Kennedy details lasting toll of Bidenflation on Louisianians: “It hurts deeply”

“[Inflation] hurts, and it hurts deeply. . . . And the worst part of this is that President Biden has no plan to get it down. None.”

Watch Kennedy’s comments here.

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) spoke on the Senate floor to explain how persistent inflation has depleted personal savings accounts and driven many Louisianians into credit card debt. Kennedy noted that inflation has cost the average Louisiana family $22,166 since President Biden took office.

Key comments from Kennedy’s remarks include:

“I realize there is a yawning disconnect between what President Biden says and what my people in Louisiana are experiencing. There is. President Biden says that the economy is just fine. He says the economy is just wonderful. And I’ll tell you what my people say. My people say, ‘With respect, Mr. President, you need to put down the bong because, in our state, we are paying more to live worse. And we're not going to be able to retire because of you, Mr. President, until four years after we’re dead.’”

. . .

“Our median household income is about $58,000. That's mom and dad both working. Two children. $58,000. It's about $4,800 a month. President Biden's inflation is costing my people an extra $900 a month. That's not a year. $900 a month. $11,000 a year. My average family's making, once again, $58,000 a year. They've got to find, all of a sudden, an extra $11,000 a year. Since President Biden has been president, his inflation has cost the average family in Louisiana an extra $22,000.”

. . .

“The prices of consumer goods and in my state, on average, are up 20% since President Biden took office. Some are up a lot more, some are up a little less, but the average is 20%.

“Credit card debt is up 46%. The average credit card balance in Louisiana is now $5,800. When you're making $58,000 a year for a family of our, $5,800 is a lot. Delinquent credit card debt is up 11%, the highest in 12 years. We have had a record number of people who have had to take early withdrawals from their retirement accounts.”

. . .

“The average electricity bill in Louisiana is up 28% since President Biden took office. Gasoline in Louisiana: up 53%. Eggs: 69%. Bread: 28%. Coffee: 28%. Rice: 29%. Flour: 30%. Milk: 15%. Ice cream: 22%. Chicken per pound: 27%. If you're a mom and dad, and you’re both working, and you have maybe two car notes—certainly one car note—and a mortgage and two children, how can you afford this? You can’t!”

. . .

“It hurts, and it hurts deeply. President Biden’s inflation in my state is a cancer on the American dream. And it didn't have to be this way. We tried to tell him. We tried to tell him. Not only we—when I say many of my Republican colleagues—many of my Democratic friends did as well. Jason Furman, Economic Advisor to President Obama, I remember clearly, Dr. Furman—now at Harvard—said, ‘With all due respect, Mr. President, you spend this kind of money, you’re going to have inflation.’ And we did. And the worst part of this is that President Biden has no plan to get it down. None.”

Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.

Kennedy introduces bill to expand opportunities for Louisiana’s small businesses to win government contracts

“The DOE and SBA Research Act would help ensure the government is doing all that it can to expand contract opportunities to Louisiana and America’s best job providers—small businesses. The Senate should send this common-sense bill to the president’s desk quickly.” 

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Small Business Committee, today introduced the DOE and SBA Research Act to require the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to collaborate on ways to create more opportunities for small businesses to win government contracts.

The House of Representatives has passed the companion bill, which Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) and Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) co-led.

“The DOE and SBA Research Act would help ensure the government is doing all that it can to expand contract opportunities to Louisiana and America’s best job providers—small businesses. The Senate should send this common-sense bill to the president’s desk quickly,” said Kennedy.

The SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program helps ensure that small businesses get the training they need to better access government contracting opportunities.

Specifically, the DOE and SBA Research Act would require the DOE and SBA to submit a report to Congress describing the coordination efforts, potential opportunities to expand technical capabilities and collaborative research achievements made to further small business opportunity in the federal marketplace.

Full text of the bill is available here.

Kennedy, Cassidy demand Biden admin withdraw rule that would transfer $147 billion in student debt to Louisiana taxpayers

“. . . taxpayers are being forced to take on the debt of nearly 28 million borrowers.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) and colleagues in urging the Biden administration’s Department of Education (DOE) to withdraw its proposed rule that would transfer an additional $147 billion in student loan debt to American taxpayers. If implemented, the rule would bring the total debt transferred to Americans to as much as $1 trillion. 

In April, the DOE published its proposed rule, which would amend regulations in the Higher Education Act of 1965 to waive student loan debt for tens of millions of borrowers.

“The Biden administration describes this regulation as ‘targeted relief,’ yet the Department’s own estimates show the opposite. This is even broader than the Department’s first attempt: at an estimated price tag of $147 billion, taxpayers are being forced to take on the debt of nearly 28 million borrowers,” the lawmakers wrote.

“In addition to the fiscally irresponsible nature of this backdoor attempt to enact ‘free’ college, the administration continues to use borrowers as political pawns knowing full well these proposed actions are illegal. The Supreme Court [made] it abundantly clear that there is zero authority to write-off federal student loans en masse last June when the Department’s ‘Plan A’ was ruled unconstitutional,” they continued.

