Leader Schumer Floor Remarks: We Are Going To Spend Every Second Of Every Day Striving To Prove Ourselves Worthy Of Americans’ Trust

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor following the Democrats' major victory in the 2026 midterm elections. Leader Schumer pledged that Democrats were ready to fight to make life better for American families with or without Republican support, starting by addressing concerns on costs, chaos, and corruption. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks which can also be viewed here:

Last week, the American people put Donald Trump and the GOP on blast.

Americans pulverized the Red Wall and for good reason.

Americans want a government that recognizes and responds to their needs, and Democrats are ready to deliver. We listened when families called out for relief from their back-breaking costs - on health care, groceries, gasoline, electricity, and so many other essentials. Crucially, we ran candidates who could speak to their states about the issues that mattered most to their constituencies. And what did the other side do?

Trump and Republicans not only ignored the American people's concerns about costs, chaos, and corruption - they ignored it for two years - and they treated Americans' anguish with utter disdain and contempt and made things even worse.

Americans are sick of being told to suck it up as they pay four dollars and a half for gasoline because of a war they never wanted. Americans are tired of paying a fortune at the supermarket while Donald Trump and his family made a fortune on the stock market. And Americans are finished with forking over their tax dollars so Trump can cover Washington in gold.

The American people gave our new Democratic majority our marching orders: make their lives more affordable, their government more competent, and their capital less corrupt.

Democrats are going to move forward to deliver results for Americans with or without Republicans.

Americans were clear about wanting to end Trump's war, stop his tariffs, lower health care costs, ban both members of Congress and the President from trading stocks, and so much more. And Democrats are going to deliver. We are going to spend every second of every day striving to prove ourselves worthy of Americans' trust.

If Republicans learned their lesson last week, they ought to start listening to Americans. But I'm not holding my breath. They still seem to embrace Trump.

If Trump and Republicans decide to spend the next two years standing in the way of the solutions Americans resoundingly voted for last week, Tuesday will look like a cakewalk compared to the Election Day of 2028.

Elections have always been the strongest lever Americans have to counter a wannabe king.

The American people used that power last week, and you better believe they will use it again in two years if Trump and the GOP keep showing them the same contempt and disdain.

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