Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Progress Made By This Senate And Building On That By Moving Forward With the Fire Grants And Safety Act

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on yesterday’s historic passage of legislation to repeal the 2002 and 1991 Iraq AUMFs, confirmation of critical judicial nominations, and upcoming legislative priorities. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Sixty-six to thirty. That’s the final count of yesterday’s vote to repeal the Iraq AUMFs of 2002 and 1991, a bipartisan success years in the making. That was a very good moment here on the floor yesterday, a sign that Senators on both sides want to see bipartisanship continue in this chamber.

We can see it again if members work together on issues that Americans care about, like lowering costs, preserving America’s competitiveness, and, in yesterday’s case, stopping endless wars in the Middle East.

It is my hope that the AUMF repeal can be a model, a blueprint for how the Senate operates in the coming years. It’s not easy, but it’s very much possible, and I thank my Republican colleagues and, particularly, Senator Young, for their cooperation.

AUMF repeal was the conclusion of a successful, busy five-week work period we just completed in the Senate, a busy and successful five-week work period on and off the floor. We confirmed another 14 highly qualified judicial nominees to lifetime appointments to the bench: 13 district judges and one circuit court judge, bringing our total to 119 new judges—119 new judges, that makes us proud—under President Biden.

I also want to recognize our committee chairs for their good work over the past month or so, holding hearing after hearing, day after day on important issues that Americans care about, like rail safety, the health of our banks, the rights of working Americans, the President’s budget, and more.

The Senate will hit the ground running when we return from the April state work period by taking up the much-needed Fire Grants and Safety Act. It’s my hope that yesterday’s 96-0 vote in favor of moving forward portends for swift action and argues very strongly against dilatory tactics. Let’s do the same thing we did on AUMF. We’re willing to allow some amendments, but we’ve got to move forward. This is something that is supported broadly, as shown by the 96-0 vote.

Just this week, 29 fire and emergency service groups warned Congress that, with summer around the corner, local fire departments of all kinds are woefully understaffed, underfunded, and under-equipped to meet their obligations to keep people safe.

So when we return, the Senate must move quickly to pass fire grants legislation, without unnecessary delays to this overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation.

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