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Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, yesterday, our Republican colleagues officially decided who will lead their conference beginning in the new year.

Once again, I congratulate Senator Thune on being chosen by his colleagues as the next Republican leader.

I have served with Senator Thune in this Chamber for many years, and I am glad to say we have found common ground on a number of different issues, including veterans' assistance, strengthening our national security, and more recently the Kids Online Safety bill, among other bills.

We have gotten along well and worked together in the past. I look forward to finding ways to work together in the future. We will have our differences for sure, and we will make those differences known on a regular basis here on the Senate floor, but my friend from South Dakota can rest assured our side of the aisle will always seek to work in good faith and seek common ground whenever possible. But if the Senate is to be successful in the years to come, if we are to continue to be productive and effective in representing the American people as well as we have over the past 4 years, there are a few things the new Republican majority should not forget. Hopefully, they won't.

Most importantly, Senate Republicans should continue to prioritize bipartisanship when they enter into the majority next year. On my first day as majority leader, I pledged to make bipartisanship a key part of how the Senate does its business. I said then--I have said it many times since--the Senate works best when both sides work together. Four years later, Democrats have not only kept our promise, but we have proven that bipartisanship can work in very significant ways. This majority was the most productive majority the Senate has had in decades, but that could not have happened had we not made the conscious choice to reach across the aisle.

It was bipartisanship that cleared the way for the biggest infrastructure bill in a generation. It was bipartisanship that got the CHIPS and Science bill done and now hundreds of thousands of jobs are returning to the United States and we are making those chips here.

It was bipartisanship that held the line against Putin and defended Ukraine.

It was bipartisanship that made sure we saw zero government shutdowns under this administration. The list goes on: marriage equality, the first gun safety bill in decades, Kids Online Safety. All of these accomplishments were possible because Democrats were willing to work with the other side.

We still have work to do in this Chamber before the year is out, but I am proud of the record we have built over the last 4 years, one that we accomplished by reaching across the aisle whenever the chance presented itself.

I earnestly hope the next few years are as fruitful and collaborative as the last four. I earnestly hope bipartisanship continues because that is the only way we will be successful in the Senate, but that will be up to Senate Republicans to decide for themselves.

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