On Tuesday, February 24, President Trump addressed the nation from the U.S. Capitol to highlight the progress since Republicans won control of the House, Senate, and White House.
This progress stands in stark contrast to the bleak state of our country under the Biden administration. Those four years were rough. We felt it every time we filled up our gas tank, pushed a cart through the grocery store, or opened our utility bill. Prices went up, but paychecks didn’t keep up. That was the Biden economy. Republicans promised to fix it, and we are making good on that promise.
One of the most important things we’ve done is put money back in your pocket. The Working Families Tax Cuts, which I voted for, are helping working families in America keep more of what they earn. We made the Child Tax Credit bigger and permanent, so parents can count on that relief year after year. We also created new savings accounts for newborns, giving kids a financial headstart at saving for college or retirement.
I’m especially proud that we made my Paid Medical and Family Leave Tax Credit permanent. I successfully enacted this policy back in 2017. Instead of a government mandate, it gives businesses a tax incentive to voluntarily offer paid leave — so workers don’t have to choose between their paycheck and bringing home a new baby or caring for a sick parent. Making it permanent means employers can now offer this benefit to employees with confidence.
Republicans have delivered on border security too. The situation at the southern border was a mess under Biden. Illegal crossings are now at their lowest point since 1970. For nine straight months, zero illegal immigrants have been released into the country. Laws like the Laken Riley Act are helping remove criminals from our communities. And under Biden, more than 500,000 children crossed the border alone without a parent. More than 62,000 of those missing kids have now been found.
A safer border has gone hand in hand with safer streets. Homicides in major cities dropped by 21% over the past year, representing 922 fewer of these violent offenses. Violent crime fell across the board, and deaths among on-duty police officers hit an 80-year low. To combat the devastating opioid crisis, President Trump designated fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction and went after the cartels pushing it across our border. It’s working. Drug deaths have fallen every single month since he took office again.
There’s still work to do, but the progress we’ve made together gives me hope for the road ahead. Every family that gets to keep a little more of their paycheck, every parent who doesn’t have to choose between their job and taking care of their baby, every community that feels a little safer — that’s what this work is all about. I look forward to building on this momentum and delivering an even brighter future for our great state and our nation.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.