Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, Senate Republicans seem to think Todd Blanche became a different person somewhere between the confirmation hearing and today's vote. It is obvious he didn't. Blanche remains Trump's personal lawyer--same client, same corrupt record, same playbook. He is the same guy. Nothing has changed. Thanks to Blanche, Trump and his family still have a permission slip from the IRS to take in tens of millions of dollars through tax fraud--tens of millions of dollars--and they exempt him from tax fraud even though he has had so many brushes with the law before. How can we appoint this man to such an important position when he is the one who facilitated the President avoiding any tax liability, which an overwhelming number of Americans despise? It is crazy. It is amazing how our Republican friends just tie themselves in pretzel knots to allow Trump to do illicit things, to allow the country's morals to go down the drain when it comes to finance ethics. Blanche still hasn't put up any meaningful guardrails to Trump's $2 billion MAGA slush fund. We all know what that was--one of the grossest things any President has ever done. He sues the government as a private citizen and then asks the government for $10 billion and then shakes hands with the government that he gets $2 billion to do whatever he wants. It makes you nauseous, what he is doing to the morals of this country. Let's not forget that Blanche still hasn't released 3 million pages of the Epstein files. Make no mistake, if you had to line up every American, lawyer or not, who should be Attorney General, he would be at the back of the line because he is so unethical. Ethics matter in this job more than just about any other. So make no mistake, Blanche still has no business becoming Attorney General. Todd Blanche hasn't changed, and neither should the votes of anyone who plans to oppose his nomination. Government Funding Mr. President, on the CR, from the start, Senate Democrats said we wanted to keep the government open and keep politics out of the appropriations process. This CR gives us the time we need to continue hashing out a budget that helps make life more affordable for the American people while crushing the chaos and the corruption of the Trump administration. Senate Democrats will always be willing to work across the aisle and negotiate in good faith to deliver results for working Americans. Thanks to Senator Murray's efforts, we have staved off Trump's efforts to withhold Federal grants from vital projects. Trump wanted to pick grants in the States and politicians he liked and eliminate them from others. Nothing could be more against the Constitution, more against the government, more against fairness, more against bipartisanship than that. He wanted to do all that. People were amazed. Oh, I like this project in a red State. Go for it. I don't like the very same project paid by the same money in a blue State. Cut it out. No rationale, no reason other than political malignance. People were really revolted by what he was trying to do. Taxpayers fund these grants. Taxpayers deserve to see that the money is invested in their communities, not withheld by Trump because of partisan retribution. Senate Democrats have stood up for working Americans at every step, and we are going to continue to fight for the American people in the weeks and months ahead. Head Start Mr. President, now on Head Start, Donald Trump believes the Federal Government exists to serve him and no one else. Even though he acts like a toddler three-quarters of the time, he is not eligible for Head Start, so if the program doesn't benefit him, what does he care? Trump will soon announce plans to gut Head Start without any thought of how it will hurt hundreds of thousands of children. After trying and failing to defund it altogether, Trump is putting the program to the torch by rolling back Federal standards that ensure Head Start will be high quality. That means no math or literacy requirements, no health or safety screenings, no guarantee that children can access medical and dental services. Trump's changes will hurt America's most vulnerable children and leave their families in the lurch. Donald Trump, the parents of some of these kids are working two or three jobs, knocking themselves out almost 24/7 just to help their kids by making ends meet. Does Trump really think these families can afford to spend more on finding care for their kids? The gutting of Head Start is the Trump administration's disastrous approach to governing laid bare. Better outcomes for Trump, worse outcomes for our kids--that is Trump's America. Donald Trump uses his office to help himself and his billionaire friends get ahead while holding back our children, while holding back our working families. Every single Senator who cares about Head Start needs to stand up to this effort that undercuts our children, particularly the most vulnerable. Early education works. It gives kids a headstart. It makes America more prosperous as a whole. Trump doesn't give a damn. Reflecting Pool Mr. President, Trump's Reflecting Pool saga continues to show how his corruption comes back to bite him. Last Friday, Jeanine Pirro, the FOX News host turned U.S. attorney-- he loves these television hosts to have places in his administration whether they are qualified or not. Look at the Defense Department. Well, this host is U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, and she admitted in court that Trump's own grifting caused the Reflecting Pool renovation to fail. How dare she. How dare she speak the truth against Donald Trump when one of the requirements of being chosen by Trump for any important office is that you just go along with him. I will tell you this: If we had serious people leading the DOJ and serving as U.S. attorney, we never would have had these nonsense legal cases in the first place. You know Trump is living in an alternate reality when not even Pirro, an ardent Trump loyalist, will defend his lies. What did Trump expect? Shoddy work is inevitable when you award a multimillion-dollar, no-bid contract to your personal pool guy at the taxpayers' expense. Trump's Reflecting Pool debacle is so unbelievably stupid, it would be funny--except we American taxpayers are paying for it. Some nearly faced jail time for it. Trump is so delusional, he would rather prosecute innocent Americans than own up to his own failure. Is it any wonder that 80 percent of Americans think Trump doesn't have the right priorities? Trump keeps spending his time and American tax dollars on these vanity projects. Donald, Americans want you to lower their costs, end your war, stop your corruption. The Reflecting Pool can wait. