’s part of. “Providers in Kansas will benefit from nearly $17 million this year to support new technologies and improve transportation options for specialty health care. “And Missouri will use $35 million to support 20 rural hospital projects, and another $4 million to train its rural EMS workforce. “A hospital in South Carolina will use funding to add an additional operating room and upgrade its technology. “And a nonprofit in Alaska received $16 million to improve primary care offerings and bring in more providers and staff. “And this is just some of the funding states are receiving for the first year of this program. “Mr. President, as this list suggests, the Rural Health Transformation Program will make an impact in every corner of this country. “All 50 states are receiving funding from this program – red states and blue states alike. “Which makes Senate Democrats’ opposition to this program particularly baffling. “Our Democrat colleagues … have made their opposition to the Rural Health Transformation Program very clear – with the Democrat leader going so far as to say this last year, and I quote: ‘This little fund to help reimburse rural hospitals is just a fraud.’ “Let me repeat that, Mr. President. “‘This little fund to help reimburse rural hospitals is just a fraud.’ “That, from the Democrat leader. “Perhaps the Democrat leader should check-in with his state’s governor, who said of a recent $76 million investment from this program, and I quote, ‘These investments will bring rural hospitals, health centers and community providers together to strengthen regional health care networks and make it easier for New Yorkers to get the care they need closer to home.’ “That, from New York’s governor. “Let me repeat that, Mr. President. “‘ … and make it easier for New Yorkers to get the care they need closer to home.’ “Well, that doesn’t sound like a fraud to me. “But Mr. President, whether this would help the people in rural parts of their states didn’t seem to matter to Washington Democrats. “In fact, Senate Democrats voted more than half a dozen times last year to repeal – repeal – the Rural Health Transformation Program. “That’s right. “Around this time last year – during Democrats’ record-long government shutdown – Senate Democrats were working to end this program. “I’m curious if the Democrat leader would like to claw back … the $212 million that rural health care providers in New York will receive from the program this year? “Should already-strapped rural hospitals not spend this money because Democrats are going to take it back next time they have the power to do so? “Mr. President, let’s hope it never comes to that. “The Rural Health Transformation Program is helping Americans in rural areas across this country. “It’s helping South Dakota. “Ohio. “Idaho. “Kansas. “Rhode Island. “Alaska. “And everywhere in between. “And I’m proud that Republicans are delivering for rural Americans.”
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “I said a couple of weeks ago that we had a big, but limited, opportunity to get some really consequential things done. “And unfortunately, it’s been very shameful that the Democrats have decided to play politics rather than to work with us to do what I believe is really consequential legislation. “And the two most recent examples of that are blocking getting on the Clarity Act – which was incredibly necessary for our financial services markets for digital assets, and they blocked it, even getting on it on the floor of the Senate. “And then now we’ve got them also not taking yes [for an answer] on permitting reform. “We have been litigating that for a long time, a tremendous amount of work gone into it by Chair Capito and Chair Lee and their Democrat counterparts on the committees of jurisdiction. “And we had a bill which I thought was an incredibly strong bill. “The Democrats are not prepared to let us vote on that just yet. “So right now, I think this is, a lot of it’s about election year politics, but it’s not the first time this has happened. “If you think about the other things that they blocked just recently, the National Defense Authorization Act, the farm bill, FISA reauthorization – these are all bills that are critically important either to our national security or our economic security in this country. “And in every circumstance, the Democrats have blocked us from consideration, even getting on those bills. “So that’s where things are right now. “It’s a political season, we all understand that. “But you would think that, on issues where you have broad bipartisan consensus and things that are really important to the future of this country, you would get some Democrats to work with you and cooperate. “Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. “But there’s still an opportunity. “So this week, we’re going to allow the Democrats to have an opportunity to vote on legislation that has come over from the House. “The first of which is a photo ID law coupled with a ban on insider trading, something that’s broadly supported by the American people, both issues, and also something that had big support coming out of the House of Representatives. “And then secondly, on the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would prevent rate hikes on electricity costs for consumers around this country. “Both pieces of legislation strike at the very heart of issues that the American people care deeply about, passionately about – and we’ll see if the Democrats are willing to take yes for an answer. “Because in the House of Representatives, the Ratepayer Protection Act passed 417-3 – 417-3. “Huge bipartisan support coming out of the House, and it ought to be something that should be a no-brainer here on the floor of the Senate. “We’re going to give the Democrats a chance tomorrow to vote on that, and let’s hope they do the right thing, but we’re going to see what they want to do.”
