Washington, D.C. - Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor demanding a full, transparent investigation into the bombing of an elementary school in Iran that killed 170 people. He also demanded senior officials face public hearings and testify under oath as to why American troops are fighting and dying in the Middle East for Donald Trump's war of choice. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Each passing day gives us a cleaner picture of the cost of war. Yesterday, we learned that about 140 American servicemembers have been wounded since hostilities began, eight of them seriously injured. Eight servicemembers have been killed in the line of duty. And my prayers are with all who have died, and who have been harmed, and who are still, of course, in harm's way.

Thousands of people in the Middle East have been killed-including 170 at an all-girls elementary school that initial reports suggested may have been the result of US operations. We need a full, transparent, and independent investigation to get to the bottom of what happened at this elementary school and why so many civilians were killed.

The economic costs are also mounting. This morning, we learned that, even before the war, inflation had stayed elevated-which means Americans are paying more for groceries and rent and electricity. People want costs to go down, not to stay where they are. And that's what we Democrats are fighting for, to lower their costs. And the numbers came out before Donald Trump started a war in the Middle East which will drive prices even higher. It's almost certain that the inflation number will go up next month, and that's just what Americans don't want. A gallon of gas today is $3.58 on average. Sixty cents more than it was a month ago. Sixty cents more-more than halfway to a dollar.

And it's going to get worse-Iran's greatest leverage right now is the Strait of Hormuz, and the new extremist Supreme Leader is not going to give up that leverage very easily. At least three ships were [reportedly] attacked over the last day in the Strait of Hormuz, bringing the total to thirteen. And the danger of a shortage of oil and prices going up further is getting greater, not lesser.

Through all this change, all this chaos-higher gas prices, rising casualties, increased hostilities-Americans are asking a very simple question: why? Why is America at war? Americans certainly don't want war. Americans didn't ask for this.

The answer is that there is no good reason America is at war: Donald Trump and his administration keep changing the story and the rationale every day. First it was regime change. Then it was about Iran's nuclear program. Then it was to get rid of Iran's navy. Then it was regime change again. Then they say it's defensive. Depending on who you ask, we are either near the end of the war or "we are just getting started." And if you ask Donald Trump if we're at the end or the beginning of the war, he says "It's both."

This insanity must stop. The Senate must have public hearings with cabinet officials. The public, the American public has to hear these cabinet officials questioned by members of the Senate, Democrat and Republican, as to what the heck is going on. Secretary Rubio, Secretary Hegseth, and other senior officials must come to the Senate for public hearings and testify under oath as to why our troops are fighting and dying in the Middle East. The American people deserve answers. Senate Republicans must listen to the outrage of the public and hold public hearings with cabinet officials at once.

Americans don't want war-not Republican voters, not independents, not even many of Donald Trump's MAGA base. They feel betrayed by what's happening in the Middle East. And they feel betrayed by the Senators in this chamber who refused to stand up for the Constitution and refused to put a check on Donald Trump's belligerence, belligerence that doesn't seem to have much of a rhyme or a reason from day to day.

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