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Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, over the weekend, Senate Democrats and Republicans and the White House continued negotiations on the national security supplemental. We have come a very long way since talks began 2 months ago, and Democrats remain committed to working in good faith on reaching an agreement. President Biden has also made clear he is willing to work with Republicans in a big way--in a big way--on border security.

All of us on the Democratic side are serious about getting something done. I remained in contact with the negotiators throughout the weekend. We remain hopeful, but it is certainly not a done deal yet. There are a handful of issues that have not yet been agreed to. On something as complicated as the border, it is not just what we do that matters; it is how we do it. So negotiations are not done yet. Nevertheless, Democrats remain serious about finishing the job.

Senators don't need to be reminded about what is at stake in this negotiation. The future of the war in Ukraine hangs in the balance. The security of our Western democracy hangs in the balance. The safety of our friends in Israel, our partners in the Indo-Pacific, and more humanitarian aid for innocent civilians in Gaza all hang in the balance.

Ukraine is already running low on armaments and munitions that were, in large part, provided by the United States. A mere month from now, the tide of the war could turn greatly in Russia's favor, to the detriment of the West and, in all probability, for many years to come. If America comes up short, if we abandon Ukraine in their fight against Putin, the consequences will reverberate for years. Make no mistake. Putin will not be satisfied with merely taking Ukraine. His military influence in Europe will expand westward. The costs to NATO to hold Putin at bay will increase greatly.

And, if we fail, our adversaries in Iran, in North Korea, and in the Chinese Communist Party will conclude that America no longer has the resolve to defend democracy in its hour of need. They have always bet on the fact that we would lose resolve.

On our side, here on the Democratic side, we are not losing resolve. We want to get this done, and we know a good number of our Republican colleagues want to join us. We hope there will be enough. We cannot afford to go down a dark and ominous road where we abandon Ukraine and the consequences roll before us. The eyes of the world are watching closely what we do and how we respond.

Sadly, it is clear there are some in this Congress and beyond who wish to prevent bipartisan action on the border and on our national security challenges. Whether they are blinded by naked partisanship or cowed by political pressure, these minority voices are cynically working to stymie bipartisan cooperation. In the Senate, both sides must make sure these voices are in the minority.

For the sake of our national security, for the sake of our friends in Ukraine, for the sake of America's interests around the world, we must stay the course. Senate Democrats remain committed to finishing the job on the supplemental, and, if presented with the opportunity to pass a national security supplemental here on the floor, we intend to act as quickly as possible. We are not there yet, but we will keep going.

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