Budd to call for country not to ‘lose our way at home’ in maiden Senate speech
Samantha-Jo Roth
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Freshman Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) is set to deliver his maiden speech on the Senate floor Wednesday morning, in which he will call for strength at home and less government regulation as a way to elevate the country’s standing on the world stage.
The North Carolina senator’s remarks come as Congress has less than three weeks to act to raise the debt limit or risk a default that could send the country into a recession. Negotiations are underway as the Treasury Department uses “extraordinary measures” to pay the bills after hitting the borrowing limit back in January. Budd plans to touch on the economy in his speech.
“One of the big lessons I learned is this: For as much importance as we place on our international standing, as we should, what’s most important is that we do not lose our way at home,” Budd will say in preview excerpts provided to the Washington Examiner. “We need to be an America that’s worth defending. Everything we do should be about creating a strong nation.”
Budd’s speech highlights his North Carolina roots and upbringing in a small town in Davie County. The freshman senator, who previously served in the U.S. House and was a member of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus, replaced former Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC). He goes on to say that citizens should not look to the government as an economic savior.
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“When we give our government too much power, the less freedom each individual has over their own life. Less freedom means you have less money and less opportunity to achieve your God-given destiny,” Budd plans to say on the Senate floor Wednesday. “Looking to government as our economic savior is simply not the solution. Capitalism, open markets, a free and moral people — that is the formula for success.”
Notably, the Republican senator makes a number of veiled criticisms of the current state of the country but does not level any specific criticisms at the Biden administration. Budd’s speech describes the current generation as one that embraces “victimhood,” instead of being encouraged with vision and hope.
“Instead of teaching the next generation of Americans to wallow in all the things that their country has done wrong, we need to be celebrating, learning, and building on all the things we’ve done right,” he plans to say.
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His speech also highlights the 11 international trips he’s taken so far during his time in the Senate. He plans to touch on his experiences with ambassadors, U.S. troops overseas, and foreign leaders in an effort to emphasize the importance of creating a strong nation.
“Great nations succeed when their citizens not only have a focus on what makes them great, but also when we collectively keep our eyes on what creates prosperity and human flourishing,” Budd will say.
The maiden speech is a Senate tradition in which new senators set the tone for their term by giving their first major address on the floor. Typically, Senate leaders, along with the senator’s senior colleague from his or her home state, will be on hand to witness the speech while the new senator’s family watches from the gallery.