Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on the GOP to "put country over party" and defy President Trump on his cabinet nominees, immigration policy and his relationship with Russia.

"There are issues that are too important and demand putting country before party," the New York Democrat said in a Senate floor speech.

Democrats are hoping to persuade a third Republican to vote Tuesday against clearing Trump's education nominee, Betsy DeVos, a wealthy school choice advocate whose confirmation now hinges on the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Mike Pence.

"We need just one more vote and we can get a lot better secretary of education than the one that was nominated," Schumer said. He asked the GOP to "follow the courageous example" of Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who will vote against DeVos.

Schumer said Republicans should also work with Democrats to "rescind" a Trump executive order temporarily halting refugees and travel from seven countries. Schumer suggested the United States should instead focus visa vetting reform on places like France and Belgium, where terrorism is also a problem.

The order has been halted by a federal judge.

"We ought to scrap the order and start over," Schumer said.

Schumer said Republicans must collaborate with Democrats to ensure sanctions against Russia are maintained and even expanded.

"Do what you know is right and join us to ensure Trump can't unilaterally remove sanctions," Schumer said.

Schumer criticized Trump's comments about Russia in a Fox News interview that aired Sunday. Trump declined to label Russian President Vladimir Putin a "killer," and said the United States "has a lot of killers."

Schumer said Republicans should be "aghast" at Trump's comments. If a Democrat had said the same thing, Schumer added, "every one of these seats would be filled with people decrying that kind of moral equivalence."