Trump Administration
Floor Speech
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Mr. SCHUMER. So just a few moments ago, I joined with my Senate Democratic colleagues to stand with a group of small business owners who are living every day--every day--with the wreckage of Donald Trump's economic agenda.
And let me tell you, these small business owners are not partisans-- some of them support the President. Many of the business owners I stood with in New York support the President; but right now, all of them are watching their livelihoods go up in smoke.
Donald Trump's reckless trade war is economic arson, and it is Main Street that is getting scorched.
In a few weeks, Donald Trump's tariff tax has jacked up prices, smashed supply chains, and forced small shops to make impossible choices: raise costs on their customers, lay off workers, or shut their doors for good--which some, unfortunately, are doing. While Trump's billionaire buddies get private meetings to go beg for exemptions, America's small business owners are left out in the cold--forgotten, ignored. They don't have Donald Trump's phone number--nope.
As many know, this is National Small Business Week. Thirty-five million businesses in this country employ nearly 60 million Americans. And I heard my friend the Republican leader talk about it being National Small Business Week. Well, I would say to my Republican colleagues, if you really want it to be National Small Business Week, put our legislation on the floor that exempts small businesses from the tariffs. That will make small businesses happy. An idle celebration while they are being smashed with tariffs doesn't make them happy.
In rural America, small business is particularly important. They employ more than half of all the workers. These small businesses are the heartbeats of our towns, our neighborhoods, and our economy, but the trade war jeopardizes these businesses. Over 80 percent of businesses say that thanks to Donald Trump's tariffs, they could be forced to raise prices for consumers, and many say they would lay off employees.
Protecting small businesses has never been a partisan issue. It shouldn't be now. It is national priority. But what do small businesses hear from Donald Trump? Well, you should have listened to him yesterday. When asked yesterday if he would consider relief for small businesses, the President waved it off. He said: They are not going to need it.
Utterly condescending. Utterly dismissive. Not going to need it? Tell that, President Trump, to the small business owners I just met with. Tell that to the nearly 370,000 workers at the smallest of small businesses who have already lost their jobs.
He is in a bubble. Donald Trump has no understanding of what small business people go through.
Senate Democrats are fighting back against Donald Trump's economic disaster. Today, my friend Senator Markey is introducing the Small Business Liberation Act, which I am proudly cosponsoring, to exempt small businesses from Donald Trump's destructive tariffs. This bill should not be a partisan fight. It should be common sense. When 72 percent--72 percent--of small businesses say that erratic tariffs are giving them economic whiplash, it is time for the Senate to act.
Last week, Senate Republicans had a chance to stop this trade war, but they chose to stand with Trump instead. Well, we are giving Senate Republicans another chance now--by working with us to take up the Small Business Liberation Act.
Senate Republicans' refusal to stop this trade war makes them just as complicit as Donald Trump. Small businesses are the backbone of this country. It is time for Senate Republicans to grow a backbone and defend small businesses from Donald Trump's tariffs.
Madam President, now on Trump and the Constitution, yesterday, Donald Trump was asked the easiest question in the world for a President. He was asked:
Don't you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States?
Donald Trump's answer:
I don't know.
It was appalling. He doesn't know if he is supposed to uphold the Constitution? He swore an oath to that effect. He might have forgotten that.
It is hard to imagine something more un-American than Donald Trump, the sitting President, saying that he doesn't know whether he needs to uphold the Constitution. As I mentioned, just over 100 days ago, he raised his right hand and swore in front of the Nation to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. But no President has done more to disregard the Constitution and buck the rule of law than Donald Trump, and now he plainly admits it, almost proudly.
One of the traits of a dictator is someone hostile to all forms of guardrails and accountability, who doesn't want to hear any dissent. Well, the Constitution is the ultimate guardrail, and Donald Trump thinks he doesn't need to obey it.
Donald Trump is the embodiment of what the Founders feared: a President hostile to the rule of law, scared of debate, scared of opposition. He can't stand the idea of something restraining his power, so instead he tries to crush anything he views as opposition. That is not strength; that is insecurity--deep insecurity.
Donald Trump is putting our Constitution through the shredder, and Senate Republicans are totally silent. They are complicit. They are watching the Constitution be ripped up. They say nothing--nothing.
Ten years ago, Republicans would have been up in arms--up in arms-- over the idea of a sitting President saying he doesn't know whether he needs to uphold the Constitution. Even a year ago, Republicans would have been up in arms had President Biden said ``I don't know'' if he should follow the Constitution. So where--where--is the outrage from my Republican colleagues today?
This much is clear: You cannot be loyal to both Donald Trump and the Constitution. The two are like oil and water. The American people deserve to know where Republicans stand--with the Constitution or with Donald Trump as he rips it to shreds.
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