On the recordJanuary 17, 2025
Mr. President, over the past week and a half, the world's greatest deliberative body has discussed and debated the Laken Riley Act. I have taken to the Senate floor multiple times, as have several of my Senate colleagues, to impress upon our fellow lawmakers just how important it is to pass this bill to protect American families, to keep criminals off our streets. The reason we are all here today is to consider the Laken Riley Act. And, really, it is out of a sense of duty, a moral obligation to honor Laken, her life, and her legacy--a life cut far too short at the hands of an illegal alien, who committed the most heinous crime we can possibly imagine, and a legacy that continues and will continue to live on. Laken Riley, as my colleagues know, was an exceptional 22-year-old. She was a beloved daughter, an extraordinary friend, a shining beacon of light who truly lived out her faith. She was a nursing student who wanted to help people. She had big goals and aspirations. She had hopes and dreams to strive for over the course of her life that will never have an opportunity to become a reality, and that is because of the Biden-Harris open border policies. Her killer was allowed to roam free in our country despite having been apprehended at the border and committing multiple crimes after being paroled into the U.S. interior. Then he reached the darkest depths of criminality and took Laken from this world 330 days ago.…





