Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I appeal the ruling of the Chair.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I move to recess for 90 minutes, and I ask for the yeas and nays. Vote on Motion

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I move to recess for 60 minutes, and I ask for the yeas and nays. Vote on Motion

Mr. SCHUMER. I move to recess for 30 minutes, and I ask for the yeas and nays. Vote on Motion

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I move to recess for 15 minutes, and I ask for the yeas and nays. Vote on Motion

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I move to recess for 10 minutes, and I ask for the yeas and nays. Vote on Motion

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I move that the Senate adjourn, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, on this vote, the Republicans will be breaking their commitment and will be going nuclear. And however they try to disguise their actions, this is nuclear--no ands, ifs, or buts. Tonight, Senate Republicans expose themselves as fair weather institutionalists by overriding the Parliamentarian, which the Chair explicitly noted that the Parliamentarian has been overridden. And in order to do the bidding of the fossil fuel industry, Republicans have eroded away at the Senate foundation and undermined this institution they claim to care about. Make no mistake, Republicans have set a new precedent that will come back to haunt them and haunt this Chamber. What goes around comes around. If Republicans are willing to overrule the Parliamentarian and highjack the CRA in a way that has never been used before, they will not like it next time they are in the minority. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on SALT--that is, the State and local tax deduction--in the fall on the campaign trail on Long Island and in his Truth Social account, Donald Trump said this: I will turn it around, get SALT back, lower your Taxes, and so much more. I'll work with the Democrat Governor and Mayor, and make sure the funding is there to bring New York State back to levels it hasn't seen for 50 years. And on Long Island, Donald Trump went further. He promised to ``cut taxes for families, small businesses, and workers, including restoring the SALT deduction, saving thousands of dollars for residents of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other high-cost states,'' promising that once he restored SALT, ``jobs and factories will pour back into New York. I know how to do it better than anybody has ever known how to do it, and we can do it so easily.'' This was obviously met with raucous praise. After all, it was he, Donald Trump, who created this disaster when he put SALT caps in during his first term in his tax bill that year. I was incredibly skeptical about Donald Trump's promise on Long Island; after all, this was the arsonist promising to put out the fire. Since then, many New York House Republicans have made the same promise, parroting then-Candidate Trump almost every week since he has taken office. They even formed a little SALT Caucus in the House. So some may be shocked--shocked--to hear that just a few moments ago, right here in the Capitol, President Trump completely--completely-- reversed himself. Now, Donald Trump is against this proposal that he and many New York House Republicans campaigned on. He reportedly said this morning he will not raise the SALT cap because ``we don't want to benefit Democratic governors.'' President Trump came to the Capitol apparently to send a message to New York Republicans. He is reversing himself and breaking his promise on SALT, just as I long warned he would do. Donald Trump apparently says he now opposes SALT because it would only benefit Democratic Governors. What about New York taxpayers? What about the police and firemen and teachers who are paying higher taxes because of SALT on Long Island and the Hudson Valley, throughout New York State, or the millions of taxpayers across the country impacted by Trump's illogical move to do this in his first term? Does Donald Trump give a damn about middle-class New Yorkers, particularly in the suburbs who are paying more taxes because of the SALT cap? Apparently not. When Trump came to Long Island and talked a big game about restoring SALT relief, I called it a farce. It was actually a lie. And today, he has proved himself a liar and has seemingly played New York Republicans for fools. If New York Republicans don't stand up to Donald Trump right now, they will look like fools. They have said over and over again that they are going to fight this horrible SALT cap, which hurts so many New Yorkers, so many in their own districts. They have said they will fight to the end. Will they stand up now to Donald Trump or cave while disappointing millions of New Yorkers? Ashli Babbitt Mr. President, on the Babbitt settlement, I am deeply disappointed that the Republican leader did not condemn the Trump administration's most recent attack on our beloved Capitol Police. I am appalled and disgusted at the disrespect the Trump administration is showing to the Capitol Police by awarding $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt, who broke into the U.S. Capitol on January 6. And I am appalled and disgusted at the thought that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle support Trump's decision. Awarding the family of an insurrectionist $5 million is an insult to first responders, those who were in the Capitol, and those everywhere. It sends a sickening message to police and all other first responders throughout the country: When it matters most, Donald Trump will turn his back on you. Fentanyl On fentanyl, Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail he would hold the Chinese Government accountable to stop the fentanyl crisis. Over 100 days into office, Donald Trump has failed on both accounts. