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Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, just days ago, Donald Trump declared his war in Iran a ``total and complete victory. 100 percent. No question about it.''

Again, Donald Trump saying about his war:

A total and complete victory. 100 percent. No question about it.

But for the American people, for our troops, for our allies, for our economy, there is nothing but questions about it. In fact, to a majority of Americans, it is a total disaster.

In just about every way, things are worse today than they were before Trump started his war of choice.

The Strait of Hormuz? Worse, closed and unstable. The Iranian regime? Worse, more entrenched and more radical.

Gas prices? Worse, over $4 a gallon.

Iran's nuclear ambitions? Worse. They are still intact.

And America's standing in the world? Worse, as the Europeans and our Asian and Middle Eastern allies and so many others are very exasperated with Donald Trump and this country right now.

So Strait of Hormuz? Worse. Iranian regime change? Worse. Gas prices? Worse. Iran's nuclear ambitions? Worse. American credibility? Worse.

Everything--everything--has been made worse by Donald Trump's war of choice. Donald Trump promised ``total and complete victory.'' Instead, he delivered total and complete chaos. That is not victory; that is failure.

Donald Trump hasn't even clearly articulated what victory would look like, let alone achieved it. Instead, he has lurched from one reckless idea to the next, with no strategy, no endgame, no coalition of allies, and the consequences, unfortunately, are piling up.

Russia's oil revenues are surging, buoyed by Donald Trump's decision to ease pressure and destabilize global markets. An adversary that is fueling the war in Ukraine is now benefiting from this chaos.

And at home, Americans are paying a very high price. Inflation is rising again, driven, in part, by the spike in energy costs. So Americans are paying the price there. Mortgage rates are climbing. Consumer confidence has hit record lows.

Donald Trump is leading our troops into a literal minefield abroad and leading American families into an economic minefield here at home.

So let's call Trump's Iran policy for what it is, not Operation Epic Fury, ``Operation Epic Failure.'' ``Operation Epic Failure'' is a much more appropriate name for Trump's war of choice.

And 45 days into this war, Congress has been sidelined because our Republican colleagues refuse to take a strong stand against this war and duck it completely because they are afraid of Trump.

No hearings, no oversight--no serious oversight--no accountability, not one. I say to my Republican friends: This is not how democracy conducts a war. That is not what the Constitution allows. So if Republicans refuse to do their job, Senate Democrats will force the issue.

Under the War Powers Act, we will bring a resolution to the floor this week, led by Senator Tammy Duckworth, a combat veteran who understands the true cost of war far more than Donald Trump ever has.

And we will not stop there. If Republicans block it, we will vote again and again and again, every single week, until ``Operation Epic Failure'' ends or Congress does its job and authorizes it--which I know it won't, given how bad this war is--because our troops deserve a mission, not a mess. They deserve a strategy, not chaos. And they deserve leaders who understand that sending Americans into harm's way is the most serious decision a nation can make.

Our Republican colleagues face a simple choice: Stand with Americans or stand with Trump's failed war. Stand with our troops or keep them in harm's way without a plan. Stand with the American people or keep asking them to pay more for gas, more for groceries, and more for a war that has made everything worse.

We will keep forcing that choice. We will keep forcing that choice, my Republican colleagues. You won't be able to keep ducking it.

I would like to thank Senator Kaine for his tremendous leadership on this issue. I would like to thank Senator Booker and the Members of our caucus for working with me to ensure we have these votes week after week, unrelenting, until Republicans are ready to stand up, listen to the pleas of Americans, and do their job.

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