Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Urging Senate Republicans To Fight For American Families Rather Than Continue To Enable Trump’s Corruption

Washington D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor urging Senate Republicans to vote with Democrats on legislation that fights for American families, instead of bowing down to Trump and his corruption, during today's vote-a-rama. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here.

Rather than let Republicans try to force through their radical reconciliation bill under the cover of night, Democrats made sure today's vote-a-rama happens in broad daylight because Americans deserve to see what Republicans are prioritizing instead of lowering costs.

Democrats will force Republicans to vote on Trump's MAGA slush fund, his lifetime tax exemption, and his billion-dollar, taxpayer-funded ballroom - but that's not all.

Amendment after amendment, vote after vote, Republicans are going to have to answer to the American people on tariffs, on skyrocketing costs, on the disastrous war with Iran, on the violence Trump's masked agents have unleashed on our streets. All of that they're going to have to vote on.

Will Republicans vote for more affordable housing?

Will Republicans require Trump's masked agents to wear body cameras?

Will Republicans join Democrats to lower gas prices?

Democrats will ensure that every failed Republican policy, every failed Trump policy, that has driven up costs, unleashed chaos, and aided Trump's corruption will face a vote on the Senate floor today.

And Democrats are going to show just how terrible this bill is from start to finish.

Apparently, Republicans think we cannot afford a single penny to help Americans cover the skyrocketing cost of gasoline, of health care, of housing, of food, of energy - you name it - but somehow we can afford to give another 70 billion dollars to Trump's rogue agencies even though ICE and Border Patrol already have a hundred billion dollars cash on hand. You hear that, driver? When you pull up to the gas pump, it's $4.50, or even higher in many places, ask yourself, why don't Republicans vote to lower those prices instead of giving ICE and Border Patrol, already discredited, more money when they have a hundred billion dollars sitting there?

Let's take stock of what else we could buy with the $170 billion Trump's personal police force would have at its disposal if this bill passed.

Instead of shooting Americans dead in the street, the federal government could cut a $1,300 check to every household in America, to lower gas prices that had been raised so by Trump's unending, it seems, war.

Instead of masked agents breaking down your door in the middle of the night without a warrant, we could fund the programs that helps Americans keep the heat on in the winter and the AC on in the summer 40 times over.

Instead of dragging law-abiding parents and children into unmarked vehicles, that $170 billion could fund food stamps for nearly two years, or Head Start for 14 years, or childcare assistance for nearly two decades: things America wants.

America, the contrast is clear: Democrats are fighting for you - Republicans are kowtowing to Trump and his corruption.

I urge Republicans to vote like the American people are watching - because they are.

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