Richard J. Durbin
Senator for Illinois · Democratic · United States
“(c) Duties of the Commission.--The Commission shall-- (1) conduct pursuant to subsection (a) a comprehensive study that examines and assesses the adequacy of laws addressing child marriage and the extent of child marriage across the country, including making specific findings relating to-- (A) barriers to and gaps in services for minors f…”
“(c) Duties of the Commission.--The Commission shall-- (1) conduct pursuant to subsection (a) a comprehensive study that examines and assesses the adequacy of laws addressing child marriage and the extent of child marriage across the country, including making specific findings relating to-- (A) barriers to and gaps in services for minors f…”
“(4) Qualifications.--Members appointed under paragraph (1) shall have demonstrated experience or expertise in-- (A) providing services to survivors of child marriage in the United States; (B) providing services to immigrant survivors of child marriage in the United States; (C) working with State governments to limit child marriage; (D) th…”
“(4) Qualifications.--Members appointed under paragraph (1) shall have demonstrated experience or expertise in-- (A) providing services to survivors of child marriage in the United States; (B) providing services to immigrant survivors of child marriage in the United States; (C) working with State governments to limit child marriage; (D) th…”
“(3) Rule of construction.--The amendments made by this subsection may not be construed to preclude, limit, or modify eligibility of any noncitizen spouse subjected to battery or extreme cruelty and otherwise eligible for relief as a VAWA self-petitioner (as defined in section 101(a)(51) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.”
“(3) Rule of construction.--The amendments made by this subsection may not be construed to preclude, limit, or modify eligibility of any noncitizen spouse subjected to battery or extreme cruelty and otherwise eligible for relief as a VAWA self-petitioner (as defined in section 101(a)(51) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.”
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Every one of 1,005 lines we hold for Richard J. Durbin, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 20 of 21.
“John McCain, an extraordinary man, served this country in ways that we could hardly ask anyone else to serve: a prisoner of war for over 5 years during Vietnam, came battling back, and was elected to the U.S. Senate from Arizona. And he was a real maverick. You never knew where John was going to end up, but you always wanted to end up with him, if you could, because it was always a spirited contest, and he usually won it. And this vote was dragged out for a long period of time--2:30 in the morning, for goodness' sake. And somebody said: John McCain is the last person to vote, but he has been called off the Senate floor to go into a room behind and take a telephone call from Donald Trump.”
“I was seated at this desk, and a historic vote was about to take place. The vote was whether or not we would keep the Affordable Care Act--or ObamaCare, as it was known then--extending health insurance to millions of Americans, some of whom had never had it. At the time, President Trump was in office, and he and the majority of the Republicans were determined to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, to eliminate the insurance that millions of American families depended on to protect their kids and themselves. It was the closest possible vote. In the end, at least three Republican Senators voted to save the Affordable Care Act, but the one key vote and the one I remember was John McCain's.”
“Madam President, this has been an amazing week in the U.S. Senate, and I have served here for over 25 years. Just 2 days ago, our colleague Cory Booker, from the State of New Jersey, ended a filibuster on the floor after 25 hours--broke the record, longest speech in the history of the Senate. And an impassioned speech it was. I was happy to be here for a major part of it. There was a big celebration on our side of the aisle. The Galleries were filled in a way I have never seen before, cheering Cory Booker for his achievement. It is a moment all of us who are lucky enough to serve in the Senate will remember the rest of our lives. But I remember another moment that affected more people than this miraculous feat by Cory Booker. It was July 28 of 2017. It was 2:30 in the morning.”
“The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Justice). Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action. The majority leader. ____________________”
“168 Ex.] YEAS--52 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--45 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Durbin Fetterman Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murkowski Murphy Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--3 Duckworth Murray Sanders The nomination was confirmed.”
“I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth), the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 52, nays 45, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No.”
