[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S637-S638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Well, Mr. President, we are in for a long, tedious, and 
exhausting night as Donald Trump is set to deliver his fourth State of 
the Union.
  Donald Trump said yesterday he is going to talk for a very long time 
tonight.
  God help us.
  I am not sure what he thinks there is to celebrate, because America, 
in short, is a mess thanks to him. American Presidents often talk about 
how they inherited a mess and turned things around, but in Donald 
Trump's case, he created a mess and then set the building on fire. High 
costs are still kicking Americans in the gut. Donald Trump's tariffs 
have unleashed chaos and confusion. ICE agents are patrolling our 
neighborhoods in masks like cartel thugs.
  Isn't that right, Senator Lee?
  Corruption is up; trust in America is down; and we still have no idea 
what is in the Epstein files.
  If I were a Republican sitting in the House Chamber tonight, I would 
be squirming in my seat, praying to Heaven that the President wraps up 
things quickly because the American people are sick of his drivel, and 
the stench of his unpopularity is spreading across the Republican Party 
like a toxin.
  Look, we know how tonight is going to work. Donald Trump will claim 
that everything in America is going great, but he is in a huge bubble. 
America is deeply unhappy with his leadership, and he will blame 
everyone else for all our country's troubles. He will blame Biden. He 
will blame the Supreme Court. He will point the finger at everyone but 
himself.
  Tonight, the American people will see a President whose ego does not 
let him see reality. And what is that reality? I will give you three 
words: costs, chaos, corruption. That is the reality of Trump 2.0: 
costs, chaos, corruption. Democrats, of course, offer something 
different. This year, we are going to give the American people a 
choice--a choice to lower costs, to end the endless cycle of chaos, and 
to restore some sanity to our country.
  And, as we speak, I am continuing to work with my colleagues to 
demand Donald Trump and Republicans listen to the American people and 
stop ICE from terrorizing our communities. The Democrats' position on 
Donald Trump's brutal ICE tactics haven't changed. Republicans need to 
work with Democrats to rein in ICE and end the violence. I am 
disappointed we have not gotten their counter yet, and it is time for 
them to stop playing games.
  Finally, while none of us are excited about tonight's Trumpian 
endurance test, there are at least two things I look forward to 
tonight: First, I will be pleased to welcome five great New Yorkers as 
my guests for tonight's Address--each of them here to put a real face 
on the consequences of the administration's chaos.
  First, we will have Dani Bensky, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein and 
now a leading voice demanding transparency, accountability, and justice 
for survivors who have been failed for far too long.
  Second, I will be pleased to welcome Raiza Contreras, a mother whose 
son Dylan entered the U.S. legally but who was still detained by ICE. 
Dylan did everything right--followed the rules, showed up to his 
hearing--and was still arrested by ICE in the middle of a courthouse 
lobby, if you can believe that; and Raiza is here tonight, fighting to 
bring her child home. It is amazing that Americans have to come and do 
this.
  Third, we have Gearoid Keogh, a union construction worker on the 
Gateway Tunnel project who lost his job thanks to President Trump's 
cruel decision to cut off funding to this project.
  Fourth, Aleshandra Fernandes joins us, a Long Island ironworker whose 
offshore wind job has been thrown into limbo again and again because of 
Trump's irrational, stupid hatred of offshore wind.
  Finally, we have Ben Pearson, a Rochester small business owner who 
was forced to lay off more than a quarter of his workforce--a quarter 
of his workforce--hard-working people; he liked to pay them; they did 
good work--because of Donald Trump's tariffs.
  To each of my guests tonight, you make New York proud, and thank 
you--thank you--for being here. Your presence is the reminder America

[[Page S638]]

needs of the real-life harm that Trump's agenda has done to our 
country.
  Finally, there is one more thing I am looking forward to tonight--
listening to my good friend Senator Padilla, who will offer Democrats a 
Spanish language response. His story of what he went through in the 
past year, after being assaulted by Federal agents, and his larger 
story of how his family built something of themselves in this country 
is inspiring and admirable. I thank Senator Padilla.
  I thank Governor Spanberger as well, and I thank all Democrats who 
will spend time tonight correcting the lies that will waft out of the 
House Chamber from Donald Trump's mouth tonight. On Ukraine, 4 years 
ago the tanks, missiles, and infantry rolled in from Russian territory 
onto Ukrainian soil. Today my colleagues and I pause to honor the 
memory of the courageous dead in Ukraine. We reaffirm that the Senate 
and the American people stand with the Ukrainian people, even if our 
President's courage and resolve might waiver.

  Today, I am disgusted that the United States made a mockery of itself 
for the whole world to see by voting to abstain from a resolution in 
the United States on a peaceful and just end to this war. Can you 
believe it? Putin brutally invades Ukraine, the whole world sees it and 
knows it, and Donald Trump, out of obeisance, sucking up to Putin, 
abstains from a resolution simply on a peaceful and just end to this 
war. What, does Donald Trump want the war to continue and more people 
to die? I guess so.
  On this anniversary of the Ukrainian war, it is shameful that this 
administration has chosen to mark it by turning its back on the 
Ukrainian people at the UN. Let's be clear: Any peace that Donald Trump 
gives into, any peace made on Putin's terms, will be no peace at all. 
It would rather be a reward for Putin for his belligerence, a reward 
that autocrats around the world--including here at home--will take note 
of.
  When I was majority leader, I led this Chamber to pass historic 
defense packages to help Ukraine defend themselves, and 4 years later, 
despite all the loss and bloodshed the people of Ukraine have endured, 
they have held the line, but the conflict, sadly, is far from an end.
  American support remains indispensable and perhaps the most important 
factor to determine the outcome of this awful conflict.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California is recognized.
  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. President, I request 30 minutes to address the 
Senate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there an objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.

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