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 6 of 8.
“This is a Donald Trump voter who is angry at these tariffs. No one I met over the last 2 weeks believed we were entering the golden [[Page S2591]] age Donald Trump promised. Instead, I heard worry; I heard frustration from Republicans; I heard a lot of buyer's remorse. Republican Members from those districts I visited are nervous, worried, and scared as could be. They know their voters don't agree with Trump, but they are too scared to buck him. In the upcoming reconciliation, we will see what they do. Will they side with Trump against what Americans need and want or will they have a little courage? We are very, very worried about the future of this country with so much at stake. ____________________”
“I visited six of seven congressional districts represented by Republicans in Congress in New York, and I spoke with small business owners, seniors, healthcare workers, veterans, local electeds, Republicans, Democrats, Independents--people from all walks of life. People are anxious about tariffs driving up their costs, about inflation eroding their paychecks, and are fearful for the future of Social Security. Last week, I met with the owner of a women's clothing shop in Suffolk County, a well-known woman in Suffolk County, the head of a very successful business, Tandy's clothes, and a longtime fan of the President. She said she proudly voted for him--right when I was standing there--but now she said her small business wouldn't be able to absorb the shock of a prolonged trade war, that her costs were already up 30 percent.”
“Americans are already beginning to see that Donald Trump has betrayed them, that Donald Trump's campaign promises before he won election and his actions as President are almost in direct contradiction on issue after issue after issue. They are seeing that Donald Trump is not on their side; he is not on the side of working families. He is on the side of the billionaires, and we are all suffering for it. What happened during recess corroborated all of this. For the last 2 weeks, my Democratic colleagues and I have seen Americans' frustrations firsthand. During the Easter recess, I traveled from one end of my State to the other.”
“Donald Trump claims he is a better President than George Washington, but he takes inspiration more from the likes of Viktor Orban or worse. So 100 days into Donald Trump's second term, what exactly do Americans have to feel good about? Is it that Donald Trump's trade war has pushed our country to the brink of recession? Is it that his tariffs will cost families an average of $4,700 annually? Is it that CEOs and business owners are warning about rising costs, empty shelves, and an economic downturn? Maybe it is that the Dow Jones is on track for its worst April since 1932. The truth is, Donald Trump's Presidency is no golden age; it is a disaster--the worst start to a new administration in modern times. Americans are already fed up.”
“It is immoral. Arrest a judge to try to threaten and scare judges, which he has done before, saying he is about impeachment and other things? Freedom of expression and the rule of law are under attack. Government has been weaponized against the free press, against academic and judicial independence, against anyone who might disagree with Donald Trump. Donald Trump doesn't want to be President of a democratic republic. He has said he wants to be a King or some kind of dictator. He said: Let me be a dictator for one day. But his actions show he wants to be one for much longer. Meanwhile--meanwhile--billionaires like Elon Musk have been handed the keys to the Federal Government with little accountability.”
“We will expose his broken promises. We will expose his lies. We will expose the ways he is threatening democracy. So we will take to the floor and expose Donald Trump as a disastrous President in his first 100 days. We ask America to listen. On the day he became President, Donald Trump promised a golden age for America. Today, that seems laughable. Instead of a golden age, what Americans have gotten is one of the most chaotic, corrupt, and harmful starts to a Presidency in modern history. Before our very eyes, the man who occupies the Oval Office is destroying the foundations of our democracy. Federal law enforcement is arresting people with little due process, even going as far as arresting a judge in Wisconsin. At least four U.S. citizens--all of them children, two suffering from cancer--have been illegally deported. It is sickening.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2590-S2591] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FIRST 100 DAYS Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, the first 100 days. Well, this week, President Trump marks 100 days as President. It has been 100 days of hell for American families, for our economy, and for our democracy. The start of Donald Trump's second term has been the worst start of any President's in modern times. He now has the lowest approvals any President has seen through his first 100 days since they started polling 80 years ago. Tomorrow night, Senate Democrats will take to the floor to highlight the disaster of Donald Trump's first 100 days.”
