Charles E. Schumer
Senator for New York · Democratic · United States
“I am calling on Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, and Donald Trump to tell the entire Congress everything they are telling the Republicans about the Iran war--both Chambers, both parties. Everything they tell Republicans behind closed doors needs to be shared in public during today's testimony.”
“I am calling on Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, and Donald Trump to tell the entire Congress everything they are telling the Republicans about the Iran war--both Chambers, both parties. Everything they tell Republicans behind closed doors needs to be shared in public during today's testimony.”
“For the low price of $100,000 a month, an investor can turn a profit off early access to Trump's market-moving posts. Trump imposes new tariffs? Subscribers can short their stocks before anyone else. Trump announces a new contract? Subscribers know where to invest. Trump shakes up the Fed?”
“For the low price of $100,000 a month, an investor can turn a profit off early access to Trump's market-moving posts. Trump imposes new tariffs? Subscribers can short their stocks before anyone else. Trump announces a new contract? Subscribers know where to invest. Trump shakes up the Fed?”
“How many American families do you think can afford $100,000 a month to get a leg up in the market? Trump is doing what he always does: selling out America, American interests, and the American people to the highest bidder. Republicans ought to be up in arms about Truth API and the latest news about Trump's foreign jet.”
“How many American families do you think can afford $100,000 a month to get a leg up in the market? Trump is doing what he always does: selling out America, American interests, and the American people to the highest bidder. Republicans ought to be up in arms about Truth API and the latest news about Trump's foreign jet.”
The complete record
Every one of 375 lines we hold for Charles E. Schumer, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 8.
“We knew Donald Trump was lying by the time he pardoned 1,600 insurrectionists a few hours later, pardoned outright criminals who beat up cops--so much for ``Back the Blue''--pardoning lawbreakers who had an intent on disrupting the Congress as we counted electoral votes. What a disgrace. What kind of morals is he setting for this country? This will go down in history as one of the ways America has declined under Donald Trump. So, this morning, let's talk about Donald Trump's so-called golden age. Democrats are going to hammer away at this topic all day long today, as we have done many days in the past. And tonight we will come to this Chamber and hold the floor until late tonight to mark these dismal 100 days by speaking the truth. Tonight, we will come to the floor and hold the Chamber to mark these dismal 100 days. What is the truth?”
“And when young people across New York tell me they are scared of being rounded up on the streets and sent to a prison in Louisiana because of the way they look or because of some blog post they may have shared a year ago or years ago, it is hard to fathom that this is all happening in America in 2025. Mr. President, 100 days into this Presidency, there is a feeling of incompetence and indecision and chaos in the White House eating away at much of the country, emanating from the man who occupies the Oval Office. Donald Trump promised a golden age on the first day he became President. What Americans got, instead, was fool's gold.”
“When seniors in Buffalo tell me they are legitimately worried about whether or not they will keep seeing their Social Security checks--and that is not just a political expression. They wonder how they are going to pay the rent, buy the food, buy the drugs next month if their Social Security check isn't there. When doctors and health workers in Albany tell me they fear losing Medicaid funding for their hospitals and clinics, they are worried about caring for their patients, who desperately need help and may not get it, they are worried about their jobs. When Republican businessowners on Long Island tell me they are losing sleep over Donald Trump's tariffs, it is because their businesses may go under. This is not just a political game. People are really worried, in ways that I haven't seen in a long time.”
“Mr. President, Donald Trump's first 100 days have been 100 days from hell. Over the past week, as I have thought about this 100-day mark, as I have met with people throughout my State--with business owners and nurses and seniors and veterans and many Republicans--I couldn't think of another way to describe the sentiment I felt back home. These 100 days have been 100 days from hell. Donald Trump is not governing like a President of a democratic republic; he is acting like a King, a despot, a want-to-be dictator. Remember that during the campaign, he indicated that he would be a dictator just on day one, but everything we have seen so far shows he wants to be a dictator for much, much longer. He is eating away at America's rule of law, America's norms, America's fundamental values, and people are scared, people are angry.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2615] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Recognition of the Minority Leader The Democratic leader is recognized.”
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.”
