[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 204 (Tuesday, December 12, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5902-S5903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Ukraine

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, earlier this morning, Senator McConnell 
and I welcomed Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to the U.S. Senate, his 
third visit to the U.S. Capitol. It was a very powerful, enlightening, 
and positive meeting.
  President Zelenskyy's message was direct: Ukraine will win the war 
against Russia if more aid is approved. But his message to the contrary 
was also true: If no more aid is approved, Putin will win.
  It is that simple. Ukraine, the West, the U.S. strength as a credible 
ally are all hanging in the balance right now. Also, President 
Zelenskyy urged that we need to pass this aid quickly because if we 
don't pass it quickly, it will send a signal to the whole world that we 
are abandoning Ukraine and could start a snowball cascading to 
Ukraine's detriment and to our detriment.
  If Ukraine falls, it will be a historic and colossal tragedy. If 
Russia is victorious, future generations will remember this as a moment 
of shame for the West, for the United States, and for those in the 
Senate who sought to block it.
  This is a moment when a friend in need called on our help. We must 
rise to the occasion. If we abandon Ukraine to the dark forces of 
autocracy, we will all pay a price. The price won't be tomorrow, 
meaning next week, but it will be in the months and years ahead but 
will be an awful price. And everyone who voted against aid to Ukraine 
will have to live with it.
  This is a time for Republicans to be serious about reaching an 
agreement. ``Serious'' is the word we are saying to our Republican 
colleagues. It is not a time for one side to demand maximalist, fringe 
policies that they know are unrealistic and then say ``our way or the 
highway.''
  If our Republican colleagues want an agreement on the border, they 
must meet us at the middle. They need to show us they are serious. So 
far, when they just ask for H.R. 2--or something like it--they are not 
showing seriousness.
  There are two words to describe Democrats right now. Just like the 
Republican word should be they need to be ``serious,'' the two words 
that describe Democrats right now: ``still trying.'' We are still 
trying to find a good-faith compromise with Republicans, but they must 
do the same.
  Now, last night, I got on the phone with Speaker Johnson and urged 
him to keep the House in session to give the supplemental a chance to 
come together. I told him that the House should stay in session because 
over the past 24 hours, I have been alarmed to see some of the same 
Republicans in the House--and now a good number in the Senate--who had 
previously demanded action on the border are now suggesting there is no 
urgency to act before Christmas. After months of saying the border is a 
crisis, that we must get something done yesterday, many Republicans now 
seemingly prefer to go home rather than pass a bill.

  If Republicans are serious about getting something done on the 
border, then why are so many of them in such a hurry to leave for the 
winter break? Has the border simply been an excuse to kill funding for 
Ukraine?
  By Republicans being unwilling to budge on H.R. 2 and getting ready 
to rush out of town, unfortunately, it may seem the case that these are 
both excuses, and they really want to kill funding for Ukraine and 
never had any intention of passing it. That is not true of all 
Republicans but too many--enough simply to hold us up right now from 
getting something done.
  Do Republicans not realize how thrilled Putin must be right now 
seeing the gridlock? Russian state TV is even running segments on how 
great it is for Russia that Congress can't pass Ukraine funding.
  Think about that. Putin's allies on Russian state TV are running 
segments right now on how great it is for Russia that aid to Ukraine is 
stalled.

[[Page S5903]]

  Democrats remain committed to finding a realistic, bipartisan 
agreement on securing the southern border. We will not accept Donald 
Trump's cruel border policies as envisioned in H.R. 2, which even 
Speaker Johnson has reminded his colleagues didn't get a single 
Democratic vote in the Senate. But if Republicans show they are serious 
about meeting us in the middle, we are willing to meet them in the 
middle.
  I hope my Republican colleagues take to heart President Zelenskyy's 
warnings: The one person happy right now about the gridlock in Congress 
is Vladimir Putin. He is delighting in the fact that Donald Trump's 
border policies are sabotaging military aid to Ukraine.
  I urge my Republican colleagues to show they are serious about 
getting a supplemental package done. Democrats are still trying, and we 
will continue to work with Republicans in good faith in the coming 
days.