“He has been a champion for justice and helped Senate Democrats confirm a record number of Federal judges last Congress. He has been a tireless advocate for Illinois families and people in need, and he has been a close and trusted member of my leadership team. I know Senator Durbin will spend every remaining minute of his term fighting for Illinois and America and fighting for justice. I look forward to fighting alongside him, as we always have together. ____________________”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2590] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO RICHARD J. DURBIN Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, last week, our dear friend, the senior Senator from Illinois and the Senate Democratic whip, announced he will not seek reelection next year. I will have a lot more to say about Dick Durbin--one of my close, close friends and someone I roomed with for close to two decades--before he departs, but for now, let me say just this: Senator Durbin has left an indelible mark on the Senate, on our caucus, on Illinois, and on all of America.”
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________”
“206 Leg.] YEAS--52 Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Murkowski Ossoff Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Warnock Wicker Young NAYS--42 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Fetterman Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warren Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--6 Durbin Hawley Mullin Paul Sanders Welch The motion was agreed to.”
“I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Welch), are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 52, nays 42, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No.”
“Donald Trump has spectacularly failed already at the one thing people wanted him to do. Instead of lowering inflation, he has made it much worse. Instead of strengthening the economy, he has singlehandedly teed us up for a recession. And few will suffer as much and as quickly as the millions of seniors who were planning to retire this year and in the years to come. Retirement is supposed to be sacred in America. Part of the American dream is working hard all your life, chipping in, saving little by little, knowing that when you retire, there will be something there-- not to make you rich but so you can live a life with some degree of dignity. But Trump has stolen years from people's retirement with his boneheaded tariffs. For them, the damage could be permanent. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.”
“Hardship withdrawals are about 15 to 20 percent above historical averages. That means eating into savings at the worst possible time. The damage of the past few days will take a very long time to heal, but millions of seniors hoping to retire soon don't have that kind of time. They may not have enough to ride out a recession. They may never recover. What makes this particular market crash especially painful is that it was wholly unnecessary. Donald Trump did not need to start a global trade war with no plan whatsoever. Donald [[Page S2484]] Trump did not need to send the markets reeling. Of all the ways he could have gone about these tariffs, he picked perhaps the single dumbest, most destructive approach possible. Americans wanted Donald Trump to focus on one thing when he became President: costs, inflation, keeping the economy whole.”
“They are crashing the website. They are closing down local offices. They are disconnecting services done over the phone. It is a pincer. Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Vice President Vance continue lying about rampant fraud within Social Security without any evidence. Even DOGE's handpicked head of Social Security admitted that some of their claims--like saying checks are going to 150-year-olds--are wrong, dead wrong. So Donald Trump is coming at American seniors from every direction. He is draining 401(k)s. He is sabotaging Social Security. He is gutting healthcare. He is driving up inflation. He is hitting seniors six ways from Sunday. Even if you are not thinking about retirement right now, things are still awful. According to Bloomberg, the chaos of Donald Trump's tariffs has more and more Americans tapping into their 401(k)s early.”
“To put it in perspective, for Americans nearing retirement, Donald Trump's market crash has vaporized a whopping $104,000 from the average retirement account. That is when you factor in the 17-percent drop in the Standard and Poor's 500 since the middle of February. Let me say that again. For Americans nearing retirement, Donald Trump's market crash has vaporized a whopping $104,000 from the average retirement account. That is years--sometimes decades--of people's savings gone in a flash. That is money retirees need to pay for healthcare, for prescription drugs, to see the grandkids, to buy groceries, and to live with a little bit of dignity--a little bit of dignity. Meanwhile, as tariffs eat away at the 401(k)s, Elon Musk and DOGE are taking a blowtorch to people's Social Security--the last safety net for Americans in retirement.”