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has also handed over all leverage to China through his stupid trade war. Now he is trying to gut key State Department programs that curb the flow of fentanyl into America. Today, I join three of my colleagues in demanding Secretaries Rubio and Bessent use all possible diplomatic tools to push the People's Republic of China to take immediate action to stop the flow of fentanyl into America. This administration should also scrap the misguided 91- percent cut--91 percent--to the State Department's international narcotics control and enforcement programs included in the President's budget proposal. Instead of working to hold China accountable and stop this crisis in its tracks, the Trump administration had to wage a destructive trade war with China and blame allies like Canada for our fentanyl problem. And now Donald Trump's budget is trying to gut key programs that could actually do something about the problem. Specifically, I urge the Trump administration to, first, push the Chinese Government to do three things: Do a better job policing illicit fentanyl and precursor chemical trafficking; increase precursor scheduling; and stop the illicit financing of precursor chemicals in China. We need commitments on all three points. Second, the Trump administration must use every diplomatic tool available to stop the flow of fentanyl into America. Finally, the Trump administration must immediately end cuts to programs that actually address the fentanyl crisis. When I met with President Xi 2 years ago, I told him directly about the devastating impact of the opioid crisis on American families. I demanded to President Xi that the Chinese Government take immediate action to cut off the supply of precursor chemicals that are fueling this crisis. Some steps were taken, some important steps, but much more is needed from the Chinese Government, and the President and his team should be working with the PRC to get these concessions and cooperation rather than the current strategy: destroying our influence and competition with the PRC abroad. Tariffs Mr. President, across the country, companies like Walmart and Mattel and Target and Ford are starting to do exactly what many economists feared in response to Donald Trump's stupid tariff policy: They are raising their prices. And the American people are paying more. But does Donald Trump listen? Of course not. He almost never listens except to what he wants to hear. Instead of backing off his tariffs, Donald Trump tells companies to ``eat the tariffs.'' Those are his words. He tries to bully and berate companies simply when they want to be transparent with their customers. Of course, businesses will raise prices because of the tariffs. What on Earth does Donald Trump expect? Donald Trump blaming businesses for raising prices due to tariffs is like setting fire to a building and then blaming the fire department. For someone who fancies himself a shrewd businessman, Donald Trump doesn't seem to understand the pain his trade war has created for businesses. Perhaps it is hard for Donald Trump to hear their concerns from inside his luxury Qatari jet. Budget Reconciliation On reconciliation, Donald Trump can meet with House Republicans as many times as he likes, but he won't change the fundamental problem of their bill. It kills jobs--U.S. jobs, explodes the deficit, and overwhelmingly helps the rich. First, on jobs. Donald Trump and Republicans want to reward billionaires by taking an ax to clean energy investments America needs to meet our energy demands of the future. Under Donald Trump, China is overtaking the United States. Republicans' attacks on clean energy investments mean the U.S. will cede our leadership on clean energy to Chinese companies. Clean energy is the future. We need it to meet our energy needs. And Republicans who squander the future will regret it. They are letting China become No. 1 on one of the most important industries in the world: energy. Second, if Republicans make Trump's tax cuts permanent, they will add over $50 trillion to the debt in the next 30 years. Our children, our grandchildren will be condemned to a lifetime of higher interest rates, higher costs, diminished potential. Meanwhile, Republicans keep saying their tax scam will lift Americans across the board. This is false, and we have the data to show it. According to a study by Wharton, under the Republican plan, the top 10 percent of Americans will get 65 percent of the benefit of the value of the tax breaks. Many Americans making less than $51,000 a year would see their incomes go down. Many working families in the first income quantile will take a $1,000 hit. The national debt will increase by $4.6 trillion over the next decade. That is in addition to, again, the potential $50 trillion over the next three decades if these tax giveaways are made permanent. That is the formula for the Republican's ``big, beautiful bill'': billionaires win; working families lose. Equinor Finally, on Equinor, yesterday, after weeks of fierce backlash, the Trump administration backed off its unjustified work stop order for Equinor's Empire Wind off the coast of Long Island. I am really glad the administration backed off. For weeks, I worked with Governor Hochul and Equinor and pushed Secretary Lutnick to release their report explaining the work stop order. They told Equinor they must stop. They said, you didn't meet environmental assessments and they wouldn't tell them why. They couldn't