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, well, make no mistake, Todd Blanche has no intention of stopping Trump's corruption. He has spent his career enabling it. Instead of seeing Todd Blanche's so-called deal for the sham that it is, Senate Republicans are, once again, taking Trump's personal attorney at his word. All Blanche's deal does is accept the reality that Trump's MAGA slush fund is never getting through the courts. Blanche's so-called deal does nothing--nothing--to stop the IRS sweetheart deal that lets Trump and his family cheat their way out of tens of millions of dollars in taxes. Let me repeat that. Blanche is still perfectly fine with giving Trump a permission slip to commit tax fraud to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Is the Senate GOP willing to go along with Trump's tax fraud? Blanche certainly is. Senate Republicans keep pretending that Blanche made real concessions on the slush fund. The truth is he just gave up a fight he had already lost in court. And there is no guardrail preventing Trump and Blanche from using taxpayer dollars to give cash payouts to violent January 6 insurrectionists, MAGA billionaires, and the Trump family. Trump won't even hide his intention to resurrect his MAGA cash rewards program. Just last night, Trump said: ``A lot of people like'' the slush fund. Those were his words. He said it. He said it ``would be a reimbursement for the pain that'' January 6 insurrectionists ``suffered.'' Where is the reimbursement for the economic pain Trump has inflicted on the American people with his rampant corruption and his disastrous agenda? No one wants this slush fund, other than Trump and his cronies. There has never been a more clear-cut case of self-dealing in American history. Trump sued himself, settled with himself, and then gave himself tax immunity for life and $2 billion to either pocket--in his own pocket--from the Federal Treasury or pass out to bad people, all at the taxpayers' expense. Senate Republicans, if you truly care about ending this corruption, then work with us to ban it by law. Don't put the architect of Trump's grifts in charge of the Department of Justice. (The remarks of Mr. SCHUMER pertaining to the introduction of S. 5212 are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on the pardons bill, justice is supposed to be blind. Under Donald Trump, justice is for sale. Today, I am introducing legislation with Senators Blumenthal, Hirono, Cortez Masto, and Schiff to stop Trump from abusing his pardon power for personal gain. Our No Payoffs for Pardons Act will expose, deter, and prosecute corrupt pardons. Trump sees his pardon power as just another opportunity for grift, for graft, or personal profit. The only thing Trump cares about in granting clemency is how much money you have and where do your loyalties lie. Trump has wiped the slate clean for thousands of January 6 insurrectionists, Medicare fraudsters, white-collar criminals, and other crooks convicted of swindling the American people. The American people always pay the price for Trump's corruption, and pardons are no exception. Trump's pardons have wiped out nearly $2 billion in repayments owed to the victims of these crimes. It is the same old grift: Trump picks the pocket of law-abiding Americans to enrich criminals, his cronies, and himself. In Trump's America, if you have enough money or if you have the President's ear, then you are above the law. Our bill reaffirms that Federal bribery laws apply to the President and that trying to buy your way out of a prison cell is a crime itself. Our legislation would also require anyone who receives a pardon to disclose financial gifts they made in connection with their clemency. We need to bring these corrupt pardons out of the shadows and into the light so that we can stop them for once and for all. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on the pardons bill, justice is supposed to be blind. Under Donald Trump, justice is for sale. Today, I am introducing legislation with Senators Blumenthal, Hirono, Cortez Masto, and Schiff to stop Trump from abusing his pardon power for personal gain. Our No Payoffs for Pardons Act will expose, deter, and prosecute corrupt pardons. Trump sees his pardon power as just another opportunity for grift, for graft, or personal profit. The only thing Trump cares about in granting clemency is how much money you have and where do your loyalties lie. Trump has wiped the slate clean for thousands of January 6 insurrectionists, Medicare fraudsters, white-collar criminals, and other crooks convicted of swindling the American people. The American people always pay the price for Trump's corruption, and pardons are no exception. Trump's pardons have wiped out nearly $2 billion in repayments owed to the victims of these crimes. It is the same old grift: Trump picks the pocket of law-abiding Americans to enrich criminals, his cronies, and himself. In Trump's America, if you have enough money or if you have the President's ear, then you are above the law. Our bill reaffirms that Federal bribery laws apply to the President and that trying to buy your way out of a prison cell is a crime itself. Our legislation would also require anyone who receives a pardon to disclose financial gifts they made in connection with their clemency. We need to bring these corrupt pardons out of the shadows and into the light so that we can stop them for once and for all. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, today, the disastrous Trump economy delivered another one-two gut punch to the American people: Growth is down. Costs are up. The American people don't need government reports and economists to tell them how sluggish Trump's economy is or how high costs are. Americans see it at the gas pump. They see it at the grocery store. They see it whenever they pay the rent or for heating or for electricity. Trump, on the other hand, has no clue just how deep in the dumps his economy is. He keeps calling higher costs a ``hoax'' and affordability a ``made-up word.'' In the meantime, Trump has done nothing but make matters worse with his reckless and irresponsible war, with his chaotic tariffs, and with his crusade against American energy and assault on healthcare. And every day, while Trump's failed Presidency makes life harder for American families, where does he spend his time and energy? Enriching himself. Democrats aren't going to let this one-two economic punch turn into a knockout blow. We are going to keep fighting to bring down Americans' costs and bring an end to Trump's failed agenda that is driving those costs up and up and up. (The remarks of Mr. Schumer pertaining to the introduction of S. 5183 are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Finally, on the Iran WPR, as Trump plays keyboard warrior on Truth Social in his war with Iran, our men and women in uniform are risking their lives on the frontlines. This aimless war has been one of the greatest foreign policy catastrophes in American history, and Trump's mess only gets worse with every passing hour. Trump said the war would last a week, but American servicemembers are still getting killed 5 months later, and the war seems to be expanding with Iran's latest attack in Egypt's territory. Senate Republicans cannot sit on the sidelines as Trump's war escalates out of control. Later today, Democrats will advance another War Powers Resolution so we can get our troops out of danger and end this war once and for all. Will Senate Republicans keep helping Trump dig himself into a deeper and deeper hole in Iran or will they finally show some backbone, grab a shovel, and help Trump get out of this hole? Republicans, do your duty to our servicemembers, to the American people, and to your own conscience. Vote for our War Powers Resolution to end this disaster. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I will be brief. Nearly half a year into Trump's ruinous war with Iran, the conflict is widening instead of winding down. More countries get dragged into the mix, more fronts open up, and more Americans get killed and injured. The American people have made it clear: No one wants this war to go on. A new poll, this morning, found only a fifth--a fifth--of the American people, including less than half of the Republicans, want the war to continue. Are our Senate Republicans listening? The country is clamoring for you to end this war and to bring our troops home--something you can do right now by voting for Senator Gillibrand's War Powers Resolution. Is Trump so intimidating, so untouchable that Republicans will keep siding with him instead of the 80 percent of Americans calling for the fighting to end? The biggest thing standing between our troops and home is a Republican Party that is too afraid to cross the President. Congress can break this vicious cycle of escalation Trump started in Iran, and this War Powers Resolution is how we do it. I urge--I plead--with my Republican colleagues to listen to the American people. Vote to end this war. We are going to keep forcing Republicans to vote until you do. I yield the floor. Vote on Motion to Discharge

