Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Denouncing Trump And Republicans’ Disregard For Rising Costs As They Try To Force Taxpayers To Pay For Trump’s Gilded Ballroom

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) spoke on the Senate floor denouncing Donald Trump and Republicans for refusing to address the rising cost of living as they try to force through Trump's priorities on the taxpayers' dime. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

As costs continue to skyrocket, Americans know exactly who's making their lives harder: Donald Trump.

The new New York Times/Siena poll this morning found that just 37 percent of Americans approve of Trump.

Only 37 percent of Americans approve of Trump -it was low in January, it's now four points even lower.

And only 28 percent - 28 percent of Americans, only a little more than one in four - of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living.

Trump's supposed "high floor" of approval is crumbling beneath his feet, unable to bear the weight of his complete disregard for the higher costs he is forcing on Americans every time they go to the grocery store, gas pump, or doctor's office.

As Donald Trump keeps reminding us, he doesn't "think about Americans' financial situation" - he doesn't think about anyone but himself. Look at that. "I don't think about Americans' financial situation. I don't think about anyone." That's Trump. He's totally on his own. He's totally on his own, helping himself, dipping into the pockets of the taxpayers and putting the money in his pockets and his friends' pockets. What a sad day for America it is that this man goes unchecked by almost everybody in his own party.

And when inflation is at its highest in years, costs are growing faster than wages, and the price of everything from gas to groceries to health care is through the roof, Donald Trump demands that Americans shell out a billion dollars for his golden ballroom and tens of billions of dollars more for his masked secret police force.

At the very moment Americans are asking, "How do I make ends meet?" Donald Trump is asking, "How do I get taxpayers to fund my vanity project?"

And as I mentioned, Senate Republicans unfortunately are going right along with him.

Instead of changing course in the face of Americans' outcry, Donald Trump and the Senate GOP are doubling down on their ballroom.

In the reconciliation Byrd Bath over the weekend, Democrats successfully derailed Republicans' ballroom proposal, but now Republicans are scrambling to reinsert a new ballroom provision into their bill.

Now Republicans are scrambling over what comes next - whether they try to shove the ballroom back in, hide it somewhere else, or quietly retreat because Democrats exposed it.

But either way, the point is clear: Republicans were ready to spend taxpayer dollars on Trump's vanity project while doing nothing nothing serious to lower costs for families.

Do you hear that, America?

Republicans will not work this hard to lower your costs, lower your rent, lower your grocery bill, but they worked overtime to protect Trump's priorities. Including this ballroom.

That tells you everything you need to know.

Ballroom Republicans have made their choice: Trump's ego over your electric bill, Trump's palace over your paycheck, Trump's priorities over your family's needs.

And if Republicans are now running away from their own ballroom provision, good - they should.

Democrats called the ballroom out, fought it, and made clear we would not let Republicans quietly stick taxpayers with the bill for Donald Trump's vanity project.

But make no mistake: this reconciliation bill is still rotten to the core.

Whether the ballroom stays, goes, or gets buried somewhere else, Republicans are still pushing a bill that does nothing meaningful to lower costs for families - while pouring tens of billions into Trump's extreme agenda.

Democrats are going to fight this with everything we have:

In the Byrd Bath, on the floor, in vote-a-rama - amendment after amendment, vote after vote.

We are going to force Republicans to answer a simple question:

Who are you here to fight for - American families, or Donald Trump's priorities?

Democrats fight for families.

Republicans fight for Trump.

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