[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 117 (Monday, July 10, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, now, on the Senate July work period, as 
the Senate gavels back in, our North Star remains unchanged: to build 
on our historic work over the past few years to strengthen our economy, 
make life better for the American people, and do it in a bipartisan 
manner whenever possible.
  A little over a month ago, both parties came together to avert a 
catastrophic default on the national debt, while agreeing on spending 
levels that will keep our country and our economy strong.
  This month, the work of funding the government will continue. It 
won't be easy but must get done with good faith and bipartisan work. I 
am pleased so far that this process is moving along in the Senate 
through the Appropriations Committee, through regular order, in a 
bipartisan way. And we will do everything we can to ensure that it 
remains that way.
  In another act of bipartisanship on something equally significant, 
the Senate will move forward on the annual National Defense 
Authorization Act so we can keep our country safe, support our friends 
in Ukraine, outcompete China, and give our troops the pay raise they 
rightfully deserve.
  I thank Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Wicker for moving the NDAA 
through the Armed Services Committee last month. I hope that we can 
move quickly on it here on the floor in July.

  These two areas--Appropriations and the NDAA, the Defense Act--are 
prime examples of the kind of bipartisan work we want to see in the 
Senate and which I have worked with my colleagues to foster.
  We also need that bipartisanship on other issues too--to reduce the 
cost of insulin prescription drugs, to hold bank executives 
accountable, to modernize Federal aviation programs, to reauthorize the 
farm bill, to make progress on safe banking, and outcompete the Chinese 
Government.
  And, of course, every one of these issues requires bipartisan 
cooperation. Getting there won't be easy, but we are going to do 
everything we can to make them happen because every one of them will 
benefit the American people, and, of course, we will also need 
bipartisanship to prepare for the radical transformations that AI will 
unleash in the coming years.
  Tomorrow, the Senate will have the first-ever classified all-Senators 
briefing from the Department of Defense and intelligence community on 
AI and how it affects our national security.
  Our briefers will include Avril Haines, the Director of National 
Intelligence; Kathleen Hicks, the Deputy Secretary of Defense; and 
other top experts from our Defense and intelligence Agencies.
  We are still in the early stages of understanding AI's role in our 
national security. So this briefing will be critical for Senators to 
learn more about how we are using AI to protect our country; also, how 
it is being used by our adversaries; and what we can do to make sure 
that we maintain our advantages.
  And we have no time to waste. Our adversaries won't wait to deploy 
this technology against us. Congress cannot behave like ostriches when 
it comes to artificial intelligence. We need to learn as much as we can 
about AI, as quickly as we can, so we can play our part to ensure the 
AI revolution brings prosperity, safety, and unparalleled innovation.
  So I thank all of my colleagues on both sides who attended the 
previous briefing and encourage them to attend this one. And I thank 
Senators Heinrich, Rounds, and Young for their bipartisan work on our 
little group that is spearing AI in the Senate.

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