“The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Husted). Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is made and laid upon the table, and the President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action. ____________________”
“167 Ex.] YEAS--53 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--45 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Durbin Fetterman Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden [[Page S2159]] NOT VOTING--2 Duckworth Murray The nomination was confirmed.”
“I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) and the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 53, nays 45, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No.”
“That burden of tariffs is carried by our companies and paid for by our consumers. Rest assured, the uncertainty and fear these tariffs will create will impact our Nation's workers and our economy. America knows the economy is going the wrong way under Donald Trump. They won't be fooled. Witness what happened in Wisconsin just a few days ago. Even Trump's Rasputin, Elon Musk, cannot buy his way out of this mess. In fact, the only thing these tariffs are liberating is money from the wallets of hard-working Americans into the bank accounts of billionaires. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.”
“Who in the world ever dreamed that the last election was about whether we want a trade war with Canada? These tariffs are a tax hike on Americans and will cost businesses, consumers, farmers, and workers. If Trump were less focused on annexing Canada and Greenland and Panama--and God knows who else--and raising revenue to pay for billionaire tax cuts, he would clearly see that the American people ardently disagree with his so-called ``Liberation Day.'' In fact, a recent poll found that 60 percent of Americans oppose the tariffs, and that is before they actually kicked in. Look at the stock market today. How are you doing with that retirement account? Most Americans are not doing very well. While the President claims that foreign countries will pay the tariffs, Americans know better.”
“Americans are sick of paying too much for eggs and gas and for the everyday necessities they need to provide for their families, to commute to work, to pay the mortgage. Trump's tariffs--or what I call Trump's national sales tax--Trump's national sales tax will do exactly the opposite. The 10-percent tariffs the President announced will result in an increase of thousands of dollars in costs for the households of everyday Americans. Experts estimate that Trump's national sales tax--these tariffs--will cost the average family $100 a week. That is $5,000 annually. That is a lot of eggs. Trump is pushing our economy in the wrong direction. During a time when many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, this trade war is senseless, frivolous, and dangerous to American families' budgets.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 60 (Thursday, April 3, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 60 (Thursday, April 3, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2149] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Tariffs Mr. President, on another topic of global importance, President Trump once again announced an escalation of trade wars with many of our closest allies and trade partners. He proclaimed it ``Liberation Day'' yesterday. ``Liberation Day'' is what he called it, but don't expect any ticker-tape parades or flag displays in the windows of American homes to celebrate this ``Liberation Day.'' The American public has been clear: They want to see prices come down, not go up.”
“The same Witkoff groveled over Putin's obviously manipulative portrait gift to Trump, and he said those forced at gunpoint in occupied eastern Ukraine to vote in a sham referendum actually really wanted to be part of Russia. He is buying the Kremlin talking points and the long list in total. But as the President negotiates away Ukraine's freedom and America's credibility, Congress has an obligation and a constitutional responsibility to act. So I am glad this week that dozens of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle introduced legislation to make it clear to Russia that broad sanctions will be imposed if Russia does not negotiate in good faith and end this war soon. We owe Ukraine, and we certainly owe our own country nothing less.”
“Consider the last few months of negotiations between Trump and Putin that led almost nowhere and emboldened Russia. The supposed cease-fire was supposed to narrowly limit Russian attacks, and here we have them bombing hospitals. A supposed deal to stop fighting in the Black Sea was a giveaway to the Russians that undermined the Ukrainians. Or consider President Trump's special peace envoy Steve Witkoff, a real estate tycoon from New York who is in competition with Neville Chamberlain for the world's most naive appeaser. Witkoff recently told another Putin apologist, Tucker Carlson, that he liked Putin and didn't regard him as a bad guy.”
