John Cornyn
Senator for Texas · Republican · United States
“Community banks are the lifeblood of small and rural communities in Texas, providing access to capital to farmers, ranchers, and small businesses.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“First, we must ensure that digital asset third parties, such as crypto exchanges, cannot take advantage of loopholes in section 10404 to offer interest or yield-like payments on stablecoin balances.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, yesterday, I voted to proceed to debate on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, legislation to provide oversight for the digital asset industry. This is an important bill to protect investors, provide clear rules of the road, and promote innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, Mr. Fetterman and I appreciate the work being done to advance the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, H.R.5334, in the Senate. This bill will honor Senator Graham's legacy, help dismantle Putin's war machine, and strengthen the U.S. national security.”
Senate7 August 2026Source ↗
“Despite the limited need for helium in Russia, reports indicate that Russia is still increasing its helium production at multiple plants. This increase in production contributes to Russia's long-term strategy to export helium, which will help to continue financing Russian aggression in Ukraine.”
Senate7 August 2026Source ↗
“Only 4 percent of the total money appropriated was obligated to red flag-related activities--4 percent--in States with existing red flag laws, and those States now had to comply with the law so a stricter due process standard applied.”
Senate14 July 2026Source ↗
The complete record
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“The American people voted overwhelmingly for President Trump, and now it is our turn to deliver the ``America First'' agenda that our constituents voted for and take this opportunity to address our national debt and encourage more Americans to pursue gainful employment instead of solely relying on government benefits. The Senate has completed our next step by passing President Trump's budget, and it is time for the House to do the same. I yield the floor.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“Government spends about a trillion dollars on means-tested assistance programs, and work requirements are a commonsense step forward for reform. But setting aside the budgetary impact of work, there is a moral reason for these work requirements. Gainful employment has dignity. People feel better about themselves. They are more productive. They are happier. They are able to contribute not just to their own well-being but to that of their community and their family. So it is more than just a paycheck. It can help address the loneliness epidemic that we saw, particularly post-COVID, and it is proven to improve mental health outcomes across the board. So I would encourage my Republican colleagues to join me in strengthening work requirements across means-tested programs when the time comes to identify these savings within our committees.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“The bipartisan goal of this policy was to promote self-sufficiency rather than dependency, something the Federal Government ought to encourage and incentivize as much as we possibly can. And here is the good news: It actually worked. It worked. It is not just a theory. Within 5 years of passing the law, welfare's caseloads declined close to 50 percent--the first significant decline since World War II. Employment and earnings increased among low-income individuals, with employment among single mothers increasing from 50 to 100 percent 7 years after President Clinton signed it into law. During the same time period, child poverty declined by 2.9 million people. But despite the success of this bipartisan policy, the Obama administration began to roll back these requirements by issuing TANF work requirement waivers.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“In 1996, for example, President Clinton and Newt Gingrich, when he was Speaker of the House, came together to pass monumental reforms on the way our welfare system works in America, and one of the key components of that was that welfare assistance depended on work for able-bodied adults. We are not talking about children. We are not talking about the elderly. We are not talking about the disabled. We are talking about able-bodied adults. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 replaced AFDC, as it was called, with TANF, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which imposes a 5- year limit on cash assistance and required recipients to either work or participate in some type of job training.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“Wealthy people don't qualify. People of modest and lower income brackets can qualify for these means-tested programs. But they need to have work requirements for able-bodied adults because there are a lot of able-bodied adults that are simply living off of the American taxpayer, costing billions and billions of dollars for the taxpayer, running up our national debt, when they should be contributing to our economy and contributing to their families and their communities by doing meaningful work. For a long time, there was a bipartisan consensus around work requirements.