Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Urging Senate Republicans To Hold Trump Accountable For His War Of Choice By Voting For Senate Democrats’ War Powers Resolution

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor urging Senate Republicans to hold President Trump accountable for the costly war of choice in the Middle East by joining Senate Democrats in voting for today’s War Powers Resolution. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Yesterday, an Ipsos poll found that fewer than 1 in 4 Americans think Trump’s war in Iran has been worthwhile. And who can blame them? Every metric indicates that Donald Trump’s handling of Operation Epic Fury has been an epic failure.

Donald Trump promised this war would be won in a matter of days, or weeks. It is now day 47. And let’s take stock 47 days into this historic blunder.

Thirteen US servicemembers have been killed. Thousands of civilians have been killed and injured across the region. The Strait of Hormuz is not only closed; it’s become an Iranian cash cow. And Iran’s control of the strait is greater today than before Trump started the war. Iran’s nuclear ambitions have only grown, and the Iranian regime is even more radical than before the war.

Americans meanwhile are shelling out more than $4 for a gallon of gas on average. Now Donald Trump says that gas prices “could be the same” or “a little higher” by November. That’s his words. Trump says “could be the same” or “a little higher” by November. Unbelievable. Trump’s number one promise entering the White House was to bring inflation down, and now he is admitting his own war could drive gas prices up for much of the rest of the year. When Donald Trump admits his own war will drive gas prices up through November, you know there is trouble coming down the road for American motorists.

Donald Trump is learning the hard way that ending a war is a lot harder than starting one. He’d rather pick a fight with the Pope online than reckon with what’s truly on the line in Iran right now: the lives of American servicemembers and the livelihoods of American working families.

And throughout all this miasma, all this mess, this horrible war, where are the Senate Republicans? Months into this war, and still no hearings, no testimony, no clarity on how it will end. Don’t the Republicans, when we’re in war, don’t they know their responsibility? I don’t care that they’re the same party. Don’t they know they have a responsibility to get the facts out and let the American people know what’s going on here? Because Trump isn't giving people any idea, but he still keeps changing his mind and his goals in the war, none of which he's achieved. So where are Senate Republicans, the American people have a right to ask.

Enough is enough. Trump may not understand how damaging his war has been to the American people, Republicans may be hiding from having hearings or asking questions, but Senate Democrats know how damaging the war has been and we’re asking a whole lot of questions.

That is why today, we will force a vote on another War Powers Resolution – this is the fourth since this war began.

I thank Senator Tammy Duckworth for her work on this week’s resolution. I also thank Senators Kaine, Booker, and other members in our caucus for their continuing leadership on this crucial issue.

Republicans have voted against this resolution three times now, but as the war drags on for 47 days with no end in sight, they should join us today on this resolution and end the war once and for all—and all the troubles it’s bringing to Americans—once and for all.

It’s been 47 days already, where are you?

And if Republicans vote no yet again, we will continue to force votes on these resolutions every week until either this war ends or Republicans get the courage to stand up to Donald Trump.

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