“His recent column's title tells the story: ``I Don't Believe a Single Word Trump and Putin Say About Ukraine.'' Washington Post columnist Max Boot wrote ``Putin is playing Trump and Witkoff like a Stradivarius,'' asking dismayingly what the rest of us are pondering as well: ``Does Trump seriously believe Putin is negotiating in good faith to end the war in Ukraine?'' Or listen to the senior Republican Senator from Kentucky. Here is what he said: Unless we change course, the outcome we're heading for today is one we can least afford: a headline that reads ``Russia wins, America loses''. . . . An illusory peace that shreds America's credibility, leaves Ukraine under threat, weakens our alliances, and emboldens our enemies. I agree.”
“He has decimated low- cost soft power by gutting USAID and Voice of America, giving away our influence and leadership to China and Russia--a move the head of Russian state TV called--get this quote--``an awesome decision by Trump! We couldn't shut them down, unfortunately, but America did so itself.'' By turning our backs on the rest of the world, Donald Trump is undermining the promise of America as a beacon of democracy, freedom, and human rights. All the while, Russian President Putin is laughing at us, watching with glee as America destroys its own leadership and credibility--something he could only have dreamed of in his former KGB days. If you don't believe me, read New York Times columnist Tom Friedman.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 60 (Thursday, April 3, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 60 (Thursday, April 3, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2149] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Russia Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, anyone here remember how Donald Trump promised to end Russia's war on Ukraine in 1 day if he was elected? That is right: 1 day. Well, we are 73 days into his term, with Russia still raining death and destruction upon the people of Ukraine. Instead of ending the war, Donald Trump has alienated and bullied our allies around the world--our allies. He insulted and blackmailed Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, who has led Ukrainians fighting bravely for more than 3 years, and 46,000 Ukrainians have died in defense of their country.”
“164 Ex.] YEAS--50 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) [[Page S2149]] Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--45 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--5 Boozman Hoeven Murray Sanders Tillis The PRESIDING OFFICER.”
“I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) are necessarily absent. The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 50, nays 45, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No.”
“The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hagerty). Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.”
“163 Ex.] YEAS--52 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--45 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--3 Crapo Murray Shaheen The nomination was confirmed.”
“I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) and the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 52, nays 45, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No.”
“And she has an extensive history of hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community, especially transgender Americans. It is the duty of the head of the Civil Rights Division to protect the civil rights of every American. I cannot and will not support a nominee whose record suggests she is more likely to attack civil rights than defend them. And it is the Solicitor General's duty to represent the U.S. Government before the Supreme Court. I do not believe Mr. Sauer will put the American people's interests above President Trump's. I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing these nominees.”
“Dhillon's loyalty to the President goes beyond a typical attorney-client relationship. She has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 Presidential election. In November 2020, she tweeted, ``STOP THE STEAL!'' and encouraged her followers to donate to President Trump's so-called election defense fund. During her hearing, Ms. Dhillon doubled down on her election denialism, repeating her dubious claims about supposed irregularities and so-called ``voter integrity.'' And she refused to admit that President Biden won the 2020 election. Ms. Dhillon also has a long history of seeking to restrict civil rights, which is deeply concerning. She has criticized key provisions of the Voting Rights Act and supported laws that make it harder to vote.”
“Dhillon and her law firm have represented the President as an individual and his campaigns on numerous occasions, pocketing more than $8 million in legal fees. And Mr. Sauer recently filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of the President, urging the Court to stay the effective date of the law that bans TikTok. During his hearing, Mr. Sauer repeatedly refused to commit to recusing himself from matters connected to his representation of President Trump, including a current case appealing the $364 million judgment entered against the President in New York. Instead, Mr. Sauer only offered to consult with ``the appropriate Department of Justice ethics officials.'' This gives me little reassurance since the administration recently forced out the Justice Department's senior apolitical career ethics officials. And Ms.”
“Sauer said, ``Generally, if there's a direct court order that binds a federal or state official, they should follow it.'' I was appalled that someone seeking to become the ``Tenth Justice,'' as the Solicitor General is commonly known, would take such a position. As my colleague Senator Kennedy warned Mr. Sauer and another Justice Department nominee who also refused to commit to following court orders ``Don't ever, ever, take the position that you're not going to follow the order of a federal court. Ever.'' But that is not my only concern with Mr. Sauer. Both he and Ms. Dhillon are part of the growing list of the President's personal lawyers who have been nominated for senior DOJ roles. Ms.”