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“The Federal Government spends about, I think, roughly $6.7 trillion a year, but it is crazy to acknowledge that we only typically look at about 28 percent of what the Federal Government spends--so-called discretionary spending. So we have to find a way to reduce our spending, not only on the discretionary side but on the mandatory side, so we can fund our Nation's priorities. And our top priority as the Federal Government has to be to defend and protect the American people and our way of life. But we can do this without tampering with essential programs like Social Security, as I said, and programs like Medicare that our seniors rely on. Now, one of the ways we can do this, which I hope we will embrace wholeheartedly, is to look at means-tested Federal programs. So what does it mean to have a means test? Well, it depends on your income.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“And these are the folks--these local entrepreneurs are the ones--that create jobs and help employ hard- working Americans who are pursuing their American dream. Republicans, it is good to announce or report or reassure that we are united against these defenseless claims coming from the other side. That doesn't mean they will stop. They are depending on low-information voters, people who just read the headlines or read certain propaganda to carry the day on their false allegations about this just helping the rich people. Or one of my favorite is they were arguing during the budget vote-arama, as it was called, that this was going to affect Social Security. They know and we know that the law prevents Social Security from being even included in these discussions. So how could it possibly be true? It can't be true.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“One recent survey found that 61 percent of small business owners said they would have to increase prices as a result of the tax increase on them. Can you imagine what that would do to already high prices as a result of inflation? Nearly half of these small businesses reported that they would have to postpone or cancel capital investments; in other words, they couldn't grow their business, hire more employees, or improve their equipment. Now, these are not massive corporations, as we hear from folks on that side of the aisle. They talk about businesses as if they were all Fortune 500 companies. Most businesses in America are small businesses, the owners of which pay business income on an individual tax return-- so-called passthrough entities.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“Back home in Texas, my constituents would see their taxes increase by $3,000 on average next year. Now, imagine this. If we failed to follow through on President Trump's campaign promises and on our campaign promises, if we agreed with the Democrats who were demagoguing this issue, can you imagine what that would do to the standard of living of hard-working American families? And that would be on top of 4-year high inflation--actually the highest in 40 years. So that would be, to me, insult added to injury, to add a huge tax increase on top of all of the inflation that Americans experienced during the last 4 years--roughly, on average, about a 21-percent increase in the cost of living. But not just families would be affected. Small businesses would see their Federal tax rates increase by almost 50 percent.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“Now, there have been a lot of crazy allegations made about what the budget actually did or did not do, while some of our colleagues have said that the American people don't want to see their tax cuts extended, which is false, and I don't know who they are talking to. And then they claim that the extension would benefit the wealthy few at the expense of the middle class. That is also another false statement. As I said, if the President's tax cuts are not extended, we will see a multitrillion-dollar tax hike, the largest in history, and 62 percent of American taxpayers will see a tax increase in 2026. Working parents will see the child tax credit cut in half, and the average family of four that earns $80,000 a year will face a $1,700 tax increase.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“This was the easy part, passing the framework, but now we have to write the bills to implement not only the continuation of the current tax provisions but also the spending cuts that are so important and to help the President keep his other promises that he made on the campaign trail. And we are on our way to what President Trump likes to call ``one, big, beautiful bill.'' Well, a lot of important conversations have been taking place, on both sides of the Capitol, about what the result will be. But while these questions and some differences are natural, the critical matter at hand in this budget resolution is to make sure that we don't impose a multitrillion-dollar tax increase on the American people.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“Madam President, as the Presiding Officer will recall, it was 2:30 in the morning on Saturday--just a few short hours ago, it seems like--that the Senate voted to pass a budget resolution amending the House budget resolution, the next important step to passing President Trump's ``America First'' agenda. The budget will go back--and has gone back--to the House, and then it will be time for the committees to do really the hard work.”
Senate7 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the provisions of S. Res. 148. There being no objection, under the previous order and pursuant to the provisions of S. Res. 148, as a further mark of respect for the late Alan K. Simpson, former Senator from Wyoming, the Senate, at 4:39 p.m., adjourned until Monday, March 31, 2025, at 3 p.m. ____________________”
Senate27 March 2025Source ↗
“Finally, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 3 p.m. on Monday, March 31, that following the prayer and the pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of Calendar No.”