“The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Massachusetts.”
“He jumped at the chance to volunteer for assignments, including the fateful mission to this bog, which he went to support even though he was not on that crew. He was a model Illinoisan and American, and he leaves behind a wife and a little boy. We should all strive to be more like Sergeant Duenez, and we owe him and his family a great debt of gratitude. In honor of these four servicemembers, who were living examples of American values, I will be introducing a resolution recognizing their service and sacrifice to our Nation and our NATO allies. And I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the memories of these four great soldiers and the remarkable effort that went into their recovery by passing this resolution without delay. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sheehy).”
“These four American soldiers lost their lives safeguarding democracy, but we owe gratitude to our Lithuanian and other allies who dropped everything and faced great odds to help us, a reminder of the common defense underlying our alliance. On April 3, the schools were closed, the schoolchildren and their families came out and stood in the streets in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania--included in their ranks was the Lithuanian President--to pay their respects to our fallen American soldiers in their procession back to the United States. It was a devastating episode, but it illustrated the power of international cooperation, friendship between allies, and solutions in the face of great challenges. The loss of American servicemembers is always a tragedy. I particularly want to highlight my late constituent Sergeant Duenez.”
“I spoke to the Lithuanian Ambassador to the United States and others in Lithuania who described these days as painful days when they first tried to discover what happened to the vehicle and then an even longer period of time when they tried to retrieve the vehicle and the bodies of our soldiers. They told me that in Lithuania, virtually every newscast focused on this tragedy. People in Lithuania felt a personal attachment to our troops, as certainly we do today. The death of these four American soldiers is a tragedy, but the joint efforts to secure them show the gravity of our commitment to our allies. We have American troops stationed in nations like Lithuania because we have a commitment to join our NATO allies in stopping Russian aggression.”
“The recovery team grew by the hour, eventually reaching hundreds, comprised of 250 U.S. servicemembers, 160 Lithuanian soldiers and civilians, 50 Polish troops, and working canine teams from Estonia and Lithuania. Soon, a team of U.S. Navy divers received urgent orders to fly from Spain to Lithuania to help connect cables to the sunken vehicle and pull it from the bog. It took hours of struggling through the thick sludge, but they secured the vehicle. It was a mission fraught with extreme danger and challenges. It was met with ingenuity and a commitment to the underlying principle that every American servicemember must be brought home.”
“They were in a tracked vehicle, a 70-ton tracked vehicle, and they disappeared. It took days before they finally found some tracks that led to an area, which was not very large, that looked like a puddle, but it was much more serious. The effort to find the soldiers eventually required hundreds of people from other nations. The effort was nothing short of miraculous. The soldiers' vehicle was thought to have sunk into a muddy bog, but it was [[Page S2618]] nearly impossible for the dive team to locate. They struggled to see through their masks and get enough air through their regulators. It was extremely dangerous. It was soon clear that the mission would be one of recovery and not rescue. Engineers were brought in to thin the concrete-like mud in an effort to drain the bog that swallowed this vehicle, but the water kept seeping in.”
“Sadly, last month, four American soldiers stationed in Lithuania died tragically while on a mission to recover a vehicle immobilized during a training exercise. I want to take a moment to tell you about these four brave men, one of whom was from my home State of Illinois, and the amazing efforts that were made to recover them. SSG Jose Duenez, Jr., was from Joliet, IL. He, along with SSG Edvin F. Franco, PFC Dante Taitano, and SSG Troy Knutson-Collins, was part of the 1st Armored Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. Stationed in Lithuania at a military base that I personally visited, they were called on March 25 to retrieve a tactical vehicle mired in dangerously deep mud. Sadly, these soldiers never returned. Then search efforts were initiated to locate them, and they couldn't find them.”
“President, I have come to the Senate floor before to talk about my connections with the country of Lithuania, where my mother was born. She came to the United States as an immigrant at the age of 2. It has been my good fortune to visit and revisit her homeland and to get to know the wonderful people who live in that nation. During my time in Congress, I have tried to make sure Lithuania's heroic path to freedom, the EU, and NATO are strongly supported by their American allies in the U.S. Congress. Now more than ever, we need to support our Baltic allies. They are critical frontline NATO partners with clear memories of Russian tyranny and a key reason the United States has troops serving in former Soviet- occupied countries like Lithuania, Poland, and Romania.”
