Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Moving Forward On The National Security Supplemental

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the floor regarding Senate consideration of the national security supplemental. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Today, the Senate gavels in on a Sunday to continue our work on the national security supplemental. In about an hour, we will take the next procedural vote, on cloture on the substitute amendment.

I can’t remember the last time the Senate was in session on Super Bowl Sunday, but as I’ve said all week long we’re going to keep working on this bill until the job is done.

Even though we’re keeping the process moving on the floor, Democrats still hope we can reach an agreement with our Republican colleagues on a reasonable list of amendments. We are happy to have fair and reasonable amendment votes on the floor, so we’ll see if there’s any possibility for speeding this process up.

But all the same, it is essential that we finish the work on this bill. It’s been years, perhaps decades, that the Senate has taken up a standalone bill that so significantly impacts not just our national security, not just the security of our allies, but the very security of western democracy and our ideals.

As we speak, Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has rendered parts of Eastern Europe a warzone the likes of which we have not seen in those regions since the Second World War.

Ukraine is dangerously low on supplies, including ammo and air defenses. If America doesn’t assist Ukraine, Putin is all too likely to succeed, as President Zelenskyy repeatedly has reminded us.

The only right answer to this threat is for the Senate to face it down unflinchingly, by passing this bill as soon as we can.

Again, Democrats are ready to work with the other side in a spirit of bipartisanship. I know many of my Republican colleagues are working in good faith to get this done. I thank them for their dedication, for their good work, and for doing the right thing by voting yes. Let us move forward.

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