John Kennedy
Senator for Louisiana · Republican · United States
“And somebody from the Department of Commerce or from Intel needs to explain this to the American people, because I don't like it. I didn't like it when we started giving money to particular companies going: Yeah, we like you, but we don't like you. You don't get any money, but you get money.”
“They have to compete in the market to manufacture chips like everybody else. I believe in free enterprise. I don't believe in state-supported capitalism, government-run capitalism. But Intel was not doing a very good job competing, and so the Federal Government decided to bail them out.”
“Mr. President, I have a friend in Louisiana. He is the former State speaker of the house. And Charlie invented a new word in English. The word is ``winky-doo.'' When the then-speaker of the statehouse wanted to describe someone acting dishonestly or denigrating your position or double-crossing you, the speaker would say: He tried to winky…”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S4123-S4124] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Intel Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I have a friend in Louisiana.”
“And I know Intel is going to say: Oh, it wasn't the $8.9 billion that the American taxpayers gave us that we took and helped the Irish economy. Money is fungible, folks. Money is fungible.”
“We said: We don't want to take food stamps away from people who need them; we want fewer people to need food stamps. And it is working. The full provision of the law is not even implemented, but so far, we have had 4 million people who were on food stamps--in those States that have implemented the work requirement, we have 4 million peopl…”
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“Still, anti-trans politics followed her.'' Here is another one by WRKF, another example of opinion journalism paid for with your tax dollars: ``These far-right media figures are getting center stage under Trump.'' But there is more, as they say on ``The Price Is Right'' or something like that. Here is another one. This one came from Louisiana Public Broadcasting: ``Becoming Papa: Father's Key to Gender Justice.'' I can tell you, every mom and dad in Louisiana, when they lie down to sleep at night and they can't, they are lying there worrying about gender justice. Not. I mean, the title of the article suggests what you ought to believe. That is not fair or balanced. Here is another one: ``Transgender athletes seek protections to play sports.'' Let me see the next one, John. This is John Lowery, who works with me. He is a fine American.”
“This came from WRKF, which also gets--it is 1 of the 10 out of 138 radio stations that the bureaucrats at CPB look with favor on: `` `Kids will end their lives': Anti-trans legislation is impacting mental health in the Gulf South.'' No bias there. ``Biography examines how systemic racism shaped the troubled life of George Floyd.'' Nobody has to take responsibility; it is systemic racism. Here is another one that came from WRKF: ``Christian nationalism's support is strongest in rural conservative states.'' Another one: ``Dr. Rachel Levine focused on her job at HHS.”
“I don't know what the others did not to get Federal money, but clearly this is a case of the Federal Government picking and choosing. Let's see what they have done with the money. I will just read you a couple of the headlines paid for with your dollars in my local public media organization: ``How illegitimate [critical race theory] concerns shaped Louisiana's new social studies standards.'' No bias there. ``Trump's anti-trans effort is an agenda cornerstone with echoes in history.'' No bias there. That came from NPR and one of my local stations. Here is another one: ``What It's Like To Choose Transgender Sex Reassignment Surgery.'' Here is another one: ``Transgender Boy Tells Mom `It Shouldn't Be Scary To Be Who You Are.' '' Here is another one.”
“Here is another one: ``The hidden racism of young white Americans.'' ``AP FACT CHECK: Trump seeds race animus with COVID falsehood.'' Here is another one: ``Biden trumpets economic gains, but struggles to get credit.'' Here is another one: ``Democracy on Trial, Part One: A Blueprint For the Case Against Trump.'' This is paid for with your tax dollars. This is opinion journalism. But it is not just at the national level; it is in my State too. It is in Louisiana. Louisiana has 318 radio stations. Only 10 of them get money from Federal taxpayers through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. So the folks who are publishing the articles I just referenced--pick 10 out of 138, and Louisiana said: We are going to favor you and give you money. My State also has 48 TV stations. Eight of them get Federal money-- your dollars.”
“Now, some of my colleagues say the reason all this ought to stop is because the so-called journalism being published by NPR and PBS, which get their money from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which gets its money from you, out of your pocket--$500 million a year--some of my colleagues say: Well, we ought to stop it because the reporting is biased. And they have marshaled a persuasive argument to that effect. I have talked about some of the articles that have appeared, paid for with the American people's tax dollars. I am not going to go through all of them, but I will just mention a couple. Here is one: ``How racism became a marketing tool for country music.'' That is pretty fair and balanced, huh?”
“Back in the 1940s and 1950s when we only had three TV stations and a handful of radio stations, it might have been necessary for the government to get in the TV and radio business, particularly to help our citizens in rural areas, but those days are gone. Now there are all kinds of forms of media. We have TV, newspapers, radio. We have the internet. We have Facebook. We have blogs. We have podcasts. We have cable TV. We have streaming TV. Yet the government continues to spend $500 million a year to subsidize the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Public Radio, and PBS. It ought to stop. It ought to stop. President Trump has talked about it. Many Members of Congress have talked about it. I have talked about it on the floor of this Senate.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2471-S2472] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Public Broadcasting Let me talk about a second subject quickly. Take that one down, John, and put up the next one. I have talked--and I am not going to repeat--I have talked a lot about the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and its two cousins: National Public Radio and PBS. U.S. taxpayers spend $500 million a year subsidizing these media organizations. I have talked about that. There was a time when maybe we needed to do that.”