The lawmakers also raised concerns because the Biden administration dedicated resources to drafting a “Plan B” to cancel student loans for Americans who already attended college after “Plan A” failed in the Supreme Court, but it did not make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available to prospective college students.

“Failure to make the FAFSA available to these prospective students on time will have life-long consequences for many young Americans. We already know, as of March 29, FAFSA completion for seniors in high school is down by 40 percent. Those who do not file will likely not attend college next year and maybe never will,” they wrote.

The lawmakers concluded by urging the Biden administration to work with Congress to solve the higher education financing crisis.

Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) also signed the letter along with more than 90 members of the House of Representatives.

Full text of the letter is available here.

Kennedy asks FDIC Chair Gruenberg to apologize to employees: “Now I think you ought to resign”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, today asked Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chair Martin Gruenberg if he would like to apologize to his employees for the well-documented harassment and bullying that they endured under his leadership.

Kennedy also called on Gruenberg to resign so that a more qualified leader could step in to improve the culture at the FDIC.

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself. . . . I'm embarrassed to have to even read some of these allegations,” Kennedy said.

“These folks on the first row behind you—are they FDIC employees? Would you like to turn around and apologize to the female employees sitting behind you at the FDIC?” Kennedy asked.

Gruenberg then turned and issued a short apology to FDIC employees, after which Kennedy added, “And now I think you ought to resign.”

Background

• The FDIC recently published a report detailing the toxic culture that has unfolded at the agency under Chairman Gruenberg’s watch.

• More than 500 of the FDIC’s 6,000 employees reported instances of sexual harassment, racial or gender discrimination, verbal abuse or other inappropriate behavior.

• Several employees accused Gruenberg of threatening and verbally abusive conduct. Employees reported that Gruenberg has an explosive temper and often berated employees, including one instance where he threw the staff’s papers against the wall. One employee said, “In my entire career of 35 years, I’ve never had anybody treat me like that.”

• Gruenberg has been on the FDIC’s Board of Directors since August 2005. During that time, at least 92 employees reported instances of harassment or discrimination to the agency. Investigators found that the FDIC did not fire, demote or cut the pay of a single alleged harasser while Gruenberg was on the FDIC’s board.

• In 2021, President Joe Biden vowed to fire any appointee who disrespected his or her staff “on the spot.” The president also said he expects each appointee to similarly fire employees who disrespect their colleagues. Biden has not yet asked for Gruenberg’s resignation.

• Kennedy first called for Gruenberg’s resignation last year when revelations of his inappropriate conduct at the FDIC broke. He penned this op-ed in The Hill urging Gruenberg to resign so a new leader could address the culture problems within the agency.

Watch Kennedy’s full exchange with Gruenberg here.

Senate Homeland Security Committee unanimously passes Kennedy, Carper bill to end payments to deceased Americans

“There’s no reason for hard working Americans to be on the hook for government’s mistaken payments to dead people. The full Senate should pass our bill immediately.”

WASHINGTON – The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) today unanimously passed Sens. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) and Tom Carper’s (D-Del.) Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act. The bipartisan bill would curb erroneous payments to deceased individuals and save taxpayers millions of dollars.

In 2020, the senators’ Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act became law and established provisions to fix inefficiencies among government agencies’ communications that led the government to make erroneous payments to deceased individuals. The current proposal would make those solutions permanent. 

“The committee was right to advance our bipartisan bill to save taxpayers millions of dollars. There’s no reason for hard working Americans to be on the hook for government’s mistaken payments to dead people. The full Senate should pass our bill immediately,” said Kennedy.

“It’s important that we, as lawmakers, act as good stewards of American taxpayer dollars. Today, I was proud to join my colleagues on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to unanimously advance the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act. Through my time in the Senate, I have worked hard to end improper payments and curb waste in government. I’m grateful for my partnership with Senator Kennedy as we continue this critical work, and I look forward to the whole Senate considering this bipartisan, commonsense legislation,” said Carper.

The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act would amend the Social Security Act to allow the Social Security Administration to share the Death Master File—a record of deceased individuals—with the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay system on a permanent basis. This change would reign in the government’s pattern of making improper payments to deceased people into the future.

The bill would also allow Treasury’s Do Not Pay working system to compare death information from the Social Security Administration with personal information from other entities and to share this information with any paying or administering agency authorized to use the Do Not Pay system.

Background:

• Kennedy and Carper's Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act became law in December 2020. The bill mandates the sharing of the Social Security Administration's Death Master File with the Department of the Treasury’s Do Not Pay working system for three years after enactment. The three-year exchange runs from December 27, 2023 to December 27, 2026.

• In FY2023 alone, the Government Accountability Office estimated that federal agencies made an estimated $236 billion in improper payments in FY 2023, including payments to deceased Americans. The GAO estimated the cumulative federal improper payments have totaled about $2.7 trillion since FY 2003. 

• In 2021, Kennedy wrote this op-ed sounding the alarm on alarm on billions in erroneous payments made by the government to deceased Americans.

• In 2019, Kennedy questioned U.S. Government Accountability Office Comptroller General Hon. Gene L. Dodaro about improper payments to deceased people.

Full text of the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act is available here.

