Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Moving Forward With Confirming President Biden’s Qualified Nominees, Despite Republican Obstruction

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the importance of confirming President Biden’s nominees to positions critical to U.S. diplomacy and national security, despite Republicans obstruction. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Last night I filed cloture on seven nominations that have to date been tied up by Republican obstructionists.

These individuals will play a critical role in advancing US diplomacy across the globe—from Europe to East Asia to Africa. One will be tasked with international narcotics law enforcement; another will advise on military affairs.

And these are not controversial nominees. Quite the contrary—they were all reported out of committee with overwhelming bipartisan support and would normally be confirmed by this chamber without much fuss.

Now a few on the other side have decided they’re going to hold these critical nominations hostage for the sake of scoring political points with the far-right. It’s sort of a manic dash: who can be the most irresponsible to please the far-right, of people who seem to be interested in running for president in 2024.

They want to drag out what should be an easy process—wasting this chamber’s time and energy and hindering the government’s ability to protect American interest.

The Republicans who are delaying the confirmation of these nominees are deliberately making the American people less safe, just so they can try to enhance their personal political fortunes, which, in my judgement if there is any gain it will be short-term. And the loss of doing this will be much greater to them. Everyone here knows what’s really going on.

But despite Republican obstruction, this week we are going to make sure these important nominees are confirmed by the Senate. I hope we can come to an agreement to ultimately move them quickly through this chamber—but either way we are going to stay here until these nominees have been confirmed.  

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