[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 11 (Monday, January 22, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Supplemental Funding

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, over the weekend, Senate Democrats and 
Republicans and the White House continued negotiations on the national 
security supplemental. We have come a very long way since talks began 2 
months ago, and Democrats remain committed to working in good faith on 
reaching an agreement. President Biden has also made clear he is 
willing to work with Republicans in a big way--in a big way--on border 
security.
  All of us on the Democratic side are serious about getting something 
done. I remained in contact with the negotiators throughout the 
weekend. We remain hopeful, but it is certainly not a done deal yet. 
There are a handful of issues that have not yet been agreed to. On 
something as complicated as the border, it is not just what we do that 
matters; it is how we do it. So negotiations are not done yet. 
Nevertheless, Democrats remain serious about finishing the job.
  Senators don't need to be reminded about what is at stake in this 
negotiation. The future of the war in Ukraine hangs in the balance. The 
security of our Western democracy hangs in the balance. The safety of 
our friends in Israel, our partners in the Indo-Pacific, and more 
humanitarian aid for innocent civilians in Gaza all hang in the 
balance.
  Ukraine is already running low on armaments and munitions that were, 
in large part, provided by the United States. A mere month from now, 
the tide of the war could turn greatly in Russia's favor, to the 
detriment of the West and, in all probability, for many years to come. 
If America comes up short, if we abandon Ukraine in their fight against 
Putin, the consequences will reverberate for years. Make no mistake. 
Putin will not be satisfied with merely taking Ukraine. His military 
influence in Europe will expand westward. The costs to NATO to hold 
Putin at bay will increase greatly.
  And, if we fail, our adversaries in Iran, in North Korea, and in the 
Chinese Communist Party will conclude that America no longer has the 
resolve to defend democracy in its hour of need. They have always bet 
on the fact that we would lose resolve.
  On our side, here on the Democratic side, we are not losing resolve. 
We want to get this done, and we know a good number of our Republican 
colleagues want to join us. We hope there will be enough. We cannot 
afford to go down a dark and ominous road where we abandon Ukraine and 
the consequences roll before us. The eyes of the world are watching 
closely what we do and how we respond.
  Sadly, it is clear there are some in this Congress and beyond who 
wish to prevent bipartisan action on the border and on our national 
security challenges. Whether they are blinded by naked partisanship or 
cowed by political pressure, these minority voices are cynically 
working to stymie bipartisan cooperation. In the Senate, both sides 
must make sure these voices are in the minority.
  For the sake of our national security, for the sake of our friends in 
Ukraine, for the sake of America's interests around the world, we must 
stay the course. Senate Democrats remain committed to finishing the job 
on the supplemental, and, if presented with the opportunity to pass a 
national security supplemental here on the floor, we intend to act as 
quickly as possible. We are not there yet, but we will keep going.