Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Urging Senate Republicans To Join Democrats And Fund TSA Amidst Negotiations To Rein In ICE

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor calling on his Republican colleagues to join Senate Democrats and fund TSA as soon as possible, as workers suffer and long lines are crippling airports nationwide. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

The chaos at TSA is reaching a boiling point. We need to reopen it as quickly as possible. That is what Senate Democrats are intent on doing. So tomorrow, the Senate will take a very simple procedural vote on beginning to reopen TSA which Democrats are leading. Tomorrow, America will see the matter crystal clear: which Senators want to open up TSA, pay TSA workers, and end the chaos at our airports, and which Senators are going to block TSA funding yet again. If you want to open up TSA, vote yes tomorrow.

Every previous vote offered by the Republicans has tied TSA funding to also continuing funding for ICE without any reform of ICE. This is different. This doesn't tie TSA to ICE funding, because ICE funding is controversial. This doesn't tie the TSA to ICE funding because ICE funding is controversial. This does not make the workers at our airports or the passengers at our airports hostages. Republicans are saying unless you pass ICE as is without reform, we're not going to help the TSA workers get paid and reduce the lines at airport. We are saying just do it, no ands, ifs, or buts.

Negotiations to rein in ICE and end the violence still have a way to go. There are some very deep disagreements. Republicans still have not accepted that the American people want legislation - real legislation - to ensure the kind of brutality we saw in Minneapolis can't happen again. But in the meantime, Republicans do not need to hold the rest of these agencies' hostage, including TSA.

To my Republican colleagues: we both see the chaos at TSA. We both know and would admit there is a lot more work to do on ICE. There is no good reason to keep holding TSA hostage. There is no good reason to reject our proposal to fund it. We are going to hold this vote tomorrow, and I urge my Republican colleagues to vote yes.

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