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now, today, on anti-corruption and the Anti-Corruption Bureau Creation Act--today, I am introducing the Anti- Corruption Bureau Creation Act, the biggest, boldest, and broadest proposal ever put forward to revitalize our anti-corruption institutions. The scope and scale of Donald Trump's corruption dwarf anything we have ever seen in American history, which is why Congress has to respond more strongly than ever before. In just 18 months, the Trump family has cashed in on the influence of the Presidency to the tune of more than $4 billion--billion. The same corrupt practices that Trump is using to rake in billions are also causing Americans to pay an extra $3,100 in higher costs each year. Trump profits; Americans pay. Our ``Grifter in Chief'' has tried every scam in the book and invented new ones we never imagined. The bill I am introducing today with my colleagues Senators Padilla, Merkley, and Kim is designed to stop Trump's ``Art of the Steal.'' The first goal of our bill is to get the American people their money back. The bill will create, for the first time, a private right of action that allows Americans, including State attorneys general representing the public, to sue to recover the money Trump and his family have taken from them. Now, the False Claims Act already allows citizens to file lawsuits against people who defraud the government and share part of the civil penalty if they win. So it only makes sense that we are expanding that ability so citizens can sue people who use government influence to defraud the public. If Donald Trump or one of his lackeys, sons, cronies uses government influence to steal from you, you deserve your day in court. The second goal of our bill is to stop this corruption from happening again. Instead of draining the swamp, Trump blew our anti-corruption institutions to smithereens. He installed MAGA loyalists at the Office of Government Ethics and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, watchdogs whose whole mission is to stop the same type of corruption Trump is now committing. Trump also neutered the Federal Elections Commission, which Congress created to stop the corruption Watergate exposed. My bill would establish a new, independent Anti-Corruption Bureau that brings all the guardrails Trump has weakened under one roof. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is a sum greater than its parts. The Bureau would have subpoena power to give it real investigative strength, meaningful enforcement authority, and the ability to disgorge ill- gotten gains. We want to create a one-stop shop to catch the corruption and make them pay up, an Agency with real teeth and real independence. It will be led by seven Senate-confirmed Commissioners--three Republicans, three Democrats, and one Independent. Trump won't be able to commandeer the Bureau because our bill explicitly outlaws trying to weaponize it, with fines and jail time for people who try. Congress can't defund the Bureau because our bill establishes a self- sustaining funding source for the Agency, much like the Fed. And the President can't dismantle the Bureau by purging its members, since our bill requires a panel of judges to appoint temporary replacements so the Bureau always has a quorum. The bill is just common sense--a basic, straightforward way to make sure all facets of government serve the people and no one else. Americans are demanding we go back to a government they can actually trust. This legislation tells them that we hear them and that we are going to fight for them with the strongest measures we have ever proposed. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now, today, on anti-corruption and the Anti-Corruption Bureau Creation Act--today, I am introducing the Anti- Corruption Bureau Creation Act, the biggest, boldest, and broadest proposal ever put forward to revitalize our anti-corruption institutions. The scope and scale of Donald Trump's corruption dwarf anything we have ever seen in American history, which is why Congress has to respond more strongly than ever before. In just 18 months, the Trump family has cashed in on the influence of the Presidency to the tune of more than $4 billion--billion. The same corrupt practices that Trump is using to rake in billions are also causing Americans to pay an extra $3,100 in higher costs each year. Trump profits; Americans pay. Our ``Grifter in Chief'' has tried every scam in the book and invented new ones we never imagined. The bill I am introducing today with my colleagues Senators Padilla, Merkley, and Kim is designed to stop Trump's ``Art of the Steal.'' The first goal of our bill is to get the American people their money back. The bill will create, for the first time, a private right of action that allows Americans, including State attorneys general representing the public, to sue to recover the money Trump and his family have taken from them. Now, the False Claims Act already allows citizens to file lawsuits against people who defraud the government and share part of the civil penalty if they win. So it only makes sense that we are expanding that ability so citizens can sue people who use government influence to defraud the public. If Donald Trump or one of his lackeys, sons, cronies uses government influence to steal from you, you deserve your day in court. The second goal of our bill is to stop this corruption from happening again. Instead of draining the swamp, Trump blew our anti-corruption institutions to smithereens. He installed MAGA loyalists at the Office of Government Ethics and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, watchdogs whose whole mission is to stop the same type of corruption Trump is now committing. Trump also neutered the Federal Elections Commission, which Congress created to stop the corruption Watergate exposed. My bill would establish a new, independent Anti-Corruption Bureau that brings all the guardrails Trump has weakened under one roof. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is a sum greater than its parts. The Bureau would have subpoena power to give it real investigative strength, meaningful enforcement authority, and the ability to disgorge ill- gotten gains. We want to create a one-stop shop to catch the corruption and make them pay up, an Agency with real teeth and real independence. It will be led by seven Senate-confirmed Commissioners--three Republicans, three Democrats, and one Independent. Trump won't be able to commandeer the Bureau because our bill explicitly outlaws trying to weaponize it, with fines and jail time for people who try. Congress can't defund the Bureau because our bill establishes a self- sustaining funding source for the Agency, much like the Fed. And the President can't dismantle the Bureau by purging its members, since our bill requires a panel of judges to appoint temporary replacements so the Bureau always has a quorum. The bill is just common sense--a basic, straightforward way to make sure all facets of government serve the people and no one else. Americans are demanding we go back to a government they can actually trust. This legislation tells them that we hear them and that we are going to fight for them with the strongest measures we have ever proposed. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SCHUMER. Well, Mr. President, the Trump Presidency is just a disaster, and more and more people know it. Just about everyone is getting to know it now. This morning's CNN poll--right over my shoulder--is further confirmation that Trump has completely lost the trust of the American people. Americans can see it, smell it, feel it: Trump's priorities are completely out of whack. He is concerned not with average citizens and making their lives better, just his own ego. Just look at some of these numbers: More than three in every four Americans say that Trump's disastrous war on Iran hasn't been worth the cost. The same numbers say they have experienced hardship because of gas prices: 79 percent. And when asked: Does Trump have the right priorities? Seventy-three percent say no. A record 73 percent of Americans think Trump hasn't focused enough on the most pressing issues they face. Pick any poll. Pick any issue. You will come to the same conclusion: Trump is totally out of touch. He is hurting America and not listening to America. No one likes what you are doing. Are you listening, Donald? No one likes what you are doing. Look at those numbers. They should make Donald Trump hang his head in shame: 72 percent disapprove of how he is conducting the war in Iran; 79 percent disapprove of him on gas prices; 73 percent say you have the wrong priorities for them. When the overwhelming majority of Americans say you are taking the country in the wrong direction, you better change course. Trump and his party can either take the hint or take a hike when it comes in November. Democrats have been clear on appropriations. Democrats have been clear from the start: We want to fund the government, avoid a shutdown, pass strong appropriations bills that improve people's lives. Bipartisan negotiations are ongoing, and Senate Democrats are working in good faith to reach an agreement to keep the appropriations process moving forward. We are fighting for a bipartisan funding package--not partisan bills that bankroll Donald Trump's war agenda while leaving working families behind. Any CR must be bipartisan. We must keep the government open without abandoning the needs of working families or giving Donald Trump a blank check for his destructive agenda. There is a responsible path forward. Senate Democrats are ready to take it. Republicans must meet us to get that done. Medicare Mr. President, Trump's crusade against Americans' healthcare costs continues every single day. Listen to this: Yesterday, Trump doubled prescription drug costs for millions of seniors by making cuts to Medicare drug plans. Just 2 days before Medicare's 61st anniversary, no less, he is cutting the dollars we need and doubling prescription drug costs for millions of seniors. Can Trump get any more heartless? We are talking about seniors splitting pills in half to ration life-saving drugs or skipping meals to afford their medication at the pharmacy counter. That is despicable. This is just the latest salvo in Trump's war on Americans' healthcare. A year ago, Trump ransacked over a trillion dollars from the healthcare system to bankroll tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans and corporations. And since then, millions of people have lost their coverage altogether while tens of millions get slammed while premiums double, triple, even quadruple. But I guess that wasn't enough for Donald. Now he is coming after seniors--millions of them--by raising their prescription drug costs. In Trump's America, families are fighting for their lives while the rich get richer. Iran Mr. President, Trump is more concerned about protecting himself from the repercussions of his failed war in Iran than protecting our troops who are in the line of fire. As Trump twiddles his thumbs without any plan for how to end his reckless misadventure, our servicemembers are facing down barrage after barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. Donald, posting another lie on Truth Social won't stop the missiles from flying. Thumping your chest won't bring down the crushing gas prices you have sent skyrocketing. And brushing casualties under the rug doesn't get our men and women in uniform out of harm's way. And those whose names were eliminated, before they put them back, do not come back to life when you just simply take their name off the roll. There is only one way to do that--to do all of that--bring our troops home. End the war. Democrats will soon force another vote on our War Powers Resolution to end this aimless war and bring our troops back home to their families. Every second Trump prolongs this war, our servicemembers' lives are at risk. Senate Republicans, stand up for troops, not the President who sent them to war without a plan, without a mission, without an exit strategy. Senate Republicans, stand up with the American people and come join us in ending this war. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, first let me thank the Senator from Alabama for her poignant and strong and much needed words. Let me thank my colleague from New Hampshire, along with Senator Blumenthal, for leading the fight in this very important issue. Now, I just got back from a beautiful service honoring Lindsey Graham. The service honoring Lindsey Graham today was a tribute not only to our friend Lindsey but to his belief that America can act as a positive force on the global stage, especially in Ukraine. I didn't agree with Lindsey on many things, but Lindsey understood something Trump has yet to learn: It takes resolve to earn respect. Instead of standing strongly behind Ukraine and squarely against Vladimir Putin, Trump has tried and failed to pander to Russia. At a time when Ukraine is turning the tide in the war against Putin, we must show the Ukrainians that our Congress and our country are fully behind them and show Putin that his war is a losing battle because the people of the United States and this Senate stand behind the Ukrainians. With this bill, we are going to show the Russians we mean business. We are going to impose steep, mandatory sanctions to clamp down on the Russian war machine, drain the Kremlin's war chest, and truly cripple the Russian war effort. That is how you make a bully like Putin listen, by putting real pressure on him to end this devastating war. Words will not do; actions matter. This is strong action, strong medicine. And Trump should not pass up--better not pass up--this opportunity. If Trump tries to abuse these tools and continue kowtowing to Putin, he will only make himself and our country look weaker. Make no mistake, there is an