Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I yield the floor, and I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on this CRA, this awful CRA. Vote on Motion

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. On this solemn day--on this solemn day--we owe it to the survivors, their families, and the world to continue bearing witness to the tragic legacy of the Holocaust and keep repeating our conviction and our prayer: Never again.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, preserving the full faith and credit of the United States is one of the most important responsibilities that Members of Congress face. It requires cooperation, bipartisanship, and leaders who can instill confidence and calm to markets and working families alike. But I cannot think of a worse message to send to the world than for Speaker McCarthy to travel all the way to New York, look Wall Street in the eye, and threaten that the United States will default on its debt unless Republicans get spending cuts first. Why the Speaker traveled all the way to New York to give a speech that offered nothing new in substance or concept but the same dangerous message--different than what we have done in the past--is beyond me. If Speaker McCarthy continues in this direction, the United States is likely headed toward default. But do you know what will avoid default? Republicans working with Democrats to avoid this crisis--all together--just as we did under Donald Trump. The Speaker has insisted for months on cuts, though he has failed to offer any clarity about what kind of cuts Republicans want. House GOP leadership is presenting their wish list to their Members at a closed meeting this morning. No one should confuse this wish list as anything more than a recycling of the same bad ideas we have heard about for weeks, and it is still not clear that Speaker McCarthy has the votes to even pass this. Indeed, a handful of House GOP Members insist they won't raise the debt ceiling for anything, not even a GOP wish list. One of the few specific items is the Speaker's laughable suggestion-- and it is laughable--that we avoid default for only a year, ensuring that this dangerous crisis repeats itself in 12 months. Why the Speaker thinks anyone--anyone--would agree to have another debt ceiling crisis next year is beyond me. Nobody is saying that there cannot be a conversation about what kind of cuts Republicans want, but it doesn't belong in this debate, plain and simple. It belongs in discussions over the budget that Congress has every year and not as a precondition to avoiding default. So let me make this easy for my Republican colleagues. Don't bother with partisan wish lists and unrealistic proposals that will never solve this debt default crisis. Instead, avoid default using the same approach we did under President Trump twice and under President Biden once: Democrats and Republicans, working together, without preconditions. If Republicans agree to that, there will be no default.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume legislative session and resume consideration of S. 870.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture motion with respect to S. 870 be withdrawn and that the only amendments in order to the bill be the following: Lee No. 80; Scott No. 81; Hagerty No. 72, as modified; Van Hollen No. 85; Sullivan No. 83; and Paul No. 79; that if offered, the Senate vote in relation to the amendments listed at a time to be determined by the majority leader following consultation with the Republican leader; that following disposition of the above amendments, amendment No. 58 be withdrawn; that the bill, as amended, if amended, be considered read a third time and the Senate vote on passage of the bill; that 60 affirmative votes be required for the adoption of these amendments and passage of the bill, with the exception of the Sullivan and Paul amendments; and that there be 2 minutes for debate equally divided between the two leaders or their designees prior to each vote, all without intervening action or debate.

Mr. SCHUMER. For the information of the Senate, the vote on the Lee amendment will be at approximately 4:30 p.m. today. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, few have left their mark on this country like our dear friend Senator Dianne Feinstein. She is a legend in California, the first woman Senator from the State. She is a legend here in the Senate--the longest serving woman Senator in U.S. history. She built a reputation as an expert legislator on so many issues--gun violence, VAWA, the environment, women's rights, and so much more. But her impact doesn't end there. Dianne is a legend throughout the country. She shattered enumerable glass ceilings, moved countless mountains, and molded millions of minds. Few have accomplished as much in office as Senator Feinstein. Our colleague and friend has made her wish clear, that another Senator temporarily serve on the Committee on the Judiciary until she returns. I thank Senator Cardin for agreeing to step in. So today, I am acting not just as leader, but as Dianne's friend in honoring her wishes until she returns to the Senate. Mr. President, when someone as dear and as accomplished as Senator Feinstein asks us for something so important to her, we ought to respect it. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of my resolution which is at the desk; I further ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the notice of adoption of regulations from the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights be printed in the Record.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, first, let me begin by welcoming back our friend, Leader McConnell, to the Senate. It is great to have him back here in this Chamber. We are all happy to see he is recovering well. I also want to welcome back our colleague from Pennsylvania and friend, Senator Fetterman. We are all glad he got the support he needed, and he is sending an important message to millions of Americans that asking for and getting help works.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls for the cloture motions filed today, March 30, be waived.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 149, submitted earlier today.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 150, which is at the desk.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 659 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. Res 120 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

