WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) highlighted the wins for Texans included in the One Big Beautiful Bill, now law, such as preventing the largest tax hike in American history and bending the debt curve through work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents, and slammed Democrats for voting against his amendment that would have penalized states that give Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants charged with serious crimes. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

“This legislation prevents hardworking taxpayers from facing the largest tax hike in American history.”

“We also provided additional benefits to working parents by making sure that their Child Tax Credit wasn’t cut in half, and of course, the President promised no tax on tips and no tax on overtime for millions of middle-class families.” 

“While this bill was not perfect – and certainly no piece of legislation ever is – it did make important reforms that will help us bend the curve of our debt trajectory.” 

“We implemented work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents to receive means-tested programs, like Medicaid.”

 “I offered an amendment to the Big, Beautiful Bill that… would have penalized states from giving Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants who were charged or convicted of serious crimes like murder, human trafficking, child abuse, or child pornography. 43 Democrats voted against that.” 

“The Big, Beautiful Bill made good on his promise, and my promise, and the promise of many of us to take steps to secure our southern border and to protect and to support once again law enforcement rather than to make it impossible for them to do their job.” 

“The Big, Beautiful Bill includes provisions to reimburse states like Texas for their efforts to do the federal government’s job, the one the federal government simply refused to do under the Biden-Harris administration.” 

“During the last four years, Texas – because of our 1,200-mile common border with Mexico – has particularly suffered under President Biden and DHS Secretary Mayorkas’ reckless, open-border policies.”

“This legislation is an important step in correcting the previous administration’s costly, and in some cases, deadly errors.” 

“I was disheartened, disappointed, but not surprised frankly that our Democratic colleagues voted to block the bill, preferring instead I assume – since they offered no viable alternative – to foist that large tax increase on the American people, which would have amounted to a $2.6 trillion tax hike on households earning less than $400,000 a year.”

“I’m glad they did not prevail, and I’m sure those taxpayers agree.”