Policy Of Obstruction

Floor Speech

POLICY OF OBSTRUCTION -- (Senate - June 29, 2007)

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I wish to salute our majority leader, Senator Reid, for what he said. The bottom line is, these are two very important pieces of legislation.

The other side cannot come up with many substantive objections, none, as we have heard yesterday when they moved to block it. But they have had a policy of obstruct, obstruct, obstruct. Why, you might ask? How does it help a political party? How does it help a Senator to obstruct things that are motherhood and apple pie such as ethics and lobbying reform, the 9/11 Commission, things desperately needed, first by this town and second by the whole Nation and of course my State.

The answer is very simple. When you are divided, as the other side is on about every issue; when you can't lead, as yesterday's immigration bill showed, the President's No. 1 domestic priority--fewer than a quarter of the Senators on that side voted for it--there is only one answer that can unify; that is, obstruct.

There is one problem with that--there are two. The main problem is: It is wrong for America. It is wrong for America. The second is, it does not work politically. That is why we are seeing the fact that so many on the other side are so worried.

So I wish to salute our majority leader. I will--and I know all the Members on our side will--stand with him side by side. If we have to meet at 2 in the morning, if we have to go into the August recess to get these things done, we will.

The Senate gives the minority the power to lay down the gauntlet of cloture and filibuster. You cannot move unless you get 60 votes. Of course, we do not have them. But we are not powerless. The ability to push through those filibusters--even if it means some inconvenience for the Senators--is our right and I salute our majority leader for telling the other side, and more importantly the American people, we will use that right to move the Nation forward.

So I wish to thank our majority leader for doing this. It is the right thing to do. Everyone is put on notice. A little inconvenience for the Senators to make our country safe, to clean up the unethical swamp in Washington, it sure is worth it. I think the majority leader is absolutely correct. I hope the other side will not continue to obstruct. But if they do, we will get these things done because our country and the American people demand no less.

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