The Rural Health Transformation Program, created in Republicans’ Working Families @TaxCuts legislation, will invest $50 billion across all 50 states to put rural health care providers on a more sustainable footing and help them leverage technology and innovation to address challenges unique to rural areas.
This week we’ll be voting on @SenJonHusted’s bill to protect ratepayers from higher energy costs. This bill earned 417 votes in the House, and there isn’t a single reason we shouldn’t pass this bill here in the Senate. We’re going to see how far Democrats and the party of ‘no’ want to take this.
I am forever grateful to these heroes for their service and sacrifice to our country. It’s an honor to be able to welcome veterans from South Dakota to our nation’s capital. https://t.co/b7hZ5BRgwT
Great to meet with @SenatorRounds’ Angels in Adoption nominee, Coleen Globke Brasch, from Marion. Thank you for all of your work with All About U Adoptions to help place over 300 kids with permanent families. https://t.co/xXcDvqeYdT
Republicans delivered permanent tax reform through the Working Families @TaxCuts, giving an entire generation of American small-business owners, entrepreneurs, and innovators a better environment to pursue their American Dream. https://t.co/rxWdaMGotG
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Madam President, so far this year, 4.3 million Americans have filed to start their own business. “That’s a 13 percent increase over the same time last year. “And as these entrepreneurs get underway, their businesses will be able to take advantage of the pro-growth tax reform that Republicans enacted last year in the Working Families Tax Cuts. “And because we delivered permanent tax reform, an entire generation of American small business owners, entrepreneurs, and innovators will have a better environment in which to pursue their American Dream. “Madam President, small businesses are already benefiting from this landmark law. “This year, 12 million small business owners saw a lower tax bill – a $7,000 average tax cut. “That’s the result of lower tax rates across the board. “The permanent 199A small business deduction. “Immediate expensing for new equipment and for factory construction. “And the permanent research and development tax credit. “Madam President, these tax policies are helping small businesses across an array of industries as well as family farms and ranches across America. “That’s certainly true in my home state of South Dakota. “An agricultural co-op in my state says the 199A small business deduction – which Republicans first implemented with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act back in 2017 – has allowed them to pass $140 million in tax savings back to South Dakota farmers over the last decade. “A car dealership in Sioux Falls was able to put an addition on and hire 10 new employees thanks to the bonus depreciation provision. “Just to the west, a rancher in Montana said that thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts’ expensing provisions, his ranch, and I quote, ‘will be able to upgrade equipment, increasing [its] efficiency without being hit by a huge tax burden.’ “U.S. Metal Powders – a manufacturer in Palmerton, Pennsylvania – has broken ground on a new production line that will allow the business to double the size of its workforce. “A convenience store operator in Denver has said the Working Families Tax Cuts will help him double the size of one of his stores and reopen two others – allowing him to grow job opportunities at his company by 50 percent. “And they’re not the only ones. “Businesses across the country have been able to make investments in new equipment, raise their employees’ pay, and create jobs because of the tax policy in Republicans’ landmark bill. “Madam President, one thing that business owners invariably bring up when they talk about the Working Families Tax Cuts is what it does for their employees. “They talk about how they’ve been able to increase pay – not to mention the fact that more of that pay stays in their employees’ pockets. “The Working Families Tax Cuts was responsible for no tax on tips and overtime, which allows hardworking people to keep more of their hard-earned money. “And then there are the benefits … employers … have been able to offer because of this legislation. “A business owner in Chicago has made long-term investments in paid maternity leave and a 401(k) matching program. “Another company in Missouri is giving its employees a profit-sharing bonus. “A number of employers are pledging to invest in the Trump Accounts that their employees have been able to set up for their children. “And provisions in this legislation support employer efforts to offer child care and help repay their employees’ student loans. “Madam President, I said that the Working Families Tax Cuts provides tax relief that will help small businesses and family farms and ranches for years to come. “And on that point, perhaps no policy is as significant as the death tax relief we provided in this bill. “Madam President, for a lot of family businesses, especially ag families, the death tax has cast a dark shadow over their dream. “It’s a cause for anxiety especially among farmers and ranchers – businesses that might look well-off on paper, but are actually cash poor. “Their wealth is tied up in land, tractors and combines, and livestock. “But because that doesn’t matter when it comes to the death tax, many families have had to sell off all or part of their operation just to pay the tax bill when a family member dies. “Madam President, eliminating this fundamentally unfair tax has long been a priority of mine. “And I’m proud that the Working Families Tax Cuts permanently raised the exemption threshold on the death tax, which means that a lot more families will be protected from losing their livelihood when they lose a loved one. “This was an important priority for Republicans last year, and it’s encouraging to see farmers and ranchers breathing a sigh of relief with the burden of this tax off of their shoulders. “One farmer in Iowa said, and I quote, ‘One of my goals when I started farming was to be able to pass this farm onto the next generation, and I’m doing that. I feel very good about that.’ “A rancher in Montana said this, and again I quote, ‘Without the estate tax reforms … ranches like ours would have likely had to decide whether to sell off cattle or land just to cover the tax bill when it was time to pass it [down]. Now we have a fair shot at keeping the whole ranch together for the next generation.’ “Thanks to this bill, Madam President, family farms and ranches and family businesses have a fair shot at staying in the family for generations to come. “Madam President, these are just some of the results of the Working Families Tax Cuts. “And I can’t overstate how significant this bill is. “The owners of a small business in Arizona wrote in their local paper last year that if Congress had not passed the Working Families Tax Cuts, they ‘would,’ and I quote, ‘have had to raise prices and cut costs, and over time, the pressure would have only increased.’ “Madam President, they’re not alone. “This Republican majority has worked hard to put more money in American families’ pockets, in many cases by getting government out of the way. “We’ve delivered permanent – permanent – tax relief. “We’ve rescinded a number of Biden-era regulations that would have reduced choice and raised prices for Americans. “We passed a housing bill that eliminated a lot of red tape that has driven up the cost of homeownership, and implemented new measures to drive down prices at the pharmacy counter. “Madam President, Republicans are working to put more money in hardworking Americans’ pockets and to help … America’s small businesses grow. “We’re setting the conditions for a brighter future and keeping the American Dream alive and strong for future generations.”
I’m proud that the Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act, which will restore stability in college athletics and ensure South Dakota’s colleges and universities can continue to provide pivotal student-athlete experiences on our campuses. By addressing some of the largest issues in college sports today, this bill will ensure the same opportunities that were available for student-athletes like my dad and my daughter will be available for the next generation. Thanks to @SenTedCruz for your leadership on this bipartisan legislation, and I’m glad we are one step closer to getting it to the president’s desk.
