Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, moments ago, speaking through a video feed from Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Members of both the House and the Senate as the war in Ukraine enters its 21st awful day. It is one of the highest honors of any Congress to welcome remarks by a foreign head of state, but it is unheard of to hear from a leader fighting for his life, fighting for his country's future, and fighting to preserve the very idea of democracy. I cannot remember the last time a foreign leader united a room full of Members from both sides so quickly and so intensely. He spoke not just to American ears but to America's very soul. In one sense, his speech was reminiscent of the stirring feeling all of us had in the aftermath of 9/11: equal parts resolve and unity and determination to save democracy from an hour of darkness. As we have said from the start of the war, the Senate, the Congress, and the American people stand unequivocally behind the people of Ukraine. America will continue to strengthen our NATO allies and reassure our friends in Europe that we will remain a steady ally. It is why, last week, Congress approved nearly $14 billion for food, shelter, money for Javelins and Stingers and anti-aircraft weapons and refugee help. Every last penny that the United States sends to Ukraine is money well spent. This morning, it is reported that President Biden will also announce another $800 million in military assistance. This means even more anti- tank, anti-aircraft missiles and other weapons that have been the most effective on the battlefield for the Ukrainians. Last night, the Senate also unanimously passed legislation supporting investigations by the International Criminal Court into potential war crimes by Putin and his regime. I thank Senator Graham and the many, many others who backed this bill. The Senate also confirmed the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, our lead advocate in making sure this investigation is robust and it is swift. These steps are all necessary. Over the last 2 weeks, we have seen Putin attack the largest nuclear plant in Europe, attack the Chernobyl containment site, attack a children's hospital, and attack designated humanitarian convoys. Putin, so far, is not winning militarily so now this evil man is trying to win by massacring civilians; massacring babies; parents, the elderly; and targeting apartments, just as he did in Syria, just as he did in Chechnya. If this doesn't equal a war crime, I don't know what does. If it wasn't clear before, it should be clear now that President Putin and his band of cronies are not going to stop. But in his monomaniacal hubris, Putin has severely--severely--underestimated the Ukrainian people. Every time an innocent Ukrainian is killed, the resolve of the people grows stronger, and we stand with them. I join my colleagues in one voice to say this: ``Slava Ukraini,'' glory to Ukraine. And, Mr. President, just seeing the video that the President showed us is heartbreaking and strengthens our resolve. Putin, by being such a villain, by being such a brutal, evil man, is not going to deter the Ukrainians, for sure, and not the American people from helping Ukraine. It strengthens our resolve when we see how vicious, how brutal he is.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Which--I hasten to add for his sake--is often.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that 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. I know of no further debate on the resolution.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, in a few minutes, we will pass a resolution, S. Res. 546, condemning the Russian Federation, condemning Vladimir Putin, and expressing the sense of the Senate condemning the Russian Federation, Putin, and members of Russian security council, Russian Armed Forces, and Russian military commanders for committing atrocities, alleged war crimes against the people of Ukraine. It has been 19 days--19 long, bloody days since the war erupted on the European continent. Today, all of us in this Chamber join together as Democrats and Republicans to say that Vladimir Putin cannot escape accountability for the atrocities committed against the Ukrainian people. The legislation passing today, championed by Senator Graham, sends an unmistakable message that the United States stands with Ukraine, stands against Putin, and stands with all efforts to hold Putin accountable for the atrocities levied upon the Ukrainian people. Putin is not winning militarily, so now, this evil man is trying to win by massacring civilians, massacring babies, parents, the elderly, pregnant women, shooting at hospitals, sending missiles to hospitals, apartment buildings, et cetera--just as he did in Syria, just as he did in Chechnya--wiping out the civilian population in hopes of winning. But in his monomaniacal hubris, Putin has severely underestimated the Ukrainian people. Every time an innocent Ukrainian is killed, the resolve of the Ukrainian people grows stronger. And we stand with them. We have all seen the images, heard the stories, and watched the videos of the reality of this awful war. Hundreds--maybe even thousands--of civilians have been killed, as I said, from the elderly all the way down to babies not even a month old. These atrocities deserve to be investigated for war crimes. Entire cities with hundreds of thousands of people have been left with no water, no power, no connection to the outside world. Unable to overtake Ukraine in a quick strike, Russian forces seem to be openly targeting sites that have little military significance. Today, I am proud to ask unanimous consent and ask all of my colleagues to support today's legislation condemning Putin's atrocities and supporting efforts to hold him accountable before the eyes of the entire world. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res 546, submitted earlier today.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I thank the Senator once again. He is always courteous. Even when we disagree, he is very courteous.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I have several more wrap-ups. Would the Senator from Mississippi indulge me?