even answer. They were so frustrated, they were ready to leave, even though we invested billions and billions already in the ground to build these turbines which could provide up to 800,000 families with cheaper electricity. Well, the reversal is good. It will save more than 1,000 good-paying New York jobs on Long Island and on Staten Island, and it will preserve billions in private investment. What kind of country encourages companies to invest in America and then, all of a sudden, makes them lose $4, $5 billion they have already sunk into the ground without giving a reason for it? A few days later and this project could have been scrapped entirely-- a disaster for New York's economy and for the entire wind and energy industry. The work stop announced was rotten the moment it was issued. The administration never gave a real explanation for its many claims that Equinor permits were rushed. This order seemed more like a broadside against the wind industry than anything else. This episode should serve as a warning to other industries: Donald Trump may try to push you, but if you push back, he will back off. I say that to all the wind and solar folks who are producing and about to produce good, clean, low-cost energy. Donald Trump and the Republicans in the House, and maybe in the Senate, are threatening them by cutting off tax breaks we were able to get done in the IRA. Now that this order is lifted, billions of dollars in private investment will once again flow into New York. Thousands of New Yorkers and offshore wind supply chain workers across the country can get back to work. Construction can continue on a project that will power half a million homes and proceed on one of the biggest, most significant offshore wind projects in the country. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, is it true that the Parliamentarian advised leadership offices that the joint resolutions of disapproval regarding the California waivers at issue does not qualify for expedited consideration under the Congressional Review Act?

Mr. SCHUMER. Thank you, Mr. President. Before I yield, I want everyone to understand what the essence of my question was. This week, the Republicans want to use a legislative tool known as the CRA in an unprecedented way: to repeal emissions waivers that the fossil fuel industry has long detested. The CRA has never been used to go after emission waivers like the ones in question today. The waiver is so important to the health of our country, and particularly to our children, to go nuclear on something as significant as this and to do the bidding of the fossil fuel industry is outrageous. And we just heard in response to my inquiry just now that the Parliamentarian affirmed this, that these California waivers are not-- not--eligible for the expedited procedures that the CRA affords. That means that legislation to repeal these waivers should be subject to a 60-vote threshold in the Senate. To use the CRA in the way that Republicans propose is going nuclear--no ands, ifs, or buts. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, today, our thoughts and prayers are with President Biden and his entire family after his cancer diagnosis this weekend. If there is one thing we all know about President Biden, it is that he is a fighter. All his life he has faced adversity and tragedy of the worst kind, and each time, his response has been the same. He has faced it with grace, with courage, and with the kind of resilience that only can come from God. This is no different. I know President Biden will face this hardship with everything he has got. So, today, the entire Senate wishes Joe Biden our very best. We will pray for him; we will root for him; and we know he will bounce back just as he has done his whole life. (The remarks of Mr. Schumer pertaining to the introduction of S. 1804 are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on the Saudi chip deal, today, I am joining with Senator Warren to lead Senate Democrats in calling on Secretaries Lutnick and Rubio to hit pause on a number of chip deals Donald Trump announced last week with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. I am alarmed that these deals announced by Donald Trump, which involve the most advanced AI-related semiconductors, have ``national security threat'' written all over them. Without clear and enforceable protections, I am worried that these chips will gradually end up in the hands of the Chinese Government and the Chinese Communist Party, given how cozy the Saudis and Emiratis have been with the Chinese. Recent history shows that when foreign countries end up with American-made chips, the Chinese Government, the CCP, and their related companies get ahold of these chips. DeepSeek's AI model was precisely accomplished with U.S.-made chips. Now Donald Trump wants to potentially open up another loophole with his Middle East chip deals. Over the years, Chinese companies and the CCP have forged deep ties with the same Middle Eastern countries that Donald Trump is now giving unfettered access to our most advanced AI chips. No serious national security expert would tell you this is on the level. It not only threatens our security but also risks cannibalizing the U.S. build-out of AI. If we want to stay No. 1 in AI, which we all do, this is the wrong deal. Why is Donald Trump building the future of AI in the Middle East, not in America? We all know that he is desperate--Trump is desperate--to show the world he is ``Mr. Art of the Deal.'' But he is so desperate to tout these deals that he is not thinking and protecting the long-term security and job implications to our country. With this deal, American AI chips are being given to the highest bidder at the expense of the American people and American dominance in the rapidly growing and important field of AI.