“A recession means small businesses will shutter, Main Streets will ossify, and all the progress we have made since COVID will disappear. But one of the biggest casualties of Donald Trump's trade wars are American seniors and Americans planning retirement in the near future. If you were planning to retire this year or thinking about retiring soon, Donald Trump's tariffs are like a brick over the head. This year, 4 million Americans will turn 65--that is a record. Another 80 million Americans are between 45 and 60 and thus approaching retirement and keeping their eyes on the future. And right now, Americans are watching helplessly as Donald Trump lights their retirement accounts and their dreams of a secure future on fire.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2483-S2484] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TARIFFS Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, Donald Trump's trade war has many casualties. Families will be hit with the largest tax hike in over half a century--$5,000 extra a year. Prices will go up for food and for medicine, for clothing and for furniture, for gasoline for cars, for travel, you name it. The economy is in danger of a recession--60 percent odds. Yesterday, a leading person on Wall Street said the majority of CEOs he has spoken to believe the recession is already happening.”
“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.”
“Donald Trump and his inner circle are howling about fraud with the hopes of discrediting Social Security entirely. Never mind there is no rampant fraud within Social Security; they just want to cut people's benefits. Never mind that it is popular--overwhelmingly popular--with Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives, rural people, suburban people, urban people. Why are they doing this, then? Why are they going after something that has been as sacred as Social Security since Franklin Roosevelt put the program together? Why? It is simple: So they can cut taxes for the rich. This is a heist. If JD Vance had any intellectual honesty, he would acknowledge he was wrong when he said ``40 percent of the people who are calling are actually committing fraud,'' but I am not holding my breath. I yield the floor.”
“Mr. President, on Social Security, a few days ago, Vice President JD Vance claimed that 40 percent of people calling to get their Social Security ``are committing fraud''--40 percent. First, it was Elon Musk calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme. Then Donald Trump spent 10 minutes in his congressional address talking about checks to 150-year-olds, which we all know is a lie. And now the Vice President has picked up the ax and is coming for Social Security too. We need to be very clear: What the Vice President said was malicious disinformation. His statement is factually incorrect. In the words of the Washington Post, it is ``absurdity on its face--the kind of twisted logic that turns up at the end of a long game of telephone tag.'' Well, we all know what game they are playing.”
“It is not going to get any more popular moving forward, and the Republicans will have to tie themselves in lots of pretzel knots to even get a bill passed--such a highly unpopular bill passed. ____________________”
“Slashing Medicaid, reducing taxes on billionaires--Americans don't like it so the Republicans are tying themselves in a knot in trying to get this done, against the will of the American people. Republicans in Congress want to cut taxes for billionaires and pay for it by taking away Americans' healthcare, making it harder for working families to put food on the table. This is incredible. With the threats of a recession on the rise because of these tariffs, do House Republicans really want to sign their name to this bill, as I said before? The bottom line is, sooner or later, Republicans are going to have to face the music. There aren't enough procedural gimmicks in the world to change the reality. The Republican agenda on both sides--slashing programs like healthcare people need, tax cuts for billionaires, it is unpopular on both sides.”
“With the threats of a recession on the rise because of these tariffs, do House Republicans really want to sign their name on a bill that adds $37 trillion to the deficit? They should tread carefully. I said last Friday that for all the hand-wringing so far, the hard part for Republicans remains in front of them. The Republican agenda suffers from a fatal flaw. Its various pieces are all unpopular on their own, but when pieced together, it is even worse. That is why the Republicans are having such trouble coming together. It is not even to deal with Democrats, the House and Senate Republicans are at loggerheads. Members within each Republican caucus are at loggerheads. Why? Because the two policies are both unpopular.”
“small businesses with 1 to 9 employees decreased by 98,000 jobs. Consumer confidence is at a 4-year low. Outlook for the economy is at a 12-year--a 12-year--low. The odds of a recession are at 60 percent. Some have argued--Larry Fink--that the recession has already started, according to the CEOs he has talked to. What are Republicans in Congress doing about all this chaos, all this mess, all this severe harm to American families? Here is their answer: Cut taxes for billionaires. And why are they doing that? How are they going to pay for that? By taking away Americans' healthcare, making it harder for working families to put food on the table, slashing veterans' assistance and help for rural communities, kids, and Americans with disabilities.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2463] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BUDGET Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on the budget, we are not even 100 days into Donald Trump's second term, and his Presidency is already a dumpster fire. His tariffs were one of the largest tax hikes on American families in half a century since the Vietnam war. His bumbling trade war wiped trillions of dollars from American retirement savings. Meanwhile, Elon Musk is crashing the Social Security website, shutting down local offices, and disconnecting phone services. All these closures and firings show his real desire is to decimate Social Security. In March, employment for U.S.”
