Schumer Floor Remarks On The Republican Majority Ignoring The Horrific Consequences Of President Trump’s Abandonment Of Our Kurdish Allies

Washington, D.C. — Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor about the Republican majority ignoring the reckless consequences of President Trump’s failed foreign policy agenda. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

While the Senate Majority rushes to confirm a Supreme Court Justice, it’s ignoring a number of very important priorities.

Earlier this week, the Republicans had a series of stunt votes on COVID relief, on an emaciated bill that left most Americans behind and was even designated to fail.  

Now I want to mention a foreign policy issue the Republican majority is ignoring.

We have a resolution by Senators Menendez and Murphy to invoke statutory authority under the Foreign Assistance Act, to require the Secretary of State to assess and report to the Congress on Turkey’s potential human rights abuses in Syria. My colleagues introduced this resolution as a result of Turkey’s invasion of northeast Syria and its campaign to ethnically cleanse Kurds from the region, which has resulted in numerous reports of horrific human rights abuses. The tragic events were the results of the president’s decision to abandon our Kurdish partners. The administration didn’t lift a finger to uncover the atrocities committed by Turkish proxies.

Even more recently, the Turkish government, led by President Erdogan, has blood on its hands for its role in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

President Erdogan is sending individuals responsible for the atrocities in Syria to this region now. He must be exposed. He must be exposed for these actions.

This president has a record of cozying up to dictators and action must be taken. So, Mr. President, in order to proceed to Resolution S. 409, a resolution requesting information on Turkey’s human rights practices in Syria, I move to proceed to legislative session.

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