Chuck Schumer (00:00):
… do indeed think he's qualified and ready for one of the most consequential jobs in the country. Why is the chairman hell-bent to keep all relevant information out of the hands of his colleagues? To dismiss the allegations against Mr. Hegseth but then reject full transparency is, at best, odd, suspicious, concerning at worst. Unfortunately, Mr. Hegseth's testimony failed to address the disturbing questions that plague his nomination. So it appears that Mr. Hegseth's strategy is to follow the five D's of dodgeball: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge. That's his strategy. See the movie?
(00:53)
Mr. Hegseth failed to explain, for one, why someone with his lack of qualifications should be entrusted to lead our armed forces. Why should America entrust our military to a television personality who has never led any large organization? No answer. Mr. Hegseth failed to answer for his deeply flawed history of financial and organizational mismanagement. Why should he be the one entrusted to manage the huge, complicated Pentagon's budget when he couldn't even do well with much tinier organizations? No good answer. When asked about his comments as recently as two months ago, two months ago, when he claimed that we should not have women in combat roles, he had no good answers.
(01:38)
Being Secretary of Defense demands discipline, it demands character, it demands restraint; Mr. Hegseth's history shows he's deficient in every one of these qualities. And without any documentation to prove otherwise, it would be deeply irresponsible for the Senate to confirm him as Secretary of Defense. It's a risk that our 3 million military and civilian defense workers cannot take. But, of course, Mr. Hegseth isn't the only nominee we're concerned with. We want to make sure these nominees, we say to the American people, we want to make sure these nominees are fighting for you and your family. We want them working day in and day out to make our country safer, bring costs down, and make life easier for all Americans. That's what Senate Democrats are focused on throughout these hearings, and you'll see us continually focusing on these and what we'll fight for in the hearings. Senator Reed's just gotten back from the hearing with Senator Hegseth.
Jack Reed (02:38):
Well, thank you, Leader. I went into this hearing with deep concerns about Mr. Hegseth's qualification to be Secretary of Defense, and I have concluded that he lacks the character, the confidence, and the commitment to do this job. He's probably the least qualified individual ever suggested to be the Secretary of Defense in my tenure and perhaps in the history of the country. But there's something I think more fundamental that is taking place. Hegseth will be the point person on the politicalization of the United States military. We have never had a politicized military. Over the course of my life, I learned at West Point that our duty is to the Constitution, and it's not to be a partisan. What Mr. Hegseth wants to do is insert partisanship into the military of the United States so it becomes a political vehicle.
(03:42)
One of the first things they want to do is have their warrior board. I suspect President Trump will announce that on January 20th. And what that warrior board will do is identify everyone they consider to be at the general officer level not compliant with Trump, i.e. he's not a sycophant, and they will eliminate them. And that will send huge impulses throughout the entire military about what does it mean to be a soldier, sailor, Marine, airman, guardian today. It will also give people pause about how they behave. Should they give their best professional opinion or should they keep quiet because it might offend the President or the Secretary of Defense, and they would be subject to a warrior board? They have already sent out anonymous emails to active duty officers saying, "We're going to get you. We're going to get you." That is completely contrary to.
(05:02)
So we are in a very difficult position, and it's further complicated by the fact that there is an ongoing campaign of intimidation against people who would come forward and testify, and also, I believe, my colleagues. There are advertisements in their states now that they must vote for Hegseth, and there is clear sort of signals that if you don't play ball, you're going to have millions and millions of dollars directed against you, as well as social media directed against you to make your life miserable.
(05:47)
And ultimately, this will come down to whether the Senate of the United States can perform its constitutional duty to advise and consent to the President of the United States, not to simply fall in line and do something expedient. So the Senate's reputation is at stake, the military of the United States is at stake. We are in for a very difficult moment. Senator Klobuchar.
Amy Klobuchar (06:22):
Thank you. Thank you. Over the next few weeks, as you all know, in the next few months, the Senate is going to be carrying out our constitutional duty as Senator Reed just described, of advise and consent when we consider these nominees. And I want to thank Senator Schumer for his leadership in pushing for those FBI background checks and for the ethics forms, the conflicts forms. As you know, a number of hearings have been held off because people did not get those forms in, didn't give us that necessary information for us and for the public for us to look at.
(07:00)
And just stepping back from the very important Hegseth hearing today, there are the upcoming nominees and our focus on what matters to the American people. So when we look at these nominees, we're going to look at whether they're able, whether they have the background, whether they have the ethical background, but also whether what they do actually is consistent with what the American people need and want.
