The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“NOMINATIONS” mentioning Charles E. Schumer was published in the Senate section on pages S181-S182 on Jan. 28.
Of the 100 senators in 117th Congress, 24 percent were women, and 76 percent were men, according to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Senators' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
NOMINATIONS
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, over the past week, the Senate has been confirming President Biden's Cabinet nominees with significant cooperation between both parties. Today, however, the Republican minority has forced the Senate to jump through a series of procedural hoops that will further delay the confirmation of one of our country's chief national security officials, the Secretary of Homeland Security.
It has now been 8 days since President Biden was sworn into office, and as a result of an objection from one Member--just one Member from the Republican minority--it will be another 4 days until we can complete the confirmation of Mr. Mayorkas to be our next Secretary of Homeland Security. What could have been the tidy work of a few hours on President Biden's first day will drag on for a week and a half. Make no mistake about it--he will be confirmed. This dilatory action will not succeed, but it will prevent the Senate from doing other important business.
It has become a point of pride for the Republican leadership to say that they are treating President Biden's nominees more fairly than Mr. Trump's, but I remind my colleagues that former President Trump had his first DHS Secretary, Secretary Kelly, confirmed on his Inauguration Day.
There is a reason that there has been bipartisan cooperation in the past to confirm the Homeland Security Secretary. Whatever our differences on policy, both parties have agreed that the prolonged delay of these nominations is no good--no good--for our national security.
That is particularly the case right now. Our government recently suffered an unprecedented cyber attack. In the wake of January 6, the threat of violence and domestic terrorism remains a great concern. But because of the tactics of some Republican Members--particularly the junior Senator from Missouri--Mr. Mayorkas's nomination is being needlessly stalled.
My friends on the other side don't have to agree with Mr. Mayorkas on the final points of every policy. I am sure they don't share the exact views of every appointment to a Democratic President's Cabinet. But that is not a sufficient reason to oppose a nomination, especially one as important as Homeland Security.
You don't have to take my word for it; listen to Michael Chertoff, President Bush's former DHS Secretary. He said:
If members of Congress want to contest elements of
[Biden's] proposal[s], they are free to do so. . . . But hostage taking is not an appropriate way to do this, particularly if a result of that is to put the lives of [the American people] in jeopardy.
Chertoff went on to say that actions to thwart Mayorkas's nomination were ``irresponsible and unconscionable.'' ``Irresponsible and unconscionable''-- that is President Bush's former Secretary of Homeland Security, not a Democrat.
Well, the Senate is not going to tolerate this irresponsible and unconscionable delay. Despite the tactics from the Republican side, the Senate will begin work on this crucial nomination today, and he will be confirmed.
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