As Republicans Choose Trump’s Costs, Chaos, And Corruption, Senate Democrats Take Fight For Affordability Agenda Nationwide

As Americans beg for relief from Trumpflation, Republicans remain more focused on rubberstamping Trump's disastrous war, his corrupt giveaways, and his assault on health care. While Trump's affordability crisis has already cost families more than $4,200, he and his family have made more than $4 billion off this presidency-including $2 billion for just himself. Gas is up more than a $1.20 a gallon under Trump, diesel hit $6 a gallon for the first time in history and keeps climbing, and prices for groceries, housing, and health care are forcing families to choose which bills to pay each month. This is not the America Trump promised. As Senate Democrats returned to their home states for the recent state work period, they brought Democrats' affordability agenda and fight for families directly to the American people.

Trumpflation Is Costing Families. Democrats Are Fighting For Affordability.

Finger Lakes 1 - Schumer seeks reversal of Medicaid cuts, citing North Country impact - U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling for Congress to reverse federal Medicaid cuts and restore expired Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, warning that nearly 60,000 North Country residents could lose coverage. Schumer promoted the Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act during a visit to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. The entire Senate Democratic caucus has signed on as co-sponsors, according to his office. [Finger Lakes 1, 9/9/26]

Finger Lakes Daily News - Schumer Meets With Local Craft Beverage Producers Over Industry Challenges - U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer met with Finger Lakes craft beverage industry leaders this week to discuss rising costs, changing consumer habits and distribution problems affecting breweries, wineries and distilleries across the region. The meeting was held at the Schuyler County Business Park and included representatives from local craft beverage businesses and industry organizations. Schumer said small and mid-sized producers are facing higher costs for aluminum, equipment, ingredients and packaging, along with disruptions in distribution and reduced access to Canadian markets. [Finger Lakes Daily News, 8/21/26]

The Janesville Gazette - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin meets with Janesville retailers as tariffs, trade war intensify - Freed was referring to aggressive counter-tariffs that Canada imposed today in retaliation to U.S. tariffs up to 50% on some Canadian goods. She was speaking during a meeting with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin on Tuesday at her shop. Baldwin said Tuesday that a recent poll by nonpartisan business policy group Small Business Majority shows the base effects of inflation: Two-thirds of small businesses are seeing lower profit margins; and three-quarters of them are being stung by increases in fuel and transportation costs. Baldwin, a Democrat from Madison, is calling for Trump to ease off tariff pressure on countries like Canada, saying Tuesday that an ongoing trade war with our neighbor and biggest trade partner threatens to put small shops like Freed's in the middle - squeezed by rising costs, and hemmed in by customers who might not like paying extra to cover inflation on a pen or stationary. [Janesville Gazette, 9/8/26]

KWQC - Sen. Duckworth addresses rising cost of living during Quad Cities visit [Video] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth visited Rock Island on Labor Day to meet with local residents struggling with rising cost-of-living expenses, Medicaid cuts, and tariffs ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. [KWQC, 9/7/26]

WKBW Buffalo - U.S. Senator Gillibrand visits FeedMore WNY to highlight rising costs - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited FeedMore Western New York in Buffalo to highlight the financial strain families face as food prices and other costs continue to climb. "Our country is experiencing a cost-of-living crisis," Gillibrand said. Gillibrand said she blames President Trump's tariffs and the war for skyrocketing inflation. "Every grocery bill, every utility payment, every tank of gas costs more than it did just a couple of years ago," Gillibrand said. [WKBW, 8/28/26]

Hickenlooper Visits Kids First Health Care to Discuss Medicaid Cuts, Falling Vaccination Rates - In case you missed it, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper recently visited Kids First Health Care in Commerce City to meet with pediatric providers, public health experts, and local health care leaders about how the Trump administration's health policies are hitting Colorado kids - including cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance in HR1, and changes to the childhood vaccine schedule. The visit came on the heels of new CDC data which ranked Colorado among the states with the lowest reported MMR vaccination rates in the country. [Press Release, 9/15/26]

AgWeek - Farmers Union Processing + Meats is ready for livestock - Seeing the project to completion were Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Tina Smith (both DFL-Minn.), along with Farmers Union leaders and Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen, among others. They shared that this project served as a step away from consolidation and moving toward smaller operations that stabilize the supply chain for meat. According to Smith, four large meat-packing companies control 85% of the beef market. In poultry, the top four processing firms control 54% of the market. And in pork, the top four processing firms control about 70% of the market. "That is a liability," Smith said. "That means that there are not enough options and a lot of times it means that consumers end of paying the price. And so this is going to be good for rural communities, for consumers and producers." [AgWeek, 8/18/26]

