https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvfFd0KVNgA
Jun 24, 2025
Senator Warren's floor speech on June 24, 2025.
Transcript
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: I
RECOGNIZE THE SENATOR FROM
MASSACHUSETTS.
MS. WARREN: THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT.
BOMBING ANOTHEROUNTRY IS AN
ACT OF WAR, AND LAST WEEK DOND
TRUMP LAUNCHED AROUND AACK
THAT COULD SPIN THE UNITED
STATES INTO ANOTHER ENDLESS WAR
IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
WHAT FOLLOWED FROM THAT DECISION
CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS PURE
MADNESS.
TRUMP DECLARED TOTAL VICTORY.
IRAN THREATENED RETALIATION,
AMERICANS IN THE REGION WERE
FORCED TO SHELTER IN PLACE.
TRUMP'S OWN TEAM THEN ADMITTED
NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THE NUCLEAR
MATERIALSRE AND WHAT NUCLEAR
TRUMP CALLED FOR REGIME CHANGE
AND LAST NIGHT JUST FOR A
MOMENT, WE HOPED AND BELIEVE
THERE WAS A CEASEFIRE ONLY TO
WAKE UP TO FRANTIC POSTS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA BY THE PRESIDENT
BEGGING BOTH SIDES TO STOP
SHOOTING MISSILES AND ROCKETS AT
TODAY THE DEPUTY COMMANDER OF
CENTRAL COMMAND COULD NOT
DERIBE WHAT KIND OF
CONTINGENCY PLANS THE DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT WAS MAKING OR WHETHER
FOR THE U.S. TO PUT BOOTS ON THE
GROUND IN THIS MIDDLE EAST
CONFLICT.
AND THE CLASSIFIED BRIEFING,
SCHEDULED FOR RIGHT NOW THAT WE
SHOU BE HAVING SO THAT ALL THE
SENATORS CAN ASK QUEIONS ABOUT
WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHAT IS
CURRENTLY HAPPENING IN IRAN, HAS
JUST BEEN SCRAPPED BY THE
REPUBLICANS FOR ANOTH 48
HOURS.
THERE IS NO GRAND PLAN.
THERE IS NO CAREFUL EFFORT TO
DEVELOP A RESPONSIBLE U.S.
FOREIGN POLICY DESIGNED TO KEEP
US ALL SAFE.
ONCE AGAIN, DONALD TRUMP SERVES
UP CHAOS, DANGEROUS CHAOS THAT
THREATENS THE LONG-TERM SECURITY
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
NEW REPORTING BY CNN AND "THE
NEW YORK TIMES" SUGGEST DONALD
TRUMP'S BOMBING OF IRAN FAILED
TO DESTROY ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
THE MEDIA REPORTS HIGHLIGHT THAT
THE STRIKES ONLY SET BACK IRAN'S
NUCLEAR PROGRAM BY A FEW MONTHS.
A FEW MONTHS WHILE RISKING
ANOTHER WAR IN THEIDDLE EAST.
NOW, WE ALL AGREE THAT IRAN
SHOU NOT AND CANNOT HAVE A
NUCLEAR WEAPON.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO THAT.
BUT THE ONLY SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY
FROM IRAN DEVELOPING A NUCLEAR
WEAPON IS DIPLOMACY, SOMETHING
THAT DONALD TRUMP HAD BEEN
PURSUING RIGHT UP UNTIL PRIME
MINISTER NETANYAHU BEGAN BOMBING
IRAN
THAT IS WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW,
FOR ALL SIDES TO COME TO THE
TABLE TO BUILD AN AGREEMENT THAT
IS STURDY AND THAT CEMENTS
LASTING PEACE IN PLACE.
BUT TRUMP'S RECKLESS ACTION
BACKED BY MANY REPUBLICANS IN
CONGRESS MAKES IT MORE LIKELY
THAT THIS CRISIS ESCALATES INTO
A DEADLY CYCLE OF VIOLENCE.
TRUMP'S RECKLESS ACTION PUTS
AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK.
UMP'S RECKLESS ACTION RISKS
INITIATING ANOTHER ENDLESS WAR
THAT COULD LAST MONTHS OR EVEN
CADES AS IT DID IN IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN.
WE HAVE THE POWER TO PUT A STOP
TO THIS MADNESS RIGHT W.
SENATOR KAINE HAS INTRODUCED A
WAR POWERS RESOLUTION TO STOP
DONALD TRUMP FROM TURNING THESE
IRAN BOMBINGS INTO ANOTHER
ENDLESS WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
AMERICANS DON'T NEED ANOTHER
WAR.
AMERICANS DON'T WANT ANOTHER
WAR.
THEY NEED AND WANT GOOD JOBS AND
LOWER PRICES, AND THAT IS
EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD BE
FOCUSED ON.
NOW, WHEN DONALD TRUMP RAN FOR
PRESIDENT, HE PROMISED OVER AND
OVER AND OVER THAT HE WOULD
LOWER COS ON DAY ONE.
HIS WORDS, ON DAY ONE.
AND AFTER HE WAS ELECTED, HE WAS
TOLD THAT HIS POLICIES WOULD
DRIVE UP COSTS.
