Schumer Floor Remarks On Reaching The Devastating Milestone Of 200,000 COVID-19 Deaths In The United States

Washington, D.C.— Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today took to the Senate floor to discuss the heartbreaking milestone of 200,000 American lives lost due to COVID-19. He also condemned the Trump Administration for lying to the American people regarding the gravity of this disease. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

According to the official tally at Johns Hopkins University, the United States today will reach a staggering milestone: 200,000 Americans lost to COVID-19. 200,000 Americans. More than any other country on earth. Far more than we should have. Far more than we would have had there been a proper, coordinated and energetic response to the virus by the Trump administration.

In the face of this tragic milestone, what does President Trump do? Does he mourn the astounding loss of lives? No, he goes off on the campaign trail, where yesterday he told his supporters the virus “affects virtually nobody.”

Affects virtually nobody? Tell that to the families and friends of the 200,000 who are in mourning.

Seriously, the day before the United States hits 200,000 deaths from COVID-19, the President said that the virus “affects virtually nobody.”

He also said, “if you take the blue states out…we’re really at a very low level.”

He also said, “it is what it is.”

This is our president? My goodness.

You want to know why we have the worst pandemic response of any developed nation on earth? You want to know why now nearly 1 out of every 5 deaths from COVID-19 comes from America? It’s because President Trump lied to the American people from day one about the gravity of this disease, and he is still doing it now, in a desperate and vile effort to boost his political fortunes.

And here in the Senate, Republicans will do anything, anything to back him – no matter what he says or does – as long as he nominates their judges.

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