Discussion · Senate
Charles E. Schumer Democrat
“I want the Senate to pass a resolution to end the war in Iran and bring our troops home. Most Americans oppose this war, and it is driving up gas prices. I also oppose Donald Trump's new taxes on imports, which are raising costs for families and have cost us 75,000 factory jobs. Finally, Senate Democrats are preparing to protect the upcoming election, and I want to honor the two Capitol Police officers killed defending this building in 1998.”
“Mr. President, the hole Donald Trump is digging himself into in Iran has turned into a crater. Somehow Trump has convinced himself that the American people are cheering him on on this blunder rather than crying out for him to bring our troops home. Today, Democrats are going to force another vote on our War Powers Resolution to end this war; to get our troops out of harm’s way; and to force Trump to face the reality of this catastrophe. Will our Republican colleagues join us, or are they just going to keep their heads in the sand? They know how bad this is. They are hearing it from one end of the country to another, but they are so afraid of speaking truth to power-- of telling Donald Trump he is wrong--that they almost time after time-- the vast majority of them--vote to go along with this war that is not achieving any goals and is raising our gas prices now to above $4. Yesterday, Trump said of the American people ``they’re not against the war.’’ Trump, wake up. No one wants this war but you and your cronies and the supine Republican Senators and Congressmen who go along. The American people are against this war. They are against seeing our men and women in uniform get killed and wounded for a war that seems to have no direction or purpose. They are against hearing Trump and Hegseth lie about casualties, and they are definitely against paying over 4 bucks for a gallon of gas. In fact, this morning, oil, once again, hit $100 a barrel as the war continues to spiral. Just this week, we saw polling that the war in Iran is America’s least popular war since polling began. Let me say that again so Donald Trump and my Republican colleagues can hear it. Just this week, we saw polling that the Iran war is America’s least popular war since polling began. So, when Donald Trump says the American people are not against the war, he has got his head deep, deep, deep in the sand. Even Trump’s MAGA supporters are starting to sour on the war. No one--no one--wants to watch Donald Trump keep pouring gasoline on a fire he claims to have put out weeks ago. Donald Trump’s war is ramping up, not winding down. If Donald Trump won’t listen to the American people and end this war, then Congress must. Bipartisan majorities in both Chambers of Congress have already passed legislation to end Trump’s aimless, illegal, ruinous war. We will keep demanding Donald Trump end this war with another vote today. We are going to keep the pressure on our Republican colleagues, and that is what we are supposed to be doing here because it is Congress that has the power to bring war; so it is perfectly appropriate and right and part of our obligation as the opposition party to force our Republican colleagues to vote again and again and again until they see the light. Senate Republicans need to stop indulging the President’s foreign policy of fantasy and support our War Powers Resolution to bring our troops home. When are Senate Republicans going to stand up? When will they say ``enough’’? The American people are watching. Senate Republicans will lose credibility with the American people with every vote they take against ending Trump’s war. Mr. President, on tariffs, as gas prices spike and families struggle with their grocery bills, Trump is tripling down on his chaotic tariff tax and pushing prices that Americans pay even higher. Just this week, Trump announced a new round of 50-percent tariffs on Canada--our big enemy, Canada, Trump might say--but that is not all. Trump is about to slap new 10-percent tariffs on 60 countries, including all of our major trading partners. He is also threatening 100-percent tariffs on generic medicines. That is more money coming out of the American people’s pockets for something they very much need-- low-cost generic drugs. Trump has bled the American people dry with these tariffs, and he is coming back for more. And Canada? Doesn’t he know that many of our countries on the Canadian border depend on commerce, whether it is Maine or New York or Michigan or Washington State or every State in between, and that his tariffs are helping to destroy the economies of those States in particular? So what will American families get in return for shelling out thousands of dollars extra for basic necessities? Nothing good. Trump has bled the American people dry with these tariffs, and now he is coming back for more. Trump claims a massive new wave of manufacturing, but the truth is we have lost 75,000 manufacturing jobs since Trump started his trade war. I repeat. Trump’s tariffs have cost our country 75,000 