Senate27 March 2025Source ↗
“I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.”
Senate27 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 148, submitted earlier today.”
Senate27 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.”
Senate27 March 2025Source ↗
“And then Senator Cruz, my colleague, the junior Senator from Texas, she said should ``be knocked over the head, like hard.'' This is disgraceful, and we should call it for what it is. We have a duty as elected officials to bring out the best in our country, not to take the low road. And, particularly, we should not encourage harm against people we don't particularly agree with. This is a disturbing trend in political rhetoric, one that has turned to violence--again, not for the first time, but we should condemn it, and we should shut it down now. These events should serve as a wake-up call that it is past time to turn down the temperature. I believe that all Americans and all Texans deserve better. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate26 March 2025Source ↗
“So I was delighted to be home, but now we are back at work. We need to roll up our sleeves and get the job done because failure is not an option. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate24 March 2025Source ↗
“President Trump and Vice President Vance are correct in taking all reasonable and necessary efforts to end the war in Ukraine, but it requires a stable and lasting and enforceable peace to prevent this proliferation of nuclear weapons. I applaud President Trump for his efforts to bring about this peace. If President Trump can successfully pull this off, it will be an accomplishment for which humanity will owe him a profound debt of gratitude. I yield the floor.”
Senate12 March 2025Source ↗
“Nuclear Nonproliferation Mr. President, on another matter, I spoke last week about the importance of establishing a lasting peace in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine where Russia, without any chance of contradiction, is the aggressor. But I appreciate President Trump on his efforts as a peacemaker, and I congratulate the administration, particularly Secretary Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, for working to negotiate a 30-day cease-fire--at least that is what Ukraine has agreed to. But now the ball is in Vladimir Putin's court.”
Senate12 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to complete my remarks prior to the scheduled rollcall vote.”
Senate11 March 2025Source ↗
“Well, right now, they are resisting what is best for the American people, and that is a bad place to be. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate10 March 2025Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate10 March 2025Source ↗
“I look forward to working with President Trump and Secretary Noem to continue the important work they have begun to keep Americans and Texans safe. I yield the floor.”
Senate4 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following Members be permitted to speak prior to the lunch recess: Myself, for up to 15 minutes; Senator Murray, up to 10 minutes; Senator Cantwell, up to 5 minutes; and Senator Britt, for up to 10 minutes.”
Senate4 March 2025Source ↗
“The only party that stands to lose from this legislation will be the Chinese Communist Party, and it is high time that they be held accountable. I yield the floor.”
Senate25 February 2025Source ↗
“I look forward to working with both of them to reform and redirect the energies of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to safeguard, rather than to attack, the Second Amendment rights of American citizens. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate19 February 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate19 February 2025Source ↗
“President Trump's Attorney General will have a chance to turn the page from Merrick Garland's failures by reversing the partisan hackery that has been a part and parcel of President Biden's Department of Justice. President Trump's Attorney General can restore the Department of Justice to its core mission. Pam Bondi can serve President Trump and the Nation well by enforcing the law that is on the books and ending the weaponization of political enemies. Similarly, Kash Patel has an opportunity to turn the page from the abuses and the lack of accountability that we have seen at the FBI in recent years. So I look forward to working with Ms. Bondi and Mr. Patel in their noble endeavor to restore trust in our Nation's justice system, and by doing so, to restore the trust of the American people. I yield the floor.”
Senate13 February 2025Source ↗
“While every State became a border State during the last administration, there are costs that Texas had to shoulder that our neighbors had not. It is just fair and right and just for Texas taxpayers to be made whole for the border security responsibilities it took on as a result of President Biden's dereliction of duty. I am proud to support Governor Abbott's request for the State to be reimbursed. My colleagues on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees should expect me and Senator Cruz and the entire Texas delegation to be strongly advocating for reimbursement for Texas in the coming weeks. I look forward to working with them in order to make this a reality. I yield the floor.”
