[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 59 (Monday, April 8, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2629-S2630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, the Senate gavels back into session 
today to pick up right where we left off in March: confirming more of 
President Biden's outstanding nominees and advancing legislation that 
protects and serves the American people.
  There is much the Senate has to accomplish in the coming weeks, and 
getting anything done--anything--will require bipartisan cooperation. 
It is not easy but nevertheless essential.
  Today, the Senate will commence by voting to invoke cloture on the 
nomination of Susan Bazis to be a U.S. district court judge for the 
District of Nebraska. I have also filed cloture on the nominations of 
Robert White to be a district judge for the Eastern District of 
Maryland and the nomination of

[[Page S2630]]

Ann Marie McIff Allen to be a district judge for the District of Utah.
  On the legislative front, Congress has until April 19 to pass an 
extension of FISA's national security authorities. That is the next 
major deadline we face on the calendar. Preventing FISA from lapsing 
will take bipartisan cooperation and swift action. The House is 
currently working on the best path forward on FISA, and the Senate 
stands ready to jump into action to prevent this important national 
security authority from lapsing. We must get FISA done this work 
period.
  As the Congress gavels back into session, I also urge Speaker Johnson 
and House Republicans to snap out of their paralysis and pass the 
Senate's national security supplemental. The situation in Ukraine is 
desperate. Speaker Johnson has now sat on his hands for 55 days as the 
national security supplemental has collected dust in the House. That is 
55 days of America standing on the sidelines while our friends in 
Ukraine fight and die on the battlefield with no support; 55 days of 
our European allies wondering when the United States will step up. With 
each passing day, Ukraine continues to run out of ammo, continues to 
run out of soldiers, and continues to run out of hope that it can 
successfully expel the Russians from their borders.
  Let's be blunt. The biggest reason Ukraine is losing the war is 
because the hard right in Congress has paralyzed the United States from 
acting. That is it. That is the reason. Speaker Johnson has to decide 
for himself whether or not he will do the right thing for Ukraine, for 
America, and for democracy, or if he will allow MAGA Republicans to 
hand Vladimir Putin a large victory.
  I am confident that if the Speaker puts the Senate's national 
security supplemental on the floor, it will pass. It remains the best, 
quickest, and most realistic way to get Ukraine the help it needs.
  So, again, there is a lot that the Senate must do in the coming weeks 
and months, and to get anything done will require bipartisan 
cooperation. I thank my colleagues for their good work so far in 2024 
and look forward to working with all of them to keep delivering for the 
American people.

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