Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Challenging Senate Republicans To Reject Donald Trump’s Dangerous Agenda That Guts Essential Programs To Pay For Billionaire Tax Cuts

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor before the vote-a-rama on Senate Republicans’ budget resolution, announcing Democrats will bring forward amendments that would protect essential programs and reject billionaire tax cuts. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:

For the past two days, Democrats have turned the Senate into a tribunal, and Donald Trump’s agenda is on trial.

I thank close to 40 of my colleagues who came to the floor and made so many points about that.

So, now Donald Trump's agenda is on trial.

It’s time now for Republicans to answer.

Tonight, Democrats will bring amendment after amendment to the floor, one right after the other, again and again and again.

Our amendments will give Republicans the chance to join us in hitting the kill switch on Donald Trump’s tariffs, on DOGE, on the attacks against Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Now, Republicans are in the Majority. The choice is theirs. They see what Americans see: Donald Trump’s policies are a disaster. DOGE is a horror. Republicans could snuff it out instantly, tonight, if they wanted.

Will Republicans join us tonight and stand up to Donald Trump before he craters the economy?

Or will Republicans spend all night trying to defend the mess Donald Trump is making? And he made a lot more of it today.

Will Republicans defend Donald Trump’s tariff tax, the Trump tariff tax, which would cost families $5,000 a year?

Will they defend Elon Musk as he takes a blowtorch to Social Security?

Will they defend cutting Medicaid and imperiling the healthcare of 70 million Americas, from newborn kids to seniors to rural communities and veterans?

Will Republicans spend all night long trying to explain to the American people why billionaires deserve a massive tax break, but working people don’t deserve basic health care?

The choice is theirs.

Donald Trump has betrayed the American people.

Will Senate Republicans join him in this betrayal?

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