[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 84 (Monday, May 19, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S2973]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SCHUMER:
  S. 1804. A bill to prohibit the use of funds to procure or modify 
foreign aircraft for presidential airlift; to the Committee on Armed 
Services.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on the Qatar plane and the Middle 
East, last week, Donald Trump concluded a visit to the Middle East that 
was a smashing success for his own bottom line but a dubious outcome 
for America's economic and security interest.
  First, on the Qatari plane, last week, Donald Trump confirmed that he 
would accept a $400 million luxury Boeing 747 plane offered by Qatar to 
use as Air Force One--the largest bribe to an American President in 
modern history.
  So, today, I am introducing the Presidential Airlift Security Act, 
prohibiting the use of any foreign plane to be utilized as Air Force 
One. Senate Republicans who say they are troubled by this Qatari gift 
should join me in supporting this very commonsense legislation.
  It should not take an act of Congress to stop the President of the 
United States from accepting the largest foreign bribe in modern 
history, but we are dealing with a President who has shown he is 
perfectly willing to sell out the American people and the Presidency to 
fill his own pockets.
  Specifically, my legislation would prohibit even a single taxpayer 
dollar from being used by the Department of Defense to procure, modify, 
or retrofit any foreign aircraft to be used in transporting a U.S. 
President.
  For one, overhauling a foreign luxury plane to serve as Air Force One 
would cost billions of taxpayer dollars. The refurbishing alone would 
cost more than the value of the plane itself, and it would take years. 
It is a senseless waste of taxpayer resources.
  Using a foreign plane as Air Force One would also bring unimaginable 
national security risks. National security experts, from one end of the 
country to the other, agree: No matter how many modifications are made 
or how much is spent or how intensely it is retrofitted, there will 
never be 100 percent confidence that the plane is secure.
  This is not a gamble anyone should be willing to take. It makes no 
practical sense for Donald Trump to accept this luxury gift when other 
alternatives in the works are less risky and less costly for taxpayers.
  This gift reeks of corruption and naked self-enrichment. It reeks of 
corruption and naked self-enrichment, and Republicans should stand up 
and support our bill, defend national security, and protect Americans.
  In the meantime, I will continue my hold on all political Department 
of Justice nominees until we get more answers about this clearly 
unethical deal.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1804

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Presidential Airlift 
     Security Act of 2025''.

     SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO PROCURE OR MODIFY 
                   FOREIGN AIRCRAFT FOR PRESIDENTIAL AIRLIFT.

       None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or 
     otherwise made available for fiscal year 2025 or fiscal year 
     2026 for the Department of Defense may be made available for 
     the procurement, modification, restoration, or maintenance of 
     an aircraft previously owned by a foreign government, an 
     entity controlled by a foreign government, or a 
     representative of a foreign government for the purposes of 
     providing presidential airlift options.
                                 ______