Ben Sasse says Chuck Schumer ‘the most powerful man in America’ after deal with Trump

Sen. Ben Sasse said Thursday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made himself “the most powerful man in America” in the debt ceiling debate.

“Do your constituents know that Chuck Schumer, who’s title is minority leader not majority leader, just made himself the most powerful man in America for the month of December? Chuck Schumer has made himself the key man in all negotiations in December because of the legislation we’re going to pass today,” Mr. Sasse, Nebraska Republican, said on the Senate floor.

Mr. Sasse was reacting to the bill lawmakers are taking up that would provide $15.25 billion in relief funds for Tropical Storm Harvey, but would also push the debt ceiling to December 15.

Conservative groups already voiced their opposition to the measure arguing that the funding for cleanup efforts in Texas and Louisiana should not be tied to the debt ceiling debate.

“What we’re doing in this body today is not draining the swamp. What we’re doing is running a whole bunch of hoses to the edge of the swamp, turning them on to the highest possible volume flow, and then turning our backs on the swamp and shouting there’s nothing to see here,” he said.

The bill was part of the agreement President Trump made with Democratic leaders on Wednesday during a meeting at the White House. Republican leaders, who also attended the meeting, pushed for a longer term extension for the debt ceiling debate, but were unsuccessful.