Charles E. Schumer
Senator for New York · Democratic · United States
“There has already been some reporting from anonymous sources that Trump was personally involved in pushing these campaign ads on the taxpayers' dime. Let's be clear, these ads were anything but public service announcements. They were pure propaganda.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“When Trump meets with various AI industry leaders at the White House today, he ought to stop resisting the growing consensus that we need real guardrails to mitigate AI's risk.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“Instead of trying to score cheap political points with hollow proposals, Senate Republicans need to work with us to take meaningful action that will actually contain these existential risks. They are not doing that, and the American people are in real danger because of their failure to act. Stock Trading Mr.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“President, on Trump propaganda, Donald Trump continues to cram his taxpayer-funded propaganda down the throats of the American people. In less than a single week, Trump has aired three campaign ads, costing at least $1.5 million, all paid for by--guess who--the American taxpayer.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“I can sum up the shortcomings of the Republican data center bill with one word: optional. The bill is optional. America, do you hear that? Here, we need some real action on data centers. And what does the Republican Senator from Ohio come up with? Something that is optional. It is up to the companies to decide.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, well, Donald Trump is asleep at the wheel when it comes to reining in unchecked AI. Right after news came out over the weekend about rogue AI agents infiltrating government websites in the United States, Australia, and at the U.N., do you know what Trump told FOX News?”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
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“And Donald Trump said in his campaign that he would reduce prices on day one when he got elected. He is doing just the opposite. He is not reducing prices; he is dramatically raising them $5,000 a year on the average American family. And by his own omission, Donald Trump said ``I couldn't care less.'' Government Funding Mr. President, on the budget, this week, Donald Trump and the Republican Party are hitting Americans with a brutal one-two punch. On one side, Trump has hit Americans with a massive tax hike through his extremely dumb tariffs. On the other side--they are unfocused, just unfocused. On the other side, Senate Republicans are getting ready to take away vital programs, throw people off Medicaid--all so they can give massive tax breaks to billionaires.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“So I am calling on the House and Speaker Johnson, given how bad Trump's tariffs are--they now know it--to come back into session and vote on the Senate's bipartisan bill undoing the tariffs on Canada, the bill we passed yesterday with bipartisan support because a few Republicans had the courage of their convictions and voted against the President and for Senator Kaine's very, very timely and needed bill. If the Speaker really cares about the American people and the costs they would bear by these tariffs, he should call back the House and take up the Senate bill immediately. The American people care about one thing above all--and they care about a lot of things, but at the top of the list is inflation. That is the No. 1 thing on people's minds. We heard that over and over again on last November's election day and ever since.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“President Trump should reverse course on his disastrous tariffs immediately--immediately--or else he risks plunging America into a recession. Some of the leading banks, the leading financial analysts with no ax to grind, have greatly increased the odds that we will have a recession because of what Trump is doing. What President walks mindlessly into a recession, which means it is harder to get a job, harder to keep a job, harder to pay the bills? What President does that?”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“What are they doing firing tens of thousands of epidemic responders, healthcare workers, food inspectors, abandoning veterans? And now, on top of all of that--it has been bad enough before ``Liberation Day,'' which is tax day--Americans are going to pay $5,000 a year through his tariffs. For what? Why are they doing all this? Why would they do all this? Why would they hurt people, so many people in so many ways? Why would they have that pincer squeeze them? I will tell you why. One thing. One reason. Tax breaks for the billionaires. As I said, this is a coterie of billionaires running the government--Trump and Musk and Lutnick and so many others. You heard the net worth of his Cabinet; it is incredible. Cutting taxes for billionaires makes them squeeze the American people. It is utterly disgusting.