Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) Sunday laid out Senate Democrats’ agenda for July, putting the spotlight on legislation to lower the cost of insulin, prescription drug reform and proposals to address Supreme Court ethics.
In a “Dear Colleague” letter circulated Sunday, Schumer said Democrats will work with Republicans to “lower the cost of insulin and prescription drugs,” respond to the nation’s ongoing fentanyl crisis, reform the energy-permitting process and improve rail safety.
He also highlighted the need to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration and the Farm Bill, bipartisan work on cannabis-banking legislation and a package to improve economic competition with China.
Schumer took a shot at conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito for failing to disclose lavish vacations they took at the invitation of wealthy conservative donors, and said Democrats will “explore every option” to address Supreme Court ethics.
“[T]his MAGA-captured Supreme Court feels free to accept lavish gifts and vacations from their powerful, billionaire friends. And these are no ordinary billionaires—they are ideological extremists who bankroll hard-right MAGA causes and then bring those cases before the same Justices they’ve patronized,” Schumer wrote in his letter to colleagues.
“Congress has clear authority to oversee the federal judiciary, and we must explore every option for restoring faith in our courts,” he wrote.
Schumer noted that the Senate continues to work “diligently” to advance the annual appropriations bills and that the Senate Armed Services Committee approved the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) before the July 4 recess.
“These two areas – appropriations and NDAA – are prime examples of the bipartisan cooperation we strive to achieve,” he wrote.
He announced that all senators Tuesday will receive a classified briefing on how the Department of Defense and intelligence agencies are using artificial intelligence (AI) to protect national security as well as how foreign adversaries are developing the emerging technology.
Schumer has made AI a top policy priority this Congress and recently met with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk in his Capitol office to discuss future regulation.
“During this work period I also intend to build on my SAFE Innovation Framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) – an outline for how the Senate can advance American leadership in AI and harness it’s potential and protect our society from its potential harms,” he wrote.
Schumer, who is working with Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) on the issue, announced last month that the Senate will hold AI “insight forums” with top experts in the field to help guide the Senate Committees in developing legislation.
“Our agenda is ambitious and with a closely divided Senate, we face an uphill battle on many fronts. It is always my hope that we will be able to find consensus and develop a path forward with our Republican colleagues,” he wrote.
“Where that is not possible, we must pursue all options available for advancing programs to protect and expand America’s middle class,” he added.