“The Civil Rights Division--often called the ``crown jewel'' of the Justice Department--enforces landmark laws that prohibit discrimination and protect the right to vote. Ms. Dhillon's record makes it all too clear that she is not the right person to lead this division. [[Page S2148]] Mr. Sauer's nomination is a danger to the rule of law. At his confirmation hearing, I asked him a very simple question that any first-year law student should be able to answer, let alone a nominee seeking Senate confirmation. When I asked him whether an elected official should be allowed to defy a Federal court order, Mr.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 60 (Thursday, April 3, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 60 (Thursday, April 3, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2147-S2148] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Nominations of Dean Sauer and Harmeet Dhillon Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, the Senate will soon vote on the nominations of Dean John Sauer and Harmeet Dhillon, President Trump's nominees for Solicitor General and Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. The Solicitor General represents the United States in the highest Court of the land, the Supreme Court. Mr. Sauer's failure to comply with court orders and his refusal to recuse himself from pending Trump matters render him unfit for this role.”
“162 Leg.] YEAS--53 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--42 Baldwin Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Murphy Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--5 Alsobrooks Bennet Coons Merkley Murray The joint resolution (H.J.”
“I announce that the Senator from Maryland (Ms. Alsobrooks), the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet), the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Merkley), and the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 53, nays 42, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No.”
“If this attack on medical research is allowed to continue, we will lose an entire generation of researchers, medical breakthroughs will be delayed, and the words ``you have cancer'' will be heard by far more people who will have far less hope in a treatment or cure. ____________________”
“The President cutting funding to help find cures for cancer. As if that weren't bad enough, Elon Musk and RFK, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, have taken their chainsaws to the medical research workforce, cutting more than 1,000 jobs from NIH and threatening thousands more. Just yesterday, NIH employees reported to work, not knowing if they still had jobs or not. How does dismantling our Nation's premier medical research agency make our Nation better? Or healthier? When you freeze NIH's work, limit its resources, fire its experts, or cut its budget, you are hamstringing the world's leading medical research agency from doing what it does best: saving lives. We are at a very dangerous precipice.”
“Medical research worldwide has also led to the development of personalized cancer vaccines, discoveries about the genetic causes of cancer, and the creation of drugs to cut breast cancer risk and treat cervical cancer. This lifesaving research is creating hope for millions across the world at a time when the estimated number of new cancer cases and deaths is only predicted to rise. But the Trump administration is directly threatening the very research that provides the foundation for new discoveries, treatments, and cures. Since the President took office and ceded power to his unelected billionaire buddy Elon Musk, they have attempted sweeping cuts and illegal caps on medical research funding. Already, because of these efforts, NIH has been forced to hold back more than $1 billion in Federal grant funding for researchers. Imagine that.”
“If some of the most painful words someone can hear are: ``You have cancer,'' then some of the most hopeful words are: ``You have promising treatment options.'' Thanks to research from the National Institutes of Health and other global medical research organizations, the scientific community is making ground-breaking advances in cancer treatment. For example, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have used NIH funding to develop a new system to predict a person's likelihood of developing lung cancer up to 6 years in advance, using a low-dose CT scan. Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine used NIH funding to develop a test that identifies 95 percent of early pancreatic cancers, one of the deadliest cancers because it is rarely caught early.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 59 (Wednesday, April 2, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 2, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2138] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, on another matter, there are few more devastating words to hear than: ``You have cancer.'' The unfortunate truth is that millions around the world are faced with that reality every year. The statistics are devastating. Cancer kills 10 million people each year and is a leading cause of death globally. The good news? Medical research has led to breakthrough advancements that are helping in the fight against cancer, with new treatments and cures being developed each year.”