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“You are getting squeezed on both sides by his tariffs and his budget, and he says, ``I couldn't care less.'' The American people are learning quickly that Donald Trump is breaking all the promises he made in the campaign and he is not on their side. He couldn't care less. It is truly unbelievable to watch the sheer destruction Republicans are inflicting on Americans. We aren't even 100 days into President Trump's second term, and the Republicans this week will plow ahead to take away people's Medicaid. They are letting Elon Musk sabotage Social Security. He says it is a Ponzi scheme. He says he is OK if it is eliminated. What do these rich people know about how middle-class people struggle? It is a little coterie of billionaires that is running policy. As I said, the middle class is getting squeezed by the pincers on both sides.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“In fact, Donald Trump slapped tariffs on penguins and not on Putin. Trump sanctioned the Heard and McDonald Islands, only inhabited by penguins. That is what happens when you don't have a clue as to what you are doing. You fire air traffic controllers, dismantle disease-outbreak monitoring, sabotage Social Security and VA operations, censor climate data, defund public schools, and declare a trade war on penguins. What is going on? Prices on groceries, prices on electronics, appliances, metal, beer, furniture, fertilizer, and so much more will go up. People's retirements are in peril as markets are in turmoil across the globe. And Donald Trump says, ``I couldn't care less.'' That is his quote, America.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, yesterday, Donald Trump made one of the dumbest decisions he has ever made as President, and that is saying something. The tariffs Donald Trump approved yesterday are far, far worse than we thought. It is the largest tax hike on families since World War II. Yesterday was not ``Liberation Day''; it was tax day. ``Middle class, pay more taxes,'' Donald Trump is telling you. That is what the day is all about. This morning, naturally, the markets are plunging. The Dow is down 800 points, and the S&P is already on track for its worst day in years. Donald Trump has singlehandedly created a financial forest fire. Trump called yesterday ``Liberation Day.'' Nobody was feeling even close to liberated--quite the opposite.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“A few of you have already said you can't vote for this. Please don't be intimidated by Donald Trump, who said he couldn't care less if prices go up on your constituents, my Republican colleagues. Don't listen to him. This is a disaster--a disaster for working families, a disaster for the Nation's economy, a disaster for our alliances and relationships around the world--all doing so much to hurt America for one darn reason: cutting taxes for the billionaires. This is a government by the billionaires. Everything they do--whether it is this budget they came out with today or this tariff bill--is in obeisance to the very few wealthy people who seem to control the Republican Party and want another tax cut. I urge everybody to vote against these horrible, horrible tariffs. Tariffs on Canada have very little to do with fentanyl; we know that.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“He is raising prices through the roof and strangling American families. My colleague in Connecticut alluded to Smoot-Hawley. The new Smoot- Hawley is Trump-Musk. These taxes could create a global trade war. Our allies--previous allies--are aligned together at how they are going to get back at Trump and what he has done to the country. This is not ``Liberation Day,'' as Trump called it. This has made a few-weeks-earlier, in effect, tax day--huge taxes through tariffs on American families. It is a gut punch. It is a gut punch to the average American. So right now, I know Donald Trump is pressuring Senate Republicans to vote this resolution down. He is treating this like a loyalty test. But my plea to my Senate Republican colleagues: Stand with the American people. You know how bad this is.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Navarro and he have said it over and over again, that they want to reduce those taxes. It is outrageous. It is outrageous. The average family, sitting at the kitchen table on Friday night, is saying to themselves: Whoa, boy. We had better cut back on our purchases. Maybe we ought to not go out to the restaurant. Maybe we ought not take that vacation we have been saving up for for a year. Maybe we ought not to buy that new car. Consumer confidence is lower than it has been in many, many years. The average business, because of the chaotic nature--Trump says one thing one day and another thing the next day--are holding back. Businesses, small and large, need certainty, but there is no certainty here with the chaos Donald Trump has created. Listen to this.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I thank my friend from Connecticut for his excellent words. Much of what he said could be applied to New York. I want to thank Senator Kaine for his seeing around the curve, seeing how important this was months ago and persisting and persisting and persisting in getting us to this place. Now, Mr. President, President Trump just announced his new tariff package a few hours ago, and it is even worse than we thought. In addition to the tariffs that he has already imposed, he now has a 10- percent across-the-board tariff on all products. What is this going to do to American families? It is going to clobber them. It is estimated that the Trump tariff will add about $5,000 to the average family's costs. And why is he doing it? To reduce taxes on the billionaires. They have said that.