Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title United States Code, of the Rule Submitted By the Bureau of Land Management Relating to ``Central Yukon Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan''

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues, today, in standing up for Americans' basic constitutional rights.

Donald Trump has again deployed agents and troops to my hometown of Portland, OR, and to other American cities. He announced this authoritarian occupation with orders for Federal agents to use ``full force.''

Since then, he has deployed Federal law enforcement from the Department of Homeland Security, and he has activated 200 Oregon National Guard members, over the objection of the Governor of Oregon, local leaders in Portland, and local law enforcement. He has tried to deploy an additional 300 troops from California--from the National Guard there--and 400 troops from the Texas National Guard, all to my hometown.

Colleagues, during this government shutdown, our Guard members will not even be paid for this unnecessary, unwanted deployment. Activating the Oregon National Guard alone is going to cost $10 million and will pull Guard members away from much more important work.

If Donald Trump truly wanted to help Oregon or Illinois or California, the money would be better spent cracking down on fentanyl traffickers, ending his tariffs that are gutting small businesses, and holding down health costs.

Instead, Donald Trump says U.S. cities like Portland ought to be used as ``training grounds'' for the military.

I would say to the Senate: Let that one sink in. The President of the United States thinks it is acceptable to use American cities as training grounds for the military. In my view, that is unconscionable.

My hometown is a vibrant and peaceful city. It doesn't require any deployment of Federal troops or additional Federal agents to keep our community safe. In fact, the Federal judge, who was appointed by Donald Trump himself, has ruled repeatedly against a troop deployment. She said there was ``no showing that military help is necessary to protect law enforcement or the one federal building for ICE.''

Portland's police department has said there is no need for Federal agents in our city, as well, and that the administration's deployment of ICE agents is making it actually harder for them to do their jobs and keep our cities safe.

The notion that my hometown is somehow a war zone in need of saving is a fantasy made up by Donald Trump and far-right trolls.

Oregonians have taken to social media to show that my community is really peaceful. You see it in our gardens, in our vegetable stands. You see it in musicians playing on the sidewalks.

My constituents have long engaged in peaceful First Amendment activity. The Governor and mayor of Portland have the appropriate resources to maintain peace and order in our communities.

My view is this Trump unilateral action is an abuse of Executive authority. He is clearly hoping that he can incite violence and undermine the constitutional balance of power between the Federal Government and our States.

In addition to the judicial ruling in Oregon last month, a Federal judge in California ruled that the Trump administration actually violated black letter law through the deployment of troops to Los Angeles. His Los Angeles deployment violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which explicitly limits the power of the Federal Government to use the military for domestic purposes.

Unfortunately, none of this is new to my hometown. Five years ago, Portland experienced the consequences of an unnecessary and outrageous Federal deployment under Donald Trump's first Presidency.

In the summer of 2020, the White House unleashed Federal agents on Portland. It was like an occupying army, complete with military-grade equipment and violent tactics that were totally unacceptable on American soil. Federal agents shot at Portland residents, tear-gassed families, drove in unmarked vehicles, and grabbed people off the street without an explanation.

Federal agents didn't identify themselves. They didn't wear uniforms. They beat up on those who asked them basic questions about their actions.

There is no question in my mind that another deployment by this administration is going to result in similar abuses, similar violations of Americans' constitutional rights. Inciting violence is clearly Donald Trump's intent.

And I want to make it clear: As Oregon's senior Senator, I am going to continue doing everything to work with my colleagues to fight back against Trump's Federal occupation and show America, from coast to coast, the beauty and the strength of my hometown.

He and I have teamed up every step of the way and will continue to do so.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source