overwhelming majority in this country that wants to see Russia defeated and Ukraine victorious in this fight against Putin's authoritarian invasion. President Zelenskyy has reiterated that Ukraine is changing the tide in this war and gaining momentum every day. We are seeing it happen with our own eyes. Lindsey Graham spent his final days trying to help Ukraine achieve victory. We ought to do the same in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, Trump going to Michigan today to tout his economic record is like an arsonist returning to the scene of the crime and asking for a pat on the back. Trump has said over and over again that ``affordability'' is a made-up word. He has said Americans' skyrocketing costs are nothing but a hoax. Hey, Donald, ask any Michigander whether they think the higher costs that are crushing them are a hoax. Michiganders and Americans know that rising costs are all too real, and they know who is to blame--Donald Trump and the GOP. Over and over again, they have done things that have made it more expensive to live in Michigan. If Trump wants to tout his economic record in Michigan, so be it. Trump can brag about how Michiganders are forking over $4.23 for a gallon of gas on a car economy because of his failed war with Iran. Trump can take credit for the massive tariff tax he is forcing Michiganders to pay because of the whopping 50 percent tariff he just slapped on Canada--the State's northern neighbor. The Michigan and Canadian economies are intertwined. How stupid to impose a tariff when the two economies depend on each other. Or maybe Trump wants to boast to Michigan's factory workers about the 75,000 American manufacturing jobs he has lost in his second term. Everywhere you look, the Michigan economy is in shambles because of Donald Trump and his actions. So that is your record, Donald. Go ahead and own it. Trump thinks he is in for a warm reception in Michigan; he is in for a reckoning. Corruption Madam President, on corruption, the only people who think America is getting more affordable are Donald Trump and his cronies as they cash in on unprecedented corruption. We see a new con come out of the Trump administration almost every day, but the scheme is always the same: Americans pay; Trump profits. Last week, I announced Senate Democrats' new effort to stop Trump from turning his Presidency into his personal ATM. We released a report detailing how the Trump family has defrauded the American people to the tune of more than $4 billion in the past 18 months. We also saw Republicans vote against my legislation to prevent Trump from wasting further taxpayer dollars on upgrades for his $400 million luxury jet. Our work to expose and stop Trump's grift continues this week. In the coming days, I plan to announce new legislation to clean up the swamp Trump promised to drain a decade ago. We are unmasking the people who are swindling the American people, holding their feet to the fire, and advancing reforms to stop further corruption in the future. The Presidency isn't a product to sell, a commodity to trade, or a grift to run--no matter how hard Donald Trump tries. Every American who has been forced to pay more this last year and a half is paying for Trump's profit margin. We are done picking up his tab. SAVE America Act Madam President, on the SAVE Act, it is a new week in Washington, but one thing remains the same: The SAVE Act is dead on arrival in the Senate. Trump keeps tiring himself out running the same play. Trump knows he can't defend Republicans' abysmal record--his abysmal record-- so he whines to the GOP to pass the SAVE Act to disenfranchise voters who want to hold him accountable in November. Give it up, Donald. The SAVE Act ain't going to happen. The courts have rejected the SAVE Act. Congress rejected the SAVE Act. Even members of Trump's own party have rejected the SAVE Act. Republican problems aren't going to go away until Trump realizes how futile this brazen effort to rig our elections really is. Instead, Trump has said publicly that ``Republicans have to pass SAVE . . . otherwise we are going to have a shutdown in November.'' That is Trump. He keeps threatening a shutdown. Are Republicans listening? Your President is threatening to shut down the government. It is not Democrats doing that. Donald, I keep trying to remind you, the last time you bragged about shutting down the government--back when Nancy Pelosi was in charge then--didn't go so well for you, did it? And it definitely won't now. Republicans either need to drop this frivolous and vicious effort to pass the SAVE Act or watch Democrats stop it dead in its tracks. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, the hole Donald Trump is digging himself into in Iran has turned into a crater. Somehow Trump has convinced himself that the American people are cheering him on on this blunder rather than crying out for him to bring our troops home. Today, Democrats are going to force another vote on our War Powers Resolution to end this war; to get our troops out of harm's way; and to force Trump to face the reality of this catastrophe. Will our Republican colleagues join us, or are they just going to keep their heads in the sand? They know how bad this is. They are hearing it from one end of the country to another, but they are so afraid of speaking truth to power-- of telling Donald Trump he is wrong--that they almost time after time-- the vast majority of them--vote to go along with this war that is not achieving any goals and is raising our gas prices now to above $4. Yesterday, Trump said of the American people ``they're not against the war.'' Trump, wake up. No one wants this war but you and your cronies and the supine Republican Senators and Congressmen who go along. The American people are against this war. They are against seeing our men and women in uniform get killed and wounded for a war that seems to have no direction or purpose. They are against hearing Trump and Hegseth lie about casualties, and they are definitely against paying over 4 bucks for a gallon of gas. In fact, this morning, oil, once again, hit $100 a barrel as the war continues to spiral. Just this week, we saw polling that the war in Iran is America's least popular war since polling began. Let me say that again so Donald Trump and my Republican colleagues can hear it. Just this week, we saw polling that the Iran war is America's least popular war since polling began. So, when Donald Trump says the American people are not against the war, he has got his head deep, deep, deep in the sand. Even Trump's MAGA supporters are starting to sour on the war. No one--no one--wants to watch Donald Trump keep pouring gasoline on a fire he claims to have put out weeks ago. Donald Trump's war is ramping up, not winding down. If Donald Trump won't listen to the American people and end this war, then Congress must. Bipartisan majorities in both Chambers of Congress have already passed legislation to end Trump's aimless, illegal, ruinous war. We will keep demanding Donald Trump end this war with another vote today. We are going to keep the pressure on our Republican colleagues, and that is what we are supposed to be doing here because it is Congress that has the power to bring war; so it is perfectly appropriate and right and part of our obligation as the opposition party to force our Republican colleagues to vote again and again and again until they see the light. Senate Republicans