BOOKER: “It’s time for us to fight. And let’s be clear, let’s be clear about how we can fight. The Republicans won the White House, they won the House of Representatives, they won the United States Senate, they have majorities across Congress, but we are not powerless. We have agency, and we all must join together and fight in these ways, but the first thing we cannot do is allow them to weaken us by us turning against each other. (Cheering and Applause) This must be a coalition that grows and grows and grows. There can be no bystanders in this fight. It is time that we understand the only thing necessary for wrong to triumph is for right to do nothing, for right to be silent. And so understand this, there are legislators walking through here, but these are the ways we’re going to fight. First of all, in the United States Senate, we will not cooperate. (Cheering and Applause) We are joining the leadership, we are joining the leadership already stated by Brian Schatz of Hawaii, that we will cooperate with no appointments when it comes to the State Department, no appointments when it comes to foreign policy. (Cheering and Applause) The first thing we’re going to do in the Senate is not cooperate with the illegal and unconstitutional acts that they are trying to do. (Cheering and Applause) The second thing we are going to do, and we met this morning, it is in the legal perspective, the second thing we are going to do is we are going to fight this legally in every way we can. (Cheering and Applause)

We will fight their violation of civil service laws. (Cheering and Applause) We will fight their violation of civil rights laws. (Cheering and Applause) We will fight their violations of separation of powers. (Cheering and Applause) We will fight their violations of our Constitution of the United States of America. (Cheering and Applause) We will not shut up, we will stand up, we will speak up, we will rise up, and it’s time as the African spiritual says for us to lift every voice in condemnation of what’s going on. (Cheering and Applause) We will fight legally, we will fight procedurally, and we will also fight legislatively. From the House of Representatives to the United States Senate, we will be introducing legislation to stop this assault on our Constitution and separation of powers. And lest you think I’m naive, lest you think I’m naive, do not categorize this as a left-to-right fight. This is not about left or right, it’s about right and wrong. (Cheering and Applause) This is not about demonizing a political party, it is about telling the truth about Donald Trump’s actions and Elon Musk’s actions. We must, we must as a people, appeal to the consciousness of those modern Republicans that we can get to stand with us on legislation to save USAID!” (Cheering and Applause)