“Our mission, our mandate is America first. Republicans have delivered in 100 days. We have achieved so much. We are going to deliver even more because together we are going to get America back on track. America's future is bright. I yield the floor. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Democratic whip. Honoring Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez, Jr., Staff Sergeant Edvin F. Franco, Staff Sergeant Troy S. Knutson-Collins, and Private First Class Dante D. Taitano Mr. DURBIN. Mr.”
“A refocused military, focused on merit and readiness, not distractions; a military that is lethal, intimidating, and ready to fight. In Congress, we are seeing Republicans cutting wasteful Washington spending--talk about common sense. Fiscal discipline is long overdue. This is bold, results-driven change. So how can we build on it? What is next? Well, in the next 100 days, Republicans will continue to fulfill our promises. We are going to stop the Democrats' $4 trillion tax hike. This protects families and small businesses from the largest tax increase in American history. We are going to cut crippling regulations. Businesses will be allowed to grow and innovate and thrive. We are going to strengthen our border by providing law enforcement the resources they need. The Republican agenda puts America and Americans first.”
“America defends our military and our interests. President Trump is also strengthening alliances around the world-- Japan, South Korea, Australia, and India. They are partnering with us to counter China's global ambitions, and China is ambitious and active and aggressive. New trade deals are going to bring supply chains back home to America, and this is going to end our dependence on communist China. Under President Trump, America continues to stand tall. We are not going to be bullied. We are going to back our friends. We are going to confront our foes. This keeps America safe. Strength deters. Weakness invites, provokes. Finally, Mr. President, we are returning to common sense. No more woke, leftwing policies that the American people strongly oppose. No more DEI mandates in Federal Agencies.”
“They fuel our freedom. It is why energy is called the master resource. They are good for affordable prices and good for our national security. We are an energy superpower in this country, and under President Trump, we are finally acting like it, not apologizing for it as we did in the last administration. Within days of taking office, President Trump restored pressure on Iran. That is how we are protecting strength around the world and projecting it for the world to see. We are engaged in maximum pressure. It is a 180-degree turn from the weakness of the previous administration. It channels the strength and the resolve of President Ronald Reagan. President Trump has committed time and time again and shown the world that he stands firmly with Israel. Houthi terrorists attacked our servicemembers and our ships. President Trump struck back.”
“Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced his Department is working to increase oil production in the Gulf of America by 100,000 barrels each and every day. That is going to help lower costs. President Trump has been so successful with streamlining burdensome requirements in terms of trying to build new energy infrastructure. He has lifted the Biden ban on liquefied natural gas exports. People around the world want what we have in America to sell, and they need it desperately. We have abundant energy in this country. We want to use that energy to help our allies and to help drive down costs at home. President Trump and Congress also cut costly Biden-era regulations on home appliances. We are pioneering nuclear power that is safe and efficient. These steps power America and will continue to power us as a nation into the future.”
“President Trump, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin--to me, they are America's energy all-stars. They are showing it every day. In 100 days, this administration, along with Congress, has taken over 50 actions to unleash America's energy potential, and we have a lot of it there. I was at the White House recently when President Trump signed an Executive order for clean coal. Wyoming has--we are the Saudi Arabia of coal, and our energy workers are ready to lead the way because we are pursuing and need to continue to pursue an all-of-the-above energy strategy. We need it all. President Trump opened up areas for drilling in Alaska and the Gulf of America. It is American energy. It is affordable energy.”
“And think about who those lawbreakers are. Those are people who felt invited into our country by Joe Biden and Democrats with medical care, free food, free housing, free plane tickets--an open invitation and an open border policy. Those days are over. This is how we keep our communities safe. Mr. President, I am going to switch to energy because we have a bold energy agenda as well. For far too long, restrictive regulations locked up our God-given resources--the energy we have in the ground--certainly in my home State of Wyoming but all across the United States. The cost of energy for American citizens rose 34 percent in the last 4 years. Who can afford that? Well, we are reversing that trend.”
