Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On House Republicans Having A Golden Opportunity To Change Donald Trump’s “Big, Ugly Bill”
Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the House having to vote once again on the “Big, Ugly Bill,” urging House Republicans to vote against the rule in order to lower costs, save jobs, and preserve health care access for millions of Americans. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
When Republican Congressmembers went home after voting for their “Big, Beautiful Bill” they got a lot of flak from people back home.
Because the more Americans look at this “Big, Beautiful Bill” the more they realize it’s an ugly mess.
By now, we’ve heard from so many Republicans in the House saying they didn’t like this provision, or they didn’t like that portion of the bill.
Some say it cuts Medicaid too deep.
Some say it adds too much to the debt.
Some even say they didn’t get to read the bill.
And particularly the cuts to energy provisions – the clean energy provisions that are very popular, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, reduce our dependence on China – were done in the dark of night at the last minute. It virtually kills the clean energy tax credits that have been so popular in this country.
The bottom line is this, though: a Congressmember’s core power is the power to vote. That’s what the Constitution gave them.
And House Republicans who say they don’t like the bill should exercise that power today. They have a unique opportunity to make the very changes they’ve been talking about for weeks.
Because of technical mistakes that we Democrats pointed out, the Republicans had to take their bill back and not send it over here until they make those technical corrections.
But if even a handful of Republican Congressmembers who say they don’t like this provision or that provision vote no until those other provisions – those much more serious provisions are changed – they could get it done.
They could stop the vicious cuts to Medicaid.
They could stop the closures of rural hospitals.
They could restore the clean energy tax credits – and save jobs in their own districts.
Remember: in the Senate, at least 70% of those clean energy projects are in red states.
Whatever policy they told people back home they didn’t like – they can now change it.
It’s a golden opportunity.
If House Republicans mean what they say – those who say they don’t like the bill, this part of it or that part of it, if they truly want to change this bill – now this is their chance. This is the golden key, Republicans in the House. You have a chance – a real chance – to change the bill.
It's in your hands. But don't go home and tell your constituents you're really against this provision if you don't act on it.
This vote will show whether House Republicans are actually worried about the cuts to SNAP, to Medicaid, and to clean energy jobs – like they claim – or if that was just empty talk.
House Republicans, vote no and you can change the bill for the better.
But if you go along and vote yes– after all that complaining – you’ll show people back home that when push comes to shove, you’ll cave to Donald Trump.
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