Schumer lists rail security, decreasing insulin prices as high priorities for remainder of 2024

Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) circulated a letter to Senate colleagues Sunday afternoon warning them of the looming authorities funding deadline of Sept. 30 and highlighting rail security laws and proposals to decrease the price of insulin and pharmaceuticals as high priorities remaining in 2024.

Schumer additionally mentioned he would make it a precedence to proceed confirming President Biden’s judicial and govt department nominees over the subsequent 4 months, as Democrats are in peril of dropping their Senate majority.

The Democratic chief warned that failure to increase authorities funding previous the top of the month would threaten “essential funding for well being care, infrastructure, training, meals security, veterans, border safety, U.S. competitiveness and extra.”

He reiterated that Democrats will assist a unbroken decision to maintain the federal government funding for just a few weeks or months however emphasised that they won’t assist controversial Republican coverage riders, comparable to a the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which might require folks to point out proof of citizenship after they register to vote.

“As I’ve mentioned earlier than, the one technique to get issues accomplished is a bipartisan approach. Regardless of Republican bluster, that’s how we’ve dealt with each funding invoice up to now, and this time must be no exception. We won’t let poison capsules or Republican extremism put funding for vital applications in danger,” he mentioned.

Home Republican leaders Friday unveiled a 46-page plan to fund the federal government till March 28, 2025, which incorporates the proposal to require proof of citizenship throughout voter registration.

Schumer in a joint assertion with Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) warned final week that “avoiding a authorities shutdown requires bipartisanship, not a invoice drawn up by one occasion.”

Wanting past this month’s funding deadline, Schumer mentioned he nonetheless hopes to complete a number of delayed priorities earlier than the 118th Congress adjourns earlier than January.

“There are nonetheless alternatives for bipartisan cooperation on NDAA, rail security, decreasing the price of insulin and pharmaceuticals, and synthetic intelligence, amongst others,” Schumer wrote, referring to the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act, which lawmakers say probably gained’t attain the ground till after the election.

“Whereas we gained’t be capable of obtain all of those objectives earlier than the election, it’s my hope that our Republican colleagues will work with us to make as a lot progress as doable,” he wrote.

“Discovering compromise isn’t simple, however we all know it’s the solely path to attaining outcomes for the American folks. Our caucus unity has been the important thing to our success, so I need to thank every of you for all of your work to seek out compromise every time doable,” he added.

Schumer additionally highlighted the bipartisan accomplishments of the previous 18 months, such because the reauthorization of the Overseas Intelligence Surveillance Act and the Federal Aviation Administration, together with army help for Ukraine and Israel and humanitarian help for civilians in Gaza.

“We’ve secured important catastrophe reduction funding, handed laws to guard youngsters security on-line and extra,” he wrote.

He mentioned he’s urging Home Republicans to take up and move two Senate-approved payments to guard youngsters browsing the online, the Children On-line Security Act and the Youngsters and Teenagers’ On-line Privateness Safety Act.