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on the hostages in Gaza, last week, we witnessed a moment of hope: the release of American-Israeli and former New Jersey resident Edan Alexander, who had been held in Hamas captivity for nearly 600 days. But our work is far from over. We must keep fighting for the release of all 58 hostages still being held by Hamas, including the remains of 4 New Yorkers who were brutally murdered: Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gad Haggai, and Judi Weinstein. I call on all parties to seize the momentum of Edan's release to secure a deal--one that secures the release of the remaining hostages, delivers an immediate surge of humanitarian aid and food for innocent Palestinians in Gaza, and moves us toward a durable and lasting security and peace in the region. As negotiations continue, I urge both the Israeli Government and the Trump administration to do everything possible to ensure full access to lifesaving aid, shelter, and essential services for all innocent civilians in Gaza.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on tariffs, last week, Walmart announced that soon it will raise prices on its products nationwide. Then, over the weekend, Donald Trump, who started this stupid trade war to begin with, tried to bully and harass Walmart for having the gall of being transparent about the decision--for having the gall to show that prices are going up because of Donald Trump's tariffs. Then, today, the CEO of JPMorgan, Jamie Dimon, warned that the impact of tariffs have not yet passed through the broader economy. Even Donald Trump's scaled-back tariffs are ``pretty extreme'' in Dimon's words. So Donald Trump can try to blame businesses when they are forced to raise prices, but he can't escape the economic realities of his own trade war. He made this mess. He is sending prices up. He will bear the responsibility--Donald Trump will. Finally, it is pretty rich for Donald Trump to tell retailers that they have to ``eat the tariffs,'' but, meanwhile, he is accepting luxury planes and crypto deals in the Middle East. Donald Trump does far more to help himself than to help America.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on the tax scam, on Friday, Moody's Ratings downgraded the U.S. Government's credit rating, citing rising fiscal deficits, soaring interest costs, and fears that Republicans are about to make things worse. You would think Moody's announcement would be a wake-up call to the so-called party of fiscal responsibility to stop their multitrillion-dollar giveaway to the ultrarich. But nope, last night, Republicans cleared another hurdle to pass their billionaire boondoggle, one that adds trillions to the national debt. Republicans have forfeited any credibility when it comes to complaining about government waste. They are now the undisputed kings of reckless spending, and their ``big, beautiful bill'' is their crown jewel. Permanently extending these billionaire tax giveaways could add as much as $50 trillion to the national debt in the next 30 years--$50 trillion. No matter what Republicans say, these tax breaks are not going to pay for themselves. The last Trump tax cut certainly didn't. Why will these be any different, particularly given the economic chaos Donald Trump has created with tariffs? Americans have to be wondering: What are we getting in return for this fiscal timebomb? The answer is this: more tax breaks for those at the top. That is it. Those at the bottom, meanwhile, are getting ripped off. A study from Wharton released on Friday found that many Americans making less than $51,000 a year would lose after-tax income under the Republican proposal. You heard that right. Many making less than $51,000--that is a lot of Americans--would see their incomes go down. Future generations, meanwhile, would be condemned to a lifetime of higher borrowing costs, incurable inflation, and diminished economic potential. This is the entire goal behind the Republican's so-called ``big, beautiful bill'': Help the ultrarich today; screw the middle class tomorrow. That is not beautiful; that is ugly. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on the Qatar plane and the Middle East, last week, Donald Trump concluded a visit to the Middle East that was a smashing success for his own bottom line but a dubious outcome for America's economic and security interest. First, on the Qatari plane, last week, Donald Trump confirmed that he would accept a $400 million luxury Boeing 747 plane offered by Qatar to use as Air Force One--the largest bribe to an American President in modern history. So, today, I am introducing the Presidential Airlift Security Act, prohibiting the use of any foreign plane to be utilized as Air Force One. Senate Republicans who say they are troubled by this Qatari gift should join me in supporting this very commonsense legislation. It should not take an act of Congress to stop the President of the United States from accepting the largest foreign bribe in modern history, but we are dealing with a President who has shown he is perfectly willing to sell out the American people and the Presidency to fill his own pockets. Specifically, my legislation would prohibit even a single taxpayer dollar from being used by the Department of Defense to procure, modify, or retrofit any foreign aircraft to be used in transporting a U.S. President. For one, overhauling a foreign luxury plane to serve as Air Force One would cost billions of taxpayer dollars. The refurbishing alone would cost more than the value of the plane itself, and it would take