manufacturing jobs. Once again, Trump lies. He just lies. He doesn’t care what the facts are. If it suits his purposes, his big ego, his insatiable desire to pat himself on the back, he lies. Trump, we have lost manufacturing jobs since your tariffs--75,000 of them. Meanwhile, tariff rates mysteriously change, and new exemptions are announced every time Trump receives a gold watch, a diamond ring, or a phone call from one of his billionaire buddies. The story is always the same with this administration: Trump and his billionaire friends win; families lose. Trump corrupts the Presidency to enrich himself. Then he turns around and raises costs on Americans at every turn, and Senate Republicans are more than happy to help Trump every step of the way. Now, Mr. President, on the Election Protection Task Force that we Democrats have put together, Trump tries to corrupt everything he touches, and our elections are next. President Trump knows he can’t outrun the Republicans’ awful record, so he is trying to rig the race in November. Trump and the GOP would rather silence Americans than answer to them. We are going to make sure Republicans hear the American people loud and clear in November, which is why the Senate Democrats’ Election Protection Task Force gathered again yesterday to war-game our response to Trump’s all-out assault on our elections. Our task force is planning for every eventuality and looking at every tool to stop Trump from stealing the mid-term election. It doesn’t matter what Trump tries to throw at us. Exercises like the one we held yesterday will ensure we will be ready to respond. We are anticipating the trouble he might create--the evil he might do--and what our response should be in advance. Trump ignored Americans when they told him to lower his costs. Trump ignored Americans when they told him to end his wars. Now Trump wants to ignore Americans when they tell him they want Republicans gone. Trump may not want to listen to the American people, but he is going to have to face the music in November whether he likes it or not. Finally, Mr. President, on a sad note, it is the anniversary of the 1998 Capitol Police shooting. Tomorrow--tomorrow--will mark 28 years when Detective John Gibson and Officer Jacob Chestnut of the U.S. Capitol Police gave their lives while defending our Capitol. They showed tremendous heroism that day-- one I remember all too well. They faced grave danger with courage and made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our Capitol, the people within, and the democracy this building represents. For that, they will always have--always have--our gratitude, and so will all of our Capitol Police officers, who work so hard to keep us safe. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Mr. President, the hole Donald Trump is digging himself into in Iran has turned into a crater. Somehow Trump has convinced himself that the American people are cheering him on on this blunder rather than crying out for him to bring our troops home. Today, Democrats are going to force another vote on our War Powers Resolution to end this war; to get our troops out of harm’s way; and to force Trump to face the reality of this catastrophe. Will our Republican colleagues join us, or are they just going to keep their heads in the sand? They know how bad this is. They are hearing it from one end of the country to another, but they are so afraid of speaking truth to power-- of telling Donald Trump he is wrong--that they almost time after time-- the vast majority of them--vote to go along with this war that is not achieving any goals and is raising our gas prices now to above $4. Yesterday, Trump said of the American people ``they’re not against the war.’’ Trump, wake up. No one wants this war but you and your cronies and the supine Republican Senators and Congressmen who go along. The American people are against this war. They are against seeing our men and women in uniform get killed and wounded for a war that seems to have no direction or purpose. They are against hearing Trump and Hegseth lie about casualties, and they are definitely against paying over 4 bucks for a gallon of gas. In fact, this morning, oil, once again, hit $100 a barrel as the war continues to spiral. Just this week, we saw polling that the war in Iran is America’s least popular war since polling began. Let me say that again so Donald Trump and my Republican colleagues can hear it. Just this week, we saw polling that the Iran war is America’s least popular war since polling began. So, when Donald Trump says the American people are not against the war, he has got his head deep, deep, deep in the sand. Even Trump’s MAGA supporters are starting to sour on the war. No one--no one--wants to watch Donald Trump keep pouring gasoline on a fire he claims to have put out weeks ago. Donald Trump’s war is ramping up, not winding down. If Donald Trump won’t listen to the American people and end this war, then Congress must. Bipartisan majorities in both Chambers of Congress have already passed