Kennedy, Lee introduce bill to ensure states require proof of citizenship when registering voters, remove non-citizens from voter rolls

“U.S. citizenship is sacred, and foreign nationals shouldn’t be able to vote in America’s elections. The SAVE Act would ensure that people who aren’t even citizens don’t cancel out Louisianians’ and Americans’ voices at the ballot box.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and colleagues in introducing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.

Current law makes it illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections, but it does not require states to obtain documentary proof of U.S. citizenship before an individual registers to vote. The SAVE Act would amend the National Voter Registration Act to clarify that states must require proof of citizenship when registering individuals to vote in federal elections.

“U.S. citizenship is sacred, and foreign nationals shouldn’t be able to vote in America’s elections. The SAVE Act would ensure that people who aren’t even citizens don’t cancel out Louisianians’ and Americans’ voices at the ballot box,” said Kennedy.

Since the last presidential election, illegal immigrants residing in the U.S. have increased, making it even more necessary to make sure that everyone voting in American elections is a U.S. citizen.

“Illegal immigrants and non-citizens across the nation are being improperly registered to vote, allowing them to cast illegitimate ballots in federal elections. At a time when trust in voting is more important than ever, we must stop foreign election interference and pass the SAVE Act,” said Lee.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives.

The SAVE Act would also:

• Require states to establish a process to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls.

• Increase federal penalties for individuals who register non-citizens to vote in federal elections.

• Establish acceptable ways for individuals to prove their citizenship and require states to establish their own processes of demonstrating citizenship when a person does not have legal documentation.

Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) also cosponsored the legislation.

Full text of the SAVE Act is available here.

I can't even recognize Joe Biden anymore: Sen. Kennedy

Kennedy confirms future of LNG center with Buttigieg: “It’s going to be placed in Lake Charles”

“Some days it seems like it takes longer than medical school to get something done around here.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today confirmed with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg that the National Center of Excellence for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Safety will be located in Lake Charles, La. The exchange occurred during a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.

“We have directed the GSA [General Services Administration] to provide options in Lake Charles for that LNG Center of Excellence. Of course, we need to make sure we follow the procurement process, and we need to make sure that there are adequate resources coming in from the Center, and we’re working with you on that,” Buttigieg said.

“But we certainly recognize the importance and the potential of this facility and the value that it could bring, making sure that we have the safest and most environmentally responsible LNG processes in the world,” the secretary concluded.

Buttigieg confirmed that the Center would be located in Louisiana in partnership with Louisiana colleges, including McNeese State University.

“Within Louisiana, it’s going to be placed in Lake Charles, is that right?” asked Kennedy. 

“That’s what we’ve directed the GSA to do: to find sites in Lake Charles that would meet the mission,” Buttigieg confirmed.

In 2020, Kennedy advocated for the creation of a new National Center of Excellence for LNG and drafted legislation to guarantee it would be built in Louisiana. He later secured funding to build and operate the Center. Kennedy also fought to ensure that Lake Charles would overcome the efforts of several competing sites along the Gulf Coast to become the Center’s home.

Kennedy then worked to secure a partnership between the Center, McNeese State and other Louisiana colleges to create opportunities for students to get hands-on experience with industrial-grade LNG equipment. Once completed, the Center will promote and facilitate training, education and research and development within the LNG sector.

Kennedy told Buttigieg that Louisianians have been waiting for years for this project to move forward.

“We’re trying to get this built. It’s frustrating, of course. It’s not, altogether, your fault. Some days it seems like it takes longer than medical school to get something done around here,” Kennedy explained.

Watch Kennedy’s full exchange with Buttigieg here.

New Morning Consult report finds Kennedy among top 10 most popular U.S. Senators

“Our latest definitive ranking of America’s most popular senators . . . three new faces—Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Chris Murphy of Connecticut and John Kennedy of Louisiana . . . in the top 10.”

WASHINGTON – A new Morning Consult survey reports that Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) is one of the 10 most popular U.S. Senators. The survey represents “the industry’s only comprehensive look at the popularity of America’s top statewide federal officials in all 50 states.”

“Our latest definitive ranking of America’s most popular senators, where Wyoming’s John Barrasso remains No. 1 for the fourth quarter in a row. He is joined by three new faces—Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Chris Murphy of Connecticut and John Kennedy of Louisiana,” says Morning Consult.

The survey looks to each senator’s own constituents to understand how well the people of each state feel they are being served by their senators.

According to the report, it ranks policymakers by prioritizing the highest approval rating and breaking ties with net approval, the share of constituents who approve minus the share of those who disapprove.

Kennedy introduces resolution to insist next NATO secretary be from a country that meets defense spending pledge

“No leader from a country that fails to meet its own defense pledge should be able to lead NATO. It’s up to the Senate to deter Iran, China and Russia by ensuring that NATO’s secretary general hails from a country that’s already fulfilling its commitment to the alliance.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced a resolution urging North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members not to confirm the next secretary general unless the nominee is the former leader of a member country that spends at least two percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense.

