[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 24, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S407-S408]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CAMPAIGN PROMISES OF PRESIDENT TRUMP

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, according to President Trump's words, 
yesterday--not Friday--was his first official day in office. It is an 
important distinction because throughout the campaign, President Trump 
made numerous promises about what he would do on his first day. So we 
went through them. Turns out he made upwards of 30 promises of 
Executive actions or plans that he would announce on day 1. This didn't 
require any congressional approval; he could just announce it. Even by 
a generous count, the President fulfilled only two or three of them. 
Let me mention just a few of the important omissions.

[[Page S408]]

  The President campaigned against both establishments, promising to 
oppose elites and the powerful in Washington, ``to drain the swamp.'' 
He campaigned against the Democratic establishment, but he also 
campaigned against the Republican establishment. As a result, he 
explicitly promised to introduce an 18-point plan for ethics reform on 
day 1. How did he do on that? He promised to sign a 5-year ban on 
lobbying after officials worked in Congress or the White House, but he 
did not deliver. He promised to institute a lifetime ban on White House 
officials from lobbying on behalf of a foreign government, but he did 
not deliver. He promised to put in place a complete ban on foreign 
lobbyists raising money for American elections, but again he did not 
deliver.
  On day 1, did President Trump fulfill his pledge to bring ethics 
reform to Washington? No. In fact, looking at his ``swamp Cabinet''--
stacked with billionaires and bankers with myriad conflicts of 
interests--he may have already lowered the ethical standards in our 
government.
  On trade--this is an issue where I am probably closer to the views of 
the President's than I was to either President Obama's or President 
Bush's, but it seems President Trump is again failing to deliver on his 
day 1 promises. He promised over and over again--it was one of the few 
things he said in the campaign I really liked. He said he was going to 
label China a currency manipulator on his first day. But he did not 
deliver. Instead, he issued an Executive action withdrawing from the 
TPP.
  Everyone knew the TPP was dead in the water a month or two ago. 
Leader McConnell would not bring it up on the floor of the Senate 
because he did not have the votes. Furthermore, saying we won't do TPP, 
which is not in effect anyway, isn't creating a single new job.
  So there is something else he could have done--his promise: On day 1, 
label China a currency manipulator. China is propping up their currency 
at the moment. They do whatever is best for China even if it hurts 
American jobs and American workers over and over again. You can be sure 
they will continue manipulating their currency when it is in their best 
interest to do so. You can be sure, even when they move up the 
currency, they are manipulating it.
  Guess who I worked with on the issue of currency manipulation. 
Attorney General nominee, then-Senator Jeff Sessions. He and I were 
partners in this, and many others. On our side, Senator Brown and 
Senator Stabenow were allies. On their side, Senator Graham and Senator 
Collins were allies. It was a broad bipartisan coalition. And we were 
opposed, frankly, by both President Bush and President Obama. But here 
we have President Trump. He promised to label China a currency 
manipulator on his first day in office. We are still waiting.
  Last night at the White House, I mentioned this to the President. He 
didn't say no. I am not going to say what he said. He didn't say no. 
Maybe he will do it. I hope and pray he does. We await real action on 
trade, one of the President's signature issues. It is another promise 
not fulfilled.
  There are many promises President Trump made during the campaign that 
we are glad he is not keeping, to be honest with you, but the bottom 
line is, there is a giant gulf between what the President says he is 
going to do and what he actually does. His rhetoric does not match 
reality. That is becoming clearer each day. Just look at what happened 
on Friday, inauguration day, which perfectly sums up my point. The 
President gave an inaugural address arguing that for too long 
Washington has reaped the rewards of government, while the people have 
suffered. Then, an hour later, the President took an Executive action 
that made it harder for Americans to afford a mortgage, even though 
Washington could certainly have afforded to give them a tax break. We 
are seeing a pattern emerge. President Trump is using populist rhetoric 
to cover up a hard-right agenda.
  In short, actions speak louder than words. If day 1 is any 
indication, the grandiose promises this President made to the working 
men and women of America seem to be just a hall of mirrors.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Flake). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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