Chris Coons: “I just want to offer my response to the very disappointing renewed objection to the resolution that Senator Flake and I…”

“I just want to offer my response to the very disappointing renewed objection to the resolution that Senator Flake and I have attempted to move through this body now twice. Last week, Senator Flake and I came to call on our Senate colleagues to speak clearly in support of our intelligence community, our Federal law enforcement community, and to state unequivocally that Russia's attacks on our democracy will not be tolerated and that we will take action in a firm and bipartisan and swift way. Some have said this is merely a simple or symbolic message. I say there are powerful symbols that motivate our Nation, like our flag, and that, although symbolic, are substantive in their consequences. After the narrow objection of one Senator to this resolution last week, we hear another objection tonight saying what we should be focused on is confirming nominees and funding the Federal Government. I, frankly, don't get the point. If this symbolic resolution, which calls on this Senate to act on hearings, on receiving notes, and on imposing sanctions, in order to push back against Russia's attack on our democracy--if we cannot find 2 minutes to adopt by unanimous consent this simple resolution, then I worry that we continue to have a problem. We continue to have a problem of lack of clarity about what actually happened in 2016 and what may happen in 2018.…”