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, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. First, on our work period recap, well, 66 to 30, that is the final count of yesterday's vote to repeal the Iraq AUMF of 2002 and 1991, a bipartisan success years in the making. That was a very good moment here on the floor yesterday--a sign that Senators on both sides want to see bipartisanship continue in this Chamber. We can see it again if Members work together on issues that Americans care about, like lowering costs, preserving America's competitiveness, and in yesterday's case, stopping endless wars in the Middle East. It is my hope that the AUMF repeal can be a model, a blueprint for how the Senate operates in the coming years. It is not easy, but it is very much possible, and I thank my Republican colleagues, particularly Senator Young, for their cooperation. The AUMF repeal was the conclusion of a successful busy work period-- 5-week work period that we just completed in the Senate--a busy and successful work period on and off the floor. We confirmed another 14 highly qualified judicial nominees to lifetime appointments to the bench, 13 district and one circuit court judge, bringing our total to 119 new judges--119 new judges; that makes us proud--under President Biden. I also want to recognize our committee chairs for their good work over the past month or so in holding hearing after hearing, day after day, on important issues that Americans care about, like rail safety, the health of our banks, the rights of working Americans, the President's budget, and more. The Senate will hit the ground running when we return from the April State work period by taking up the much needed Fire Grants and Safety Act. It is my hope that yesterday's 96-0 vote in favor of moving forward portends for swift action and argues very strongly against dilatory tactics. Let's do the same thing we did on the AUMF. We are willing to allow some amendments, but we have got to move forward. This is something that is supported broadly, as shown by the 96-0 vote. Just this week, 29 fire emergency service groups warned Congress that with summer around the corner, local fire departments of all kinds are woefully understaffed, underfunded, and underequipped to meet their obligations to keep people safe. So, when we return, the Senate must move quickly to pass fire grants legislation without unnecessary delays to this overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on the Senator from Alabama's holding up military nominations, the Senator from Alabama continues his hold on-- more than 180 now--promotions, military promotions, blatantly ignoring the many warnings of the harm he is causing to our national security. It is reckless. It is just reckless. Yesterday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned that blocking these promotions ``creates a ripple effect through the force that makes us far less ready than we need to be.'' Do you hear that, the Senator from Alabama? The Secretary of Defense is saying that what you do makes us far less ready than we need to be at a time when China and Iran and Russia are all causing all kinds of security problems and threats. But Secretary Austin also emphasized another point, a very important point: The Senator's stonewalling is having consequences--bad consequences, heart-wrenching consequences--for our military families. By blocking these promotions, the Senator from Alabama is blocking pay raises for these officers and their families. By blocking these promotions, the Senator from Alabama is blocking military kids from starting at new schools, setting them back in their educations. When a member of the military serves, their family serves, too. Does the Senator from Alabama understand the disruption and chaos he is causing for military families? These are people serving us. They are not political. They have worked hard. They have done a good job. They got a promotion. A promotion means moving--a change of venue, a change of school. It means a career path--how long you have been at one rank and then to another. The Senator from Alabama is playing havoc with so many military families, who are nonpolitical, who have served our country well, who thought they were ready for promotions until this cruel act of the Senator from Alabama stopped them. These military families have done nothing--nothing--to deserve the disrespect and disdain shown by the Senator from Alabama. It is insulting to our servicemembers that one Senator--just one--is holding up what has long been a routine and nonpartisan process. Again, I urge my colleague from Alabama to think this through and stand down. We understand he has passion on the issue. We disagree with it vehemently; so do most Americans. But passion on the issue is not an excuse for causing havoc in the military in terms of force and in terms of the lives of the families. I would again plead with my Republican colleagues, whether it is public or private, to go to the Senator from Alabama and dissuade him from his folly.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, finally, on H.R. 1, the House is expected today to vote on Republicans' partisan, unserious, and so-called energy package that they call H.R. 1. First, once again, I want to make it clear: H.R. 1 is dead on arrival in the Senate, not because of politics but because it is so ridiculous and has been drawn up by a bunch of pro-oil Senators who have no regard for anyone else. No Democrat has been consulted. Obviously, the Republicans knew that in the House when they passed it, but they seem to want to go back. In H.R. 1, they go back to the MAGA supporters back home--the big oil companies, the oil wildcatters, and so many of the oil States that don't want to pay any taxes and that don't want anything to do with moving us forward as the climate gets worse and worse. The Senate is not going to waste our time on a bill that sets America back decades in our transition to clean energy. All it takes is a brief glance at H.R. 1 to realize it is just a giveaway to Big Oil. House Republicans' so-called energy package just guts important safeguards, environmental safeguards, on fossil fuel projects. It would lock America into expensive, erratic, and dirty energy sources while setting us back more than a decade on our decision to move forward on clean energy, which this Nation fully supports. Transmission, of course, is hugely important to increasing access on clean energy, but the Republican plan hardly even mentions it. So, again, the way to do this, Republicans in the House, is in a bipartisan way. We have a Republican House. We have a Democratic Senate. No party is going to be able to jam its way through without consulting the other side. That is true on the debt ceiling. That is true on the budget, and it is certainly true on H.R. 1. There are Republicans in the House and Democrats in the House, and there are Republicans in the Senate and Democrats in the Senate who want to sit down and do a serious energy package. We need to do it. Let's stop this brinksmanship. Let's stop this political game-playing. Let's stop this throwing of bones to the MAGA hard right, which represents, maybe, 5 percent of America. Let's roll up our sleeves. Let's get down to work and get something done on energy and on so many other issues.