legislation to end Trump’s aimless, illegal, ruinous war. We will keep demanding Donald Trump end this war with another vote today. We are going to keep the pressure on our Republican colleagues, and that is what we are supposed to be doing here because it is Congress that has the power to bring war; so it is perfectly appropriate and right and part of our obligation as the opposition party to force our Republican colleagues to vote again and again and again until they see the light. Senate Republicans need to stop indulging the President’s foreign policy of fantasy and support our War Powers Resolution to bring our troops home. When are Senate Republicans going to stand up? When will they say ``enough’’? The American people are watching. Senate Republicans will lose credibility with the American people with every vote they take against ending Trump’s war. Mr. President, on tariffs, as gas prices spike and families struggle with their grocery bills, Trump is tripling down on his chaotic tariff tax and pushing prices that Americans pay even higher. Just this week, Trump announced a new round of 50-percent tariffs on Canada--our big enemy, Canada, Trump might say--but that is not all. Trump is about to slap new 10-percent tariffs on 60 countries, including all of our major trading partners. He is also threatening 100-percent tariffs on generic medicines. That is more money coming out of the American people’s pockets for something they very much need-- low-cost generic drugs. Trump has bled the American people dry with these tariffs, and he is coming back for more. And Canada? Doesn’t he know that many of our countries on the Canadian border depend on commerce, whether it is Maine or New York or Michigan or Washington State or every State in between, and that his tariffs are helping to destroy the economies of those States in particular? So what will American families get in return for shelling out thousands of dollars extra for basic necessities? Nothing good. Trump has bled the American people dry with these tariffs, and now he is coming back for more. Trump claims a massive new wave of manufacturing, but the truth is we have lost 75,000 manufacturing jobs since Trump started his trade war. I repeat. Trump’s tariffs have cost our country 75,000 manufacturing jobs. Once again, Trump lies. He just lies. He doesn’t care what the facts are. If it suits his purposes, his big ego, his insatiable desire to pat himself on the back, he lies. Trump, we have lost manufacturing jobs since your tariffs--75,000 of them. Meanwhile, tariff rates mysteriously change, and new exemptions are announced every time Trump receives a gold watch, a diamond ring, or a phone call from one of his billionaire buddies. The story is always the same with this administration: Trump and his billionaire friends win; families lose. Trump corrupts the Presidency to enrich himself. Then he turns around and raises costs on Americans at every turn, and Senate Republicans are more than happy to help Trump every step of the way. Now, Mr. President, on the Election Protection Task Force that we Democrats have put together, Trump tries to corrupt everything he touches, and our elections are next. President Trump knows he can’t outrun the Republicans’ awful record, so he is trying to rig the race in November. Trump and the GOP would rather silence Americans than answer to them. We are going to make sure Republicans hear the American people loud and clear in November, which is why the Senate Democrats’ Election Protection Task Force gathered again yesterday to war-game our response to Trump’s all-out assault on our elections. Our task force is planning for every eventuality and looking at every tool to stop Trump from stealing the mid-term election. It doesn’t matter what Trump tries to throw at us. Exercises like the one we held yesterday will ensure we will be ready to respond. We are anticipating the trouble he might create--the evil he might do--and what our response should be in advance. Trump ignored Americans when they told him to lower his costs. Trump ignored Americans when they told him to end his wars. Now Trump wants to ignore Americans when they tell him they want Republicans gone. Trump may not want to listen to the American people, but he is going to have to face the music in November whether he likes it or not. Finally, Mr. President, on a sad note, it is the anniversary of the 1998 Capitol Police shooting. Tomorrow--tomorrow--will mark 28 years when Detective John Gibson and Officer Jacob Chestnut of the U.S. Capitol Police gave their lives while defending our Capitol. They showed tremendous heroism that day-- one I remember all too well. They faced grave danger with courage and made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our Capitol, the people within, and the democracy this building represents. For that, they will always have--always have--our gratitude, and so will all of our Capitol Police officers, who work so hard to keep us safe. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.