“NATO can’t deter or answer aggression from hostile regimes if our own member nations show a lack of resolve. No leader from a country that fails to meet its own defense pledge should be able to lead NATO. It’s up to the Senate to deter Iran, China and Russia by ensuring that NATO’s secretary general hails from a country that’s already fulfilling its commitment to the alliance,” said Kennedy.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s term will expire in October. The Netherlands’ Mark Rutte is likely to replace Stoltenberg despite the fact that, throughout Rutte’s 13 years as prime minister, his administration failed to meet its NATO commitment to invest two percent of the Netherlands’ GDP in defense.

Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) have cosponsored the resolution.

Kennedy’s resolution:

• Recognizes that, in 2006 and 2014, NATO members agreed to invest two percent of their GDP in defense.

• Recognizes that, by 2022, only 11 countries had met this minimum defense spending goal.

• Recognizes that, by 2024, NATO expects 18 member countries to have met the minimum investment.

• Declares that NATO’s next secretary general should hail from a country that meets the alliance’s defense spending pledge.

• Declares that NATO will never be fully effective as long as its secretary general represents a member country that does not even fulfill its commitment to its own defense.

Background:

• In 2006, member countries of NATO first agreed to spend two percent of their respective GDP’s on defense. At the 2014 NATO Summit in Wales, all member countries once again committed to maintain or move toward meeting the two percent defense spending minimum within 10 years. 

• As of 2023, only 11 member countries had met the two percent minimum, including the U.S., the United Kingdom, Poland and Finland.

• Many member countries issued statements pledging to meet the minimum investment following Russia’s invading Ukraine, yet many member countries may not reach the minimum contribution until 2035. 

• Kennedy recently commended NATO allies for increasing defense spending and has consistently called on other countries to meet their commitments. 

• Kennedy recently led a bipartisan resolution urging NATO allies to spend a minimum of two percent of their GDP on defense spending.

Full text of the senator’s resolution is available here.

Kennedy Stumps Witness When He Asks Her to Back Up Her Own Claims

Senator John Kennedy has made a fool out of yet another witness, this time, Zorka Millin, policy director at the FACT Coalition.

Read more: Kennedy Stumps Witness When He Asks Her to Back Up Her Own Claims

Kennedy warns Senate Democrats against burying Mayorkas impeachment: “They’ll regret it”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today urged his colleagues not to break centuries of Senate precedent by burying the articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas without a trial.  

Kennedy encouraged his colleagues to adopt his resolution, S. Res. 623, which would establish fair and efficient trial procedures for this impeachment according to longstanding Senate precedent.

Key excerpts from Kennedy’s speech are below:

“I fear, though, that Senate Democrats are going to try to take the articles of impeachment that our colleagues in the United States House of Representatives thoughtfully crafted and passed with a majority vote and toss them into the trash without hearing from either side.

“They don’t want to let the House impeachment managers make their case. They don’t want to let Secretary Mayorkas make his case. They just want to ignore the House’s evidence summarily, sweep it under the rug and move on. And that is wrong.

“The Senate has never in its history tabled an impeachment. Never. In the more than 200 years that this body has existed, the House of Representatives has impeached an official 21 times, and we have never once tabled the impeachment. Not once.

“Now, Senator Schumer may also try to dismiss these charges instead of tabling them, but that’s never been done before either. If the Senate dismisses these charges without a trial, it will be the first time in the Senate’s long history that it has dismissed impeachment charges against an official it has jurisdiction over without that official first resigning—and that’s a fact.”

. . .

“Americans need to hear what I’m about to say, even if my Democrat colleagues won’t listen. Let me say it again: A majority of the duly elected members of the United States House of Representatives—who represent all the different communities across America—spent months investigating the allegations against Secretary Mayorkas. They spent months crafting the articles of impeachment, and a majority of the House then voted ‘yes’ to bring two very serious charges. The Senate Democrats are now treating those charges—those articles of impeachment—like spam that landed in their inbox.

“Americans, however, are not nearly so sanguine about the border crisis that has brought death, drugs, violence, chaos, criminals and mayhem into their neighborhoods. The Biden administration’s border crisis is as unprecedented as the majority leader’s move to bury the evidence of who could be to blame here.

“I, for one, want to hear the House’s evidence, and so do the American people.”

. . .

“I’m going to have a resolution—if I’m allowed to present it, Madam President—that will give us the procedures we need to conduct this trial fairly and efficiently . . . It’ll be efficient. It’ll be fair. It’ll be honest. It won’t uproot the longstanding precedent we have to give articles of impeachment in the past.

“If the majority leader and my Democratic colleagues table or dismiss these charges and destroy Senate precedent, a precedent we’ve established to conduct full and fair impeachment trials, they will regret it. They will regret it. Senate Democrats, if they do that, will show the world that their proclamations about protecting democracy and upholding the rule of law are just tools of their own political expedience and arrogance.

“Senate Democrats will let people, the American people, know that they endorse the lawlessness and misery the Biden administration’s broken border has brought to this country.”

Read Kennedy’s impeachment resolution here.