“She was killed by an illegal alien who was driving while drunk. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa championed Sarah's cause for years. The Laken Riley Act mandates illegal immigrants who break the law be detained, not just released into the community. Republicans in Congress, compared to what we saw with the Democrats in the last 4 years, are committed to protecting American families. That is the [[Page S2617]] reason we continue to work with President Trump to give Border Patrol agents the tools and the resources they need--things we were never able to do under Joe Biden and the Democrats with their open border policies. Our agenda puts us on a path to finish the wall. It will boost Border Patrol. It will provide the staffing that Immigration and Customs Enforcement needs. It will build more detention space for the lawbreakers.”
“Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported there were over 100,000 deportations in the first 80 days of the administration. We have seen more ICE arrests of illegal immigrant criminals in the last 100 days under President Trump than we saw in all of 2024 under Joe Biden. So the message is now clear: If you threaten our communities, you are out. No second chances. That is it. This is progress, and it is promises kept. Republicans in Congress--what do we do? We passed the Laken Riley Act. President Trump signed it into law. It was the first bill that he signed into law, the first serious immigration legislation in decades. It honors the memory of Laken Riley, a young nursing student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant in Georgia while she was out for a jog. It also honors the memory of Sarah Root. She was a young woman from Iowa.”
“He reinstated ``Remain in Mexico.'' He designated the cartels as ``terrorists.'' He stopped Joe Biden's widespread abuse of parole authorities. And he is doing what he promised in terms of deporting criminal illegal immigrants. I applaud President Trump. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, border czar Tom Homan-- they have made a significant difference to the safety and security of the American people. Illegal crossings have dropped 94 percent on their watch. I mean, think about it. Before, under Joe Biden's open border policies--let's take a look. In March of last year, they were having 7,000 illegal immigrants cross into this country each and every day. Now under President Trump, there were 7,000 for the entire month of March. Talk about a dramatic impact, a dramatic difference. That is it.”
“Americans want peace through strength. Well, we are restoring it. Just ask the Houthi rebels about the resolve of the American people. Americans want common sense, and we are fighting for that as well. After 100 days, one thing is clear: Republicans are keeping our promises. We are getting America back on track. Here is our record: The Senate confirmed President Trump's Cabinet at lightning speed, record rates. His team carries out the agenda to get America back on track. That is what that team that we confirmed is doing. We promised safety and prosperity, and we are delivering it. Well, first, we are making our communities safer, and you are seeing that in all 50 States. President Trump quickly restored strong border policies. He ended the chaos.”
“The Republicans have been fighting every day for the American people. We have been fixing past failures. We are forging a bright future. We have a very bold agenda, and people are seeing historic results. Americans entrusted Republicans with the Senate, the House, and the White House, and we are addressing their priorities. What do Americans want? Americans want secure borders. We are delivering them. Illegal crossings into the United States from Mexico-- at an all-time low last month. Americans want affordable energy. What is happening? We are making it a lot easier to produce American energy. Americans want jobs. We have created nearly 450,000 jobs in the first 100 days. Americans want affordable prices. That is what you see and that is what I see at home. Prices fell in March for the first time in years-- in years.”
“Let us commit ourselves to continue to struggle against this administration and to uphold the core values and principles of this great Nation. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I just saw the minority leader of the U.S. Senate, the senior Senator from New York, on the floor talking about the 100 days of the Trump administration. He had his view. Let me give you the rest of the story--because President Trump took office 100 days ago today. That is when unified Republican government began.”
“That is disgusting--just disgusting. If it was a member of his family trapped in such a calamity, would he say, ``Tough luck; nothing is perfect''? Donald Trump's inability to feel empathy for people who do not look like him is shocking to the core. So as America marks 100 days of the worst President of our lifetimes, I ask America to look at this administration for what it is: a full frontal attack on the core elements of what has made America truly great--the rule of people over kings and oligarchs, the rule of law and not the dictates of an authoritarian, respect for the rights of all people, and a commitment to ``promoting the general welfare'' for the whole of society--not cruel, cheap, and lying scapegoating. So let us commit ourselves, America.”