years. It is a senseless waste of taxpayer resources. Using a foreign plane as Air Force One would also bring unimaginable national security risks. National security experts, from one end of the country to the other, agree: No matter how many modifications are made or how much is spent or how intensely it is retrofitted, there will never be 100 percent confidence that the plane is secure. This is not a gamble anyone should be willing to take. It makes no practical sense for Donald Trump to accept this luxury gift when other alternatives in the works are less risky and less costly for taxpayers. This gift reeks of corruption and naked self-enrichment. It reeks of corruption and naked self-enrichment, and Republicans should stand up and support our bill, defend national security, and protect Americans. In the meantime, I will continue my hold on all political Department of Justice nominees until we get more answers about this clearly unethical deal. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on the Qatar plane and the Middle East, last week, Donald Trump concluded a visit to the Middle East that was a smashing success for his own bottom line but a dubious outcome for America's economic and security interest. First, on the Qatari plane, last week, Donald Trump confirmed that he would accept a $400 million luxury Boeing 747 plane offered by Qatar to use as Air Force One--the largest bribe to an American President in modern history. So, today, I am introducing the Presidential Airlift Security Act, prohibiting the use of any foreign plane to be utilized as Air Force One. Senate Republicans who say they are troubled by this Qatari gift should join me in supporting this very commonsense legislation. It should not take an act of Congress to stop the President of the United States from accepting the largest foreign bribe in modern history, but we are dealing with a President who has shown he is perfectly willing to sell out the American people and the Presidency to fill his own pockets. Specifically, my legislation would prohibit even a single taxpayer dollar from being used by the Department of Defense to procure, modify, or retrofit any foreign aircraft to be used in transporting a U.S. President. For one, overhauling a foreign luxury plane to serve as Air Force One would cost billions of taxpayer dollars. The refurbishing alone would cost more than the value of the plane itself, and it would take years. It is a senseless waste of taxpayer resources. Using a foreign plane as Air Force One would also bring unimaginable national security risks. National security experts, from one end of the country to the other, agree: No matter how many modifications are made or how much is spent or how intensely it is retrofitted, there will never be 100 percent confidence that the plane is secure. This is not a gamble anyone should be willing to take. It makes no practical sense for Donald Trump to accept this luxury gift when other alternatives in the works are less risky and less costly for taxpayers. This gift reeks of corruption and naked self-enrichment. It reeks of corruption and naked self-enrichment, and Republicans should stand up and support our bill, defend national security, and protect Americans. In the meantime, I will continue my hold on all political Department of Justice nominees until we get more answers about this clearly unethical deal. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, this morning, Donald Trump's trade war strikes again. Walmart announced today it plans to raise prices in stores across America because of Donald Trump's tariffs. Here is what Walmart will say on its earnings call: [G]iven the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren't able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins. Walmart's raising prices is a canary in the coal mine for the devastation Trump's tariffs will have on Main Street. If a retailer as big as Walmart can't escape the pain of tariffs, what chance do small businesses have? Their customers are inevitably going to see prices rise. Walmart's announcement is a glaring reminder that even after supposedly backtracking on some of his tariffs, significant damage will not go away. The chaos he has unleashed is eating away at retailers, restaurants, small businesses, and middle-class families' wallets. It is still estimated that these tariffs will cost thousands of dollars for each family this year. Donald Trump's tariffs are nothing more than a tax hike on consumers. I am supporting legislation with Jamie Raskin to require large retailers to start displaying clearly to customers precisely how much tariffs are contributing to the total price of products. Americans deserve transparency. If Trump's tariffs are causing prices to go up, through no fault of the retailer, the American consumer ought to know it. Walmart should start displaying in their stores and online how much tariffs actually contribute to the price of their goods. So should all other retailers. America should know how much Trump's tariffs are hurting them. People understand it. People are beginning to understand it, but this display would hit it home every time they buy a good. It shows you how destructive and chaotic Donald Trump's trade war has been. He should backtrack--totally backtrack--before we enter a recession. Specific tariffs that deal with how China treats us, the Chinese Government, the Chinese economy treats us, that is fine, not this ``crazy, go after everybody, poorly put together, and constantly changing tariff'' regime.