[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 209 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6031-S6032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Business Before the Senate

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, Senate Democrats and Republicans 
understand there is more work to do to pass legislation protecting 
America's security and the security of the Western World. We have made 
important progress. But negotiations have not been easy, and it is 
going to take more time.
  But no matter how long it takes, we must succeed because the stakes 
are high--for America and for our friends in Europe, the Middle East, 
and around the world. We must send more aid to Ukraine to defeat 
Vladimir Putin. We must help our friends in Israel prevent another 
terrorist attack like October 7. We must send critical aid to innocent 
civilians in Gaza.
  Republicans and Democrats must also continue negotiations on an 
agreement for securing our southern border. As the past few weeks have 
made abundantly clear, Democrats have always been willing to engage in 
good-faith, realistic negotiations about border security. We agree the 
border must be fixed, but not at the expense of our values.
  Finding common ground on the border has been difficult--in fact, one 
of the most difficult issues Congress has faced in a good while. The 
details here matter immensely, and this is not a topic that Congress 
has tackled at this level in many years. While we have made important 
progress over the past week on border security, everyone understands 
that we have more work to do, and that it is going to take more time.
  Later today, I will meet with colleagues at the weekly Democratic 
caucus lunch to give an update on border and supplemental negotiations.
  Now, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working 
without rest on the supplemental package. I also thank staff from both 
sides who have been working morning, noon, and night to push us 
forward.
  Again, we still have more to do. It is not going to be easy, and 
everyone understands it is going to take more time to figure this out. 
But we must--we must--succeed. Democrats remain committed to working 
with our Republican counterparts to reach an agreement.

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