Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Ahead Of Passage Of The Continuing Resolution

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor ahead of passage on legislation to fund the government, assist Ukraine, help American families heat their homes, and aid states hit by disasters. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:

In a few moments we'll vote on the continuing resolution to fund the government through mid-December. This legislation avoids a very bad thing – shutting down the government – and does a lot of good things: money for the people of Ukraine, funding for communities reeling from natural disasters, aid to families with their heating bills, just to name a few.

I'm very thankful to all the senators, particularly Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Shelby, who made this possible. This is common sense, bipartisan legislation, following many other bipartisan bills that we have done in this session. And I'm glad we came to a timely conclusion and didn't go right up to the brink and risk a shutdown. Millions and millions of people can breathe easy knowing that we have done this in a timely way and the money to continue the government will be there.

Particular importance is the money to Ukraine. These people have struggled so valiantly. Make no mistake about it, American weaponry and help has helped them turn the tide of the war. We cannot stop now and we’re not going to. The heat program is so important. Winter is coming upon us. The program is running out of money. While we probably will get more money in the omnibus in December, between now and Christmas, there are going to be a lot of cold days and people are going to need that heat money. And the money from natural disasters, in my judgement, as a result of climate change, we have many more disasters, so we need more help, and this will go to many states in many parts of the country.

So I want to thank again Senator Leahy. I want to thank Senator Shelby. I want to thank the members of the Appropriations Committee. And I want to thank all the staff, mine and others, who worked so long and hard to get this done.

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