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now, there is really nothing--nothing--to celebrate about Republicans' ``big, beautiful bill,'' unless you are a billionaire or an oil company. But for everyone else, this so-called ``big, beautiful bill'' is, in fact, nothing more than a big fat grift: taking money away from people, raising costs on average Americans, all to help the billionaires. And, today, I want to talk about how Republicans' big grift is an assault on America's clean energy--the bill that was just released by the Energy and Commerce Committee, or at least that part of it. Now, Donald Trump and Republicans claim to want American energy dominance, but from the moment he became President, they have been hell-bent on killing the clean energy investments America needs to meet the energy needs of tomorrow. They say they want more energy, and then they cut off the cheapest, quickest, most available form of energy for ideological and grift reasons. In a moment, I will talk about the awful Republican bill that just came out of committee, but first I want to talk about a specific project. Donald Trump's clean energy vendetta is wreaking particular havoc on New York's offshore wind industry. And it is a warning--a warning--to the rest of America on how he will deal with clean energy projects. What has happened here is utterly despicable, amazing, and awful. A few weeks ago, the Trump administration suddenly and without explanation issued a stop work order on New York's Empire Wind farm, a $7 billion project already underway by the company Equinor. This is not some project in the planning stages. No, no, no. This was approved years ago. Three to four billion dollars have been put into developing the offshore windmills that will provide energy for hundreds of thousands of homes--clean energy, cheap energy. And, all of a sudden, out of the clear blue, the Secretary of the Interior says: You must stop the project because the environmental impact statement was rushed. The company asks why, and the Interior Secretary says: Well, there is a report that NOAA has issued--that is in the Commerce Department--that says this was rushed and inadequate in terms of the environmental impact. So the company asked--I have asked, repeatedly--for the Commerce Department to show us what the reasoning is, which we think there is none--to show us the specifics of why they halted this project out of the clear blue, a project employing hundreds and hundreds--thousands-- of people, a project where there are boats--I think close to 50 of them--right offshore actually building these offshore wind turbines. Now it is stopped, but there is no explanation. This is like a dictatorship--no due process, no explanation. Out of the blue, just as billions have already been spent and just as construction is underway off the coast, just as 30 percent of the project is built, Donald Trump and Howard Lutnick say: Halt. It is outrageous. Give us a reason, says the company. We have invested billions here in America. They are a Norwegian company, one of the largest offshore wind companies in the world. They are well-qualified. They are well-known. They have a history. Give us a reason. Show us what is wrong with the approval previously 2, 3 years ago of the environmental statements. And there is silence. No answer. No reason. And the project is now on hold. All the boats, they are out there. The workers are out there. No explanation has been given, nor has Equinor been given any opportunity to discuss and address potential problems. This is not how businesses operate. Our friends on the other side like to talk about running government more like a business. Well, this is just outrageous. And every week that Empire Wind sits idle, it costs $50 million. So now, the project may die altogether. Why? We know why. Donald Trump hates offshore wind. He hates offshore wind because, supposedly, years ago, they built a wind farm off the coast of his Scotland golf course. He fought to kill it. He lost. So now he is taking it out on all offshore wind to the detriment of the American energy needs in a way that is like--it is like a dictatorship. Stop, they say. We are not giving you a reason. It is outrageous. It is malicious and intentional sabotage. It is an outright attack on New York jobs, on New York workers, and it is happening for no other reason than partisan ideology and political sociopathy--partisan ideology because the rightwing oil and gas barons hate clean energy, even though it is the cheapest way to reduce our energy needs, and political sociopathy because Donald Trump hates offshore wind because he didn't like windmills off his golf course in Scotland. The Trump administration must at least give an explanation so the company can answer why they should continue with the project. I call on Secretary Lutnick to immediately release the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report that was used as justification to halt work on the Empire Wind project. New Yorkers, Americans, the company which invests heavily in America deserves to know: Why halt this project? What is the deal? What is the justification? And what is the plan to get the jobs back on track? These are good jobs--good-paying jobs. If everything is on the level, the administration should not fear being transparent with Equinor. What is the answer? How can they shut the project down and give no explanation? We have called the Secretary of the Interior. He says it is up to Lutnick and NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are the ones who say that this was approved too quickly, even though it has been working with no problems for years and work is ongoing and construction is ongoing. By the way, to everyone investing in America, whether you are an American company or not, this should be a shot-across-the-bow warning of what this administration can do--out of the clear blue, just say stop, no explanation, no reason, no ands, ifs, or buts. Our business community should be outraged about how this business is being treated, not just the energy business. They can do this anywhere. We need answers, and at the very minimum, the explanation as to why they ordered this project stopped, which I imagine is very flimsy and came from Donald Trump's sociopathy because he hates offshore wind because of what they did. He didn't like those windmills off the golf course in Scotland. It is well-known that is why he hates offshore wind. So what happened with Equinor is just a disgusting travesty that must be reversed. It is so, so outrageously unfair, malicious, and counterproductive for America's energy needs.