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“We cannot afford it. And I hope that this legislation will do some good. You will hear more about it later. I yield the floor.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“So later today, I will be introducing legislation with Senators Kim and Schiff to shore up our national security and make sure the Trump administration knows how to handle classified information. Under any other President, these stunning breaches would have resulted in swift accountability. It is shocking that over a week later, Donald Trump has held nobody--nobody--accountable, with no firings, no corrections, nothing--just a bunch of statements saying ``lessons learned.'' The Donald Trump of 2017, I believe, would not have hesitated to hold someone accountable by now. That he has not done so now makes it seem more and more like he is just out of touch with what America needs, with America's safety, with average American families. Well, America cannot afford any ``lessons learned'' when it comes to our national security.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Cyber Security Mr. President, finally, on cyber security legislation, yesterday, the Washington Post reported that the National Security Advisor Mike Waltz used his personal Gmail account for official government communications. So it is clear the controversy about Signal was clearly not an isolated incident; it was a pattern of gross negligence. It is clear that the Trump administration can't be trusted on their own to protect America's intelligence.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“And this hurts our brave first responders and others who risked life and limb on 9/11, who rushed to the tower. They are suffering. They are getting cancers from the gunk they breathed in when they ran to the towers to help protect us and help us. You want to cut that off to these heroes? How un-American can that be? How vicious, how nasty, how callous. We are abandoning the people who ran to the towers. It is not efficiency. It is cruelty; it is meanness; and, fundamentally, it is anti-American. We always defend those who have risked their lives to defend and help us. All of a sudden, that seems to be out the window when it comes to the 9/11 responders. These are our heroes. Secretary Kennedy and Donald Trump should not betray them.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“As of right now, Secretary Kennedy has effectively shut the World Trade Center Health Program down. This is a betrayal--a betrayal--of the 9/11 families. I am sending Secretary Kennedy a letter to immediately undo this terrible, terrible decision. This is not a ``mistake.'' Some of the Republicans who care about the 9/11 program are saying it is a mistake. It is on purpose. When I met Secretary Kennedy--then he was the nominee--he made a commitment to me, an unequivocal commitment that he would protect the World Trade Center Health Program. These firings break that promise, and I am calling on Secretary Kennedy to answer for this betrayal of 9/ 11 families. I am sending him a letter about it, as I mentioned. None of these cuts have anything to do with efficiency. This is rightwing extremism, pure and simple.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“They all know it. They are just too afraid to have the debate. They won't come here on the floor and say the vast majority of their tax cuts are for the wealthiest of America. They won't dare say it. But it is true. That is who the Republican paymasters--these rich billionaires who want their taxes cut--that is what they want, and that is what they are doing. They are afraid to admit they are taking away Medicaid from millions of Americans. I think 70 million Americans benefit from Medicaid. So instead, they go nuclear in a self-serving effort to hide the truth and use phony accounting, fake math, which will hurt us. They are increasing the deficit by a lot no matter what paper they try to slide before us. They try to hide the cost of their billionaire tax cuts. It is not going to work.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“This is about Republicans being afraid to tell Americans the truth behind their agenda. Republicans know that if they make Donald Trump's tax cuts permanent through this current policy baseline, they will add $37 trillion to the debt in the next 30 years--$37 trillion--about as much as the total debt we have accumulated over the last 240-some-odd years in this Republic. Amazing. Horrible, with horrible consequences. Our children will be saddled with soaring interest rates and a crippled economy. The ultrarich will become wealthier, and Americans who live paycheck-to-paycheck will suffer more. Republicans know their agenda is deeply unpopular with the American people. Donald Trump knows it too. That is why he sends out all these smokescreens every day to try to divert our attention--Greenland, Panama, Gulf of America. He knows it.