(07:27)
When we look at reconciliation or whatever they're going to do after that, we are happy to work with the Republicans on bringing down the cost of housing and bringing down the cost of child care and medical care and, of course, long-term care, something we don't talk enough about, but not if they're actually going to make that worse by giving a bunch of tax cuts to the wealthiest.
(07:51)
We'll be looking at whether they are prepared to actually improve the lives of the American people. Will they commit to continuing the prescription drug negotiations that were such hard fought negotiations in Congress and then sent over and administered by Secretary Becerra and President Biden? First 10 drugs alone will save 9 million seniors $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs in just one year. Are they going to continue those negotiations? Are they going to continue into next year as 15 more drugs in the year after that, 15 more drugs with billions and billions of dollars at stake, are they going to give big Pharma a sweetheart deal? These are the questions we're going to be asking the nominees.
(08:35)
Are they going to commit to letting Americans keep more of what they earn when they have children, when they have families, as in the child tax credit? Or will they give billionaires and corporations a massive tax break that would add trillions to the national debt? And I would note that the Treasury Department study released Friday found that extending the tax cuts for people who make more than $400,000 a year would cost $2.4 trillion. And that would give the top 0.1% a tax cut of 314,000 a year. So if they are willing to work with us on what matters for regular people to bring town costs, we're there, but if they're messing around with giving a bunch of things to the wealthy, we're going to hold them accountable. Thank you.
Chuck Schumer (09:24):
Thanks, Amy. Senator Whitehouse.
Sheldon Whitehouse (09:27):
Thank you, Chuck. With this slate of nominees, the doors are creaking open to political partisanship and special interest control over the levers of government. The American people need to watch their wallets with this crew of Trump nominees who are out to loot our public treasury and pollute our public spaces. Trump and his billionaire buddies are out to get richer still at everyone else's expense, at the expense of working families, the planet, and our collective future.
(10:15)
So Democrats in these hearings are going to press for answers about shady business dealing, dark money corruption, special interest influence. Remember, for instance, Donald Trump's brazen pitch to the fossil fuel industry, a billion dollars for his presidential campaign in return for lucrative fossil fuel favors. Trump's big donors want payback. The nominees are here to deliver and regular people will pay the price.
(10:49)
I'll close with the warning§ we've pressed through the budget committee that we are headed into an insurance crisis driven by fossil fuel emissions with huge stakes for the American economy. And we need to avoid that crash, not put government into the control of the special interests who have been causing it.
Chuck Schumer (11:11):
Thank you. Questions?
Speaker 5 (11:11):
Mr. Schumer?
Chuck Schumer (11:11):
Yes.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Will you and your caucus support the Laken Riley Act if there are no changes to it?
Chuck Schumer (11:19):
Look, we are working hard to get amendments to improve the act and we're discussing that with Senator Thune right now. Yes?
Speaker 6 (11:28):
Are there any must-pass amendments for Democrats?
Chuck Schumer (11:28):
We're working, as I said, with Senator Thune to get amendments to improve the bill. Yes?
Speaker 7 (11:33):
Which parts of the bill do you think are most important to the amendment?
Chuck Schumer (11:37):
As I said, all I'm going to say to you again is we're working with Senator Thune to get some amendments to the bill. We're very hopeful that we can get some. Yes?
Speaker 8 (11:46):
Thank you. What do you think is an appropriate timetable to confirm some of these nominees? I know you say you don't want to rush through these here, obviously they want to get some of these done, but what would you … I mean, give us some specifics here when you say-
Chuck Schumer (11:57):
Look, every nominee should at least go through three things. One, the FBI background check investigation should be made available to all of the committee members and to the public. Second, they should go through hearings with tough questions and not just limit it to one round as Senator Wicker did. And third, there should be a vote on the floor. Those things have to be done. Thank you, everybody.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
Can I ask a … Senator Reed, can we ask one question? Senator Reed? Senator Reed?
Jack Reed (12:28):
I've got to go in now.
Speaker 10 (12:28):
Senator Reed-
Speaker 11 (12:32):
No, you don't.
Speaker 12 (12:40):
Our stool.
Speaker 13 (12:40):
Oh, stool.
Speaker 12 (12:40):
We're going to take that upstairs, to 317, and leave it there 'cause it's where I took it from.
Speaker 13 (12:45):
Only one?
Speaker 14 (12:45):
[inaudible 00:13:13].
Speaker 13 (12:45):
Not that I know of.
Speaker 14 (12:45):
Okay.
Speaker 13 (12:45):
I'm going to try run a number that I know on this app.
Speaker 14 (12:45):
For the White House?
Speaker 13 (12:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (12:45):
It doesn't have to be done today, right?
Speaker 13 (12:45):
I-