“In the name of security, which is a favorite justification for many of history's despots, Trump is arresting people with little due process and, in some cases, without even regard to immigration status. Last week--just look at last week--four American citizens, all of them children, two of them battling life-threatening cancers, were deported from the U.S., from their homeland--they are citizens like we are--and sent to places like Honduras. Let me repeat: These are American citizens, Donald Trump. If you thought something like this could never happen in America, then unfortunately you were wrong. It is happening right in front of us. And what did Donald Trump have to say about the risk of deporting U.S. citizens? He said: Let me tell you that nothing will ever be perfect in this world. That is what he said.”
“Plain and simple, Donald Trump does not believe in democracy or debate, nor do the people around him. He doesn't believe in honest disagreement. He simply wants to crush his opponents. And that is what dictators do. He wiped the government clean of its independent watchdogs and rid the government of most measures of transparency. He has fired public workers by the tens of thousands and illegally paralyzed Agency after Agency that helps everyday Americans. He has attacked the free press. He has attacked our education system. He has attacked our scientists. He is systematically attempting to weaken any political opposition, anyone who might hold him accountable.”
“And, finally, on a related subject, let me say this: As Donald Trump races to sabotage the American economy, he has likewise already inflicted lasting harm to the foundations of American democracy. When our Founders drafted the Constitution, they feared precisely a man like Donald Trump. They feared a man who sees rule of law as a nuisance, who considers the truth an inconvenience, who regards his fellow citizens as little more than subjects. Either kiss the ring, bow before the throne, or watch your back: That is the ethos of Donald Trump. Kiss the ring, bow before the throne, or watch your back: the Trumpian ethos. In 100 days, Donald Trump has moved with lightning speed to weaponize the Federal Government against anyone he thinks might oppose him.”
“Today, Donald Trump has lower approval ratings than he did at this point in 2017; [[Page S2616]] and, in fact, he has the lowest approval ratings of any President through 100 days in the last 80 years, when they started doing these polls. The only thing historic about Donald Trump's golden age is how fast public confidence in him has collapsed, faster than any other President in modern history. Americans don't trust him on the economy, nor should they. They don't trust him on keeping America safe, nor should they. They don't trust him on his ability to fight for the interests of ordinary people because they know that the whole place is run by a small cadre of billionaires who don't really care about average folks at all. And we are only 100 days in.”
“I think if you asked Americans to pick one word that describes Donald Trump's economy and how he is handling it, it would be one word, a five-letter word: chaos, C-H-A-O-S. Another five-letter word is Trump, T-R-U-M-P. Chaos equals Trump; Trump equals chaos. Are Americans supposed to just take it when Donald Trump says families should be OK with prices going up, with experiencing some pain and disturbance? That is what he says: It is OK if prices go up. You will get some pain and disturbance. Pretty rich coming from a billionaire. American consumers are not supposed to take it. There is precious little, if anything, on the economic front to feel good about 100 days into Trump 2.0. And don't take it from me.”
“And, finally, let's not forget Donald Trump's favorite measuring stick, the stock market, which he has conspicuously been silent about over the last few months. The Dow Jones is on track for its worst April since 1932. Did you hear that, Donald Trump? Your beloved stock market is on track for the worst April since 1932, the last year of Herbert Hoover. I ask this Chamber, Mr. President: Is this what the golden age looks like? Are we supposed to feel good that Donald Trump has singlehandedly pushed us to the brink of a recession? This President, who governs chaotically and reverses himself like a weather vane in a windstorm, is driving the robust American economy into a ditch.”
“If Amazon has the courage to display why prices are going up because of tariffs, so should all of our other national retailers who compete with them, and I am calling on them to do it now. To the large businesses that sell to consumers, I say: Show your customers how much tariffs are hurting their pocketbooks. People deserve to know the impact tariffs have on their finances. And certainly, when people hear it, they will let their Congressmen and Senators know. And businesses, then you will have a chance to get rid of these tariffs, which are so stultifying your ability to move forward. And it is also small businesses. They don't want to get blamed for hiking prices when Donald Trump's tariffs have put them in a terrible position--in a position that says: Raise your prices or close your doors. They hate doing either.”