“I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) is necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 51, nays 46, as follows: [[Page S2138]] [Rollcall Vote No. 161 Leg.] YEAS--51 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Young NAYS--46 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--3 Graham Murray Wicker The motion was agreed to.”
“I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) is necessarily absent. The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 53, nays 46, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 158 Ex.] YEAS--53 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Mullin Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--46 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--1 Murray The PRESIDING OFFICER.”
“The fact is, his relationship with this man, presenting him an award at the President's personal club in New Jersey and that then his being praised on it afterward, is a clear indication to me that he should never be seriously considered for this job of U.S. Attorney. But let him come before us. Under oath, let him explain it. Let him try to tell us why this man is such an ``extraordinary leader, an extraordinary person,'' and why this brand of anti-Semitism that he peddles should be tolerated by anyone, let alone the President of the United States. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Florida.”
“Martin specifically targeted the Associated Press, writing, ``As President Trump's [sic] lawyers, we are proud to fight to protect his leadership as President and we are vigilant in standing against entities like the AP that refuse to put America first.'' [[Page S2116]] Finally, since his nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Mr. Martin appears to have attempted to scrub much of his public commentary from the internet. For example, nearly 1,000 hours of his podcasts have been removed from online platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts, interfering with the Committee's ability to thoroughly examine his record. He is trying to cleanse his past so he doesn't have to explain it.”
“Martin has regularly threatened to prosecute various government employees, members of Congress, and press outlets in an apparent attempt to chill their lawful speech. On February 3, 2025, [Mr. Martin] informed Elon Musk that ``we will pursue any and all legal action against anyone who impedes your work.'' Four days later, he followed up with Mr. Musk and stated, ``if people are discovered to have broken the law or even acted unethically, we will investigate them and we will chase them to the end of the Earth to hold them accountable.'' On February 24, Mr.”
“Martin, who then returned to the podium to say, ``It's one of the goals of many of us to make sure the world--especially America--hears more from Tim . . . because he's [so] extraordinary.'' This shocking conduct necessitates sworn testimony from Mr. Martin. He needs to be brought before the Senate Judiciary Committee and answer for his relationship with this individual. How could anyone be taken seriously as a U.S. attorney with this in his background? He deserves his day under oath to explain it. That is why Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have asked Senator Grassley to hold a special hearing for Mr. Martin to explain this and any other things he has done. The list is long. The list is also very troubling. Mr.”
“Hale-Cusanelli himself recorded while storming the Capitol on January 6, he berated an officer guarding the West Front of the Capitol, stating, ``Fuck you! The revolution will be televised.'' Days after the riot, a confidential human source recorded Mr. Hale-Cusanelli saying he wished for there to be another civil war-- So he could also say-- he would give Jewish people ``24 hours to leave the country.'' Sickening. Outrageous, but stay tuned for what I am about to report. In September 2024, Mr. Martin-- The nominee for U.S. attorney-- presented Mr. Hale-Cusanelli with an award at the Trump Bedminster Club in New Jersey. Mr. Martin called Mr. Hale- Cusanelli ``an extraordinary man''-- An extraordinary man he is-- ``an extraordinary leader.'' After Mr. Hale-Cusanelli concluded his remarks, he hugged Mr.”
“Hale-Cusanelli reportedly claimed that he ``would kill all Jews and eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and he wouldn't need to season them because the salt from their tears would make it flavorful enough.'' Can you imagine this statement being made by a man who is a close friend of the President's suggestion for U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia? One co-worker recalled Mr. Hale-Cusanelli saying that ``babies born with . . . deformities or disabilities should be shot in the forehead.'' Another told authorities Mr. Hale- Cusanelli referred to Black people-- I can't use the words. I can't repeat them on the floor of the Senate, but they are terrible. According to videos Mr.”