need to stop indulging the President's foreign policy of fantasy and support our War Powers Resolution to bring our troops home. When are Senate Republicans going to stand up? When will they say ``enough''? The American people are watching. Senate Republicans will lose credibility with the American people with every vote they take against ending Trump's war. Tariffs Mr. President, on tariffs, as gas prices spike and families struggle with their grocery bills, Trump is tripling down on his chaotic tariff tax and pushing prices that Americans pay even higher. Just this week, Trump announced a new round of 50-percent tariffs on Canada--our big enemy, Canada, Trump might say--but that is not all. Trump is about to slap new 10-percent tariffs on 60 countries, including all of our major trading partners. He is also threatening 100-percent tariffs on generic medicines. That is more money coming out of the American people's pockets for something they very much need-- low-cost generic drugs. Trump has bled the American people dry with these tariffs, and he is coming back for more. And Canada? Doesn't he know that many of our countries on the Canadian border depend on commerce, whether it is Maine or New York or Michigan or Washington State or every State in between, and that his tariffs are helping to destroy the economies of those States in particular? So what will American families get in return for shelling out thousands of dollars extra for basic necessities? Nothing good. Trump has bled the American people dry with these tariffs, and now he is coming back for more. Trump claims a massive new wave of manufacturing, but the truth is we have lost 75,000 manufacturing jobs since Trump started his trade war. I repeat. Trump's tariffs have cost our country 75,000 manufacturing jobs. Once again, Trump lies. He just lies. He doesn't care what the facts are. If it suits his purposes, his big ego, his insatiable desire to pat himself on the back, he lies. Trump, we have lost manufacturing jobs since your tariffs--75,000 of them. Meanwhile, tariff rates mysteriously change, and new exemptions are announced every time Trump receives a gold watch, a diamond ring, or a phone call from one of his billionaire buddies. The story is always the same with this administration: Trump and his billionaire friends win; families lose. Trump corrupts the Presidency to enrich himself. Then he turns around and raises costs on Americans at every turn, and Senate Republicans are more than happy to help Trump every step of the way. Election Protection Task Force Now, Mr. President, on the Election Protection Task Force that we Democrats have put together, Trump tries to corrupt everything he touches, and our elections are next. President Trump knows he can't outrun the Republicans' awful record, so he is trying to rig the race in November. Trump and the GOP would rather silence Americans than answer to them. We are going to make sure Republicans hear the American people loud and clear in November, which is why the Senate Democrats' Election Protection Task Force gathered again yesterday to war-game our response to Trump's all-out assault on our elections. Our task force is planning for every eventuality and looking at every tool to stop Trump from stealing the mid-term election. It doesn't matter what Trump tries to throw at us. Exercises like the one we held yesterday will ensure we will be ready to respond. We are anticipating the trouble he might create--the evil he might do--and what our response should be in advance. Trump ignored Americans when they told him to lower his costs. Trump ignored Americans when they told him to end his wars. Now Trump wants to ignore Americans when they tell him they want Republicans gone. Trump may not want to listen to the American people, but he is going to have to face the music in November whether he likes it or not. Anniversary of 1998 Capitol Police Shooting Finally, Mr. President, on a sad note, it is the anniversary of the 1998 Capitol Police shooting. Tomorrow--tomorrow--will mark 28 years when Detective John Gibson and Officer Jacob Chestnut of the U.S. Capitol Police gave their lives while defending our Capitol. They showed tremendous heroism that day-- one I remember all too well. They faced grave danger with courage and made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our Capitol, the people within, and the democracy this building represents. For that, they will always have--always have--our gratitude, and so will all of our Capitol Police officers, who work so hard to keep us safe. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, Trump got America into this mess in Iran, and he has made it clear he is both unwilling and unable to get us out. For the sake of our servicemembers, their families, working people from one end of the country to the other who are getting crushed by higher costs and gas prices, Senate Republicans need to join us and end Trump's war in Iran. People across the aisle know--most everyone here knows--what a fiasco this war has been. Well, now we need a little courage and strength to end it. And we need to get our Republican colleagues to step up to the plate and do what that they know deep in their hearts is the right thing to do. How many servicemembers will die before Senate Republicans decide this war needs to end? How many of our troops will be wounded before Senate Republicans find a spine? How many times will Democrats have to force a vote on our War Powers Resolution to bring our troops home before Senate Republicans join us? And they are going to have to vote on it again and again and again until they join us in ending this war. Every time Republicans oppose our War Powers Resolution and vote against ending this war, they lose the faith of the American people. Senate Republicans keep trying to protect Donald Trump, but it is our men and women in uniform whose lives are in danger they should be protecting. Senate Republicans know how dearly this war is costing the American people: gas $4 a barrel, crude oil over $100, families shelling out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in extra costs on basic goods, but Senate Republicans just want everyone to be calm and carry on. But the American people are not calm. They don't like this war-- Democrats, Republicans, Independents. So Senate Republicans need to wake up, not next week, not next month--now. Now is the time to wake up, Republicans. Now is not the time to keep bending the knee to Donald Trump, as he dizzies himself running around in circles chasing his own tail. It is time to stand up for the American people and declare in one voice that this war cannot and must not go on. Every Member of the Senate, whatever your politics, ought to be up in arms over this war, its lack of direction, its lack of conclusion, its lack of consistency. Every single Senator ought to support our resolution to end this war. We will keep forcing votes until Senate Republicans stop playing dumb and summon up the courage to do what is right. Vote on Motion to Discharge Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, Donald Trump's cavalier disregard for the lives of our servicemembers is beneath contempt and beyond despicable. In a Truth Social post, yesterday, Trump seemed to brag that 18 servicemembers had been killed in his disastrous Iran war compared to the tens of thousands who died in Vietnam. Donald, stop treating our servicemembers' lives like