Kennedy, Republican colleagues call out Democrats’ political meddling in oil and gas mergers

“We respectfully request that the FTC conduct a fair and unbiased review of these mergers that is rooted in the facts, economic realities, and precedent. The oil and gas industry (like any other industry) should not be subject to unfair investigations or heightened antitrust scrutiny in order to further a political agenda that seeks the end of fossil fuel production.”

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and 34 other Republican colleagues in calling on Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan to conduct a fair and unbiased review of recently announced oil and gas mergers.

On Nov. 1, 2023, Senate Democrats requested that the FTC investigate major energy acquisitions while citing misleading and false allegations, including that companies are discrediting “climate science” through oil and gas production. In their letter, Republicans explain that conducting an investigation based on Democrats’ unfounded claims would be an FTC overreach, but demand that any such investigation must be unbiased.

“We write to urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to follow the law and the facts in its review of the recently announced oil and gas industry mergers. As is the case with any merger review, including those in the industrial sector, mergers must be assessed under a fair and unbiased standard grounded in sound economics and law that protects American consumers, and does not impose policy preferences to further political ends,” the senators wrote.

“Unfortunately, some of our Democratic colleagues do not want you to apply relevant facts or antitrust precedent fairly to these mergers, as demonstrated through their letter. Their letter makes specious and speculative claims about what these mergers would allegedly portend for ‘climate science’ and ‘climate legislation,’ among other things. . . . Incredibly, the letter also asked the FTC to simply ignore the parties’ plan to produce an additional one billion barrels of oil over the life of the assets beyond what could be achieved if the parties acted separately. In other words, the letter deliberately ignored evidence of what would be a clear benefit to consumers, workers, and our nation’s energy security: greater production,” they continued.

“We respectfully request that the FTC conduct a fair and unbiased review of these mergers that is rooted in the facts, economic realities, and precedent. The oil and gas industry (like any other industry) should not be subject to unfair investigations or heightened antitrust scrutiny in order to further a political agenda that seeks the end of fossil fuel production,” the senators concluded.

Full text of the letter is available here.  

Kennedy: Laken Riley Act would help stem chaos at border

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and colleagues in hosting a press conference on the Laken Riley Act, which Kennedy helped introduce in the Senate.  

The Laken Riley Act would require the Biden administration’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain illegal immigrants who commit theft, burglary, larceny or shoplifting offenses until they are removed from the country.  

Illegal aliens have victimized people in Louisiana. Last month, law enforcement in Louisiana arrested an illegal immigrant for allegedly stabbing a man while robbing him and for raping a 14-year-old girl. Kennedy called on President Biden to “stop putting out a welcome mat for criminal aliens who sneak into America and victimize innocent people.”

Kennedy’s key remarks are below.

“In opening up the southern border—and that’s clearly what President Biden and the Democrat Party [have] done—he and they have clearly summoned spirits that they can’t control.”

. . .

“Many, many members of the Democratic Party believe that vetting people at the southern border is racist. Most Americans don't agree with that. They think it's prudent.”

. . .

“The [Laken] Riley Act is yet one more attempt by the Republican Party to try to stem the chaos at the border, and—make no mistake—the border is chaotic by design. 

“The Democratic Party, led by President Biden, now clearly believes in no distinction between legal and illegal immigration. If—according to the Biden administration—if you are a Nigerian doctor or a German engineer and you want to come to the United States legally and you filled out all the forms and you've undergone the vetting and you're waiting patiently in line, you're a chump. You're a chump because this administration believes there should be no distinction between legal and illegal immigration.

“There’s another provision in the [Laken] Riley Act that you should pay very close attention to because it would be far reaching, and that is this [bill] would create a cause of action for a state—probably through its attorney general—that can prove damage to sue federal officials who do not enforce America's immigration laws.”

Background:

• In February, Kennedy demanded answers from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about why Riley’s suspected murderer, José Ibarra, was paroled into the U.S. 

• Earlier this month, Kennedy called for the Senate take up impeachment charges against Mayorkas. The House of Representatives charged Mayorkas for his failure to make case-by-case parole determinations for illegal immigrants.  

• In Nov. 2023, Kennedy helped introduce the Southern Border Transparency Act, which would require the DHS to disclose its catch-and-release data, including the number of migrants that the Biden administration has paroled into the country.

Watch Kennedy’s full remarks here.

WATCH: 'Not a gun expert': Biden pick self-destructs when asked to define 'assault weapon'

United States District Judge Nancy Maldonado of the Northern District of Illinois struggled to respond when asked by Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana to define the term “assault weapons” during a Wednesday confirmation hearing.

Read more: WATCH: 'Not a gun expert': Biden pick self-destructs when asked to define 'assault weapon'

WATCH:@SenJohnKennedy: “You said, ‘assault weapons may be banned because they’re extraordinarily dangerous and are not appropriate for legitimate self-defense purposes.’ Tell me what you meant by assault weapons?”

Biden’s Seventh Circuit judge nominee Nancy Maldonado: “I’m not… pic.twitter.com/1ctY2E64IO

— Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) March 20, 2024

Kennedy in Daily Advertiser: Congress must support parents who protect children from irreversible gender procedures ­

“We shouldn’t, however, allow children to go through irreversible physical changes to address what, statistically, is likely a temporary season of confusion or anxiety.” 

