Remarks
McConnell Welcomes Senator Pete Ricketts
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE): "Moments ago, the Senate returned to our full 100-person strength as Nebraska's new junior Senator took the oath of office. "The Cornhusker State expects a lot from its leaders. For the last eight years, Nebraskans could rest easy knowing they had Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse on the job here in Washington. And during that same ti… Continue Reading
01.23.23
Senate Democrats Must Finally Put First Things First
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senate priorities: "The American people want and need this 118th Congress to work differently from the past two years that we just finished. "We just had two years of one-party Democratic control. "Two years of spending us into record inflation on party-line votes. "Two years of ignoring top priorities of the American people, like violent crime and open … Continue Reading
01.03.23
McConnell Honors Retiring Senator Ben Sasse
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE): "Normally, when a new Congress convenes on the third of January, the Senate has already said farewell to all of our departing colleagues. "But this first week of the 118th Congress is also the last week we'll get to enjoy the collegial and cerebral stylings of our friend the junior Senator from Nebraska, Ben Sasse. "I spoke earli… Continue Reading
01.03.23
McConnell Pays Tribute to Former Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield of Montana
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senate Democratic Leader Mike Mansfield (D-MT), the previously-longest-serving Party Leader in Senate history: "Last November, my Republican colleagues reelected me to another two-year term serving our Conference as Leader. "The greatest honor of my career is representing the Commonwealth of Kentucky in this chamber and fighting for my fellow Kentuckians. … Continue Reading
12.21.22
Funding Bill Makes Essential Investments in American Strength and Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding government funding: "The bipartisan government funding bill before this body is imperfect but strong. It will make huge new investments in our Armed Forces while cutting non-defense, non-veterans baseline spending in real dollars. "Let me say that again: The world's greatest military will get the funding increase that it needs, outpacing inflation. Meanwhi… Continue Reading
12.21.22
McConnell on Zelenskyy Visit: Helping Ukraine Directly Serves Core American Interests
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Ukraine: "Later today, members of Congress will have the opportunity to assemble in a Joint Meeting and hear from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. "I look forward to welcoming President Zelenskyy to the Capitol, and to hearing from the Ukrainian people's elected leader at a critical moment in their struggle for their safety and sovereignty against Russia's … Continue Reading
12.20.22
Bipartisan Bill Funds Our Troops While Cutting Non-Defense, Non-Veterans Baseline After Inflation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding government funding: "President Biden's proposal for fiscal year 2023 was a massive, real-dollar increase for liberal domestic spending and a significant real-dollar cut for the national defense. "Thanks to tireless work from Senator Shelby and a number of our colleagues, the government funding bill that we'll be taking up this week does exactly the reverse… Continue Reading
12.20.22
NDAA Contains Key Wins That Don’t Make National Headlines
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national defense: "Last week, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act, a landmark step forward for our Armed Forces. This year's bill was named for our distinguished departing colleague, Ranking Member Inhofe. "As I've discussed at length, this year's NDAA was a major step in the right direction to keep the U.S. the world's preeminent supe… Continue Reading
12.19.22
Congress Should Fix the President’s Broken Defense Budget Request
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding government funding: "When the Biden Administration put out their budget proposal, Republicans knew it was wrong for the country. "The Administration wanted to cut funding for our Armed Forces after inflation while massively increasing spending on non-defense. "Republicans have taken the President's bizarre position and flipped it on its head. "The bipart… Continue Reading
12.19.22
McConnell Honors Retiring Senator Richard Shelby
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL): "I've saved my tribute for the most senior retiring Republican member for late in the year. "But even with mere days remaining until the end of his term, our colleague's calendar has been packed - not with fancy farewell parties, but with a final chapter of high-stakes negotiations and tireless legislative work on behalf of h… Continue Reading
12.15.22
McConnell Honors Retiring Senator Pat Toomey
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA): "The Senate is often labeled the world's greatest deliberative body. A place where generations of titanic statesmen have asked the deep questions about America. "Questions like: How do we balance individual liberty with the common good? What role should we play on the world stage? And: How should tax depreciation affect a small r… Continue Reading
12.15.22
Defense Legislation is Crucial First Step Toward American Global Strength
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national defense: "All year, Senate Republicans have urged Democrats to prioritize two basic governing duties. Two tasks that are essential to keeping America safe, keeping us on track to remain the world's superpower, and doing right by our men and women in uniform. "Number one is the annual defense bill, where we authorize the investments, tools, and tra… Continue Reading
12.14.22
Democrats’ Attack on Charter Schools is an Attack on Parents’ Rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding school choice: "Against the backdrop of punishing 13.8% cumulative inflation since January 2021, an open borders crisis, spiking deaths from drug overdoses, and surging violent crime from coast to coast, President Biden has decided his A-1 priority needs to be… cracking down on charter schools. "And harming the educational opportunities available to… Continue Reading
12.14.22
McConnell on Framework for Full-Year Funding: “The Hard Work Can Finally Start”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding government funding: "Today is December the 14th. Senate Republicans have spent months - literally months - begging our Democratic colleagues to stop fiddling with partisan nonsense and focus on two core things: The NDAA and government funding. "I have been talking about the need for a strong National Defense Authorization Act all year long. I'm glad we are… Continue Reading
12.13.22
Ukraine Support Is One Example of American Leadership Paying Dividends
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Ukraine and national defense: "Senate Republicans have spent months focused on the need for a strong, bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act and robust funding for our Armed Forces. "Defending our homeland, deterring future threats, and supporting our allies and partners should not be last-minute low priorities. "They're fundamental duties if we wa… Continue Reading
12.12.22
Sanders Resolution on Yemen Would Strengthen Iran, Russia, and China
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the American global leadership: "Events from Europe to Asia to the Middle East continue to demonstrate on a daily basis why American global strength and leadership are essential for protecting our homeland, our core interests, and our allies and partners. "But unfortunately, Senator Sanders of Vermont has drafted a resolution that would pull America back f… Continue Reading
12.12.22
McConnell Outlines Commonsense Principles for Government Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national defense: "The Senate gavels in today with our annual defense bill still unpassed; with less than one week remaining of government funding; and less than two weeks left until our hard stop for the holidays on Friday the 23rd. "That's the bad news. But the good news is that both sides have a clear understanding of what it will take to finish our wor… Continue Reading
12.08.22
Senator McConnell Marks One Year Since Devastating Tornado Outbreak in Kentucky
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the one-year anniversary of the Kentucky tornadoes: "Kentucky is approaching the one-year anniversary of one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in the Commonwealth's history. "One year since 80 lives were lost and a deep scar was cut through western Kentucky. We still remember the lost and pray for their loved ones. "A few days after the storm, I visited … Continue Reading
12.08.22
McConnell Honors Retiring Senator Rob Portman
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senator Rob Portman (R-OH): "Fewer than 40 miles from Ohio's border with Kentucky, about halfway between Cincinnati and Dayton, there's a suburb called Lebanon. "The corner of Main Street and Broadway looks much like it did almost a century ago in 1926. That's when a young couple, Robert and Virginia Jones, bought and renovated an unassuming brick building… Continue Reading
12.08.22
Democrats Do Not Get Concessions in Exchange for Protecting America
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national defense: "Yesterday, I explained a simple and obvious reality that will determine whether the NDAA and government funding legislation succeed or fail. "Here's the simple fact: Protecting America and supporting our troops is not some partisan Republican priority that we will cajole and reward Democrats into accepting. "Providing for the common de… Continue Reading
