[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 194 (Monday, November 16, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S6689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             2020 ELECTIONS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, instead of working to pull the country 
back together so we can fight our common enemy, COVID-19, the 
Republican majority is busy spreading conspiracy theories denying 
reality and poisoning the well of our democracy.
  It seems like Republicans all over Washington are auditioning for 
``Profiles in Cowardice,'' nudging each other aside to say who can say 
the most outlandish thing in support of President Trump's baseless 
claims of election fraud. Two Members of this Chamber went so far as to 
accuse their State's election result of not being delivered honestly 
because President Trump didn't win. They demanded their own Secretary 
of State, a fellow Republican, resign. The two Senators provided no 
evidence--not a shred--to support the claim that the election wasn't 
conducted honestly.
  A Republican Governor this weekend supported the idea of States 
sending alternative slates of electors to the electoral college. He 
encouraged Republican State legislators and States that voted for Joe 
Biden to literally ignore the will of the voters to send electors who 
would vote for Donald Trump.
  I understand my Republican colleagues dislike the results of the 
Presidential election, but this has gone beyond ridiculous. This is 
reckless. President Trump is working to convince millions of Americans 
that the election wasn't fair and was stolen without a scrap of 
evidence. Whatever fears my colleagues might have about President Trump 
abandoning their party if they don't show sufficient support, that is 
no excuse for sanctioning his efforts to discredit our democratic 
elections.
  The percentage of Republicans who now believe that the election was 
not free and fair has doubled to 70 percent--7-0--in the United States 
of America. How much longer will Senate Republicans stand by while 
President Trump shreds Americans' faith in our democracy.
  So I have a very simple message for my colleagues. The election is 
over. President Trump lost. Joe Biden will be the next President of the 
United States. Kamala Harris will be the next Vice President of the 
United States. All over the country legal claims by the President are 
being laughed out of court. Ironically, the President's legal 
challenges have accomplished one thing: They have revealed just how 
secure our elections were. As courts from Pennsylvania to Michigan, to 
Arizona dismiss these claims, they are confirming there is no credible 
evidence of fraud or irregularities. So far, not one vote has been 
tossed out. These are facts, and the longer Republicans refuse to 
acknowledge them, the more damage is done.
  In order to keep up this charade, the Trump administration is now 
actually denying national security briefings to President-Elect Biden. 
It is actively refusing to coordinate with the incoming administration 
on the coronavirus. How unimaginably stupid is that? We shouldn't even 
be discussing for 1 minute whether or not Republicans will accept the 
democratic results of our Presidential election or whether the next 
President should receive security briefings. That should be a given. 
But it appears, sadly, unfortunately, my Republican colleagues will 
follow President Trump all the way down the rabbit hole to the very 
bitter end of his very bitter Presidency. And every day that goes by, 
the more damage is done to our country, to our national security, to 
our ability to fight COVID, and to America's faith in our democracy.
  So I plead with my Republican colleagues: Stop denying reality. Stop 
recklessly sowing doubt about our democratic process. Stop going down 
to the lowest common denominator that President Trump seems to live 
with all the time, and start focusing on COVID. Let's bring this 
country together and get some things done.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________