[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 23, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          Trump Rally Shooting

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I heard the remarks a few minutes ago of 
the Republican leader of the Senate, and I wanted to respond because he 
referred to our Senate Judiciary Committee. What happened in Butler, 
PA, the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, was 
shocking and unacceptable conduct on the part of those who were 
authorized and responsible for his safety.
  There is no question in my mind that there is a bipartisan feeling 
that we may have our differences on issues and other matters, but when 
it comes to the protection of all elected officials, particularly in 
this case a former President of the United States, we should all put 
the resources necessary and strategy necessary to keep them safe at all 
times. Thank God Donald Trump, whom I disagree with on many issues, 
survived that experience. It would have been horrible for this Nation 
and for his family if the wind had changed a little bit. He was 1 inch 
away from losing his life. Let's be honest about it.
  How in the world did that happen? With all of the law enforcement and 
all of the Federal officials present, what went wrong? Well, the former 
Director, who resigned today, said that there was a failure, and she 
accepted responsibility for it. I think we have to get more information 
as this case develops, but we want to do it in an orderly fashion.
  The House hearing yesterday was the beginning; 5 hours of testimony 
that revealed some things, but clearly not enough when it comes to what 
happened on that day. And the decision at the Senate level has been the 
subject of bipartisan cooperation from the start.
  There is nothing partisan about this issue. There shouldn't be. And 
for anyone to suggest that we are not responding to the needs of the 
Nation to learn valuable information, Senator McConnell is just wrong. 
And I invite him to reach out to the Republican leaders and the 
committees affected--the HSGAC committee as well as the Judiciary 
Committee--and he will learn that we have been working on a hearing for 
next week, which is the last week we are in session before the 
Democratic National Convention. And we are going to do our best to get 
the witnesses there who will produce the information so we learn more 
about it.
  This has been a bipartisan effort from the start, and it should be. 
It should be all the way. There is no partisanship involved in the 
security and safety of elected officials. It is a bipartisan, 
nonpartisan issue, and we have to do everything in our power to keep 
people safe. So I am hoping that Senator McConnell will reach out to 
the staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the HSGAC committee, to 
realize that we are working on that hearing next week as we should.