[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 994]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER AND HOMEOWNER INSURANCE PREMIUMS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, today we celebrate one of our democracy's 
core attributes: the peaceful transfer of power. It is remarkable. I am 
always amazed how voters, on a cold November evening in my State, come 
home from work--they would like to serve dinner to their kids or sit in 
their favorite chair and watch their favorite TV show, but in quiet 
dignity, they wait in line and wait their turn to cast their vote. Then 
everyone awaits the decision. And the next morning, we all abide by it. 
It is an amazing thing about this democracy. There are no riots and 
tanks in the streets. It is a great thing. And although I regret the 
outcome of the election obviously--deeply--I still am awed by how the 
wellspring of democracy continues to work for 225 years after the 
Founders put together the remarkable document, the Constitution.
  Now it falls to us--Senators from both parties--to promote and defend 
these principles, as we must every day: the rule of law, equal 
protection for all Americans under it, and freedom of speech, press, 
and religion. We must also endeavor to expand opportunity and increase 
prosperity while broadening the circle of Americans who share in it. 
The peaceful transfer of power occurred, and our work starts now.
  President Trump said in his inaugural address this afternoon:

       For too long, a small group in our Nation's capital has 
     reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne 
     the cost. Washington flourished--but the people did not share 
     its wealth.

  He promised to combat that trend, but in one of his first acts as 
President, President Trump made it harder for Americans to afford a 
mortgage. For working-class Americans, struggling Americans, now it is 
harder for them to get a mortgage. What did he do? He reversed a recent 
decision by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to reduce 
annual insurance premiums that many borrowers pay, saving new 
homeowners an average of $500 per year. What a terrible thing to do to 
homeowners. President Trump, with a flick of the pen, ended that new 
policy, making it harder for Americans of modest means to obtain their 
piece of the rock, the American dream: their own home. It took only an 
hour after his positive words on the inaugural platform for his words 
to ring hollow. And actions speak louder than words. One hour after 
talking about helping working people and ending the cabal in Washington 
that hurts people, he signs a regulation that makes it more expensive 
for new homeowners to buy mortgages--1 hour later.
  I ask the American people--because we Democrats are going to do this. 
We are going to hold the President accountable. Look at what the 
President said and then an hour later, look at what the President did. 
Again, actions speak louder than words. The words on that inaugural 
platform in relation to this new action ring hollow.
  Democrats agree with President Trump on this: The working men and 
women of America do not need more promises, they need policies that 
give them a leg up, help them succeed, help them afford a home, for 
instance. We urge President Trump to reverse this decision and give new 
homeowners across America their $500 back.

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