119TH CONGRESS

On 2026-09-30, Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) delivered a floor speech titled "119TH CONGRESS" in the Senate.

119TH CONGRESS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 155 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 155 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S5299-S5300] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] 119TH CONGRESS Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, 20 months ago, Republicans won control of Washington on a promise to bring down costs, make government more efficient, and end senseless wars. But over the past 2 years, Republicans betrayed the trust of the American people. For the past 20 months, Senate Republicans catered to Donald Trump's every wish, but Senate Democrats stood up for the American people. [[Page S5300]] The Trump administration, empowered by his feckless Republican majorities in Congress, has been a catastrophe for working families everywhere. Rising costs, increasing chaos, and rampant corruption characterize the Trump administration and its Republican acolytes. Though we lack the majority in both the House and Senate, Democrats came together like never before to hold Trump and Republicans' feet to the fire and do everything we could to stop them. We fought Republicans' radical agenda on front after front and blunted some of their worst attacks on the American people. On costs, we worked tirelessly and fiercely to call attention to how Republicans' disastrous agenda is making costs for the American people skyrocket. Americans have watched the price of everything--everything-- explode these past 2 years--groceries, gasoline, healthcare, electricity, housing, childcare. Everything is more expensive. Americans are crying out for relief, and instead of listening to Americans, my Republican colleagues across the aisle back the very same administration policies that have cost families an average of $4,200 in higher prices since Trump took office--$4,200 in higher prices because of Republican and Trump policies. Senate Republicans back Trump's horrendous tariff tax to the hilt. Democrats fought Trump's tariff tax in court and won. Americans shouldn't have to shell out a fortune at the grocery store so Trump can pound his chest about his senseless trade wars. As Trump has pursued new tariffs, Republicans in Congress have abetted these tax increases on families and small businesses, while Democrats have pushed to end them. We fought back when Trump and congressional Republicans gleefully cut $1 trillion--$1 trillion--from our healthcare system so they could cut taxes for billionaires and their biggest corporation friends. The result: 5 million Americans have already lost their healthcare coverage. Can you imagine being a family with no healthcare when your kid gets sick? And another 10 million will lose it in the coming years. Meanwhile, tens of millions of Americans with ACA coverage have to shell out more than $1,000 extra because of soaring premiums and deductibles. Medicaid, food assistance--every program designed to help Americans keep their heads above water--all cut to the bones by Republicans in the Senate and in the country. Let's not forget how Americans' electricity bills are up 18 percent under Donald Trump because Republicans gutted the historic investments Democrats made in the cheapest, fastest forms to get energy on the grid. We fought hard to secure these investments, and you had better believe we are going to fight to bring them back. Republicans are also charging the American people for senseless foreign wars that they promised to end. The Republican majority continues to back Trump's disastrous war with Iran that has made gas prices skyrocket and mortgage rates soar. Democrats know just how badly Americans are hurting right now. Republicans can turn a blind eye to the affordability crisis all they want, but fixing it means offering a positive vision to lower costs. That is what Democrats will continue to do. ____________________