Fox 13 Seattle - U.S. Senator Murray: 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' straining WA healthcare services - The Trump administration signed House Resolution 1 (H.R. 1)-Popularly known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA)"-into law on July 4, 2025, which implements tax and spending policies in the president's second term. U.S. Senator Patty Murray (WA-D) toured Harborview Medical Center on Tuesday, which included a discussion covering the new challenges that healthcare workers are facing, as providers begin to feel the effects of OBBBA's policies. [Fox 13, 9/8/26]

Star Advertiser - Schatz looks to federal policy to expand Native Hawaiian housing access - U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D, Hawaii) met with local housing and Native Hawaiian leaders to discuss efforts to expand access to housing for Native Hawaiians amid Hawaii's broader housing shortage. Schatz, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, led a roundtable discussion focused on housing development, partnerships and potential policy changes that could help increase the supply of affordable homes. "Hawaii's housing crisis affects everyone, including Native Hawaiians," Schatz said in a statement Sunday. "We simply have to make it easier to build housing. I appreciated hearing directly from leaders who are working every day to get more housing built about what we can do to help." [Star Advertiser, 8/30/26]

Sen. Schiff Says Trump Owns "Status Quo" While Democrats Are Focused on Affordability at POLITICO California Summit - In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) spoke at the POLITICO California Summit on his priorities for tackling the affordability crisis, including by addressing the housing shortage. Schiff also emphasized that Democrats should continue pushing a legislative agenda that focuses on making our economy work for all Americans. Schiff, in conversation with POLITICO's Dasha Burns, highlighted how Trump and Republicans represent the failed status quo as Americans are facing higher prices on their watch as a result. [Press Release, 8/19/26]

13 News Now - Sen. Mark Warner announces $1 million for Norfolk affordable housing project - A long-vacant Norfolk industrial site could be transformed into affordable housing with help from a $1 million federal investment announced Wednesday by U.S. Sen. Mark Warner. Warner joined Congressman Bobby Scott and Norfolk leaders at Black BRAND in Norfolk to celebrate the funding and the bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act becoming law. The event brought together several housing advocates from across Hampton Roads to discuss the challenges facing people searching for affordable housing and the barriers communities face when trying to build more of it. [13 News Now, 8/12/26]

Bloomberg - 'Nothing But Headaches': Vermont Businesses Decry Canada Tariffs - The Jay Peak gathering was organized by Vermont Senator Peter Welch, a Democrat, who has announced a bill along with New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Bradley Schneider of Illinois to repeal the tariff authority that Trump used for the new 50% duties. The bill has no chance of becoming law, and Trump has already threatened to put 50% tariffs on Canadian vehicles and auto parts on Jan. 1. "Canada will be treated like a State no longer! On Trade, and in other ways, also, they are among the worst Nations in the World to deal with. They feel entitled, and yet, WE DON'T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!" the president posted on social media on Aug. 24. [Bloomberg, 9/4/26]

KTVZ21 - Wyden questions Trump Administration over federal wildfire resources as Oregon fires strain crews - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and four other Democratic senators sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins questioning federal preparation and resource allocation during the 2026 wildfire season. The outreach comes as record-breaking wildfires burn across Western states. In Oregon alone, more than 2.5 million acres have burned so far in 2026, destroying thousands of homes, straining local government budgets and leading to the deaths of four wildland firefighters and two pilots. [KTVZ21, 9/11/26]

Exposing Trump's Chaos

CNN - Sen. Alsobrooks: Measles rise in Maryland is 'directly tied' to 'misinformation' spread by RFK Jr. - Sen. Alsobrooks joins Dana Bash on "Inside Politics" to discuss a rise in cases of measles in Maryland. Alsobrooks says she believes the rise is tied to misinformation spread by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., saying, "I do not take issue with parents making decisions for their children, but I think that they ought to have accurate information when they make those decisions." [VIDEO] [CNN, 8/27/26]

The Denver Post - Bennet requests Senate investigation into Trump administration's 'smoking gun' Colorado email - U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet asked Senate leadership to launch committee investigations into the Trump administration's efforts to withhold funding and close a marquee climate lab in Colorado last year, alleging that the apparent retribution "strikes at the core of our democracy." Bennet made the request in a Thursday morning letter to Sen. John Thune, the Republican majority leader, and Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader. It follows last week's call from U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper for the inspectors general of several federal agencies to investigate whether federal resources were used to target the state. [Denver Post, 8/20/26]

