-9999
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, on Monday night, President Trump threw America into chaos when he abruptly announced a freeze on trillions of dollars in Federal grants and loans that so many communities, States, and Americans depend on.
The reaction across the Nation has been uniform. We have a phone ringing off the hook, computers busy and buzzing. Everybody wants to know: What does this mean? What has happened?
Even members of the press were confused. Members of Congress were confused. Members of the American public were confused. And even members of the President's own administration were confused about the intent and scope of the freeze.
Rightly so, Americans from across the country took to calling our offices and the offices of their Congressmen and asked what was going on. They needed clarity, and they wanted to know what the freeze on funds would mean to them--in agency after agency across the State of Illinois and the Nation.
Toni is a woman from Woodstock, IL. She shared with my office that her brother has Down syndrome, and the care he receives is funded by a Federal grant. His health and safety would be at risk if this freeze is allowed to be implemented.
Or take Dr. Kay, a professor and scientist at the University of Chicago. Her work depends on funding from the National Institutes of Health and other Federal grants. She shared that the freeze would ``interrupt crucial biomedical research, stopping progress, destroying sometimes years' worth of research that cannot be undone.'' And it could hurt the retention of our Nation's future scientists.
Or Sarah, a supporter of community-based organizations that serve youth experiencing homelessness in the city of Chicago. If this freeze, in fact, takes place, the organization will not be able to access the Federal funding it needs to provide services for youth, help them escape violence, or help to reunify their families.
Yesterday, Americans across the country faced disruptions in accessing critical funds and services in popular programs like Head Start, Medicaid, and so many more. These are just a few of the many messages my office and others have received from Americans confused, outraged, and impacted by this freeze.
Then, last night, a Federal judge in DC ordered the freeze to be paused from going into effect until Monday, February 3. In response to the backlash from the American public, the organized efforts of many Democratic lawmakers, and the court ruling, President Trump's Office of Management and Budget today rescinded the memo outlining the funding freeze.
But that isn't the end of the story. The President's Press Secretary now claims that while the memo ordering the freeze has been rescinded, the freeze itself still stands.
Who is on first? How does this make sense, you ask? Well, the honest answer is it doesn't. The policy is as poorly thought out and communicated as can be.
In true Trump fashion, his administration has made clear that it doesn't intend to abide by the will of the American people, the letter of the law, or the Constitution. It will do whatever it takes to push through this policy, even if it means hurting Americans across the country.
Let me be clear. We are going to continue to fight this unconstitutional, devastating, and grossly unpopular freeze in Federal spending. I want every American to know that your voice and participation in our democracy means more now than ever. The President is betting that you won't notice when he abuses power or breaks the law; that amidst the chaos that surrounds him, you will be too confused, jaded, or just too tired to fight back.
But I urge America to continue monitoring the actions of this new administration, particularly when they touch you and your family personally, and to report to our offices--both political parties--any Federal funding that your communities and organizations are unable to access.
This will not be the last time, I am afraid, that this administration defies our Nation's laws to show a position of power, and we will be watching closely, ready to stop him if he tries again.
Some think this freeze was a mistake, a blunder by the new President's team. Others think this was exactly what they wanted: chaos, confusion, a show of force. Today, we even don't know exactly what the motive is or what the status is. The courts have to sort it out because the administration can't even explain it. The best thing now, at this point, is to watch closely because programs that mean a lot are at stake.
I have a particular affection for the National Institutes of Health, the premier medical research Agency in the world. For their researchers to call in a panic over this decision is to me a litmus test of why it is the wrong thing to do for America.
Want to make America great again? Hook your star to one of the greatest Agencies in our government, the National Institutes of Health. Don't suspend their funding, don't stop their research. I watched closely as the story unfolded this afternoon, and with a lot of my friends, I thought, well, the Trump administration has realized they just made a mistake and they put everything back on track.
And then Karoline Leavitt, who is the new Press Secretary, issued a statement, and she said:
This is not a rescission of the Federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo. Why? To end any confusion created by the court's injunction. The President's [executive orders] on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.
That was her quote to try to clarify the situation; she couldn't have made it worse. At this point, America doesn't know what the future will hold. The judge in the case that is pending is the one who may have the last word, the important word on where this is headed.
I want to commend those who are in the courtroom trying to sort out the mess that has been created here in Washington for the good of this country to make it great again. We certainly need to have some understanding of what the policy of our government is.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source