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Whatever happened to those promises we heard from Republicans, including the Republican leader, that they wouldn't touch the Senate rules? Not 3 months ago, Leader Thune stood right here on the floor in his first address as Republican leader and said ``one of my priorities as leader will be to ensure the Senate stays the Senate.'' Well, that sure isn't happening right now. He has indicated in the past--he has indicated repeatedly, Senator Thune has--that he would not topple the 60-vote threshold they are now seeking to undo. I guess when it comes to cutting taxes for billionaires, suddenly Republicans don't care much about the Senate rules at all and don't care about breaking their word, what they promised they would do when they came in. But, frankly, this isn't just a fight about Senate procedure. This is much bigger.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Senate Rules Mr. President, on the move by Republicans to go nuclear, America is in crisis, we know that. We can feel it. This week, the crisis seeps even more deeply into the halls of the U.S. Senate by what the Republicans are trying to do. Senate Republicans are so hell-bent on cutting taxes for billionaires, they are now willing to detonate the rules of the Senate, violate norms and traditions, and break their word--break their word-- to get it done. Republicans are doing something they said they would never do. They are about to go nuclear.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“I thank him for his brilliance, for his moral clarity, for his indistinguishable passion. It was a speech for the ages. It will be long-remembered, not only here in the Senate but throughout America. It was a tour de force like we rarely see here. Senator Booker, I thank you. Our Senate thanks you. But most of all, the American people thank you.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Tribute to Cory Booker Mr. President, just a moment on Senator Booker. Yesterday, my good friend Senator Cory Booker delivered the longest address in the history of the Senate to lay the case of Republican cruelty for all the American people to see. And as important as the length of Senator Booker's speech was--and it was phenomenal, the stamina, the preparation, the focus he showed by speaking for 25 hours was amazing enough--but just as amazing was what he said. He shined a light on the terrible dangers the Trump administration poses to the country we love.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Later this afternoon, the Senate will vote on a resolution from Senators Kaine, Klobuchar, and Warner to undo Donald Trump's emergency declaration with respect to Canada. I am proud to support this resolution because we should be lowering costs for American families, not sending them skyrocketing like Donald Trump is doing. I know Donald Trump is pushing my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to vote it down, but my Republican colleagues should tune Donald Trump out. They need to stand up to the President when he is hurting American families so badly. Our Republican colleagues know deep down in their hearts, these tariffs are wrongheaded, harmful, and chaotic. I hope they do the right thing.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“For average families, Donald Trump's trade war is a financial gut punch. The average household is going to pay, on average, $6,000 extra a year. And why is Donald Trump so dead set on starting this ill-conceived trade war? Simply to pay for tax breaks for their billionaires. They talk about all the money they are going to gain, and what are they using it for? Reducing taxes on the very wealthy. The money they gain out of the pockets of middle-class working families who are paying more for almost everything because of the tariffs goes to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. It is disgraceful. Fortunately, the Senate has a chance to slow this trade war down today if Republicans join us.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Tariffs Mr. President, on tariffs, today, Donald Trump takes a sledgehammer to the American economy and even to the American dream. With the flick of a pen, Donald Trump is set to unleash the most reckless tsunami of tariffs Americans have seen in over half a century. Prices will rise on virtually every kind of product--produce, medicines, cars, homes, appliances, metals, paper products, beer, lumber, fertilizer, and more. But is Donald Trump worried? Not even a little bit. In fact, he said the other day he couldn't care less if prices go up. You hear that, America?”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Wisconsin Supreme Court Mr. President, last night, the people of Wisconsin sent a clear message to Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and DOGE: Democracy is not for sale. There is only one way to interpret what happened last night. It was a political warning shot from the American people. Just 70 days into Trump 2.0, Americans are tired of the chaos. They are tired of Elon Musk attacking Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare. And I want to be clear about something else. Yesterday was a sign Democrats' message is resonating.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, there are a lot of topics I wish to discuss today on the Senate floor, including the news from Wisconsin, Donald Trump's tariffs, Republicans' awful attack on the Senate rules, and, of course, the ghastly undercutting by RFK on 9/11 families.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“I just want to tell you, question, do you know you have just broken the record? Do you know how proud this caucus is of you? Do you know how proud America is of you? (Applause, Senators rising.)”