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) penned this op-ed in the Daily Advertiser detailing how activists have pressured parents to allow their children to undergo irreversible gender procedures. Kennedy commended the Louisiana legislature for outlawing the use of these extreme procedures on minors and urged Congress to do more to support parents who wish to protect their children from these harmful treatments.  

This piece also appeared in the Shreveport Times, Houma Today, The Daily Comet, The Town Talk, The News-Star, The Weekly Citizen and Daily World.

Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:

“Those who advocate for minors to be able to change genders believe powerful medications and surgery are the only way to help gender dysphoric children. Most parents in Louisiana, however, believe that irreversible medical procedures could harm these children in the future if they change their minds about changing their sex.”

. . .

“It’s tough to be a kid, and there are many reasons children might question who they are and who they want to be. School is challenging, bullies are mean, and puberty is awkward for most boys and girls.

“We shouldn’t, however, allow children to go through irreversible physical changes to address what, statistically, is likely a temporary season of confusion or anxiety. The Louisiana state legislature was wise to pass a bipartisan bill, H.B. 648, which outlawed these irreversible treatments on Louisiana’s children until they are of the majority age.”

. . .

“In some states, parents can lose custody of their children for refusing to affirm the child’s stated gender preference. Other states allow minors to access puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones without parental consent. Parents shouldn’t be punished for choosing to protect their children from extremists.

“That’s why I’m cosponsoring the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, a bill that would help parents fight back if they are attacked for opposing the transgender agenda. Supporting parents who want to protect their children and help them make the right decision if they are gender confused is the safest, strongest way to lift up our kids and foster healthy families.

“There are too many stories of minors who end up regretting taking puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones or undergoing sex-change surgery, and I fear that many more stories are going to come to light. I’m going to do all I can to allow kids to be kids until they are old enough to decide for themselves.”

Background:

• The population of transgender children in the United States nearly doubled between 2017 and 2020. In Louisiana, 13-to-17-year-olds are nearly three times more likely to say they identify as transgender than adults aged 25 to 64.

• Most young children outgrow their gender dysphoria. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, roughly 85% of children diagnosed with gender dysphoria at a young age did not remain dysphoric after adolescence.

• Many gender-confused children also suffer from mental health issues. Children who identify as transgender are up to 13 times more likely to have ADHD, depression or anxiety than non-transgender children. A study out of the United Kingdom found that 35% of the children who received gender treatment had moderate or severe autism.

• Still, many activists encourage parents to “affirm” their children’s gender dysphoria no matter how young their children may be. Activists also encourage parents to allow their children to receive “gender-affirming care,” including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries. These drugs and surgeries can inflict irreparable harm on children.

• Puberty blockers are hormone-based injections or implants given to children as young as 8 years old to delay the onset of puberty. Gonadotropin, the hormone used in puberty blockers, is the same hormone used to chemically castrate sex offenders. It can leave children with diminished bone density and harm their future fertility.

• Cross-sex hormones begin to transition children to appear more like the other gender. Boys take estrogen, which can cause infertility, blood clots and heart problems. Girls take testosterone, which can also cause infertility, male-pattern baldness and high blood pressure. Adults have given cross-sex hormones to children as young as 13 years old.

• Sex-reassignment surgeries, including mastectomies, phalloplasty and vaginoplasty, are largely irreversible. They can result in infertility and loss of sexual function. Activists have advocated for 15-year-old girls to access double mastectomies and 17-year-old boys to receive vaginoplasties.

• Activists claim that “gender reaffirming care” improves the mental health of children with gender confusion. However, a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that there is no significant reduction in mental health issues following hormone treatments or sex-reassignment surgeries.

• American parents have struggled to protect their children from these radical procedures. Parents in some states can lose custody of their children for refusing to abide by the transgender ideology. In Oregon, children as young as 15 years old can receive Medicaid-funded hormone treatments without their parents’ consent.

• Kennedy is a co-sponsor of the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, a bill that would help parents defend themselves when radical bureaucrats attack them for refusing to comply with the transgender agenda. 

Read Kennedy’s full op-ed here. Read more about the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act here.

Kennedy, Britt introduce Laken Riley Act to require Biden admin’s ICE to detain criminal aliens before they commit more crime

“President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas may be determined to let dangerous lawbreakers come here illegally and roam our communities, but Congress isn’t. The Laken Riley Act would get criminal aliens out of our country before they further victimize innocent Americans.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) in introducing the Laken Riley Act to require the Biden administration’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal immigrants who commit theft, burglary, larceny or shoplifting offenses.

“There’s no reason that Laken Riley’s accused murderer was allowed to walk free after officials arrested him for other crimes. President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas may be determined to let dangerous lawbreakers come here illegally and roam our communities, but Congress isn’t. The Laken Riley Act would get criminal aliens out of our country before they further victimize innocent Americans,” said Kennedy.

The Laken Riley Act is named after a 22-year-old nursing student whom an illegal immigrant allegedly murdered. Prior to Riley’s murder, the suspect had been arrested for shoplifting, but ICE did not detain him. The legislation would require ICE to detain illegal immigrants who commit theft or similar offenses until they are removed from the country.