“As you know, the previous resolution by Senator Kaine got four Republican votes here in the Senate. Our resolution, this resolution, would terminate the emergency that Donald Trump has declared in order to slap tariffs on 49 percent of products Americans buy from other countries. It would terminate that. Again, instead of picking a fight with the entire world, Donald Trump should be focused on going after America's actual adversaries. The Senate has the power and authority to stop Donald Trump's tariff madness. We Senate Democrats intend on making sure the Senate gets the chance to exercise that power. Senator Wyden's resolution is privileged and will be able to go to the floor of the Senate. ____________________”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2463] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RESOLUTION Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, in an additional matter, this morning, I am proud to be joining Senators Wyden, Kaine, as well as Senators Shaheen, Welch, and Senator Paul to introduce another resolution that would put a halt on all of Donald Trump's global policies. The resolution we passed dealt with Canada. This deals with all of the global tariffs. I am very proud to cosponsor this legislation. The Senate has the power and authority to stop this madness, and we have a duty to act in a bipartisan way to repeal these tariffs.”
“Now the Speaker must act if he cares about avoiding a recession, if he cares about American families. I am confident that if Speaker Johnson were to put the Senate's Canada resolution on the floor, the bipartisan resolution we passed, that it would pass the House as well. ____________________”
“Let me quote from the letter: Plain and simple, the Trump Trade War is a Trump Tax on families, raising their costs by nearly $4,000 per year and devastating small businesses, forcing them to raise prices or lay off staff. It is a dangerous, foolish exercise that is wreaking havoc on the American economy and could very well tee up a recession. If the president doesn't back off, Congress must take action--the Senate has already taken action to provide relief from tariffs on Canada, and the House should follow immediately. Remember, this resolution affects Canada. Nobody understands what the heck the President is doing with Canada. It was bipartisan. It got four Republican votes and passed the Senate. [[Page S2463]] So the Senate has done its part.”
“The chaos within the Trump administration was shown a few minutes ago, when Elon Musk called Peter Navarro--the chief architect of these tariffs--a moron. That is Musk's word. He called him a ``moron.'' Their plan is so crazy, so controversial that this administration cannot get its act together--with them calling each other names--regarding this tariff plan. This is perhaps the most significant task for the Republican congressional leadership since Donald Trump became President. The choice in front of Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson is simple: Choose Donald Trump or choose American families. Stand up to Donald Trump or watch him trigger a recession. So this morning, I am writing to Speaker Johnson, urging him to put the Senate-passed resolution undoing Donald Trump's tariffs for a vote in the House.”
“The damage of Donald Trump's tariff tax has already been done. And regardless of what the markets say from one hour to the next, there are no signs that the chaos is changing at any time soon. Americans are anxious. Nobody, looking at their retirement accounts today is feeling anything close to liberated. It has been a hellacious few days for people worried about their 401(k)s and their savings and their kids' future. And that is not changing anytime soon. Before things get worse, Donald Trump should immediately reverse his reckless trade war. He should halt his tariff tax at once, and he should start focusing more on America's actual trade adversaries, like China, instead of picking a fight with the entire world and causing chaos and steering us toward a recession in the process.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2462-S2463] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TARIFFS Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I would like to begin by reading a quote from Bill Ackman, the billionaire well known for his support of Donald Trump. He said: We are headed for a self-induced, economic nuclear winter, and we should start hunkering down. Preston Caldwell, a senior economist from Morningstar Research, likewise, said: If they're maintained, the tariff hikes announced April 2 represents a self-inflicted economic catastrophe for the United States. Meanwhile, Larry Fink of BlackRock says, most CEOs he has spoken to would say we have already entered a recession.”