Senate31 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate31 March 2025Source ↗
“Did he exhibit the kind of leadership Americans expect from the man who may deploy our troops into battle, from the man who may send our family members, our friends, our neighbors into harm's way? Did he accept that responsibility? Nope, he didn't. Instead of accepting responsibility, Secretary Hegseth attacked the journalist--amazing, amazing; it is like an Alice in Wonderland world--and called him deceitful. He pointed fingers. He blamed the liberal media, moaned about hoaxes. Mr. Hegseth, this is not a hoax. It is very real and very serious. You should not be in your job. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate27 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate27 March 2025Source ↗
“Voting Rights Mr. President, on voting rights, yesterday Donald Trump escalated his attacks on the bedrock of American democracy. Without a shred of authority, Donald Trump issued an Executive order that will, effectively, coerce States to institute policies that will prevent millions of American citizens from voting. Let us be very clear: This is an assault on democracy. Donald Trump's order has nothing--nothing--to do with election security. It is an illegal power grab.”
Senate26 March 2025Source ↗
“The Economy Mr. President, on the economy, yesterday we got another piece of evidence that Donald Trump is failing at the one thing the American people want him to do: keep the economy strong. The Conference Board, one of the most trusted business research organizations, showed consumer confidence has dropped for the fourth straight month. And it didn't just drop; it is now at the lowest levels since January of 2021, the last time Donald Trump was President. Donald Trump's disastrous policies are starting to catch up with him.”
Senate26 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, the more we learn about the unsecured text exchange of sensitive military operations, the more questions we have about how such an egregious breach of military intelligence occurred in the first place. What the Atlantic released today is confounding and extremely disturbing to any American who worries about our national security and our safety. It is appalling. Worst of all, it confirms our darkest assumptions about mishandling of sensitive military operations.”
Senate26 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate26 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, earlier today, The Atlantic magazine released a stunning and alarming report about the accidental leaking of the Trump administration's coordination on classified military operations targeting the Houthis in Yemen. According to the report, a member of the press was somehow added to an unsecured text chain with the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the CIA Director, and other national security officials. The text chain was not a secure conversation.”
Senate24 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate24 March 2025Source ↗
“I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker), the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin), the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), are necessarily absent.”
Senate14 March 2025Source ↗
“I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) are necessarily absent.”
Senate14 March 2025Source ↗
“The President and executive branch have a legal and constitutional duty to faithfully execute the CR. The CR does not change the underlying law making the Trump administration's impoundments and mass firings illegal. This is true as a matter of law. Nothing in the CR changes the Impoundment Control Act, the foundation of Congress's appropriations authority, and the authorization laws that require USAID and other Agencies to exist and to operate the programs as Congress has assigned to them. Nothing changes title 5, governing the civil service, the Administrative Procedure Act, and so on. One of the reasons I am voting for cloture is for the very reason that these actions are illegal and no new law is needed to declare that. I yield the floor.”
Senate14 March 2025Source ↗
“Our caucus Members have been torn between two awful alternatives, and my colleagues and I have wrestled with which alternative would be worse for the American people. Different Senators come down on different sides of this question, but that does not mean that any Senate Democrat supports a shutdown. Whatever the outcome, our caucus will be united in our determination to continue the long-term fight to stop Donald Trump's dangerous war on our democracy and on America's working families. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate14 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate14 March 2025Source ↗
“This is the fight that matters most and the fight we must focus on-- all the chaos we have seen, all the lawlessness, all the grift and corrupt behavior. It is all about rigging the system in favor of the ultrawealthy at the expense of working Americans. This is the fight the American people need to see. This is the fight that Democrats will win. A shutdown will be a costly distraction from this all-important fight. I yield the floor.”
Senate13 March 2025Source ↗
“Do they support closing Social Security offices? Do they agree with Elon Musk that Social Security is a scam? Why are they silent as Elon Musk and DOGE try to take Social Security apart? I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate13 March 2025Source ↗
“I hope--I hope--our Republican colleagues will join us to avoid a shutdown on Friday. I yield the floor.”
Senate12 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, funding the government should be a bipartisan effort, but Republicans chose a partisan path drafting their continuing resolution without any input--any input--from congressional Democrats. Because of that, Republicans do not have the votes in the Senate to invoke cloture on the House CR. Our caucus is unified on a clean April 11 CR that will keep the government open and give Congress time to negotiate bipartisan legislation that can pass. We should vote on that.”
Senate12 March 2025Source ↗