Schumer Floor Remarks Calling on the Senate to Pass A Comprehensive COVID-Response Bill Like The Heroes Act and Urging Senator McConnell To Start Negotiating Bipartisan Legislation

Washington, D.C. — Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the importance of passing a comprehensive COVID bill that actually meets the needs of the American people. Senator Schumer also urged Republican leader Mitch McConnell to come to the table to negotiate a bipartisan COVID relief bill. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

By all rights, the Senate should not be spending its time this week on so many nominees, especially unqualified nominees like Ms. Shelton, while COVID-19 is surging throughout the country.

The urgent need for another relief bill has been confronting the Senate since March of this year. The Republican leader put the Senate on “pause”, as he said, all summer while the virus got worse and worse, and when he finally decided it was time to do another bill, he crafted a partisan, emaciated proposal that fell drastically short of what is needed to address a burgeoning health and economic crisis.

Now, President-elect Biden has urged the Senate to pass a comprehensive bill that actually meets the needs of the American people. He pointed to the Heroes Act, and that’s the right focus. We need a comprehensive bill that meets the needs of the American people. But, of course we will want to sit down and negotiate with our Republican colleagues.

The Republican leader should come to the table and negotiate with Democrats on a bipartisan COVID-relief bill, with a bipartisan process, that addresses all of the challenges we now face.

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