“When I talk to New Yorkers, when I hear from Americans, that is exactly where they are at. Consumer sentiment is at a decades- long low. It has plunged by 30 percent. So the consumer is holding back. They are not spending. They are not planning that trip to see the grandkids. They are not thinking of buying the new car or new furniture because they are worried. And then businesses--seeing that, hearing that--they hold back. I have heard from business after business, large and small. Everything is on freeze. Everything is hold. And you know what that does? That leads to a recession. In fact, Amazon announced that they will begin displaying how much tariffs contribute to the total price of products to consumers. I urge more companies--particularly national retailers that compete with Amazon--to adopt this practice.”
“A vote for Trump-- He said-- means your groceries will be cheaper. We are going to get your energy prices down by 50 percent. Well, the opposite is happening. The economic winds are pointing in the wrong direction and reaching hurricane speed. Americans are still paying more and more today for their groceries, their rent, their housing, their gas, their cars, auto parts, drugs, and household necessities. And Donald Trump's asinine trade war has made it all the worse. And 44 percent of families now believe they will be worse off financially a year from now--a level of pessimism not even seen during the Great Depression or the 1970s' stagflation. According to an AP-NORC poll, half of Americans are worried about a recession and expect inflation to keep going up. And these aren't just poll numbers.”
“Democrats are going to hammer away at this topic all day long today, as we have done many days in the past. And tonight we will come to this Chamber and hold the floor until late tonight to mark these dismal 100 days by speaking the truth. Tonight, we will come to the floor and hold the Chamber to mark these dismal 100 days. What is the truth? The truth is this: No President in modern history has promised more on day one and delivered less by day 100 than Donald Trump. In record time, the President has turned a golden promise into an economic ticking time bomb. It is getting worse every day, and he calls it progress. Let's remember what Donald Trump said again and again on the campaign trail. Starting on day one-- He said-- we will end inflation and make America affordable again.”
“President, 100 days into this Presidency, there is a feeling of incompetence and indecision and chaos in the White House eating away at much of the country, emanating from the man who occupies the Oval Office. Donald Trump promised a golden age on the first day he became President. What Americans got, instead, was fool's gold. We knew Donald Trump was lying by the time he pardoned 1,600 insurrectionists a few hours later, pardoned outright criminals who beat up cops--so much for ``Back the Blue''--pardoning lawbreakers who had an intent on disrupting the Congress as we counted electoral votes. What a disgrace. What kind of morals is he setting for this country? This will go down in history as one of the ways America has declined under Donald Trump. So, this morning, let's talk about Donald Trump's so-called golden age.”
“When doctors and health workers in Albany tell me they fear losing Medicaid funding for their hospitals and clinics, they are worried about caring for their patients, who desperately need help and may not get it, they are worried about their jobs. When Republican businessowners on Long Island tell me they are losing sleep over Donald Trump's tariffs, it is because their businesses may go under. This is not just a political game. People are really worried, in ways that I haven't seen in a long time. And when young people across New York tell me they are scared of being rounded up on the streets and sent to a prison in Louisiana because of the way they look or because of some blog post they may have shared a year ago or years ago, it is hard to fathom that this is all happening in America in 2025. Mr.”
“Remember that during the campaign, he indicated that he would be a dictator just on day one, but everything we have seen so far shows he wants to be a dictator for much, much longer. He is eating away at America's rule of law, America's norms, America's fundamental values, and people are scared, people are angry. When seniors in Buffalo tell me they are legitimately worried about whether or not they will keep seeing their Social Security checks--and that is not just a political expression. They wonder how they are going to pay the rent, buy the food, buy the drugs next month if their Social Security check isn't there.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2615-S2618] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Trump Administration First 100 Days Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, Donald Trump's first 100 days have been 100 days from hell. Over the past week, as I have thought about this 100-day mark, as I have met with people throughout my State--with business owners and nurses and seniors and veterans and many Republicans--I couldn't think of another way to describe the sentiment I felt back home. These 100 days have been 100 days from hell. Donald Trump is not governing like a President of a democratic republic; he is acting like a King, a despot, a want-to-be dictator.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2615] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Recognition of the Minority Leader The Democratic leader is recognized.”