NBC Right Now - Cantwell, Hobbs warn delayed USPS postmarks could cost votes - U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs warned in Seattle that new U.S. Postal Service policies were putting Washington mail ballots at risk of being rejected. They released a new snapshot report that found late-postmark rejection rates in primary elections more than doubled in 19 Washington counties compared with 2024. The report said the problem hit rural counties hardest and more than quadrupled in two counties. [NBC Right Now, 9/2/26]

KHON 2 - 'That is not leadership, that's obsession': Sen. Mazie Hirono on President Trump - Sen. Mazie Hirono provided updates on recent issues, including the policy review for women serving in combat roles and an attempted oil deal with Venezuela, while live with KHON2 on Tuesday, Sept. 1. "We have a Secretary of Defense who, when he wrote his book, he said, 'I don't think women should be in combat roles.' So he's asking for a study on the effectiveness of women in combat roles," said Sen. Mazie Hirono. "I completely disagree with that kind of an inquiry because it's already been shown that women can serve in these roles." The U.S. Department of Defense is currently reviewing policies regarding women serving in combat roles, but for the past decade, women have served in combat roles for the U.S., Hirono said. [KHON 2, 9/1/26]

The New York Times - Senator Visits Delaney Hall Detention Center After 3 Migrant Deaths - Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey spoke to Delaney Hall staff members and to detainees concerned about their access to medical care during a visit to the troubled migrant detention center on Thursday morning. The Democratic senator sought to inspect Delaney - an emerging flashpoint in America's immigration debate - amid reports of squalid living conditions, improper medical care and inadequate food. Three Delaney detainees have died in the past eight months. "Americans are paying the bill for Delaney Hall, and where is that money going?" Mr. Kim said at a news conference outside the building in Newark. "It's not going to the level of food and medical care that many of us think is needed." [NYT, 8/20/26]

Sacramento Bee - At Padilla roundtable, California nonprofits warn of federal funding uncertainty - U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., joined leaders from California nonprofits, universities and community organizations in Sacramento Tuesday to hear how federal funding cuts and policy changes are playing out on the ground. Across sectors, they described an atmosphere of uncertainty fueled not only by federal actions already taken, but by the possibility of further funding freezes and rule changes with little warning. They said that instability is making it harder to plan, retain workers and reassure the communities that depend on their services. [Sacramento Bee, 8/18/26]

Associated Press - Senator presses Hegseth, Caine for commitment to keep US military out of the midterm elections - Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday to confirm he won't send U.S. troops to polling places during November's midterm elections, as Democrats have raised concerns that the Trump administration could use the military to interfere with the vote. "I'd ask you to confirm a simple statement: the Department of Defense will not send Federal troops to the polls or to seize election materials of any kind," Slotkin wrote to Hegseth and to Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in letters Tuesday. The Pentagon said in an email that it will respond directly to Slotkin, as it does with all congressional correspondence. The Joint Chiefs did not immediately respond to a request for comment. [AP, 8/18/26]

He Profits. You pay.

KTVZ 21 - Sen. Jeff Merkley launches corruption town hall tour in Bend - Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, launched his "Stop the Corruption" town hall tour in Bend, meeting with local residents to discuss concerns regarding federal government operations and policy. The town hall lasted close to an hour and drew a largely full audience. Central Oregon residents spoke with the senator on a range of topics impacting the region, including the cost of living and concerns regarding the Trump administration. During the event, Merkley conducted an interactive poll, asking residents to place stickers on items representing what they considered their primary concern regarding federal corruption. [KTVZ 21, 8/13/26]

Senators Murray, Coons, Shaheen, Klobuchar, Slotkin Statement on President Trump's Trade War with Canada - "'President Trump's tariffs have already cost American families as much as $5,000 in some states, and his senseless trade war with Canada will only grow that number. While American families and businesses suffer from President Trump's trade wars, partners around the world, including Canada, are increasingly looking to diversify away from the United States and deepen trade ties with other countries including China. Congressional Republicans need to stand up to the president and do their part to give families and businesses on both sides of the border relief from this insanity.'" [Press Release, 10/10/26]

Whitehouse & Reed Seek Watchdog Audit of Trump's Glitzy Ballroom Boondoggle - With cost estimates for a glitzy new White House ballroom surging and the Trump Administration putting taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars that Congress has not authorized, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jack Reed (D-RI) joined other leading Senate Democrats in requesting an independent audit of the controversial project from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The eight U.S. Senators, who each lead committees and subcommittees with jurisdiction over the White House East Wing and ballroom modernization project, wrote to GAO that the Trump Administration's handling of the project raises "serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and stewardship of this national landmark." [Press Release, 8/14/26]

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