TRUMP SAID HE, QUOTE, COULDN'T
CARE LESS.
ARE UP, FAMILIES ARE PAYING MORE
FOR ELECTRICITY, PRICES ARE BE
EVEN GOING UP ON BABY STROLLERS
OR AS DONALD TRUMP CALLS THEM,
THE THING YOU CARRY BABIES
AROUND IN.
DONALD TRUMP, MAN O THE PEOPLE.
LOGICALLY RIGHT NOW REPUBLICANS
IN CONGRS ARE RAMMING THROUGH
TRUMP'S BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.
A BILL THAT IS NOT DESIGNED TO
BRINGOWN COSTS BUT WILL RIP
AWAY HEALTH CARE FROM OVER 16
MILLION PEOPLE AND HAND THAT
MONEY OVER TO EVERY BILLIONAIRE
CEO WHO PAID TO BE IN THE FRONT
ROW AT DONALD TRUMP'S
INAUGURATION.
FOR ANYONE WHO'S WATCHING, I'M
HERE TODAY TO READ INTO THE
RECORD TEN DAYS THAT TRUMP'S AND
REPUBLICANS BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL
WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE MORE
EXPENSIVE.
ONE, YOUR UTILITY BILLS MAY GO
UP.
THE REPUBLICANS' BILL WILL GET
RID OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE MADE
IN CLEAN ENERGY.
NOW WE NEED THAT ENERGY, AND THE
REPUBLICANS TAKE OUR COUNTRY
BACKWARDS.
IT ALSO MEANS THAT THE PRICE OF
ELECTRICITY WILL GO UP FOR
AMERICAN FAMILIES LIK YOURS.
TWO, YOUR RENT COULD GO UP.
HOW?
REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO BLOCK
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM
FIGHTING SCHEMES THAT PREDATORY
HOUSING COMPANIES USE TO
ARTIFICIALLY JACK UP THE PRICE
OF RENT.
THREE, IF YOU'RE A KID FROM A
WORKING-CLASS FAMILY AND YOU
DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO WRITE
ONE CHECK TO PAY FOR COLLEGE,
REPUBLICANS WILL MAKE THAT EVEN
MORE EXPENSIVE FOR YO
THAT'S RIGHT.
REPUBLICANS WANT TO MAKE IT MORE
EXPENSIVE FOR YOU TO GO TO
COLLEGE.
THEY ARE CUTTING PELL GRANTS.
FOUR,EPUBLICANS ARE MAKING
YOUR STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS GO
UP.
INDEPENDENT EXPERTS EXPLAIN THAT
BY CHANGING HOW STUDENT
REPAYMENT PLANS WORK,
REPUBLICANS COULD RAISE YOUR
STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS BY AN
AVERAGE OF $400 A MONTH.
FIVE, REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING IT
MORE EXPENSIVE TO GO TO MEDICAL
SCHOOL.
I CANNOT BELIEVE I HAVE TO SAY
TH, BUT RICH KIDS SHOULD NOT
BE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN BECOME
DOCTORS, BUT THIS BILL WOULD
LI
TO GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL, HOW
MUCH YOU CAN G IN LOANS.
SIX, REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING THE
COST OF GROCERIES GO UP WITH
THIS BILL.
THEY ARE CUTTING FOOD
ASSISTANCE, OR SNAP, BY NEARLY
$200 PER PERSON PER YEAR.
MORE THAN SEV MILLION PEOPLE
WILL HAVE LESS HELP, INCLUDING
MORE THAN FOUR MILLION PEOPLE
WHO WILL LOSE THEIR FOOD
ASSISTANCE ALL TOGETHER.
SEVEN, REPUBLICANS ARE
INCREASING THE COST OF
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR MILONS
OF AMERICANS.
BY DEMANDING THAT STATES REQUIRE
HIGHER COPAYS FOR PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS, FROM $4 TO $35, THE COST
OF A PRESCRIPTION WILL GO UP
NEARLY 900% FOR PPLE ON
MEDICAID.
EIGHT, REPUBLICANS WILL SEND
YOUR AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
PREMIUMS SKYROCKETING, PUSHING
THEM UP BY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
AND IN SOME CASES TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR.
NINE, REPUBLICANS WILL DRIVE UP
THE COST OF PRIVATE HEALTH
INSURANCE.
MORE THAN HALF OF ALLMERICANS
GET THEIR INSURANCE THROUGH
THEIR EMPLOYER.
WHEN A PORTION OF THE
UNCOMPENSATED CARE THAT HAPPENS
UNDER THE REPUBLICAN BILL, IS
SHIFTED TO PROVIDE INSURERS,
EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT THE COST
TO YOUR FAMILY WILL BE INCREASED
BY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.
AND TEN, REPUBLICANS ARE RIPPING
HEALTH CARE AWAY FROM --
REPUBLICANS ARE RIPPING HEALTH
INSURANCE AWAY ENTIRELY FROM 16
MILLION PEOPLE.
