Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Donald Trump’s Attempts To Undermine Democracy By Holding All Legislation Hostage Until The SAVE Act Is Passed

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor slamming President Trump for trying to undermine our democracy by threatening to block all legislation until the SAVE Act is passed, once again bringing our country closer to autocracy. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Donald Trump has given Republicans in Congress a ridiculous ultimatum: help him undermine democracy or he will bring all legislation to a screeching halt. What kind of President is this? It sounds like a pouting second grader.

Even though it is clear the SAVE Act has little chance of becoming law, Donald Trump is still hellbent on getting Republicans to ram this bill through the chamber because he thinks undermining the vote is the only prayer Republicans have in the midterms. Isn't that pathetic? Republicans think they're doing so bad that they must undermine democracy and prevent tens of millions of Americans from voting.

Donald Trump said it himself. He says if Republicans pass the SAVE Act, "it'll guarantee the midterms."

Let me say that again: Donald Trump says that if Republicans pass the SAVE Act, "it'll guarantee the midterms."

That is outrageous. Undermine democracy, prevent people from voting in a democracy. That's not democracy, Donald Trump. That's autocracy. Letting you, or DOGE, or Musk pick who's taken off the rolls and not even notifying them, when they show up to vote and they say, "you're no longer on the rolls. You're purged." That's not democracy. But Donald Trump doesn't believe in democracy. He sees he's losing the election because he is not dealing with the issues Democrats are pounding away on: costs, corruption, and chaos. So, he says, let's undermine democracy. Let's kick millions off the voter rolls, millions that we choose. It's outrageous.

The SAVE Act is nothing more than Jim Crow 2.0. It could disenfranchise millions of American citizens-American citizens. We're not talking about immigrants; we're talking about American citizens who are going to be kicked off the rolls. Lots of them. It will make it far harder for people to register to vote; it will take away vote by mail; it will eliminate online registration. All of these are tried and true and safe ways to participate in democracy, but Donald Trump wants to take them away.

We know what's going on: Donald Trump knows that November is starting to look disastrous for him and Republicans are seeing the same thing. So, the only shot of winning in Trump's mind is to cheat. The only shot of winning this election for Donald Trump is to cheat. It's to undermine democracy. This is ghastly. This is one of the worst things we've seen in America in a very long time.

Donald Trump has made it clear, he's telling Republican Senators, he's telling Republican House members: either help me undermine democracy, or I will take Congress and all legislation hostage.

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