Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Continued Republican Chaos: Senate Republicans Falsely Blame Democrats For A Shutdown That Trump Is Bragging About On TV

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor to reaffirm Senate Democrats' commitment to passing strong, bipartisan appropriations bills that improve Americans' lives and bring their costs down. He also denounced the continued Republican chaos, blasting Senate Republicans for trying to blame Senate Democrats for a future government shutdown, even as Donald Trump proudly claims ownership of it on national television. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Well somehow, Republicans are in an even bigger mess now than when they left Washington two weeks ago. It was hard to make things even worse, especially while we're on July 4th recess. But they did. And Donald Trump's the mastermind at making things worse and worse and worse.

Just this morning, Donald Trump told Fox and Friends: "Republicans have to [terminate the filibuster] - it's so insane, otherwise we're going to have a shutdown in September." The Trump shutdown, he's bragging about it. He's predicting it. "Republicans have to terminate the filibuster, or we will have a shutdown in September," says Donald Trump.

So it's clear, it's very clear. I know the Senator from Wyoming talks about Democrats wanting a shutdown. Well, he ought to listen to Donald Trump. He's the one who wants it. It's clear, if we head toward a shutdown in September, it will be Trump who is responsible.

He's telling the American people he wants a shutdown.

Oh Donald, do you remember the last time you called for a shutdown - when you challenged Nancy Pelosi and I in the Oval Office and told us you wanted a shutdown?

Donald, it didn't work out too well for you then. It won't work out for you now either.

To all the Republican Senators, including my good friend from Wyoming, who keep insisting that Democrats are hellbent on shutting down the government, well they ought to listen to what their own president is saying.

Democrats aren't saying we want a shutdown - Trump is!

Donald Trump is saying the quiet part out loud: he has no issue with shutting the federal government down to force through his radical agenda.

If Republicans want to clean up their mess, it will require working with Democrats, not seeing us as partisan foes, but as fellow Americans.

Instead, what are Republicans doing? They are advancing lopsided, partisan spending bill that would supersize the budget for Trump's disastrous war with Iran without providing cost relief to working families or reining in Donald Trump's corruption.

That's unacceptable.

Let's put Republicans' accusations to rest.

Democrats want to fund the government, and avoid a shutdown, and pass strong bipartisan appropriations bills that improve people's lives.

Democrats believe our budget ought to help families make ends meet.

Democrats want a budget that invests in bringing down Americans' costs - not one that burns taxpayer dollars on Donald Trump's reckless war.

Republicans have plenty of time to drop their "my-way-or-the-highway" partisan game. Most Republicans know how ridiculous the SAVE Act is. How unconstitutional it probably is. But Trump is still insisting on it because he thinks it's the only way he can win an election. By fixing it. By eliminating tens of millions of people from the voter rolls. And so, he says unless I get my way, a little temper tantrum here, I'm going to shut down the government. Something that the American people can see through in a minute, as they can see through the very unpopular SAVE Act.

If Republicans follow Trump over the cliff and insist that the government shut down if they don't get their way, it'll be Donald Trump's disaster.

###