“The simple answer is, again: because their agenda is so unpopular with the American people, and neither House--and no Republican Senator--wants to be left holding this hot potato. The backlash Republicans are getting from the public--whether it is town halls, in the streets, or through dismal polling data--should serve as a warning to our colleagues on the other side: If they proceed with their agenda, the political outcry will be enormous, just enormous. So as long as Donald Trump pushes America down the dangerous road we are already on, he will face resistance from Democrats, from the courts, and, most importantly, from the American people themselves. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic whip. ____________________”
“It is no wonder Republicans are in such disarray--House Republicans fighting with one another, Senate Republicans fighting with one another, and Senate and House Republican leadership not even on the same page. That is incredible. Why? Because their programs are so unpopular with the American people. Democrats are united in our mission to lower costs for families, protect healthcare, defend American democracy. Meanwhile, Republicans are at loggerheads with each other. As I said, House Republicans are fighting among themselves. Senate Republicans are fighting among themselves. Leadership in both Chambers are at odds. And why do Republicans face this situation where they are so at odds with one another?”
“More likely to lose a job, harder to find a new job, more likely to have prices go up and not be able to afford those price increases. Finally, Senate Democrats will do what Senate Republicans refuse to do: conduct oversight on this administration. We will do it on our own. That means pushing for investigations into the leadership failures at the Pentagon. What Hegseth did there was horrible. It means pushing back against attacks on Social Security. It means resisting the defunding of public resources like PBS. It means exposing the chilling arrests of Americans without due process. Day after day after day, we will hammer home the Republican agenda, and Americans will see the difference between Democratic unity and Republican disarray.”
“We have seen that already, for instance, with the antics of Mr. Hegseth. We will also fight Donald Trump's disastrous trade war. Soon, the Senate will vote on bipartisan legislation I cosponsored with Senators Wyden, Kaine, and Paul that nullifies Donald Trump's trade war. To nobody's surprise, the President has already threatened to veto this bill. Senate Republicans who know how bad tariffs are for their States should join us to nullify Donald Trump's trade war and ignore his veto threat, and, if necessary, we should override the President's veto. These tariffs are so bad and are already pushing America into recession. ``Recession'' is an economic word for shrinking growth. But what does it mean to American families?”
“The cost of healthcare will come up for those least able to afford it. Healthcare workers would lose their jobs. Millions could lose coverage. And for what? So billionaires can pay less in taxes. It is a revolting--thoroughly revolting--agenda. Democrats will vehemently oppose this bill and all the harmful elements of the Republican agenda at every opportunity. Tomorrow, as I said a moment ago, Senate Democrats will take to the floor to highlight the disaster of Trump's first 100 days. On Wednesday, we will take to the Senate steps and join in one voice with our House counterparts to decry the ways this President has already--already--only 100 days in, failed our country. In the coming weeks, we will continue to oppose deeply unqualified nominees who have no business serving in government.”
“They want to cut taxes for billionaires and make working people pay for it. They want to add over $52 trillion--trillion dollars--to the national debt. I think of my grandson when I think of that. They want to make the biggest cuts to Medicaid ever. This is the Republican agenda: Billionaires win. American families lose. Republicans have gotten by so far with a bunch of empty and deceptive promises that none of the outrageous cuts they propose will come back to harm ordinary Americans. But their rhetorical runway is quickly going to run out. Soon, they will have to show everyone the real details of their legislation, and it is not going to be pretty. Even if Republicans pass a fraction of the cuts they are proposing to Medicaid, it would devastate communities--urban, suburban, and particularly rural.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2591] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, so let's talk about what is going to happen in the Senate in this period, in this work period. Now, we convene at the start of this pivotal work period. This week, Republicans are expected to begin marking up the text of their reconciliation bill. With so many problems facing our country, with a threat of recession on the horizon, with tariffs driving costs up, and Elon Musk taking a meat cleaver to Social Security, to veterans' care, and to cancer research, what are Republicans in Congress spending their time on?”