THOSE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE
UNINSURED, THE COST OF ESSENTIAL
SERVICES LIKE X RACE AND
BLOOD -- XRAYS AND BLOOD TESTS
WILL GO UP, A TRIP T THE
EMERGENCY, GOD FORBID THERE IS
AN ACCIDENT THEY COULD GO
BANKRUPT.
THAT IS TEN WAYS THIS BILL COULD
RAISEOUR COSTS.
THAT'S BAD.
BUT WHAT MAKES THIS BILL WORSE
ISHE MONEY YOU LOSE DOES NOT
PAY DOWN THE NATIONAL DEBT OR
HELP US REBUILD OUR ROADS AND
BRIDGES.
NOPE.
THEONEY YOU LOSE WILL BE
HANDED DIRECTLY TO A HANDFUL OF
GIANT CORPORATIONS AND
BILLIONAIRES IN THE FORM OF NEW
TAX GIVEAWAYS.
YES, REPUBLICANS ARE STEALING
YOUR HEALTH CARE TO PAY FOR JEFF
BEZOS'S THIRD YACHT.
AND AT THE SAME TIME THAT
WORKING FAMILIES ARE WORRIED
ABOUT WAR AND ARE SCRAPING
TOGETHER ENOUGH MONEY TO PUT
FOOD ON THE TABLE, JEFF BEZOS IS
ALREADY CELEBRATING BY RENTING
OUT VENUS, ALL OF VENUS FOR HIS
$10 MILLION WEDDING.
WOW.
WITH CONTROL OF THE WHITE HOUSE,
THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES DECIDED THIS IS
WHAT THEY WILL DO WITH POWER.
THAT DECIDED TO DRIVE UP YOUR
COSTS AND RIP HEALTH CARE
COVERAGE F MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
REALLY?
JUST IMAGINE THAT.
THE REPUBLICANS HAVE VIRTUALLY
UNLIMITED POWER, AND THEY WANT
TO USE IT TO KICK NEWBORN BABIES
OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND TAKE
WHEELCHAIRS AWAY FROM PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES ALL SO THEY
CAN GIVE THAT MONEY TO THEIR
BILLIONAIRE FRIENDS AND BIG
CORPORATE DONORS.
IT IS SICKENING AND I AM ANGRY.
I AM ANGRY BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT
SHOULDN'T BE JUST RICH KIDS WHO
ARE ABLE TO AFFOR A TRIP TO THE
HOSPITAL WHEN THEY FALL DOWN AND
BREAK BREAK AN ARM.
I AM ANGRY BECAUSE BELIEVE NOT
JUST BABIES FROM WEALTHY
FAMILIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO
THE PEDIATRICIAN WITH AN EAR
INFECTION.
I'M ANNINGLY BECAUSE I -- ANGRY
BECAUSE IT ISN'T JUST PARENTS OF
WALL STREET BANKERS WHO CAN PAY
FOR CANCER TREATMENTS FOR THEIR
KIDS.
OUR NATION IS BETTER THAN THAT.
MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES SHOULD
FEEL ASHAMED.
EXPERTS HE RUN THE NUMBERS.
51,000 MORE PEOPLE EVERY YEAR
WILL DIE UNNECESSARILY IF THIS
REPUBLICAN BILL BECOMES LAW.
AND THE REPUBLICAN REACTION?
SENATOR JONI ERNST PROCLAIMED,
WELL, WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE.
AND AS RECENTLY AS TODAY, MITCH
McCONNELL IS TELLING REPUBLICANS
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS THAT THEIR
PARTY CAN TAKE A SLEDGEHAMMER TO
MEDICAID AND IGNORE PEOPLE'S
CONCERNS BECAE, QUOTE, THEY'LL
GET OVER IT.
REALLY?
SENIORS IN NURSING HOMES WHO GET
KIED TO THE CURB WON'T GET
OVER IT.
LITTLE KIDS WHO FIND THEIR MOM
OR DAD ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR
AFTER THEY COULDN'T AFFORD
INSULIN WON'T G OVER IT.
PARENTS WHO RELY ON MEDICAID TO
TAKE CARE OF THEIR KID WITH A
DISABILITY WON'T GET OVER IT.
BECAUSE, MAKE NO MISTAKE, PEOPLE
WON'T STOP GETTING SICK.
THEY'LL JT STOP GETTING CARE.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE
IN A RED STATE OR A BLUE STATE,
EITHER.
AND NO, IF SENATE REPUBLICANS
CUT MEDICAID, WE WILL NOT GET
OVER IT.
WE WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE AT
THE BALLOT BOX.
BUTIGHT NOW, THIS BILL IS NOT
LAW.
WE STILL HAVE TIME TO STOP IT,
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE
SHOULD DO.
DEMOCRATS WILL VOTE NO.
WE WILL ALL VOTE NO.
WE JUST NEED A FEW COURAGEOUS
REPUBLICANS, PEOPLE WHO CARE
MORE ABOUT WKING PEOPLE
INSTEAD OF BILLIONAIRES, JUST A
FEW COURAGEOUS REPUBLICANS TO
JOIN US AND TO STOP THE BIG,
BEAUTIFUL BETRAYAL FROM BECOMING
LAW.
