Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Republicans’ Budget Resolution: Rising Costs, Wrong Priorities—Republicans Fund ICE, Not Families

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor prior to the start of amendment votes on the Republicans' budget resolution that pumps billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol as Americans are struggling to make ends meet due to surging costs. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Let me be very clear: Democrats are ready. Republicans wanted this vote-a-rama. Republicans picked this fight. If Republicans want to slog this out on the floor, so be it.

But imagine America, this is what the Republicans are fighting for: to maintain two unchecked rogue agencies that are dreaded in all corners of the country instead of reducing your health care costs, your housing costs, your grocery costs, your gas costs.

Can you believe it? Can you believe it? When America is crying out for real relief on the skyrocketing cost of living, Republicans are spending another $140 billion on Trump's private militia, on these two rogue agencies that have no restraint, and ignoring people's real needs. If you ever wanted to know what a bubble these Republican senators are in, look right here -- look right here, tying the Senate in a knot, holding back moving forward, all so they can fund with no restraint agencies that have been discredited widely in America. Are you Republicans kidding us? Are you kidding the American people? That's your priority?

Not lowering costs- but billions for ICE? Not helping families-billions for masked agents? While American are forking up $4 a gallon at the pump. While families are set back thousands more a year because of inflation. Where the heck are you? Where the heck are you?

Republicans think the best thing to do right now is cut another hundred forty-billion-dollar check for unaccountable rogue agents. Democrats are ready to go. We will go to bat for the American people, any time, any place, against anyone.

America will see even more clearly after tonight where the Republicans are: not on the side of lowering costs, but on the side of masked agents occupying our streets. Where the heck are you? America is crying out for relief on high costs and you're here adding $140 billion to an agency that nobody - to two groups Border Patrol and ICE that nobody respects in this country.

On a whole series of amendments, we will contrast where we are, the Democrats, and where the Republicans are. The Republicans will either side with the American people on high costs or bow to Donald Trump and Stephen Miller and tell the American people take a hike, we don't give a damn about you. This will be a reconciliation of contrasts. The contrasts are stark, they are damning.

Republicans are bending the knee to Donald Trump and to Stephen Miller. Democrats are standing up for the American people. Republicans are fighting with each other because they know the box they are in, all kinds of dissension - you brought it on yourselves and have no one else, no one else to blame.

So, Democrats are united and strong, focused like a laser on reducing costs. This will be a reconciliation of reckoning for Senate Republicans who will continue to pay the price for their actions tonight. This reconciliation, or this budget act, will show who's on whose side, and clearly if Republicans vote against our amendments, they're not on the side of the American people.

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