they are points on a scoreboard in your twisted game. Asked about his handling of the Iran war, yesterday, Trump said: I think people are very impressed. Very impressed? What kind of bubble does he live in? Every survey shows how much the American people are against this war. Americans are not impressed that Trump has botched this war from the start. Americans are not impressed when they see headlines like the one behind me right here--that the price of gasoline is back over $4 a gallon because of Trump's war. And Americans are certainly not impressed that 18 Americans have been killed and hundreds more wounded and that Trump has tried to cover it up. Donald Trump may believe that, if he conceals the casualties, Americans will forget the war. But our servicemembers are not numbers to bury. They are human beings with families who have lives. They are the sons and daughters, husbands and wives, and mothers and fathers who are sent into harm's way without a strategy for bringing them home--and bring them home we must. This week, Senate Democrats will force another vote on our War Powers Resolution to end this unauthorized war and get our troops out of harm's way. Every Senator will have to make a choice. You cannot claim to support the troops while leaving them trapped in a war with no mission and no end. You cannot call it a victory while the battlefield keeps expanding. And you cannot hide the wounded and call it peace.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, Trump's corruption has no ceiling, and it apparently doesn't have an altitude limit either. Trump's $400 million luxury jet is the single biggest bribe an American President has ever accepted from another country in all of American history--the single biggest bribe in all of American history. And make no mistake about it, Trump's so-called palace in the sky is a boondoggle at 40,000 feet. If you thought this illegal gift was bad before, it is even worse now. We just learned that this new jet wasn't safe enough for Trump to make the return flight from the NATO summit in Turkiye, a country that borders on Iran. It doesn't have the countermeasures for heat-seeking missiles and the other security equipment that it needs to keep the President safe. The rest of the Air Force One fleet had all these security features, but Trump left them in the hangar back at home. So I call on Senate Republicans to pass my Presidential Airlift Security Act so Americans don't have to pay to upgrade Trump's luxury jet when he already has access to a fleet of U.S. planes that are far safer and far less expensive to maintain. The luxury jet may have come wrapped in a bow for Donald Trump, but it came with a massive price tag for the American people. Trump is asking taxpayers to fork over an estimated $1 billion to retrofit and max out his flying palace so it can meet the security standards of the existing Air Force One fleet that, of course, we already paid for. Americans can't afford gas, can't afford groceries, can't afford the electric bill, but Trump thinks they can afford to fly him in style. Trump's luxury jet also poses a great risk to our national security. All the experts agree: no matter how many modifications are made or how much is spent or how intensely it is retrofitted, there will never be 100 percent confidence that the plane is secure. This is not a gamble anyone should be willing to take. I introduced this legislation last year, but every single Republican Senator voted against the bill. Now, with this new information, hopefully they will see the light, what a boondoggle this is. Why do they back up Trump on every one of his boondoggles that is as plain as can be for Americans to see is a gross waste of taxpayer dollars and gross corruption? Why don't they ever stop him? Whether it is the slush fund, the ballroom, the family tax exemption deal, or this Air Force One nonsense, we see a new grift coming out of this administration every day. Where are the Republicans? Senate Republicans need to stop letting Trump off the hook for fleecing the American people. And so, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be discharged and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1804; that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I am beginning a series of Senators who are speaking about Haiti and TPS. The Haitian community is woven into the fabric of our great American family, but Donald Trump is trying to tear it apart by terminating Haiti's temporary protected status. As someone who takes great pride in representing the State that is home to the largest Haitian population in the country, I know just how important the Haitian community is to the American economy, to culture, to society. But, unfortunately, Donald Trump clearly doesn't. Trump has vilified Haitians with his bigoted attacks and stereotypes, over and over again. Now, Trump is trying to force Haitians who are here legally to return to the dangerous conditions they fled in Haiti. Let's be clear: Revoking Haitians' temporary protected status will not only hurt them; it hurts our entire country. In New York, you can't go into a hospital, a nursing home, or a clinic without seeing scores of dedicated healthcare professionals who are fiercely proud of their Haitian heritage. That is true in cities and towns throughout the country. We have heard warnings that if Trump expels our Haitian TPS holders, it will strain our health system and create a gap in our caregiving workforce that will be difficult to fill. These people are our friends. They are our neighbors. They take care of the elderly and people with disabilities. They are entrepreneurs and small businessowners. They work hard and pay taxes. Let's not forget Haitian TPS holders add nearly $6 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Ending TPS doesn't fix our broken system; it only makes things worse. It is cruel. It is counterproductive. Sending 300,000 people to Haiti with little or no support will further destabilize an already severe humanitarian and security crisis on our country's doorstep. I urge all of my colleagues to support our legislation and preserve Haitians' TPS status. I will keep fighting for Haitian Americans in New York and beyond--any time, any place. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. It is an absolute disgrace that Pete Hegseth has withheld casualty numbers in the Iran war from the American public. One of the biggest questions Pete Hegseth has to answer today is why he was out marketing testosterone supplements for our troops last week while withholding casualty numbers from the Iran war to the American people. We learned yesterday that the Pentagon failed to disclose that our troops have sustained nearly 100 injuries in the past few weeks of the Iran war. Sending our troops in harm's way is the most serious thing we can do as a nation, but Hegseth, Trump, and Rubio certainly don't treat it that way. Hegseth is hiding more than he is sharing these days--whether it is the number of wounded, the damage to our bases overseas, or the immense ballooning cost of this Iran war blunder. We need answers, but Hegseth wants to give some to the GOP alone. Hegseth is reportedly attending a House Republican meeting today to brief their Members on the war without providing Democrats the same access. There is no room for this administration's partisan pettiness when our servicemembers' lives are at stake. But that seems to be a trademark for both Hegseth and Trump. I am calling on Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, and Donald Trump to tell the entire Congress everything they are telling the Republicans about the Iran war--both Chambers, both parties. Everything they tell Republicans behind closed doors needs to be shared in public during today's testimony. But I don't need to hear from Hegseth to know just how poorly this war is going. If we truly care about our servicemembers' well-being, we ought to be focused on getting them out of harm's way, not on their testosterone levels. We will be forcing another vote this week on our War Powers Resolution to bring our troops home and end this war. Senate Republicans, don't let Trump off the hook. The Iran war isn't a game. It is not some trifle Trump, Hegseth, and Rubio can brush under the rug. Trump's reckless war is an absolute catastrophe. It must end, and Republicans should join us in making sure that happens. So far, crickets from them.