The Laken Riley Act would also ensure that states have standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who do not enforce immigration law or who violate the law.

The legislation is a companion bill to the House of Representative’s H.R. 7511, which passed last week in a bipartisan vote of 251-170.

“Make no mistake—Laken Riley’s heartbreaking murder was a direct, preventable consequence of willful open border policies by President Biden and his administration. This commonsense legislation would ensure ICE detains and deports criminal illegal aliens, so more innocent American families do not have to face this kind of unimaginable tragedy. I am grateful for Representative Collins’ strong leadership and for Senator Budd’s partnership in introducing this Senate companion bill. Senator Schumer should bring this bill to the Senate floor immediately,” said Britt.

Background:

• In February, Kennedy demanded answers from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about why Riley’s suspected murderer was paroled into the U.S.

• Earlier this month, Kennedy called for the Senate take up impeachment charges against Mayorkas. The House of Representatives charged Mayorkas for his failure to make case-by-case parole determinations for illegal immigrants. 

• In Nov. 2023, Kennedy helped introduce the Southern Border Transparency Act, which would require the DHS to disclose catch-and-release data, including the number of migrants that the Biden administration has paroled into the country.

Full text of the Laken Riley Act is available here.

Kennedy: Senate must hold Mayorkas impeachment trial

“If the Senate dismisses these charges without a trial, as if it's just a parking ticket being fixed by some politician, it will be the first time—the very first time—in the Senate's long history that it has dismissed impeachment charges against an official it has jurisdiction over, without that official first resigning.”

WASHINGTON — Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today explained on the Senate floor that it would be unprecedented for the Senate to dismiss the impeachment charges the House has leveled against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas without holding a full, fair trial.

Key excerpts from Kennedy’s speech are below:

“In its first article of impeachment, the House alleges that Secretary Mayorkas has, quote, ‘willfully and systematically refused to comply with federal immigration law.’ The House says that Secretary Mayorkas has refused to detain some illegal Immigrants, as the law requires him to do, and has instead embraced his own catch-and-release scheme in which he has released huge numbers—I think any fair-minded American would call 8.6 million people huge—huge numbers of illegal immigrants into the United States.

“The House says that Secretary Mayorkas has refused to follow unambiguous and clear federal laws that require him to detain illegal immigrants who are subject to deportation for engaging in criminal or terrorism-related behavior. The House says that Secretary Mayorkas has failed to make case-by-case parole determinations, which the law clearly requires—clearly—and, instead, he has—on his own—he has paroled millions of people illegally into the United States en masse.

“In its second article of impeachment, the House alleges that Secretary Mayorkas has breached the public’s trust in two respects: by knowingly making false statements to Congress that the border is, quote, ‘secure,’ and that the Department of Homeland Security has, quote, ‘operational control’ of the border, and by failing to comply with subpoenas issued by congressional committees seeking to exercise oversight over DHS activities.”

. . .

“Any fair-minded person can see that these are serious charges, and they demand a full trial.”

. . .

“The Senate must let the House present its case, and then we must do our job and give that case careful consideration.

“If the Senate dismisses these charges without a trial, as if it’s just a parking ticket being fixed by some politician, it will be the first time—the very first time—in the Senate's long history that it has dismissed impeachment charges against an official it has jurisdiction over without that official first resigning.”

. . .

“The United States Senate cannot and should not turn a deaf ear to the democratically elected members of the United States House of Representatives by dismissing their charges against Secretary Mayorkas without a full and fair trial.

“Precedent demands a trial. . . . Respect for the House of Representatives demands a trial. . . . Respect for the law, Mr. President, demands a trial . . . and the American people demand a trial, and they deserve it. The United States Senate should do its job.”

View Kennedy’s full speech here.

Kennedy, Landry in Shreveport Times: We must return law and order to Louisiana

“Louisianans shouldn’t have to live in fear when pumping their gas, getting groceries or walking in their own neighborhoods.” 

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Gov. Jeff Landry penned this op-ed in The Shreveport Times to explain how soft-on-crime policies have harmed Louisiana residents. Kennedy and Landry commended the state legislature for working to restore law and order in the state. This piece also appeared in The Daily Advertiser, Houma Today, The Daily Comet, The Town Talk, The News-Star, The Weekly Citizen and Daily World.

Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:

“Louisianans are some of the most hospitable, fun-loving people on earth, and they deserve to live in safe communities where their families can thrive. Yet in far too many parishes, rampant crime has left families too scared to pump their own gas or sit with their children on their front porches.

“This crime wave didn’t appear overnight. It was written into law. The Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Act, a legislative package former Gov. John Bel Edwards championed seven years ago, prioritized the comfort of violent criminals over the safety of Louisiana families. It shortened prison sentences, reduced penalties on repeat offenders and expanded parole options for suspected criminals—all while trying to paint criminals as ‘misunderstood.’

“Look where we are now: Louisiana has the second-highest homicide rate and three of the top 10 most dangerous cities in the country. Criminals steal one car every hour in some parts of our state. Unless we make the necessary changes, an estimated one out of every 14 Black men under age 35 in New Orleans will be murdered.

