Wicker: Backs legislation on border, defense, and taxes
By Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
Congress Moving Quickly to Advance Trump Agenda
On the first Saturday in April, the U.S. Senate took a significant step forward on President Trump’s agenda for border security, national defense, and tax cuts. Since January, we have been moving quickly to confirm the president’s nominees and undo burdensome Biden-era regulations. Now, after a late night of debate and voting, we passed a budget resolution. That action is the first step in Congress’ funding process. It allows us to invest in homeland defense and economic prosperity – exactly the priorities Americans voted for in November.
Investing in Border Security
After his inauguration, President Trump quickly assembled a border security team. The previous administration refused to enforce the law at the border, creating chaos and sending illegal immigration to record highs. President Trump has changed course. By the end of his first full month in office, unlawful crossings had fallen to levels lower than any this century.
Congress is set to continue this impressive work. The budget resolution will enable us to approve funding for wall construction and to increase staff at border security and immigration enforcement agencies.
Achieving Peace Through Strength
As we invest in domestic law enforcement, we will also make a generational down payment in our armed forces. I recently met with President Trump to discuss our national defense priorities. In an Oval Office meeting, we committed to rebuilding the American military, which is dangerously unprepared to face the threat posed by our adversaries. Dictators abroad are rapidly building armies and weapons, and we are their target.
Now that we have passed a budget resolution, we will quickly move to strengthen essential defense capabilities. Our work will begin rebuilding American naval fleets and ramping up production of critical munitions and weapons. It will reinvigorate our defense industrial base and start providing our warfighters with cutting-edge technologies developed by our most innovative companies. These actions can help us stay out of war. They can convince our enemies that it would be foolish to move against us.
Extending the Trump Tax Cuts
Ensuring national security will facilitate another priority: economic prosperity. In the first Trump administration, Congress passed historic tax cuts for companies, small businesses, and families. By keeping more money in Americans’ pockets, we helped promote growth. Entrepreneurs were free to invest in their employees and products. Families had more financial margin.
The individual and small business tax cuts are set to expire at the end of the year, but this budget process allows us to make them permanent. It also gives Congress an opportunity to consider a number of other changes to the tax code, such as extending the Child Tax Credit.
The recently passed budget resolution is an important milestone. Without it, we could not quickly achieve our goals on the border, defense, and taxes. With this funding framework, we will move to pass a single bill covering all three priorities, delivering on promises we made to Mississippians and the entire United States.
Note: This item is the weekly Wicker Report column of Sen. Roger Wicker and provided by the Senator’s office.
