Discussion · Senate
Charles E. Schumer Democrat
“Most Americans do not support President Trump's war in Iran, high gas prices, or his cuts to healthcare. Democrats want to work with Republicans to pass a fair budget and keep the government open. We will also force another vote to end the war in Iran and bring our troops home.”
“Well, Mr. President, the Trump Presidency is just a disaster, and more and more people know it. Just about everyone is getting to know it now. This morning’s CNN poll--right over my shoulder--is further confirmation that Trump has completely lost the trust of the American people. Americans can see it, smell it, feel it: Trump’s priorities are completely out of whack. He is concerned not with average citizens and making their lives better, just his own ego. Just look at some of these numbers: More than three in every four Americans say that Trump’s disastrous war on Iran hasn’t been worth the cost. The same numbers say they have experienced hardship because of gas prices: 79 percent. And when asked: Does Trump have the right priorities? Seventy-three percent say no. A record 73 percent of Americans think Trump hasn’t focused enough on the most pressing issues they face. Pick any poll. Pick any issue. You will come to the same conclusion: Trump is totally out of touch. He is hurting America and not listening to America. No one likes what you are doing. Are you listening, Donald? No one likes what you are doing. Look at those numbers. They should make Donald Trump hang his head in shame: 72 percent disapprove of how he is conducting the war in Iran; 79 percent disapprove of him on gas prices; 73 percent say you have the wrong priorities for them. When the overwhelming majority of Americans say you are taking the country in the wrong direction, you better change course. Trump and his party can either take the hint or take a hike when it comes in November. Democrats have been clear on appropriations. Democrats have been clear from the start: We want to fund the government, avoid a shutdown, pass strong appropriations bills that improve people’s lives. Bipartisan negotiations are ongoing, and Senate Democrats are working in good faith to reach an agreement to keep the appropriations process moving forward. We are fighting for a bipartisan funding package--not partisan bills that bankroll Donald Trump’s war agenda while leaving working families behind. Any CR must be bipartisan. We must keep the government open without abandoning the needs of working families or giving Donald Trump a blank check for his destructive agenda. There is a responsible path forward. Senate Democrats are ready to take it. Republicans must meet us to get that done. Mr. President, Trump’s crusade against Americans’ healthcare costs continues every single day. Listen to this: Yesterday, Trump doubled prescription drug costs for millions of seniors by making cuts to Medicare drug plans. Just 2 days before Medicare’s 61st anniversary, no less, he is cutting the dollars we need and doubling prescription drug costs for millions of seniors. Can Trump get any more heartless? We are talking about seniors splitting pills in half to ration life-saving drugs or skipping meals to afford their medication at the pharmacy counter. That is despicable. This is just the latest salvo in Trump’s war on Americans’ healthcare. A year ago, Trump ransacked over a trillion dollars from the healthcare system to bankroll tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans and corporations. And since then, millions of people have lost their coverage altogether while tens of millions get slammed while premiums double, triple, even quadruple. But I guess that wasn’t enough for Donald. Now he is coming after seniors--millions of them--by raising their prescription drug costs. In Trump’s America, families are fighting for their lives while the rich get richer. Mr. President, Trump is more concerned about protecting himself from the repercussions of his failed war in Iran than protecting our troops who are in the line of fire. As Trump twiddles his thumbs without any plan for how to end his reckless misadventure, our servicemembers are facing down barrage after barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. Donald, posting another lie on Truth Social won’t stop the missiles from flying. Thumping your chest won’t bring down the crushing gas prices you have sent skyrocketing. And brushing casualties under the rug doesn’t get our men and women in uniform out of harm’s way. And those whose names were eliminated, before they put them back, do not come back to life when you just simply take their name off the roll. There is only one way to do that--to do all of that--bring our troops home. End the war. Democrats will soon force another vote on our War Powers Resolution to end this aimless war and bring our troops back home to their families. Every second Trump prolongs this war, our servicemembers’ lives are at risk. Senate Republicans, stand up for troops, not the President who sent them to war without a plan, without a mission, without an exit strategy. Senate Republicans, stand up with the American people and come join us in ending this war. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Well, Mr. President, the Trump Presidency is just a disaster, and more and more people know it. Just about everyone is getting to know it now. This morning’s CNN poll--right over my shoulder--is further confirmation that Trump has completely lost the trust of the American people. Americans can see it, smell it, feel it: Trump’s priorities are completely out of whack. He is concerned not with average citizens and making their lives better, just his own ego. Just look at some of these numbers: More than three in every four Americans say that Trump’s disastrous war on Iran hasn’t been worth the cost. The same numbers say they have experienced hardship because of gas prices: 79 percent. And when asked: Does Trump have the right priorities? Seventy-three percent say no. A record 73 percent of Americans think Trump hasn’t focused enough on the most pressing issues they face. Pick any poll. Pick any issue. You will come to the same conclusion: Trump is totally out of touch. He is hurting America and not listening to America. No one likes what you are doing. Are you listening, Donald? No one likes what you are doing. Look at those numbers. They should make Donald Trump hang his head in shame: 72 percent disapprove of how he is conducting the war in Iran; 79 percent disapprove of him on gas prices; 73 percent say you have the wrong priorities for them. When the overwhelming majority of Americans say you are taking the country in the wrong direction, you better change course. Trump and his party can either take the hint or take a hike when it comes in November. Democrats have been clear on appropriations. Democrats have been clear from the start: We want to fund the government, avoid a shutdown, pass strong appropriations bills that improve people’s lives. Bipartisan negotiations are ongoing, and Senate Democrats are working in good faith to reach an agreement to keep the appropriations process moving forward. We are fighting for a bipartisan funding package--not partisan bills that bankroll Donald Trump’s war agenda while leaving working families behind. Any CR must be bipartisan. We must keep the government open without abandoning the needs of working families or giving Donald Trump a blank check for his destructive agenda. There is a responsible path forward. Senate Democrats are ready to take it. Republicans must meet us to get that done. Mr. President, Trump’s crusade against Americans’ healthcare costs continues every single day. Listen to this: Yesterday, Trump doubled prescription drug costs for millions of seniors by making cuts to Medicare drug plans. Just 2 days before Medicare’s 61st anniversary, no less, he is cutting the dollars we need and doubling prescription drug costs for millions of seniors. Can Trump get any more heartless? We are talking about seniors splitting pills in half to ration life-saving drugs or skipping meals to afford their medication at the pharmacy counter. That is despicable. This is just the latest salvo in Trump’s war on Americans’ healthcare. A year ago, Trump ransacked over a trillion dollars from the healthcare system to bankroll tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans and corporations. And since then, millions of people have lost their coverage altogether while tens of millions get slammed while premiums double, triple, even quadruple. But I guess that wasn’t enough for Donald. Now he is coming after seniors--millions of them--by raising their prescription drug costs. In Trump’s America, families are fighting for their lives while the rich get richer. Mr. President, Trump is more concerned about protecting himself from the repercussions of his failed war in Iran than protecting our troops who are in the line of fire. As Trump twiddles his thumbs without any plan for how to end his reckless misadventure, our servicemembers are facing down barrage after barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. Donald, posting another lie on Truth Social won’t stop the missiles from flying. Thumping your chest won’t bring down the crushing gas prices you have sent skyrocketing. And brushing casualties under the rug doesn’t get our men and women in uniform out of harm’s way. And those whose names were eliminated, before they put them back, do not come back to life when you just simply take their name off the roll. There is only one way to do that--to do all of that--bring our troops home. End the war. Democrats will soon force another vote on our War Powers Resolution to end this aimless war and bring our troops back home to their families. Every second Trump prolongs this war, our servicemembers’ lives are at risk. Senate Republicans, stand up for troops, not the President who sent them to war without a plan, without a mission, without an exit strategy. Senate Republicans, stand up with the American people and come join us in ending this war. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.