“As leaders, we cannot sit on our hands and allow failed policies to tear apart more Louisiana families. That is why the Louisiana Legislature’s Special Session on reducing crime was so important.”

. . .

“What you allow is what will continue. Under the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Act, criminals in Louisiana knew they can destroy property, steal cars and shoot people without facing any serious consequences. And Louisianans live in fear because they knew these criminals wouldn’t face any consequences, too.”

. . .

“Louisianans shouldn’t have to live in fear when pumping their gas, getting groceries or walking in their own neighborhoods. This special session was the first step to taking back our streets and empowering our citizens.”

Read the full op-ed here.

Democrat cuts Kennedy off while he highlights horror of abortion: “Do you support abortion up to the moment of birth?”

“It's real simple: you either support abortion for a healthy mother and baby up to the moment of birth, or you don't—and I don't think it's a difficult question.”

WASHINGTON – A Democrat today cut off Sen. John Kennedy (R-La), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, in a hearing as he defended life and highlighted the horrors of abortion.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) chaired the committee.

Key remarks from Kennedy’s exchange with Caitlin Myers and Leilah Zahedi-Spung, whom committee Democrats brought as witnesses, are below. Kennedy also questioned Leslie Ford, a witness for Republicans.

Kennedy: “My good friend Senator Whitehouse said, I want to quote, ‘Reproductive justice is economic justice.’ Close quote. Do you agree with that?”

Myers: “I might, as an economist, use the word ‘rights,’ but yeah, I do agree with that.”

Kennedy: “Okay, that’s not true for the baby, is it?”

Myers: “Well, first of all, I would refer to a ‘fetus,’ not a ‘baby.’”

Kennedy: “Well, a ‘fetus’—I refer to it as a ‘baby’—that's not true for the baby, is it?

. . .

Myers: “I'm sorry. I don't really understand . . . I'm not here to talk about ethics, assignment of personhood. That’s not my role.”

Kennedy: “Well, but you said you agreed with the chairman's statement that, ‘Reproductive justice is economic justice.’ There is no economic justice for the baby because the baby's dead, right?”

Myers: “I don't really know how to answer your question.”

Kennedy: “Well, is the baby dead or alive?”

. . .

Myers: “The fetus would be dead after an abortion.”

Kennedy: “All right. If the if the mother is healthy and the baby is healthy, do you support abortion up to the moment of birth?”

Myers: “You know, I think that’s a really hard question to answer because that just doesn’t happen. You’re asking me about something that simply doesn’t happen—”

Kennedy: “Well, actually, I will tell you, it’s legal in Vermont, New Jersey, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, Alaska and the District of Columbia, and the loon wing of the Democratic Party supports abortion up to the moment of birth. So, do you support that or are oppose it?”

. . .

Kennedy: “It’s real simple: You either support abortion for a healthy mother and baby up to the moment of birth, or you don’t—and I don’t think it’s a difficult question.”

. . .

Kennedy: “This is a baby at 21 weeks, okay? The baby can feel pain, right?”

Ford: “Yes.”

Kennedy: “And the baby’s pretty developed, right?”

Ford: “Yes.”

Kennedy: “And, do you know the name of the procedure that the doctor would use to abort that baby at 21 weeks? . . . It's called dilation and evacuation, is that right?”

Ford: “As far as I understand it.”

Kennedy: “Yeah, and, first, the doctor would dilate the cervix, and then the doctor would take what's called [a sopher] clamp. It's really a pair of pliers with sharp teeth on the end, and, without giving the baby any pain medication, the doctor would go through the vagina, through the uterus, and start tearing the baby apart, is that right?”

Ford: “As far as I understand the procedure.”

Kennedy: “And [the doctor] might start with the legs and pull them out, and the arms and pull them out, right? And then she might go for the heart or the spine and just pull the baby out piece by piece. Is that right? Without giving the baby pain medication?”

Ford: “That's what I understand the procedure to be.”

Kennedy: “Okay, but then you've got to get the head out. The baby's dead. Maybe not. Maybe it's still in pain, but then you've got to get the head out, and—even with the cervix dilated--you've got to get the head out, which is hard. So, then the doctor would go in and use those pliers to crush the baby's head. Is that right?”

Ford: “As far as I know.”

Kennedy: “And then she'd pull the head out, the crushed skull out, right?”

Whitehouse: “Senator Kennedy, your time has expired here . . .”

Kennedy: “Well, you gave the others plenty of time, Mr. Chairman.”

Whitehouse: “Just letting you know your time's expired. [We have] other senators waiting.”

Kennedy: “Well, [I] was waiting when you were letting others—I'm sorry you don't want to hear about what happens in an actual abortion, but [I thought] that was what we were here to talk about.”

Whitehouse: “No one else has gone over. Some of the witnesses went a little bit long, but on both sides.”

Kennedy: “I thought we were here about protecting mothers and killing babies.”

Whitehouse: “I'm going to turn to Senator Stabenow.”

Kennedy: “Well, I'm sorry you don’t want to hear it.”

View full remarks here.