[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 19, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S50-S51]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, the Inauguration of a new President and 
the start of a new administration always brings a flurry of activity to 
our Nation's government, but rarely-- rarely--has so much piled up for 
the Senate as during this particular transition. Over the next several 
weeks, the Senate must accomplish three essential items: a second 
impeachment trial of Donald Trump; the confirmation of President 
Biden's Cabinet and other key officials; and legislation to provide 
much needed--almost desperately needed--COVID relief.
  Again, there are three essential items of business. No. 1, as 
mandated

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by law and Constitution, once the House of Representatives delivers 
Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, we will conduct and complete a 
trial of Donald Trump for inciting an insurrection against these United 
States.
  No. 2, the Senate will confirm key members of soon-to-be President 
Biden's Cabinet. Those Cabinet officials in charge of national security 
must be confirmed quickly, as well as those in charge of responding to 
the current health and economic crisis.
  No. 3, the Senate will take up legislation to provide the country 
additional relief from the pandemic.
  On impeachment, the Senate has solemn responsibility to try and hold 
Donald Trump accountable for the most serious charge ever levied 
against a President: the incitement of an insurrection against the 
United States of America.
  The events on January 6, make no mistake about it, were not a 
spontaneous demonstration. President Trump invented the lie that 
motivated these criminals. He exhorted them to come to Washington. He 
then directed them at the U.S. Capitol, and his demagoguery whipped 
them into a frenzy.
  We need to set a precedent that the severest threat ever committed by 
a President will be met by the severest remedy provided by the U.S. 
Constitution: impeachment and conviction by this Chamber, as well as 
disbarment from future office.
  In 230 years, the House of Representatives has impeached the 
President of the United States only twice. In just the past 13 months, 
it has impeached President Trump twice more. President Trump is a 
threat to our constitutional order whether he is in or out of office. 
Even now, he has not accepted responsibility for what he has done and 
still falsely maintains that the election was stolen.
  Once he leaves office, do we really expect him to change his tune and 
accept the truth? Of course not. He will continue spreading lies about 
the election and stoking the grievances of his most radical supporters, 
using the prospect of a future Presidential run to poison the public 
arena at a time when we must get so much done. After what he has done, 
the consequences of which we were all witness to, Donald Trump should 
not be eligible to run for office ever again.
  All of us want to put this awful chapter in our Nation's history 
behind us, but healing and unity will only come if there is truth and 
accountability, not sweeping such a severe charge, such awful actions, 
under the rug.
  So let me be clear. There will be an impeachment trial in the U.S. 
Senate. There will be a vote on convicting the President of high crimes 
and misdemeanors. And, if the President is convicted, there will be a 
vote on barring him from running again.
  Now, the Cabinet. As I mentioned, the Senate must also fulfill its 
constitutional duty to advise and consent on soon-to-be President 
Biden's executive and judicial nominations, particularly his Cabinet. 
Today, there are no fewer than five Senate hearings on Cabinet-level 
officials for good reason. The violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol 
on January 6 showed us we need qualified Senate-confirmed people in key 
national security positions on day one. That means tomorrow.
  The Senate will be in session tomorrow after the conclusion of the 
Inauguration of the 46th President of the United States. With 
cooperation, we can confirm key national security nominees at State, 
the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, Treasury, and the 
intelligence community. The health and economic challenges our Nation 
faces and the need to get vaccines out quickly also require having key 
health officials and key economic nominees confirmed and on the job as 
soon as possible.
  In 2017, the Senate confirmed President Trump's Secretary of Defense 
and his Secretary of Homeland Security on Inauguration Day. President 
Biden should have the same officials in place on his Inauguration Day 
at the very least. That is the expectation and tradition for any 
administration, but especially now in the midst of a Homeland Security 
crisis.
  As I said, the way the Senate works, it will take cooperation from 
our Republican colleagues to swiftly confirm these highly qualified 
national security officials. But make no mistake, the Senate will move 
quickly to consider and confirm President Biden's cabinet.
  Finally, on COVID and the legislation that is needed, once the Senate 
has confirmed key nominations for the incoming administration, it will 
turn to the subject of additional COVID relief items, including key 
items such as an increase in direct payments to American families; 
strong, further support of vaccine distribution which must be improved; 
help for small businesses, schools, and State and local governments. 
Very soon, the country will pass another tragic milestone: 400,000 
American deaths from COVID-19. There is no issue more urgent then 
defeating this pandemic, and the Senate will immediately set to work on 
that goal as the first order of legislative business.
  There will be much more work for us to do in the following months. 
Working with President Biden and our House colleagues, the Senate will 
finally address the major challenges facing our country that have for 
too long been ignored. We will consider bold legislation to defeat the 
climate crisis by investing in clean infrastructure and manufacturing, 
which will create millions of good jobs for Americans, regardless of 
ZIP Code. We must move significantly to improve our healthcare and 
childcare systems. To fix and restore our income and equality problem, 
we will fight to restore workers' rights and fairness in the Tax Code.
  Today, we announce the first bill, S. 1, which will be a package of 
long overdue reforms to protect our democracy after it has been so 
attacked in 4 years and will guarantee every American's right to vote.
  One issue that has been long important to me is immigration reform. I 
always felt that comprehensive immigration reform with a path to 
citizenship is one of the most important things a Democratic Congress 
can do. To me, passing comprehensive reform is a very high priority, so 
I was pleased that President-Elect Biden has crafted a proposal and 
will call on Congress to take up this important subject. I am studying 
the President-elect's proposal, and I look forward to working together 
with him and the new administration and with my colleagues in Congress 
to get comprehensive immigration reform signed into law.
  As I said at the beginning of this talk, the next several months will 
be very, very busy and a very consequential period for the U.S. Senate. 
Let us begin our work in earnest.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.

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