Chuck Schumer
Chuck Schumer

U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer will visit the University of Louisville Feb. 12 to take part in the free, public McConnell Center Distinguished Speaker Series.

Schumer, D-N.Y., will follow up his speech by taking questions from the audience. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will introduce him.

“We are honored to host Sen. Schumer,” said Gary Gregg, McConnell Center director. “During such a time of partisan strife in this country, what a remarkable chance we will have to see and hear from the two party leaders together on the same stage.”

Gregg said this is the second time the center has had both Senate leaders on the stage. The last time was in 2007 when former Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., was a McConnell Center guest.

Schumer’s speech will be at 9 a.m. in Bigelow Hall, Miller Information Technology Center. Those wishing to attend must request individual tickets online. Tickets are nontransferable and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are required for entry with photo IDs that match each name requested. The event will also be streamed live.

Schumer was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998. After his 2004 re-election, he secured a seat on the Senate Finance Committee and the chairmanship of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, leading the DSCC for two cycles. After the 2006 elections, Reid appointed him vice chair of the Democratic Conference. After Schumer’s 2016 re-election, his colleagues elected him to serve as the Democratic Caucus leader, marking the first time a New York senator had that position.