“But these officials at the State level--not the local level--they said no State or Federal laws prohibit the principles of DEI, and they said that they are aware of no jurisdiction--no jurisdiction--that the Federal Government has to withdraw funding. Well, you know what, I hope we find out. I hope we find out. This kind of stuff makes me want to jump out of a moving car, and this is the kind of, in the words of the teacher who resigned, systemic rot, rank anti-Semitism, that in New York they are sending to our teachers and to our kids and to the world.”
“It should not go unnoticed that in addition to this oversight--we know it wasn't an oversight; I mean, pigs may fly someday, but I doubt it; this wasn't an oversight--now we find out recently that New York State education officials have rejected President Trump's administration's demand to do away with certain diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that call for quotas, racial quotas, which are illegal in the United States of America under recent Supreme Court precedent. These State officials wrote President Trump, and this is what they said: [T]here are no federal or state laws prohibiting the principles of D.E.I. I don't understand that. Racial quotas are illegal. You can't use race in America, according to well-settled law, to hurt a person or to help a person.”
“That document called on all the teachers and all the students in the New York public schools and everybody else reading the newsletter--it called on them to participate in ``rage week'' and ``resist genocide'' by mobilizing on Saturday, October 5, for a ``day of action'' ahead of the anniversary of Hamas on October 7, 2023. That was the date of the terrorist attack on Israel, which apparently the administration of the public schools wants to celebrate. Here is what one of the teachers in the public school system said when she discovered this: It is systemic rot. ``It's the systemic rot,'' said Karen Feldman, an educator of over 26 years, who resigned. She resigned.”
“Why are you publishing this anti-Semitic, anti-systemic rot accusing Israel of genocide, after it was Israel that was attacked, after it was Hamas that started the war? The chancellor, Ms. Melissa Aviles-Ramos, said it was just a ``troubling oversight.'' That is what she said: ``troubling oversight.'' [[Page S2471]] But then the article goes on to say that it has been discovered that a similar version of the toolkit--this oversight--was published in the newsletter in the prior month. It was in the October-November 2024 newsletter.”
“``Stop Gaza Genocide Toolkit.'' ``Stop Gaza Genocide Toolkit.'' The administration of the New York public schools, the largest in the country, is sending this out to its teachers and its students and to the world. If you take a look and you say ``What is in this toolkit, this `Stop Gaza Genocide Toolkit'?'' it contains the biggest bunch of anti-Semitic rot you can imagine. The toolkit, among other things, breaks down how to mobilize pro-Palestinian campaigns on social media. It tells you--it tells our students and our teachers how to boycott and encourage divestment from pro-Israel organizations. It encourages readers to print out ``Palestine'' yard signs and calls our kids and our parents to action. Now, the head of the public schools in New York was embarrassed once people started going: What is going on?”
“Every month, the public school system in New York City sends this newsletter. They blast it out to teachers, and they blast it out to parents--not just in New York City but all across the country. In the latest newsletter they blasted out, they had one of those bullet points that they made in the newsletter that is kind of--when you look at it on the internet, it is kind of pale blue. You can click on it, and it sends you to another site. The bullet point on the newsletter that the public schools of New York sent out was called ``Guidelines for teaching about genocide.'' ``Guidelines for teaching about genocide.'' And if you clicked on this phrase in the newsletter, it sent you to another site. Do you see what the site was?”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2470-S2471] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] New York City Public Schools Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I saw something last week that I didn't believe. I read the article, and then I searched the internet for other articles saying the same thing to confirm that it was true, and it was true. I am still in disbelief. The largest public school system in America is in New York City. I love New York City. I think it is the greatest city in the world. And the New York public schools publish a monthly newsletter. It is called--let's see what it is called--the Office of Student Pathways Newsletter.”
“I don't speak for President Trump, but I will certainly encourage President Trump to accept that offer, and I think he will. There is a way to stop this trade war. It is just to remove the tariffs on both sides. Remember what Mama Gump said: Stupid is as stupid does. Let's don't be stupid. Let's don't have a trade war. Let's continue to be friends. Let's get rid of these tariffs. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.”
“Make this offer today: Offer to go to zero tariffs in Canada on American goods--no tariffs, none, zero, zilch, nada--and challenge America to remove all of our tariffs on Canada so the people of Canada can sell their goods to Americans without a tariff, and the people of America can sell their goods to our friends in Canada without a tariff--zero tariffs. Let Canadian businesses and American businesses compete. Competition makes all of us better. That is one of the shared values that we have with our friends in Canada. Let American businesses and Canadian businesses go at it in a friendly, competitive way and may the best price and the best product win. That is fair trade. That is free trade. If Prime Minister Carney wants fair trade and free trade, he will make that offer.”
