Kennedy highlights Big Beautiful Bill tax savings, warns against violent ICE protests in Senate speech

Watch Kennedy's comments here.

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) explained how the Big Beautiful Bill will result in major savings for Americans as they file their taxes this spring in a speech on the U.S. Senate floor. Kennedy also discussed the demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and encouraged protestors to remain peaceful.

Key excerpts of Kennedy's remarks on tax savings include:

"I know people are thinking: 'I don't like paying taxes.' They are thinking: 'You know, I would rather have to listen to O.J. jokes for the rest of eternity than to have to pay taxes.' Nobody likes to pay taxes. . . . But this year, we have some good news with respect to taxes, and it is a result of changes to our tax code, Mr. President, and you know this well, that we made in the One Big Beautiful Bill."

. . .

"If you do those three things: file early, file electronically, and tell the IRS that you want the money sent directly, electronically, into your bank account, then you are likely to get your tax refund within two-to-three weeks-your portion of that $100 billion-thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill that Republicans in the House and the Senate passed. That is going to help a lot in terms of dealing with the cost of living in America, and I am very proud of our effort."

Key excerpts of Kennedy's remarks on the protests in Minnesota include:

"Let me say a word about Minneapolis. . . . Number one: the loss of life in Minneapolis was a tragedy, and if you can't admit that, you have a padlock on your heart. . . . There are a lot of facts we have, but a lot of facts we don't have, and I am not going to rush to judge. President Trump has promised a full and thorough and transparent investigation, and I thank him for that. But regardless of what we find out, we all have to concede, we all should concede that the loss of life in Minneapolis was a tragedy, and I am sorry it happened.

"Number two, this is the second thing that I know. You don't have to be Einstein's cousin, you don't have to be a senior at Caltech to know that illegal immigration is illegal. Duh. . . . Our immigration statutes are not second-tier laws. They matter just as much as the other statutes that have been passed by the elected members of Congress. And just like the other laws, the immigration laws have consequences and should have consequences if you violate them."

. . .

"Third and final point: You have the right to protest in America. Let me say that again: You have the right to protest in America. You do not have the right to protest violently. . . . Violently protesting-not protesting, but violently protesting-undermines the morality that you say your cause is built upon. It is also dangerous. It is dangerous, and it is stupid. It is a 12-piece bucket of stupid because when you protest violently, when you interfere with a cop or an ICE officer, it is not going to end well."

. . .

"I hope we can keep those three things that I think all of us can agree upon in mind. I am sorry we are at this point, but I believe that our future can be better than our present and certainly than our past."

Watch Kennedy's speech here.