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order, following the remarks of Senators Portman, Wicker, and Blumenthal.

Mr. SCHUMER. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 420, 421, 423, 425, 730, 472, and 784; that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc without intervening action or debate; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions, and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. For the information of Senators, the first rollcall votes of the day will begin at 11:45 a.m.

Mr. SCHUMER. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 16; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Corley nomination; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Wednesday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, tomorrow, March 16, at 11:45 a.m., the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 656, the nomination of Jacqueline Corley, and on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 738, the nomination of Fred Slaughter; further, at 3 p.m., the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Calendar No. 682, the nomination of Ruth Montenegro, and the motion to invoke cloture on Calendar No. 678, the nomination of Victoria Calvert; that if cloture is invoked on any of these nominations, the Senate vote on confirmation at a time to be determined by the majority leader or designee following consultation with the Republican leader; finally, that the remaining cloture motions ripen at a time to be determined by the majority leader or designee following consultation with the Republican leader.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I want to thank my friend and colleague from Mississippi, as well as my friend and colleague from Ohio and from Connecticut. We have one very important unanimous consent request that I will mention now and ask that unanimous consent request and then do the other ones as well. It will take a few minutes, and I appreciate that.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, so the Senate this week will continue fulfilling its constitutional duty to confirm more of the President's judicial and administrative nominees. Yesterday, I filed cloture on 12 additional nominees, setting up a busy rest of the week here on the floor. Absent an agreement to expedite the process--and, unfortunately, we have seen all too few of those coming from our Republican colleagues--Members can expect to begin voting tomorrow morning, and we will work through all 12 nominees until we have a path to getting them confirmed. Due to the months of obstructive holds by a few--just a handful of Republicans--in addition to judicial nominees, we also must use up floor time to confirm U.S. attorneys, something practically unheard of in the Senate. These Republicans who have delayed our U.S. attorneys are actively making our communities less safe, and it is regrettable they have chosen to obstruct the Senate for their own personal political interests. So my colleagues ought to be prepared for a busy few days here on the floor. Now, among the nominees we will consider are two great nominees from New York, I am proud to say. One, we will consider Judge Ali Nathan, nominated to serve as judge for the Second Circuit. She is a brilliant jurist with a decade of experience as a district judge, and I was proud to recommend her to sit on one of the most important courts in the Nation. I am also pleased that the Senate will also vote on Hector Gonzalez to serve as district judge for the Eastern District of New York. Born in Cuba, raised in Queens, and a Fulbright scholar who became one of New York's top attorneys, Mr. Gonzalez is the very embodiment of the American dream; and, like Judge Nathan, I am glad to have recommended him to President Biden. I am also glad to note, under Senator Durbin's leadership, Judge Nathan and Mr. Gonzalez received bipartisan support in committee, so I look forward to the Senate confirming them in short order. But first, the Senate will look to make history, once again, later today by confirming Shalanda Young to serve as President Biden's Director of the Office of Management and Budget, a Cabinet-level position. She would be the first Black woman ever confirmed by the Senate to lead the OMB. It shouldn't have taken this long to confirm someone as obviously qualified as Shalanda Young. She has been leading the OMB for nearly a year. She knows the budget and appropriations processes like the back of her hand. She has proven capable of working with Republicans and Democrats alike, and it was through her guidance that the administration notched some of its biggest victories, including the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure law. Shalanda Young is one of the most effective Cabinet leaders to have the label of ``Acting'' in a very long time, but it is long past time for that word to drop from her job title. I look forward to the Senate officially confirming Ms. Young as OMB Director later today.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 662.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 681.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 679.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I send a cloture motion to the desk. PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.