05/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/21/2026 11:20
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) spoke at a bicameral press conference on Republicans' skewed priorities and how Democrats will fight to lower American families' costs. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:
The Republican agenda is one big broken promise. Americans across the country didn't vote for higher costs. They didn't ask for endless chaos, and they certainly didn't sign up for rampant corruption. Yet Republicans are doubling down on their failed agenda - their rotten budget bill, which we still haven't seen - because they're still fighting with each other, but it will give $72 billion to ICE and Border Patrol without any guardrails. The same agency is already sitting on $100 billion and sending masked agents to sow chaos in the streets of our cities.
The Republican bill has zero dollars to lower Americans' costs. Zero dollars. Nothing to address health care, to cut gas prices. Not a word on housing, utilities, groceries. And, of course, the Republicans did try to sneak in a billion dollars for Trump's corrupt ballroom. But the American people caught him red-handed, and now they're trying to drop that hot potato.
In the coming debate, the [contrast] between Democrats and Republicans will be on full display. All of America will see it.
We will show Democrats are fighting for lower costs for health care, for energy, for groceries, for gasoline, for childcare. Trump and Republicans are making costs skyrocket.
Democrats want to end the chaos threatening our communities at home and abroad. We want to put an end to this reckless Iran war. Trump and Republicans are fueling the unrest and keeping your gas prices high.
Democrats are cracking down on corruption in government. Republicans are actively helping Trump steal from the American people to fund his ballroom and his multi-billion dollar MAGA slush fund. We must not allow any president to corrupt our democracy.
Well, Republicans better wake up. Americans want their representatives to fight for them. They want Congress to lower costs, end chaos, stop corruption. Today, we will give Republicans countless chances to do the right thing, to join us, to help Americans in real concrete ways. But if Republicans don't, the American people will see it in black and white. The contrast will be glaringly clear. Ballroom Republicans are not working for you. They're busy fighting for Trump.
Democrats are fighting for you.
The American people are watching, and in November, they will be voting.
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