Senate11 February 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, the Governor of the great State of Texas, Greg Abbott, has made a request to the U.S. Congress to reimburse our State for the expenses we have incurred in attempting to combat the Texas-Mexico border security crisis during the 4 years of the Biden administration. I am proud to support this request, along with my colleague Senator Cruz and Members of the Texas delegation in the House of Representatives. Securing the Nation's borders is the responsibility of the Federal Government, plain and simple.”
Senate11 February 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate11 February 2025Source ↗
“But President Trump has promised a golden, new age, and I look forward to making Texas and America the center of that. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate10 February 2025Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate10 February 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be able to complete my remarks before the vote.”
Senate5 February 2025Source ↗
“The Federal Government created this crisis, and it is up to the Federal Government to pay the tab. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate28 January 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate28 January 2025Source ↗
“That is our goal, and I am glad to see that President Trump has returned us to that original ideal since the civil rights era rather than to somehow paper over this effort to treat people differently based on their race, gender, or other characteristics. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate24 January 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate24 January 2025Source ↗
“There is no secret that the American people were profoundly disappointed at the Biden administration's handling of the U.S. economy, but I have no doubt that with President Trump, Howard Lutnick, Scott Bessent, and Russ Vought on President Trump's team, we will be in good shape to get the economy and our national security back on track and usher in not only a new age of American prosperity, but also to reestablish the sort of deterrence that will prevent the young men and women in this country from ever having to fight wars that could simply be prevented by reestablishing that deterrence. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate23 January 2025Source ↗
“To deny protection to these helpless newborns amounts to infanticide, and it is a tragedy that this is legal in our country. If America is to be truly great, we should, without question, be willing to, at least, provide basic medical care to these innocent children. I would hope our Democratic colleagues would examine their conscience and realize that there are more important things than politics in this world. In the end, we all have to live with our own consciences, and I would hope they would join us in voting for this legislation to protect the right to life for these, our most vulnerable citizens.”
Senate22 January 2025Source ↗
“If we want to address the affordability of college--an important topic--widespread student loan socialism is not the way to do it. So as I said, for a variety of reasons, this would be a great place for the Department of Government Efficiency to shine the light on and for us to do something about in the coming days. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget pointed out that we could save the taxpayers as much as $550 billion by reversing all of President Biden's actions on student loan cancellation--$550 billion. So we have our work cut out for us. But one great place to start would be to end the Biden administration's reckless student loan socialism. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate17 January 2025Source ↗
“I know other colleagues plan to do the same thing. President Biden may have been busy over the last few months, since the November 5 election, but we are gearing up to be even busier, undoing much of the mischief that he has wrought during these last couple of months on his way out the door. I yield the floor.”
Senate16 January 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate16 January 2025Source ↗
“History will not be forgiving if his outgoing administration decides to threaten the safety and security of the American people by causing unnecessary delays for Cabinet appointments, particularly his national security Cabinet. The American people elected President Trump as the next leader of our country. Now, it is time for the Senate to do our job by making sure that the President has the team he needs to do that job, and I intend to do everything I can to see that his nominees are confirmed on a timely basis. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate14 January 2025Source ↗
“Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate14 January 2025Source ↗
“You know, we have been kicking a lot of these issues down the road until now, when we have run out of road. So it is up to us, the elected Representatives of the American people. This is our responsibility. It is not always going to be fun. It is not necessarily always going to be popular, but I believe that, if we explain to the American people the necessity of doing what I have been talking about here, they will understand it, and they will respect it and accept it. After all, this is something I propose that we do--that we have to do-- because of what the American people told us that they want, which is a change in direction for the country, in their vote of November 5 of this last year. I yield the floor.”
Senate8 January 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate8 January 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate stand in recess pursuant to the previous order. Thereupon, the Senate, at 12:25 p.m., recessed until 2:15 p.m. and reassembled when called to order by the Presiding Officer (Mrs. Hyde- Smith). ____________________”
Senate7 January 2025Source ↗