WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the legislative accomplishments of the 117^th Congress and urged both chambers to address the border crisis, out-of-control spending, and inflation. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

“After two years with a single party, the Democratic Party, controlling all levers of government, the American people voted for a change for divided government.”

“I’m hopeful that we will embrace this new era of divided government to provide the opportunity to govern in a more responsible way.”

“Despite the partisanship that has often gripped this chamber last Congress, we managed to actually accomplish quite a bit on behalf of the American people. We funded the CHIPS for America Act, which made an investment in our national security and economic competitiveness. We gave states and local government the flexibility to use excess COVID-19 relief funds on important infrastructure and disaster relief projects, and in the wake of the devastating shooting in Uvalde, we passed bipartisan legislation to strengthen mental health resources, improve school safety, and strengthen the background check system without impacting Second Amendment rights.”

“We sent more support to local law enforcement for mental health courts and crisis intervention teams, as well as critical de-escalation training. We made major strides in combating the scourge of human trafficking and other heinous crimes and help improve our support for crime victims survivors.”

“While I’m proud of everything that we’ve been able to accomplish on a bipartisan basis last Congress, we regrettably failed to address some of the biggest problems facing our country, starting with the border.” 

“The Biden administration is simply waving the white flag when it comes to any consequences associated with illegal immigration into the United States.”

“Meanwhile, the Biden administration this last year ushered through trillions of dollars in unnecessary partisan spending, adding to the inflation rates that are crushing middle-class families who are struggling to keep up with high prices, particularly at the grocery store. My constituents are also worried about crime in their communities and the ability to keep their families safe.”

“These are problems that are being faced by people across the country, and it’s time for the new Congress to act with the seriousness and urgency that is required.”