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________”
“But now that these tariffs are making a recession more likely, it would be malpractice--malpractice-- for Republicans to move forward. The ball is in the House Republicans' court. They can see for themselves just how fiscally reckless and ill-conceived the Senate bill is. They should reject it. Republicans' obeisance to Donald Trump's increasingly unpopular agenda will cost them dearly in the future. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.”
“Mr. President, that is the third thing I want to talk about, the Republican billionaire tax breaks. In less than 3 months, Donald Trump has unleashed more chaos upon the American people than any previous President. His tariffs have hit families with the largest tax hike in half a century. Elon Musk and DOGE are sabotaging Social Security and Medicaid and Medicare from within with massive layoffs, funding cuts, and crashing websites. The market is having its worst day since the COVID crisis, sending 401(k)s reeling. And what are Republicans in Congress doing? They are cutting taxes for billionaires and paying for it by cutting Medicaid. Now the billionaire tax breaks will add $37 trillion to the debt. Adding $37 trillion to the debt was bad enough without having to take into account President Trump's tariffs.”
“Everything he said in the campaign--so much he said in the campaign, he is just doing the opposite. It helps the billionaires and hurts the American people. ____________________”
“It is horrible, horrible for our seniors and for all Americans, including the millions who have been putting money in week after week, month after month so they might have a decent retirement. Last week, Senate Republicans voted against three amendments by Democrats to protect Social Security from DOGE, including an amendment by Senator Ossoff reversing the mass layoffs and office closures. What did Republicans do? They said no. Shameful. Social Security is the greatest crisis ever. Senate Republicans are now complicit. The longer Republicans allow Elon Musk to threaten people's benefits, the greater the political blowback is going to be. And with these issues--the tariffs, the Trump tariff tax--destroying so much of Social Security, the American people are learning that Donald Trump is betraying them.”
“Now seniors can't even go online. What the hell are they supposed to do? Anyone who thinks Elon Musk isn't trying to destroy Social Security should look at how they are crashing the website, how they are shutting down offices, how they are closing phone lines. Now they are even proposing another round of massive layoffs. Make no mistake--no mistake; it is clear as a bell--Elon Musk is cutting Social Security benefits. When he said that it was a Ponzi scheme--so ridiculous, so false, and so mean--he really meant it. He believes it. When offices close down, when websites crash, when phone lines shut off, that is no different than cutting benefits. So when Elon Musk says that Social Security should be eliminated, he is finding ways to make that happen.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S2451] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SOCIAL SECURITY Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on Social Security, while markets plunge and retirement accounts reel from Donald Trump's tariffs, Elon Musk and DOGE are taking a blowtorch to Social Security. This morning, the Washington Post reported that the Social Security website is facing widespread and repeated outages. People can't log on and see their benefits. Millions of low-income Americans even received messages saying they are ``not receiving payments'' at all, causing widespread panic. First, DOGE shut down local Social Security offices. Then it shut down phone services.”
“I was deeply disappointed last Friday night when Senate Republicans rejected my measure last week to halt [[Page S2451]] any tariffs since January 20 if prices for groceries, medicines, and other essential goods went up. I hope Republicans reconsider their opposition the next time we vote in reconciliation or else they will continue to get an earful from their constituents back home. Talk about canceled townhall meetings that Republicans had to do in the House, they are going to have to cancel a whole lot more unless they start listening to the American people. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. Most Senators know deep down these tariffs are a disaster for the country. ____________________”
“On the contrary, ``Liberation Day'' is quickly turning into Donald Trump's infamous ``Mission Accomplished'' moment. Congress must immediately take back power from Donald Trump before he causes more damage to the economy. Leader Thune has a responsibility to listen to American families worried about the price of groceries, worried about their retirement, worried about keeping their jobs, and worried about the future. The Republican leader should make passing tariff legislation the top priority of the Senate this week. At his press conference a few minutes ago, Donald Trump just said he is not looking at a pause. Now the only hope the American people have to avoid calamity rests on Senator Thune's shoulders. So Senator Thune has a decision to make: Side with Donald Trump or his destructive policies or side with the American people.”