“Hale-Cusanelli before him, `Statements and actions like yours make [Jewish people] less safe and less confident they can participate as equal members of our society.' Beyond inaccurately portraying Mr. Hale-Cusanelli as a victim of an unjust conviction, Mr. Martin has inexplicably praised Mr. Hale- Cusanelli's character and intellect, despite Mr. Hale-Cusanelli's extensive well-known personal history of antisemitism, misogyny, and racism.'' According to one of his co-workers, Mr. Hale-Cusanelli once said, ``Hitler should have finished the job.'' Further, Mr.”
“Worrell, a member of the Proud Boys, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for assaulting a group of police officers [here in the Capitol] with a deadly and dangerous weapon. The very day that Mr. Martin called Mr. Worrell's treatment by prosecutors ``outrageous,'' Mr. Worrell was a fugitive from the law. He had cut off his GPS ankle monitor four days before his scheduled sentencing on August 14, 2023, and was not apprehended until six weeks later. Mr. Martin also has extensive ties to this man. His name is Timothy Hale-Cusanelli. He was ``a January 6 rioter who prosecutors described as a subscriber of `White Supremacist and Nazi-Sympathizer ideologies that drive his enthusiasm for another civil war.' At Mr. Hale- Cusanelli's sentencing hearing, Judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed by President Trump, said of Mr.”
“Martin's description of what was happening in this Capitol Building as 140 law enforcement officers were being attacked. Mr. Martin once labeled federal prosecutors in D.C.-- employees of the very office he now seeks to lead--[as] ``terrorists'' for pursuing stiff sentences against violent January 6 rioters. Mr. Martin said, and get this: ``Oath Keepers are all of us'' in response to the Justice Department's prosecution of the leaders of the domestic violent extremist organization for seditious experience. Mr. Martin called prosecutors' treatment of insurrectionist Christopher Worrell ``outrageous.'' This is a man seeking a full-time position as U.S. attorney, saying that the prosecution of Christopher Worrell was outrageous. He falsely claimed Mr. Worrell was only ``in the fray a bit--not much but a bit.'' In fact, Mr.”
“Edward Robert Martin, Jr., made stunning attacks on Federal prosecutors and associated himself with individuals who present a threat to our Nation. Mr. Martin was the leader of the so-called ``Stop the Steal'' movement, which, illegally and from a ridiculous point of view, pushed that the 2020 election was not determinative of who was elected President. Mr. Martin himself was on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and has repeatedly downplayed the violence perpetrated against law enforcement that day. That happens to be a crime scene which I am familiar with as a Member of the Senate because we were exposed to the crowd storming into the Capitol and storming onto the floor of the Senate Chamber. Mr. Martin posted the following on social media: Like Mardi Gras in DC today: love, faith and joy. Ignore #FakeNews. That is Mr.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 59 (Wednesday, April 2, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 2, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2115-S2116] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Nomination of Edward Martin Mr. President, one of the most important appointments of the President of the United States is a U.S. attorney. All across the United States, some 90 U.S. attorneys represent the Department of Justice. They do critical work, work that is essential for the safety and security of America. The announcement by this administration of Edward Robert Martin, Jr., to serve as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia raises so many questions that I have come to the floor today. Prior to his appointment as an interim U.S. attorney, Mr.”
“How does unnecessarily tanking our economy, alienating our allies, and taking money out of the wallets of Americans make us great again? Right now, we should be focused on commonsense ways to lower prices and fight inflation. We should be taking genuine steps to slow the flow of fentanyl across our borders, which Canada has made it clear they want to cooperate with us in achieving. We should be working with and not fighting against our closest allies like Canada. These tariffs do none of that. That is why I am supporting Senator Tim Kaine's resolution to block the President's abuse of emergency powers. I know Senate Democrats will stand up for American consumers. Can a few Republican colleagues join us or will they continue to let Donald Trump and Elon Musk enrich billionaires at the expense of hard-working American families?”