Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Senate’s Work This Week To Confirm Critical Members Of President Biden’s Team And Pass The Water Infrastructure Bill

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the floor regarding the need to confirm critical members of President Biden’s team today and the Senate’s work to pass the water infrastructure bill before the end of the week. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks which can also be viewed here:

Today the Senate will take a series of votes to confirm three highly-qualified nominees to the Biden Administration: Jason Miller for Deputy OMB Director, Janet McCabe for Deputy EPA Administrator, and Colin Kahl for Undersecretary of Defense for Policy.

And then, later this afternoon, the Senate will move forward with the process to take up the bipartisan water infrastructure bill. I expect the Senate will do so with substantial bipartisan support.

The water infrastructure bill is as non-controversial as it gets. It was approved by the Environment and Public Works Committee on a unanimous vote—every single Democrat, every single Republican—thanks to the good work of Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Capito. This water infrastructure bill is also a core component of the Republican infrastructure proposal released last week. So I hope this legislation will serve as a starting point for our two parties to collaborate on infrastructure, when and where we can.

At the moment, Senators Carper, Duckworth and Cardin continue discussions with Republican Senators about possible amendments. But let me be very clear: the Senate must conclude its work on the water infrastructure bill before the end of the week.

This is not a controversial bill or a complicated new program. In too many communities, access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water is not a guarantee. Surely we can all agree that, in America, clean drinking water should be a fundamental guarantee. The Senate must take the first, necessary steps to invest in communities with aging water infrastructure by passing this bill. And we must so this week.

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