[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S2591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, so let's talk about what is going to 
happen in the Senate in this period, in this work period.
  Now, we convene at the start of this pivotal work period. This week, 
Republicans are expected to begin marking up the text of their 
reconciliation bill.
  With so many problems facing our country, with a threat of recession 
on the horizon, with tariffs driving costs up, and Elon Musk taking a 
meat cleaver to Social Security, to veterans' care, and to cancer 
research, what are Republicans in Congress spending their time on? They 
want to cut taxes for billionaires and make working people pay for it. 
They want to add over $52 trillion--trillion dollars--to the national 
debt. I think of my grandson when I think of that. They want to make 
the biggest cuts to Medicaid ever. This is the Republican agenda: 
Billionaires win. American families lose.
  Republicans have gotten by so far with a bunch of empty and deceptive 
promises that none of the outrageous cuts they propose will come back 
to harm ordinary Americans. But their rhetorical runway is quickly 
going to run out. Soon, they will have to show everyone the real 
details of their legislation, and it is not going to be pretty.
  Even if Republicans pass a fraction of the cuts they are proposing to 
Medicaid, it would devastate communities--urban, suburban, and 
particularly rural. The cost of healthcare will come up for those least 
able to afford it. Healthcare workers would lose their jobs. Millions 
could lose coverage. And for what? So billionaires can pay less in 
taxes. It is a revolting--thoroughly revolting--agenda.
  Democrats will vehemently oppose this bill and all the harmful 
elements of the Republican agenda at every opportunity.
  Tomorrow, as I said a moment ago, Senate Democrats will take to the 
floor to highlight the disaster of Trump's first 100 days.
  On Wednesday, we will take to the Senate steps and join in one voice 
with our House counterparts to decry the ways this President has 
already--already--only 100 days in, failed our country.
  In the coming weeks, we will continue to oppose deeply unqualified 
nominees who have no business serving in government. We have seen that 
already, for instance, with the antics of Mr. Hegseth.
  We will also fight Donald Trump's disastrous trade war. Soon, the 
Senate will vote on bipartisan legislation I cosponsored with Senators 
Wyden, Kaine, and Paul that nullifies Donald Trump's trade war. To 
nobody's surprise, the President has already threatened to veto this 
bill.
  Senate Republicans who know how bad tariffs are for their States 
should join us to nullify Donald Trump's trade war and ignore his veto 
threat, and, if necessary, we should override the President's veto. 
These tariffs are so bad and are already pushing America into 
recession.
  ``Recession'' is an economic word for shrinking growth. But what does 
it mean to American families? More likely to lose a job, harder to find 
a new job, more likely to have prices go up and not be able to afford 
those price increases.
  Finally, Senate Democrats will do what Senate Republicans refuse to 
do: conduct oversight on this administration. We will do it on our own. 
That means pushing for investigations into the leadership failures at 
the Pentagon. What Hegseth did there was horrible. It means pushing 
back against attacks on Social Security. It means resisting the 
defunding of public resources like PBS. It means exposing the chilling 
arrests of Americans without due process.
  Day after day after day, we will hammer home the Republican agenda, 
and Americans will see the difference between Democratic unity and 
Republican disarray.
  It is no wonder Republicans are in such disarray--House Republicans 
fighting with one another, Senate Republicans fighting with one 
another, and Senate and House Republican leadership not even on the 
same page. That is incredible. Why? Because their programs are so 
unpopular with the American people.
  Democrats are united in our mission to lower costs for families, 
protect healthcare, defend American democracy. Meanwhile, Republicans 
are at loggerheads with each other.
  As I said, House Republicans are fighting among themselves. Senate 
Republicans are fighting among themselves. Leadership in both Chambers 
are at odds. And why do Republicans face this situation where they are 
so at odds with one another? The simple answer is, again: because their 
agenda is so unpopular with the American people, and neither House--and 
no Republican Senator--wants to be left holding this hot potato.
  The backlash Republicans are getting from the public--whether it is 
town halls, in the streets, or through dismal polling data--should 
serve as a warning to our colleagues on the other side: If they proceed 
with their agenda, the political outcry will be enormous, just 
enormous.
  So as long as Donald Trump pushes America down the dangerous road we 
are already on, he will face resistance from Democrats, from the 
courts, and, most importantly, from the American people themselves.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic whip.

                          ____________________