“And maybe worst of all, Donald Trump's tariff tax is the largest tax hike since before the Vietnam war. Families will pay $5,000 extra a year for groceries, appliances, for drugs, for clothes, for cars, for gasoline, and so, so much more. Everywhere they look, Americans are going to see prices going up, going up. Donald Trump campaigned on the fact there was too much inflation, and yet he is going to cause--he is causing already--a ton of it. So let me say it again: Donald Trump is teeing up a nationwide recession. If a recession does happen, it will be known as the Trump recession. I urge the President to back off from his disastrous tariffs immediately. He should put down the golf clubs and pick up the papers because the disaster he has created is anything but great.”
“That is the conservative, cautious JPMorgan--60-percent chance of a recession. Barclays, meanwhile, said Donald Trump's tariffs will cause inflation to nearly double as America enters a recession. HSBC, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of America all said the same thing--the tariffs have made a recession more likely. And now, today, Goldman Sachs is the one saying ``danger.'' Some analysts say the damage is already done; $6 trillion of value has been wiped out. Any community in America that relies on trade or tourism or farming or energy or any wide range of industries is at risk of a recession. My State of New York, my city of New York, certainly, are at that risk and heading right in that direction, unfortunately. Consumer activity is going to go down. Demand is going to suffer. Unemployment is going up.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2450-S2451] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TARIFFS Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, make no mistake about it, Donald Trump is teeing up a nationwide recession. Less than a week after Donald Trump started the largest, dumbest trade war in American history, all the signs say America is heading toward calamity. A report by JPMorgan entitled ``There Will Be Blood,'' warned these policies, if sustained, would likely push the United States and possibly the global economy into a recession this year. An update of our probability scenario tree makes this point, raising the risk of a recession this year to 60 percent.”
“I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________”
“Democrats are fighting every day in every way against these attacks against American families, against this plan, which says billionaires win; families lose. Democrats stand united. We are unified in fighting this awful bill. We will fight the Republican anti-family agenda. We will shine a light on these terrible cuts that Republicans are trying to pass. The American people will be horrified at what they see. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.”
“Every American in a similar position to those I spoke to should do the same. Call your Congressman. Call your Senator. Tell them you don't want Medicaid to be slashed. Tell them you don't want nutrition assistance to be eliminated. Tell them you don't want our seniors to be abandoned. Tell them you don't want to see these cuts--these cruel, heartless cuts--just so the wealthiest Americans can get another break they don't need. That is what the next few days are about: fighting these awful cuts done to help the wealthiest Americans get a tax break. That is the fight Democrats will have here on the Senate floor. That is the fight we will have tonight. That is the fight we will have tomorrow and beyond.”
“I told everyone I encountered in these two nursing homes and in many other places in New York. I went to a hospital in the Bronx--one of the biggest hospitals. It serves 1.3 million people in the Bronx. It is the only cancer care treatment for all of those 1.3 million. The leaders of that hospital told me the hospital would probably close if there were a 20-percent cut to Medicaid, and the Republicans are proposing a deeper cut than that in this budget bill. Close. The only hospital. One of the biggest employers. It employees 18,000 people itself. This story could be repeated. The Bronx has poorer communities. Staten Island and Long Island have more middle-class communities. But every one of them will be affected terribly by these cuts. So I told them to call. I tell everyone: We have to stop this. Public sentiment is everything.”
“There, I told every patient, every doctor, every nurse, every employee who works in these institutions to call their Congress Member and tell them that their jobs are at risk and, if they are a resident, to tell them their healthcare is at risk. If they are a child of a parent in one of these nursing homes, call. I told them to make it clear to their Congressmen that the Republican Congressmen and Senators have the power in their hands to stop these cuts because there are narrow margins in both the Senate and the House. A handful of Senators and a handful of Congressmen, if they have the courage to do the right thing--and most of them--or some of them, at least, know that it is the right thing even though they are afraid to vote yes--they are afraid to vote no and stop this, but they should have the courage to do it. So I told them.”