Executive Calendar

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, first I would thank my friend and colleague, the senior Senator from Minnesota, for her eloquent, passionate words that tell the story of how she has done so much good and is working so hard to heal the wounds of Minnesota. We all appreciate it, Minnesotans and many Americans.

Now, last night, as peaceful citizens exercised their constitutional right to protest in Lafayette Park, across from the White House, Federal law enforcement officers were ordered to clear out the crowds with tear gas and rubber bullets so that President Trump could walk from the White House to a nearby church for a photo op.

He did not enter the church. He did not offer words of prayer. The crowds were dispersed with force so that he could get his picture taken with a Bible that wasn't his and was held upside down in front of a church he never asked to visit.

I spoke at length about these events this morning. The aggressive use of force on law-abiding protesters was appalling. It was an abuse of Presidential power. It may have been illegal. It was certainly a violation of the constitutional rights of American citizens. The protesters, some of them children, many of them families, there in the public park to peacefully protest were met with rubber bullets and tear gas. This has no place in American society or any democracy worthy of the name. The President must cease his behavior.

The images from last night should disturb all of us and must be condemned by the United States Senate. They cannot go unanswered, less the President be encouraged to do even greater abuse because he has no self-restraint.

In a few minutes, I will ask the Senate's consent to pass a simple resolution that says three things: first, that the constitutional rights of Americans must be respected; second, that violence and looting are unlawful and unacceptable; and, third, that Congress condemns the order to have Federal officers use gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protesters.

This resolution is not a substitute for critical law enforcement and racial justice reforms that are badly needed, but this unconstitutional action by this lawless President requires a response from this body.

I hope all Senators will support this resolution. Democrats are outraged. Republicans should be outraged as well. For my friends on the other side who claim they have not seen the events of last night, I suggest you find a moment and turn on the television.

Our Republican colleagues cannot be objecting to our resolution on the false grounds that it doesn't reject violence. It does. Let me read you the words again in the resolution: ``Violence and looting are unlawful, unacceptable, and contrary to the purpose of peaceful protest.'' It is right there in the resolution.

What other reason would any Republican Senator have to object to the things in this resolution? If a Senator objects, they should be asked which of these things do they disagree with. Do they believe Americans do not have the constitutional right to exercise the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, and the right to petition their government? Do they believe Americans do not have the right to peacefully protest? Do they disagree with the statement that violence and looting are unlawful and unacceptable, or do they support the President's use of tear gas against people, including families, who are peacefully protesting in a public park? Which is it?

Any objector should explain why the simple resolution I offer today is so unacceptable to them.
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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, it is very simple why the Republican leader objected to our resolution and offers this one instead. It is because they do not want to condemn what the President did, though every fair-minded American of any political party would.

We certainly should condemn violence. Let me repeat: This resolution condemns violence. But it is insufficient, in the light of what happened yesterday, to just condemn violence and not condemn what the President did as well, so I will object to my colleague's resolution.

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