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Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, a week ago today, the American people stood to be counted. They lined up to make their voices heard, and the message they sent was resoundingly clear.

Four years ago, they watched Washington Democrats take an economy that was primed for recovery and douse it in reckless taxing and inflationary spending. Over 4 years, they watched consumer prices rise more than 20 percent. As they made tough choices at the grocery store and felt the pain at the gas pump, they watched Washington Democrats deflect blame for the worst inflation in four decades. And last Tuesday, they said enough was enough.

And 4 years ago, they watched Washington Democrats campaign on slashing ICE and halting construction of physical barriers along the southern border. Month by month, they watched as this unseriousness and willful neglect turned into the worst humanitarian and security crisis at the border on record. And last Tuesday, they said enough was enough.

Also 4 years ago, they watched Washington Democrats campaign on defunding the police and going soft on crime. In cities across America, their fears of unchecked violent crime were proven justified. And last Tuesday, they said enough was enough.

Last week, American voters were desperate for leaders who could deliver safe streets, secure borders, stable prices, and strength abroad. So they chose to hire Republicans. They maintained a Republican majority in the House; they created a decisive Republican majority in the Senate; and by a wide margin, they put the White House in Republican hands once again.

The Nation surveyed its problems and decided that Republicans were equipped to put the ship of state back on the right track. Thus far, I have been encouraged by the lack of baseless speculation that Tuesday's decisive result was influenced in any way by foreign interference. Washington Democrats appear to recognize that they are on the losing side of a legitimate, crystal-clear mandate.

Here in the Senate, I hope they will work with the new Senate Republican majority as we begin to clean up the messes left over from the past 4 years. The first opportunities to work together are already upon us. The Senate has a great deal of outstanding business that we have to tackle in the coming weeks. We certainly need to pass the long overdue National Defense Authorization Act. Every year, the NDAA gives Congress an indispensable opportunity to set national security priorities. This year, it is a chance to show we appreciate the gravity of an especially dangerous moment. After months of needless dithering, I would urge the Democratic leader to get this must-pass legislation moving without further delay.

We also need to work swiftly to deliver urgent supplemental assistance to the States and communities hit hard by natural disasters in recent months. Kentucky knows the power and pain of severe storms and flooding. This year, communities across the southeast recovering from major hurricane and flood damage deserve the Senate's attention and support.

And before anyone gets home for the holidays, we will need to extend Federal government funding. As I have said before, there is never a political advantage to be gained from allowing core government functions to go dark. The 119th Congress and the 47th President must not inherit a Federal Government in the middle of a funding crisis. The work ahead of us will require all parties to operate quickly and in good faith. The American people deserve nothing less.

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