Kennedy condemns $1 billion Minnesota fraud scheme, calls for second reconciliation to address cost-of-living in Senate speech

Watch Kennedy's comments here.

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) delivered remarks on the U.S. Senate floor regarding the $1 billion welfare fraud scheme that has unfolded in Minnesota. Additionally, Kennedy discussed the cost-of-living in America and urged the Senate to use the reconciliation process to pass legislation to address the lingering effects of inflation.

Key excerpts of the speech are below:

"Over $1 billion of American taxpayer money has been stolen-just stolen. They can call it fraud, but a better term would be 'stealing.' This fraud has been centered in the Somali community in Minnesota. Now, I am not here to criticize the Somali community; I am here simply to describe what happened."

. . .

"There have been a lot of allegations about racism in these reports. They are saying: 'Oh, you are just picking on the Somali community.' I am not, and I don't think the American people are. I think what they are picking on are crooks. . . . And it is a fact that the politicians, not the employees-the rank-and-file employees in the welfare offices-but the politicians in Minnesota let this happen. It is disgusting. . . . Man, these people ought to all be put in jail, including the politicians."

After discussing the fraud scheme in Minnesota, Kennedy turned to the topic of affordability in America and called on the Senate to consider a second reconciliation package to pass legislation that could help to mitigate the harm that the Biden administration caused through high inflation.

Key excerpts of that speech are below:

"When moms and dads in America lie down to sleep at night and they can't, they are worried. They are worried about things like the cost of living. . . . And that is what we ought to be working on, Mr. President. . . . Through reconciliation, which is how we passed the One Big Beautiful Bill, we can pass these measures to increase wages for the American people with a majority vote. We won't need Democratic votes. That is what we did with the One Big Beautiful Bill, and we can do it two more times before the midterm elections."

. . .

"I am saying to the powers that be: Pretty please, with sugar on top-I will add a cherry. I have even got an old McDonald's McRib coupon somewhere, and I will throw that into the mix too. Please bring another reconciliation bill. Please. Let's deal with the problems that are causing moms and dads to lie awake when they lie down to sleep at night and can't."

Watch Kennedy's remarks regarding Minnesota's fraud scheme here.

Watch Kennedy's remarks about reconciliation here.