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, well, we have Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump Airlines, Trump Coin, and the Trump Presidency--all cons. The product changes; the con stays the same. Donald Trump has turned the Presidency of the United States into the most profitable scheme of his life, and American families are being forced--forced--to pay the price. Today, I am launching a new effort to expose the corruption, show Americans exactly what it is costing them, and build reforms needed to stop any President from using public office for personal profit. Senate Democrats will be exposing this self-dealing, showing Americans exactly what it is costing them, and developing reforms to make sure no President can abuse the Office this way again. For the next 3 weeks, Senate Democrats are putting Trump's corruption under a microscope. Throughout the month, we will follow the money, expose the deals, name the people cashing in, and show how Trump's corruption reaches directly into the pockets of working people. This week, we are releasing a new report that lays out the staggering scale of the grift: how Trump has used the power of the Presidency to enrich himself, reward his family, protect his friends, and sell access to anyone--anyone--willing to pay. The report shows how Americans are struggling to afford groceries, healthcare, housing, and energy, while Donald Trump and his family have reportedly made more than $4 billion from the Presidency. We will also be hosting another tabletop exercise with the Democrats' Elections Task Force to prepare to counter Trump's efforts to rig the 2026 midterms. Next week, we will hold a roundtable on how Trump's corruption is directly driving up everyday costs for the American people, and average folks will testify to what they are going through. And the following week, we will release major legislation designed to rein in Trump's rampant corruption and to prevent any President from ever doing it again. You pay; Trump profits. That is the pattern of this administration, and we will highlight it everywhere we see it. No amount of gold leaf can conceal the rot spreading through this White House. Corruption is not a sideshow in the Trump administration; it is the whole business model. Trump guts protections for workers and consumers. His wealthy friends cash in. Trump cuts food assistance and healthcare. Billionaires get another tax break. Trump hands out pardons to the rich and well-connected, accepts lavish gifts from foreign governments, and arranges sweetheart deals for his family business. Trump uses the government. Trump gets richer. Americans foot the bill. His corruption is not victimless. It has a price, and working families are paying it every single day. The average American family is already spending more than $3,100 extra because of this administration's policies. And yet Trump still expects taxpayers to finance a MAGA slush fund they never approved, a golden ballroom they never asked for, and upgrades to a foreign luxury jet the President does not need. Donald Trump has turned the Oval Office into his personal ATM, the Federal Government into his family business, and the American taxpayer into the mark. A few months ago, Trump said: I don't think about Americans' financial situation. Of course, he doesn't. He is too busy thinking about his own. Donald Trump may believe the Presidency is simply another brand to monetize, another product to sell, another scam to run. But he is dead wrong. The Presidency belongs to the American people. It is not a license to steal, it is not a family business, and it is not Donald Trump's personal property. So throughout this month, Senate Democrats will expose the corruption that Trump wants hidden. We will follow the money and expose the deals. We will show who profits, who pays, and how Trump has rigged the government for himself and the people closest to him. And we will make one thing unmistakably clear: The White House is not for sale. Trump has spent his life betting that the con will always work. This time, the American people will see exactly how the scam works and exactly who has been handed the keys to the kingdom. iran Mr. President, on the Iran war, Donald Trump needs to reckon with the terrible cost of the disastrous war he has dared to call ``a skirmish,'' ``a little excursion.'' And once, he called it ``a lovely stay.'' There is nothing ``lovely'' or ``little'' about Trump's blunder in Iran--nothing. On Thursday, Trump insisted to the Nation that we are ``winning big in Iran, and you will see the fruits of that labor very, very shortly.'' But instead and sadly, we saw three more brave American servicemembers tragically lose their lives over the weekend because of Trump's reckless war in Iran. Dozens of other U.S. troops were wounded in Iranian strikes last week, and one servicemember remains missing. I am praying for their families in this difficult hour. I speak for the entire Senate when I say how much we appreciate their sacrifice. This carnage is the bitter fruit of Trump's ``labor'' in Iran. Every second Trump prolongs this war is another second that the lives of our men and women in uniform are in danger. In the coming days, we are going to make Senate Republicans take another vote on our War Powers Resolution to end this war and get our troops out of harm's way. Trump needs to stop this catastrophe and bring our troops home, and Senate Republicans can't let him off the hook until he does. 100th Anniversary of the Long Island Association Mr. President, now I want to briefly take a moment to recognize some guests from New York who are in the Capitol today. I guess I am a little late, but they were here. The Long Island Association, a storied regional business development group, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Some of its members traveled here today to celebrate this occasion. Their century of work fighting to make Long Island a better place to live, work, and do business has accomplished much for the region. From affordability to energy, to infrastructure, to innovation, they have lit the road forward for Long Island's future. It has been my pleasure to work with them for several decades, and I know that under the leadership of their acting CEO and president Stacey Sikes--who once worked for me--we will continue our great tradition of delivering for Long Island together. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.