At the start of last year, Republicans had a long to-do list. The American people had made their priorities clear, and we were ready to deliver on them. Republicans were committed to strengthening our economy, securing the border, and making America safer and stronger in the years ahead. And that’s exactly what we’ve been working on since taking control in Washington last year.
This April, 97 percent of American taxpayers saw a tax cut thanks to Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts law. Almost everyone who filed a tax return this year was able to keep more money in their pocket thanks to Republicans’ landmark bill. We made lower tax rates permanent, raised the child tax credit and standard deduction and made them permanent, and we delivered additional tax relief like no tax on tips and a bonus deduction for seniors. And the Working Families Tax Cuts also delivers significant and permanent tax relief that benefits South Dakota’s small businesses and family farms and ranches.
Republicans have not just focused on putting more money in Americans’ pockets. We have also worked to bring down costs. We passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which cuts some of the red tape that has contributed to homeownership becoming unaffordable for too many Americans. We did away with Biden-era regulations that would have driven up the cost of household appliances, not to mention eliminating electric vehicle mandates. And Congress has taken concrete action to drive down costs at the pharmacy counter and strengthen rural health care.
President Trump and Republicans in Congress have also ended the Biden border crisis. President Trump took swift action last year to secure the border. The Working Families Tax Cuts provided the resources necessary to hire more agents, finish the border wall, and keep the border secure for the long term. And we’ve also made it a priority to strengthen our military, including by making a generational investment in military readiness and reforming the way the Pentagon does business to ensure tax dollars are spent to maximum effectiveness for our men and women in uniform.
These are just some of the ways we’re delivering on our promises to the American people. We’ve done a lot since last January, and we have more still to do. We’re keeping our foot on the gas to strengthen our economy, secure our country, and make America stronger in the years ahead.