Video News Clips: In Their Own Words

‘Best Dope God Ever Put Breath In’: John Kennedy Says People Are ‘High’ If They Thinks Schumer Will Budge On Budget

John Kennedy

Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana suggested Wednesday that people are crazy if they think Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York would allow votes on a budget measure.

The White House sent Congress a rescissions package of over $9.5 billion June 3, which would codify some of the cuts identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), including paring back funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the United States Agency for International Development. Kennedy started by noting an interruption from protesters during the hearing held by the Senate Appropriations Committee as Director of the Office of Budget and Management Russel Vought testified Wednesday about the rescissions package.

“Mr. Director, I want to apologize [for] the protesters, but I can assure you under Congressional rules and the laws of the District of Columbia, they will be promptly punished and put on double-secret probation. You will probably see them back again today,” Kennedy told Vought, who chuckled. “I think the president has demonstrated that he understands that what you allow is what will continue. We seem to have a problem with that concept.”

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Kennedy then noted the personal attacks directed at Vought during the hearing from Democrats, who have opposed the rescissions.

“I’ve listened to some of my colleagues accuse you of doing everything but abandoning your children to wolves. They accuse you of undermining the sanctity and integrity of the appropriations process, and I’m sitting here thinking, ‘What sanctity? What integrity? What appropriations process?’” Kennedy asked. “I’m proud to serve on this committee. I watched this committee last year, we passed 11 out of 12 minibuses, and we all choked down some stuff you wouldn’t believe, and we sent them to Senator Schumer, my friend. He refused to bring the bills to the floor of the Senate. Now, that’s when he was in the majority.”

“You really think he is going to allow us to vote on a budget?” Kennedy asked. “If you do, you’re Willie Nelson high. You are smoking some of the best dope God ever put breath in. All we have is CRs [continuing resolutions] and rescission packages.”

The House of Representatives debated and passed the rescissions package, which would claw back spending that DOGE cited as wasteful by a 214-212 vote June 12.

DOGE identified $180 billion in savings since Trump established it, an average of $1,118.01 per taxpayer, according to the organization’s website. The department lists the savings it has identified online, breaking it down into contracts, leases and grants and also breaks down the spending, while providing information on the federal workforce and government regulations.

Editor’s note: This story’s lede and headline have been updated to clarify that Kennedy was not attacking Vought during the exchange.