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) is necessarily absent.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, news of the Qatari Government gifting Donald Trump a $4 million private jet to use as Air Force One is so corrupt that even Putin would give a double take. This is not just naked corruption. It is also a grave national security threat. So in light of the deeply troubling news of a possible Qatari-funded Air Force One and the reports that the Attorney General personally signed off on this clearly unethical deal, I am announcing a hold on all DOJ political nominees until we get more answers. Here are some questions that must be answered. First, I call on the DOJ's Foreign Agent Registration Act Unit, or the FARA Unit, to do its job and disclose all activities by Qatari foreign agents inside the United States that could benefit President Trump or the Trump Organization. Since Attorney General Bondi took charge, the Department of Justice has not been doing its job when it comes to FARA. The FARA unit needs to enforce the law and inform the public of all activities, not just on this luxury plane deal but all deals involving foreign countries in the Middle East and President Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization. Second, with regard to this half-a-billion-dollar private jet deal, the American people deserve to know the facts. President Trump has told the American people this is a ``free jet.'' Does that mean the Qataris are delivering a ready-on-day-one plane with all the security measures already built in? If so, who installed those security measures, and how do we know they were properly installed? Why would we take the risk of trusting any foreign country to do this sensitive work? If not, what security modifications would be needed to ensure a foreign-sourced Air Force One is safe to use? If this is, as President Trump promised, a ``free jet,'' will the Qataris pay for those highly sensitive installations, or will the American taxpayers cover the cost? How much will those modifications cost American taxpayers? Hundreds of millions of dollars? Billions of dollars? How much will they cost? If the American taxpayers are forced to pay for this temporary plane, does it mean the U.S. Government will cancel the contract for the future Boeing plane? If so, how much will that cancellation cost? And if not, why are American taxpayers being asked to spend hundreds of millions of dollars or more on a plane that will only be used for a year or two? Additionally, who in the Trump administration was responsible for this crooked deal? What are the parameters of this deal? And which country brought it up first--us or them? What is Qatar being offered in return? Considering past security disasters, such as the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, what are the security risks of this arrangement? And, finally, how is this gift not naked corruption? The Attorney General must testify before both the House and Senate to explain why gifting Donald Trump a private jet does not violate the emoluments clause, which requires congressional approval, or any other ethics law. So until the Attorney General explains her blatantly inept decision and we get complete and comprehensive answers to these and other questions, I will place a hold on all political nominees to the Department of Justice. As disturbing as this latest news about the Qatari Air Force One is, it is frankly just the tip of the iceberg. For months, Qatari and other Gulf State nationals have spent billions on deals with the Trump organizations, seemingly to buy access to the President, including $2 billion from the UAE venture capital firm for Donald Trump's new stablecoin, including the launch of a new Trump hotel in Dubai worth over a billion dollars and the construction of a beachside golf course in Qatar, potentially worth $5 billion. Donald Trump's business deals in the Middle East reek of crooked self-enrichment. He isn't just blurring the line between public service and personal profit, he is erasing it. This isn't speculation; it is fact backed by overwhelming evidence. He is jeopardizing America's national security to line his own pockets. What is most chilling about this brazen bribe and the national security betrayal is how openly Donald Trump is doing it, how he is lying about the need for this aircraft and the risks involved and how he is daring Republicans to call him out. And how are Republicans responding? With silence. With their heads in the sand. Total obeisance. Afraid to tell the ``emperor'' he has no clothes. Well, Republicans may be too scared to stand up to Donald Trump, but I will keep pushing and Senate Democrats will keep pushing to get more answers to this nakedly crooked arrangement with Qatar. Until the American people learn the truth about this deal, I will do my part to block the galling and truly breathtaking politicization at the Department of Justice.