Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Need For A Bipartisan National Security Aid Package And Conversations With Israeli Leaders

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the need for bipartisanship, Senate Republicans’ border proposal, and the United States’ commitment to standing with Israel. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

The global community is facing a great number of challenges these days: Israel and Hamas are at war with Iran itching to join the fray; Russian aggression in Ukraine challenges the stability of the Western alliance; the Chinese government threatens Taiwan’s independence.

The United States is uniquely positioned and, I would argue, needed, to play a role in ensuring the peaceful existence of the people of Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, and Taiwan. I believe that most members of this body would agree with me.

However, some members on the other side of the aisle—not all—seem to prefer that the U.S. sit on the sidelines—or in other words, put their heads in the sand—as we face these global battles. Some members on the other side of the aisle seem to prefer that Putin, Xi, and Hamas pursue their ambitions unthwarted.  

I state right here and now that I do not agree with those Republican colleagues. I believe that the United States of America must make a stand against totalitarianism and terrorism. I would hope that everyone would agree with me but, here in the Senate, it seems that some of my Republican colleagues are siding with Putin and placing unrealistic conditions on aid to Ukraine.

But, we are not giving up; we are going to keep pushing and we will succeed.

Whether it’s aid to Israel, or aid to Ukraine, or aid for Taiwan, or humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, or keeping the government open, or avoiding default, Republicans must shun doing the thing that some hard-right Republicans want them to do: take issues that, on their own, have strong bipartisan support, and inject them with toxic provisions that make it impossible to get anything done.

That’s what happened last week with the House Israel bill. It’s what is happening this week with a Senate GOP immigration proposal.

At a moment when the world is in crisis, when our friends abroad need our help, when our troops face increased attacks in Iraq and Syria—and with a government shutdown looming over us—this moment calls for bipartisanship.

This moment calls for Republicans and Democrats to be realistic and clear-eyed about what can pass through both chambers on immigration, border, and all other issues.

Israel, Ukraine, civilians in Gaza, the Indo-Pacific—all of these things have bipartisan support in both chambers. All of them deal with our national security.

None of them should be turned into bargaining chips for hard-right policies. We must win on all of them.

Now, it has been over a month now since Israel endured the deadliest terrorist attack in her entire history. There are still over two hundred fifty hostages held by Hamas, including American hostages and women and children. We promised to send Israel aid as soon as we could, and we will work hard, hopefully in a bipartisan way, to get this done.

In the last two days, I’ve spoken with senior officials in the Israeli government—including President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant, Minister Gantz, and Opposition Leader Lapid—and reiterated that the United States has Israel’s back in this dark hour.

I made clear that one month after Hamas’ attack, America’s commitment to Israel and to the Israeli people is ironclad and America will always be Israel’s strongest ally. I assured them that I am doing everything to pass the President’s assistance package ASAP.

In my conversations, I stressed to Israeli leaders that as Israel works to radically reduce the threat of Hamas – which they must do– they also have a responsibility to protect innocent Palestinian civilian life. We know this is not easy, but it must be done. 

We must likewise work together to send critical humanitarian aid to innocent civilians in Gaza who have nothing to do with Hamas.

I also strongly urged the Israeli government to quickly clamp down on settler violence against—and displacement of—Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

Violence and displacement against these Palestinian civilians is not just wrong, it risks spreading the current the crisis beyond Gaza, at a time when Israel and America are working hard to deter other actors from taking advantage of the situation. 

And in the long run, it also makes it much harder to achieve a two state solution, which I support and which the vast majority of Americans support, which Hamas does not.

We also talked about my meetings with families of the hostages. I shared how moved I was by the stories of families of hostages held by Hamas that I met in Israel and the United States, and I discussed the need to locate and secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas through all means possible. 

Finally, I encouraged the Israeli leaders to do all they can to support the Senate’s comprehensive package, including robust humanitarian assistance for Gaza, so that innocent civilians who have nothing to do with Hamas can get the food, water, and necessities that they need.

At every point during my conversations with Israeli leaders, one idea remained constant: we’ll stand strong with Israel. We’ll support Israel’s right to defend themselves. And we will work hard to pass emergency assistance for Israel, Ukraine, humanitarian assistance for Gaza, and the Indo-Pacific as soon as we can.

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