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Floor Speech
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Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, this week, we honor and celebrate the 100th day of our 47th President, Donald J. Trump. I don't know about you, but it has been a blur to many of us, but I believe it has been a bold blur.
As I searched over the last week to think about the words to describe these first 100 days, I think of the word ``consequential,'' that these first 100 days have been some of the most consequential we have ever seen in America's history. And I think about a vision. I think my vision is this big ship we call America, and she is slowly changing course back into the wind, and it is a good direction. At times, we have to tack into the wind, but the direction is positive. And it is exciting for me to see an 11-point surge in optimism in this country in January of this year alone.
But to sum it up, what I have seen in these first 100 days is a return to American greatness--a return to American greatness. And I think I see a theme of ``promises made, promises kept'' by this President.
You know, first and foremost, President Trump campaigned to secure our border. That was his top priority, to secure our border. Think about what has happened since he was sworn in. Under Joe Biden, we saw on days 10,000 people crossing our border illegally. Some days, it was 11,000. But under President Trump, we are now averaging less than 300 of those border crossings a day. We went from 10,000 a day to 300 a day. That is a promise made and a promise kept.
President Trump also campaigned that he would make your families safer and more secure. To that end, he has deported 130,000 violent criminal aliens. As I travel the State and talk to law enforcement officers, to a person, they tell me that the number of violent crimes is down, that fentanyl poisoning is down. Indeed, the President's plan of securing our border has led to the health and safety of our families.
President Trump promised that he would roll back regulations. To that end, of his 135 Executive orders, many have done just that--cutting redtape and saving American families some $2,000 each. Another promise made and another promise kept.
President Trump said, ``We are going to drill, baby, drill''--one of my favorite expressions from his campaign, ``drill, baby, drill.'' Indeed, America once again is drilling. We have seen gasoline prices drop across America. It was common just a couple years ago under Joe Biden to see gasoline at over $4 a gallon. Today, all across the State of Kansas, it is averaging under $2.60 a gallon. So it has dropped from $4 to $2.60 a gallon. That is a promise made and a promise kept.
Well, what about groceries? you ask. Last month, we saw the smallest increase in the Consumer Price Index since the spring of 2020. Since COVID, since the start of COVID, this is the smallest increase in grocery prices we have seen.
Now, it would take 30 minutes, maybe an hour, for me to talk about all of the things that President Trump has accomplished in these first 100 days, but I want to just highlight a few more. He terminated the EV mandate. He has slowed the green energy transition. He has ended boys in girls sports. Under DOGE, he has cut over $100 billion, saving American taxpayers money. He got America out of the World Health Organization and out of the Paris climate agreement, establishing once again that he is an American-first President.
But one thing I am really excited about is this economic boom we are starting to see that President Trump talked about, the $7 trillion of investment into America that has been promised, and so much of that is going to lead to good-paying manufacturing jobs, jobs with benefits, and we are seeing that already across the State of Kansas.
These last 2 weeks, I was very purposeful, visiting several of our manufacturing companies, probably a dozen of them. To a company, each one was describing the increase in sales they are having, a big increase in the number of products that are wanted in the future. Why? Because they are American-made, because they are using American steel and American aluminum. I think that is what we can do with this Trump economy, is that his tariffs are bringing those manufacturing jobs back to this country, and, indeed, they are great jobs.
I want to take a second here and put up a poster, Mr. President.
You know, much has been made about the stock market the last week or two, but I think this chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the last 100 years is another sign of American greatness. You know, there have been days that aren't as good, but the trend here is what? It is upward. And you look at just the last several days, the last week here, there is a small little blip, a very small blip, but in relationship to what?
I would remind Americans that the Dow today is up 5 percent compared to a year ago. The NASDAQ is up almost 10 percent compared to a year ago. The trend is the right way. And I don't know about you, but I am betting on America. We have had 5 days in a row now of the Dow Jones increasing in value. That is the longest winning streak we have seen in almost a year. And who knows--maybe today will be the sixth day where we have seen the Dow go up as well. But, to me, this stock market is another example of American greatness, and I wouldn't bet against us.
Look, my belief is that President Trump has declared the apology tour is over with, that we are boldly putting America and Americans first. Gone is the despair of the Biden era. Today, families are safer, life is more affordable, and traditional family values are now thriving.
Young Americans now have a renewed hope that they can chase their own American dream. That dream was gone the last 4 or 5 years, but today, the American dream is alive and well. What does that American dream look like? Raising a family, owning a home, and building a brighter future.
I think a lot of this is due to President Trump's leadership because he is delivering strength, prosperity, and opportunity to Americans.
Again, 100 days--promises made, promises kept.
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