Recognizing the Significance of Community College Month in April

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, well, let me be very clear: The Democrats are ready. Republicans wanted this vote-arama. Republicans picked this fight. If Republicans want to slog this out on the floor, so be it.

But imagine, America, this is what the Republicans are fighting for-- to maintain two unchecked, rogue Agencies that are dreaded in all corners of this country instead of reducing your healthcare costs, your housing costs, your grocery costs, your gas costs. Can you believe it? Can you believe it?

When America is crying out for real relief on the skyrocketing cost of living, Republicans are spending another $140 billion on Trump's private militia--on these two rogue Agencies--that have no restraint and ignore people's real needs.

If you ever wanted to know what a bubble these Republican Senators are in, look right here. Look right here. They are tying the Senate in a knot, holding back, moving forward--all so they can fund with no restraint Agencies that have been discredited widely in America.

Are you Republicans kidding us? Are you kidding the American people? That is your priority--not lowering costs but billions for ICE; not helping families but billions for masked agents--while America is forking up $4 a gallon at the pump while families are set back thousands more a year because of inflation. Where the heck are you? Where the heck are you? Republicans think the best thing to do right now is to cut another $140 billion check for unaccountable rogue agents.

Democrats are ready to go. We will go to bat for the American people anytime, anyplace, against anyone. America will see even more clearly tonight where the Republicans are--not on the side of lowering costs but on the side of masked agents occupying our streets.

Where the heck are you?

America is crying out for relief from high costs, and you are here, adding $140 billion to an Agency--two groups, Border Patrol and ICE-- that nobody respects in this country.

On a whole series of amendments now, we are going to contrast where we are--we Democrats--and where the Republicans are. The Republicans will either side with the American people on high costs or bow to Donald Trump and Stephen Miller and tell the American people to take a hike. ``We don't give a damn about you.'' This will be a reconciliation of contrasts. The contrasts are stark. They are damning. Republicans are bending the knee to Donald Trump and to Stephen Miller. Democrats are standing up for the American people. Republicans are fighting with each other because they know the box they are in--all kinds of dissension--but you brought it on yourselves and have no one else--no one else--to blame.

So Democrats are united and strong, focused like a laser on reducing costs. This will be a reconciliation of reckoning for Senate Republicans who will continue to pay the price for their actions tonight.

This reconciliation, this budget act, will show who is on whose side, and clearly, if Republicans vote against our amendments, they are not on the side of the American people.

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 4799 and ask that it be reported by number.

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, Republicans say they want to lower healthcare costs. Well, here is a chance. Here is a chance for you, a chance for Republicans to join Senate Democrats to start doing something about it once and for all.

Tonight, with the very first amendment of the evening, I am offering Republicans an exceedingly simple option: We should not consider any reconciliation bill that does not lower out-of-pocket healthcare costs for the American people.

Republicans slashed $1 trillion from our healthcare system as part of their ``Big Ugly Bill.'' Since then, premiums have soared by thousands of dollars a month for millions of people, prescription drugs are up by 600 percent, and out-of-pocket costs have gone up for people with Medicare, Medicaid, ACA.

Instead of pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol, Republicans should be working with Democrats to lower out-of-pocket costs.

Republicans, listen to the American people. They are crying out for you to lower their healthcare costs, not play these ridiculous, ridiculous, games--

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Mr. SCHUMER.--by adding so much more to ICE and CBP.

So, Republicans, listen to the American people, say no to billions more for unrestrained, rogue agents, and say yes to lower premiums, lower healthcare costs.

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Mr. SCHUMER. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the waiver provisions of applicable budget resolutions, I move to waive all applicable sections of that act and applicable budget points of order for the purpose of the pending measure and ask for the yeas and nays. Vote on Motion
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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, tonight, Senate Republicans showed the American people where they stand, not for families struggling with the high cost of childcare, groceries, gasoline, electricity but for pumping $140 billion toward rogue Agencies.

All night long, we gave the Republicans a chance to do the right thing by voting for our amendments. We gave Republicans a chance to vote for an amendment to lower out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

They said: No.

We gave Republicans a chance to lower childcare costs.

They said: No.

We gave Republicans a chance to stop insurance company delays, to protect school meals, to give people a hand at the grocery store.

And Republicans said: No, no, and no, again.

What kind of bubble are they living in? How apart are they from people's real needs? And, instead, take that money, which should have gone to lowering people's costs, and give it to an Agency that everyone knows needs reform.

Republicans can rest assured that when reconciliation comes back up in a few weeks, they are going to have to face these votes again. Democrats will make sure that they do. We will continue to force vote after vote on the most pressing issue facing Americans today: their high, high, all-too-high costs.

Democrats are going to hold Republicans' feet to the fire because the American people demand it. The American people are hurting right now because of the soaring cost of living, and that is why it is so important that Democrats continue to force Republicans to take these votes and go on record about their disastrous agenda.

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