Discussion · Senate
Margaret Wood Hassan Democrat
“President Trump is spending over $2.5 million in taxpayer money on TV ads that promote himself. That money came from border security funds that should be used to stop drugs like fentanyl. I want the Senate to pass my resolution telling the president to take these ads down and stop using public money for them.”
“Mr. President, President Trump, who has failed to lower people’s costs, last week launched a nationwide television advertisement campaign promoting himself. On televisions across the country right now, people are being inundated with all kinds of political ads. But the ending of these ads is unlike any other. If someone is watching this ad, right at the end, on the bottom of the screen, you find out that this publicity stunt isn’t paid for by President Trump or one of his PACs or even one of his billionaire friends--no. This ad is paid for by you, the American taxpayer. Estimates show that this ad already costs more than $2.5 million. New reports today reveal that the source of this Federal funding is U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a part of the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security should be working to tackle the enormous national security threats we face, like stopping fentanyl, not bankrolling a vanity project for the President. I am glad that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have come out and said that these political ads should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars. Sadly, it takes strong bipartisan pushback as well as the loud and clear voice of the American people to get this administration to reverse course when it is breaking the law or doing something wrong. Today we have an opportunity to start that process by sending such a message to the President. I have introduced a resolution that is quite simple. It just tells the President that he is wrong, that these ads need to be pulled down, and that they should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars. The American people want their tax dollars to go toward helping them and keeping them safe, not propaganda campaigns for a President. He is welcome to run whatever ads he wants with his own riches; but with taxpayer dollars, money that people have worked hard to earn, he needs to follow the law. At minimum, people deserve to know where their Member of Congress stands on this issue. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, therefore, that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 921; further, that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.”
Mr. President, President Trump, who has failed to lower people’s costs, last week launched a nationwide television advertisement campaign promoting himself. On televisions across the country right now, people are being inundated with all kinds of political ads. But the ending of these ads is unlike any other. If someone is watching this ad, right at the end, on the bottom of the screen, you find out that this publicity stunt isn’t paid for by President Trump or one of his PACs or even one of his billionaire friends--no. This ad is paid for by you, the American taxpayer. Estimates show that this ad already costs more than $2.5 million. New reports today reveal that the source of this Federal funding is U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a part of the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security should be working to tackle the enormous national security threats we face, like stopping fentanyl, not bankrolling a vanity project for the President. I am glad that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have come out and said that these political ads should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars. Sadly, it takes strong bipartisan pushback as well as the loud and clear voice of the American people to get this administration to reverse course when it is breaking the law or doing something wrong. Today we have an opportunity to start that process by sending such a message to the President. I have introduced a resolution that is quite simple. It just tells the President that he is wrong, that these ads need to be pulled down, and that they should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars. The American people want their tax dollars to go toward helping them and keeping them safe, not propaganda campaigns for a President. He is welcome to run whatever ads he wants with his own riches; but with taxpayer dollars, money that people have worked hard to earn, he needs to follow the law. At minimum, people deserve to know where their Member of Congress stands on this issue. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, therefore, that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 921; further, that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.