[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 15 (Friday, January 24, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S344-S345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Cabinet Nominations

  Mr. SCHUMER. Well, Mr. President, yesterday, 51 Republican Senators 
voted to advance one of the most erratic, unqualified, and unfit 
Cabinet nominees we have ever seen in modern times. Pete Hegseth is 
possibly just a few hours away from becoming the next Secretary of 
Defense, overseeing the greatest military in the world. He has neither 
the character, the experience, or the judgment required by the job.
  If there is one word that should never describe a Secretary of 
Defense in this important position, it is ``erratic,'' but that is the 
one word that describes Mr. Hegseth best.
  Before we vote today, I hope my Republican colleagues think 
carefully, one last time, about the risks to the American people and, 
particularly, to the men and women in our Armed Forces, of confirming 
somebody like Mr. Hegseth. I hope my Republican colleagues understand 
the danger of entrusting our military to someone whose background has 
not been fully vetted.
  We know much of his past remains uninvestigated. We know Mr. Hegseth 
refused to meet with Democrats on the Armed Services Committee, save 
for the ranking member. How can that be? It is such an important job 
and he is afraid to meet with Democrats on the committee? He is going 
to have much tougher adversaries than that in places like China, 
Russia, Iran, and North Korea. How could he avoid that?
  We know that new allegations keep coming up--as recently as last 
night--compounding the word ``erratic'' when it describes his behavior.
  This is not the way to vet a nominee in such an important position as 
Secretary of Defense. When you are the one responsible for leading our 
Armed

[[Page S345]]

Forces, erratic behavior isn't just a character flaw. It could mean the 
difference between entering or avoiding a military conflict, between 
life and death for our troops. We all want what is best for our troops.
  We all know that voting for Secretary of Defense is one of the most 
important votes we are going to take all year. It mystifies me that of 
all the people President Trump could have nominated as Secretary of 
Defense, he picked someone as flawed--as deeply flawed--as Mr. Hegseth.
  Is Pete Hegseth really the best we have to lead the greatest military 
in the world? Is this man with a history of excessive drinking really 
the guy you want on the other end of the phone at 2 a.m. in a crisis in 
control of the nuclear codes? Is this man with a mile-long list of 
allegations of abusing, degrading, and harassing women the one we want 
leading our men and women into battle? Is this man who failed to manage 
the finances of veterans' nonprofit groups, who drove his organizations 
into debt to the point where he could not even pay creditors, the 
person we want in charge of the Pentagon's budget?
  I want this last point to sink in.
  DOD is a colossal organization. It is a workforce of 3 million 
people, an annual budget of over $850 billion. Is Pete Hegseth really 
the person we want overseeing an organization as complex as DOD? A man 
who couldn't even manage the finances of a small nonprofit, yet they 
pick him. It is unbelievable.
  He was pressured to resign from these small nonprofits. And now he is 
supposed to run the Department of Defense with its millions of people 
under his jurisdiction and billions and billions of dollars.
  The odds are not low that he would mismanage the Pentagon's budget if 
he mismanaged small organizations.
  Worst of all, his erratic behavior can rear its ugly head because we 
know when people who have a history of erratic behavior go into high-
pressure situations, it often makes them more, not less, erratic.
  I refuse to believe that Pete Hegseth is the best the Republicans can 
come up with for Secretary of Defense. There are surely other 
individuals--plenty of others--the President could nominate that would 
be conservative voices. We would disagree with their views, but at 
least we would have to admit they are qualified.
  I can think of some Republican Senators who would certainly make a 
much stronger candidate than Mr. Hegseth.
  I hope my Republican colleagues think carefully today about the 
consequences of this vote. I hope they do the right thing and recognize 
there are much, much better choices for Secretary of Defense than 
Hegseth. The credibility of the Senate--I think the credibility of the 
Republican majority--is on the line with today's vote. The well-being 
of our troops stationed around the world is on the line with today's 
vote. The very security of the American people, of our kids and 
families and neighbors and friends, is on the line with today's vote.
  In short, we should not, cannot, must not elevate someone as erratic 
as Pete Hegseth to Secretary of Defense. We can and must--must--do 
better. I urge my colleagues to vote no.
  Finally, I want to turn briefly to the subject of Mr. Vought. No 
nominee is more threatening or antithetical to the needs of working 
people than this godfather of the ultraright--Russell Vought is the 
godfather of the ultraright--chief cook and bottle washer of Project 
2025.
  When Americans voted for Donald Trump, they were very clear they want 
inflation to go down. They want more affordable prescription drugs. 
They do not want Project 2025 running the show. But that is precisely 
what will happen when the vote comes to Director of OMB.
  If you are one of the tens of billions who benefits from Social 
Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Russell Vought is a nightmare scenario. 
If you want lower drug prices, you can forget about it if Russell 
Vought is running the show at OMB. If you want lower energy costs, if 
you want the U.S. to stand up to China, if you want America to create 
better clean jobs, Russell Vought is very, very bad news.
  If you are part of the ultrarich in this country, if you are an oil 
executive or own a drug company, Russell Vought is your golden ticket. 
If there is any golden age coming under Donald Trump, Russell Vought 
proves it is only a golden age for those at the very, very top. As for 
everyone else, Donald Trump and Russell Vought say you are on your own.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.