[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 146 (Monday, September 8, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6392-S6393]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Trump Administration

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on Friday, we learned the U.S. economy 
added only 22,000 jobs for the month of August, a paltry number, an 
abysmal number, worse than even the already low expectations. Donald 
Trump has steered our economy straight into an iceberg, and the ``SS 
Trump'' is sinking before our eyes.
  And I warned my Republican colleagues: The longer you remain aboard, 
the greater the danger you face of sinking with the ship--because if 
one thing is certain, it is that the American people don't want to be 
paying more for things as simple as coffee and beef, fruits, 
vegetables. They don't want to see their electric bills go up. They 
don't want to see their rent go up. And they don't want to see it 
harder to find a job. But that is exactly--exactly--what is happening 
right now. Senate Republicans remain on board this ship, the ``SS 
Trump,'' at their own peril. It is sinking.
  And Republicans know perfectly well what Donald Trump is doing is 
without precedent. Oh, their favorite comeback is: Well, that is what 
the American people voted for. They shrug their shoulders; they can't 
do anything about it.
  Well, that is nonsense. This summer, big American companies--Walmart, 
Target, Best Buy, Ace Hardware, and so many others--have said they are 
raising prices or that costs will go up because of the tariffs. 
Americans didn't vote for that. Oh, no. Americans are about to see 
their health insurance go up by the highest amount in 15 years. Do you 
think they voted for that? No. They didn't vote for more Americans to 
get sick, although that is what the Trump healthcare plan will do. They 
didn't vote for more Americans to die, and that will happen as a result 
of this Big Beautiful Bill.
  Americans sure didn't vote for any of that. Americans want us to pass 
legislation that lowers healthcare costs, expands people's coverage. 
They do not want us to vote to boot millions off their health 
insurance. They do not want the closing of hospitals, particularly in 
rural areas where the hospitals don't have much cushion. They don't 
want the laying off of doctors and nurses and healthcare workers so 
they get less good coverage and it takes much longer to get it. 
Americans didn't vote for that, but that is what happened.
  And here is what the data shows: Americans are fed up with Trump. NBC 
News Decision Desk Poll, September 7: 57 percent disapprove of Donald 
Trump's job performance, 43 percent approve; 60 percent believe 
America, under his leadership, is on the wrong track; 61 percent 
disapprove of the way he is handling inflation. CBS News, September 3 
to 5: 56 percent disapprove of Donald Trump's job performance; 62 
percent oppose new U.S. tariffs on imported goods.
  So it is no wonder that Democrats are winning in State special 
elections, even in districts that Trump previously won by as many as 10 
points, from one end of the country to the other. These

[[Page S6393]]

local elections show Americans reject Donald Trump just several months 
after he got into office.
  To put this all together, the story is clear: Donald Trump is 
sabotaging our economy; he is sending healthcare costs through the 
roof; Americans are sick of his failures, which brings us to the work 
of Congress this month. It is less than 20 calendar days until 
government funding runs out, and a shutdown will happen if nothing is 
done.
  How Congress proceeds is up to our Republican colleagues. They are in 
charge. They run the House. They run the Senate. They have the 
Presidency. Well, if our Republican colleagues know what is good for 
the country and good for them, they will realize that they should no 
longer remain aboard this sinking ship that Trump is commanding. The 
greater danger that they will face is sinking with their ship if 
nothing changes.
  What Republicans should do, then, is commit to working on bipartisan 
legislation to undo some of the terrible things Donald Trump has done 
during his time in office. Working on bipartisan legislation that has 
real input from Democrats--that is the way to avoid a shutdown.
  Of course, there is another path, a far uglier path. Republicans can 
continue to go at it alone. They can continue to bow down to Donald 
Trump. They can continue to surrender Congress's constitutional powers 
over to the Executive and enable Donald Trump and his evil minion 
Russell Vought as they illegally cancel and steal congressionally 
approved funding.
  So if Republicans choose the path of ``do what we say or go to 
hell,'' then they will be the ones paving the bitter road that leads 
toward a government shutdown. And we Democrats will not accept that. We 
will not enable Republicans' carnage of this country. We won't bail 
Republicans out as the cost of healthcare, groceries, school supplies, 
rent, electricity, and automobiles all go up and up. We still have some 
time to avoid that dismal outcome.
  We Democrats don't want to see a government shutdown, but avoiding 
one means Republicans have to show they are serious about having real, 
substantive, serious negotiation. This week, we need to see signs from 
Republicans that they are serious about avoiding a shutdown, or time 
will run out. And the American people will know Republicans will be 
responsible if a shutdown happens.