Political speech, timestamped and in context

Ron Johnson: “70% of it is for funding the HHS Refugee and Entrant Assistance Program.”

Featuring: Ron Johnson, Republican | U.S. Senate, Wisconsin

'Congress Is Certainly Not Fiscally Responsible': Ron Johnson Defends Trump's Pocket Rescission

Published October 1, 2026

Because Congress is certainly not fiscally responsible, but in particular this $810 million, we're talking about $810 million, that's not even pocket change in our budget. 70% of it is for funding the HHS Refugee and Entrant Assistance Program. Now, the reason we can rescind that money is because President Trump secured the border under the Biden administration. (02:39–02:51)

STATEMENT

Asserts that 70% of the $810 million is for the HHS Refugee and Entrant Assistance Program.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

See the main statements from Ron Johnson in this video

“The General Accountability Office, the non-partisan General Accountability Office, believes that pocket rescissions are illegal. Well, the fact is that's a reversal of their previous position.”
Asserts that the GAO's current position on pocket rescissions is a reversal of their previous stance.00:21-00:36
“Every president since President Ford believed he had or she had that ability to do a pocket rescission.”
Asserts that every president since Ford believed they had the ability to do a pocket rescission.00:36-00:48
“This storied chamber, chambers include the House has allowed this country to accumulate $40 trillion in debt with no end in sight.”
Asserts that the U.S. has accumulated $40 trillion in debt.01:27-01:43
“Over the course of the next 10 years that the total estimate of additional deficits and added debt is $26 trillion.”
Asserts that the estimated additional deficits and debt over the next 10 years is $26 trillion.01:43-01:52
“The Biden administration lost track of hundreds of thousands of children who were probably sold into involuntary servitude, sex slavery.”
Asserts that the Biden administration lost track of children who were likely sold into servitude or slavery.03:16-03:29
“The law that's at stake here that we're discussing is the Empowerment Control Act. Surprisingly very poorly written.”
Asserts that the Empowerment Control Act is poorly written.00:07-00:20
“70% of the 810,567,000,000 is simply money we don't have to spend to try and handle unaccompanied children that the Biden administration got lost track of.”
Asserts that 70% of the $810 million is unnecessary spending due to the Biden administration losing track of children.03:39-03:54