“The good people of Canada did the same thing when we had the horrible fires in California. Here is my point: I don't want to be at war with Canada. I don't want to have a trade war with Canada. I want us to continue to be friends. I made this suggestion to the new Prime Minister of Canada the other day, Prime Minister Carney. I am going to make it again, and I hope, this time, he will take it more seriously. Remember, if you want to be taken seriously, you have to act seriously. If you want respect, you have to act respectfully. Prime Minister Carney, you say that President Trump is not a fair trader. I understand your point of view. I don't agree with you, but I understand your point of view. You have got to stand up for your people. Prime Minister Carney, if you believe in free trade, then here is what you do.”
“I remember this, too, that Gander has 10,000 people, but they welcomed thousands of American passengers. They fed them. They sheltered them. They comforted our American citizens. They gave them a little bit of peace at a scary time for America and the world. There was no hesitation by the people of Canada. It was only humanity. I will never forget that. I remember, after Hurricane Katrina, which hit my State, it destroyed Southeast Louisiana--New Orleans, yes, but many other parts of my State as well--and Mississippi. Canada was the very first country and the people of Canada were the very first people to send disaster relief. Their program was called Operation UNISON. Their military ships sailed south to help us in Louisiana. They sent 1,000 people and a lot of supplies. And do you know what?”
“We share a 5,525-mile border. I am proud of that. We share history. We share values. We maintain longstanding mutual security commitments. We are both members of NATO. Canada and America are members of the binational North American Aerospace Defense Command. You probably know that as NORAD. It is more than just security commitments, though. It is more than just business. We are friends, and I am proud of that. I remember, on 9/11--who will ever be able to forget 9/11--U.S. airspace was shut down. The people of Canada stepped right up to the plate. They immediately implemented Operation Yellow Ribbon. They opened their airports. The Canadians opened their homes. The Canadians opened their hearts to 33,000 Americans who were stranded. There is a little town in Newfoundland called Gander.”
“If you want to be taken seriously, act seriously--because his conduct toward President Trump's hand of peace has been despicable. It would gag a maggot. (Mr. HUSTED assumed the Chair.) Tariffs Now, Mr. President, on a separate subject, I want to talk about Canada. By the way, my colleague here today, Nick Ayers, is with me. Nick is one of my colleagues in my Senate office, and I thank him for being here today. I want to talk for a moment about Canada. I want to make it clear: I love [[Page S2125]] Canada. I have visited Canada several times, many times. It is breathtakingly beautiful, and the people of Canada are just terrific. They are hard-working. They are very pleasant. They are fun-loving once you get to know them. The United States of America and Canada have been friends and allies for decades. We are neighbors.”
“He said: I want China to be part of the negotiations and India and Brazil and South Africa--and get this; this will curdle your lunch-- North Korea. Mama Gump said that stupid is as stupid does. President Putin is not interested in peace. President Putin thinks President Trump took the bullet train to Chump Town. I mean, I can tell you how I look at this and, I think, how most Americans look at this situation. I think to myself: You know, my mama didn't raise a fool, and if she did, it was one of my brothers. I see what Putin is doing. He is not serious here. I would gently--no. I take that back. I would firmly suggest to President Putin: If you want peace, stop treating President Trump and the American people like a bunch of chumps. Stop it. If you want respect, act respectfully.”
“And do you know what his conditions are?--to have the United States of America remove the sanctions on the Russian economy. Then, to make matters worse, President Putin said: Oh, by the way, I have one other condition. I want to put the people of Ukraine and the Government of Ukraine under the administration of the United Nations. In other words, he wants the people of Ukraine to give up their democratic form of government and be run by the United Nations. Then, finally, President Putin said to President Trump: Oh, yes. There is one other thing, too, before I will agree to a cease-fire in the Black Sea or to a cease-fire generally. ``I don't want to just negotiate with you, President Trump,'' President Putin said.”
“President Putin said: No, I won't agree to a blanket cease-fire, but I will stop bombing infrastructure in Ukraine. He lied like he breathed. He continued to destroy civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Then President Trump said: OK. Let's try for a cease-fire in the Black Sea. That would benefit both Ukraine and Russia, both of which use the Black Sea for maritime commerce. And, indeed, the world depends on a lot of the grain that they both export. So President Trump said: Let's try for a cease-fire in the Black Sea and maritime security in the Black Sea. President Zelenskyy said: ``Sure, I am with you,'' just like he said previously, ``I agree to a ceasefire, Mr. President.'' President Putin said: I will agree to a cease-fire in the Black Sea, but I want conditions. I want conditions.”
“Madam President, I want to spend a few minutes first talking about Russia. To get respect, you have to act respectfully. To be taken seriously, you have to act seriously. We know that. It is a matter of common sense. President Putin in Russia is not acting with respect toward the United States of America or President Trump. President Putin is not acting seriously. I don't know a single fairminded person with an IQ above his age who doesn't want peace in Ukraine. We all want to see peace in Ukraine. President Zelenskyy wants to see peace in Ukraine. President Trump wants to see peace in Ukraine. I thought President Putin did. I am beginning to wonder. President Trump, who is leading these negotiations, first asked for a cease-fire. He said: For 30 days--maybe 45, 60 days--I am asking both Russia and Ukraine to lay down their arms.”