Democrats may talk a good game about working families, but the truth is that hardworking Americans take a distant back seat to Democrats’ political priorities. From protecting women and girls in sports to tax relief, Democrats have spent the past 21 months throwing up every roadblock they can.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, if there’s one thing that quickly became clear at the start of the 119th Congress, it was that anything we were going to accomplish for hardworking Americans we were going to have to accomplish alone. “There’s always some partisanship in Congress, Mr. President – and healthy disagreement – but it became clear very quickly that Democrats were going to be taking partisanship to a new and rarefied level in the 119th Congress. “That started with presidential nominations. “It’s long been standard practice in the Senate to expedite uncontroversial nominations to allow a president to get his team in place. “But from the very beginning of the 119th Congress, Democrats made clear that this history of bipartisan cooperation was over. “Democrats chose to slow down every single nomination – no matter how uncontroversial – for the majority of the 119th Congress. “But slow-walking nominations, Mr. President, was just the beginning. “At the top of our priority list for this Congress was preventing the massive tax hike that was set to hit hardworking Americans. “And for a party that claims to be the party of working men and women, you would think that Democrats would have been eager to work with us. “They weren’t. “And not only were they not interested in working with us, but every single Democrat – in both houses of Congress – voted against tax relief for the American people. “They voted against preventing a massive tax hike. “And they voted against all the new tax relief Republicans implemented – from no tax on overtime, to a new bonus deduction for seniors. “And just in case you thought Democrat opposition was a matter of high-minded principle … Since Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts, a number of Democrats have tried to associate themselves with some of the tax relief in the bill, despite universally opposing the legislation in Congress. “And the partisanship continues. “Last week, Mr. President, the Senate attempted to take up legislation on the issue of great importance to working families – namely, energy prices. “The legislation we tried to take up – the Ratepayer Protection Act – would have protected hardworking Americans from the increased energy costs associated with data centers. “The bill was so obviously commonsense that it passed the House overwhelmingly – with almost every Democrat as well as Republican supporting it. “But in the Senate, Mr. President? “Senate Democrats objected to passing the bill, and so it failed. “Presumably Democrats wanted to deny Republicans the legislative success in the leadup to the elections – even though hardworking Americans are the ones that are going to pay the price. “The same thing happened yesterday. “Republicans and the White House have been negotiating for the better part of a year with Democrats over permitting reform legislation – a long-overdue priority that would help lower energy bills for American families by streamlining federal regulations for energy projects. “And we closed a deal with them that we could bring to the floor that incorporated essentially all of the Democrats’ demands. “But when it began to look like we could consider the bill this work period, Democrats changed their tune. “Because while they may acknowledge the need for permitting reform, what they really care about is denying Republicans another legislative win. “Mr. President, this is an example of, again, just blatant partisanship. “Republicans and Democrats have been working for months – on a bipartisan basis, with two committees of jurisdiction: the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the two committees that have jurisdiction over all of the elements related to permitting reform. “And I’ve had Democrats come up to me on the floor countless times and say, ‘We really want to get this done. We’re working together. If the White House would work with us on this or that …’ “And so, we communicated with the White House; the White House has been engaged in these conversations and discussions for the past several weeks. “And essentially gave the Democrats the things they were asking for. “Democrats can’t take yes for an answer! “It’s like they caught the car, Mr. President, and they don’t know what to do. “They said, ‘we want to work on this,’ because permitting reform affects not just energy projects, but projects in every sector of the economy. “Energy projects, of course, obviously – both conventional energy and renewable energy projects – are being affected by the delays and the bureaucracy and the red tape and the excessive litigation that comes with trying to do anything in this country of major consequence. “And so both sides had agreed that this was a worthwhile objective – ‘Let’s work together, let’s see if we can sit down and hammer out a compromise that incorporates the concerns, the issues that both sides bring to the table.’ “And that’s been going on for months! “I’ve been watching it. Getting regular readouts. Talking to members on both sides, Democrats and Republicans, on both committees of jurisdiction – and others who are interested in this issue. “And we get to a point, Mr. President, where Democrats flat can’t take yes for an answer. “So, why is that? “Well, if you agree on the substance, if you come to an agreement on the policy – which they had … “I mean, everybody in these negotiations and these discussions had basically said, ‘Okay, this is the deal, here’s the counteroffer.’ Counteroffer back, counteroffer back. “The last counteroffer from the Democrats was agreed to by the White House, by our Senate Republicans – [Democrats] couldn’t take yes for an answer. “So the only conclusion one can draw, Mr. President, is that the Democrats have concluded that it’s good politics for them not to allow the Republicans to ‘get a victory’ or the president to ‘get a victory’ in the middle of a political season. “That’s really the only conclusion you can draw. “After literally months and months and months of bipartisan negotiations in which the very last offer put on the table was one made by Democrats and accepted by the White House and Senate Republicans. “That’s where we are. That’s what it is. Let’s call it what it is: blatant politics. “So Mr. President, my Democrat colleagues may talk a good game about working families, but the truth is that hardworking Americans take a distant back seat to Democrats’ political priorities. “Mr. President, perhaps the most spectacular example of the Party of No came last fall, when Democrats shut down the government for 43 days – the longest full government shutdown in history – over a clean, temporary, and nonpartisan spending bill. “That’s right. “It was clear that Congress would need more time to get the fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills finished. “So Republicans proposed a clean, short-term funding measure free from poison pills or partisan policies – let’s just fund the government so we can continue the conversation about how we’re going to fund it for the full year. “And Democrats? “Well, they just said no. “Not gonna do it. “It didn’t matter to them that the bill was nonpartisan. “It didn’t matter to them that it would only be in effect, actually, for a few weeks. “And it certainly didn’t matter to them that they were putting thousands of Americans out of work. “They blocked it – a clean, nonpartisan spending bill – and they shut down the government. “For six weeks. “Of course, the fall 2025 government shutdown wasn’t the only time this Congress that Democrats just said no to government funding. “In the spring, Senate Democrats initiated the longest partial government shutdown in history due to their unwillingness to fund immigration law enforcement or border security. “That’s right, Mr. President. “The Democrats kept the Department of Homeland Security – the Department of Homeland Security – shut down for an unprecedented 76 days. “And while they eventually agreed to reopen most of the department, they still refused to fund immigration enforcement or Border Patrol. “Clearly Democrat Socialism – and its philosophy of zero immigration enforcement and open borders – has gained a lot more than a foothold in the Democrat Party. “Mr. President, whether the subject is protecting opportunities for women and girls in sports or tax relief for hardworking Americans, Democrats have spent the past 21 months throwing up every roadblock that they can. “And I’m proud that despite the incredible amount of Democrat opposition, we’ve still managed to accomplish a lot for the American people – from regulatory relief and border security to the Working Families Tax Cuts. “There’s more work to be done, and I hope we’ll get the chance to continue our work not only in this Congress, but also in the next. “Given the Democrats’ obsession with opposing President Trump and their demonstrated opposition to bipartisan cooperation, I think it’s safe to say that hardworking Americans would undoubtedly take a back seat in a Democrat-led Congress. “And the American people, Mr. President? “They deserve better than the Party of No.”
There’s no doubt that the Democrat Party has moved sharply left in recent years. But this election cycle has seen the Democrat Party take a big step further – toward full-blown socialism. https://t.co/uo88ueLOLe
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “As you all know, Republicans in this Congress have focused on several things. “One is safer streets, secondly is more money in the American people’s pockets, and finally, it’s new opportunities for people to get ahead. “And on all those fronts, we have delivered. “The border is more secure today than it has ever been. “Crime is at historically low levels. “And thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts legislation, people have more money in their pockets – not only now, but permanently, because that tax relief has been made permanent. “And then you couple that with things like the newborn Trump Accounts, the new and created Opportunity Zones that are happening out there as a result of that legislation, and things like the expanded child tax credit, expanded … child care credits … “Those are all things that were included in that legislation that, as time rolls forward, people are going to have an opportunity to benefit from, and it is going to result in more money in their pockets. “I will say, the one thing that we would like to be able to get done before we leave is permitting reform. “That’s something that has economic consequences. “It’s very hard in this country to get energy projects permitted and ready to roll, and so we would like to see action on that. “That’s something that we’re going to find out here, I think, pretty soon whether the Democrats are willing to take yes for an answer on that. “But it has consequences for all the things that we’re talking about today – probably most importantly, energy prices. “So if you can build more, create more energy in this country, build more refineries, it makes that much energy more available and more affordable for the American people. “So we’ll know soon enough on that, but I think as you all know, that would be a very consequential development if we could get the Democrats to be willing to take yes for an answer, and I think we’re going to know that here soon enough. “So those are the things that we’re going to be working on yet this week, and we’ll keep you posted as we know more on permitting reform, and Senator Capito will, I assume, have something to report on that pretty soon.”