Senate Accomplishments

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, so we still have some more work to do, but it has already been a remarkably busy and productive week here in the Senate.

After nearly a decade of work, this week the Senate finally passed the largest postal reform bill in a very long time, with huge bipartisan support, I am happy to say. We also sent to the President's desk the first bill in American history that finally, finally--long overdue--declares lynching a Federal crime after a century of failed attempts. These are both momentous and indeed historic accomplishments, and I thank my colleagues for working in good faith to get them done.

I have always said that, whenever possible, Democrats would be willing to work in a bipartisan way to get things done, and, once the omnibus is done, in this week we will have achieved three major bipartisan accomplishments.

Yesterday, Senate Democrats also met for our DPCC retreat over at Howard University, where we had a spirited and productive conversation about the biggest issues facing American families: lowering costs. As the world continues to struggle with COVID, supply chain disruptions, and Russia's war on Ukraine, Americans need relief--relief on everything from energy costs, prescription drug costs, the cost of groceries and meat and so much more. Democrats will keep working these issues with laser-like intensity and unflinching focus.

Moving forward, the Senate will also continue the process of considering and, ultimately, confirming President Biden's exceptional nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. That Judge Jackson is qualified for the High Court is not in question. That she merits bipartisan support should not be disputed, because on three occasions she has already come before this Chamber and has been embraced by people on both sides of the aisle.

When Judge Jackson's confirmation hearings begin on March 21, the entire Nation will get to see what many of us in the Senate are learning for ourselves: Judge Jackson is brilliant, she is beloved, and she belongs on the Supreme Court. The three b's: brilliant, beloved, belongs.

We have more work to do before this week comes to an end, but, for now, I thank my colleagues for a very, very productive few days.

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