Floor SpeechNeutral2026-05-11

BUDGET RECONCILIATION

Charles E. Schumer

DNY · Senator

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Context

On 2026-05-11, Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) delivered a floor speech titled "BUDGET RECONCILIATION" in the Senate.

Full Text

BUDGET RECONCILIATION

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 79 (Monday, May 11, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 79 (Monday, May 11, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2190] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BUDGET RECONCILIATION Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, if you want to understand Republicans' priorities right now, just look at the $72 billion reconciliation bill they revealed last week. The Republican bill would pump tens of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol without any guardrails to prevent these rogue Agencies from continuing to unleash violence on American streets. But that is not all. To add insult to injury, the Republican bill charges American taxpayers $1 billion to build Trump's gilded ballroom, while including zero dollars to help Americans with rising costs. Their billion-dollar bill has zero dollars to help Americans deal with groceries, and their prices are going up. Gas prices are going up. Zero dollars to bring down Americans' healthcare, housing, and electricity bills. At a time when Americans are struggling to put food on the table, Republicans say, ``Let them eat cake,'' and demand American taxpayers build Trump a palace, while they are at it. Keep in mind, Donald Trump said, just a few months ago, that ``not one penny is being used from the Federal Government'' for the ballroom--``not one penny,'' said Trump. Well, give me a break. He has put a billion dollars in the budget for it. This staggering waste of taxpayer dollars has nothing--nothing--to do with security and everything to do with Trump's ego. How long before Trump asks for his name to be emblazoned in gold on the side of the ballroom? The American people are calling out for help, but these ballroom Republicans have a constituency of one: Donald Trump's ego. That is a disgrace. Democrats will use every tool in our arsenal to fight this bill. We will bring challenges. We will bring challenges under the Byrd rule. We will offer floor amendments. We will force Republicans to take vote after vote, showing that instead of helping working families, Republicans are forcing Americans to pay for Trump's billionaire ballroom. Americans don't want this ballroom blitz. They want Congress to bring down costs. ____________________

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BUDGET RECONCILIATION Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 79 (Monday, May 11, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 79 (Monday, May 11, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2190] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BUDGET RECONCILIATION Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, if you want to understand Republicans' priorities right now, just look at the $72 billion reconciliation bill they revealed last week. The Republican bill would pump tens of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol without any guardrails to prevent these rogue Agencies from continuing to unleash violence on American streets. But that is not all. To add insult to injury, the Republican bill charges American taxpayers $1 billion to build Trump's gilded ballroom, while including zero dollars to help Americans with rising costs. Their billion-dollar bill has zero dollars to help Americans deal with groceries, and their prices are going up. Gas prices are going up. Zero dollars to bring down Americans' healthcare, housing, and electricity bills. At a time when Americans are struggling to put food on the table, Republicans say, ``Let them eat cake,'' and demand American taxpayers build Trump a palace, while they are at it. Keep in mind, Donald Trump said, just a few months ago, that ``not one penny is being used from the Federal Government'' for the ballroom--``not one penny,'' said Trump. Well, give me a break. He has put a billion dollars in the budget for it. This staggering waste of taxpayer dollars has nothing--nothing--to do with security and everything to do with Trump's ego. How long before Trump asks for his name to be emblazoned in gold on the side of the ballroom? The American people are calling out for help, but these ballroom Republicans have a constituency of one: Donald Trump's ego. That is a disgrace. Democrats will use every tool in our arsenal to fight this bill. We will bring challenges. We will bring challenges under the Byrd rule. We will offer floor amendments. We will force Republicans to take vote after vote, showing that instead of helping working families, Republicans are forcing Americans to pay for Trump's billionaire ballroom. Americans don't want this ballroom blitz. They want Congress to bring down costs. ____________________